Mahama climax ‘changing lives’ tour in Volta region ahead of primaries

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November 18, 2015

President Mahama will climax his ‘changing lives, transforming Ghana’ tour with a 2days visit to the Volta region, the ‘world bank’ of the governing National Democratic Congress.

As part of the visit which begins today, the president will commission one of the community day Senior High Schools in the Nkwanta South district and later inspect work on the Hohoe-Pepesu section of the eastern corridor road project at Jasikan.

He will then have a meeting with regional party executives and MMDCEs at the residency in Ho later Wednesday evening.

President Mahama is also expected to commission the permanent campus of the university of health and allied sciences at Sokode-Lokoe near Ho on Thursday morning, before meeting with members of the Volta regional house of Chiefs.

The visit will be climax with a mammoth rally at the Ho jubilee, where president will address thousands of party supporters in the region ahead of Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary primaries of the party.

UHAS Land owners to demonstrate over unpaid compensation

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Kwadwo Duodu

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November 17, 2015

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Individuals, whose lands were taken for the construction of permanent campus for University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) at Sokode-Lokoe near Ho in the Volta region, are up in arms against government for long delay in the payment of their compensations.

Government through an Executive Instrument (EI) compulsorily acquired the lands for the first public university in the region, which was established an Act of Parliament in 2011.

Though the construction of permanent structures on the land, which begun in 2013 have been completed this year, the land owners are yet to be compensated.

To this end, the individuals who have come together under the UHAS land owners association have resolved to demonstrate at the permanent campus on Wednesday, November 18, same day President Mahama is expected to commission the campus.

“We are compelled to demonstrate on Wednesday, November 18 at the university premises to make government and the general public aware of the unfair and illegal treatment of UHAS land owners, with regards to the compensation which we are constitutionally owed,” the group said in a press release on Monday.

According to the aggrieved land owners’ efforts since 2013 to get their compensation from government have not been successful, though they have submitted all document required for payment to the relevant authorities.

They also stated that, a promise made by the regional minister, Helen Ntoso at a meeting with them in June, 2015 that their compensations will be factored into the 2016 budget, has also not been fulfilled, as there was no mention of their compensation package during the recent budget presentation by the Finance minister, Mr. Seth Terkper.

“In a response to our threat to go on a demonstration, the director of the Volta regional coordinating council invited the association to a meeting at the regional minister’s residence on 25th June, 2015. At the said meeting the regional minister promised that, the compensation owed us will be added to the provisions in the 2016 national budget.”

“Recently, the 2016 budget statement was made public without any mention of UHAS land owners association’s compensation. This necessitated the press release to officially show our displeasure about the failure of government to adhere to article 20(2) of the constitution,” the statement signed by the association chairman, Mr. Benoni Glalah emphasized.

Volta NPP suspends two executives for misconduct

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Kwadwo Duodu

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November 14, 2015

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The Volta Regional Executive Committee of the NPP have suspended two of its constituency executive in the region.

The decision follows two separate petitions filed against, Godfred Kudalor and Pope Yao Yevoo, organizer and secretary in the Akatsi North and Ketu North constituencies respectively.

The duo who took part in the recent demonstration at the party national headquarters demanding the reinstatement of suspended chairman, Paul Afoko, are said to have made comments deemed to be derogatory of the party in public.

At a regional executive committee meeting on Friday, the two gentlemen were suspended with immediate effect, pending further action by the regional disciplinary committee.

Mr. Enoch Amegbletor, deputy regional communications director of NPP who confirmed suspension of the two party officers news, said they were not suspended because they participated in the demonstration but rather their utterances to section of the media contravenes the party’s constitution.

Monsignor Emmanuel Fianu ordained new Catholic Bishop of Ho

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Kwadwo Duodu

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October 3, 2015

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The ordination and installation of the new Bishop elect for the Catholic diocese of Ho in the Volta region region,Monsignor Emmanuel Fianu is underway at Jubilee park in Ho.

Monsignor Fianu who is an SVD priest was elected by Pope Francis in July 2015 as the successor to the first Ghanaian Bishop of the then Keta-Ho diocese, and now Ho diocese, Most Rev. Francis Kofi Anane Lodonu.

Bishop Emeritus, Lodonu was in charge of the Roman Catholic Church in the Volta region for the past four decades and over.

Thousands of Catholic faithfully across the Volta region and the country have thronged the Jubilee park in Ho to witness this special event.

Other dignitaries including members of the GHANA Catholic Bishops conference are also in attendance. Traditional leaders including president of the Volta regional house of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV and top government officials led by the the Speaker of Ghana’s parliament Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho are also in attendance.

Togbe Afede XIV (2nd L) flanked to his left by Hon. Helen Ntoso (Volta regional minister)

There are missionary priests, bishops and other religious from parts of Africa, including Togo, Bennin, Nigeria among others in attendance. The Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) at Vatican is also presence to support of his members, who until his appointment, was the Secretary General of the SVD.

The principal consecrator at this ceremony is His Eminnce, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, Archbishop merit us of Cape coast in Ghana and the current President of the Pontifical council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican.

He will be assisted by the Apostolic Nuncio to GHANA, Most Rev. Jean-Marie Speich and Bishop emeritus of Ho Most Rev. Francis Lodonu.

Scroll down for more updates.

15:15GMT: the new bishop of Ho diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Fianu addressing the congregants. He expresses gratitude to all and sundry for their well wishes and prayers. Calls for everyone’s support in his ministry as the new leader of the Catholic Church in Ho.

Bishop Fianu extols the good works of his immediate predecessor, Bishop emeritus, Francis Lodonu and expressed profound gratitude to him for successfully leading the church in last 40 years and more.

He promise to organize a grand event in the near future to honour the bishop emeritus.

Bishop Fianu, in shades, flanked by Apostolic Nuncio (L) and Cardinal Turkson (R)

14:25: Mass celebration over, delivering of goodwill messages to the new bishop underway.. First message from Ho diocesan priests association, followed by the Apostolic Nuncio, traditional leaders and a host of many other recognized groups.

13:30GMT: Bishop Fianu now takes over the continuation of the Holy mass with the celebration of the Eucharist

13:05GMT: Priests in the Ho diocese paying homage to the newly ordained bishop…

12:55GMT: Most. Rev. Emmanuel Fianu now consecrated as the new bishop of Ho Catholic diocese.. Peter Cardinal Turkson wears the mighter and hands over the crozia to him.

12:45GMT: Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, the Apostolic Nucio and Bishop emeritus Lodonu as well as other bishops laying hands on the Bishop elect Fianu to consecrate him.

12:30GMT: consecration rites underway, bishop elect lies postrate in front of the alter , as the litany of saints is being recitated..

11:42GMT: ArchBishop of Accra, Most Rev. Palmer Buckle delivering the homily of the day. His message is about the good shepherd. He expresses confidence in Bishop elect, Fianu to lead the Lord’s flock in the Ho diocese.

11:15GMT: ordination rites start with the reading of Pope Francis’ letter, appointing Monsignor Fianu as Bishop Elect for Ho diocese to the congregants. Monsignor Hilary Senoo read the Pope’s letter to the congregation.

Earlier, Monsignor Anthony Kornu, Administrator of the Ho diocese, show the Pope’s letter to the thousands of congregants.

10:25GMT: Holy mass begins with Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, President of the Pontifical council for Justice and Peace being the main consecrator..

10:00GMT: Procession of priest and bishops to the event grounds.. Hundreds of priests are leading the Bishops and Cardinals .

Bishop elect Emmanuel Fianu flanked by two priests

Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, official consecrator .

Bishop emeritus Francis Lodonu and Apostolic Nuncio

Knights and ladies of St. John International and their counterparts from the St. Marshall are also present.

Pencils of Promise removes schools under tree in Adaklu

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Kwadwo Duodu

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September 30, 2015

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Hundreds of school pupils and their teachers in selected basic schools in the Adaklu district of the Volta region can now carry out their academic activities in a better and conducive classrooms, thanks to the benevolence of a non –governmental organization, Pencils of Promise(PoP).

Due to inadequate infrastructure over the years, some of the school were compelled to hold classes under trees and thatch structures, leaving the pupils and staff at the mercy of the weather.

A total of seven communities benefited from various units of classroom blocks constructed by the NGO, Pencils of Promise with support from the district assembly and the MPs common fund, at the cost of GHC 1.8million.

The projects executed within a record time of 4months, according to Mr. Freeman Gobah, country director of PoP, is aimed at boosting educational activities in the area by increasing school enrollment in the seven beneficiary communities.

He therefore charged school authorities to make good use of the infrastructure in improving academic performance of the pupils.

A teacher in one of the beneficiary schools at Adaklu-Kpeleho, where the projects were commissioned, Ernestina Akpe expressed gratitude about the project, saying it will help reduce the high attrition rate among staff due to poor infrastructure.

“We use to be under sheds and whenever the cloud gathers, we have to earlier. Sometimes too, we get beaten by the rain. .Most teachers have left [the school] because of this problem. So we’re grateful this problem have been resolved,” she stated.

One of the thatch structures use fr classroom

UHAS is making steady progress- Prof. Binka

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Kwadwo Duodu

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September 28, 2015

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The vice chancellor of the University of health and allied science (UHAS) in the Volta region, Professor Fred Binka has noted that, the university is progressing steadily in delivering on its mandate of training world class health professionals to meet the country’s healthcare needs.

According to him, the university which is in its third year, has a seen a “steady but huge increase in the number of applicants who wish pursue their dreams of becoming health professionals.”

“Last year we received 2011 applications for the 2014/2015 academic year and we were only able to offer places and enrolled 458 students. This year the total number of applicants have doubled. We had 4124 applications to which 829 have been enrolled”

Speaking at the fourth matriculation ceremony of 829 fresh students for the 2015/16 academic at the university’s newly completed permanent campus at Sokode-Lokoe in Ho, Prof. Binka also underscored the impact of the first public funded university in the region, is making on people across the a cross the region through its community service programme and assured the students of wholistic theoretical and practical training.

“We are really proud of our vocational training programmes.. This is a pillar of our community service pillar, through which we’ve successfully deployed close to over thousand students to work in the region this year. Bringing us closer to the people of the region and forging the necessary partnerships that we desire.”

“You will all experience the vocational training activity this academic year when you go to work in the districts in July of 2016. This will give you the opportunity to acquire the skills you need in your career development.”

He also lauded the support, the infant university is receiving from Municipal and district assemblies in the region,towards the provision of facilities at the various hospitals to aid the on the field training of students.

Prof. Fred Binka, who is foundation Vice chancellor of UHAS further hinted of ongoing processes to introduce more programmes including Masters (Mphil) and doctorate (PhD) programmes to the existing fifteen undergraduate programmes being run in the university.

According to him, the “innovation programme” which will be offered at the school of public health in Hohoe, would have five areas of concentration; Monitoring and Evaluation, Health Systems, Reproductive Health, Public Health Nutrition, and Epidemiology.

Prof. Binka said the University also planned to start its Pharmacy Degree Programme in the School of Pharmacy in the 2016-2017 academic year and also run certificate courses for national teams in the School of Sports and Exercise Medicine (SSEM).

UHAS currently operates five out eight schools, comprising School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Allied Health Sciences and school of Public Health.

Established by an Act of Parliament, Act 828 in December 2011, the University which currently operates from campuses in Ho and Hohoe, will comprise eight schools and three institutes dedicated to health-related issues.

President Mahama join Chiefs and People of Ziope to celebrate Agbleza

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 30, 2015

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Torgbui Binah Lawluvi welcoming President Mahama to the festival grounds

Government is to relaunch the Youth in Agriculture programme, under the new Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in order to boost young people’s interest in that sector.

According to President John Mahama, the relaunch has become necessary following the restructuring of the then Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) into now Ghana Youth Employment Agency (YEA) backed by an Act of Parliament.

This, he said will ensure the equipping young people with the requisite skills, inputs and machinery to engage in large scale cultivation to meet the high market demand for agricultural produce.

Addressing the Chiefs and people of Ziope traditional area in the Agotime-Ziope district of the Volta region, during their annual Agbleza (farming festival) on Saturday, the President urged the youth in the area to take advantage of the programme to improve their livelihood.

Touching on the 200 community Senior high schools promised by the NDC government, President Mahama disclosed that, work is currently progressing on 123 out the 200 across the country.

This, according to him includes the Initial 50 schools, most of which are nearing completion, an additional 23 being executed under the World Bank Schools’ improvement project and the recent awarding of another 50 schools to contractors.

The president has therefore assured the Chiefs and people of Ziope, one of the beneficiary communities in the Volta region that, his government is committed to delivering the 200 SHSs by the December 2016.

The Paramount chief of the area, Torgbui Binnah Lawluvi VI, who is also the Volta region representative on the Council of State, commended the government for the numerous developmental projects ongoing in the area, including the rehabilitation of an irrigation dam to boost agricultural production, which is the main occupation of inhabitants.

He however, appealed to the president to expedite work on the extension of potable water form Sogakope through Adidiome and Adaklu to the area.

The Agbleza (Farming festival) was instituted to celebrate them the unique contribution of the people of Ziope towards the socio-economic development of the country and also raise funds to support developmental projects.

‘We need a generator’-Volta school for the deaf appeals

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 13, 2015

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Imagine not being able to communicate with other persons, whenever power goes off…? This is the situation, in which students of the Volta school for the deaf in Hohoe found themselves, due to their hearing and speech impairment.

Because of the current power crisis, the students who communicate through sign language, can no longer interact in the evenings during power outages, as they unable to see and interpret their own ‘signings’ [gestures] in darkness.

The situation has therefore left with no option than to retire to early bed, since the school also lack a standby generator to remedy the situation.

Headmistress of the school, Madam Diddy Ntim told Volta Online in an interview that, the erratic power situation is adversely affecting school activities in the evenings and appealed to benevolent individuals and organizations to come to their aid.

“We use our eyes to see what we sign, so when the lights are off, everything goes mute, because we cannot communicate in darkness. So we need a standby generator to use in times of light off.. We’ will be grateful if people will support us.”

The school founded in 1971 and solely funded by the government of Ghana, currently has a population of about 400 students.

Madam Ntim, has therefore asked for public support in terms of food items and sponsorships to complement government’s efforts in educating these children with special needs.

OLA SHS hosts Summer Camp for Girls Senior High Schools

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 12, 2015

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Cross Section of Participants

About 600 girls from all 38 Girls Senior High Schools in the country have converged at OLA Senior High School in Ho to participate in the 2015 summer camp.

The annual camp, instituted by the Forum of Heads of Girls Senior High School (FOHGSHS) in 2007, is to provide a platform for the students to interact and deliberate on issues of common interest.

Some of the schools include, Wesley Girls SHS, St. Louis SHS, Aburi Girls SHS, Mfantsiman Girls, Bolga Girls SHS, St. Mary’s Girls SHS, E.P Mawuko Girls SHS, Gambaga Girls SHS, Tamale Girls SHS, Islamic Girls SHS, Krobo Girls SHS, Ahantanman Girls SHS, among others.

President of the forum and headmistress of Wesley Girls Senior High School in Cape Coast, Mrs. Betty Dzokoto, said, FOHGSHS through the annual camps, is committed to training high calibre of ladies who will break new grounds by empowering young girls to break the socio-cultural barriers which militates against their holistic growth and development.

The one week camp programme, which is themed, ‘the cyber menace’, will engage the young girls in brainstorming the rudiments on the use of the cyber space and its associated dangers to users.

Members of FOHGSHS

Opening the camp on Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Prof. Jane Naana Opku-Agyemang entreated the participants to make maximum use of the opportunity to enrich their knowledge in the use Information and Communication Technology era, which has become the game changer in this 21st century.

She also condemned the recent spate of vandalism involving SHS students and urged them to be disciplined in order to be successful in their chosen endeavors.

The Volta regional minister, Helen Adjoa Ntoso on her part, lauded the organizers of the camp for coming up with such an initiative which will empower and encourage young girls to aspire higher.

She bemoaned the less participation of women in national politics and governance but expressed optimism that, camps of this nature will boost the confidence level of young girls and groomed them for leadership, stressing that “If women are in leadership, this nation will progress steadily.”

In a speech read on behalf of the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, urged young people to eschew the use of ICT and the Internet for negative activities such as ‘sakawa’ and pornography. But rather use them productively in order to improve their lives, as envisage by its promulgators.

The opening ceremony was preceded by a brief but colourful guard of honour parade by the naval cadet corps of the OLA SHS.

Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyemang (M), flanked by headmistresses of OLA SHS (L) & Wesley Girls (R)

GMA Strike: Private hospitals brace up for more patients

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 4, 2015

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Private health facilities across the Volta region are bracing up to contain the excess number of patients who will troop to the facilities for medical care due to the ongoing strike by doctors in the government hospitals.

The strike declared by the Ghana Medical Association last week, is set to take a deep bite on patients who will turnout at the various government health facilities, as the doctors in region withdrawn out patients services.

This, situation is therefore expected to put pressure on both private and faith-based facilities, as patients throng these facilities for treatment.

Managers of such facilities have, however expressed their readiness to carter for the anticipated high turnouts in the coming days, when Volta Online toured some of the facilities within the Ho municipality.

Elorm Ocloo-Dzaba of Foresight Medical centreand Mawuena Letsa of Miracle Life Hospital, both told Volta Online in separate interviews that their outfits are prepared for any eventualities.

“We are ready for any event, whatever the case… our staff are on standby to attend to both NHIS and non NHIS clients,” they assured.