Join Night Patrols; ACP Asare tells District commanders

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August 16, 2013

As part of efforts by the Volta regional police command to stem the spate of highway robbery in the region, the Regional Commander, ACP Fred Agyepong Asare has directed all district commanders in the region to partake in the night patrols within their jurisdiction.

“We have sent directives to all district commanders; you the district commander must take part in the patrol” ACP Asare, said in at a media briefing, in Ho.

The directive followed the increasing spate of highways robberies, with the most recent occurring between Tsito and Kponvi barrier on the Ho-Accra highways two weeks ago, involving Mrs. Juliana Azumah Mensah, Member of Parliament for Ho East and a former Minister for Women and Children Affairs.

The regional commander noted that because of the deplorable nature of some portions of the roads in the region, arm robbers have resorted to plying their illegal operations within those bad and bushy stretches of the roads.

He however, said the police have intensified their patrols on the roads especially, within the deplorable portions to ensure maximum security for motorists. “We have increased our presence on the roads in the night, along where we suspect robbers can easily congregate and operate, especially where the road is very bad”.

ACP Asare also sent a caution to district commanders who may defy this directive saying “am not going to take No for an answer; if anything should happen, am going to knock you first before, before I go to the boys, because if me as the regional commander goes on night patrol with the men, I don’t expect you a district officer to be sleeping in the house”.

Meanwhile The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Fred Asare also disclosed at the media briefing that, the Volta regional police command will be embarking on an operation very soon to arrest and prosecute motorists who fall foul of the road traffic regulations so as to ensure sanity on the roads.

He asked taxi drivers to display the taxi signage on top of their vehicles to ensure proper identification of their vehicles especially at nights. “We’re going to undertake an operation very soon to arrest all of them (traffic offenders) to bring sanity on the roads”.

He also cautioned commercial motorbike (Okada) operators to desist from their activities, since the road traffic a regulation abhors the use of motorbikes for commercial transport, stressing that “when I take you, we’re going to court. You’ll go straight to face the magistrate or the judge; there must be discipline in the system”.

“Don’t Give All Doctors Same Pay” -Health Director

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 9, 2013

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Dr Joseph Teye Nuertey, Volta Regional Director of Health has stated that it is unfair to pay all medical doctors the same salaries whether they work in the urban or rural areas,

According to him, the salaries of medical doctors should be graduated in favour of those working in the rural areas.

Dr Nuertey said medical doctors in the rural areas are under constant pressure to serve several thousands of patients daily, without any respite.

He noted that the doctors also face a number of disadvantages and challenges because of where they engage their services.

Dr. Nuertey made the remark at the just ended National Forum on the sustainability of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) in Ho on Tuesday.

He further noted that the practice of paying allowances to trainees in health training institutions including medical students should be stopped.

According him, students should rather be encouraged to take loans to meet their financial commitments.

“We are paying people in training allowances, why don’t we let those in training go to the private sector for loans. And after the training we pay them salaries?” Dr. Nuertey quizzed.

But the General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) Dr. Frank Serebour, disagreed with Dr. Nuertey’s proposal and said as part of the single spine pay policy, there was an incentive aspect for rural doctors which have not been implemented. “If that aspect has been implemented, that issue of all doctors taken the same salary wouldn’t have come on board” he stated.

He further noted that medical training is not just classroom training but rather on the job training which requires students to go to the wards and attend to patients day and night just like other medical officers; therefore it will be unfair for students to take loans to facilitate their training. “They are supposed to be sponsored and even given more because they do work as residents; they are at the hospital around the clock” Dr. Siribour emphasized.

Meanwhile, the Forum on the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) implementation review ended on Wednesday with a communique, jointly signed the minister of employment and labour relations, Nii Armah Ashietey, Kofi Asamoah of Ghana TUC and Mr. Alex Frimpong for Ghana Employers Association.

Among the recommendations is the removal of Public Universities and other government subvented agencies from the Single Spine Pay Policy as part of measures to deal with mounting government wage bill.

ECG Staff and Ho NASPA, donates to Madamfo Ghana Children’s home

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 9, 2013

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ECG Staff with some of the rescued children and Care givers

The Senior Staff Association of the Electricity Company of Ghana,(ECG) Volta region and the Ho Municipal Chapter of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) have, in separate activities, donated educational materials and assorted food items, respectively to the Madamfo Ghana orphanage home in Ho yesterday.

The ECG senior staff, led by the Acting Regional General Manager, Mr. Bernard Tetteh, presented educational materials including, school bags, books, foot wears, among others worth over GHC 1,500.

The donation according to Mr. Tetteh was in fulfillment of a promise made to the orphanage during an earlier donation to the home when ECG senior Staff had their quadrennial national conference earlier this year.

The acting manager said the association was touched by the plights of the children at the orphanage and promise the association’s continues support for the upkeep of the children.

Led by their vice president, Ms. Comfort Agyare, the executives of the Ho municipal NASPA presented items including bags of rice and toiletries, valued at GhC 1,000.

Mr. Lawrence Ayivi, NASPA organizer, said the association deemed fit as part of their national service week celebrations, to reach out to the less privileged by donating their widow’s mite to help put smiles on the faces of children who have been rescued from child slavery.

Ms.Dzamesi receiving the items from Ho NASPA Executives

Ms. Happy Dzamesi, the home director, who received the items on behalf of Madanfo Ghana expressed her profound gratitude to both associations for their kind gestures and appealed to other benevolent organizations to support the orphanage to carter for the over 100 children rescued from slavery by Madamfo Ghana in collaboration with the department of Social Welfare.

Currently there are 26 rescued children between ages 8 and 16years at the orphanage receiving care and formal education and the remaining also schooling under the care of the social welfare department in Kpando.

The orphanage which started in 2012 was built by Madamfo Ghana, an NGO with support from Rotary International to provide accommodation and a place to take care of children, who were rescued from slavery in communities along the Volta Lake.

Story by: Lambert Atsivor

GRIDCO Supports Varsity for Health and Allied Sciences in Ho

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 7, 2013

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The Ghana Grid Company has presented two sets of distribution transformers to the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho on Wednesday. The two transformers valued at GHC 80,000 have capacities of 500kvA and 250kvA.

Rev. Samuel Kwofie, Director of Engineering at GRIDCo, who made the presentation on behalf of the company, said the company as part of its 5th anniversary celebrations, chose to support the budding tertiary institution in its development as it seeks to train the nation’s human resources in the area of health.

“This donation is in support of a major national cause in education, within the context of our corporate social responsibility” he said.

He also assured the University of GRIDCo’s readiness to provide any support within its area of operation.

Professor Fred Binka, Vice-Chancellor of the UHAS, receiving the transformers, thanked GRIDCo for their kind gesture and described the presentation of the transformers as timely. Stating that it will enhance the supply of adequate electricity to the university’s permanent site, as the Chinese contractor commences the construction of the first phase of permanent structures

Prof. Binka also said UHAS as a new university needs a lot of infrastructure investment and appealed to other corporate bodies to support the university in its development.

Meanwhile, Prof. Fred Binka has disclosed that the University 0f Health and Allied Sciences, is putting in place structures to increase enrollment by over 200 percent in the 2013/2014 academic year. He also hinted of the introduction of a two year top up programmes for diploma holders in public health, nursing and midwifery.

Story by: Lambert Atsivor

Sustaining SSPP, freeze annual pay increases; FWSC boss

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 7, 2013

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Mr. George Smith-Graham, Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, has suggested a possible freeze in annual pay rise for public sector workers and as a means of curtailing the galloping wage bill.

He said the pay increments that are negotiated annually by workers, despite the rise in the salaries of almost all workers migrated onto the single spine, culminated in the increasing wage bill.

“We have implemented Single spine and apart from the fact when they (worker) are migrated, they get increases, we also have the annual increases that we do and we think that these are reasons why the wage bill is going very high”.

Mr. Graham, who made a presentation on the Single Spine implementation challenges and the way forward, at the on-going SSPP National Review forum in Ho on Monday, said organized labour and other stakeholders at the forum should come to a consensus on a possible freeze in annual pay increments

“I think that it should be possible for us all to sit down and as social partners to discuss, even if is possible freezing or slashing of salaries of article 71. So that we will be able, all together manage the wage bill” he suggested.

The FWSC boss also attributed the huge wage bill to the inequities which hitherto existed among the various salary structures but are being corrected on the single spine. He also called for streamlining of public sector recruitment and a thorough audit of the public sector payroll to remove ‘ghost names’ and block leakages to sustain the policy.

Difficulties

Mr. Smith-Graham said the commission was unable to forestall the numerous labour agitations that plagued the implementation of the SSPP because of resource constraints. He noted that the agitations which were mostly out of the high public expectation could not be effectively managed because of lack of resources to carry out enough public education.

He also said lack of proper offices for the commission coupled with limited staff hinders the proper functioning of the commission.

“We are very lean on the ground, this is commission that do not have offices, even critical middle level employees that we need, we don’t have”.

Mr. Graham further disclosed that, the commission is yet to receive any support from government of Ghana, noting “since the establishment, government of Ghana have not given us any single vehicle to work with. Most of the supports we have are from donor partners. This needs to be looked at”.

He also bemoaned the over politicization of the SSPP and stated the ‘pulling of strings’ behind the scene by politicians when there are labour agitations is major difficulty facing the commission.

“While there is an agitation we are trying to resolve, you see the politicians behind given assurances to some of the labour unions, some the decision given at labour commission are sometimes influenced by ministers. These I think we should all be careful with”. Mr. Graham stated.

‘Stop blaming SSPP for Economy woes’ TUC tells Gov’t

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Kwadwo Duodu

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August 7, 2013

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Mr. Kofi Asamoah TUC Secretary General

Mr. Kofi Asamoah, secretary general of the Ghana trade Union Congress (GTUC) has asked government not to blame the current woes of the country’s economy on the single spine pay policy implementation.

He said, that notion being created with the SSPP is erroneous, and called on government to disaggregate the figures bare for all to see “who takes what”. “After all, the salaries are not free, they being paid for service rendered to the state” Mr. Asamoah said.

Mr. Asamoah who was speaking at Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) implementation review forum in Ho yesterday, noted that, issues of labour and wages are very sensitive, and called on stakeholders especially government and its communicators to stop the unnecessary vilification of the SSPP on the airwaves. “Labour relations in practice or theory are not done on radio, it is unfair labour practice”.

He also called on government to take steps to block the wastage in the public sector payroll and also close the difference between the wages of article 71 office holders and those under article 190.

Mr. asamoah, however said in spite of the migration challenges, the SSPP has offer government opportunity also harmonized the numerous pay structures that were in operation and to take charge of the public sector wage bill and scrapping it will be very chaotic.

“There is no viable alternative to the single spine pay policy, reversing it will be a chaotic alternative” he emphasized.

Opening the two day forum on the theme “Building National Consensus for sustainability of the Single Spine Salary Policy” President John Mahama said the difficulties being experienced with the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) was the absence of a well thought out plan to implement the scheme within budgetary constraints.
“In my estimation, the one major missing factor that was not carefully thought out and considered was the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) within budgetary constraints to make the scheme sustainable.”

He also said the misconception that the SSPP is meant for a general increase in the wages of all workers is also a contributing factor to the challenges being experienced but He however assured workers that the SSPP will not be scraped.

“We have come far and opting out of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) or cancelling the programme, is not an option for government.” He said.

The president therefore charged the stakeholders at the forum, “to engage in a frank, non-partisan discussion to generate options and feasible strategies and build consensus on critical issues within the broader context of our national quest for accelerated economic development.”

In a presentation on wages and fiscal slippage, the finance minister, Mr, Seth Terkper said the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) is not sustainable going forward because the country’s wage bill could exceed the total revenue if steps are not taken to address the situation.

The minister said Governmentspent GH¢ 4.3 billion on wages and salaries alone for the first half of this year, representing 70.1% of total national revenue. A figure he said is higher than the one recorded during the same period last year.

“The key point here is that to just use the non-earmarked funds [the country is] using everything to pay wages, we still have some arrears which are pending…this is the reality”, said Mr Terkper.

The two day forum is under the auspices of the ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and outcomes of the forum will be implemented by a committee constituted by the ministry.

Tributes Pour in for late Ford Kamel

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Kwadwo Duodu

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December 29, 2012

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Tributes have been pouring in for the late Volta Regional Minister and MP for Buem constituency, Hon. Henry Ford Kamel who died on Tuesday 25th of December. His death came as shock to many especially staff of the Regional Coordinating Council. The atmosphere at the premises of the RCC on Thursday, the first working day after the Christmas break was that of sorrow, as people from all walks of life trooped in to pay their last respect and sign the book of condolence in honour of a man many describe as ‘gentle and calm’.

Right Rev. Francis Amenu, moderator of the E.P church in his tribute describe the late minister as a ‘gifted and humble steward’ given to the region and his death was a ‘great and terrible loss’.

A colleague of the late Ford Kamel and minister for Roads and Highways and MP for North Tongu, Hon. Joe Gidisu stated that the death of Hon. Ford Kamel ‘once again confirms the vanity of this life’ describing life as nothing but ‘an empty dream’.

Meanwhile, The Paramount chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, Togbega Gabusu VI who expressed shock at the death of the Regional Minister, describe Mr. Kamel as a ‘unifier and a selfless’ person who played a key role in bringing peace to the Gbi Traditional Area during the crisis between the indigenes of Hohoe and the Zongo community in June this year.

The regional Coordinating council in a statement signed by the Deputy minister Henry Ametepe, have put on hold all it official engagements in honour of the late minister.

The Minister collapsed on Tuesday afternoon at his home town of Guaman in the Volta Region whilst engaged in a conversation with his guests. He however died few hours later at the Jasikan Government Hospital where he was rushed for treatment.

Prior to his appointment as the Volta regional minister in March, Mr Ford Kamel was the deputy Minister for Lands and Natural resources during the Mills administration.

He was survived by a wife and three children. He was an economist and banker by profession.

Voice-Ghana launches ‘Disabled Children for School’ Campaign

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Kwadwo Duodu

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September 27, 2012

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A Ho-based NGO, Voice of People with Disability, Ghana, (Voice-Ghana), has launched a campaign dubbed ‘Disabled children for school’ aimed at sensitizing parents, guardians and caregivers of Children with Disability (CWDs) on the need to enroll their disabled children in school.

Addressing the press at a stakeholders’ meeting in Ho on Tuesday, Mr. Francis Asong, director of Voice-Ghana said despite national and international enactments which seeks to guarantee the right of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to education, the prevalence of anti-disability sentiments and beliefs as well as institutional flaws had hindered the education of the disabled.

Mr. Asong noted that majority of parents still discriminate against their disabled children in the area of formal education specially, because to them it is a waste of resources.

As a result “most children with disability are not formally educated and this reduces their chances of accessing gainful and meaningful employment and to be self-informed about human rights and health issues to live descent lives”, Mr. Asong stated.

As part of the campaign, Mr. Asong noted that, Voice-Ghana would engage the Ho municipal assembly to consider enacting a byelaw to waive the payment of levies including PTA dues for CWDs at the basic school level in the municipality.

This intervention, he said “would invariably reduce the financial burden on many parents and caregivers of children with disabilities who are already overburdened with financial commitments in supporting their disabled children…”

The campaign which is in collaboration with of Governance Issues Forum, a Ho-based NGO and the Special Education Directorate of the Ho Municipal Ghana Education Service (GES), is part of a three-year advocacy project with funding from STAR-Ghana.

A survey conducted under the programme, indicated that at least 51 children with disabilities in 35 communities within the Ho Municipality were not in school for various reasons. 37 of such children were also identified in 26 communities in the Nkwanta-South District where the survey was replicated.

According to the survey, 47 out of the 51 parents/guardians of CWDs’ are unaware of the provisions under section 16(1)(2) of the Disability Act, 715 of 2006, which states that;
(1) ‘A parent, guardian or custodian of a child with disability of school going age shall enroll the child in a school.

(2). A parent, guardian or custodian who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten penalty units, or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding fourteen days.’

Mr Michael Tsikudo, Ho Municipal GES Special Education Officer, said it was the right of the disabled to go to mainstream schools. He therfore called for the support of all to eradicate the inequalities perpetuated against the disabled in the society.

Ho Poly students in fear over rampant criminal attacks

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Kwadwo Duodu

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September 25, 2012

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Students of the Ho Polytechnic, particularly the females, are currently living in fear as they have become the prime targets of rape, assault and robbery by criminals.

During the last academic year, students complained of over 50 attacks on their roads, hostels and vicinity around the polytechnic. Both male and female students had their fare share of attacks; the males were stabbed and females, raped.

During the second semester o the last academic year, five females were raped, with most of them happening between the Central Hostel and the GETFund Hostel which is quite a distance from the main campus.

Information gathered indicated that, a rape victim from last semester was yet to return to campus due to trauma.

Before classes could begin for the first semester of this academic year, a third-year marketing student of the school was attacked and raped by two criminals. The incident, being the latest, happened last Tuesday night between 8:00pm and 8:30pm just behind the GETFund Hostel, near VORADEP Village.

This brings the number of raped female students to six.

According to students who pleaded anonymity, the student was in the company of some friends in the hostel and decided to get some items from a shop a few meters away. As soon as she got on the street behind the hostel, two guys from nowhere hit her from behind, sending her to the ground. They dragged her into a hut in a farm by the street. The knife and gun-wielding goons took her mobile phone and money. They also stripped her and raped her in turns at gunpoint. She then returned to the hostel in dirt, tears and bleeding.

The case was reported to the police who gave her a medical form to attend the municipal hospital where she was admitted and later taken home by her parents.

the crime scene was totally dark at night when visited, although there were streetlights. Interestingly, the streetlights which had been off for over a month miraculously came on last Friday night, three days after the incident.

Apparently, they had been off for over a month. Other danger spots where students had been attacked had untarred roads, inadequate or no streetlights and were bushy. Unfortunately for the students however, most of these roads were their only alternative.

The SRC president, George Egeh, appealed to the school administration and the municipal assembly to liaise in providing streetlights all over the campus and its surroundings. He also appealed to the police to detail their men to some danger spots which were noted for such attacks. He also called for public support to provide a police post within the polytechnic or its immediate vicinity.

The registrar, David Dzontoh, also conceded that students had suffered a lot of attacks since last academic year and noted that a lot of measures had been put in place to improve security within and around the polytechnic. However, it appeared more needed to be done, he added, commiserating with the victim and her family and assured that more was going to be done to keep the students safe.

He also advised students never to walk alone at night but in groups and also be wary of strangers around the campus and report such people to the school’s security for further action.

When the municipal police commander, Samuel Owusu Berko, was contacted, he confirmed the incidents and noted that patrols had been improved and more men had been deployed especially to the polytechnic area through to VORADEP Village and the SSNIT Flats area. He however said, “All the men cannot be at all the places at the same time.”

He expressed his sympathies to the victims, adding that they would do everything in their power to arrest the situation. He also lamented about the indiscriminate sabotage of streetlights in parts of the municipality, particularly between SSNIT Flats and VORADEP Village, Ho Poly (between Central Hostel and GETFund Hostel) and the Flat Junction Road through to Ring Road. Others are the Nurses Training and Medical Village area.

He warned the public to desist from such an act as it posed a security threat in the municipality. Credit: Fred Duodu, Ho

‘Eschew Pettiness from Ghanaian Politics’- Afede Charges Politicians

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Kwadwo Duodu

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September 23, 2012

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Listen to Togbe Afede

The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV has stated that, the development of the nation is a shared responsibility which requires the contribution of every individual. He said ‘to exclude some people, because of their party affiliation is to deny the nation of meaningful human resource and contributions’.

He therefore called on politicians to shun political pettiness and bring all hands on deck to move the nation’s developmental agenda forward.

Togbe Afede, who is also the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs made the call on Saturday at a grand durbar of chiefs and people of the Asogli Traditional Area to climax this year’s Asogli Yam Festival at Ho, on the theme “Political Tolerance, a Prerequisite for Peace and Development”.

The Agbogbomefia also noted that the nation’s development should not only favour members of a ruling party but rather open up opportunities for every Ghanaian in order to achieve equity. This he said is the only way to ensure the relevant peace and tranquility needed for the nation’s development.

Togbe Afede again reminded Ghanaians to be tolerant of each other’s opinion and not to allow differences in opinion to derail the nation’s progress. “To expect that we all think alike, would be to expect the impossible” he empathized, urging Ghanaians to live in peace and unity to accelerate the nation’s progress.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nana Mprah Besemuna III, Paramount Chief of Krachi Traditional Area, and chairman of the occasion, said political tolerance is a vital ingredient of democracy which needed to be cultivated and nurtured, to pave way for peace and development.

He lauded Togbe Afede for building bonds between traditional areas in the region and the country regardless of distance.

The defense Minister, Lieutenant-General Joseph Henry Smith, who represented President John Mahama, reiterated the president’s commitment to peaceful polls in December and stressed, that is the only means to honour the memory of Late president John Atta-Mills.

The minister also lauded the dynamism of Togbe Afede, who he said had made the Asogli Festival one of the prestigious traditional events in Ghana.

The durbar was characterized with traditional dancing, magical displays, and funfairs.

Present at the event were dignitaries from far and near, including Togbe Agorkorli IV, Ewe Fia (Ewe Chief) and Chief of Notsie in the republic of Togo, Mr Kofi Wayo, Leader of the United Renaissance Party, as well as other traditional leaders, politicians, government officials and tourists from across the country and beyond.

The Asogli Yam Festival celebrated every year , affords the people of Asogli Traditional area the opportunity to thank God and their ancestors for a bumper harvest and also serves as an occasion to offer prayers for good health and prosperity for all.