JOURNALISTS CHARGED TO PRACTICE JOURNALISM OF ‘CHANGE’

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June 4, 2012

Mr Henry Ford-Kamel, the Volta regional minister has charged journalists in the region to practice journalism that would bring change and development to the people in the region.

‘Responsible journalism is the one that provide the basis for the transformation of the lives of people in the society’ he emphasized.

Mr. Kamel who was addressing journalists at a press soiree in Ho on Friday noted that, though the region is endowed with numerous natural resources and tourism potentials, it still remains one of the poorest in the country. He therefore charged journalists to help identify and harness resources for the economic emancipation of the Region.

Citing the Keta basin for instance, Mr. Kamel said the basin has the potential to supply salt to the entire West African sub-region and called for Public-private partnership to build a mini habour to boost the salt industry at the Keta basin. He observed that the Region’s tourism potentials could turn its fortunes and challenged the media to market those potentials.

Mr. Kamel also expressed concern about the fallen standard of education in the region and urged all stakeholders to help reverse the situation to bring back the region’s glory as bastion of quality education in the country.

He also used the opportunity to appeal to landowners to desist from the outright selling of lands, as they may be selling lands that might have precious minerals.

Mr Henry Ametepe, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, said the development of the Region was a shared responsibility and urged journalists to work for the common good of the Region.

The Volta Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr Victor Kwawukume, on his part asked journalists to work in the interest of the nation and ensure that the nation remain “intact” before, during and after the December Elections.

He asked them to be guided by the code of ethics of the profession and not be intimidated by politicians.

NDC’S GREATEST GIFT FOR RAWLINGS IS ELECTION 2012 VICTORY

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 28, 2012

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Okudzeto Ablakwa

Listen to Ablakwa Kobby & Ford Kamel

A Deputy Minister of Information Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said that, the greatest gift that National Democratic Congress (NDC) can give the party’s founder and former president J. J Rawlings is for the party to win the December polls so as to preserve the legacy and dignity of the founder and his family.

According Mr Ablakwa, the NDC founder and his family have suffered so much dehumanizing treatments during the eight years tenure of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and stated that the former first family is likely to suffer similar feat under another NPP administration. He therefore called on party members to work very hard to retain the NDC in power with or without the support of the founder.

Mr Ablakwa was addressing members of the Ho central constituency chapters of Tertiary Educational Institution Network (TEIN) of the NDC at the Ho Polytechnic auditorium on Friday.

On his part, Mr Kobby Acheampong, Deputy interior Minister said the NDC was at a crossroad and in the process of a re-birth. The re-birth according him, would ensure the party’s continuous existence.

He therefore urged members to remain focus and “follow the leader of the Party” to go thru the re-birth successfully, stressing that “At every given time, there is only one leader and that leader is the one we need to follow”.

The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, also urged members of the party not to be discouraged by the recent challenges in the Party, but instead, rally behind President Mills, the leader of the party to ensure that the NDC succeeds.

Mr Ludwig Hlordze, National Youth Organiser of the NDC said young people in the Party has great future; and urged them to propagate the “good works” of the Party and “win souls” for an easy task in the December polls.

President of Ho Polytechnic TEIN, Mr Chris P. Awudi, called for a succession plan to be developed for the youth to assume leadership positions in the Party.

NURSES URGED TO REMAIN NON-PARTISAN

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 24, 2012

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Listen to Mrs. Gborgblorvor

Mrs. Innocentia Gborgblorvor, Volta Regional Chairperson of Ghana Registered Nurses’ Association (GRNA) has asked members of the noble profession to remain non-partisan and professional in the discharge of their duties especially in this election year. She said nurses are trained care-givers and as such the need to do that with utmost love and always be guided by their professional oath which obliged them to ‘care for the sick with all their skills, irrespective of religion, creed, colour, political and social status.’

Mrs. Gborgblorvor who said these at the regional launch of the 2012 Nurse’ Week celebration on the theme “Nurses and Midwives caring and advocating for a peaceful 2012 general elections” in Ho on Wednesday, stated that nursing as a caring and human centered profession, can only be practiced in a peaceful environment, she therefore called on stakeholders to join hands with the Association to educate Ghanaians on the need for peace and unity.
Mrs. Gborgblorvor also enumerated inadequate nurses and logistics as some of the challenges hindering the delivery of quality health care to the people. She therefore called on the Health directorate and government to intensify efforts at retaining more nurses in the region and also provide more logistics and the requisite training for nurses, for them to render modern standard health care in the country.

Hon. Henry Ford Kamel, the Volta regional minister, in a speech read on his behave, commended the Nurses Association) for their choice of theme, especially at the wake of the recent experiences during the just ended nationwide Biometric Voter Registration exercise, which he said was very peaceful in the region as compared to other parts of the country.

He therefore called on nurses to educate their patients to appreciate politics as a platform for trading different ideas for developing the country rather than as a spring board for violence.

He also applauded the collective dedication and hard work of nurses and midwives towards providing quality healthcare and assured them of government commitment to the development of the nation’s human resources.

Dr. Joseph Teye Nuettey, the Regional Director of Health Services, also a speech read for him, commended nurses and midwives for their crucial role in the healthcare delivery system but noted with grief concern, the attitudes some of them who are bent on going contrary to the ethics of the profession by abusing clients. He therefore called on the G.R.N.A to take measures to flush out those recalcitrant nurses from the system and advised them to emulate the selflessness of Florence Nightingale, mother of the nursing profession.

Ho M.C.E reacts to media reports

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 21, 2012

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The Ho Municipal Chief Executive Mr. Isaac Kodobissah, have reacted to recent media reports that hundreds of dual desks were left at the mercy of the weather for several months at the Assembly yard, saying that, the Assembly only provided a place for the contractor to fix the desks which had not been well sorted.

“It was this process of assembling the furniture that some people failed to understand that the contractors have to finish with the assembling process, apply weevil-free chemical and final polishing; and subjecting them to inspection and final handling over to the assembly for onward delivery.” Mr Kodobisah further explained.

The M.C.E made the comment when he presented 1000 mono and dual desks to the Municipal Education Directorate for onward distribution to 33 basic schools in the Ho municipality on Friday.

Mr Isaac Kodobisah, said the package which is the first consignment delivered to the assembly by MOFRA and Sons Construction Limited, is in fulfillment of President Mills’ “Better Ghana Agenda”.

He also disclosed that, the second and third consignments consisting of 800 and 1000 pieces will soon be handed over to the assembly by Ossei Bossie Limited and Deltafa Limited respectively for onward presentation to the schools.

Mr Kodobisah said Senior high schools within the municipality have also received their allocation of classroom furniture directly from the Ministry of Education. Adding that, aside the supply of furniture, government was providing classroom blocks, free exercise books and uniforms with an increase in the capitation grant towards attaining quality education.

Deputy Director of Planning at the Municipal Education Directorate Mr John Teku, on behalf of G.E.S, expressed gratitude to government for the gesture, saying the desks would alleviate the furniture plight facing the schools and urged the heads of beneficiary schools to make good use of the furniture.

VEEP LAUNCHES €40.5 MILLION GUMP PROJECT IN HO

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 7, 2012

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Listen to Vice President Mahama

Vice President John Dramani Mahama, has given the assurance that Government would continue to source funds for the provision of basic social amenities, to improve the living conditions of people in the urban areas.

He noted that, currently 53 per cent of Ghanaians lived in the urban areas, a figure he said was likely to increase to 67 per cent by 2030, and there was the need to provide services to meet the ever increasing population.

Vice President Mahama gave the assurance when he launched the 40.5 Million Euro Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP) at Ho, the Volta Regional capital on Monday.

GUMPP, which seeks to promote a comprehensive city-wide approach to urban issues within the framework of the draft National Urban Policy and its action plan, is being piloted in Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis and the Ho Municipality with support from Agence France Development (AFD).

Vice President Mahama said apart from providing infrastructure in the pilot areas, the project would also help streamline the haphazard planning of major cities of the country and avoid perennial waste and poor sanitary conditions.

Vice President Mahama called on the beneficiary cities to make judicious use of the resources to encourage their development partners to support other projects.

Mr. Ofosu Ampofoh, the Local government minister, said the initiative would ensure the implementation of urban development programmes such as provision of lorry parks, ultra-modern markets, water, sewerage and sanitation issues, enhance the revenue collection capacity of local governments and increase strategic planning, local management and internal organization of local administration.

He also announced that the project, which would be executed within five years, would be replicated in other cities after successful implementation in the pilot cities.

The French Ambassador to Ghana Mr Frederic Clavier, on his part noted that France had been supportive of Ghana’s Public Sector Reforms, and promised to provide more resources in the coming years to build the capacities of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and the decentralization programme.

Mr Bruno Leclerc, Resident Manager of AFD, said the group had already provided GH¢22million for the decentralization programme, to build the capacities of assemblies through the Community-Based Rural Development Project.

Meanwhile Vice President Mahama has commended the people of the Volta region as well as Gas for their restraint over the alleged ethnocentric comments made by the NPP MP for Assin North, Kennedy Agyepong, assuring the people that government will ensure their safety as far as it remains in power.

He also used the opportunity and appealed to Ghanaians to give president Mills a second term for him to continue with the Better Ghana agenda.

Click links and listen to Offosu Ampofoh & VEEP audios

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NANA ADDO REAFFIRMS HIS COMMITMENT TO PEACE

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 7, 2012

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Nana Addressing the Chiefs

The New Patriotic Party presidential candidate, Nana Akuffo-Addo has urged all Ghanaians to allow the rule of law to reign since it is the only sure way that peace and harmony will prevail ahead, during and after the 2012 elections.

He said it is the maintenance of the rule of law, which requires the enforcement of law and order without fear or favour that can guarantee peace, security and justice.

Nana Akufo-Addo who was addressing the second General Meeting of the Volta Region House of Chiefs with traditional Queens in attendance on Friday, reaffirmed his unequivocal commitment to peace in Ghana.

The meeting comes at a time when relationship between the NPP and residents of Volta Region have further been strained following the ethnocentric comments made by the NPP Member of Parliament for Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong.

But according to him, Ghana’s success stories, especially since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, must not be compromised by “inflamed passions, tribally charged language and selective use of state power.”

“I do not have any ethnic agenda to promote, and I will not condone any such agenda”, he added.

Nana Akuffo-Addo therefore urged Ghanaians to be proud and celebrate the country’s unique diverse culture and ethnicity and “share the occasional harmless joke about where we come from, but we should never allow the richness of our differences to become a currency of spite and hate.”

“Our prejudices hold us back like iron chains when they stop us from recognizing opportunity when we see it,” he added and prayed the indulgence of all to be united in the quest for development.

Nana Akuffo-Addo acknowledged the possibility of differences among Ghanaians and entreated all to put Ghana first before taking any action which is likely to jeopardize the peace and stability of the country.

“There are bound to be differences of opinions among us, but these differences of opinion should not shake our allegiance to Ghana. Ghana must be first and foremost in all our dealings and thinking. Our nation’s peace, stability, freedom and democracy are more important than anyone’s ambition, including my own,” he noted.

Nana Akuffo-Addo however, pledged his commitment to introduce free quality senior high school education, industrialise the country, including developing the resources in the Volta Region and improving the road infrastructure in the Volta Region if elected president.

Nana in a group photo with Chiefs

Meanwhile the Volta Region House of Chiefs has urged the people of the Volta region to remain calm and treat Mr Kennedy Agyapong’s “effusions” with contempt and as insignificant.

In a Press statement, the chiefs appreciate the existing bonds of friendship between various Ewe and Ashanti chiefs and their traditional areas.

The chiefs also expressed their belief in the ability of the security agencies to deal appropriately with individuals and groups who would want to disturb the peace that has become the distinguishing development of the entire nation.

“We therefore would like to call on all Ghanaians to receive with skepticism politics that play on the forces that divide us, that play on our sentiments, make us uncomfortable and instead begin to welcome endeavours that seek alliances within our nation”, the statement said.

ELECTION 2012; TUC CALLS FOR ISSUE-BASED CAMPAIGN

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 3, 2012

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The Volta Secretary of the Ghana Trades Union Congress, Mr Elvis Van, has on Tuesday reaffirmed organized labour’s commitment to defend and uphold the democratic tenets of the nation by ensuring that every individual participate in decision-making process.

He noted that productivity of can only be enhanced in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere, he therefore called on politicians to conduct their campaigns based on issues devoid of personality attacks and character assassinations in order not to jeopardize the peace and security of the nation during this electioneering period.

He urged the citizens to focus on candidates whose ideas will improve incomes and give access to housing, education, health, electricity, water and sanitation.

He also challenged the media to exercise circumspection in their reportage and highlight the important issues that directly affect the livelihood of people on the national agenda while helping to banish the politics of trivialities.

Mr Elvis Van-Lare, gave the speech behalf Mr. Kofi Asamoah TUC General Secretary at this year’s Regional May Day celebrations at Hohoe on the theme: “Election 2012: The Role of Workers in Securing Peaceful and Fair Elections.”

He commended Government and the Fair Wages Salary Commission for the migration of some workers onto the SSSS but noted that the agitations and industrial actions associated with the exercise indicated the inability of the SSS to address the low pay syndrome that has characterized the public sector.

He therefore appealed to the government and employers to support the organization in its quest for a living wage.

He stated that organized labour would not compromise on workers’ rights and warned that employers would not be allowed to take undue advantage of the high level of joblessness to cheat employees.

Mr. Van Lare also expressed worry about the unemployment situation in the country and called on government to create decent jobs for the citizenry.

According to him, Joblessness among the youth constituted the biggest challenge to national peace and development, saying that the surest way of improving the living conditions of people was to ensure that economic growth and its associated macroeconomic stability translated into the creation of good quality jobs for the people.

Mr Henry Ford Kamel, the Volta Regional Minister on his part said Government had recognised the technical challenges encountered in the implementation of the SSSS and assured that Government would be sensitive to the plight of workers in the public sector as far as the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSSS) was concerned.

He also announced that, government will from May this year begin paying the 18% increment on the SSSS.

He reiterated that continuous dialogue between labour, management and Government was crucial for creating and sustaining peaceful, harmonious and trustworthy industrial relations.

He said Government expected organised labour and employers to use the established institutions to resolve labour matters.

He said notwithstanding the meaningful achievement of the Ghanaian labour force, the attitude and conduct of some workers leave much to be desired.

“They exhibit indiscipline, lack of commitment, disrespect for authority, corruption, laziness, and lateness to work and are prepared to defend their inefficiency and incompetence at any cost,” Mr Kamel said.

He said: “Meaningful sustainable economic development demands of us to eschew such negative tendencies that would affect high productivity and quality service delivery. The destiny of this country is in our hands. We must therefore create the enabling environment for the Better Ghana that we crave for.”

Mr Kamel also indicated that the theme for the celebrations was timely because peaceful, fair and successful elections could not happen in a nation without the active contribution and involvement of workers at each stage of the electioneering process.

He therefore called on workers to condemn acts that could trigger civil strife and unrest, by self-seeking political activists.

Awards were presented to Seventeen workers for their commitment and dedication to nation-building, and they received items including gas burners, refrigerators, fans and certificates.

The workers clad in their various union shirts earlier marched through some principal streets of Hohoe, holding placards with messages like “Politicians watch your okra mouth”, “Government stop the brain drain”, “Vote wisely with your thumps and not tongue”, “Workers need more pay”, “Workers are suffering” “Prez Mills, times are hard”, “No one is above the law,” among others.

Click link and listen to Elvis-Van_Lare & Henry Ford_Kamel’s Speeches

CPP WILL CHANGE GHANA’S FORTUNE-BRIGHT AKWETEY

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 3, 2012

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A flag bearer aspirant of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Bright Akwetey, has stated that it will only take a CPP government to truly improve the Ghanaian economy and better the life of the ordinary Ghanaian, which he said the two major political parties have failed in that regard.

According him corruption had been a major factor in the stagnation of the nation’s development, leaving many Ghanaians impoverished whiles the politicians and other public office holders amassed wealth.

Mr Akwetey said after his 21 years working experience at the Attorney General’s (AG) Department, as a legal practitioner, he knew the damage that corruption had caused to Ghana and would ensure that it was dealt with when given the nod.

Mr. Bright Akwetey who was addressing to some executives of the CPP drawn from 10 constituencies within the northern zone of the Volta region in Hohoe on Tuesday appealed to the delegates to give him the mandate to lead the party to win power in the December 2012 elections. Stating that, “the CPP is the only hope for Ghana and if the CPP do not come back to govern the nation now; we’ll still remain where we are”

He said when given the nod as the flag bearer, he had no doubt that he would steer the affairs of the CPP to win the hearts of many Ghanaians including all “Nkrumahists” to vote the CPP in the 2012 elections, stating that a CPP government under his administration would rely on industrialization to support the economy and therefore would ensure that the industries that late President Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah established were revived to create jobs.

Mr. Vincent Norgbedzi, the Volta regional chairman of the party noted that the CPP have had leadership crisis in the region over the years but said those crisis are over with a new leadership in place. He therefore urged the party supporters’ not to be disappointed because there is hope for the CPP. He also entreated them to work hard and galvanize support for the party at grassroots in order to wrestle power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Ho residents in Limbo over Erratic Power Supply (UpDated)

By

Kwadwo Duodu

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April 29, 2012

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Some residents in the Ho municipality are expressing deep concerns over the erratic supply of electricity within the municipality in recent times without any prior notice from the Electricity Company of Ghana.

Over the past weeks, electricity supply within the Ho municipality has been so unpredictable with various parts of the municipality experiencing power outages on several occasions with the recent one occurring during the weekend.

On Saturday evening major suburbs within the Ho Township including Bankoe, Ahoe, the regional Coordinating Council, among others were plunged into darkness with power been restored later at night when residents were asleep.

The situation wasn’t different on Sunday as residents living around Ho RTC and beyond also had their fair share of the outage in the afternoon with Ho polytechnic and its environs including the SSNIT flats experiencing the outage in the evening at about 6:40pm, which lasted for barely an hour and half.

This erratic situation, according to some Students of the polytechnic is affecting their preparations towards their mid and End of Semester Exams, as some residents also lamented that their electrical gadgets are being destroyed by the frequent outages. They are therefore calling on the Electricity Company to come out and explain the erratic situation which is seriously affecting both lives and economic activities in the municipality.

After several attempts to get response from ECG officials, a customer service Rep has disclosed that the outages are part of a load shedding program being undertaken by the ECG. He however, fell short of details of how the program is being carried out within the municipality, as most residents are unaware of any load shedding program.

Meanwhile, Mr. Robert Amewuda Ho municipal ECG manager on Monday morning confirmed the load shedding in a telephone interview.

According to him, the company was forced to embark on an emergency load shedding in the Ho municipality in order to supply some electricity to Aflao and its environs which has loss electricity supply due to the complete burnt down of a GRIDCo sub-station there, caused by a thunder lightening on April 25.

He however gave the assurance that, electricity supply within the Ho municipality will be fully restored when GRIDCo completes the installation of a spare transformer being transferred from Takoradi to Aflao.

This situation comes on the heels of ECG Volta being adjudged the best performing region in the country for 2011.

VARSITY FOR HEALTH AND ALLIED SCIENCES SET TO TAKE OFF IN SEPT

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Kwadwo Duodu

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April 24, 2012

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Prof. Fred Bink

Come September this year, the proposed University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta region would have its first intake of students. Prof. Fred Bimpeh, the 1st Vice-Chancellor of the university disclosed this at a well-attended stakeholder’s forum organised under the auspices of the Volta regional coordinating council in Ho on Monday.

He also noted that the university is about starting the process of certifying programmes to be offered with the National Accreditation Board and t as soon as that approval is given advertisements for applications for admissions would be put out in the media.

According to him, the university, will have eight schools, including medicine, traditional and alternative medicine, health education, medical research and public health but will admit about 200 students into the schools of medicine, nursing & midwifery, allied health sciences in Ho and the school of public health in Hohoe for the start.

He said the institution would essentially be a technical entity with community service and research as important components of every programme.

Prof Binka said the University, with the main campus in Ho and another at Hohoe would eventually affect other parts of the region.

He explained that apart from the Regional Hospital serving as its Teaching Hospital, students would be attached to other hospitals across the region for their practical training.

Prof Binka said with time UHAS would absorb the Health training institutions in the region.

Prof Kofi Anyidoho interim council chairman, who presented a graphical report of activities concerning the establishment of the University, including policy-blueprint, human resource searches and physical structure build-ups at the forum, said since its inception, the council has recruited the key officers of the university; this he said is an indication that the t university is ready for commencement.

On infrastructure, the council chairman noted that the new temporal structures such as lecture halls, science laboratories and students’ hostels, in Ho are inadequate. He also expressed reservations about some of the buildings which he said had some structural defects but however expressed optimism that, the council’s request for additional infrastructure and other concerns would be addressed before September.

UHAS was one of two public universities promised by President John Evans Atta Mills, the other being, University for Energy and Natural Resources, for the Brong Ahafo Region.
Click link to listen to Prof_Binka & Prof_Anyidoho