The Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Divine R.K. Bosson, has submitted his nomination to vie in the upcoming Parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party in the Ho Central Constituency.
According to the MCE, his decision to run for the Ho Central constituency parliamentary election is motivated by the goodwill he receives from people of the municipality and from all political factions.
He expressed appreciation to those who obtained the nomination form on his behalf and assured everyone to have confidence in him to secure the Parliamentary seat from the opposition party.
“Starting from 2025, I will hold a position in Parliament, not just be a former Parliamentary candidate, as the people of Ho Central have, for the first time in the Constituency’s history, the choice to elect a dedicated servant for the constituency,” he said.
Mr. Bosson pointed out that he will draw upon his achievements as Municipal Chief Executive to address the developmental challenges of the people without pursuing narrow political interests, stating that, the National Democratic Congress has let down the Constituency and has ignored its needs for an extended period.
Theophilus Foli, Chairman of the Election Committee, who received the forms, urged all party supporters to conduct a calm campaign free of insults and discord.
Meanwhile, two other individuals, Roland Fiakpui, an Entrepreneur, and Madam Millicent Nana Yaa Sokro, Public Health Nurse, have also obtained forms to compete.
BY: Lambert Coffie & Daniel Orlando | Voltaonlinegh.com |
The ongoing 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) in the Ho Municipality have seen more girls than boys taking the nationwide exams in the area.
Statistics from the Municipal Education Office revealed that out of a total of 3,571 candidates, 1,822 of them, representing 51 percent, were girls, while the remaining 1,749, representing 48.9 percent, were boys.
The candidates, drawn from 101 schools in the municipality, comprise 1,468 boys and 1,503 girls from public schools, as well as 281 boys and 319 girls from private schools.
At the national level, about 600,714 candidates, consisting of 300,323 males and 300,391 females, are sitting the external examination which began on Monday, 7th August 2023.
The five-day examination, conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC), provides basic school students with their first experience of external assessment and will determine their prospects for higher academic pursuits.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Ho, Mr. Divine Bosson, has encouraged candidates writing this year’s BECE to give their best. A press statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Richmond Abake, noted that the entire municipality stands behind every step as their success is a collective achievement.
He urged candidates to take advantage of the Free Senior High school policy, aimed at providing every Ghanaian child with equal access to quality education regardless of their socio-economic status.
The exams are expected to conclude on Friday, August 11, 2023, across the country.
Despite the current turbulence facing Ghana’s economy, the country’s leading telecoms operator, MTN, has assured of continuous investment in its operations to deliver value to clients and stakeholders.
Ghana is currently under a 3-billion Dollar IMF Support Programme due to what the government described as the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Speaking at the 2023 Media and Stakeholders Engagement in the Volta Regional Capital, Ho, on Thursday, August 3, 2023, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Mr. Selorm Adadevoh, reaffirmed the company’s resolve to invest up to One billion Dollars (approximately 11 billion Ghana Cedis) by 2025 to maintain network leadership in the telecoms sector.
While acknowledging the impact of the current economic difficulties on the country’s investment climate, Mr. Adadevoh assured that it would not affect the investment appetite of the telecom giant.
‘In 2021, when we announced the one billion dollar investment across five years, the exchange rate was not what it is now. But we are not backing down on that target,’ the CEO stated, adding that the company was leveraging the economics of scale within the broader MTN Group to sustain the investment target.
As part of its commitment, MTN is investing 210 million Dollars (approximately 2.3 billion Ghana Cedis) in its network infrastructure expansion for 2023. This investment, the MTN Boss noted, would enhance customer experience, ensuring that everyone enjoys the benefits of a modern connected life.
Meanwhile, MTN Ghana has contributed 4 billion Ghana Cedis (approximately 363 million dollars) to government revenue mobilization through taxes, levies, and charges in 2022.
The media engagement held at the Volta Serene Hotel had in attendance other senior officials of MTN, representatives of stakeholder groups, including Security services, Road agencies, the telecoms regulator – NCA, as well as the Mayor of Ho, Mr. Divine Bosson.
Node Eight, a digital innovation hub, has launched a project aimed at including young people in local governance in Ho, the capital of the Volta Region.
Christened, “The Young and Safe” project, the initiative is a collaborative effort between Node Eight, the Ho Municipal Assembly, LoveAid Foundation, Ghana Education Service, and is backed by Fondation Botnar through the Healthy Cities for Adolescents Project.
Spanning three years, the initiative targets critical issues such as youth engagement in city governance, sexual and reproductive health, mental well-being support, creative self-expression, and opportunities for digital employment. It seeks to create an inclusive and supportive community for young individuals in the Volta Regional Capital, Ho, by harnessing the strengths of each partner. Additionally, the project intends to enhance the employability of the youth by fostering their competencies in digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
In an interview with Volta Online, on the sidelines of a press engagement on the project, Mr. Courage Asase, the Managing Director of Node Eight, expressed confidence in the project’s ability to profoundly influence the lives of young people in local governance, particularly in terms of city decision-making.
Courage Asase
He highlighted that the Regional Capital is evolving into a vibrant city with a burgeoning young population. However, these young individuals face various challenges including mental health, sexual health, safety concerns, and unemployment. Unfortunately, the opportunities for them to participate in city governance are limited, leaving them disconnected from decisions impacting their lives. This gap underscores the importance of “The Young and Safe” project.
Node Eight is a digital innovation company on a mission to cultivate a pool of ethically conscious digital talents and technology-enabled African startups ready for investment. Established in 2017, Node Eight has been active in the Ghanaian startup ecosystem by providing digital skills training, innovation programs, consulting services, community building, and program management. The company has collaborated with significant local and international partners such as GIZ, MEST Africa, Ho Technical University, and UNICEF.
Ghana’s largest telecommunications giant, MTN Ghana, hosted its 2023 Media and Stakeholders Forum in Ho to share insights on business performance and focus for the year ahead.
The forum, an annual event, revolved around the theme “Leveraging Technology to Serve Customers with Excellence.”
It served as a platform to engage with key stakeholders and members of the media, sharing updates, addressing concerns, and fostering collaboration between MTN and its stakeholders.
The aim of this year’s forum was to enhance transparency, build relationships, and gather valuable feedback from stakeholders, including journalists, analysts, government officials, and community leaders.
Mr. Selorm Adadevoh, MTN Ghana CEO
During the forum, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Selorm Adadevoh, provided updates on MTN’s overall strategy, network improvement initiatives, and plans to empower customers with more control.
He mentioned that MTN is set to invest over One billion dollars in network expansion by the end of 2025.
Mr. Adadevoh reaffirmed MTN’s commitment to ensuring that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. He emphasized MTN’s role as enablers, providing solutions for Africa’s progress.
The CEO also highlighted the Ghana ICT Hub project, a significant partnership with the government of Ghana aimed at creating job opportunities for the youth in various digital fields.
Furthermore, he addressed important business-related questions, including the fight against MoMo fraud, SIM registration, and smartphone penetration in the country.
Mrs. Georgina Asare Fiagbenu
Mrs. Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at MTN, emphasized that through the annual engagements, the company has built a strong bond with the media, who have been an integral part of their success story over the years.
Corporate entities in the Volta Region are gearing up for an exciting holiday on Friday, August 4, with the highly anticipated Corporate Fun Games.
The games, set to take place at the Ho Technical University Park, are being put together by the organizers of the Volta Fair as a precursor to this year’s trade and investment exhibition in November.
According to organizers, the games will offer a unique opportunity for public and private sector businesses to fraternize, network, and exchange ideas, fostering growth and collaboration within the region’s enterprises.
In attendance will be the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, and the special guest, Mr. Ernest Danso, Chef de Mission of the All Africa Games 2024, adding a touch of grandeur to the event.
Mr. Fred Avornyo, Chief Operating Officer for Volta Fair 2023, noted that this year’s trade and investment exhibition includes a Sports Symposium and Corporate Fun Games to explore the untapped potential of sports in driving the region’s economic growth.
He indicated that the fair is placing a strong emphasis on the potential of sports to contribute significantly to the region’s economic development.
“Sport is an untapped area. We want to identify and harness the various talents in the sector as we push for the region’s economic growth,” Mr. Avornyo stated and expressed optimism that the Fair will attract investors who recognize the value of upgrading sporting facilities in the region, driving progress and prosperity.
Beyond the excitement of the Corporate Fun Games, the event will also be a platform to honour and celebrate veteran sportsmen and women who have excelled in various sporting disciplines from the region.
The 2023 Volta Trade and Investment Fair, which is private sector-led, will serve as a comprehensive one-stop environment for exhibitors to seize business opportunities, showcase their ventures, and forge valuable partnerships.
A five-day training workshop on the prevention and early response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has been held in Ho, the Volta Regional Capital, for stakeholders on the theme “Promoting Peace and Security in Africa to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
The workshop, which was under the auspices of the Women, Peace, and Security Institute (WPSI) of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in collaboration with the Government of Norway, was aimed at empowering community actors to address Gender-Based Violence in the country.
The workshop gathered 50 participants across five regions from various sectors, including the Police, Ministry of Gender, Department of Social Welfare, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Media, Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs), traditional and community leaders, health professionals, and the Judiciary.
The objective was to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively prevent and respond to GBV not only in Ghana but also across Africa.
Air Commodore George Kweku Arko-Dadzie
Opening the training on Monday, July 10, 2023, Air Commodore George Kweku Arko-Dadzie, the Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, underscored the urgency of addressing GBV, highlighting international instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women (CEDAW), UNSC Resolution 1325, and Resolution 1820.
The Deputy commandant also mentioned the WPSI’s research in 2020, which revealed a high rate of GBV in Ghana due to a lack of capacity among local actors. He was therefore optimistic that the training would enhance participants’ capacity and professional lives as they combat GBV.
Mrs. Thywill Eyra Kpe, the Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, stressed the importance of addressing GBV at the household level to prevent its escalation. She stressed the need to demystify Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and understand how gender stereotypes influence data collection for effective intervention. Mrs. Kpe also highlighted the significant economic costs of SGBV to Ghana, noting that approximately GHC 18 million was spent on SGBV response.
Dr. Senanu Djokoto
Dr. Senanu Djokoto, the Acting Volta Regional Director of Health Services, touched on the health implications and complications of GBV, including sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, related complications, and mental health issues. He reiterated the health service’s goal of improving the health status of all individuals in Ghana, including adolescents and young people, through violence prevention, policy strengthening, and response services for victims and survivors.
Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, in a message delivered on his behalf by Chief Director of the Regional Coordinating Council, noted that SGBV is a serious violation of human rights that should not be tolerated, stressing on the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals in communities through continuous sensitization, full enforcement of laws, and capacity building for both state and non-state actors to effectively address such issues.
Philip Nii Teye Lomotey, a popular police-referee in Ho, has died after collapsing during a football match at the Ho stadium on Sunday.
Known popularly as PNT Lomotey, the police inspector and a retired referee, was watching the finals of the Volta FA Division Two middle league between Home Stars FC and Inter Allies FC when he collapsed at the VIP stand.
The response to the emergency was however observed to be haphazard by this reporter, as there was no ambulance on site to attend to the situation. This led to the use of crude means by early responders to resuscitate him. Some poured water on him, while others rubbed their hands on the head.
It took some time for first aiders from the pitch side to arrive at the scene and convey the victim on a stretcher into a nearby police vehicle, which then rushed him to a hospital.
Unfortunately, shortly after the match ended with Home Stars FC emerging as winners, news of his sudden demise reached the stadium, leaving many people distraught.
The deceased was an instructor at the Ho Regional Police Training School and also served as the Ho District Chairman of the Referees Association of Ghana.
The incident has raised questions among some patrons about the emergency response arrangements at such sporting events, especially considering the large crowd attendance.
The iconic black star arch located at the heart of Ho.
BY: Dr. Jemimah Etornam Avornyo Kassah
Ho, the town with one of the shortest names in Ghana, is the capital of the Volta region and also of the Asorgli state. The Asorglis are made up of four sub-units, which are also towns (with allied villages): Ho, Akoefe, Kpenoe, and Takla. The Asorglis pride themselves, and justifiably so, in being the people who actually broke down the walls of Notsie during the reign of Agokorli the tyrant, leading to the escape of the various Ewe sub-groups present in Ghana today. Under the leadership of Torgbe Kakla, they broke down the fortified walls with an implement and helped the Ewes escape. Togbe Kakla is said to have had three sons (Akoe, Letsu, Asor) and a daughter, Esa. The descendants of Akoe and Letsu founded Akoeƒe and Kpenoe, and later, Takla. The descendants of Asor founded present-day Ho, and Esa founded Saviefe, close to Ho. “Asorgli” refers to the nature of the fortified wall they broke down in Notsie before their migration.
“Asor” refers to a particular species of thorn used in mixing with clay before constructing the defense wall at Notsie. To date, during the Yam festival, delegates go to the modern-day Notsie in Togo to commemorate the historic departure.
Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asorgli
According to both oral and written history (Spieth, 1906; Reindorf, 3rd edition; Amekpordi, 2012), the Asorglis were once at a point vassals of the Akwamus and used to pay tribute to them in the form of slaves. This went on for several years until several chiefs rebelled and refused to pay the tribute. The Akwamu chief, Akoto, was sorely vexed and declared war. After heavy losses on both sides, Dangme settlers in Ho-Dome, led by Howusu, helped the Asorglis defeat the Akwamus in 1833. Sorely vexed, a stronger Akan army now comprising the Ashanti, Akwamu, Anlo, Adaklu, and other allies decided to wage a second war in 1869 to punish the Asorglis for the earlier defeat. The beginning of the battle went in favour of the Akan and allies, but not for long. The old German bell at Ho-Kpodzi still bears the scar of a bullet from that war to date.
The German Bell
In the heat of the war, the Asorglis had to seek refuge in surrounding towns such as Sokode, Matse, Takla, Agortime, etc., for safety, but they strewed grass leftover after weeding (known as “Ho”) over their settlements and properties before escaping. Other allies came to the rescue of the Asorglis, and the people of Kpenoe and Takla were instrumental in turning the fortunes of the war around and crushing the Akan army. The Akan army was forced to flee, but a few were captured to serve at court. This explains the prevalence of Akan words, customs, and names among the Ewe of mid-Volta.
According to Amekpordi (2012), Bankoe was pronounced as Banyakɔ (“muddy area”), referring to the muddy nature of the land at the time. Banyakɔ was later corrupted to become Bankoe. They describe themselves as “Hoɖemakɔwo” – “Ho that cannot be carried.” In Ewe, the word “ho” refers to the rubbish that is collected and packed after a parcel of land is cleared by weeding. ‘Hoɖemakɔ’ means “packed rubbish that cannot be carried or collected‟ due, in part, to the fact that dangerous creatures can be found lurking underneath packed mounds of cleared vegetation. In like manner, the Hos will destroy you if you dare touch them. They are therefore like ‘ho’ that cannot be touched or carried, but they can carry other people’s ‘ho’. And if they can carry your ‘ho’, it means they have superior power.
A street of Ho Bankoe
I hope you enjoyed reading! Be proud of where you are from.
Source: Dr. Jemimah Etornam Avornyo Kassah, a Fisheries Scientist & Historian.
The abandoned GETFUND project located at Hordzo, in the Ho Municipality is set to be repurposed as a satellite campus for the University Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS). The facility will be converted into an Environmental Science Campus of the university.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Ho, Mr. Divine Richard Bosson, revealed this information during an exclusive interview with local radio station Swiss FM. He explained that the idea to transform the project into an educational facility stemmed from discussions on the development of the Ho Municipality.
Initially, there were considerations for an agricultural college or a college of education, but with further deliberation, it was decided that an Environmental Science Campus would complement the ongoing Oxygen City Project, the MCE stated.
The chairman of the Norvisi Development Union’s festival celebration, Togbe Abimah Fiator of Hordzo, appealed to the government, through the Municipal Chief Executive, Member of Parliament, and Regional Minister, to consider converting the abandoned school into a college of education since the municipality lacked one. The MCE, Hon. Divine Bosson, stated that building a senior high school in the area would be a misplaced priority, given the proximity of existing schools. Instead, an Environmental Science Campus would facilitate more research and contribute to the Oxygen City Project.
One of the abandoned facilities
To assess the feasibility of acquiring the facility, the Vice Chancellor, Registrar of UHAS, and the Works Engineer of the Ho Municipal Assembly visited the site. Expressing interest in acquiring the property, the Vice Chancellor and his team addressed a letter to the Regional Minister, who subsequently forwarded it to the Minister of Education. The MCE mentioned that the letter received significant attention and resulted in a meeting between the Chief of Hodzo and the Education Minister in Accra.
The MCE also noted that during their visit to the facility, they requested the youth of Hodzo to clear the area, which had become overgrown. The community responded swiftly, clearing the forest within a day. Recognizing the economic benefits of having the UHAS satellite campus in Hordzo, the MCE appealed to the local chiefs to provide additional land for parking and a mini-market accessible to the students.
Confirming these developments, Togbe Abimah, the chief of Hordzo, expressed gratitude for the efforts of the MCE, Member of Parliament, and Regional Minister. He revealed that a visit to the Minister for Education confirmed that the facility would become a permanent satellite campus for UHAS. Togbe Abimah urged the community to take ownership of the school, emphasizing that it was under their care.
