The Chief Justice of the Republic, Justice Sophia Akuffo has led a delegation of foreign envoys on a day’s working visit to the Ho Central Prisons on Friday to assess the progress of the Justice for All Programme, (JFAP).
The delegation comprises directors of UN Organizations and some female foriegn envoys in the country including the US Ambassador, Stephanie Sanders Sullivan.
They were in the prison to monitor proceedings of two in-prison special court sessions, hearing cases involving some 26 remand persons under the JFAP.
Court of Appeal Judge and Chairman of JFAP, Justice Clemence Honyenuga together with Justice Eric Baah, the Supervising High Court Judge for the Volta region adjudicated the cases at the special courts.
There are currently a total of 501 inmates including 89 remand persons in the Ho Central Prisons, which was designed for 150 inmates.
With support from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and POS foundation, the Justice for All Programme has since inception some 12 years helped reduce the Remand inmate population in the country’s prisons from 4,285 in 2007 to 2,020 as at November 2019.
Background
The Justice For All Pragramme started in 2007 was aimed at alleviating prison overcrowding through setting up special courts sittings to adjudicate remand prisoner cases in prisons throughout the country.
It was initiated by the then Attorney-General’s Department/Minister for Justice, Hon. Jeo Ghartey in close collaboration with the Judicial Service of Ghana, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Prisons Service, Lawyers, as well as Civil Society groups.
The Ho District Civil Society Organisations’ Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has intensified the campaign on the United Nations set goals within its catchment area.
As part of the campaign, the platform led by its convener Ms. Princess Lovia Tetteh was at the Ho Kpodzi E.P Basic ‘B’ School to engage pupils and teachers on the SDGs, stressing on Goal 4, which focuses on ‘inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.’
The engagement was aimed at creating awareness among these stakeholders about the Global Goals, which is designed to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
The team took turns to educate the children on the importance of the SDGs to their well-being and development, stating that equitable and inclusive Education was a tool to Development
They also highlighted the roles of government, CSOs, stakeholders and citizens to domesticate the SDGs so no one is left behind.
The school pupils and their teachers who were elated about the engagement also pledged to carry on the campaign to others in their homes and communities.
Background
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.
On the other hand, the Ghana Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Platform on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was established in October 2015 to ensure more coordinated civil society efforts in achieving the SDGs in Ghana. The CSOs Platform was institutionalised in May 2016 and includes more than 300 member organisations, consisting of coalitions, associations, unions, community-based organisations, local, national and international non-governmental organisations, and religious groups, whose membership spreads across country.
The CSOs Platform’s membership is divided into 18 sub-platforms, one for each of the 17 SDGs and a youth sub-platform. District platforms have been established in several districts.
I read an article attributed to Makafui Woanyah, the Volta Regional Chairman of the governing party, in respect of the December 17 Referendum and I wish to offer a humble response.
I suspect the article was a team work with narrow political and partisan interest. Despite that, I will try to avoid the usual NPP NDC game in my response.
We are all sharing our opinions for YES and NO on the referendum and citizens will decide on this come December 17.
Those going for YES have tried so hard to insult the intelligence of the No Campaigners.
They called them names: useless, anti – multi party, hypocrite and unpatriotic.
Based on what I read from Makafui Woanyah, I am convinced that he is just another apostle of YES campaigners who believes he has an entitlement to take a position on issues and others do not have that right.
The referendum basically is about the amendment of Article 55(3) in the 1992 Constitution to allow political parties to sponsor and present candidates for unit committee and assembly elections.
Makafui Woanyah in his article asserts that because parties illegally participate in local governance elections, it is an act of hypocrisy to be against the referendum.
What Makafui Woanyah may be ignorant of is the law prohibiting the acts of political parties in sponsoring candidates in District Assembly and Unit Committee elections.
Section 7 of the District Assembly Elections Act, 1994 as amended by Section 7 of District Assembly Elections (Amendment) Act, 2010 (Act 801) provides that:
“(1) No Political party or organisation shall endorse or endorse, canvass for votes for or in any way campaign for or against a candidate seeking election to a District Assembly or any lower local government unit.
(2) Any political party or organisation which contravenes subsection (1) of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty penalty units.”
So don’t tell us people are sniffing cocaine already so let us legalise it.
Don’t tell us political parties are sponsoring SRC elections in our universities so we should make it official.
In his introduction, Makafui Woanyah proudly put out the information that he was a four term assembly member in Keta Municipal Assembly, sixteen good years as an Assembly member in Anloga.
Anloga Lashibi Electoral Area is an NDC stronghold. Every 100 person you meet in Lashibi Electoral Area, 98 is likely to be NDC.
Makafui Woanyah is a known NPP operative for years. He served as the Constituency Organiser and later, the Constituency Chairman for Anlo Constituency. He became the Regional Organiser of NPP.
Makafui Woanyah won Assembly Elections in Anloga Lashibi Electoral Area because he had enjoyed huge support from NDC members.
Makafui Woanyah, Volta NPP Chairman
Filling and filing of the Nomination Forms at one point were done on behalf of Makafui Woanyah by NDC Constituency Deputy Youth Organiser. This action by the NDC deputy youth organiser even attracted his superiors from the Regional NDC Office.
NDC members in Lashibi saw Makafui Woanyah as an agent of development, not any party fanatic who would be doing the bidding of his political party.
This is common sense and we do not need to go to Anloga Market to buy this basic understanding.
The Makafui Woanyah Example in Anloga is the main reason why Ghanaians should vote NO in the Referendum.
The people of Anloga Lashibi looked at the competence of Makafui Woanyah and voted for him.
In a partisan NDC, NPP, CPP, PPP, NDP contest, Makafui Woanyah would not have found himself in the Keta Municipal Assembly through elections.
I got alarmed when YES Campaigners like Makafui Woanyah cannot reason with us.
I want to use this platform to remind Makafui Woanyah that in 2012, he contested parliamentary elections on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.
Due to the partisan nature of the parliamentary elections, he Makafui Woanyah got only 3,599 votes out of about 40,000 votes. Partisan Politics made sure he lost miserably.
Recently, a Member of Parliament for Kunbungu based on the advice from his constituents opted for the amendment of article 55(3) of the constitution to allow partisan politics into our district level elections.
Instantly, the NDC minority in parliament issued a three -line statement or whip. Within 12 hours, the Honourable Member of Parliament retracted his previous position on the referendum. He is now on the side of NO.
I consider the Ras Mubarak Saga as enough basis for Ghanaians to go for NO. I don’t want my next Assembly member to be a stooge of a political party.
I have decided to be practical with the response so I want to use my own experience to conclude my piece.
In 2006, I contested and won Assembly elections for Duta Electoral Area. My two main contenders were known branch executives of NDC and NPP. I was a mere card – bearing member of NDC.
I would have been discarded if elections were to be on partisan lines because a whole branch chairman was in the contest.
The same time in 2006, twenty unit committee members were elected. They came from diverse political, social and religious divides.
At least, two of my hardworking unit committee members would have lost miserably if they had contested on their party tickets.
It will be funny in my electoral area to see NDC presenting five unit committee contestants, NPP presenting five contestants, CPP, PPP, NDP, UGM presenting five candidates each.
In my conclusion, I want to remind Makafui Woanyah that he was a beneficiary of a non partisan assembly system and he cannot, because of politics, run away from that fact.
I want to tell Mr Woanyah that if our laws are breached by the people especially the political parties, the amendment should not be an option. Enforcement is the way to go.
Otherwise, the provisions in the Constitution which debar chiefs, judges and civil servants from engaging in politics will soon be amended to allow them to do politics.
The consequences will not bode well for Ghana.
Source: Foga Nukunu, Former Assembly Member for Duta Electoral Area in Ketu South Municipality.
Mothers having their children weighed under trees at Dadoto Health Centre
By: Benjamin Owusu | Voltaonlinegh.com |
Nursing mothers at Dadoto, a farming community in the Krachi East Municipality of the Oti Region, who access reproductive and child welfare services at the Dadoto Health Centre, are attended to under mango trees.
This is as a result of inadequate infrastructure at the health facility to cater for the reproductive and child welfare clinic.
Some mothers, who spoke to voltaonlinegh.com, said the situation has created a lot discomfort for them as they were compelled to stay under the mango trees to weigh their children.
“Anytime it is about to rain the nurses here send us home,” one of them lamented, as they appealed to the assembly and the central government to come to their aid by constructing a pavilion for the reproductive and child health unit.
Etornam Tsakesu, the health officer at the facility, described the situation as worrying and added his voice to the call for a pavilion at the centre to save the situation.
In respect of the impending referendum, I write as a former member (elected) of the Keta Municipal Assembly for well over Sixteen years and the Volta Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party.
I have observed with great dismay, the hypocrisy and pretense that has characterized discussion on the necessity or otherwise to allow for Political Parties participation in our local government System.
Is it not common knowledge that since the inception of the fourth republic, our local Assemblies have been unavoidably partisan both in composition and operation? What are we pretending about? Every serious politician or observer has been concerned about the constitutional contradiction and the hypocrisy of the System.
Our so-called nonpartisan Assembly system which is a carryover from the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) Revolutionary regime has not only been abused but also found out to be unworkable. Hence, the general consensus amongst all major political players to amend the constitution to legally allowed political parties, participating in the local governance system.
It is in the light of the above that the sudden U-turn of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is disappointing and hypocritical. It is instructive to note that, some of the reasons stated to back their sudden U-turn are so pedestrian, flimsy and lack substance.
The NDC, a political party and a major player of Democratic dispensation among other things mentioned political divisiveness and rancor as an ill that might affect partisan local governance is to say the least unfortunate.
They mentioned that stakeholder consultation and competence will be compromised by a partisan contest; A very spurious assertion to be made by a political party seeking the mandate of the people. Stating expensive election and party whip system as reasons is not only hypocritical but questions their sincerity and commitment to our multi-party democracy.
How can a serious political party argue that a partisan political system would hamper continuity of development projects and compromise accountability rather than the opposite?
The sudden U-turn and the stated grounds of NDC are very frightening and pose serious danger to our democracy. But I can safely conclude that, the NDC’s U-turn and argument can only stem from unnecessary fear and suspicion that the local government reforms might disadvantage them and dwindle their political fortune.
It is also evidently clear that the NDC is playing to the gallery by yielding to fragments of uniformed opinions against the impending referendum and the issues therein; A clear case of lack of focus and policy clarity and direction.
Finally, the NDC U-turn is a cheap attempt to turn the referendum into a midterm election to test their own strength and the ever souring popularity of the ruling NPP. Any setback to our comprehensive local government reforms leading to a total democratization of our country should be placed squarely at the doorstep of a reckless opposition NDC.
Source: Hon. Makafui Woanyah, Volta Regional NPP Chairman
The Asogli traditional council in Ho has dismissed rumours about the supposed demised of the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli state and President of the National house of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV.
This follows weeks of wild speculations on social media that the revered traditional ruler and business tycoon had passed on outside the country.
A member of the traditional council, Togbe Adzimah IV, in an interview monitored by voltaonlinegh.com, described the rumours as palpable falsehood and a hoax.
He told Ho based Tosh TV that, Togbe Afede was alive and kicking; as such the social media speculations which have been making rounds in the last three months were outright fabrications by faceless individuals and thus urged the public to disregard it.
File photo: Togbe Adzimah seated at the right
Togbe Adzimah who was seen in the TV footage seated next to the Agbogbomefia at the forecourt of the Asogli palace during a funeral, stated categorically in the interview conducted in the Ewe language that, “We do not know the source of this fabrication but I want to use this medium to let the whole world know that, the Agbogbomefia is not dead as being speculated.”
According to him, “Nothing absolutely has happened to him [Togbe Afede]; He is hale and hearty as you can see him seated here with us. So I want to caution those on social media to be extremely careful in spreading such unsubstantiated rumours.”
The chief further warned that the traditional council would henceforth take on any individual who would be caught spreading any such rumours against the Agbogbomefia.
Eunice Ahortor who deals in locally made oil is excited that her sales have increased after improving the packaging on her oil product. She added that “I now get calls from other parts of the region and the country for my product, all because of the new packaging.”
Janet Ama Duho who was finding it very difficult to save said that has changed; “Initially I did not understand the importance of saving, but for the past two years of receiving training from ENA’s adult literacy program, Daily savings is now part of me.”
These are two out of 47 persons who graduated from an adult literacy programme run by the Engage Now Africa (ENA). The programme which covered four communities in the Central Tongu District in the Volta Region was run in phases over a period of two years. The communities are; Adidome, Amelorkope, Tsetsekpo and Avakpodome.
Beneficiaries were taught how to read and write and also trained in batik tie and die, bead making, liquid soap making, powder making; among others. They were also awarded certificates for coming out successful from the programme.
This initiative is huge for a district that has about 30 percent of its about 60,000 population (According to 2010 Population Census), not being literate. Although unemployment rate is high, the mostly rural population has a lower economic activity, since most employment activities are on a much smaller scale. This somewhat affects household living standards and dependency rate.
According to the UNDP, some 750 million adults globally; two thirds of them women, remained illiterate in 2016. A quarter of the global illiterate population lives in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana.
Despite the many interventions by successive governments to increase access to education and training; most of the interventions have focused on children and adolescents than on adults. The rising population has also led to increased unemployment rate, especially among the youth and adults; the same category of people who have the agility to work and cater for their families.
Beneficiaries of the literacy Program
It is for this reason and more that ENA in partnership with Alma House undertook a literacy programme to improve the lives of the youth and adults in the Central Tongu district of Ghana.
According to the Country Director of ENA, Ghana, like many developing countries still lack basic infrastructure and facilities to provide effective learning environments right from the primary to the tertiary level. These challenges also persist in the area of skills training.
She was hopeful that literacy programme in the district will go a long way to close the employment gap, grow the local economy, stimulate innovation and facilitate an overall sustainable growth in the area.
Stella Charles, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alma House encouraged the beneficiaries to constantly practice all they have acquired, teach others and work together as working individually slows progress.
She observed that the programme is to ensure those who do not have access to formal education also get some form of inclusive and quality education and skill training irrespective of age and circumstances, because “education has no end it is a lifelong thing.”
Togbe Kwasinyi Agyeman IV, Chief of Adidome was optimistic that the training will improve the living standards of beneficiaries and their dependents.
Samuel Gomashie, the District Director of the Business Advisory Center (BAC) said, his outfit and the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) always open to provide services to micro, small and medium scale enterprises and urged beneficiaries and the public not to hesitate to call on them should they have any challenges.
He observed that the rippling effect of the training goes a long way to fulfill the both national and global targets of development which is worthy of replication in every part of Ghana.
The 4th edition of the Volta Trade and Investment Fair, 2019 kick-off last Friday at the Ho Sports Stadium with dozens of exhibitors from and outside the region in attendance.
The event under the auspices of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) and its partners was aimed promoting the region’s investment potentials to the rest world through culture and trade exhibition.
However, few days into the 10-days event, the fair is yet to receive the needed patronage from the public, as attendance on the first three days was quite poor.
A tour of the event grounds by Voltaonlinegh.com, revealed very little business activities were ongoing with most exhibitors sitting idle behind their stands.
Some exhibitors who interacted with this news portal, confirmed that turnout so far has not been encouraging, a situation they attributed to low publicity on the part of organizers.
“Business is here is bad” a trader in African wears told Voltaonlinegh.com from her makeshift bed under the exhibition tent.
“I have been monitoring the radio stations in town and not much is being said about the fair,” another exhibitor in pharmaceuticals said, adding that, “It seems the organizers are only interested in the money but careless about publicizing the event to attract patrons so that we can also get the needed leverage. We paid over GHc800.00 for a stand and we’re only here idling.”
That notwithstanding, the exhibitors are still hopeful the situation would change for the better probably after the official opening of the fair on Tuesday.
Some exhibitors sitting idle behind their wares
They however appealed to the organizers to make available a standby generator to ensure uninterrupted power supply throughout the fair.
Meanwhile, Mr. McRay Sogah, a member of the publicity and entertainment sub-committee for the fair has assured exhibitors of necessary arrangements to get more patrons to the event before it wraps up on Sunday, December 2, 2019.
“We’ve been talking with some of the radio stations to come and broadcast their programmes live from the grounds so they can direct traffic to the fair and very soon we should see a great change in the attendance,” he told Voltaonlinegh.com.
The fair since the last one in 2011 has on display, indigenous products and services in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical and herbal, textile and garment, tourism and hospitality industries, among others.
A huge performance stage has also been mounted at the venue for indigenous artistes and cultural troupes to entertain patrons during the fair.
Ho MCE presenting a sewing machine to a beneficiary
By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com|
Ho 92.5FM in the Volta Regional capital has supported some 31 underprivileged artisans with sewing machines and hairdressing kits through its ‘Founder’s Empowerment Project’ being spearheaded by their mother company, the Class Media Group (CMG).
Two physically challenged persons were among the beneficiaries who were presented with 12 sewing machines and 19 hairdryers at ceremony held at the forecourt of the Ho central market on Monday.
Present at the event was the Municipal Chief Executive for Ho, Mr. Propser Pi-Bansah as well as members of the local associations of dressmakers and hairdressers.
Ho MCE handing over a sewing a physically challenged beneficiary
Torgbui Ahorgo I, General Manager of HoFM told the gathering that the beneficiaries, age between 18 and 30 years were carefully selected from various parts of the region, by a panel of judges after a thorough vetting of hundreds of entries.
The project which will be replicated in other parts of the country, begun in Accra with a donation of the first set of sewing machines and hairdryers to 86 beneficiaries in the Greater Accra Region.
Mr. Kojo Ackaah-Kwarteng, the Group CEO of CMG, noted that the project was an initiative of their founder, Mr. Seidu Agongo, aimed at equipping underprivileged artisans including apprentices, to establish themselves economically in order to earn a decent living.
He therefore, entreated the beneficiaries not to sell the items but rather make good use of them to improve their livelihoods.
He added that, the media group will also organize an entrepreneurial training programme for the beneficiaries to set them on the path of a sustainable career.
The Ho MCE, Mr. Pi-Bansah on his part, commended Ho FM and its mother company for complementing government’s efforts with such a critical intervention in the lives of the citizens, and encouraged other corporate entities to emulate same.
He also urged the youth to acquire employable skills so as take advantage the various government intervention programmes to better their lot.
Leadership of both the dressmakers and hairdressers associations also expressed their gratitude to the media group for the kind gesture, as they promised to ensure the beneficiaries put the equipment to its intended use.
About Class Media Group
Class Media Group (CMG), a Ghanaian media conglomerate which operates Class91.3FM, Accra100.5FM, No.1 105.3FM, Kumasi 104.1FM, Adehyee99.1FM, Ho FM, CTV, Tamale FM, Takoradi FM and ClassFMonline.com.
A total of 47 adult learners have graduated over the weekend from Engage Now Africa (ENA’s) adult literacy programme in some four communities in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region.
The communities that benefited from the adult literacy programme were; Adidome, Amelorkope, Tsetsekpo and Avakpodome.
The Country Director of Engage Now Africa (ENA), Cecelia Amankwah said ENA was in partnership with Alma House to ensure that no one is left behind as far as education is concern.
She added that going through adult education is not an easy task but since the learners were able to sail through, it means that there was nothing impossible on this planet earth if there is perseverance, determination and hard work attached to it.
She urged the learners to take whatever they were taught into practice because ENA is there to improve their lives and that of their families.
She encouraged the participants to keep helping each other, work as a group and not envy anyone who is doing so well in the group but rather it should serve as a motivation for them to also keep trying so that at the end they can also become perfect.
Beneficiaries of the literacy Program
Stella Charles, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alma House said she was impressed with the things the learners have demonstrated and said the love and unity among them shows that they are well equipped to handle the things they have learnt and put it into something meaningful.
Apart from learning how to read and write, the 47 adults were also trained in batik tie and die, bead making, liquid soap, powder among others with certificates were awarded to them as well.
Some of them shared their testimonies about the adult literacy program and thanked the organizers for impacting their lives.
One of them, Eunice Ahortor said she was taught how to repackage her oil business and this has increased her sales in the market, while, Janet Ama Duho said “Initially I do not understand the importance of saving but for the past two years of receiving training from ENA’s adult literacy program, Daily savings is now part of me.”
Togbe Kwasinyi Agyeman IV, Chief of Adidome who doubled as the Chairman for the event, lauded ENA for the support they are giving the elderly persons in the various communities. He entreated the learners to cherish the things they were taught and use it to better their lives because as far as ENA is concern, they are in to help them grow in all aspects of their lives.
Samuel Gomashie, The Adidome Branch Director of Business Advisory Center (BAC) said his outfit with the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) spearheading as the national Implementing Entity is there to provide services to micro, small and medium scale entrepreneurs through training, counseling among others.
He pledged to support the learners to enhance their businesses and urged them to work in groups so that they can attract donors to help aid their businesses.
Francis K. Wama, the Volta Regional Literacy Supervisor for ENA was so excited for a successful program.
He said it has not been easy to organize such programs in the communities; especially getting facilitators to volunteer becomes a problem. He thanked Business Advisory Centre for coming on board to assist the learners to enhance their businesses.
He called on the community leaders to support ENA to expand the literacy programme.
