Monday, December 28, 2009

24 FILE TO CONTEST NPP ELECTIONS IN UPPER WEST IPAGE 14, DEC 28)

TWENTY-four people from all the ethnic groups in the Upper West Region have filed their nominations to vie for the top positions of the regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Since the close of nominations last weekend, the race has become keener and more exciting with the contestants having their campaigns on the doorstep of would-be delegates.
Significantly, even though the NPP is not in power, this year’s race for the regional executive positions has attracted a lot of enthusiastic youth, many of whom have thrown their weight behind the various candidates and are even on their campaign trails, helping to sell the messages of the respective candidates to the delegates.
Tomorrow December 29, 2009, delegates numbering 204 drawn from members of TESCON and elders of the party in the region, and the candidates themselves, will come together to elect their representatives to lead the party in the coming years.
One of the positions which many expect to be very keenly contested is that of the regional chairman which the current indefatigable chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Abdul Rahman Short, a businessman, who has been able to win three parliamentary seats for the NPP in the region, is predicted by many to retain. He has two contenders, namely a former Ghana Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Mr Mogtari Sahanoon, and Mr Eddy Kaleonaa Tizzala, also a businessman.
For the position of first vice-chairman, a former Sissala West District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Ismail Madah, a bursar Mr Bawah Bismark, and Mr Abubakari Bawa are contesting. To the pundits, it is a race in which any of the three candidates could carry the day.
For the second vice-chairman position, Mr Hafiz Bin Salih, who is presently the regional youth organiser, has been tipped to win the seat, taking into consideration his achievements as a youth organiser.
Mr Bin Salih is, therefore, enjoying massive support, especially from the youth. He is being challenged by a businessman, Mr David Kandoh.
Subsequently, the seat of the incumbent Secretary, Mr Ibrahim Abu Tamah Tony, which has been described as one of the hottest seats in the region also has very competent and affable members of the NPP rubbing shoulders.
They are the incumbent Secretary, Mr Tamah Tony, a former special assistant in former President Kufuor’s administration and currently a lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS); Mr Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen and Mr Yussif Yakubu Sungumo, an accounts clerk at the Islamic Hospital in Wa.
The race is, however, said to be between Mr Engmen and Mr Tamah Tony. Messrs Mumuni Baba Seidu and Nankpa A. Osman are also contesting the Assistant Secretary positions in an all-educationists affair.
Following closely in the race is the position of Regional Organiser in which Messrs Abraham Bankpanla, Angmaawine Siita and Edward Dombo, an administrative assistant, the current Assistant Regional Secretary and an educationist respectively are challenging each other.
All the candidates are said to be well on the ground and, therefore, none of them is taking things for granted.
For the women, there are only two options, which are to either endorse Madam Helen Bangonluuri, who is the incumbent Women’s Organiser or introduce Madam Martha Kumbal to continue from where Madam Bangonluuri would leave off.
The Regional Youth Organiser and treasurer positions have six men who have over the years supported the NPP and worked in many capacities to ensure the growth of the party in the region. The include Messrs Mustapha Dimah Govier, a businessman; Mujeeb Rahman and Mr Issahaque Murtada, all educationists, while Mr Dudu Philip, an accounts clerk; Mr Salifu Waah, a former DCE, and Mr Issahaque Tiffere, a student, are also going for the position of Treasurer.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

NDC MUST MANAGE DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES WELL — CHIREH (PAGE 16, DEC 22)

THE Upper West regional delegates conference of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) finally came off successfully in Wa over the weekend, with a call on members to begin to manage the democratic processes in the party very well in order not to sow seeds of division among themselves.
The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, who gave the advice, said, “Now the playground has changed and so it is not like in the 1990s when people were told to step down during elections and they did that quietly”.
In an apparent reference to events which preceded the conference, thereby compelling some gurus of the party to be up in arms against Mr Matthew Sung- Aabo, also known as Matco, when he decided to contest the incumbent chairman, Alhaji Malik Issahaque, Mr Yieleh Chireh urged members, particularly the leadership of the party, to respect the structures provided in the constitution of the party to ensure that every member of the party got his or her due.
He was, however, happy that in spite of the initial skirmishes, members were able to come to a consensus on the withdrawal of Mr Sung-Aabo and others, to pave the way for the peaceful and successful conduct of the conference.
“Please, nobody should be made to feel excluded; we have to look at inclusiveness. There is the need for a united front  and so let’s talk about issues and those who can do the work, not ethnic politics,” Mr Yieleh Chireh cautioned and advised members to work to strengthen the structures of the party.
Elections were conducted for the positions of only the deputy regional secretary, youth organiser and women organiser with the other candidates being endorsed unanimously.
As a result, Alhaji Malik Issahaque still remains the Regional Chairman of the NDC with Alhaji Issahaque Natornaa and Mr Geoffrey Baduon Dudiam as the Vice Chairpersons. Mr Eric Dakura was endorsed as the secretary while Mr Dominic Zineyel was elected as the Deputy Secretary.
The rest are Messrs Adams Issahaque, Regional Organiser; Bayong Bin Yussif, Deputy Organiser; Joseph Natu, Treasurer; Kojo Sumba Wiera, Deputy Treasurer;  Yahaya Yakubu, Propaganda Secretary, and Stephen Kpen, Deputy Propaganda Secretary.
They were sworn in by the Deputy National Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, Madam Ladi Ayi Ayamba.
Earlier, the immediate past Regional Secretary of the party and current Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Caesar Kale, expressed his profound gratitude to all who contributed to the success of the party during the 2008 general election.
He mentioned, for instance, the role and contributions of the constituency executives, party foot soldiers and more especially the media in the region for their professionalism and called for similar support during President Mills’s administration.
Touching on some of the issues of concern, Mr Kale proposed that the Propaganda Secretary position of the party be renamed “Information and Research Directorate since the word propaganda sent the wrong signals.
He was also of the view that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party should institute measures to take care of the concerns of the party foot soldiers in order to untie the party hierarchy from government.
Mr Kale further appealed to all the supporters of the party to unite and rally behind the government as it prepared the grounds to achieve the “Better Ghana” it promised.
Other speakers at the function were the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Mahmud Khalid, and a Member of the Council of State, Alhaji Naa Seidu Braimah.

Monday, December 21, 2009

ALL STARS BEAT NEW EDUBIASE (BACK PAGE, DEC 21)

A spirited first half perfomance by Wa All Stars propelled them to collect the three maximum points against a resilient New Edubiase side in their Glo Premier League match played at the Wa stadium yesterday.
Diminutive Seidu Shaibu Zida drew first blood in the eighth minute for the home side when he slowly planted the ball past good old James Nanor, who together with his defenders, were caught ball-watching after a throw-in into the vital area of New Edubiase.
However, the visitors did not allow the early goal to unsettle them as they quickly reorganised and kept the pressure on the homesters. It was during one of these incursions that a quick ball from Nanor saw Eric Fordjour controlling the ball well and quickly putting it behind onrushing Robert Dabuo in post for All Stars in the 12th minute.
From then on it was a game of equals until a Daniel Bomfah deflection from a Nortey Frank Sowah shot in the 19th minute sealed the doom of the visitors.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

CEPS IMPOUNDS UNCUSTOMED CIGARETES...At Bonda in Wa East Distric (PAGE 16, DEC 16)

FORTY-FIVE cartons of Gold Seal cigarettes, with a duty value of GH¢9,350, have been impounded at Bonaa in the Wa East District in a police and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) collaboration.
The cigarettes were allegedly being smuggled from Kulebi, near Kalba, a Northern Region town bordering Cote d’Ivoire.
Those arrested in the operation are Abubakar Abdullai, 24, Majid Iddrisu, 42, both traders, and Siita Mahama, a galamsey operator.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Upper West Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Alex Bedie, said CEPS officials on duty at Kulmasa on December 10, 2009 were privy to information that some people were transporting goods through some unapproved routes from Cote d’Ivoire into the country.
He said when the consignment got into Ghana, the alleged smugglers passed through Lassie via Ga in the Wa West District before crossing over onto the Wa–Kumasi road through to Bonaa in the Wa East District.
At that time, Mr Bedie said, the CEPS officials were trailing the vehicle conveying the cigarettes.
He said on arrival at Bonaa with the consignment, the suspects quickly unloaded the goods and took to their heels but the CEPS officials were able to arrest Abdulai.
He said CEPS informed the police, who later dispatched the goods to the head office of CEPS to unload.
Upon interrogation, Abdulai admitted that he had been doing the business for some time now.
Abdulai again told the police that he was engaged by Iddrisu to help transport the cigarettes from Kulebi into Bonaa.
He said they then chartered the KIA truck, with registration number UE 98 R, which was being driven by one Abu Mahama, who is at large to convey the goods to Wa.
Mr Bedie said further investigations by the police led to the arrest of Majid Iddrisu, who claimed he was a dealer in cigarettes in Wa.

UNEASY CALM IN UPPER WEST NDC (PAGE 16, DEC 16)

THE call for change in the hierarchy of the Upper West Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has angered some party gurus in the region, including Members of Parliament (MPs).
The latest to join the fray is the MP for Jirapa, Dr Francis Bawaana Dakurah, who has lashed out at those calling for change.
Ever since Mr Mathew Sung-Aabo, also known as Matco, declared his intention of challenging the incumbent Regional Chairman, Mr Malik Issahaque, a businessman who has been in office for the past 17 years, it has resulted in an uneasy calm among the party faithful across the region.
They have accused Matco of playing politics along ethnic lines, which has been described by the party gurus as “baseless and dangerous”.
Previously, positions in the party were distributed to appease the major ethnic groups in the region.
The announcement by Matco is seen as an act of betrayal, in bad faith and a show of “disrespect”.
Mr Issahaque is seen as a father figure who, for the past years, has laid down his life for the growth and consolidation of the NDC.
While supporters of Matco are calling for a new face and vision to propel the party to a different height, the supporters of the incumbent chairman are arguing that Matco’s group is a Mafia which must not be tolerated, Matco has the democratic right to contest.
Matco’s group has been accused of fielding candidates who are from Nadowli, who are predominantly Dagabas. Issahaque has Wala and Dagaba parentage but he was born and bred in Wa.
It is against this background that Dr Dakurah held a press conference to state his position on the seeming conflict in the party in the region.
Addressing the press conference at the GNAT Hall in Wa, the MP for Jirapa said any member of the party was free, if only qualified, to contest any election in the party.
He said the Upper West Region had only one ethnic group and that is “all the ethnic groups in the region”.
He declared his support for Alhaji Issahaque and called on all party members to do same.
On recent events in the party, Dr Dakurah said former President Rawlings, like any other past leader of the country, was appreciated by all.
“We all have different approaches of seeing things and so when President Rawlings says something, he has the right to do so,” he pointed out.
He said there were no cracks in the NDC, except that sometimes people used the wrong platform and approach to put their views across.
“In my opinion, Mrs Rawlings should let go her intention to contest as national vice-chairperson of the NDC and rather sit back as a mother, just like President Rawlings who has been playing a fatherly role since he left power,” Dr Dakurah noted.
He called on all Ghanaians to rally behind the Mills government as it worked to improve the lot of the people.
Come Saturday, December 19, 2009, the NDC in the Upper West would hold its delegates conference and, unlike on previous occasions when the leadership of the party ensured that the positions were spread across the length and breadth of the region, the opposition by Matco and the other contestants, all from Nadowli, is seen as a step to change the status quo and make the congress more interesting and very competitive.

GHANA TO RECEIVE H1N1 VACCINES FROM WHO (BACK PAGE, DEC 16)

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) is to supply Ghana with 2.4 million doses of H1N1 vaccines in February 2010 as a contingency measure to deal with reported cases of the influenza.
When delivered, the vaccines will benefit only 10 per cent of the country’s population. They will be given to health workers, community-based surveillance volunteers, pregnant women, security personnel at the borders and people with chronic ailments whose immune systems are very weak.
The Upper West Regional Disaster Surveillance Officer of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Mr Jacob Kojo Aleeba, who gave the hint, said the country was yet to come up with any form of vaccine to counter the pandemic in case of an unexpected outbreak.
“The vaccines are not on our market. They are also very expensive and so even if one has the money, it will be difficult getting them,” he stated.
Mr Aleeba was speaking at a day’s sensitisation workshop on H1N1 influenza in Wa.
The workshop was organised by the GHS for representatives from various media houses, the security agencies and some health workers.
On the outbreak of cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM), he said the health directorate did not have any vaccine to combat the disease and was working tirelessly to prevent its total occurrence in the region.
He, therefore, entreated the populace to sleep in well-ventilated rooms and take in more water when the heat set in early next year.
In a presentation, the Medical Officer in charge of the Nandom Hospital, Dr Richard Seme-Wodah, pointed out that the region was yet to record any case of the H1N1 influenza since its outbreak.
He, however, added that in the case of suspected cases of the influenza, samples had been taken from victims to be tested, saying, “With the onset of the harmattan, we are likely to have cases of the H1N1 in this region.”
He mentioned some of the symptoms that led to early detection of the pandemic as sore throat, coughing and sneezing.
Dr Seme-Wodah , therefore, stressed the need for a thorough public sensitisation to the H1N1 pandemic, adding, “We must observe stringent hygienic practices, such as the regular washing of hands, the use of tissue when sneezing and coughing, among other measures.”

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

MICRO FINANCE SAVINGS FOR WOMEN IN SISSALA (PAGE 11, DEC 15)

ABOUT 10,000 women in the Sissala East and West districts in the Upper West Region have formed the Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) and mobilised GH¢90,000 through a micro finance savings model code-named Accumulating Savings and Credit Associations (ASCA).
Plan Ghana, a child centred international non-governmental organisation, assembled the people and provided them with technical advice. Members of the association are made up of poor and vulnerable women who are engaged in agricultural production, processing and marketing. Others are also into petty trading and medium-scale trading.
The VSLA model is designed to be more flexible, and members take loans at an interest rate and repay at a period determined by the members.
Each of the VSLA has an average membership of 25, who meet regularly on a weekly basis during which they contribute and save money.
According to the Tumu Area Programme Manager of Plan Ghana, Mr Richard Boadu, beneficiaries repay the loans through the straight line method, which involves splitting the interest over an initial period by paying the principal at the end and they receive the loan according to their contributions to the savings.
Speaking at the second graduation of the second batch of members of the VSLA in Tumu, Mr Boadu, who quoted from the 2005 Ghana Human Development report, explained that 30 per cent of people did not have access to any form of financial services, which is a serious drawback to rural growth.
Based on this, he said, Plan Ghana through its microfinance model introduced the VSLA in the Sissala West District in 2007 to whip up membership drive, improve on the savings habit among the people to enable them to mobilise funds to start new businesses in their respective communities.
“As of October 2009, a number of communities in the Sissala West and Sissala East districts with over 10,000 members from 400 associations are benefiting directly from the Plan Ghana VSLA scheme. Out of the total membership, 87 per cent are women. Similarly, 80 VSLA groups from 15 communities graduated in the year 2008 but today we are celebrating the graduation of 313 associations from 40 communities” Mr Boadu indicated.
He added that Plan Ghana had also trained about 45 village agents to support members of the associations and their groups in their work and also to work to form more groups, pointing out that “painstaking efforts had been made to build the capacities of the members of the associations”.
He said recent reports from some communities indicated that more women had been empowered financially under the scheme.
He commended the women who availed themselves to kick start the VSLA, and that Plan Ghana sought to link the VSLA groups to recognised financial institutions for more grants to train more groups under the scheme.
The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Caesar Kale, expressed appreciation to Plan Ghana for the initiative and was optimistic that the scheme would bring great relief to people since it would provide them with an immediate access to credit.
“As a sustainable financial service it would promote businesses and also pave the way for people to access loans timely and at affordable interest” he said.
Mr Kale further urged members of the associations to spread the good news to entice more members to their fold to sustain the scheme.

Monday, December 7, 2009

MILITARY AND POLICE CLAMP DOWN ON CRIMINALS (PAGE 35, DEC 7)

A joint police and military swoop at the Jamboree area in the Wa municipality, has led to the arrest of 10 suspected drug peddlers and criminals who are reported to be terrorising innocent residents in the vicinity.
The suspects are Yaw Ketewa 37, unemployed; Adamu Emmanuel, 22, a student; Issah Dalifu, 35, a galamsey miner; Salifu Braimah, 45, a farmer, and Peter Saali, 37, a mason.
The rest are Witoh Isahaque, 50; Zakaria Seidu, 54; Ibrahim Seidu, 45, all drivers, Masaud Kaleonaa, 21, an electrician, and Dauda Yahaya, 51, a mechanic.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Upper West Regional Police Commander, ACP Alex Bedie, said following persistent reports of threats and harassment by residents, the police and the military decided to mount an operation in the area.
He said the police with support from the military stormed the area last Tuesday, leading to the arrest of the 10 suspects.
He added that other suspects managed to flee from the scene upon seeing the security personnel.
ACP Bedie said some of the suspects were arrested while they were openly smoking dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp while others were selling the stuff.
He said a search conducted on the suspects in the area also led to the discovery of quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, five motorcycles, four bicycles and eight mobile phones, some of which were left behind by those who took to their heels.
Mr Bedie said the police were conducting further investigations into the issue after which the suspects would be processed for court.
He cautioned all citizens in the region to learn to live within the confines of the law, since the security apparatus would surely come after them when they broke the law.
Mr Bedie indicated that the operation was the first of a series of such exercises to be carried out throughout the region to ensure a crime-free and a peaceful Christmas season.
It would be recalled that a few weeks ago, a police constable who was on patrol duties within the Jamboree area was attacked by some unsuspecting people and dumped into a nearby pond.

ACTIVISM ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE LAUNCHED IN WA (PAGE 35, DEC 7)

activism on gender-based violence has been marked in Wa in the Upper West Region with a call on all and sundry, particularly men, to reorientate themselves about their perception that women must always succumb to their whims and caprices.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Mahmud Khalid, who launched the event, said violence against women was not only an abuse of the rights of the victims but also inimical to the quest of the majority of the people for peace in the world.
He commended members of the Gender and Women’s Rights Activists Network (GAWNET) for initiating such a forum to discuss issues affecting women.
Mr Khalid also called on the organisers of the programme to take stock of past activities and see where they fell short so they could take it up from there.
“Though there is a global resolve to end violence in any form, it is incumbent on us to constantly prick ourselves about our commitment to this crusade and move beyond the rhetoric to an action-oriented one,” he said.
The regional minister further called on all stakeholders to rededicate themselves to the crusade on violence against women and devote more resources towards the challenge.
On the role of civil society towards pushing the fight to stop all forms of violence against women, Mr Mahmud Khalid cautioned against settling cases of sexual abuse, especially defilement cases, by families.
He advised people to report such incidents to the appropriate authorities.
“Similarly women should disabuse their minds that domestic violence is part of marital life; it certainly has no place in the homes,” he emphasised. The regional minister said it was the determination of the Government to come up with policies which promoted gender equality and equity for the vulnerable in both the rural and urban areas.
He added that the Government would pursue and support the training of gender desk officers in the various districts to empower them to continue to champion the cause of women.
A representative of Action Aid Ghana, an international non-governmental organisation, Ms Esther Aboagye, in a solidarity message reiterated the resolve of the organisation to continue to champion the cause of women.
She also urged women not to relent in their efforts but to support all efforts geared towards promoting their welfare to eliminate entirely all forms of violence against them.

INSTITUTIONS TO SET UP INTERNAL AUDIT UNITS (PAGE 35, DEC 7)

THE Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Mahmud Khalid, has charged institutions in the region without internal audit units and audit implementation committees to form such bodies before the end of the year.
“From the revelations at the sitting of the Public Accounts Committee, we in this region are not prepared to countenance the repetition of similar observations in audit reports,” he noted, and called on the internal audit agency to assist in making this work.
Mr Khalid gave the directive at the opening of a day’s orientation programme for heads of ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) and members of the Audit Report Implementation Committee (ARIC) in Wa.
He said the continuous existence of financial mismanagement in the public sector was a clear indication of the failure to adhere to the systems and controls such as the strict application of the Financial Administration Act 2003 Act 654, Procurement Act, Act 663 and the Internal Agency Act 2003, Act 658, all of which were meant to sanitise financial management in the public sector and to reduce corruption.
Mr Khalid, therefore, called for a review of the existing laws to be able to identify the weaknesses and correct them.
He said heads of institutions owed it a duty to ensure proper accountability of all funds, since the Government continued to lose huge sums of money through misappropriation, mismanagement and other corrupt practices.
“We must always bear in mind that it is the taxpayer who suffers when we allow wrongs to plague our financial systems,” the regional minister stressed, adding that on no account should we see members of the ARIC or internal audit units as enemies.
Rather, Mr Khalid said, such institutions must be welcomed and encouraged to work effectively.
He also advised members of the ARIC and people in charge of auditing to take up the challenge and endeavour to offer the best services.
“A clean bill of health starts from one’s own efforts and self-examination and prevents so many bad things from happening,” he said.
A representative of the ARIC, Mr Samuel Gyekye-Mensah, catalogued some of the duties of the committee and said an effective internal audit practice was critical for the country’s development.
He also appealed to the participants to take the training seriously as it stood to impact positively on their daily activities.

CHIEFS URGED TO JEALOUSLY GUARD CHIEFTAINCY ACT (PAGE 35, DEC 7)

A legal practitioner, Mr Peter K. O. Mensah, has urged traditional rulers to jealously guard and uphold the new Chieftaincy Act 759, since it places the institution of chieftaincy on a more dignified status devoid of government interference.
“Chiefs must regard the new Act very well because it brings back the dignity associated with the chieftaincy institution. With the new Act chiefs must now stand firm, since the law is supporting you. When you are able to do that the chieftaincy institution would stand the test of time,” he stressed.
Mr Mensah said this when he presented a paper on the topic: “The tenets of the law” at a two-day workshop for members of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs in Wa.
The workshop was organised by the National House of Chiefs with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
Mr Mensah said the chieftaincy institution, which had existed even before colonisation, was very crucial for the country and advised chiefs to stand firm against any form of subterfuge.
Commenting on the involvement of chiefs in mainstream politics, Mr Mensah, who is also the counsel for the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, stated that the institution was so sacred that considering the manner in which politics was practised in the country no revered chief could withstand it.
“Chieftaincy is an institution which we will enjoy respecting,” he said, adding that there was the need for the respective chieftaincy institutions such as the regional and national houses of chiefs to come out with a code of ethics for chiefs in order to streamline their activities.
He also urged chiefs to put in place strict mechanisms to do away with frivolous litigation within the institution.
The Senior Programme Manager of KAS, Mr Isaac Owusu-Mensah, said the deliberations would pave the way for chiefs to assess the tenets of the new chieftaincy Act and respond to them appropriately.
Mr Owusu-Mensah also stressed the need for a documented code of ethics for chiefs to regulate their actions.
“As a national body which is duly recognised by the 1992 Constitution, it is time a code of ethics with its appropriate sanctions was developed to guide the conduct and the behaviour of chiefs across the country, irrespective of the traditional area one comes from,” he emphasised.

UPPER WEST NDC SUPPORTSPREZ MILLS (PAGE 16, DEC 7)

THE Upper West Regional Executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has pledged its unflinching support for the Prof. John Atta Mills-led government in its quest to deliver on its “Better Ghana” promise.
It said it was amazed at the diligence and purposefulness with which President Mills and his Vice had carried themselves so far in the performance of their duties and called on all Ghanaians to support them.
Addressing a press conference in Wa at the weekend to state their position on the recent criticisms of the Mills administration, the Regional Secretary of the NDC who is also the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Kale Caesar, said, “We the regional executive on behalf of the rank and file, especially the foot soldiers of our great party, want to unequivocally pledge our unflinching support to President J. E. A. Mills and his Vice, Mr John Dramani Mahama, for their courage, humility, discipline and dedication to deliver a better Ghana for all”.
Mr Kale said even though some of the criticisms could be genuine concerns which would be taken in good faith, some of it could also not be overlooked especially when it was coming from a few “ disgruntled people who are motivated by greed and selfishness”.
He, therefore, reminded members of the party not to reduce their memory of the political history of the NDC to just the eleven months Prof. Mills had been in power but to remain steadfast in the face of all the challenges confronting the Mills administration.
“We are calling on all party members to be wary of selfish individuals who are masquerading as concerned party members and remain steadfast and support Prof. Mills and his government,” Mr Caesar stressed.
He further advised members of the party especially the stalwarts to respect the constitution of the party, as well as the norms and conventions, and channel all their grievances through laid down structures, saying, “We may disagree on issues but that should not push us to make inflammatory statements especially from the well-respected members of the party.”

Friday, December 4, 2009

UPPER WEST NPP BUILDS STRUCTURES FOR GROWTH (PAGE 13, DEC 4)

THE Upper West Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is building the necessary structures and mechanisms to enable the party to win the 2012 general election.
These include programmes designed at deepening the bond of unity among party faithful, unifying members to appreciate the work of the party as well as embarking on an intensive membership campaign drive .
The Upper West Regional Youth Organiser of the party, Mr Hafiz Bin Salih told the Daily Graphic, that as a first step towards the full implementation of these strategies, the party had started a process to elect new executives for the nine constituencies in the region.
"So far, five constituencies, namely, Nadowli East and West, Jirapa, Wa West and the Lawra Nandom have elected their executives who have since been sworn in at separate ceremonies. Elections for the four remaining constituencies would be held soon" he pointed out.
Mr Bin Salih said if the performance of the Mills government within the 10 months was anything to go by, then it was clear that Ghanaians would opt for the NPP, come 2012.
"In this regard, all that we of the NPP need to do now is to put our house in order with unity of purpose and guard against any form of division.
When we do this, victory shall surely come our way during the 2012 general elections, " Mr Bin Sali indicated.
He also urged the executive to listen to the concerns of the people and work in consonance with them from now till the next general elections.
Addressing the newly elected executives of the Wa West Constituency at a swearing-in ceremony, the Regional Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Short, reminded the executives about the sacrifices they had to make to bring the party back to power.
That, Alhaji Short said, called for a focused leadership characterised by humility and selflessness so that they would be able to win more people into the fold of the party.
He also cautioned them not to lord over the people but to see their victory as one for the party and democracy.
The new executive have Mr Abdulai Seid as Chairman, Mr Sobo Yahaya as First Vice chairman and Mr Bukari Seidu as Second Vice Chairman.
The rest are; Mr Hienbe Emmanuel Gyuma, Secretary; David Bonwere, Assistant Secretary, Laabir Edward Sabo, treasurer, and Dorimonaa Seidu, Organiser.
Madam Vida DI-Urotey and Jorborutey Joseph Dieyunteng were also elected as Women's Organiser and Constituency Youth Organiser respectively.

STUDENT COMMITS SUICIDE (PAGE 3, DEC 4)

A 24-year-old Level 300 student of the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) has committed suicide, leaving behind a note that puts the blame on his family for forcing him into academia against his desire to become a sportsman.
Peter Apasiyenlom Amoah said in his suicide note that he had wanted to be a sportsman but his family had discouraged him.
"Frankly speaking, I was unfortunately born into a family which failed to encourage or realise my interest or potential, hence discouraging me from engaging in what brought me joy and satisfaction,” the note read.
Peter, who hailed from the Upper East Region, was found hanging in his room about 9 a.m. yesterday by a fellow student, Mr Kingston Apasiga, with whom he shared their rented compound.
When the Daily Graphic arrived at the scene about 10:40 a.m., the house had been besieged by a large crowd, including students, lecturers, the landlord of the house and other neighbours.
Mr Apasiga said when he and other students in the house woke up the following morning without hearing anything from their colleague about 9 a.m., he went to knock on Peter’s door but he did not hear any response.
He then peeped through the window, only to find the deceased hanging in the room and rushed to inform the school authorities.
Mr Apasiga said when the door was forced open, they found a note with the following message:
"There is not any such thing as perfection on earth and as a result I dissociate myself from any group or human beings. I did all this due to the pressure on me to remain or maintain neutrality but in effect I ended up secluded and locked up in my own world of absolute boredom.
"Any human being who failed to carve an identity in my opinion is bound to travel down a slippery slope resulting in inferiority complex and its associated misfortunes".
"But all in all, I blame my self for acting like a stooge or tabular rasta, playing or acting according to the whims and caprices of my people. Sorry for the pain caused and at this instance I find nothing worth living for again in life."

UW INAUGURATES 23-MEMBER PLANNING COMMITTEE (PAGE 29, DEC 4)

A 23-member planning committee for next year’s basic schools sports festival has been inaugurated in Wa in the Upper West Region.
The event, which would be the 29th edition was last held in Cape Coast in the Central Region, after which the baton was passed on to the Upper West Region. It will commence in August next year.
The members of the committee include, headmasters, sports teachers, security personnel and representatives from the regional house of chiefs.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Mahmud Khalid, who inaugurated the committee, expressed the resolve of the government to continue to invest in sports.
He said the event when successfully organised would offer the basic school students the platform to unearth and showcase their talents in the various disciplines.
Mr Khalid, therefore, urged members of the committee to work diligently and to bring on board all those who matter in sports in the region to assist in organising a memorable and successful festival.
He also told them to give the guests who would be visiting from all over the country a befitting hospitality, in terms of decent accommodation and feeding to meet their expectations, and stressed the need for proper security before, during and after the games towards any form of hooliganism and disturbances.
“For some of the guests this will be the first time they will be visiting the region, and so I urge you to showcase the cultural heritage of the region and also organise trips for the guests to visit some of the tourist attractions in the region”.
The regional minister appealed to the organisers in charge of the contigents of the region to start preparing the team in earnest.
That, he said, would put the Upper West team in the right stead to be able to compete for medals and assured the committee of the support of his office.
The Regional Director of Education, who is also the chairman of the committee, in a speech read on his behalf by the Lawra District Director of Education, Mr Andrew Kpan, told members of the committee to start work immediately.
He said a final report on the preparation for the games must be completed and made available within the next four months.
He also advised them to bring their experiences to bear to ensure a very successful festival.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

CLUB VILLAGE FOR WA ALL STARS (GRAPHIC SPORTS, PAGE 16, DEC 1)

Wa All Stars Football Club will soon get a permanent modern club village which will have facilities ranging from training pitches to a club house.
The Owner of the Club, Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi who made this known during an interaction with the Graphic Sports in Wa said the team was on the verge of acquiring a-20 acre plot of land at a strategic location in the Wa municipality for the commencement of the project.
He, therefore, called on the people of the Upper West region to see the club as their own and contribute immensely in which ever way to sustain it and also make the project a reality.
He said the existence of the club in the elite division would open doors for a lot of the youth in the area by way of unearthing more talents and also offer them job opportunities .
“It is therefore, the duty of chiefs, politicians and all who matter from this region to support Wa All Stars as it is an embodiment of the whole region”, he pointed out, saying the club would also market the region.
Asked how the club which is cash-strapped was going to carry out such a complex project, Mr. Nyantakyi, who is also the president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), explained that much of the proceeds from the transfer of Bright Addae, a player of All Stars and the victorious Black Satellite team to an Italian club, Parma FC, which had committed itself to the option to acquire the services of the player would be invested into the project.
On the performance of the club so far in the ongoing premier league, Mr. Nyantakyi admitted that before the commencement of the league the team had problems with goal scoring which according to him might be the cause of the abysmal performance of the team in the early stages of the league.
Currently, he said, the team was well motivated as salaries and bonuses of players had been reviewed, while the present club house has also been put in good shape.
“We have also beefed up the technical team by bringing in good old Maxwell Konadu to support the present coach. We are considering the acquisition of more strikers when the transfer window opens to improve on our goal scoring” he added.
Responding to a question as to how he was handling the funding of the club considering the low level of spectatorship in the region, the F A president was quick to say that it had not been easy and appealed to interested bodies, individuals and institutions to come on board and assist.
He also appealed to the Minister of Sports who happenes to be the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa Central constituency, Mr. Rashid Pelpuo, to help upgrade the Wa stadium which he said, had not seen much facelift since it was built by the late Gen Kutu Acheampong.
Mr. Nyantakyi also used the opportunity to express his profound appreciation to organizations for their support so far to the club in diverse ways.
He further promised to support juvenile football in the region saying he would donate five footballs each and a set of jerseys to all 17 clubs in the region.
He also indicated that as a way of reviving football competitions at the secondary school level to serve as a breeding ground to identify the potential talents in the region, he would present a trophy to be competed for by the schools. — END