Work on Wa Poly hostel facility halted (Page 11, Jan 28,2011)

Story: Chris Nunoo, Wa

CONSTRUCTION work on the 1000 bed hostel facility for the Wa Polytechnic has been halted by the school authorities to be reallocated to a new contractor.
This, according to the Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Godwin Aflakpui, was as a result of the inability of the first contractor to meet the expectations and projections of the institution.
He said his outfit had met with a consultant for the project in relation to the re-allocation of the work to a new contractor.
Similarly, Dr Aflakpui said, work on the construction of a new official residence for the rector had also been stalled due to the lack of capacity on the part of the contractors to proceed with the project.
He explained that the rector’s residence, like the hostel, was being built with funds from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) with an estimated amount of GH¢506,000 which had to be re-awarded for the third consecutive time.
Dr Aflakpui who was interacting with the Daily Graphic in Wa, in the Upper West Region, said even though the work on the rector’s residence was expected to be completed within 18 months, the inability of the previous contractors to meet the requirements would affect both the duration for the completion of the project as well as the amount earmarked for the projects.
Presently, Dr Aflakpui is staying at a guest house and is expecting to be re-allocated a temporary bungalow by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in due course.
Meanwhile, the Daily Graphic has gathered that the non-completion of the hostel facility is putting a lot of financial pressure on both parents and students, as they have to comb through the Wa municipality searching for accommodation which are exorbitant .
Dr Aflakpui, however, noted that work on the polytechnic library complex had almost been completed with the exception of the fixing of a concrete encavement for the installation of an elevator.
On academic issues, the rector explained that due to the national strike action embarked on by the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) last year, the Wa Polytechnic had re-aligned its academic calendar in order to maintain the standards.
He said the polytechnic was bent on establishing itself as a centre of excellence and therefore, it would not deviate from the Polytechnic Act 2007 which ensured that qualified and the right calibre of staff were employed to teach at the school.
He said the Polytechnic was in the process of equipping itself both in terms of staff and logistics to be able to fully introduce new programmes in Industrial Arts, Cosmetology and Laboratory Technology.
He further advised students to take their studies seriously and abide by the rules of the polytechnic.
The rector noted that access roads to the school would soon be given a facelift.

UPPER WEST MAKES PLANS TO BATTLE CSM (BACK PAGE, JAN 25, 2011)

THE Upper West Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has prepared an emergency plan towards the fight against cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM).
The objective of the plan is to help detect, confirm and respond appropriately to CSM in the region and also ensure a multi–sectoral approach and adequate resource mobilisation to respond to the epidemic and contribute to reduce its negative socio-economic impact.
As of September 2010, there had been 388 reported cases of meningitis, with 40 deaths.
Addressing a stakeholders’ meeting in Wa, the Upper West Regional Director of Public Health, Dr Kofi Issah, said the region had experienced almost annual outbreaks of meningitis since 1997, with a case fatality rate ranging between 10 and 25 per cent
He said the high mobility of persons in the western corridor of the region, that is, from the north-western parts of the Northern Region, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, as well as southern Ghana, meant the disease could be transmitted easily.
He said in addition to that, the urban area of the Wa municipality, with a high population of susceptible subjects made up of the over 12,000 students on the Wa Campus of the University for Development Studies, 6,000 students of the Wa Polytechnic and the senior high schools and newly posted public servants, made it important for strategic planning.
Dr Issah said under the plan, district disease control officers and other relevant staff were to be trained in outbreak investigations and response and also in surveillance to enable them to effectively supervise community-based volunteers.
“There will also be sensitisation programmes which will be carried out in the various tertiary institutions, while epidemic management teams are reactivated,” he added
He said the epidemic management teams, in most cases, should not be for only meningitis but other disease conditions with the relevant stakeholders.
According to Dr Issah, all health facilities would be required to manage patients according to national guidelines and develop effective referral systems for complicated cases, while the regional co-ordinating council would mobilise extra resources for mass campaigns.
CSM is caused by long, dry and dusty season lasting over a period of five months each year, poorly ventilated houses, overcrowded areas, the movement of people to and from regions and districts, among others.

ALL STARS STOP CHELSEA (BACK PAGE, JAN 20, 2011)

Wa All Stars ysterday pulled the brakes on league leaders, Berekum Chelsea, by beating them 2-0 in their premier league match played at the Wa Stadium.
Perhaps the presence of the bankroller of Wa All Stars, Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, did the trick as the homesters who have not fared very well at home in their last two games against Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Medeama S/C played as if they were possessed and took charge of all departments of the game.
After a drab first half, All Stars came in strongly in the second half and managed to break the deadlock in the 50th minute through Godfred Kwame Gyasi.The goal boosted the confidence of All Stars who kept the goal area of the visitors boiling until the 70th minute when their new striker, Sam Ocran, who looked more of a music artiste than a footballer, connected a powerful shot from the foot of Edwin Gyimah, resulting in spontaneous cheers from the estatic home fans.
After the second goal, the game became a ding-dong affair, with both sides missing a couple of chances until Kumasi-based referee, Lord Mansfield Vuvor, brought proceedings to an end amidst a standing ovation for the All Stars players.

NDC SET UP COMMITTEE TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES (PAGE 12, JAN 19, 2011)

THE Upper West regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has set up a committee to resolve differences within the party to ensure a united front towards next year’s general elections.
Differences beyond the committee will be referred to the appropriate quarters for early and amicable determination.
In addition to this, the party has also re-constituted a disciplinary committee to deal with members whose stock in trade is to spread false information about some personalities within the party in the region.
These were some of the outcome of a meeting between the core regional executives, District Chief Executives (DCE)’s and ministers of state from the region.
Briefing the Daily Graphic after the meeting, the Regional Secretary of the party, Mr Eric Dakurah, said the meeting also discussed how to mobilise resources to fund the activities of the party.
“We want to support the major wings of the party, particularly the youth and women’s wings which are dear to the heart of the party,” he added.
He said indiscipline among some party members had been of grave concern to the party hence measures had been introduced at both the constituency and regional levels to arrest the situation.
“We will not spare the rod as errant members will be dealt with per the NDC party’s constitution,” he warned.
Mr Dakurah said a programme had been drawn to visit all the constituencies in the region to listen to aggrieved members of the party and their concerns to ensure a stable and united front.
According to him, unity was paramount and the surest way to win elections, adding that “we have resolved to retain all seats won in the last elections and re-capture the lost ones.”
He said a post-mortem analysis of the 2008 elections was being done to address all weaknesses.
Mr Dakurah advised those interested in becoming Members of Parliament and flag bearers to be guided by the party’s constitution.

GIVE REASONS FOR REMOVAL OF DCEs (PAGE 12, JAN 19, 2011)

A FORMER Convention Peoples Party (CPP) Parliamentary Candidate for the Wa Central Constituency in the Upper West Region, Mr Issahaque Suleman, has called on the government to explain to Ghanaians the reasons for the recent dismissal of some District Chief Executives (DCE).
That, he said, would end speculations and rumours about the intentions of the President.
“We know some of them have amassed wealth just within the two years in office. Other DCEs have also indulged in other corrupt practices and have taken actions which do not fall in line with laid down practices and that is why the people of Ghana ought to know the reasons for the dismissal of those DCEs,” Mr Suleman stated.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Wa, Mr Suleman, however, commended President Mills for the bold action he took on the DCEs and said that would keep other DCEs on their toes and also serve as a check mechanism on political appointees who have the intentions of acting contrary to laid down practices.
He urged President Mills not to hesitate to extend the exercise to regions like the Upper West.
Mr Suleman said some of the DCEs in the Upper West Region were not performing enough to improve the living conditions of their people and, therefore, there was the need for the President to apply the whip.
He described the NDC and the NPP as the same people who, after getting the mandate of the people, tended to forget about those at the grassroots, saying the CPP and the PNC contributed a lot to the victory of the NDC during the 2008 general elections.
He, therefore, reminded the NDC government to think about the people at grassroots who were very instrumental in bringing them to power.
On the increase in petroleum prices, Mr Suleman appealed to the government to take a second look at the situation because it had made life difficult for people.
“Prices of almost every commodity has shot up and this has worsened the plight of the already over burdened Ghanaian,” he added.
Touching on the CPP and its unity talks with the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Mr Suleman encouraged both parties to earnestly work to patch up their internal squabbles in order to enhance the process.
He was of the view that Ghanaians had lost faith in both the NPP and the NDC and was yearning for a CPP government.
“The only way the CPP could win power is to unite as one Nkrumaist family with the same ideology,” he noted and pointed out that this was the time for the CPP.
Mr Suleman further called on Ghanaians to do the late Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah the honour by embracing and giving the CPP the chance to salvage the country from its present state.

NDC YOUTH URGED NOT TO BE COMPETENT (PAGE 12, JAN 17, 2011)

THE Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Caesar Kale, has advised the youth of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) not to be complacent about the present status of the party but rather work harder to sustain it in power beyond 2012.
Addressing a reception held for the Wa Central Constituency NDC youth in Wa, Mr Kale told them not to despair in the face of the initial difficulties and said everything was being done by the party and the government to ensure that their efforts and sacrifices which brought the party this far were not in vain.
He said winning power in the 2008 elections alone was not enough for the party and, therefore, there was the need for all hands to be on deck to retain power after the 2012 general election.
The reception, which attracted a sizeable number of NDC youth in the Wa municipality, was attended by the Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issahaku Salia; the Member of Parliament for Wa Central, Alhaji Rashid Pelpuo; the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Duogo Yakubu, as well as members of the party executive.
It was also to inaugurate a 17-member NDC youth working committee for the Wa Central Constituency.
The Deputy Regional Minister urged the youth of the party to continue to preach the good works of the government, saying, "When the party wins elections again, it will be the entire NDC family which has won, and vice versa."
He acknowledged the support of the leadership of the party from the constituency through to the national level and pointed out that “the NDC leadership recognises your works and has not forgotten you because we know you all sacrificed for the party".
Alhaji Pelpuo expressed appreciation to the youth of the party for their commitment and support over the years.
He explained the essence of constituting the youth working committees within the party, saying they were meant to ensure that the NDC was not static but vibrant at all times.
Alhaji Pelpuo, who is also the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, advised members of the working committee to liaise with all other stakeholders within the party to get the party on its feet.
He further urged them to remain focused and united so that they could achieve the objectives they were all aiming at.
For his part, the Wa Central Constituency Youth Organiser, Alhaji Mumuni Mankama, reaffirmed the commitment of the youth to the NDC and called for unity.

RIOTS MAR ALL STARS-MEDEAMA MATCH (BACK PAGE, JAN 13, 2011)

ROWDY scenes by supporters of Wa All Stars nearly marred the midweek Glo Premier League encounter between Medeama S/C and All Stars which ended 1-1 at Wa stadium yesterday.
Angry home fans threw sachets of water and stones onto the field with others hurling insults at referee J.A. Amenya in protest against perceived unfair officiating against All Stars. Other fans directed their anger at the club’s Chief Executive, Samuel Oduro-Nyarko for allegedly depleting their team by selling all the quality players to other teams.
The atmosphere at the stadium was so tensed that some petrified spectators left the stadium midway through the match out of fear.
As a result, the few police personnel detailed to keep peace at the stadium also had a hectic time controlling the irate fans but managed to arrest one culprit.
The match itself hardly lived up to expectation and was marred by rough play by both teams until Louis Agyeman drew first blood in 16th minute after heading home a corner-kick.
All Stars however, laboured hard into time added on until Frank Sarfo Gyamfi snatched the equaliser on the 92nd minute after a solo effort.

GHANAIANS URGED TO REJECT NDC (PAGE 12, JAN 13, 2011)

THE Upper West Regional Second Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Hafiz Bin Salih, has called on Ghanaians to reject the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2012 general elections.
That, he said, was because the NDC government lacked ideas, resulting in the decisions of the government telling negatively on Ghanaians after two years in power.
Mr Bin Salih mentioned the increase in petroleum prices and the promise by the then candidate Mills to put money in people’s pockets when the NDC won power as some of the promises made during the 2008 campaign which had not been fulfilled.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Wa in the Upper West Region, Mr Bin Salih said even if there was a change at all, that change had been for the worse, adding that “I anticipate a gloomy year for the country in spite of the fact that they have declared this year an action year.”
On education, he said two years after coming into office, the NDC government was yet to meet the infrastructure needs, particularly in the two premier tertiary institutions in the Upper West Region.
“We are yet to see any new infrastructure at the Wa campus of UDS and also the Wa Polytechnic. This situation, coupled with an increase in admissions in these schools, is really over-stretching the existing facilities thereby bringing lots of hardships to students,” he stressed.
Mr Bin Salih said in addition, many of the six-unit classroom blocks under construction for senior high schools across the country to house form one students were also yet to be completed.
That situation, he said, had led to many first year senior high school students still attending classes in dining halls, libraries and in laboratories.
Mr Bin Salih said instead of coming out with a policy direction to move the country towards the direction of prosperity and improvement in the lives of the people, the government was rather running down programmes introduced by the former government.
He noted that the NPP was very focused and that its Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo Addo, would not leave any stone unturned, come the 2012 presidential elections, saying the NPP would expose the lapses of the NDC as well as make Ghanaians aware of its failures.

NCCE DIRECTOR CAUTIONS DCES (PAGE 12, JAN 11, 2011)

THE Upper West Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Ben N. Banye, has cautioned District Chief Executives (DCE’s) to learn to stay and work in their respective districts.
He noted that the practice where DCE’s were always loitering in the regional capitals must be discouraged so that people at the grass roots would appreciate their roles as representatives of government at the local level.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Wa, Mr Banye said such attitudes by some DCE’s held back efforts to widen the scope and entrenched governance in rural communities.
He said people were presently wide awake and were constantly monitoring the performance of their political leaders, adding that leaders whose stewardship would be deemed unsatisfactory would be rejected when it was time for politics.
He further encouraged people at the grass roots to honour their tax obligations because it complemented other sources of funds used for the development of the respective areas.
“Present-day electorates are not ignorant anymore as it used to be and so I expect politicians to sit up, stop playing on the conscience of electorates and give proper meaning to democracy,” Mr Banye advised.
Commenting on the relations between members of opposing political parties, the NCCE director said there was the need for politicians to recognise one another as their brothers’ keeper.
He said playing politics as if they were at one another’s throat was detrimental to the unity and peace in the society and the entire country.
Sharing his views on the recently held district level and unit committee elections, Mr Banye said the high turnout in rural communities was a manifestation that rural people had come to appreciate the local governance system as compared to the urban areas.
However, he attributed the interest in the elections in some rural areas to the politicisation of the system by certain politicians and advised that the practice must be discouraged.
“I think that the issue of giving assembly members and unit committee members some remuneration must be revisited because it would really entice and motivate people to play very active roles under the local governance system,” he emphasised.
The NCCE director was also happy that the Electoral Commission (EC) involved its outfit in educating the electorate during the assembly elections and said there was the need for all stakeholders to team up to ensure the success of such national exercises.

KOTOKO BACK TO WINNING WAYS (BACK PAGE, JAN 10, 2011)

A rejuvenated Kumasi Asante Kotoko side yesterday defeated Wa All Stars 2-0 at the Wa , thanks to a brace by former All Stars marksman, Nathaniel Amoah, in the 30th and the 88th minutes.
Parading three former players of their opponents — Asamoah, Sabato Mohammed and Fatau Mohammed — Kotoko matched the home side in all departments of the game right from the blast of FIFA referee Mercy Tagoe’s whistle, and the visitors’ effort paid off in the 30th minute when Mohammed took on two All Stars defenders and laid a pass for Asamoah to shoot past onrushing All Stars goalkeeper Robert Dabuo to break the deadlock.
The stadium went dead silent after the opening goal but All Stars coach Maxwell Konadu reorganised his team and they subsequently pinned Kotoko to their own half to end of the first session.
After recess, All Stars continuing with their onslaught, reduced Kotoko’s midfield efficiency but lanky Awal Mohammed was unyielding in the heart of the Kotoko defence to thwart efforts by the home side.
Such was the trend until the 88th minute when a counter-attack by Kotoko saw midfielder Daniel Nii Adjei rounding up goalkeeper Livingstone Logoh in the All Stars penalty box who passed the ball to Asamoah to fire home his second goal.

LET"S ADDRESS ELECTIONS HICCUPS -AMBROSE DERY (PAGE 12, JAN 4, 2011)

THE Deputy Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr Ambrose Dery, has advised the Electoral Commission (EC) to put measures in place to forestall any future electoral hiccups.
That, he said, was to avert a repetition of what he described as “Horrible, disastrous and poorly organised elections in the just ended district level and unit committee elections.
He said the manner in which the district level and unit committee elections were held clearly depicted the lack of commitment of the authorities on good governance.
“We do not want to go back to the dark days and so everything must be done by the government from now to ensure a successful national election in the year 2012,” he stressed.
Mr Dery expressed these concerns when he interacted with the Daily Graphic during his annual new year party for his constituents at Kokoligu near Hamile in the Upper West Region.
The well-attended get together attracted a large crowd from various parts of the constituency who arrived on motorcycles, trucks and buses.
He acknowledged that although the EC might have its problems in holding the elections, those problems could have been averted if the government had been proactive.
He said the good governance under the stewardship of the NPP and the smooth handing over of power by former President Kufuor in 2008 made Ghana the beacon of democracy on the African continent and, therefore, nothing should be done by the NDC administration to tarnish this image.
To this end, Mr Dery, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lawra-Nandom Constituency, reminded the government to come clear on its position on the crisis in Cote d’ Ivoire in order not to tarnish the image of the country, especially at a time ECOWAS was led by a Ghanaian.
Touching on the performance of the Mills led government, Mr Dery described the NDC administration as a “Government of broken promises,” pointing out that the government must be reliable and stick to its word.
He further described the NDC administration and its performance as “abysmal, incompetent and a government full of confusion and inertia”, adding that “Mistakes are bound to occur, but those mistakes must be corrected. Presently, the NDC government is behaving like a ship at sea adrift with no destination”.
Citing some of the utterances of Professor Mills during the electioneering before the 2008 elections, the Deputy Minority Leader said the President had not been truthful to Ghanaians because even though he talked much about putting money in people’s pockets, the present situation was contrary to his campaign promise.
He said Professor Mills also promised to reduce the prices of petroleum products after assuming the reigns of government but he has failed to do that and instead of apologising to the people, the government was rather indulging in populism.
Such moves, according to Mr Dery, raised doubts about the sincerity of the government.
On the state of the economy and the implementation of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), the Deputy Minority Leader explained that the NPP in 2006 inherited181 per cent debt to GDP but was able to bring it down to below 50 per cent in 2008, however, instead of the NDC doing more to reduce it further, it had rather risen to 70 per cent as at October last year.
“The debt, the NDC claimed the NPP left went into the construction of the Bui dam, stadia and roads among other development projects but in the case of the NDC, it has nothing to show” he indicated.
He also explained that the SADA was an after thought by the NDC after learning from the NPP’s proposed Northern Development Authority.
However, he cautioned the government to support the SADA with the needed funds, particularly for its administration to sustain it.