SUPPORTERS of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper West Region reaffirmed the stronghold accolade of the party in the region when they poured out in their numbers to welcome the party's flag bearer, Prof John Evans Atta Mills, to Wa.
Prof Mills, whose visit was preceded by that of the former President and founder of the NDC, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, came on the heels of that of the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Prior to his arrival, enthusiastic supporters of the NDC met the convoy of Prof Mills on the Wa-Jirapa road and led it through the Wa Market area to the rally grounds.
From teenagers to potential voters and the very old supporters and sympathisers of the NDC from all walks of life kept faith with their most-loved party as they followed the flag bearer through the principal streets of the town.
The crowd was so thick that the police and other security personnel on duty had a hectic time controlling it and in what is gradually becoming a ritual during visits of presidential candidates to the Wa municipality, some motorcycle riders who rode recklesslessly were involved in accidents and were rushed to the hospital.
On arrival at the rally grounds, Prof Mills was greeted with thunderous cheers and responded with the "yereseseamu" symbol, which was simultaneously replicated by the supporters.
Addressing the crowd, a former Regional Minister of the Upper West Region, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, told the crowd that "We are only asking for a change".
He said the NPP had left all the schools, electricity projects and road projects in the Upper West unattended to and, therefore, they must change the government for the NDC to come and continue with its good works.
The National Womens Organiser of the NDC, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, asked the people to examine their lifestyle and see if there had been any improvement since the NPP came to power.
She said the NPP used that message in the past elections, but because it realised it had failed Ghanaians, it was not using it anymore.
She stressed the need for the people of the Upper West Region to give the NDC the chance to come and improve their living standards.
For his part, Prof Mills promised to re-construct the roads linking the Upper West and the Upper East regions as well as the one linking the Upper West to the Northern Region.
He assured them of a truthful, honest and sincere leadership when he became President, and thanked the people for the overwhelming reception accorded him and his entourage.
That, he said, was a clear manifestation that come December 7, 2008, the NDC was going to win the elections.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
CULTIVATE SORGHUM IN LARGE QUANTITIES — BENSON (PAGE 20, GRAPHIC, NOV 18, 2008)
THE Upper West Regional Minister, Mr George Hikah Benson, has advised farmers in the region to cultivate the new sorghum variety (Kapaala) in large quantities to meet the demands of the brewery industry.
He said the advice had become imperative as Guinness Ghana Breweries had indicated its readiness to purchase more of the cereal.
Mr Benson was addressing the 24th farmers’ day celebration at Lawra.
He stated that the preparedness of Guinness Ghana Breweries to buy the cereal, the perennial problems of post harvest losses and lack of market for the crop would be a thing of the past.
Touching on methods needed to improve crop yield in the coming year, Mr Benson urged farmers to do away with activities which led to the destruction of farmlands, such as bushfires and the wrong application of agricultural chemicals.
“We are entering the harmarttan season so I urge all farmers and non -farmers to desist from indiscriminate bush burning with its attendant negative impact on the national economy,” the regional minister stressed.
He said the advice had become imperative as Guinness Ghana Breweries had indicated its readiness to purchase more of the cereal.
Mr Benson was addressing the 24th farmers’ day celebration at Lawra.
He stated that the preparedness of Guinness Ghana Breweries to buy the cereal, the perennial problems of post harvest losses and lack of market for the crop would be a thing of the past.
Touching on methods needed to improve crop yield in the coming year, Mr Benson urged farmers to do away with activities which led to the destruction of farmlands, such as bushfires and the wrong application of agricultural chemicals.
“We are entering the harmarttan season so I urge all farmers and non -farmers to desist from indiscriminate bush burning with its attendant negative impact on the national economy,” the regional minister stressed.
WIZZY WILL NIGHT CLUB OPENS IN WA (GRAPHIC SHOWBIZ, NOV 20, 2008)
By Chris Nunoo
Entertainment in Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region in particular and the entire region has been given a boost with the opening of the first ever regular night club in the municipality.
Known as the “Wizzy Vill” nite club, it operates on Fridays, where ladies were allowed free entry and on Saturdays in the evening. Disc Jockeys adding up to the excitement by way of providing the best of music to patrons are the “Music Ambassador”, DJ Tee Jay of Radio Upper West and DJ Bacteria from Sunyani.
The Chief Executive Officer of Wizzy Vill, Mr Justin Kamboke alias Wizzy, told Showbiz that the main target for the establishment of the club was not the students as it was being speculated.
He said, Wa, was fast growing and therefore there was the need for some form of regular entertainment to make the municipality attractive enough and lively for all.
Mr Kamboke himself, a graduate from the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) shared his personal experiences and said “When we were on campus there were times one would want to release some tension but where do one go in Wa? He asked and pointed out that the boredom in Wa coupled with other unfriendly ways of doing things made the municipality unattractive to many people particularly students.
Mr Kamboke further said based upon that perception he liaised with the owner of Maxisco drinking spot at Mmangu, a Wa suburb, to build the nite club.
Mr Kamboke explained that even though it has started operating, there was still more room for improvement on the sound quality, the lighting system as well as create a VIP segment.
He added that there were plans to also expand the bar in the club saying, “Presently, Wa is the place to be”.
With this, Mr Kamboke said first time visitors to the region could at least have a place for relaxation once in a while.
In a related development, the Regional Police Command has also taken delivery of musical equipment. Already trained bandsmen and women from the Ghana Police Service are therefore ready to spice up the entertainment scene in the municipality with distinct highlife songs on Fridays and Saturdays at the Wa police headquarters canteen.
Entertainment in Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region in particular and the entire region has been given a boost with the opening of the first ever regular night club in the municipality.
Known as the “Wizzy Vill” nite club, it operates on Fridays, where ladies were allowed free entry and on Saturdays in the evening. Disc Jockeys adding up to the excitement by way of providing the best of music to patrons are the “Music Ambassador”, DJ Tee Jay of Radio Upper West and DJ Bacteria from Sunyani.
The Chief Executive Officer of Wizzy Vill, Mr Justin Kamboke alias Wizzy, told Showbiz that the main target for the establishment of the club was not the students as it was being speculated.
He said, Wa, was fast growing and therefore there was the need for some form of regular entertainment to make the municipality attractive enough and lively for all.
Mr Kamboke himself, a graduate from the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) shared his personal experiences and said “When we were on campus there were times one would want to release some tension but where do one go in Wa? He asked and pointed out that the boredom in Wa coupled with other unfriendly ways of doing things made the municipality unattractive to many people particularly students.
Mr Kamboke further said based upon that perception he liaised with the owner of Maxisco drinking spot at Mmangu, a Wa suburb, to build the nite club.
Mr Kamboke explained that even though it has started operating, there was still more room for improvement on the sound quality, the lighting system as well as create a VIP segment.
He added that there were plans to also expand the bar in the club saying, “Presently, Wa is the place to be”.
With this, Mr Kamboke said first time visitors to the region could at least have a place for relaxation once in a while.
In a related development, the Regional Police Command has also taken delivery of musical equipment. Already trained bandsmen and women from the Ghana Police Service are therefore ready to spice up the entertainment scene in the municipality with distinct highlife songs on Fridays and Saturdays at the Wa police headquarters canteen.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
CAMPAIGN TRAIL OF NPP SHAKES WA
For the first time in sixteen years, the campaign trail of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) shook the foundations of Wa, the Upper West regional capital, with a rally held at Timdamba JHS park.
The rally, which attracted a large crowd, also ignited the hitherto low key political activity in the region and close to an hour after the rally, Wa experienced one of its worst vehicular traffic jams, especially between the roads from the Wa central market traffic lights through to the junction linking the main Wa-Kumasi road.
Around 12 noon, supporters of the NPP and other sympathisers clad in the party colours, could be seen in almost every part of the municipality, many of them on motorcycles.
Others also sat on top of vehicles fixed with musical gadgets and danced through the principal streets to the rally grounds where they waited anxiously for the flag bearer and his running mate.
Then came the moment they were all waiting for, when Nana Akufo-Addo, followed by his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, drove in open top vehicles with smiles on their faces as they waved to the crowds amidst cheers from their supporters.
After a brief Muslim prayer, the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Mohamadu Abdul Aziz, set the ball rolling and told the supporters why they had gathered there and why they should vote for the NPP on December 7, 2008.
A Minister of State at the Office of the Attorney General and parliamentary candidate for the NPP in the Lawra/Nandom Constituency, Mr Ambrose Dery, educated the crowd on the ballot paper.
He said the NPP is number one on the ballot paper and that they must be vigilant and always look out for the elephant emblem.
The crowd roared when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo preceded his speech with some youthful dance. He stressed the need for all to guard the peace the country was enjoying.
He said politics and elections were about different ideologies and choices and not about war and, therefore, as pacesetters in violence-free democratic elections on the continent there was the need to prove to the entire world that Ghana could also hold democratic elections devoid of violence.
He reiterated his resolve to improve conditions through the Northern Development Authority, which would be supported with seed money of one billion cedis.
This, he said, was the only way to bridge the widening development gap between the north and the south which had compelled most of the youth from the north to migrate to the south to seek non-existing jobs. Nana Akufo-Addo addressed a similar rally at Tumu in the Sissala East District.
Other speakers included Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Godfrey Bayoung Tangou and Mr Yaw Boakye Agyarko.
The rally, which attracted a large crowd, also ignited the hitherto low key political activity in the region and close to an hour after the rally, Wa experienced one of its worst vehicular traffic jams, especially between the roads from the Wa central market traffic lights through to the junction linking the main Wa-Kumasi road.
Around 12 noon, supporters of the NPP and other sympathisers clad in the party colours, could be seen in almost every part of the municipality, many of them on motorcycles.
Others also sat on top of vehicles fixed with musical gadgets and danced through the principal streets to the rally grounds where they waited anxiously for the flag bearer and his running mate.
Then came the moment they were all waiting for, when Nana Akufo-Addo, followed by his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, drove in open top vehicles with smiles on their faces as they waved to the crowds amidst cheers from their supporters.
After a brief Muslim prayer, the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Mohamadu Abdul Aziz, set the ball rolling and told the supporters why they had gathered there and why they should vote for the NPP on December 7, 2008.
A Minister of State at the Office of the Attorney General and parliamentary candidate for the NPP in the Lawra/Nandom Constituency, Mr Ambrose Dery, educated the crowd on the ballot paper.
He said the NPP is number one on the ballot paper and that they must be vigilant and always look out for the elephant emblem.
The crowd roared when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo preceded his speech with some youthful dance. He stressed the need for all to guard the peace the country was enjoying.
He said politics and elections were about different ideologies and choices and not about war and, therefore, as pacesetters in violence-free democratic elections on the continent there was the need to prove to the entire world that Ghana could also hold democratic elections devoid of violence.
He reiterated his resolve to improve conditions through the Northern Development Authority, which would be supported with seed money of one billion cedis.
This, he said, was the only way to bridge the widening development gap between the north and the south which had compelled most of the youth from the north to migrate to the south to seek non-existing jobs. Nana Akufo-Addo addressed a similar rally at Tumu in the Sissala East District.
Other speakers included Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Godfrey Bayoung Tangou and Mr Yaw Boakye Agyarko.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
ST FRANCIS OF ASISI GIRLS SCHOOL LAUNCHES 50TH ANNIVERSARY ([PAGE 11)
SAINT Francis of Assisi Girls Senior High School (SHS) in Jirapa, in the Jirapa District in the Upper West Region, has launched its golden jubilee anniversary.
The school, which is the oldest SHS in both the Upper East and West regions, is also the third SHS in the three northern regions after Tamale Senior High School and St Charles Senior High School also at Tamale.
The ceremony, which is on the theme: "Fifty Years of Quality Catholic Education: Empowering the Girl-child", was graced by past students, priests, parents and students. It also marked the beginning of a series of activities earmarked for the anniversary, which would be climaxed in September, next year.
Established in 1959 by the Catholic church, the objective was to encourage girls in the northern part of the country, some of whom were coming from various socio-cultural backgrounds, to embrace education. It was also to cultivate and nurture the girls academically and spiritually to be conscious of the their duties as women and to become productive citizens.
Launching the anniversary, the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mrs Winifred Dy-Yakah, paid tribute to the church for its contribution to the region, and described Saint Francis SHS as one of the landmark contributions of the church.
She said the government placed high premium on the empowerment of women, hence its support to every step intended to champion the education of the girl-child.
Mrs Dy-Yakah, therefore, charged all stakeholders, particularly past students of the school, to be at the forefront in ensuring that the school continued to produce fully baked SHS graduates with very outstanding results.
She commended the entire staff and students for the peaceful atmosphere the school continued to enjoy.
The headmistress of the school, Rev. Sister Janis Gbie, expressed appreciation to all and sundry who had, in diverse ways, contributed to the growth and development of the school within the last 50 years.
She said inadequate boreholes on the school premises was making life unbearable for both students and teachers, adding that, "The school presently has two boreholes that are not functioning effectively to meet its water supply needs.”
On the academic performance of the school, the headmistress said results of the school had not been stable in recent times, but latest results revealed a remarkable improvement of 100 per cent passes.
She commended the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for its continued support to the school, and mentioned the construction of a three-storey girls hostel and a library complex as some of the projects being supported by the GETFund.
Rev Sister Gbie reiterated the need for the school to be fenced to ward off intruders and stray animals.
The school, which is the oldest SHS in both the Upper East and West regions, is also the third SHS in the three northern regions after Tamale Senior High School and St Charles Senior High School also at Tamale.
The ceremony, which is on the theme: "Fifty Years of Quality Catholic Education: Empowering the Girl-child", was graced by past students, priests, parents and students. It also marked the beginning of a series of activities earmarked for the anniversary, which would be climaxed in September, next year.
Established in 1959 by the Catholic church, the objective was to encourage girls in the northern part of the country, some of whom were coming from various socio-cultural backgrounds, to embrace education. It was also to cultivate and nurture the girls academically and spiritually to be conscious of the their duties as women and to become productive citizens.
Launching the anniversary, the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mrs Winifred Dy-Yakah, paid tribute to the church for its contribution to the region, and described Saint Francis SHS as one of the landmark contributions of the church.
She said the government placed high premium on the empowerment of women, hence its support to every step intended to champion the education of the girl-child.
Mrs Dy-Yakah, therefore, charged all stakeholders, particularly past students of the school, to be at the forefront in ensuring that the school continued to produce fully baked SHS graduates with very outstanding results.
She commended the entire staff and students for the peaceful atmosphere the school continued to enjoy.
The headmistress of the school, Rev. Sister Janis Gbie, expressed appreciation to all and sundry who had, in diverse ways, contributed to the growth and development of the school within the last 50 years.
She said inadequate boreholes on the school premises was making life unbearable for both students and teachers, adding that, "The school presently has two boreholes that are not functioning effectively to meet its water supply needs.”
On the academic performance of the school, the headmistress said results of the school had not been stable in recent times, but latest results revealed a remarkable improvement of 100 per cent passes.
She commended the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for its continued support to the school, and mentioned the construction of a three-storey girls hostel and a library complex as some of the projects being supported by the GETFund.
Rev Sister Gbie reiterated the need for the school to be fenced to ward off intruders and stray animals.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
JIRAPA/LAMBUSSIE NHIS HOLDS AGM (PAGE 20)
THE Board Chairman of the Jirapa/Lambussie District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (DMHIS), Mr W. Boguoh, has observed that failure by members of the scheme to renew their membership could be a serious setback to the growth of the scheme.
He said a critical analysis of the active membership of the scheme was worrying as the scheme data indicated that only 21,408 out of 39,554 members whose cards expired as of September 2008 had renewed their membership.
Mr Baguoh has, therefore, charged the publicity unit of the DMHIS to redirect its educational messages by stressing more on the renewal of membership.
He said that was the only means to sustain the scheme.
Mr Baguoh was addressing the fourth annual general meeting (AGM) of the Jirapa/Lambussie MHIS at Jirapa.
He said in order to make the renewal of membership more attractive, incentive packages for clients must be introduced to motivate members to continuously renew their membership.
For that reason, Boguoh urged policy makers to hasten the process of decoupling of children under the scheme.
On the performance of the scheme, the board chairman said as of the end of December, last year, a total of GH¢78,804 had been collected as premium while GH¢72,473 had also been collected as of September, this year, thus bringing the total premium mobilised since the inception of the scheme to GH¢233,785.
“The scheme has since July, this year, implemented the free maternal care for pregnant women with the registration and issuance of cards to 900 women,” he noted and commended the government for the policy.
Mr Baguoh said the policy would go a long way to minimise the current high child infant and maternal mortality in the region.
Four agents of the scheme, according to Mr Baguoh, were handed over to the police for embezzling funds paid to them by clients.
Mr Baguoh advised other agents to desist from such a bad practice, as management of the scheme would deal drastically with any culprit.
He commended the staff, the agents and the community committee members for working hard to rope in more members.
The management also honoured 24 agents of the scheme to motivate them and to encourage others to show more commitment to sustenance of the scheme.
He said a critical analysis of the active membership of the scheme was worrying as the scheme data indicated that only 21,408 out of 39,554 members whose cards expired as of September 2008 had renewed their membership.
Mr Baguoh has, therefore, charged the publicity unit of the DMHIS to redirect its educational messages by stressing more on the renewal of membership.
He said that was the only means to sustain the scheme.
Mr Baguoh was addressing the fourth annual general meeting (AGM) of the Jirapa/Lambussie MHIS at Jirapa.
He said in order to make the renewal of membership more attractive, incentive packages for clients must be introduced to motivate members to continuously renew their membership.
For that reason, Boguoh urged policy makers to hasten the process of decoupling of children under the scheme.
On the performance of the scheme, the board chairman said as of the end of December, last year, a total of GH¢78,804 had been collected as premium while GH¢72,473 had also been collected as of September, this year, thus bringing the total premium mobilised since the inception of the scheme to GH¢233,785.
“The scheme has since July, this year, implemented the free maternal care for pregnant women with the registration and issuance of cards to 900 women,” he noted and commended the government for the policy.
Mr Baguoh said the policy would go a long way to minimise the current high child infant and maternal mortality in the region.
Four agents of the scheme, according to Mr Baguoh, were handed over to the police for embezzling funds paid to them by clients.
Mr Baguoh advised other agents to desist from such a bad practice, as management of the scheme would deal drastically with any culprit.
He commended the staff, the agents and the community committee members for working hard to rope in more members.
The management also honoured 24 agents of the scheme to motivate them and to encourage others to show more commitment to sustenance of the scheme.
FIRE DESTROYS WAREHOUSE IN WA (BACK PAGE)
THE offices of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in Wa, the Upper West Regional capital, were yesterday exposed to the vagaries of the harmattan when fire from the surrounding bushes engulfed a sheanut warehouse.
Officials of the MoFA could not immediately tell who might have set the fire but attributed it to the habitual indiscriminate burning of bushes by unidentified people who normally combed the bushes for rats during the harmattan.
They could not also give the estimated cost of the items destroyed by the fire but when this reporter enquired from a storekeeper and one of the administrators, they claimed the warehouse had been rented out to a private entity, the International Business Group Ghana Limited, and that they were not really concerned about what went on in it.
Eyewitnesses told the Daily Graphic that but for the hard work of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the fire would have extended to an adjacent building where new motorcycles, parts for new tractors and power tillers, among other new equipment for the regional MoFA office, were being kept.
As of 12 noon when the Daily Graphic got to the scene, personnel from the Fire Service, led by the Regional Commander, Mr Joseph Ahinsah, were busily struggling to put out the fire.
However, their efforts were nearly thwarted as the lights went off and there was no power to pump water into the water tenders.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Mr Ahinsah praised the personnel for their effort and cautioned residents of the region to desist from setting fire recklessly.
He warned of very serious disasters if they continued to burn bushes indiscriminately and particularly as the harmattan had just set in.
The Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Emmanuel Eledi, who was visibly disturbed by the development, said, "Barely two weeks ago I had asked that a fire belt should be created around the office but that had not been done till now."
Officials of the MoFA could not immediately tell who might have set the fire but attributed it to the habitual indiscriminate burning of bushes by unidentified people who normally combed the bushes for rats during the harmattan.
They could not also give the estimated cost of the items destroyed by the fire but when this reporter enquired from a storekeeper and one of the administrators, they claimed the warehouse had been rented out to a private entity, the International Business Group Ghana Limited, and that they were not really concerned about what went on in it.
Eyewitnesses told the Daily Graphic that but for the hard work of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the fire would have extended to an adjacent building where new motorcycles, parts for new tractors and power tillers, among other new equipment for the regional MoFA office, were being kept.
As of 12 noon when the Daily Graphic got to the scene, personnel from the Fire Service, led by the Regional Commander, Mr Joseph Ahinsah, were busily struggling to put out the fire.
However, their efforts were nearly thwarted as the lights went off and there was no power to pump water into the water tenders.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Mr Ahinsah praised the personnel for their effort and cautioned residents of the region to desist from setting fire recklessly.
He warned of very serious disasters if they continued to burn bushes indiscriminately and particularly as the harmattan had just set in.
The Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Emmanuel Eledi, who was visibly disturbed by the development, said, "Barely two weeks ago I had asked that a fire belt should be created around the office but that had not been done till now."
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