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.
Monday, December 7, 2009
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.
“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.”
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.
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."
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.
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)