From Michael Boateng, Abesim

The Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana (HASAG) has noted that Ghana needs to do much to improve effective delivery of health care in the country if the targets set for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) four and five is to be attained.

According to HASAG, there were still challenges impeding effective delivery of health care in the country which must be addressed. 

According to the association, though significant improvements had been recorded in the implementation of the two critical goals, that is, reduction in child mortality and improvement in maternal health, the “country is far from achieving the target by 2015”.

Mr. Justice Ahorlu, HASAG President, made observation at the opening session of the 5^th Annual Conference of the HASAG, which is underway at Abesim, near Sunyani.

He stressed that management of the health sector, among other interventions ought to strengthen the health systems to serve as a catalyst to the timely attainment of the health related MDGs as well as improving the health and life of all Ghanaians for increased productivity.

“Until these bottlenecks are addressed, the attainment of these laudable goals will remain a mirage and the health sector will have done a great disservice to the people of Ghana”, he observed.

Mr. Ahorlu emphasized that health finance professionals played critical role to facilitate achievement of the MDGs as the quality of financial management had very serious implications for building strong health systems.

According to him, in all areas of health care delivery, both preventive and curative, health accountants and internal auditors provide the needed financial platform which is very vital to the performance of health professionals.

Mr. Ahorlu observed that health care financing in the hospitals in particular had radically changed over the last decade with the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

The implementation of the scheme, he noted, had come with several challenges amongst them are the absence of robust ICT platform to manage the financial information system and churn out relevant information at real time as well as plug all the loopholes in the manual system.

The three-day conference is on the theme “the role of health finance professionals in strengthening health systems”. Mrs. Ramatu Ude Umanta, Director of Finance, Ghana Health Service (GHS) said the service generated total revenue of about GH¢462.8 million in 2012, with development partners contributing GH¢199 million towards specific programme activities and GH¢11 million towards the health budget.

She said currently the GHS employed about 1000 accounting staff, an indication that on the average each staff in the year 2012 managed about GH¢462, 800.

Mrs. Umanta emphasized that the GHS had put in pragmatic measures to tackle the issue of fraud in the service stressing that culprit would be prosecuted.

Among many of these measures, she said is the introduction of a system of resource tracking to monitor the utilization of programme funds to the last cedi.

She disclosed that a computerized accounting system would be introduced in the regional medical stores and pilot it in a number of districts.

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has sent a congratulatory message to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on this year’s World Customs Day, which fell on Monday, for standing up to the test of time as one of the strongest pillars supporting Ghana’s development.

In recent times, however, the message disclosed that port users have complained about delays in the cargo clearance procedures and its associate escalation of transaction cost in the port adding, it is estimated that each day of delay in shipping time increases the cost of manufactured goods by about 0.8%.

The message which was signed by Mr. Jacob Adorkor, acting Director of the Tema Port mentioned “The multiple and repetitive activities of regulatory agencies; delays by cumbersome customs clearance processes; excessive port documentation and the uncertainty resulting from differences in interpretation of laws and provisions” and false declarations by the trading community as identified causes of delay at the port.

“It is the candid opinion of the GPHA that the Customs administration would take measures to improve any weaknesses observed in the operation of these systems to boost their capacities to better serve their purposes, rather than going back to the old manual systems that gave room for inefficiencies and corruption.

“Legal instruments of the port and regulatory agencies must be reviewed to harmonize aspects of their activities that permit repetitive and time wasting procedures including the establishment of common texting laboratories in the port.

“As we join the Customs administration to celebrate this day, we call on all actors in the industry to take a common stand against incompetence and any anti-social practices, that will retard our progress,” the statement noted.

The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) in collaboration with the Tema Health Directorate (THD) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is registering 1,000 children under 18 years of age onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) at Tema Manhean.

All the 1,000 children would be registered or have their old NHIS cards renewed in the newly introduced biometric cards, which takes an average of eight minutes to complete for each person.

The programme, which started on Tuesday, also provided free health screening for residents with diseases such as eye, ear, throat, blood pressure and dental related problems to the Tema Manhean residents who thronged the venue for the exercise in their numbers.

Briefing the press, Mr. Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive told news men that it is a comprehensive exercise because the Assembly has not just done NHIS education and registration, but it has gone beyond that by bringing health personnel to help identify health challenges within the community.

“Indeed we are undertaking an eye screening exercise, and I can confirm that already about 100 children have been screened so far”, he explained.

The medical team, after the Tuesday programme moved from school to school to ensure that they are able to register the 1,000 target they have set for themselves.

Hon Odamtten appealed to parents within the Metropolis to endeavour to seek medical attention from time to time to check their medical status.

According to him  the exercise was meant to comprehensively address the health challenges of the people within the community and that  “the NHIA has been very supportive by providing the biometric registration tools for us so that we have a biometric card issued instantly after registration”.

He explained that it was important to go with the biometric method within the health delivery system rather than the manual system, which has its own attendant problems.

“What we want to avoid is the issue of duplication of cards and other challenges that have surrounded the scheme, that is, to encourage the biometric registration process”, he noted. Meanwhile, the free medical screening revealed that most of the children in the community have medical problems, but without such a platform, it is difficult for them to have solutions to the problems.

Compiled by Richard Kofi Attenkah

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has awarded a contract to Messrs Louis Berger at the cost of US$400.000.00 to study and design an alternative four lane dual carriageway to link the Tema Port and the Accra-Tema motorway.

This is to accommodate the volume of vehicular traffic expected to hit the only existing two access roads to the Tema Port- that is the Motorway and the Tema General Hospital (TGH) roads. Already, the two access roads are overburdened with volumes of traffic through the Port.

The alternative four lane dual carriageway, according to GPHA, would start from the Tema Port road, along the beach, to the railway link at the end of the Sakumono lagoon, through the fringes of the lagoon and finally to the motorway, where an interchange would be constructed.

Addressing the media on how far the Authority had come with regards to the proposed expansion project of the Tema Port in Tema on Wednesday, Capt. James Owusu Koranteng – Acting Director General (DG) of GPHA said the contract to Messrs. Louis Berger went through the procurement process from December 2012.

“It is GPHA’s plan that the construction of the first four lane dual carriageway will be undertaken with the total expansion of the Tema Port for efficient connectivity”, Capt. Owusu Koranteng disclosed.

On the expansion project itself, the Acting DG noted that his outfit has received seven valid bid offers for the project from major contractors and joint ventures from China, Belgium, Switzerland/Israel, Netherlands, Portugal and a Ghanaian company.

Capt. Owusu Koranteng revealed that the bid values ranged from US$489million to over US$2billion, depending on the phasing arrangement selected by the bidder,

“GPHA intends to develop at least five new berths under the phase one (two for containers, two for multi-purpose and RoRo and one dedicated to passenger and cruise vessels).

“Phase two, three and four would add up to more container terminals and food/fruit terminals to the cluster. Phase five would target the oilrigs market along the West Africa coast”, he elucidated.

Initially, 53 internationally recognized entities and joint ventures expressed interest to tender for the expansion works, but after the evaluation of their Expression of Interest (EoI), 21 applicants including two Ghanaian companies were shortlisted and they were asked to submit their technical and financial offers for the project, he explained.

Explaining further, he said the expansion project is expected to deepen the depths of the current berths from 11.5m to 16m to enable the port to receive bigger vessels.

He stated; “The expansion facilities will also provide dedicated berths for Cruise Vessels that now regularly call at the port to encourage tourism, dedicated RoRo terminal, dedicated fruit and food terminals, a rail terminal for container and vehicles to be carried by rail and more berths for container vessels”.

RESIDENTS OF Kumasi and the entire region would probably have something to cheer about sooner than later, as the construction of the Amusement and Entertainment Park at Danyame is fast taking shape.

The project, which began a few months ago, is expected to be completed by December this year, as a Christmas gift to residents of the metropolis.

Construction of administrative blocks, washrooms and landscaping, are speedily progressing on the project, which is the first of its kind in the region.

Dubbed “Regeneration of the Rattray Park”, the project will have an artificial lake, restaurant and other entertainment facilities to provide a place of resort to residents.

The project was initially bridled with controversy after the Lands Commission expressed its disapproval on the desecration of the reserved land, located at the serene residential area of Danyame. 

When Ashanti File visited the place on Friday, work was speedily on course with architects, masons and labourers busily working.

Engineers on site told the paper that based on the initial phase of the schedule, about 50% of work had been completed and that the other phases of the project were expected to commence once imported logistics arrived.

They complained about the continuous increases in prices of raw materials such as cement which they said, was constantly throwing budget overboard. 

The Engineers, however, expressed optimism that the project would be completed as scheduled.

Stories by Issah Alhassan, Kumasi

THE ASHANTI Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is expected to go into full scale farming after the District Chief Executive for Sekyere Afram Plains, Hon. Fuseini Donkor, donated 20 acres of land to the association.

The land was donated by the DCE, when executives of the association, led by its chairman, Listowell Yesu Bukarson, paid a courtesy call on him last week Thursday.

The call was to enable the association familiarize itself with challenges in the newly created district and also inform members to do better reportage on development issues going on there.

It was also in connection with the upcoming “Samuel Ennin Memorial Lectures.”

The Sekyere Afram Plains, being a newly created district, is bedeviled with lots of development challenges including lack of potable drinking water, roads and other social amenities.

The Ashanti GJA has, therefore, adopted the district as a model to help develop its potential and bring some of the development challenges to the attention of authorities.

The donation of the vast plots of land was therefore, to cement the relationship and to also help the GJA engage in enterprising venture that will help raise funds for its activities.

Donating the land to the Ashanti GJA President, Fuseini Donkor said the district was endowed with lots of agriculture potentials and could become the food basket of the country if fully utilized.

He said in spite of the many daunting challenges, lots of progress was being made in the areas of the development of infrastructure, agriculture and provision of basic amenities, especially potable water.

The DCE said the assembly had instituted incentive packages to support farmers in food production and was also liaising with corporate bodies to venture into farming in the district.

Donkor commended the Ashanti GJA for their continuous support and was particularly grateful to the Regional Chairman, Listowell Yesu Bukarson, for showing personal concerns to the needs of the district.

The GJA Chairman, on his part, said the association would not waste time at all in putting the land into good use.

He said the association would source for funds from its members in order to help develop the land and this, according to him, would enable it raise adequate funds for its activities.

“I think the association needs to engage in some profitable ventures that will fetch us some funds to support our activities,” he stated.

Pix: Hon Fuseini Donkor showing the piece of land to the GJA Executives

From Ernest Best Anane, Kumasi

THE GOVERNMENT has presented 150 electric welding machines to selected artisans in all the districts in the Ashanti Region, towards the elimination of unemployment among the youth.

The presentation follows a similar one, involving 1,000 assorted machines and tools  that the government made recently in keeping with its policy of empowering the youth to impact positively on the national development.

Mr. Eric Opoku, the Ashanti Regional Minister noted that the youth of every nation constituted a key human resource base with the potential to contribute significantly to national development and, therefore,  deserve to be empowered to enable them play their roles in that regard.

A key aspect of that policy, he said, was to provide the needed tools for artisans outside the formal academic circles to build their capacity and provide them with hand-on employment, including the growth of small scale businesses and enterprises, which have far-reaching implications for the overall development of the country.

He said the NDC Government fully recognizes this and will, therefore, put in place the right policies and create growth enhancing conditions for small and medium enterprises to flourish.

He said it was also part of government’s determination to provide livelihood opportunities and enhance the vocational skills of the youth as a way of taking them off the hazards of illegal mining (galamsey) and other forms of activities which destroy the environment.

He entreated the beneficiaries to take good care of the machines and put them to good use and work hard to engage in initiatives that can help them grow their businesses to enable them also train and employ other young men and women who need employment in their communities.

The Minister gave them the assurance that the RCC through the various MMDAs will be monitoring their progress, and urged management of MMDAs to intensify their monitoring activities to cover such small scale enterprises and entrepreneurs in their respective districts with the view to addressing challenges which affect these young artisans in their work.

He also urged the artisans to liaise with the Business Advisory Centers (BAC) to learn the rudiments of business management to enhance opportunities that come their way.  

Pix: Afigya Kwabre DCE (left) receives boxes of items for his district

 Story by Alfred Adams

FOR some time now, artisans at Tanokrom, a suburb of  Takoradi,  have been up in arms against the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) over the latter’s decision to relocate them to newly established center at Kansawrodo, on the outskirt of Sekondi.

As a result, the intended exercise has been left hanging, because the assembly is yet to convince the people to move to the newly developed site.

The STMA has earmarked the present location of the artisans at Tanokrom for the building of a modern shopping Mall, which is being spearheaded by South African investors. The assembly is, however, jittery over the delay of the project, which could compel the investors to pull out.

This has led to the Assembly intensifying the campaign for the artisans to move to the new Kansawrodo site. But the artisans seem not prepared to move. 

The contractors for the project, Peekob Company claimed to have spent a total of GH¢1.5million for the preparation and development of the land at Kansawrodo, for the artisans to move there.

It has in addition provided electricity, water and other facilities for use at the new site. The manager of Peekob, Mr. Peter Obosu, told Journalists at a news conference in Takoradi recently that the GH¢1.5 m spent on the preparation of the Kansawrodo land was solely borne by the investors for the artisans to move there. He added that the rest of work to be done on the land was now left in the hands of the Assembly.

When asked whether in his view the land at the new site was ready for occupation by the artisans, Mr. Obosu responded that: “I cannot say the land is 100% in shape. At least, for us, that is what we have budgeted to do and we are not saying everything is 100%”.

The former Chairman of the Garages Association, Kwamina Kwandzie, who has been leading the crusade for his colleagues to move to the Kansawrodo site, on his part told The Chronicle in an answer to a question that he had already relocated to the new site, but was yet to start work due to lack of electricity.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive for Sekondi-Takoradi (STMA), Captain Anthony Cudjoe (Rtd.), addressing a separate press conference said the work done by the investor on the Kansawrodo land equally represented the work done by the Assembly.

To him, the assembly had nothing more to do on the land at Kansrawrodo, contending that the place was in good shape for habitation.

The artisans have, on countless occasions, raised concern over the poor state of the new site. Roads leading to the place too are not in good shape. The artisans therefore think they could lose their customers if they forced to relocate to the place without first addressing their concerns.

But the Mayor insists, “We know we have provided basic things for the movement of the people” adding “the work done on the land was excellent.”  According to the Mayor electricity and water had been extended to the place in addition to the construction of toilet facilities.

“STMA does not owe the garages any obligation. We are only being humanitarian,” Captain Cudjoe told the journalists.

The STMA and the Investors have been embarking on radio campaign with the aim to attract public sympathy for the artisans to move to the new site. Interestingly, the radio campaign seems to have whipped up public sympathy for the artisans.

The Chairman of the Garages association, Kingsford Eshun, also told Journalist that the new site was in deplorable state and that more work need to be done on the land before occupation. He added: “You have been here and you have seen the bad state of the land, can we come and occupy this?”

By Fatima Adam

In its quest to increase literacy in the rural areas of Ghana, ‘Connecting Kids Education Foundation (CKEF)’, a non-governmental organization has settled on the Anum Anglican A& B primary and Junior High Schools in Anum traditional area in the Eastern Region as beneficiary of their 2014 major project.

CKEF, which is being supported by PW Ghana Limited, Tangs Australia and Antrak Australia, has since its instigation in Ghana over the last two years supported deprived rural areas by providing ultra-modern educational facilities, such as ICT center and library.

This year’s recipient, would be provided with a 25-seater computer library and a 30-seater library, amounting to GH¢90.000.

Speaking to The Chronicle yesterday at the sword cutting ceremony to commence the project, the Director of CKEF, Mrs. Ellen Blamires said her outfit could not have supported a better place than Anum Anglican A & B schools.

According to her, even though their core mandate was to improve literacy in deprived rural areas, they also looked out for communities who are willing to support their wards’ education in their own small way.

She told The Chronicle that Anum traditional area had pledged to take up 10% of the total cost (GH¢90.000) of the project.

According to her, another reason her outfit settled on the aforementioned area was due to the effort of one Nana Adoba I, Gyaasehene of the Benkum Division of the Anum Traditional Area, who after hearing of her organization, made countless effort to convince them (CKEF) to bringing developmental projects to his (Anum) area.

Mrs. Blamires added that as Ghana moved into the middle income bracket, it had become more crucial to provide the younger generation with the right education, “though government will always play a role in such process, organizations like CKEF can be a catalyst for communities seeking to help themselves.”

She thanked their sponsors and called on other corporate bodies both national and international to support them in increasing quality literacy level at all rural communities in Ghana.

At a durbar of chiefs, elders and other stakeholders of the Anum Traditional Area, the District Chief Executive for Asuogyaman, Mr. Thomas Ampem Nyarko said the performance of the Anglican A&B at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the last five years had been very poor, especially in the area of ICT.

But he was quick to add that students of Anglican A&B could not be blamed for their poor performance in ICT, because they had never set their eyes on a computer, but were still mandated to write the same examination with their counterparts in the urban areas, who are familiar with the computer.

“ICT and library are serious complement to education and the beauty aspect is that the NGO is taking the lead and they are harvesting resources from everywhere, from the PTA, the assembly and everybody to support the project, which will be completed in no time for the students to make good use of it”.

He noted that Ghana Education Service (GES) would be made to absorb the library and ICT Centre and make sure it is fully integrated into the area’s educational system and ensure supply of books and other materials.    

“Ghana’s development is defined as a functional one, in that a school building is not development in itself until it’s being used for the purposes of teaching and learning.

“A library will not be a development unless it is being used and we will ensure teachers open it and encourage parents to allow their children to patronize it”, he said.

The Adontenhene, Nana Kwasi Anyame V and Benkumhene of Anum Traditional Area, Nana Okyempem Adu VII applauded the initiative by CKEF and stressed that there was the need for them as the traditional rulers to support what they termed as “ wonderful initiative”.

According to the traditional leaders, the only way a leader would forever remain in the heart of his subjects is when leaves a good legacy. To that end, they urged the students to make good use of the facility for their own good.

Mrs.-Ellen-Blamires-delivering-a-speech-at-the-ceremony

studentsof-AB-anglican-schools-and-parents

Mrs.-Ellen-Blamires-officially-commences-the-construction.

From Michael Boateng, Ayigbe

Fire has destroyed over a thousand acres of timber, cocoa and teak plantations running millions of Ghana Cedis at the Yaya Forest Reserve at Ayigbe, a village in the Wenchi Municipality.

A visit by the Brong-Ahafo Regional Anti-Bushfire Committee to the forest on Wednesday, February 5, 2014, revealed that the fire had consumed the greater part of the reserve.

Large acres of food stuffs and crops comprising maize, yam and cassava plantations, which have been cultivated on the fringes of the forest, had also been destroyed by the fire.

The Chronicle gathered that attempts by the local fire volunteers and officials from the Ghana National Fire service to extinguish the fire were not successful.

According to the local fire volunteers in the area, lack of protective gears such as Wellington boots and other logistics impeded an entry into the reserves to quench the raging fire.

Assistant Divisional Officer (ADOII) Prince Baffour Gyan, Brong-Ahafo Regional Rural Fire Coordinator said the cause of the fire was not yet known but suspected that it might be due to   activities of the local charcoal burners.

Mr. Baffour Gyan expressed concern about lack of logistics and funds for the regional and the various district anti-bushfire committees, which had made the committee dormant especially at the local levels.

He said the Provisional National Defence Council Law (PNDCL 229) mandates Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to establish and fund anti bushfire committees but the assemblies had failed to comply.

Mr. Baffour Gyan appealed to the various assemblies to support the existing local anti bushfire committees in the discharge of their duties to curb fire outbreaks. He disclosed that the region recorded 275 rural fires in the last harmattan season.

 From Alfred Adams,Takoradi

A combined team of Military and Police on Friday supervised the demolition of structures belonging to artisans occupying a disputed land at Tanokrom, near Takoradi.

The exercise, which was undertaken on the orders of the Mayor of the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), Captain Anthony Cudjoe (Rtd), started around 6am, when the artisans had not reported to work. The demolition is to pave way for the building of a modern Shopping Mall complex on the 28 acre land the artisans were occupying.

The Shopping Mall Complex is funded by South African investors and has Peekorb Company as the local Contractor. Over the last six months, there have been back and forth discussion on the exact day the artisans would move from the land, after three deadlines set by the STMA to forcibly eject the artisans had elapsed.

The demolition exercise came as a surprise to the artisans who had earlier vowed to resist any attempt to force them to settle at an undeveloped land at Kansawrodo, which is about 12 kilometers from Takoradi.

When the radio stations began reporting the demolition of their structures, the artisans, who had vowed never to move from the site rushed to the scene to cart their tolls and other items from their shops, only to be confronted by well-built armed soldiers and police.

It was a sight of disbelief and sorrow for the artisans, who could not help but stand aloof as their properties, worth thousands of cedis, were being destroyed.

Items like car engines, water tankers, containers, spare parts and other durable machines were destroyed in the process. One of the artisans who could not withstand what he was witnessing rushed in to salvage the rest of his items, but he got entangled in electrical wires, and had to be rescued and rushed to hospital.

 The rest of the artisans pleaded with the combined Military and Police team to suspend the exercise to enable them remove the rest of their items, but the security officers, drawn from Accra would not listen.  

The STMA and the leadership of the Garages Association have over the last six months engaged in discussions on how to relocate the artisans to their new site. The artisans had tabled a number of conditions the Assembly had to meet before their eventual relocation.

They, for instance, protested that the new site they are to relocate to, is a swampy area, which would not be conducive to their businesses. They, therefore, demanded that the new place be well developed with facilities like water and places of convenience among a host of others.

But the Assembly, led by its Mayor, Captain Anthony Cudjoe failed to meet the conditions set by the artisans. The Mayor had argued at a press conference that the artisans had no obligation to dictate to the Assembly what they (artisans) wanted and that at the appropriate time, the Assembly would embark on the demolition exercise, a threat he successfully carried out last Friday.

But in a rush to do so, the assembly failed to alert the Electricity Company of Ghana to put off the light before demolition exercise begins. This nearly resulted in fatalities.

Assembly members denounce demolition

Meanwhile, elected Assembly Members who make up the STMA have rejected the demolition exercise and the subsequent relocation of the artisans from their location to Kansawrodo-Mampong.

The Assembly members claimed the demolition exercise was unreasonable and irresponsible. This is because, the elected Assembly members were never informed of the demolition exercise, neither were they informed of the sale of the 28 acre Kokompe land to the supposed South African investor for the building of the shopping Mall.

The Assembly Member for Tanokrom West, Mr. Samuel Kwesi Anderson, who was speaking on behalf of other members told this reporter in an interview that when he heard of the sale of the land to the said investor by the STMA, he invoked the standing orders of the Assembly at it last meeting to compel Captain Anthony Cudjoe to explain the rationale behind the sale of the said land.

According to him, the Mayor brushed aside the question and reportedly asked him (Anderson) to see him in his office if he wanted to know anything about the sale of the land. 

According to Anderson, he rejected the request and insisted that the Mayor answered the question in the open. This is because if he wanted to see the Mayor in his office for an answer relating to the sale of the land, he would not have invoked the standing order 23 (1) of the Assembly to ask the question.

Anderson told this paper that the general meeting of the Assembly is the highest decision making body of the Assembly and for the Mayor to have failed to inform the assembly showed that he had something to hide.

Scene of the demolition exercise  

Scene of the demolition exercise  

Scene of the demolition exercise  

Scene of the demolition exercise  

THE KUMASI Club, a social club for relaxation and social networking among businessmen and civil servants through various sports disciplines, and founded in 1928 with the Asantehene as its Life Patron, has elected new executives to steer the affairs of the Club, in line with its motto: “Friendship and  Equality”.

At the elections held during the Annual General meeting last week, Mr. Kwame Brenyah was elected chairman to replace Mr. Norman Owusu-Barnie.  

Mr. Kwabena Asabre, formerly the Treasurer, is now the vice chairman, with Mr. E.T. Kwablah as the new Secretary.

Others are Mr. Frank Duah, Treasurer, Henry Boateng, Entertainment Members, Nana Shyam, Bar member, Ricky Boakye Yiadom, Ansong Okyere and J.K. Aggrey as members.

Mr. Brenyah indicated that the new executives would embark on various programmes to cater for the well being of members.

He said the Club would embark on a membership drive and undertake social interventions, including health awareness programmes, in the form of health walks, clean up exercises and blood donation, to promote the health of members and general public.

Mr. Asabre, the vice chairman, advised members to pay their monthly dues regularly to enable the Club undertake projects and improve upon the facility.

He appealed to the general public to join the club to promote the various sports disciplines, including tennis, badminton, snooker, billiards, scrabble, oware and lido, among others.

From Ernest Best Anane, Trede-Ash

NANA OSEI Yaw, a Manager at the Sunyani branch of the Vanguard Life Assurance has sworn the oath of allegiance to Nana Osei Kofi I, chief of Sabin Akrofrom and his elders in the Atwima Kwanwoma district of Ashanti Region as the newly installed Kyidomhene of the community.

The Chief entreated the new Kyidomhene to be development-oriented and partner him to work in unity for the achievement of the aspirations of the people and not to mobilize the youth against his superiors.

The chief cautioned them to be law abiding and truthful in order to make sure they put in every effort to ensure that the people remained united from to support the area’s development.

Nana Osei Kofi indicated that he stood for development and pleaded with the people for support, stressing that “the development of the area is a collective responsibility,” and entreated them to commit themselves towards the developmental agenda.

Nana Yaw, who has worked with the insurance industry for 11 years and served as branch manager of Vanguard Life Assurance for six years, promised to assist Nana Osei Kofi to ensure the kind of leadership that would bring development to in the area.

In a related development, Nana Osei Kofi has presented two vehicles – Toyota Corolla and a Mercedes Benz – for use in the palace by the chief and the queen-mother, Nana Afia Kwartemaah.

Stories from Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi 

A GH¢46,000 floodlights project for the 4 Garrison Tennis Club has been commissioned in Kumasi.

It was funded through the contribution of members of the Tennis Club and with sponsorship by Prefos Limited, a Building, Civil and Electrical Engineering Contractors, which is also into General merchandise, supplies and Import and Export. The company contributed eight poles, eight lights and main cables estimated at GH¢26,000.

The Club has lately embarked on infrastructural development to give a facelift to the facility and has since completed the changing rooms and floodlights. It now intends to renovate the tennis court at GH¢31,000.

Lt. Col. Richard Edukwesi Woanya, who commissioned the floodlights  on behalf of the  General Officer Commanding (Northern Command) the  Armed Force, Brig. Gen. Joseph Adu-Boampong, thanked Prefos as the major sponsor, which contributed over 50% to the project and hoped  the facility would enhance social networking by the members.

The president of the Club, Mr. Samuel Ampadu Kyei, also thanked Prefos Limited for the wonderful contribution, for which gesture the Club presented a Certificate of recognition to the Managing Director of Prefos Limited, Mr. Alexie Kwasi Fosu.

Mr. Kyei also acknowledged the singular role of George Osei Assibey, a member of the Club, who sourced Prefos Limited as a sponsor for the project.

Mr. Osei Assibey was given a citation for the immense contribution towards the construction of the floodlights.

Meanwhile, the MD of Prefos Limited has pledged to present additional lighting materials to enhance the floodlight projects. He has also pledged to contribute towards the proposed renovation of the tennis court.

“I see the call to assist as a privilege. Therefore, I will continue to assist in my own small way anytime I am called upon to assist towards making society a better place,” he assured.

Compiled by Richard Kofi Attenkah.

Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive has commended residents in the Metropolis for being nationalistic, after they decided to defy the heavy downpour that almost disrupted the celebration of Ghana’s Independence Day on 6^th March. 

According to him, he was overwhelmed by what residents of Tema demonstrated in the heavy rain, saying “in this moment, we have just shown our spirit of patriotism and nationalism”.

Hon Odamtten was speaking at the 57^TH independence anniversary celebration in Tema on Thursday, under the theme: “Building a Better and Prosperous Ghana through Patriotism and National Unity”.

He noted that Ghana has come of age and that there was the need for residents within the Metropolis to have a common thread of patriotism that will bind them in all discourse of their lives.

He advised government, churches, institutions and other corporate bodies to realize that they are the country’s pride and, therefore, development and growth can not be achieved without the driving force and interest of citizens.

Hon. Odamtten revealed that “No objective aspiration is attainable on the basis of individualism, and for that reason people have to strive together to achieve even the simplest of any activity”.

He tasked Ghanaians to put Ghana first and do away with all forms of anti-social vices, which do not promote development, but rather observe the responsibilities that will help build and promote the progress of mother Ghana. He said if our leaders portray a Godly lifestyle, the young ones will also learn from them.

The Tema Mayor called on Ghanaians, especially the youth, to focus on their self-realization and “Identify common threads of torch bearers for the good of the future generation”.

He highlighted some developmental initiatives of the Assembly, saying “in fulfilling the better Ghana agenda, the Assembly is determined to support quality teaching and learning in our schools and also bridge the agenda gap in the educational sector, improve sewage facilities, markets and parking lots, clean Tema and improve security and safety in the Metropolis”.

He continued that his outfit would ensure good governance, social support, skills development, promote tourism and cultural exchanges, as well as infrastructural development, which form part of the eight point agenda of the Assembly.

On the poor nature of some roads in the Metropolis, he said “budgets have been formulated to improve urban and the rural roads network, whilst providing scholarships to support bright but needy students”.

He entreated all parents to take keen interest in the development of their children to enable them become future leaders, because efforts of teachers will be futile if parents do not make the home the first School.

One thousand, six hundred and sixty (1, 660) pupils and students drawn from schools across the Metropolis and 240 security personnel from the various security agencies participated in the march past.

Compiled by Alfred Adams .

THE Jubilee partners last week organized recreational activities for fishermen in the six coastal communities in the region.

The event, which is an annual ritual, was introduced by the Jubilee partners to bring the fishermen together and educate them on safe ways of fishing in the waters.

The event saw the fishermen, drawn from Shama, Sekondi, Agona Nkwanta, Axim, Essiama and Half-Assini competing  for glory in a number of sporting games lined up for the day. 

The games included canoe racing, tug of peace and orange picking. The first round of the orange picking event saw fishermen from Agona Nkwanta, Nkroful and Shama competing for glory.

In the end, it was the fishermen from Nkroful in the Ellembelle District who emerged victorious. Fishermen from Agona Nkwanta in the Ahanta West District came up second, whilst fishermen from Shama came last.

The tug of peace game was keenly contested and attracted a large crowd of people, cheering their players from the respective coastal communities.

The event, which showcased the strength of the fishermen saw the various competing teams fighting to win the GH¢1000 trophy at stake. The second and third position prizes were GH¢500 and GH¢200 respectively.

But the attention was on the first prize as each of the teams was bent on winning the trophy.

Speaking at the function, the Chairman for the occasion, Nana Kojo Konduah thanked the organizers of the programme for organizing the programme for the fishermen.

He stressed that the event was an annual ritual and also thanked the participating teams for the matured manner they competed for glory in the sporting games.

Nana Konduah however appealed to the fishermen not to resort to bad practice of using light in fishing.

According to him it was because of this practice that the marine police unit was created. He, therefore, appealed to the fishermen to see the marine police as their friends to ensure sanity on the sea.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Nzema East, Mr. James Baidoo on his part commended the various participating teams and said the event will bring unity among the communities and promote the competitive spirit among the teams.

The MCE, however, used the occasion to appeal to the fishermen to put an end to what he described as vices going on in our waters. He mentioned light fishing and the use of dynamite for fishing as some of the bad practices.

Pictures of the event. Nana Kojo Kondua addressing the event

Compiled by Alfred Adams.

THE name behind the village is an interesting one. When the name is eventually mentioned, one would probably personify it to mean the name of a human being.

But you may be wrong in the end. This is because the name ‘MIAMIA’ is a village located in the Ahanta West District.

The name ‘Miamia’ means ‘Let Shower’. The main language spoken in the village is Nzema, though they live on Ahanta land.

Another feature of the people is their bamboo structures. About 90% of the household in the area is built with bamboo. 

But what really is the story behind the name, Miamia. The western file asked an elder of the village, Opanyin Essoun Duku Agyake.

He said the village was established by ten people, including a woman, who used to come to the village to work, but later decided to settle there.

The village has a population of thousand and the main occupation of the people is fishing and farming.

Fishing is the most domineering trade in the area, because of the closeness to the sea. A clinic has been established some kilometers away from the village and that is where they seek their medical care.

The only development in the village is a school block. There is no public toilet facility for the village. Consequently, both male and female, including children, line up at the beach to defecate.

That apart, they cannot boast of potable drinking water. They rely on a natural fountain which is their source of drinking water. The fountain is named ‘Miamia’.

Opanyin Essoun told this reporter that it is a small god. He said the community had come to believe that the fountain is a small god because it never dries up. The fountain is close to the Sea and the story is that when the Sea water spills into the fountain, it would never taste salty.

It is as a result of this development that the village reveres the fountain. Opanyin Agyake told The Chronicle that the village performs rituals annually to thank the water god for providing them water.

Pix-Opayin Essoun Duku speaking to the file

Stories from Joyce Addae, Kumasi

THE GOVERNMENT has presented working tools valued at GH¢1500.00 to 30 fire volunteers in two communities in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti region. The communities are Manso-Dome-Beposo and Manso Mem. The items included 30 pairs of wellington boots and 30 pieces of cutlasses.

The District Chief Executive, Mr. Alex Kwame Bonsu, asked volunteers to work hard in their communities to reduce the rampant outbreak of bushfires to save lives and property. He appealed to the chiefs to support the fire volunteers.

The chief of Manso-Mem, Nana Opia Mensah, who is also the Wirenpehene of Otumfuo, thanked the volunteers for their dedication while presenting the items to the local chairman of the Fire Volunteers, Opanin Kwaku Nsiah, and urged them to keep up the spirit of protecting lives and property in the vicinity.

He also thanked the government for the support, noting that the tools would enhance effective work of the volunteers.

Mr. Ellis Aloyi, the representative of the Regional Fire officer, on his part warned that anybody who indiscriminately causes bushfire would be dealt with.

MR. AKUAKO Kwarteng, the Assembly Member for Manso-Mem/Dome Electoral Area in the Amansie West district, has donated a computer and its accessories to the local Manso-Mem District Assembly Junior High School at Manso Mem.

The items are estimated to cost about GH¢400. Hon. Kwarteng, who is also a broadcast journalist at the Kumasi based Kessben FM noted that the donation would enhance effective teaching of ICT in the school.

He asked the teachers to take proper care of the computers to prolong its lifespan and also keep school children abreast with the learning of ICT. Nana Opiah Mensah, Otumfuo Wirenpehene, who received the items on behalf of the school, thanked the Assembly Member for his support towards effective teaching and learning of ICT in the school.

JEM FM, a private radio station in Kumasi, has donated hampers worth GH¢5,000 to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for distribution to all babies born on Independence Day.

The donation was made at the premises of KATH on Thursday, March 6, 2014, as the radio station’s contribution towards reduction in maternal and infant mortality rate in the region.

Some of the items given to the over 30 mothers and their babies were baby diapers, parazone, feeding bottles, towels, sponge, wipes, soap, cot sheet and flasks among others.

The Chief Executive Officer of JEM, Mrs. Grace Yeboah Boateng assured the station’s commitment in putting smiles on the faces of mothers under its corporate social responsibilities for quality health care delivery for pregnant women.

She appealed to health workers including doctors, nurses, health assistants and the entire staff to go the extra miles to save lives in the region, no matter how hard the situation is.

Receiving the items on behalf of KATH, Mrs. Cynthia Bruce Smith, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services (Obstetrics and Gynecology) expressed her gratitude for the gesture by the management of the radio station.

‘We are very happy and overwhelmed because it is only in Christmas and new year, as well other occasions, that people donate to the facility”, she noted. 

She assured the public that the hospital and its entire staff would live up to expectation and pledged to cope with emergency situations and cases to ensure good and quality health care delivery.

Mrs. Bruce Smith urged other institutions and organisations to emulate JEM FM to enable them ensure efficient services and put smiles on the faces of the patients.
Pix: A beneficiary mother and baby with a hamper