By Richard Kofi Attenkah

ServAid, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), in collaboration with Consultancy and Business Service Limited and some friends, has donated domestic items estimated at over GH¢4,000 to the Adjei-Kojo State School for the Deaf within the Tema West constituency.

Some of the items included a quantity of Lifebuoy toilet soap, washing powder and detergents (Vim and Omo), salt, toilet rolls, plastic tables and chairs.

In an interview with the Tema File, Mr. Sam Dontoh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for both ServAid and Consultancy and Business Service Limited, explained that his outfits would continue to provide the items, which are very crucial in everyday life for the school, for an unspecified period of time.

According to him, because his businesses were doing well, it was only proper that as part of their corporate social responsibility, they showed love to the needy in society, to ensure that they make the world a better place to live.

Sam Dontoh was of the belief that putting a smile on the faces of children in the school, and in their hearts was very important.

He hinted: “My target is to support the Adjei-Kojo State School for the Deaf, and so I spoke to a group of friends, and without much hesitation, they brought some monies and items to assist”.

He stated that even though it was good to put the government on its toes to do its responsibilities towards the people, especially the vulnerable, it was equally good that individuals who are well to do in society endeavour to support the needy.

“When we take a critical look at our community we, as individuals, will be able to do certain things that will take the burden off the shoulders of government,” Mr. Dontoh observed.

He explained that Ghanaians who have choked gutters in front of their houses must do well to clean them, rather than expect the government to do it for them, because, at the end of the day, it is they who would suffer from all manner of diseases.

Mr. Dontoh noted that he comes from a family where everybody tries to support one another, and therefore, if someone was facing some challenges, he did not see why he should not give a helping hand.

He advised the school’s authorities to endeavour to raise awareness concerning some of the challenges they were facing, to enable companies, organizations, philanthropists and individuals to come to their aid.

He called on national service personnel to take up appointments in the school, and use their experience to help solicit for funds to run the institution.

He described the donation as a little support, but however assured the school authorities to expect more, saying what they had offered was just the beginning of greater things to come.

Meanwhile, a representative of the friends, Mr. Tony Daisy, said he was impressed with what the school had achieved over the years.

Receiving the items, Madam Barbara Anim, Headmistress of the school, expressed her gratitude to the donors, and appealed for more support from institutions, organizations and individuals to help complete a fence wall for the school, and furnish the girls dormitory, which was built by the government in 1999, and had been neglected.

Stories by Bernice Bessey & Pictures, Eric Owiredu

Pedestrians and motorists are losing their protection due to the irresponsible attitude of drivers which has led to the destruction of roadside crash railings and traffic lights on some major highways in the Accra metropolis. An area like Carprice, on the Circle-Nsawam Highway, is one place that has suffered these poor attitudes and behaviours of drivers.

Information gathered by the Accra File indicates that most of these railings and traffic lights have been destroyed for close to a year, but the city authorities remain blind to them.

According to the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), poor attitudes and behaviours such as drivers talking/texting on mobile phones while driving, fatigue, and gross indiscipline are the major causes of road accidents in the country. According to nearby residents, most of the drivers run into the railings and traffic lights at night while drunk or over-speeding.  A nearby resident, Nartey Armah, wondered whether “the drivers have little sense of responsibility on the road, or deserve to have licenses.”

Mr. Armah thinks reckless driving is a result of drivers who do not have in-depth knowledge about driving, or didn’t enroll themselves in driving schools. “They just drive and do not understand traffic regulations. Others also just ignore them, and as a result, end up causing carnage on our roads. It’s just that they don’t prioritise safety and responsibility, and may actually be people who are not worth to drive on our roads.”

The Accra File is calling on the Ministry of Roads and Highways to attend to these crash railings as soon as they are damaged by these drivers.The Ministry should also compel the drivers to pay for repairs to the railings when they damage them.

Stories from Richard Owusu-Akyaw

A sixty-year-old retired engineer of Noble Gold Mines at Bibiani, Nana Obeng Panin II, who had served as community head (Odikro) of Nyantaase since 2005, has been elevated and made chief of the community.His elevation is a reward for hard work, dedication, meritorious service and good leadership.

Nana Obeng Panin II has since sworn the oath of allegiance to the Omanhene of the Ejisu Traditional Area, Oguakro Afrane Okese, at the Ejis.

The Omanhene called on chiefs to do more to bring progress and fight poverty in their communities.

Nana Afrane Okese said chiefs should provide the needed leadership by monitoring the people to tackle the socio-economic challenges facing them as traditional leaders, which, he said was the way to make

chieftaincy relevant and sustain the loyalty of the people.

The Omanhene counseled the new chief to carry himself with dignity,eschew arrogance, and uphold the rich culture and traditional values of the people.

He advised Nana Obeng Panin II to avoid doing anything likely to create image problems for the chieftaincy institution.

Nana Obeng Panin pledged to work with passion to promote education and give the community a modern face-lift.

From Ernest Best Anane

Nana Kwaku Bio I, former Chief of Essienimpong in the Ejisu Juaben Municipality, has handed over stool regalia to Nana Yaw Baffuor, chief of Bekwai Dominase, who was charged by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, to take inventory.

The item, which were handed over at a ceremony at Essienimpong, included six Atwera tuo (Guns),  one apankantuo, a set of fontonfrom drums, a set of pebi nkra, four benkyinye (Umbrellas), two Konpon kyiniye (umbrellas), one black Konpon kyiniye, one linguist staff(dee ade wo no na odie), and a linguist stick (Woforo duapa a na yepia wo.)

Others are 10 state swords, one asekanfo (sword), one apakan (sword ((afena), one abentia (horn), three abotire (headgear), seven donto,six nsakaa, one nsakaa (iron), six nsakaa (rings), two tibo koa (ring) abysinia, one kente wereko, two wireko (abysinia), five dontwon, one set wereko black, one war smock and 10 nkoabire.

The rest are one nkoabire black, three kronpon kye (hat), one kanta,one bodua, one nsebe bodua, 12 clothes, one hwedom, one kokonfi,five asipim (chairs), one apakan (palanquin), one dawuro (gong-gong) eight black stools (male) and four black stools (female.)

Nana Bio was destooled last year June at the instance of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for alleged gross disregard for the Great Oath of Asante, and trampling upon customary practices, including pouring of libation in the stool room.

Nana Kwaku Bio I had taken a firm position not to pour libation and other rites in the stool room, claiming he was a Christian, and that indulging in such customary practices contradicted his beliefs and violated his Christian doctrine.

Stool regalia in his custody were said to have been missing, and 80 plots of the stool land sold without rendering proper accounts, while old clothes he inherited were also missing, including Konkronfi and

Asipim chairs of the palace which claims were disproved at the presentation to the kingmakers.

Nana Bio told the Ashanti File, after the handing over ceremony, that the allegations for his destoolment were unfounded.

He said, however, that his destoolment was a blessing, since it had averted his untimely death if he had been the chief to date.

According to him, he had always been uncomfortable with some practices associated with the  chieftaincy institution, and cited the pouring of libation as one of such practices which was at variance with his beliefs as a Christian, and thanked his stars the destoolment ended it all for him. “God wanted to take me out of it, hence the false allegations which I did not contest,” he said.

Nana Kwaku Bio said as a development-oriented person, he had embarked projects to improve the lot of his people, mentioning the construction of a borehole for the community, provision of 90 uniforms for school children, hospital equipment at the cost of GH¢50.000 for the Church of Christ Clinic at Essienimpong, and some additions to the stool regalia.

Meanwhile, a 50-year-old industrialist, Mr. Kwaku Appiah, CEO of Agya Appiah Bitters, has since been enstooled the new chief of Essienimpong, under the stool name Nana Kwaku Appiah Owawani to replace Nana Kwaku Bio.

Nana Kwaku Appiah Owawani, is also the President of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Association (GHAFTRAM).

Stories from Isaac Akwetey-Okunor

The Headmistress of the Akropong School for the Blind, Madam Mahela Narh, has urged Ghanaians to cultivate the spirit of giving, since there was more blessing in giving than receiving. . Her call to Ghanaians came on the heels of a donation which included bags of rice, oil and boxes of Indomie instant noodles made by the Delhi Public School (DPS), a Tema-based private school,the  recently..

The donation was in conjunction with Young Educators Foundation (YEF), a local non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to children’s education in Ghana, and organisers of the Spelling Bee competition.

An additional amount of GH¢2,700, which included GH¢1,500 as the prize money for winning the top three schools positions by DPS and Ecobank Junior Saver Account for Vishal Thakwani, 1st runner-up and three others from the school.

The three – Samuel Boateng, Emmanuel Asamoah and Princess Mensah – distinguished themselves to the delight of the organisers during the Spelling Bee competition, which is a local version of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the USA, a literacy programme which helps children to improve their literacy skills, whilst building their confidence.

In an interview with the Eastern File, Madam Narh said human beings should not live in isolation, but rather fly in the wings of others, hence it was incumbent on everyone to support one another, and further described the donation, notwithstanding previous ones, as most touching, wonderful, and worthy of emulation, considering the spirit of the benefactor.

The Headmistress of the school was quick to ask: “How many children can do this, especially in this era when we say each one for himself God for us all? So for this young boy to say no, let me donate my award to my physically challenged counterparts, is something so wonderful and touching.”

According to her, she was personally challenged by the kind gesture of the 12 year old boy to also go out there to better other people’s lives, in order to put smile on somebody’s face, and called on Ghanaians to put smile on other people’s faces.

Information available to the file reveals that since the inception of the programme, no physically challenged person has participated, making Ghana achieve another remarkable feat.

On their part, the management of DPS and 1st runner-up hinted that the gesture was to honor the three spellers from the school, who also participated in the 7th edition of the Spelling bee competition, which took place on February 2, this year.

The young philanthropist who was accompanied by his family and management of DPS said, he was motivated to present his prize to his counterparts following their brilliant performance.

“I was really shocked and surprised with the performance of these physically challenged children who by far and large performed better than the children with physical advantage”, the young boy hinted.

According to him,  despite the keenly contested competition, the three children were able to reach the round of 16 after so many number of rounds at the expense of those who have what it takes to reach but could not, hence the presentation to encourage them to do more.

He explained that, this year’s competition was more difficult than the previous events and Ghana has made history of 21 and above rounds which was made by DPS and also proud that these physically challenged children have done so much than the children who were not.

Thakwani further called on children who are not physically challenged to learn from the performance of these physically challenged who are much dedicated and serious to their school and studies.

The stage seven student of DPS finally called on government and key stakeholders in the educational sector to attend to the needs of these physically challenged children to make their stay in school not a curse but a point of change in their lives.

To him education was a fundamental right of every child and therefore must be made easy and accessible to every child irrespective of the person’s socio-cultural and economic status in life or society.

David Raj, the Principal for Delhi Public School (DPS) said management of the school decided to join the worthy of emulation and kind gesture of their student because they were surprised at the performance of the three physically challenged children who participated in the just ended The Spelling Bee (TSB) competition.

Re-echoing the observation of the headmistress of the school, the principal of DPS reiterated that, the gesture of young Thakwani was beyond description and on behalf of his school promise frequenting the Akropong School for the Blind.

“What our student as well as management has done today was just the beginning of better things to come since we are going to becoming here very often to share what we have with these disadvantage children in society through no fault of theirs,” he mentioned.

Stories from Isaac Akwetey-Okunor

The atmosphere of the capital of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality, Odumase-Krobo, was last Friday charged with merrymaking and sheer jubilation, following the installment of a new Divisional Chief of Suisi.The new chief, who was captured and secluded for about a week, was officially outdoored and enstooled at a colorful ceremony, which was graced by people from all walks of life, including politicians, the clergy, and other traditional rulers.

The new young Divisional Chief, with the stool name Nene Angmor Owuoadjao II, and who is known in private life as Domertey Vincent Mensah, and is the Vice Commissioner (President) of Kloma Gbi, a pressure group in the area, succeeded the late Osakitikli Domer Siako II, who died on March 4 last year, after reigning for 12 years.

Manya-Krobo has six main Divisions, which are Manya-Aklomuase, Suisi, Dorm, Djebia, Akwernor, and Piengua, however, the death of the late Suisi Chief last year has reduced the number of Divisional Chiefs, who are legitimate and legally recognized in the area, to only two.

These chiefs are Nene Okpatakpla Sasraku IV of Manya-Aklomuase, and Nene Agbau Narh III of Djebiam.

Following this phenomenon, the Traditional Council is deficient of quality and quantity placing pressure and enormous duty schedules on the two.

With the remaining three divisions, Nene Tetteh Zogli III of Piengua is facing serious legitimate problems and stiff opposition among his own people, as the people of the Akwernor Division are battling each other over who qualifies to ascend the throne.

On the other hand, the people of the Dorm Division, led by their Chief; Nene Muala Okumsono, on the other hand do not want to associate themselves with the present Konor, Nene Sakite II, or any other Konor who will emerge from the Nam Royal Clan of Djebiam.

Last Friday’s colorful ceremony was the third time the Suisi people, who mainly occupy areas such as Korletsom (Kukunya), Hwekper, Kodjonya (Alabonya), Menekpo, and Kpongunor (Yonor), are enstooling a Divisional Chief.

The first was Nene Domertey Tsatsu II of the Obodje Royal Clan of Otalenya. After his death, he was succeeded by the late Nene Domer Siakor II of the Angmortsedi Royal Clan of Korletsonya.

The newly installed chief has given the assurance to beef up the Manya-Krobo Traditional Council and advocate for the development of the youth in the area towards the total development of the traditional area.

From Ernest Best Anane

Residents of Foase in the Atwima Kwanwoma District are crying over the poor nature of their roads.
Mr. Christian Acheampong, Unit Committee Chairman at Foase, the district capital, who raised the concerns of the residents at a press conference, indicated that the poor road infrastructures was getting from bad to worse with time.
According to him, the poor condition of the road network had resulted in the withdrawal of services of some commercial vehicles from certain roads by their owners.
He said the Metro Mass Transit buses, which used to provide services from Kumasi to Winiso and beyond to transport passengers and food items from the District to Kumasi, have been withdrawn, affecting the economic development of the area.
He indicated that parents who travel from Kumasi to Trabuom to take their children or wards to Afia Kobi Ampem Gils Senior High School, the only well-endowed girl’s high school in the district, are worried about the nature of the road network, and threatening to withdraw their wards from the school.
Mr. Acheampong also complained that the lives of patients and pregnant women in labour who are referred from the Foase and Trabuom health centers are endangered when being conveyed on such roads to Kumasi.
The Unit Committee Chairman also lamented on the lack of infrastructure to the District administration.
According to him, since the Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly was inaugurated in February 2008, at Foase as the capital, the Assembly had not put up a central administrative block to provide office accommodation for the various departments and units as pertains in other District Assemblies, even though the Chief of Foase had released vast land for development.
He said, currently, the Assembly was operating in temporary offices with inadequate office accommodation for all its departments, with most of the principal officers staying outside Foase and having to commute to and fro on a daily basis.
The Committee Chairman disclosed that three bungalows built by the assembly on the said land are covered with weeds and now at the mercy of the weather.
Mr. Acheampong feared the buildings might deteriorate and collapse if attention is not given to them.

From Ernest Best Anane
DCOP Nathan Kofi Boakye, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, has commissioned a modern police station to serve the residents at Atonsu-Abodiese near Mampong in the Sekyere Central District. The inaugural ceremony formed part of a familiarisation tour of the region, which took him to the Mampong Division, Nsuta, Beposo and Kwaman.
The Police Commander commended Nananom and all stakeholders who collaborated with the District Assembly to make it possible in providing the facility to ensure that lives and properties are protected, while safeguarding against armed robbery.
He indicated that policing was a collective effort by the public and the police personnel, since the service cannot do it alone, and commended the people of Atonsu-Abodiese for the show of support which is worthy of emulation by other communities.
DCOP Boakye pleaded with Nananom and stakeholders to make accommodation available for the personnel, saying any community with a population of over 20,000 should have a police station to reduce criminal activities.
The Commander also charged the public to help the police put measures in place to increase police patrol and visibility to help reduce criminal activities, and assured themof the commitment of the police to maintaining peace and order in the region.
He also expressed the hope that community watchdog committees would complement the efforts of the police in clamping down on criminal activities.
Nana Kwadwo Owusu, Chief of Atonsu-Abodiese, commended the commander and his administration for inaugurating the police station for the people, and hoped that the administration would make personnel and logistics available to make the station functional.
Mr. Ebenezer Akuoko Frimpong, District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, also entreated the people to cultivate the maintenance culture to make sure the facility serves its rightful purpose to encourage the assembly assist other communities.

By Richard Kofi Attenkah
Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited has presented a return ticket to Mr. Steven Kwesi Anim, a businessman, to go and watch Ghana Black Stars in action at the forthcoming world soccer fiesta to be staged in Brazil.
Mr. Kwesi Anim was the top swiper during the “Swipe to Brazil” competition, which was opened to customers of the bank for over two months.
It will be recalled that on February 12, 2014, Stanbic Bank outdoored new visa cards for its customers to use in purchasing and paying for goods and services by swiping at any of the bank’s point of sale, and that the top swiper would get a return ticket to Brazil.
Head of Personal and Business Banking Mr. Benjamin Mensah told the Tema File in an interview that the visa cards are secure and save a person from the stress of having to carry cash around, saying, “all you need is your card in your wallet.”
Mr. Benjamin Mensah said: “The visa card allows you to easily track your spending, thereby helping you to plan your finances better”.
He disclosed that there were an increasing number of merchants in Ghana, who are into businesses such as restaurants, shopping malls and hotels among others, who can accept payment on their point of sale devices.
“You can pay with your card to over 24 million merchants worldwide,” he explained.
Mr. Benjamin Mensah assured customers of the bank that there is no fee when a person purchases and pays for goods and services with the Stanbic Visa card.
He assured customers of the bank, who have been using their visa cards till date, not to give up or feel discounted, saying they should continue to swipe and get the chance to win handsome prizes.
“There will be another draw next week to pick our final winner,” he revealed.
He urged the customers to swipe more and increase their chances of winning, saying, “Just make it a habit to pay for most of your purchases with your visa cards, and you must also ensure that you swipe a total of not less than GH¢500 over a three-month period to increase your chances of winning,” he noted.

By Richard Kofi Attenkah

The Ashaiman Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jonathan Ametefe Adams Godoe, has called on members of the general public to assist the service with logistics to enable it meet the growing needs of the communities.
According to him, since he took over the administration of the Division in March this year, he has been faced with several challenges.
He stressed that his men do not have adequate residential and office space to operate from, adding his outfit does not have enough vehicles to embark on patrol duties.
ACP Adams Godoe made the call when he delivered a speech at the annual West Africa Security Service Association (WASSA) get-together at Ashaiman on Thursday.
ACP Adams Godoe noted that Ashaiman was a fast developing township, with all manner of people and characters from other neighboring countries with divergent mind sets.
He revealed that while some people come to the area with good intentions, others come there with the sole aim to cause havoc, inflict pain, and grief, as well as indulge in criminal activities which are detrimental to the development of Ashaiman.
ACP Adams Godoe continued that his outfit had not been able to fully deal with the operations of motorbikes riders, popularly known as Okada in the area, stressing that the more his outfit mounts operations against the okada business, the more daring they become.
“When we arrest and seize 200 motorbikes today, over 300 more spring up the following day,” the Ashaiman police boss lamented, adding residents in areas such as Zenu, Golf City, Adjei Kojo, Lebanon among others are at the receiving end of such activities.
He, however, appealed to all residents in these robbery-prone communities to endeavour to volunteer information about the hideouts of these criminals, so that the police can smoke them out.
ACP Adams Godoe assured the informants that the police would not disclose their identities once they give them information about the operations of these criminals and their hideouts.
The Ashaiman police boss urged all police personnel to give out their best in the fight against crime, because they had a constitutional duty to ensure that people in these areas are safe to go about their daily duties without any hindrances.

By Richard Kofi Attenkah
The Tema Regional Police Command has arraigned before the Tema Circuit Court a suspected 22 year-old man criminal, who was arrested at Gbetsile by the Tema Township Night Patrol team last Thursday, around 1:00a.m. Norbert Nyake was charged with stealing, possessing implement intended or adapted for unlawful entry, preparation to commit crime, and causing damage to the windows of his victims.
Briefing the media at her office, the Tema Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mrs. Beatrice Z. Vib-Sanziri, said the patrol team, on its usual patrols at Gbetsile, chanced on Norbert Nyake around the time mentioned above, and therefore, grew suspicious and subsequently arrested him.
When a search was conducted on the suspect, the police found a Samsung mobile phone, a Blackberry mobile phone, two HTC mobile phones, two iron cutters, and a pair of scissors in a black school bag he was carrying on him.
DCOP Vib-Sanziri stated; “Upon further interrogation, the suspect admitted that he used those implements to gain access into the rooms of his victims, and because he has no job, stealing and robbing are what he does to survive.
“Suspect further took police to the two houses where he stole the four mobile phones at Mataheko, and demonstrated how he used the implements in his possession to gain access into his victims’ rooms.”
In a related development, the Tema police patrol team has arrested a 21 year old taxi driver for possessing implement intended or adapted for unlawful entry, contrary to section 154 of Act 29/60. DCOP Vib-Sanziri told the press that the Tema police patrol team, on its usual patrols around Sebrepor, spotted Emmanuel Nartey in the company of two other persons on board a grey and yellow Nissan Almera taxi cab, with registration number GT 3729 14. She said the police beckoned them to stop, but before they could say Jack, the two other persons took to their heels.
When the police searched the taxi cab, they found a cutlass and an iron cutter concealed in the engine compartment of the taxi, which compelled them to find out why the driver decided to keep the implements in the engine compartment of the taxi cab, instead of the car booth.
DCOP Vib-Sanziri called on taxi owners to check the background of drivers they employ, saying some of these drivers team up with their criminal friends to use their vehicles for criminal activities.

By Mohammed Awal

Action Worship Center (AWC), a subsidiary of Action Chapel International (ACI), has extended its benevolence to the people of Adetim in the West Akim District. The AWC, over the weekend, as part of the highlights of its Easter festivities, visited the community where it donated carefully selected items, ranging from clothing, shoes, bags, provisions, educational materials, toys, food items and drinks, toiletries, to 50 bags of cement among others, worth GH¢34,482.10.

The Resident Pastor Rev. Koffy Oko-Adjei, speaking after the donation to The Chronicle, said the gesture was in-line with Jesus’ direction in ‘Matt 14:14’ that the well-to-do in the societies must always have compassion on the poor.

“It is an extension of God’s love, and our corporate social responsibility towards the needy in the society,” he revealed.

On the message of Easter, Rev. Oko-Adjei said it was that of “love, sacrifice, giving, and the message of endurance,” so they, as members of the AWC, led by him, believed that being in the church and blessed they needed to extend their affluence to the impoverished localities like the one they donated to.

He added that the donation was the third in three years. Apart from the material wealth they brought to the people, he further explained that they brought to them the gift of love and salvation, which are eternal, because those are not perishable.

He assured the community that they (the AWC) would ensure that their dilapidated school building would be rebuilt into a modern one. “Who knows the next doctor, President, Chief Justice or Speaker of Parliament may come from this community.”

The Assembly Member for the Abamkrom electoral area, Henry Nyani, thanked the members of AWC for their lovely gesture, saying: “We appreciate the kind gesture done to us by the AWC, especially, by providing us with educational materials, because nowadays, the aim of every parent is to give his or her child quality education, and the people of Adetim are no exception.”

“You could see for yourselves how awful our school block is,” he further lamented.

Mr, Nyani, therefore, called on other non-governmental-organisations (NGOs) to emulate the AWC by coming to their aid to alienate them from their current sour plight.

The Chief of the Area, Nana Kweku Seidu, expressed his profound gratitude to the AWC, revealing that the community rarely enjoyed this type of benevolence and love.

“Today is the happiest day of my life,” Rose Musa, a student of Adetin Vision International, told The Chronicle, adding that “the idea of me using the computer for the first in my life, courtesy the AWC, is beyond comprehension. I’m eternally grateful to them.”

The church members, led by Rev. Oko-Adjei, interacted with the community folks for several hours teaching them the scriptures, and also prayed with them for God’s guidance

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Akatsi South, Mr. Bernard Ahiafor, has commended traditional religious worshipers at Dagbamete in the Akatsi South District for using their religion to promote development, peace, and unity among the people in the area over the years, which, he said, needed to be encouraged for the benefit of the present and future generations.

Mr. Ahiafor observed that the traditional worshipers of Afetorku Gbodzi had used their traditional religion to maintain peace and unity in the community, which made it possible for the people to live happily and use traditional religion as a major source to drive development activities in improving the living conditions of the people.

Speaking at the annual traditional festival of Afetorku Gbodzi at Dagbamete, the MP said they had distinguished themselves in the District over the years, and pledged his support for the three main religious groups in the area, namely Christian, Traditional and Islamic.

The traditional worshipers of Afetorku Gbodzi have established a hospital at Dagbamete, with accommodation for doctors and nurses, which the MP stressed was a project initiated by the traditional religious practitioners and the community.

The MP said he was aware of the roles being played by other religious groups in the area, noting that the church had also established schools and provided other public facilities, just like the traditional religious worshipers of Afetorku Gbodzi have been doing.

Mr. Ahiafor noted that when religious groups and community members initiate their own development projects, it would help promote rapid development like the establishment of hospital which would go a long way to disabuse peoples’ minds that it was only the government that could bring development to their areas.

He cautioned the people in the area not to discriminate against any religious groups, because all that they sought to do was worship the same creator of the universe through different ways, and urged other communities in the area to emulate the chiefs and people of Dagbamete, in order to achieve the much-needed development.

The MP noted that the government had appreciated the efforts being made by the traditional religious worshipers at Dagbamate, particularly the hospital they built, and the government, through the District Assembly, connected electricity to the newly-built hospital and bungalows for doctors and nurses.

The Secretary to the traditional religious worshipers of Afetorku Gbodzi, Mr. Samuel Davor, explained that the traditional religion that they have been practicing was built on five pillars, namely truth, good neigbourliness, respect for human life, love, and justice, which guide the members to lead lives pleasing to the Almighty God at all times.

Mr. Davor said the striking feature of Afetorku Gbodzi was that no advert was made for new members, but gets it members through what he described as voluntary membership, where individual members and benefactors propagate what he called the good work of Afetorku Gbodzi to friends, who, in turn, volunteer to become members of the traditional religious worshipers of Afetorku Gbodzi.

He continued that the traditional religious practice of Afetorku Gbodzi was noted for its healing powers of all kinds of sicknesses and ailments, which modern and western medicine could not cure, but could easily be cured through traditional religious practices of Afetorku Gbodzi.

He further noted that presently, 18 patients suffering from different sicknesses were on admission at Afetorku Gbodzi at Dagbamate.

Mr. Davor said the establishment of the hospital at Dagbamate was to help complement western medicine and traditional methods of healing, particularly, sicknesses that could easily be handled at hospitals without the patients going through difficulties before getting to hospitals.

He said the establishment of the hospital also became necessary, in view of the difficulties communities in the catchment area such as Avenorpedo, Avenorpeme, Fiato, Avedo, Nyekonakpoe, Dzuepe, Horti, Havi, Lofetsume, Atsiati, Gamorkope, Maleme, Kutsime, Tsiame, Asadame and Hatorgodo found it challenging to get access to hospitals at either Abor or Akatsi, which were as far as nine or more kilometres.

Mr. Davor announced that the hospital, which cost thousands of Ghana cedis, was built by Afetorku Gbodzi traditional worshipers, and had such facilities like three consulting rooms, record rooms,  laboratory, X-ray room, pharmacy, a theatre, patients’ waiting room, children’s ward with 10 bed capacity, a 10-bed male ward, and 12-bed female ward.

He, therefore, on behalf of the traditional worshipers of Afetorku Gbodzi, appealed to the public to help the hospital with computers and laminating machines, furniture, hospital beds, laboratory equipment, X-ray machines, and OPD  equipments such as scales, thermometers, pressure measurements equipment, tri-cycles and stretchers among others.

The Chief of Dagbamate, Togbui Klu Agudzeamegah II, who played a leadership role by donating EC equipment and other equipments costing GH¢134,055 to the hospital, commended the traditional worshipers of Afetorku Gbodzi, particularly, the second in command in terms of leadership at Afetorku Gbodzi, Ngorgbea Kofi Davor, for his instrumentality in building the hospital, provision of educational infrastructure, and other social facilities for the town.

Togbui Klu Agudzeamegah appealed to the government to absorb the hospital into the government sector, and provide doctors, nurses and other health workers to work at there, since accommodation for staff had been provided by the traditional religious worshipers of Afetorku Gbodzi and the Dagbamate community.

The Chief of Dagbamate, Togbui Klu Agudzeamegah II (left), presenting hospital equipment to Ngogbea, with Kofi Davor (right) who received the equipment on behalf of the traditional worshippers of Afetorku Gbodzi

By Bernice Bessey & Pics Eric Owiredu

Airtel Ghana, as part of the Easter celebration, has handed over two boreholes at the cost of GH¢21, 850 to the 22,000 residents of Obomeng in the Kwahu South District.

The telecommunications intervention to provide potable drinking water to the indigenes of Kwahu Obemeng was a result of the community experiencing frequent water shortages, due to the collapse of the only water source some years ago. Obomeng and its surrounding communities had no other choice than to compete with animals over a spring called Nsu Yaw. The situation, however, resulted in an increase in the prevalence of guinea worm and other infectious water borne diseases among residents.

At the handing over ceremony last Saturday to the chiefs and people of Obomeng, Donald Gwira, Head of Airtel Ghana Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), said access to potable drinking was the fundamental right of every citizen. He noted that potable water contributes to the healthy lifestyle of an individual, saying: “the provision of the two boreholes means the community will have access to clean drinking water, which will, in turn, impact on sanitation and hygiene for hundreds who desperately need it.”

He described Airtel Ghana as a company that was not only interested in conducting its core business by providing telecommunication services to customers, but also to invest in people and the communities it operates in. “Airtel is people-centered brand, and we are happy to save the residents of Kwahu Obomeng from drinking unclean water,” he added. Mr. Gwira reviewed that the initiative was in line with the Millennium Development Goal on ensuring environmental sustainability by 2015, that proportion of the population must have access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

“Airtel Ghana is assisting in attaining this goal, through its partnership with the local communities and government to make it easy,” he stressed. He urged the residents to take good care of the facility, so that it can survive its lifespan and the purpose for which it was provided. The Omanhene of Kwahu Obomeng, Nana Owusu Amenyaw, thanked the officials from Airtel on behalf of the people, since the only borehole provided by some indigenes in United Kingdom only run for just two hours.

As Oliver Twist would also ask for more, he pleaded with the telecommunications serviced provider to assist them complete a community centre that had been lying uncompleted for the past 18 years. The Member of Parliament for the area, Kwame Acheampong, on the other hand, said the Kwahus, due to their nature of merchandising and being hard working, many people perceive them to have everything and are being by-passed when it comes to the distribution of essential amenities. He added that they also have needs and wants, some of which had compelled Airtel Ghana to provide the people with boreholes.

He thanked Airtel Ghana for the initiative, saying it would go a long way to help health workers, teachers, and students among others, who have to walk long distances to search for water during the dry season.

From Ishaque Agyei.

The inhabitants of Biriwa community in the Mfantseman District had a shock of their lives and trooped to catch the glimpse of the dead body of a 56-year old man being paraded in a palanquin over the weekend.. All activities came to a halt when the dead body of Kofi Narko was seen dressed in a gorgeous kente cloth, with gold traditional attire to match, expensive gold necklaces and bracelets, as well as royal sandals (ahenema), being carried in a palanquin

(Caption ) The corpse of the late chief being paraded through the Biriwa township in a palanquin

In an exclusive interview with The Chronicle, one Safohemaa Ekua Esoun said the late Kofi Narko was named Safohene for the area in 2012, but was never outdoored as custom demands due to financial difficulties.

According to her, to fulfill the traditions and customs of the land, and also avert the wrath of the gods, they need to outdoor him even while dead in order cleanse any spiritual misfortunes.

She revealed that the body was kept in the morgue for 2-years, since the family was unable to raise the amount needed for the initiations to take effect before the burial, but after some contributions they had “come to do it today,” she added.

 According to her, that was the third time a dead body was being carried in the palanquin at Biriwa.

By Bernice Bessey

Delta Air Lines, in collaboration with the Ghana Red Cross Anti-Malaria Campaign, has adopted year-long house-to-house programme to educate the general public on the importance and use of treated mosquito nets in the Greater Accra Region.  The programme, which was launched in February this year, is expected to recruit over 80 volunteers, who will be trained to undertake the exercise.

“We are happy to be making progress in this collaboration. Malaria, undoubtedly, is one of the most common diseases, and the cause of a number of deaths in several African countries, including Ghana,” commented Bobby Bryan, Delta Air Lines’ Commercial Manager for East and West Africa.

“As an international company with a strong presence in the country, the wellbeing of its people, especially women and children, and their freedom from Malaria, is of great concern to us. We wish all the volunteers well in their assignments.”

Madam Beatrice Adama Idrisu, a nurse from the Ussher Policlinic in Accra, who conducted the first part of the one-day volunteer training, stated: “Malaria is one of the most common diseases in the country which kills several people each year. I am very glad to see all these volunteers here today, because this campaign will go a long way to help control and reduce the high occurrence of the disease in the country.”

The second part of the training session was conducted by Mr. Thomas Aapore, Event Coordinator of the Ghana Red Cross Society. He expressed his delight about the partnership with Delta Air Lines, and stated that they were looking forward to educating and positively impacting on the lives of residents of the localities which will be visited, so that more companies will be encouraged to follow Delta’s remarkable example.

Another training session would soon to be held in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. The campaign, which has been developed to last through the rest of the year, will see a mass distribution of 4,000 Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLIN) in the country, starting from the Nima locality in the Greater Accra Region, with a total number of 8,000 beneficiaries.

This campaign is in alignment with the Ghana Health Service’s goal to curb the high rates of malaria.

Delta has operated services to Ghana since December 2006, and now operates services to five African cities in five countries.

By Bernice Bessey & Pics Eric Owiredu .

The Africa Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMRN), has disclosed that despite saving an estimated 3.3 million lives from malaria, the disease still kills an estimated 627,000 people annually.

Children under five years of age in Sub-Sahara Africa, AMMRN, noted, were major casualties.The network made this observation recently in Accra at a forum to raise awareness against the deadly malaria disease.   The forum which was on the theme “Accelerating Ghana’s progress towards malaria elimination” targeted journalists as a priority tool in the educational campaign against the malaria disease. The event was in preparation towards this year’s World Malaria Day which fell on April 25, 2014.

A representative from the Dodowa Health Research Centre, Dr. Alberta Amu addressing the forum said malaria elimination in the country was feasible and doable, if the government would decentralize malaria research centres to local assemblies to enable them find out the causes and management of the disease. She explained that malaria was a variety of different diseases, which occurrence differs from area to area. For instance, the Greater Accra Region has a parasite prevalence of 4.1 percent, whilst the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions have between 44 and 51.2 per cent, making it impossible to compare even the regions.

She said the effort towards the elimination of malaria was a good thing, since “it would lead to reductions in morbidity and mortality of our nationals.” The health researcher further called on politicians, development partners, media, community leaders, individuals, religious bodies, organisations and corporate institutions to fight to kick malaria out of the country. An official from the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), Madam Vivian Aubyn, briefing the gathering on “Malaria situation in Ghana and strategies for effective control,” said the country had made remarkable progress in combating the disease.

She indicated that the parasite load in children, for instance, had dropped from 75 per cent in year 2002 to 27.5 percent in 2011, as well as death reducing from 14.4% in 2000 to 0.6 in 2013. This means that in the year 2000, out of 1,000 children admitted for severe malaria, 144 of them died, but in 2013, due to progress made in malaria control, out of 1,000 children admitted for severe malaria, only six died.

“Between then and now, 138 deaths in children under five years with severe malaria have been averted. But we are not resting until we can record zero deaths from malaria,” she stated. The Rector of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), Mr. David Newton, pledged the institution would also support to eradicate malaria from the country. He stated that the institute had designed health courses onto its post-graduate programmes that would help raise awareness. Mr. Newton noted that the malaria epidemic goes beyond just treatment, but a conscious effort to awaken the mind of Ghanaians to preventive measures.

By Bernice Bessey

Vodafone Ghana has delivered 50 Alcatel age-friendly headset phones to Help Age Ghana, a non-profitable organisation that advocates and takes care of the needs of elderly people in the country.

The newly-designed and affordable Alcatel One Touch 282 has special features that enhances the mobile experience of elderly people, according to the Vodafone Ghana Head of Consumer Marketing, Mr. Jesse Agyepong.

He said the donation was part of the telecom giant’s social intervention to bring relief to people, even in the comfort of their homes. He noted that most elderly people had visual and hearing impediments, which makes it difficult for them to use other handsets that do not have special features such big labeled keys that allow the aged to see clearly, an inbuilt radio and SOS emergency key.

“The SOS enables users to make customised calls and send text messages to a variety of contacts. It has an enhanced hearing aid feature, which makes it easy for the hearing impaired. It comes with a handy charging dock, which can hold the headset at home,” Mr. Agyapong added.

He said social interventions like Healthline 255, and weekly telecast of how to prevent and treat diseases, are one of the few ways through which Vodafone was reaching out to communities, despite its focus on providing telecommunication services.

“Our commitment to delivery and inclusion at Vodafone Ghana ensures that we serve all our customers, regardless of their age and gender. We specifically took delivery of these phones, because we want to satisfy the needs of particularly the elderly who want a very simple mobile experience,” said the Vodafone team leader, Iris Owusu-Manu.

Aaron Mensah, National Coordinator of Help Age Ghana, thanked the red and white branded communication operators on behalf of the elderly. The Coordinator, even though was grateful for the donation, expressed worry over the manner in which some people ignore and manhandle the aged.

He said Ghana, even though was developing, doesn’t have enough laws that protect and seek the rights of the elderly. He urged people to refrain from mistreating the aged, because “aging is not a disease, but a stage in life. If you don’t respect the aged, don’t expect to be an elderly one day.”

From Ernest Best Anane

The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Nathan Kofi Boakye, has received a commendation by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr.  Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan. The IGP commended DCOP Kofi Boakye for his overwhelming performance in clamping down on crime in the region tremendously in the past few months since assumption of office as the regional police boss.

He observed that when the police work hard they would get acceptance and assistance from the public to enable them help reduce crime in the region, with reports from the public and the media about the strenuous efforts of the Ashanti Police Command in fighting criminals.

The IGP called on the general public to always give accurate information to help the police protect lives and properties to make the region peaceful and sustainable.

He commended the media in the region for its continued support in contributing to ensuring that the region remains peaceful for sustained development, and bringing the presence of the police into the limelight.

IGP Alhassan handed over five motorbikes donated by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Samuel Sarpong, as his assistance to the police to fight crime in the region.

From Sebastian R. Freiku

Joseph Osei-Owusu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bekwai, has appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to the come to the aid of residents of communities which were affected by a heavy rainstorm last week Tuesday.

He said his office would assess the damage and file a report to the appropriate quarters for the necessary action towards assistance and relief. About 200 people were rendered homeless when four communities in the Bekwai constituency were hit by a heavy downpour, affecting about 45 houses.

The affected communities are Kwamang, Abesewa, Asokore and Nkyikyiam.Roofs were ripped off and walls broken, causing extensive damage to properties worth thousands of Ghana cedis. No casualties have so far been recorded. Mr. Fred K. Nkansah visited the communities to console with the victims, most of who are now putting up with friends and relations in and around the affected communities.

The Unit Committee Chairman of Abesewa, Mr. Osei Kwadwo, complained that the victims suffered a similar problem last year, but did not get any form of assistance from NADMO and the Bekwai Municipal Assembly, and appealed to the MP for the area to help them. He also appealed to the Bekwai Municipal Assembly to give relief assistance to the victims, and give the rehabilitation of damaged properties priority attention. In a related development, 78 houses in the Amansie West District have had their roofs ripped off when a terrible rainstorm hit seven communities in the area.

The affected communities are Manso Yawkrom, Manso Aboabo, Manso-Nkaa, Manso Suntreso, Manso krofufrom, Manso Kyenkyenase, and Manso Suntreso Krofufrom. The District Chief Executive, Mr. Alex Kwame Bonsu, and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Co-ordinator, Mr. Amoako Gyampah, and officials of NADMO have visited the victims and consoled them.

The DCE appealed to the NADMO to come to their aid to help in the rebuilding of their houses. He appealed to the people to always engage competent artisans to work on their houses, and advised them to plant trees around their houses to serve as wind breaks to avoid a future recurrence of the disaster.