Month: November 2023

Breman Asikuma (C/R), Nov 30, GNA-Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu VIII, Paramount Chief of Breman Traditional Area and his people have been applauded for the peaceful celebration of the 2023 edition of the Odwira festival.

Dr. Bryan Acheampong, Minister for Food and Agriculture, made the commendation on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo when he joined them at a grand durbar to climax the 2023 Odwira Afahye at the Catholic Boys School Park at Breman Asikuma in the Central Region.

The festival, held on the theme: ‘Bremanman, yenbomu na yenye,’ was to renew the commitment of the people to forge ahead in unity and work more closer with their development partners to accelerate the development of the area.

Dr. Acheampong who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abetifi Constituency in the Eastern region, stated that Chiefs played vital roles in the country’s unity and cohesion because they were revered in the society and appealed to them to continue to handle their areas with their exceptional expertis
e to ensure the continuation of peace and stability in the country.

The Minister said the government under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo had initiated development projects in the area, including road construction, which needed commendation.

He expressed the need for the citizenry to continue to support the Government in executing its programmes and policies to better their lots.

Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu VII, earlier in his welcoming address, thanked God that life had bounced back to normal paving the way for them to experience the joy of the Odwira festival, which was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also thanked members of the Breman Council and the entire people of the Traditional area for their cooperation and desire to develop the Area.

According to him, the festival brought important milestones in their history into memory, as well as the reflection of their ancestors’ rich culture and tradition.

He said the present generations were privileged to have the experience and it was i
mportant for them to sustain it for the future generations to also experience the same.

He thanked the Government for fixing the bridge on the Ochiso road and awarding their road on contract but appealed to the authorities to replace some old bridges within their community, which had become a death trap.

Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu said it was unfortunate that some road contractors awarded contracts to construct their roads, had worsened their situation.

He said the Traditional Council was given the assurance that the road would be fixed before September this year, but nothing had since been done.

To his people, he said: ‘Helping one’s community is no longer an option but a responsibility, hence the contribution of all and sundry living in the traditional area is important.

‘It is our prayer that this year’s Odwira celebration will encourage more investors to partner with us to develop the area’ Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu stated.

Present were Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Ba
ah Forson, Minority Leader of Parliament who represented former President John Dramani Mahama, Alhaji Alhassan Kobina Ghansah, Member of Parliament for the Area and Mr. Lawrence Edutuah-Asiaw, the District Chief Executive.

Source: Ghana News Agency

As part of the commitment to promote the ‘December in Ghana’ events, the Ghana Bloggers Association, welcomed members of the Diaspora at the Kotoka International Airport, encouraging them to take of a bite of tasty Ghanaian chocolates.

The visitors, including international bloggers, journalists, models, and personalities from diverse backgrounds, will join the campaign to tell positive stories about the country while they engage in other activities.

Presented with symbolic Ghanaian chocolates, the guest and some members of Ghana Bloggers Association wielded placards with inscriptions such as ‘Promote, blog, enjoy December in Ghana’, ‘Gateway to Africa, Ghana Welcomes You’.

‘December in Ghana’ is a flagship celebration which treats Ghanaians, Africans in the Diaspora and the global community to Ghana’s arts and cultural heritage, led by the Ghana Tourism Authority and its partners.

A variety of activities have been lined up throughout December until the first week of January 2024 with hundreds of local an
d international citizens expected to turn up.

Mr Andre Mustapha Nii Okai Inusah, President of the Ghana Bloggers Association, said guests arriving in Ghana should savor the rich taste of cocoa, which remained the nation’s identity.

The reception, he said, was part of the Association’s mission to encourage every Ghanaian online to actively blog and promote the beauty of Ghana during the festive season.

He emphasised the attractiveness of the country, and urged the social media community to explore all 16 regions of Ghana and share positive stories about the country.

Mr Inusah outlined plans for promotional activities across Ghana and the Diaspora throughout December and beyond, acknowledging the guidance and support provided by the Ghana Tourism Authority.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Construction works on development projects under Phase Three of the Ghana Secondary City Support Programme (GSCSP) are steadily progressing in the Sunyani Municipality, with contractors promising to deliver quality work and complete it on schedule.

Last month, Mr Daniel Kwaku Botwe, the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, performed the groundbreaking ceremony in Sunyani for work to begin on the third phase.

The implementation of the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) credit project, which started in 2019, and spans a period of five years, is part of the Government’s broader urban development and decentralisation projects in Ghana.

It would help to strengthen local systems and provide the necessary support to the municipal assemblies for effective urban management and service delivery.

Under the third phase, Sunyani is benefiting from a three-acre landfill reclamation urban park development, a 500-meter storm drain, and a 1.4-kilometer access road.

Visits by stakeholders to the project sites saw the commencement of construction works with the contractors promising to deliver quality work, complete and hand-over in August 2024, as scheduled.

Excavation works, including clearing and construction of a huge steel bridge, were ongoing on the 1.4-kilometre access road linking Petra Hotel and Sunyani Estate to the Sunyani Jubilee Park area.

Mr John Ansu Kumi, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, expressed satisfaction at the levels of work and urged residents to cooperate with the contractors.

He said the Government had been good to the people of Sunyani, who benefitted from the construction of pedestrian walkways, transformative street lighting systems and reshaping of some access roads under phases One and Two.

‘In fact, the implementation of the GSCSP has improved development and beautified the Sunyani Municipality,’ Mr Kumi stated.

He said the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and Mr Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, the Member of Parliament for Suny
ani East, had played an instrumental role in the implementation of the GSSCP in the municipality, adding that the beauty of Sunyani would be glaring for everyone to see.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Traders at the Takoradi Business Centre have expressed the need for the government to help modernize the activities of the agriculture sector to serve as a motivation for farmers to give their best.

The move they indicated would also attract the teeming youth in the country to venture into farming.

Agriculture contributes massively to every country’s development and Ghana is no exception, Ghanaian farmers over decades have provided and contributed to the food chain of the nation.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on the importance of the celebration of farmers day in the country, Madam Mary Tetteh, a vegetable vendor at the Takoradi market said, farming and fishing contributed to Ghana’s economic growth, therefore National Farmer’s Day was worth celebrating.

She said: ‘Farmers are important people that need all the recognition and acknowledgement there is since most of the food crops consumed in the country are as a result of their hard work’.

Madam Tetteh appealed to the government to p
rovide farmers and fishers with the requisite incentives that would make the Agric business easier, lucrative, and less stressful for farmers.

She added that agricultural education by the government should be intensified to enable farmers work with the needed skills and tools, adding that education on the use of fertilizers and pesticides for growing crops by farmers must be checked and monitored.

Madam Tetteh alleged that, because farmers used fertilizers in excess, most food crops, especially vegetables usually rot within a brief period on the market shelves resulting a loss.

Madam Tetteh was hopeful that the region’s hosting of this year’s farmers day would bring significant development in the farming and other agrobusinesses in the region.

Madam Fati Bukari another vegetable seller, pointed out that locally produced vegetables, especially carrots and bell peppers, do not last long on the market as compared to the foreign ones.

‘The use of fertilizers and other chemicals by our farmers is becoming too
much thus, most crops get rotten even before they get to the market for sale’, she said.

Madam Charlotte Sam, a fish monger and vendor at the Takoradi market said, even though farmers were doing well by providing Ghanaians with food, much was still expected from them.

She explained that frozen fish had become the preferred fish for smoking and consumption, because the local fishers have resorted to chemicals and inappropriate fishing methods.

‘We cannot smoke sea fish any longer because of the chemicals used, it causes our body to itch once we start preserving it and the taste of the fish even changes due to the use of chemicals’ she said.

On the importance of farmers day awards, Madam Sam said, the awards ought to be devoid of biases, adding that every farmer in the country irrespective of their status must be recognized and acknowledged duly for their hard work towards economic growth and development.

She added that the awards given must be significant enough to motivate farmers and fishers to give of
their best, adding that ‘no farmer should be left out when awards are being given on an occasion like Farmer’s Day.’

The traders therefore appealed to the government, NGO, and stakeholders to intensify the Farmer’s Day Celebration by making more provisions that would motivate and encourage Ghanaian farmers to increase production.

The 2023 National Farmer’s Day, which marks the 39th edition would be climaxed on Friday December 1, 2023, at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa by an awards and dinner night;

The National farmers day at the national level was celebrated in a day, this was however revised to five -day agricultural fair and durbar on the theme ‘Delivering smart solutions for sustainable food security and resilience.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Tema Metropolitan Social Welfare and Community Development has sensitised parents on child protection at the Tema Newtown Anglican Primary School to understand rights of their children and the responsibility of parents towards the growth and development of their wards.

The programme was funded by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund to help promote the rights of a child, child survival, and the development and elimination of child labour.

Parents were educated on the effects of child abuse, neglect, sexual assault, child labour, physical abuse, verbal abuse, and many more.

Mr. Enoch Ohene, social welfare and community development facilitator, stated in an interaction with a parent that parents are supposed to protect their wards from all sorts of social deviant behaviour for the children can grow to be good citizens of society and the nation at large.

He mentioned that parents were not allowed to involve their wards in any form of labour or vocational training under age 15 and a
dvised parents to do their best to provide children with their basic needs rather than push them to trade on their own.

He said children could help parents after homework and should not exceed 1800 hours in the evening, because when social welfare gets parents doing that, they will be called to answer.

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He noticed that teenage pregnancy cases in New Town were rising, and most of the causes were attributed to parental neglect, hence the need to sensitise parents about the welfare and protection of their wards.

Madam Edwina Akoto, a facilitator, stated that the number of teenagers who visit the social welfare centres with infections and pregnancy was alarming and ueged parents to befriend their children to be free to confront some challenges they face rather than resorting to their friends for advice.

She advised parents that the children learnt directly from the activities they see and should lead an exemplary life for the children to learn from.

‘Parents, do not send your younger children to buy you al
cohol and cigarettes. Also, do not allow others to send your wards to buy them, because the children tend to taste such things when the parents are not around or hide to drink from the same bottle; they used to purchase the alcohol, and this eventually tends to be their behaviour because they see it every day.’

She mentioned that social welfare and community development were doing their best to educate the parents on issues affecting the growth of their wards; however, it was the duty of the parents to implement the things they were taught and shared the SWCD office line with them so that they could call to seek help and assistance – 0558071165

The headmistress for the school, Madam Peace Mintah, also added that parents should ensure that their wards have books and other things that they need to facilitate their learning.

She mentioned that, since most parents spend much time with their businesses, the best way to create communication and bond with their children is by helping them with their homework and
asking them about how things went and what happened in school. That way, the children will feel the interest of their parents in their academics, which will motivate them to learn hard.

She urged parents to have the personal contacts of their children’s teachers so that they can monitor the performances of their wards and once in a while pass the school to check if their wards are in school because it has come to the attention of the school that some children dress and take their feeding fees from their parents, but they do not come to school.

‘I believe if parents come to the school to visit their wards and check on their performance, it will put the children in shape because they know their parents can come to the school to check on them any day.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Seth Yormewu, the District Chief Executive for Anloga in the Volta Region has appealed to the Ghana Water Company Limited to make its sachet and bottled water available on the market.

The DCE said the water produced by the Company is of high quality, but because it was not on the market, most citizens were not aware of it and unable to buy it.

Mr Yormewu made the appeal when the Company presented some relief items to persons affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage in the district.

The Volta Regional Directorate of the Company in collaboration with its Head Office donated 1,000 bags of sachet and 50 packs of bottled water to victims in the district.

The water presented to the victims was produced by a subsidiary of the Ghana Water Company Limited called G-WATER and was of high quality.

The DCE also appealed to the Company to establish its office at Anloga, disclosing that the area had 28 electoral areas, and the establishment would help in effective delivery of service to the people.

Mr Francis Lamptey
, Volta Regional Chief Manager of the GWCL told Ghana News Agency the Company would consider the appeal for the establishment of an office at the area.

He disclosed that to get a district, it had to have a minimum of about 5,000 customers, but ‘if it is below, about 1,000 2,000, we do what we called sub district.

Mr Lamptey said they would look at the data available to them and if the area had the required number an office would be created for them.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Forcing pregnant girls to go and stay with men who impregnated them is not a good practice, Ms. Doris Ocansey, the Adolescent Reproductive Health Focal Person for the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, has bemoaned.

Ms. Ocansey expressed worry when talking on the ‘Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility’ platform, an initiative of the Ghana News Agency’s Tema Regional Office to promote communication on health-related matters.

She said her outfit had noticed that, when adolescent girls get pregnant in the Tema Metropolis, their parents or guardians then force them to co-habit with the males that impregnated them, irrespective of its consequences.

She said such girls must be given care and encouragement by their families to ensure that they attend antenatal care for safe delivery, adding that they equally need support to enable them to continue their education irrespective of the pregnancy.

She said even though no parent would be happy to have their adolescent girls get pregnant, it was not a justifi
cation to give them to the men, who would only continue having sex with them, and the cycle of giving birth would continue after the first one.

Ms. Ocansey said parents must rather begin sex education at an earlier age to empower their girls to make informed decisions to avoid such pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted diseases, instead of waiting for them to happen and then abandoning them to the males.

She said age- and content-appropriate sex education could be initiated right from childhood by letting the child know the proper names of their sex organs and why people must not touch or play with them.

She stated that with time, parents could build upon the information as they grow, adding that this would build their confidence in either abstaining or negotiating for protection.

According to her, stakeholders must not pretend that the younger population was not engaging in sexual activities but rather educate them on the right way to prevent pregnancies and sickness.

‘The point is that the girls
and boys are having sex; let’s guide them to do it the right way to avoid bad consequences and equip them to make informed decisions,’ she added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional minister has advised women not to depend solely on people particularly on men for their survival.

She observed that a lot of the youth particularly females had suffered in the hands of some men who pretended to favor them in many ways but turn differently to ruin them, adding that ‘No free lunch is offered in life’ and advised the youth to be cautious about people who claim to be assisting theme.

The Regional minister gave the advice at a ceremony to distribute livelihood start-up materials and equipment to 32 women trained in beads making, catering, soap making.

The equipment including ovens, gloves, napkins, sterilizers totaling about GHC100, 00.00 were given to beneficiaries drawn from the Atronie community in the Sunyani Municipality to equip them to increase their income levels by starting their own businesses.

Madam Owusu- Banahene urged women to strive to acquire skills and knowledge that could enable them to support themselves and their families.

S
he entreated them to support their husbands financially to take care of the children’s education and other responsibilities at home.

Madam Owusu- Banahene asked the beneficiaries to make effective use of the skills acquired to achieve its purpose and to train others willingly in society to also get livelihood and become independent to alleviate poverty

She entreated them to develop good customer care services by building good relations, respecting customers who patronize their shops.

The Regional minister urged them to use the social media to learn more techniques and get information about their occupation to expand their business and teach others to become independent to help alleviate poverty

Mr. Kwame Afram Denkyira, Bono Regional programmes officer of the Action Aid Ghana stated that Action aid will continue to work tirelessly to support communities to drive sustainable development for everyone to achieve the desire development.

He emphasized that Action aid was committed to building a society that s
upported people, particularly the vulnerable, to live their full potential.

Source: Ghana News Agency