December 7 or 8 is election day
Need for integrated land use planning advocated
Kade constituency of NPP elect executive
Workshop on chlorinating water bodies opens
December 7 or 8 is election day
Accra (Greater Accra) 21st January 2000
Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Electoral Commissioner said on Thursday, that this year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections will be held on either December 7 or 8.
"The date has not yet been approved so do not quote me yet," Dr Afari-Gyan told a the GTV programme News Conference to be aired on Monday 24th January.
Dr Afari-Gyan said on the programme hosted by GRi Managing Editor, Frank Agyekum that adequate preparations has been put place to ensure a smooth elections.
He said plans are far advanced for the cleaning of the voter’s register and for issuing photo-identity cards.
The Electoral Commission, he said needs about 50 billion for the election exercise but has so far got less that 25 billion dollars.
The donor community have however pledged their support to the exercise Dr Afari-Gyan and was hopeful that the estimated amount will be realized.
GRi
Need for integrated land use planning advocated
Aboaso (Ashanti), 21st January 2000
Mr. K. A. Boadu, Ashanti Regional Manager of Forests has stressed the urgent need for an integrated programme on land use and planning by all sectors that depend on the forests.
"This way, improved land use techniques could be adopted for implementation by relevant organisations."
Mr. Boadu was speaking at the launch of this year's national environmental campaign of the Renewable Natural Resources Students Association of the University of Science and Technology (UST) at Aboaso in the Kwabre district of Ashanti.
Mr. Boadu said education programmes of the Forestry Service have created the needed awareness on tree planting, especially, in Ashanti.
He said the Service provides technical advice and supplies seedlings to people who are interested in planting trees.
Under a new law a timber contractor can only be given felling rights if he established 10 hectares of forest plantation for any one kilometre square of area granted him.
This has made it obligatory for timber contractors to plant trees to replace those felled, he said.
Nana Dwomoh Sarpong, Executive Director of Friends of Rivers and Water Bodies, suggested to traditional rulers to revisit the traditions of old which protected the forests and rivers.
He therefore advocated the creation of special stools by traditional rulers to help check the present rate of environmental degradation.
Mr. Kwame Aboagye-Agyei, an Assistant Programme Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), called for the involvement of the local people in environmental issues.
He said local participation can help with afforestation, wildlife conservation, improvement in sanitation systems, erosion control and watershed management.
GRi
Kade constituency of NPP elect executive
Kade (Eastern Region), 21st January 2000
The Kade constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has elected a new executive to steer the affairs of the party for the next three years.
Mr. Kwaku Sarpong was elected unopposed as chairman after the incumbent, Mr. Adanse Awusi, had announced that he was stepping down for personal reasons but would vigorously campaign to ensure victory for the party in the constituency.
Mr. Kwame Ofosu Okyere and Mr. Adu Marfo were also elected unopposed as first and second vice chairmen respectively.
Mr. Asafo Adjei retained his position as constituency organiser by beating Mr Baah Adinkrah by 17 votes to 11.
Mr. John Koomson is the new constituency organiser. He polled 23 votes as against 16 by Mr. Ben Nyannor.
The position of women's organiser went to Miss Ellen Nimoh while three other women , Miss Lucy Danso, Miss Vivian Otopia and Miss Janet Obenewaa have been appointed to assist in the organisational work..
Mr. Edward Broni polled 22 votes to become the new Youth organiser, beating Appau Danso who had 12 votes and Oduro Frempong, five.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Sarpong pledged to work with zeal to make victory for the party in the constituency a certainty.
Mr. Kwame Nyarko MP for Kade asked the executives to make whatever sacrifices necessary to retain the constituency for the party in the next general elections.
Mr. Alex Agobo, Eastern regional organiser of the party called on the new team to work with dedication by getting to the remotest hamlets to mobilise support for the party.
GRi
Workshop on chlorinating water bodies opens
Tamale (Northern Region), 21st January 2000
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has begun a series of workshops and training sessions on chlorinating water bodies in communities, which were affected by floods last year.
One of such workshops for 39 participants drawn from NADMO, Environmental Health and Community Water and Sanitation Division in the Northern Region was held in Tamale on Thursday.
Mr. Kofi Portuphy, National Co-ordinator of NADMO, in an address, said the workshop is to equip communities to deal with contaminated water sources following the floods last year.
He announced that NADMO has taken delivery of 57 water tanks with 7,000 litre capacity each at a cost of 104 million cedis for distribution to communities in the Tamale District and Upper East Region, which have submitted detailed reports on their systems affected by the floods.
Mr. Portuphy asked the participants to adequately prepare their community members to eliminate the ignorance and superstitious beliefs they associate with diseases like cholera and guinea worm.
GRi