No more outside engagement for Asantehene until funeral
NADMO warns of possible outbreak of epidemic
Nyoligu discovers underground water
African governments urged to tackle educational problems
Media Commission expresses concern about unverifiable allegations
Lets form environmental vigilantes - Lecturer
No more outside engagement for Asantehene until funeral
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 16 July '99
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is not permitted by Asante tradition and custom to attend or undertake any public engagements outside Asanteman until the final funeral rites of his predecessor, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II have been performed.
A statement issued by the Manhyia Palace and signed by Mr A. S. Y. Andoh, Asantehene's private secretary in Kumasi on Thursday said the Asantehene is in a state of mourning until after that period.
It said this decision by the Asanteman Council "corrects the report at page 12 of the July 15 edition of the Daily Graphic and an announcement on the Garden City Radio (GCR) today".
The two media reported among other things that "the Asantehene cannot appear in public for any function and asked all to kindly take cognisance of this and be guided accordingly".
GRi../
NADMO warns of possible outbreak of epidemic
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 July '99
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) on Thursday warned that stagnant waters in the communities at Tetegu and areas south of the Weija dam in Accra, could be a recipe for epidemics.
A statement in Accra after a tour of the area by officials of NADMO said
the situation in these flood-prone areas was worse than previous years as new houses spring up, blocking waterways.
As a result, more houses have been flooded, breaking walls and killing people.
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Nyoligu discovers underground water
Nyoligu (Northern Region) 16 July '99
The discovery of high yielding underground water at Nyoligu in the Savelugu-Nanton district by a team of engineers scouting for a suitable site for a borehole has set the people agog with joy.
To this farming community and its surrounding villages, the discovery is a big relief; having suffered for decades from perennial water shortage with its attendant problem of guineaworm and other water borne diseases.
The people expression their joy by drumming and dancing all day on receiving the news that a big reservoir of underground water has been hit.
The underground water to be mechanised for distribution to a number of communities in the district is part of a one billion-cedi project being financed by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Vision International (WVI), The District Assembly and the beneficiary communities.
Mr Patrick Apoya, Northern Regional Co-ordinator of the Guineaworm Eradication Programme, told the GNA at Nyoligu that UNICEF is contributing 250,000 dollars, WVI 111,300 dollars. The District Assembly and the communities are contributing 10 and five per cent respectively of the total cost.
UNICEF's contribution will cover the construction of the pumping station, transmission pipelines, the erection of an overhead storage tank, procurement of two submersible pumps and training in capacity building on community management for a constituted water management board.
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African governments urged to tackle educational problems
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 July '99
A call has gone out to African governments to strive to overcome problems associated with the falling enrolment ratios, drop-out rates and poor performance levels that affect education so as to achieve positive returns on education.
Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, a deputy Minister of Education, who made the call in Accra on Thursday, said research in education must also be encouraged since it has been identified "as the key-pin to effective solution of problems related to the provision of quality education."
Periodic review of the educational system through research should be done to make policies responsive to the needs and changes of the times, he said.
Dr Chambas was opening a day's workshop on Gender and Primary Schools Project (GAPS). The workshop, organised by the Ministry of Education, was to discuss the draft report of the project findings and recommendations.
The final report will be presented to the Ministry in October.
The project which started in January last year, seeks to identify the most promising policy options to achieve primary schooling for all and the resource implications of such policies.
The project, which is also researching into factors that cause low participation and the performance of girls in primary schools relative to boys, was initiated by the Forum for African Women Educationists (FAWE) and co-ordinated by the Institute of Development Studies of the University of Sussex, in the United Kingdom.
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Media Commission expresses concern about unverifiable allegations
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 July '99
The National Media Commission has expressed concern about the continued publication of "unverifiable allegations and the low standard of professionalism in some of the media."
A statement signed by Mr Tim Acquah-Hayford, Chairman of NMC, in Accra on Thursday said: "while the commission is ready to encourage the expression and practice of media freedom, it deplores journalism that undermines profession and tarnishes the image of the country".
The NMC said a case in point is a front-page story in the July 8-15 edition of the "National Monitor" with the headline "US and Germany supporting armed robbers and pseudo journalists to subvert Ghana's infant democracy and stability."
It said a careful reading of the story leaves no one in doubt about the unsubstantiated nature of the allegations made.
"The Commission takes this opportunity to advise all journalists to check on facts before publication to ensure that they do not violate the law and undermine the freedom of the media."
Meanwhile, the NMC has invited the Editor of the National Monitor to appear before it.
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Lets form environmental vigilantes - Lecturer
Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 16 July '99
A Ghanaian lecturer at the British Colombia University in Canada, Dr Senyo Adjibolosso, has suggested the formation of environmental vigilante clubs to promote compliance of sanitation laws.
He said such clubs should have the power to apprehend those who pollute the environment for prosecution.
Dr Adjibolosso was speaking after a clean up exercise at the Holy Family hospital and other parts of the town as part of a programme to rid the town of filth.
The "Techiman Beautification Project'' was instituted by Professor Joseph Mensah and Professor Adjibolosso, both lecturers at the Colombia University to encourage the residents to cultivate sound environmental practices.
The weekly clean up exercise is the second to be organised under the project. More than 160 people drawn from the Techiman Secondary School, the Techiman Tourism and Environmental Club and the public participated.
GRi../