Communications Minister calls for responsible journalism
Oral English now compulsory for final year SSS students
Assembly bares teeth against fishermen
The deaf lament their plight .. call for more government support
MP's in Volta region urged to do more
Club plants trees to commemorate June Four
NPP youth wing undertakes cleanup exercise
Aids on the increase in Brong Ahafo
Ban on drumming lifted in Tema
Disabled society elects new officers
Pilot census to be conducted in five districts
Miracle Family launches projects
Former Japanese Prime Minister arrives
Communications Minister calls for responsible journalism
Accra (Greater Accra), 31st May 99 -
The Minister of communications, Mr. John Mahama on Friday expressed dissatisfaction about a trend in journalism where public officials especially those of the NDC are reported dead whenever they are sick.
A statement issued and signed by Mr.Mawutodzi Abissath, Public Relations Officer of the ministry, was reacting to a story in an Accra private weekly, on the death of Miss Sherry Aryeetey, managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries.
'' This current false report on Miss Aryeetey, who is also the vice chairperson of the NDC is just an example of a disturbing trend in journalism creeping into the Media''
In the past, several government officials including Captain Kojo Tsikata and Mr Kofi Totobi Quakyi were falsely reported dead.
According to the statement, recently, news was circulated to the effect that the President had died of a heart attack at the time when he was in the Brong Ahafo going about his official duties.
The Minister pointed out that traditional report of death in our society are handled with a lot of care and called for diligent steps to verify information even when deaths are confirmed.
Care should also be taken to ensure that sensibility of the bereaved family are not hurt in the way the news is released.
It called on the National Media Commission and the Ghana Journalist Association to take steps to check this development which it said amounts to" premeditated cruelty'' against concerned individuals and their family.
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Oral English now compulsory for final year SSS students
Bolgatanga (Upper East), 31st May '99 --
Oral English is now compulsory for candidates of the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) as from November 1999.
Mrs Charity Asare, National President of the Ghana Association of Teachers of English (GATE), announced this during a tour of the Upper East region to discuss with teachers on how to raise the standard of English language in schools.
Mrs Asare noted that English language is the gate to the learning of the other subjects and said that the introduction of Oral English would go a long way to help improve upon the overall performance.
Mr M.M. Doh, National Secretary of GATE, said a national delegates conference would be held on August 31 in Kumasi to brief teachers on current techniques in teaching the English language, and urged headmasters to sponsor their English tutors to the conference.
Mr Doh was not happy with the poor performance of students in the English Language and urged teachers to work extra hard to reverse the trend.
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Agogo (Ashanti), 31st May 99 -
This year's regionalNurses' week in the Ashanti Region has been launched atAgogo with a call on nurses to be professionally well-equipped to enable them to meet the challenges of the next millennium.
This year's celebration which coincides with the centenary celebration of the international nurses day, focuses on the need for nurses to rise up to the emerging challenges of health care reforms worldwide.
Speaking at the launch, the deputy Director of AgogoNurses Training College, Miss Rose Boateng, said the current health care reforms has made the sector more competitive and dynamic.
She said this competitiveness and dynamism calls for nurses who are equipped with multiple skills as well as the ability to generate, process and transmit health information.
The Ashanti Regional chairperson of the Ghana Registered Nurses' Association (GRNA), Mrs Rose Owusu-Yeboah asked the Government to change its priority towards eradicating poverty and malnutrition.
Mrs Owusu-Yeboah described as alarming the nurse-patient ratio of 1 : 1,600 and called on the Government to do everything possible to expand the enrollment and training of nurses nation-wide.
Mr Kwaku Kyei, District Chief Executive of Asante-Akim North who stood in for the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kojo Yankah, called on nurses to crave for the humble, caring and compassionate attitude of Florence Nightingale "the mother of nursing".
Mr Kyei pledged the Government's support in improving nurses' accommodation problems, and enrolment into the Nurses Training Colleges.
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Assembly bares teeth against fishermen
Donkorkrom(Eastern Region), 31st May 99 -
The District Chief Executive of Afram Plains, Lt. Col. Lord Sarfo has warned that the District Assembly would cause the arrest and prosecution of fishermen who engage slave boys to work for them.
He explained that, the issue is difficult to control because most of the boys involved are recruited from other fishing villages in the country.
The District Chief Executive said often the people in the fishing communities in the Afram Plains keep the background of those boys secret from the authorities until when there are disasters and efforts are made to locate their relatives or hometowns.
Lt Col Sarfo was answering a question at the regional edition of the " Meet the Press" series, organised by the Eastern Regional Branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at Donkorkrom at the weekend.
Mr A.Y.O. Modoc, Director of Afram Plains Development Organisation, a non-governmental organisation, said his organisation had done a lot of research on the issue of slave boys on the Afram Plains.
The Director explained that as the slave boys and their masters often lead a nomadic life - they move from one fishing village to the other - it is very difficult to trace them.
Mr Ackom Quayson, district Officer of the Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice gave the assurance that his outfit is working out a plan with the district Assembly to stamp out the practice in the Afram Plains.
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The deaf lament their plight .. call for more government support
Koforidua (Eastern Region), 31st May 99 -
Only one deaf student has been able to secure admission into a Teacher Training College since the first school for the deaf was established in the country in 1958.
Almost all the other 120 pupils who graduated annually from the country's 12 basic deaf schools either returned to their families for their livelihood or enter into the street to beg for alms due to lack of opportunities to further their education at the tertiary levels.
The General Secretary of the Ghana Society for the Deaf, Mr George O. Tetteh disclosed this at a meeting with the Eastern Regional branch of the society yesterday.
Though Ghana was the first African country to establish school for the deaf, it is the worst in providing opportunities for the deaf to attain higher levels of education to develop their full potential, Mr Tetteh said.
He said lack of effective teaching and learning materials, coupled with the use of the voice to teach deaf pupils had rendered them incapable of progressing on the academic ladder.
The General Secretary said that though Ghana does not have data on the number of deaf persons in the country, some international reports estimated it to be around 100,000, of which about 40,000 are of school going age.
He urged that deaf children be assisted to gain accessto education and also find ways of generating employment.
The regional chairman of the society, Dr Adolph Appiah, called on the Unit committees to provide the society with the information on deaf persons in their communities to enable it obtain assistance for them.
He called on the members to come out with ideas that could influence the government to address the problems facing deaf persons in the country.
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MP's in Volta region urged to do more
Accra (Greater Accra), 31st May 99 -
Members of parliament in the Volta Region were on Saturday urged to do more to help in the development of the Volta Region.
Mr Emmanuel Dzamefe, president of the Accra Polytechnic chapter of the Volta Region Students Association (VORSA) who made the call in Accra, expressed the disappointment of the association at the performances of the MPs.
He said very important issues among which are the Keta sea defence project and the Trokosi practices, have not received any attention from these MPs.
Mr Dzamefe, who was speaking at the first national consultative meeting of the association which was attended by the executive members of all the chapters in the regions, called on the MPs to live up to expectation and deliver on their promises.
He said the meeting was called to address the falling educational standards in the region and deliberate on how best to see to the development of the region among other pressing issues.
Mr Dzamefe noted that the association, which is made up of students in tertiary institutions who hail from the region, is not a political group and helps in voluntary teaching in some schools in the region and we plan to help exploit the tourism potentials in the area.
He said there are also plans to send proposals to the government for the setting up of a university in the region.
Dr Mrs Esther Ocloo, a prominent industrialist and Director of the Sustainable End of Hunger Foundation, called on the youth in the region to go into agriculture to develop the area.
Rev J. K. Afele, of the Madina Evangelical Presbyterian Church, noted that the region abounds in talents and manpower to develop it to any appreciable level and called for the education of the youth on the importance of agriculture.
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Club plants trees to commemorate June Four
Techiman (Brong Ahafo), 31st May 99 -
Members of the Techiman Ahenefie Youngsters Club are planting trees along the principal streets of the town as part of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the June Four Uprising.
The chairman of the Club, Mr Kwaku Adjei said the members decided to undertake the project because apart from commemorating such a historic occasion, the trees would also help beautify the town and act as a wind breaks.
He said the club has put in place the necessary steps to ensure that every seedling planted is nurtured to maturity.
The District Chief Executive, Mr Francis Yaw commended the club for their communal spirit and urged other voluntary bodies to assist the assembly, to solve the sanitation problem of the town, by organising cleanup campaigns regularly.
In appreciation of their dedication, the DCE presented a number of food items to the members, to encourage them to undertake more of such projects.
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NPP youth wing undertakes cleanup exercise
Techiman (Brong Ahafo), 31st May 99 -
About 100 members of the Wangraline Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Friday undertook a three-hour cleanup exercise around the offices of the Ghana Education Service at Techiman.
They desilted choked gutters and culverts, weeded the compound and collected solid and liquid waste to disposal points.
The organiser, Mr Alphonse Kwabena Albert told the Ghana News Agency that the exercise was to give practical meaning to community service and to get rid of the filth in the town.
After the exercise, which was later joined by many people, Mr Albert commended participants and said it would be a regular affair and hoped that by the exercise, more people will be encouraged join the party.
Mr Awuley Quaye, Vice-Chairman of the Wing, called on the members to intensify their campaign to win more supporters, by going from house to house to explain to the people why the NPP should win the next general elections.
He said the present hardships in the country has become unbearable, hence the need for a change in government and asked supporters of the party not to rest on their oars since, "we cannot afford to lose the next elections."
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Aids on the increase in Brong Ahafo
Sunyani (Bronga Ahafo), 31st May 99 -
Four hundred and sixty-seven (467) new cases of Acquired Immune Defiency Syndrome (AIDS) were recorded in the first quarter of this year in the Brong Ahafo region.
The figure represents 26 per cent increase over the 372 cases of the disease recorded in the region over the same period last year.
This was contained in a speech read on behalf of the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Kofi Asare at an inter-schools quiz competition on HIV/AIDS, held at the Sunyani Secondary School as part of activities marking the HIV/AIDS month in the region.
The quiz, contested between three senior secondary schools in the Sunyani district saw Sunyani Secondary and St James Seminary jointly placing first with 20 points whilst Odumaseman Secondary School placed second with 19 points.
Dr Asare said last year alone, 1,368 AIDS cases were recorded in the region with men accounting for 648 of the cases and the remaining 720 cases being females.
He stated that the most affected group of persons are the youth between the ages of 20 and 39, who accounted for 66 per cent of all reported cases.
Dr Asare described the HIV/AIDS statistics in the region as alarming and cautioned the youth to desist from unprotected and pre-marital sex in order to avoid contracting the disease.
He warned females between the ages of 15 and 19 years against pre-marital sex as they are six times more likely to contract the disease than their male counterparts due to their biological and economic vulnerability.
Dr John Williams, Medical Officer in charge of the sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic at Sunyani Government Hospital said the quiz contest is part of strategies being adopted to create greater awareness of the disease among the youth.
Dr Williams said because the youth are the most vulnerable demographic group affected and infected by the AIDS menace, it is crucial that they are actively involved in HIV/AIDS prevention activities.
"As the most affected group, we need to promote young people's genuine participation in HIV/AIDS prevention activities and create the awareness of the impact of the disease to enable them live responsible sexual lives".
Mr William Supime, Regional Health Education Officer, who was the Quiz Master commended the students for displaying high knowledge of the HIV/AIDS and urged them to spread information on the disease to their colleagues.
Prizes including dictionaries, novels and cakes of soaps were presented to the three schools.
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Ban on drumming lifted in Tema
Tema Manhean (Greater Accra), 31st May 99-
The Tema Traditional Council on Saturday lifted the ban on drumming and noise making, imposed in the traditional area three weeks ago.
Rites were performed at the Sakumo and Chaade shrines before the lifting of the ban.
The Paramount Chief Nii Adjei Kraku II was the first person to beat a drum.
The ban imposed from May seven to 29 was meant to create a quiet environment for meditation and sober reflection on the successes and failures of the people and to plan for the future.
In an address Nii Adjei Kraku thanked all residents and churches in the Tema Municipality for their co-operation during the period of the ban.
He said he was also happy there was no nasty incident between the traditional authorities and the churches or residents, in unlike some parts of Accra, where certain churches invited the wrath of the landlords.
Nii Adjei Kraku explained that the ban was imposed after a meeting with representatives of 35 churches at his palace, during which the churches agreed to observe the ban.
In Tema the ban is normally imposed three weeks after the celebration of the annual Kpledjoo festival and three months to the annual Homowo festival.
During the period playing of musical instruments, whistling or weeping are not allowed, while the dead is buried without elaborate funeral.
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Disabled society elects new officers
Accra (Greater Accra), 31st May 99 -
The Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled on Friday held its national elections in Accra to pick new executives to steer its affairs.
Mr Charles Appiagyei, the incumbent president, retained his post with 39 votes as against seven each by Mr Atakora Asa Yaw Poku and Mr Michael Wereko De Graft, and three by Mr Billy Sarsah.
The position of first Vice-President went to Mr Ago Ablo.
The others were Mr Christian Owusu, Secretary, and Mr Christopher Kissea, Public Relations Officer.
Mr Appiagyei thanked the members for the confidence reposed in him and promised to work assiduously to assist the association to achieve its goals.
He announced that the society had signed a 150,000-Swedish Kroner sponsorship agreement with the Swedish Handicapped International Aid Association for two years.
The agreement covers a community rehabilitation programme, the running of the organisation for capacity building in terms of mobilisation, awareness raising, and gender issues.
Mr. Wereko, on behalf of the other contestants, requested the new executives to always be in contact with the founders and share ideas with them for the benefit of the society.
Mrs Gladys Pinkrah and Mr Emmanuel Asante, both of the Elections Department of the National Electoral Commission, conducted the elections.
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Pilot census to be conducted in five districts
Atimpoku (Eastern Region), 31st May 99 -
The Asuogyaman district is one of five selected districts to conduct a pilot census to precede the national one which comes off next year.
Mr Emmanuel Dwamena-Bekoe, district chief executive, said this at the first meeting of the district's census steering committee at Atimpoku on Saturday.
The trial census begins in June this year and is expected to last three weeks.
Mr Dwamena-Bekoe cautioned the members not to politicise the exercise and to ensure adequate resources to the supervisors and enumerators who would be conducting it.
He stressed the importance of public education in the exercise and asked them to involve traditional authorities to ensure success.
The DCE asked them to show commitment and dedication to duty and to be abreast with the coding method of the exercise.
The committee has representatives from the district co-ordinating council and the non-formal education division of the ministry of education.
The DCE asked them to seek the experiences and resources of Information Services Department, National Commission for Civic Education and the 31st December Women's Movement to ensure success.
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Miracle Family launches projects
Accra (Greater Accra), 31st May 99 -
The Miracle Family Christian Centre on Sunday launched a 500 million-cedi projects as its contributions towards providing basic infrastructure for communities.
The projects dubbed ''Miracle Family Christian Centre (MIFACC) projects, include a hospital, vocational school, orphanage and missions support.
The project sites are located in Madina, Adenta and Achiaman near Ofankor all in the Ga North Constituency.
The Reverend Bernard Mensah Adams, General Overseer of the Church, said considering the economic hardships, it came to realisation that government alone cannot provide for all ''our basic needs'', hence the decision to help.
He said he had this vision so many years ago when he was a petty trader and thank God that he has made his dream come true.
Rev. Adams said the church already had hospital equipment worth 80 million cedis from the AGAPE International, an American non-governmental organisation (NGO).
The projects, he said would be funded by contributions from members, organisations and NGOs.
Mr Emmanuel N. Mensah, Director, Institutional Care Division of the Ministry of Health, said 40 per cent of health delivery services in the country are provided by the Christian churches and commended MIFACC for joining in that direction.
He advised project co-ordinators to work closely with the district health director to discuss the type of service they want to offer to avoid duplication.
Mr Mensah said the MOH is not interested in competing with the missions that is why they advised that missions should establish health services at places where there are no public health centres.
He pledged the Ministry's support for the project, saying, '' we are mandated to deliver health services in the country and, therefore, welcome anybody who wants to help in that direction''.
The projects are scheduled for completion in 2010.
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Former Japanese Prime Minister arrives
Accra (Greater Accra), 31st May 99 -
Former Prime Minister of Japan Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto arrived in Accra on Sunday.
Mr Hashimoto, now Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister, was accompanied by his wife Mrs Kumiko Hashimoto, and senior officials of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mr Victor Gbeho, Foreign Minister, and officials of the Japanese Embassy in Ghana met Mr Hashimoto on arrival.
While here Mr Hashimoto would call on President Jerry John Rawlings and commission the Sekondi Fishing Harbour, which was funded by the Japanese government.
He would also visit some Japanese funded projects and tour places of interest.
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