Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale
THE recurrent delays in the payment of government subsidies to schools and its resultant impact on teaching and learning dominated discussions at the ongoing 45th Annual Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in Tamale.
According to the conference, the situation which is getting worse by the year, is also affecting the smooth administration of the schools.
The outgoing President of CHASS, Mr Bolina Saaka, disclosed that "though 45 per cent of the subsidy for the third term of the last academic year is still outstanding, we are nearing the end of the first term of this academic year - a term we began the implementation of the new education reforms, yet no subsidy has been paid".
"This has never happened," Mr Saaka said, adding that boarding schools in the three northern regions were also yet to be paid their full boarding grants for the term.
"This state of affairs is certainly stressful. We, therefore, appeal to our employers to take urgent action to remedy the situation," he stated.
The week-long conference is on the theme, "Education in Ghana beyond 50 - the ICT Factor." It is scheduled to end at the weekend with the election of a new executive.
Mr Saaka called for mutual trust between members and their employers, explaining that "sometimes we are surprised by what they say about us, by what they think about us and sometimes by the directives they give us".
He mentioned the issues of admissions and transfers as some of the areas that their employers would need to demonstrate their confidence in.
For instance, the president said that this year, they were promised that there would be no problems in the computerised placement system, but he noted that most classrooms outside the urban areas were still empty.
"Instead of heads of schools being asked to declare vacancies, is it not possible to ask them to compile lists of candidates from their localities who come to them and send such a list to the CSSPS in Accra?” He asked.
On transfers, Mr Saaka said they had also been asked not to make any transfers in their schools, and that it was only the director of secondary education who should now give approvals.
"What this means is that, if you reside in Navrongo and you want to transfer your ward from Navrongo Senior High School to Bolga SHS, the two heads cannot sort it out between them. The parent will either have to trek to Accra to the office of the director or send the application by post to Accra", he explained.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Mrs Angelina Baiden-Amissah, charged members of CHASS to ensure the sustainability of the new education reform.
She also urged them to focus on managerial discipline, efficiency and accountability at their respective schools.
"There is the need for increased enforcement of effective teaching and learning by discouraging teacher absenteeism, lateness and misuse or insufficient use of instructional time," the minister stated.
She further expressed concern over the indulgence of students in such negative practices as occultism, drunkenness, smoking and indecent dressing, and entreated both parents and teachers to complement each other's efforts in stemming the tide.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
LIFE IN FLOOD AREAS BACK TO NORMAL
Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale
LIFE in the areas affected by floods in northern Ghana has bounced back to normal, with victims picking up the pieces. However, those who lost their homes to the floods are still putting up with friends and relations because of their inability to reconstruct their homes.
Even though the Northern Regional Office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has received donations of roofing sheets, nails and wood from the government and other donors, the organisation is yet to distribute the items to the victims as a result of the non-availability of cement.
In an interview with the Northern Regional Co-ordinator of NADMO in charge of Relief Operations, Mr Chris Tanda, apart from the building materials, all other items had been distributed to the victims in the 15 affected districts of the region.
In all, 185,391 people were affected in the devastating floods that occurred in the area in the latter part of August this year.
The co-ordinator gave a breakdown of relief items received from the government and philanthropic individuals and organisations since the occurrence of the floods in the region as: 12,496 50-kilogramme bags of maize, 9,826 25- kilogramme bags of rice and 2,148 cartons of cooking oil.
The rest are 704 50-kilogramme bags of cowpea, 31,798 pieces of blankets, 1,744 plastic buckets, 9,734 pieces of mattresses, 22,550 poly mats, 2,610 plastic basins, 3,200 cups and 2,500 plates.
The items also included 20,000 sets of mosquito nets, 28 bales and 176 sacks of used clothing and 119 boxes of shoes.
“All these items I have mentioned have been distributed to the victims, except the ones we have just received,” Mr Tanda said.
He further disclosed that ¢ 274 million had been received in the form of donations and that part of the money had been used in the handling and hiring of vehicles to cart the items to the designated locations in the districts.
LIFE in the areas affected by floods in northern Ghana has bounced back to normal, with victims picking up the pieces. However, those who lost their homes to the floods are still putting up with friends and relations because of their inability to reconstruct their homes.
Even though the Northern Regional Office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has received donations of roofing sheets, nails and wood from the government and other donors, the organisation is yet to distribute the items to the victims as a result of the non-availability of cement.
In an interview with the Northern Regional Co-ordinator of NADMO in charge of Relief Operations, Mr Chris Tanda, apart from the building materials, all other items had been distributed to the victims in the 15 affected districts of the region.
In all, 185,391 people were affected in the devastating floods that occurred in the area in the latter part of August this year.
The co-ordinator gave a breakdown of relief items received from the government and philanthropic individuals and organisations since the occurrence of the floods in the region as: 12,496 50-kilogramme bags of maize, 9,826 25- kilogramme bags of rice and 2,148 cartons of cooking oil.
The rest are 704 50-kilogramme bags of cowpea, 31,798 pieces of blankets, 1,744 plastic buckets, 9,734 pieces of mattresses, 22,550 poly mats, 2,610 plastic basins, 3,200 cups and 2,500 plates.
The items also included 20,000 sets of mosquito nets, 28 bales and 176 sacks of used clothing and 119 boxes of shoes.
“All these items I have mentioned have been distributed to the victims, except the ones we have just received,” Mr Tanda said.
He further disclosed that ¢ 274 million had been received in the form of donations and that part of the money had been used in the handling and hiring of vehicles to cart the items to the designated locations in the districts.
HORROR IN TAMALE ...Soldier runs amok, kills another soldier, injures wife and daughter
Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale
A GUN-WIELDING Army corporal who went berserk and engaged in a shooting spree, resulting in the death of a sergeant at the Kamina Barracks in Tamale, has been arrested.
Corporal Benjamin Mensah, alias Kwadwo Kwakye, had, in the process, seriously wounded the wife and daughter of Stanley Afriyie, the sergeant.
He was apprehended by some residents of Zogyuri, near the barracks, before he could visit any further mayhem on the community.
He is presently in military custody, assisting the military and the police in their investigations into the incident.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, sent shock waves through the hitherto serene military vicinity and surrounding communities.
When the Daily Graphic visited the hospital yesterday, efforts were being made to airlift Sergeant Afriyie’s injured wife and daughter from the Tamale Regional Hospital to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
A heavy military presence at the Tamale Hospital, however, prevented this reporter and his cameraman from interviewing or taking shots of the victims.
The Military Command also refused to comment on the issue, saying it was still conducting investigations into the matter.
However, a source at the barracks told the Daily Graphic that money could be the cause of Corporal Mensah’s action.
It was alleged that Sergeant Afriyie owed the suspect an undisclosed amount of money which had remained unpaid over a period.
According to the source, several efforts by Corporal Mensah to retrieve his money had not been successful, resulting in a heated argument between them last Tuesday.
Some military officers described the incident as most unfortunate and an affront to the dictates of strict military regulations that guided the conduct of personnel and their families at the barracks.
Sergeant Afriyie’s body has been deposited at the morgue of the Tamale Regional Hospital awaiting autopsy.
Meanwhile, Michael Donkor reports that the Deputy Director of the Ghana Armed Forces Public Relations Unit, Lt. Col. Comfort Ankomah-Danso, said the matter had been handed over to the Homicide Unit of the Ghana Police Service for further investigations, while the Military Police also continued with their investigations.
She explained that the matter was referred to the police because the military did not handle murder cases.
He said Sergeant Afriyie, who was a bandsman, had been in the Military for the past 15 years, while Corporal Mensah was a rifle man with the Sixth Battalion of Infantry.
A GUN-WIELDING Army corporal who went berserk and engaged in a shooting spree, resulting in the death of a sergeant at the Kamina Barracks in Tamale, has been arrested.
Corporal Benjamin Mensah, alias Kwadwo Kwakye, had, in the process, seriously wounded the wife and daughter of Stanley Afriyie, the sergeant.
He was apprehended by some residents of Zogyuri, near the barracks, before he could visit any further mayhem on the community.
He is presently in military custody, assisting the military and the police in their investigations into the incident.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, sent shock waves through the hitherto serene military vicinity and surrounding communities.
When the Daily Graphic visited the hospital yesterday, efforts were being made to airlift Sergeant Afriyie’s injured wife and daughter from the Tamale Regional Hospital to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
A heavy military presence at the Tamale Hospital, however, prevented this reporter and his cameraman from interviewing or taking shots of the victims.
The Military Command also refused to comment on the issue, saying it was still conducting investigations into the matter.
However, a source at the barracks told the Daily Graphic that money could be the cause of Corporal Mensah’s action.
It was alleged that Sergeant Afriyie owed the suspect an undisclosed amount of money which had remained unpaid over a period.
According to the source, several efforts by Corporal Mensah to retrieve his money had not been successful, resulting in a heated argument between them last Tuesday.
Some military officers described the incident as most unfortunate and an affront to the dictates of strict military regulations that guided the conduct of personnel and their families at the barracks.
Sergeant Afriyie’s body has been deposited at the morgue of the Tamale Regional Hospital awaiting autopsy.
Meanwhile, Michael Donkor reports that the Deputy Director of the Ghana Armed Forces Public Relations Unit, Lt. Col. Comfort Ankomah-Danso, said the matter had been handed over to the Homicide Unit of the Ghana Police Service for further investigations, while the Military Police also continued with their investigations.
She explained that the matter was referred to the police because the military did not handle murder cases.
He said Sergeant Afriyie, who was a bandsman, had been in the Military for the past 15 years, while Corporal Mensah was a rifle man with the Sixth Battalion of Infantry.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
BISHOP CALLS FOR EFFECTIVE DISTRIBUTION OF RELIEF ITEMS (Back Page)
Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale
THE Bishop of the Yendi Catholic Diocese, Most Reverend Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, has called for an effective collaboration in the distribution of relief items to affected victims of this year’s floods in the northern sector of the country to ensure that they get to the people the items are meant for.
He also suggested the adoption of both short and long-term approaches in the management of disaster situations in the country instead of the current trend whereby victims of such disasters were made to undergo a long period of frustrations and sufferings before their concerns were addressed.
The Bishop noted that in the current situation, majority of the victims were poor farmers who had lost their food crops to the floods and therefore predicted a possible food shortage in the coming months, if elaborate, effective and sustainable measures were not found to address the problems that had arisen following the floods.
Bishop Boi-Nai made the call in Yendi when he handed over relief items to the development co-ordinator of the diocese, Mr William Abakasi, for onward distribution to flood victims in the eastern corridor of the Northern Region.
The assorted food items, worth ¢140 million, were made up of 575 minibags of maize, 50 bags of rice, 35 maxibags of beans, 2,300 litres of vegetable cooking oil and some bales of used clothing.
In all, 2,300 victims are benefiting from the items, which were donated by the Caritas Organisation and the National Catholic Secretariat.
The most affected parishes in the eastern corridor are Yendi, Gushiegu, Saboba, Sambuli, Demon, Sabare and Chereponi.
Bishop Boi-Nai entreated the various parish priests and members of the church to be vigilant and fair in the distribution of the items to ensure that it got to the target groups in their respective communities.
He appealed to philanthropic individuals, groups and organisations to come to the aid of the victims by donating generously to the people who are in dire need of assistance.
Mr Abakasi expressed appreciation to the benefactors for their kind gesture and gave the assurance that the items would get to the victims.
THE Bishop of the Yendi Catholic Diocese, Most Reverend Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, has called for an effective collaboration in the distribution of relief items to affected victims of this year’s floods in the northern sector of the country to ensure that they get to the people the items are meant for.
He also suggested the adoption of both short and long-term approaches in the management of disaster situations in the country instead of the current trend whereby victims of such disasters were made to undergo a long period of frustrations and sufferings before their concerns were addressed.
The Bishop noted that in the current situation, majority of the victims were poor farmers who had lost their food crops to the floods and therefore predicted a possible food shortage in the coming months, if elaborate, effective and sustainable measures were not found to address the problems that had arisen following the floods.
Bishop Boi-Nai made the call in Yendi when he handed over relief items to the development co-ordinator of the diocese, Mr William Abakasi, for onward distribution to flood victims in the eastern corridor of the Northern Region.
The assorted food items, worth ¢140 million, were made up of 575 minibags of maize, 50 bags of rice, 35 maxibags of beans, 2,300 litres of vegetable cooking oil and some bales of used clothing.
In all, 2,300 victims are benefiting from the items, which were donated by the Caritas Organisation and the National Catholic Secretariat.
The most affected parishes in the eastern corridor are Yendi, Gushiegu, Saboba, Sambuli, Demon, Sabare and Chereponi.
Bishop Boi-Nai entreated the various parish priests and members of the church to be vigilant and fair in the distribution of the items to ensure that it got to the target groups in their respective communities.
He appealed to philanthropic individuals, groups and organisations to come to the aid of the victims by donating generously to the people who are in dire need of assistance.
Mr Abakasi expressed appreciation to the benefactors for their kind gesture and gave the assurance that the items would get to the victims.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
TEACHERS, WORKERS FLEE COMMUNAL VIOLENCE (Back Page)
Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Bunkpurugu
TEACHERS and workers are fleeing the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District of the northern region, leaving their students following the recurrent communal violence that rocked the district over the past three months.
A number of school buildings and property have also been destroyed in the ensuing conflict, thus compelling the students and pupils to stay at home. Some workers have also vacated their post for fear of their lives.
With reports of possible re-surgence of the violence in the district, the situation could worsen as it would further cripple the socio-economic activities in the already deprived area if immediate measures were not taken to bring the feuding factions - Konkombas and Bimobas together to smoke the peace pipe.
The Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District Director of Education, Ms. Tampian Felicia, who disclosed this to the press at Bunkpurugu, said since the break-out of the conflict, most of the classes had been empty, and that pleas to the fleeing teachers to return have not been heeded.
The director disclosed this after an emergency meeting of chiefs, elders, members of the district assembly and the northern regional minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, during a visit to the area by the latter to ascertain the prevailing security situation at the weekend.
According to the Presiding Member of the assembly, Mr Abdul-Majeed Duut Azumah, a number of people lost their lives in that conflict, while over 10,000 people were displaced and more than 400 houses burnt.
For some years now, there had been some skirmishes between the two ethnic groups in the area over matters of land and chieftaincy. However, the recent conflict was ignited as a result of a quarrel over a girl.
Mr Azumah described the prevailing socio-economic life of the people as deplorable, as a result of the conflict, coupled with the floods that devastated some parts of the northern sector.
The minister also observed that the region had suffered much from the internecine conflicts in the area over the years, and that it was necessary to find a lasting solution to all the misunderstandings to ensure accelerated growth of the area.
He, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders in the district to find a common platform where they could jaw-jaw and find amicable and sustainable solutions to their differences.
TEACHERS and workers are fleeing the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District of the northern region, leaving their students following the recurrent communal violence that rocked the district over the past three months.
A number of school buildings and property have also been destroyed in the ensuing conflict, thus compelling the students and pupils to stay at home. Some workers have also vacated their post for fear of their lives.
With reports of possible re-surgence of the violence in the district, the situation could worsen as it would further cripple the socio-economic activities in the already deprived area if immediate measures were not taken to bring the feuding factions - Konkombas and Bimobas together to smoke the peace pipe.
The Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District Director of Education, Ms. Tampian Felicia, who disclosed this to the press at Bunkpurugu, said since the break-out of the conflict, most of the classes had been empty, and that pleas to the fleeing teachers to return have not been heeded.
The director disclosed this after an emergency meeting of chiefs, elders, members of the district assembly and the northern regional minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, during a visit to the area by the latter to ascertain the prevailing security situation at the weekend.
According to the Presiding Member of the assembly, Mr Abdul-Majeed Duut Azumah, a number of people lost their lives in that conflict, while over 10,000 people were displaced and more than 400 houses burnt.
For some years now, there had been some skirmishes between the two ethnic groups in the area over matters of land and chieftaincy. However, the recent conflict was ignited as a result of a quarrel over a girl.
Mr Azumah described the prevailing socio-economic life of the people as deplorable, as a result of the conflict, coupled with the floods that devastated some parts of the northern sector.
The minister also observed that the region had suffered much from the internecine conflicts in the area over the years, and that it was necessary to find a lasting solution to all the misunderstandings to ensure accelerated growth of the area.
He, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders in the district to find a common platform where they could jaw-jaw and find amicable and sustainable solutions to their differences.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
RDF TAMALE TRAINING
Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale.
The establishment of the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) in the Ghana Police Service is to instil more discipline and professionalism into the personnel to enable them to withstand and combat demonstrations and crowd control effectively in the country, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, has explained.
He noted that over the years, the police had gone through a lot of challenges in the discharge of their duties that had attracted public condemnation and noted that the setting up of the RDF would enable the personnel to deal with people in a ‘‘more professional and pragmatic way in this era of contemporary policing”.
Mr Acheampong was speaking in a speech read on his behalf by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Northern Regional, Mr Ephraim Okoe Brakatu, during the passing out of 500 trainees of the RDF for the northern sector in Tamale at the weekend.
They were taken through intervention and maintenance of order techniques, demonstrations, practical police duties, arrest, handcuffing, search, patrols and escorts in the two-week exercise.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, and some senior police officers.
Mr Acheampong noted that the deployment of personnel under the unit would be based on the principles of availability, mobility, discipline and professionalism and that all their operations would be based on defined rules and methodology devoid of trial and error.
The IGP observed that the training of the personnel was borne out of the successful outcome of the three earlier established batches of RDF trainees in Accra and Kumasi.
‘‘The impressive and sterling performance by the three groups has made it possible to establish one here in the northern sector to handle all operational aspects of the three northern regions in a more professional manner,’’ he further intimated.
Mr Acheampong said since the establishment of the unit in Accra and Kumasi, the personnel had chalked up a lot of successes in the management of football matches, political rallies, demonstrations, and student and industrial riots among others in those cities.
The IGP also observed that the training was timely as the nation was preparing to host the African Cup of Nations.
‘‘This tournament is going to bring all kinds of behaviour which may be contrary to the Ghanaian norms and values for which reason you are expected to deal with all these problems professionally without incurring the displeasure of our guests,’’ he cautioned.
Alhaji Idris commended the security services for their contribution to the prevailing peace and unity in the region and indicated that the area was very stable and ready to host the Ghana 2008 tournament.
He, therefore, urged the personnel to step up their efforts in ensuring a successful tournament, stressing, ‘‘We want Tamale to stand out as a unique city before, during and after the games.
The establishment of the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) in the Ghana Police Service is to instil more discipline and professionalism into the personnel to enable them to withstand and combat demonstrations and crowd control effectively in the country, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, has explained.
He noted that over the years, the police had gone through a lot of challenges in the discharge of their duties that had attracted public condemnation and noted that the setting up of the RDF would enable the personnel to deal with people in a ‘‘more professional and pragmatic way in this era of contemporary policing”.
Mr Acheampong was speaking in a speech read on his behalf by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Northern Regional, Mr Ephraim Okoe Brakatu, during the passing out of 500 trainees of the RDF for the northern sector in Tamale at the weekend.
They were taken through intervention and maintenance of order techniques, demonstrations, practical police duties, arrest, handcuffing, search, patrols and escorts in the two-week exercise.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, and some senior police officers.
Mr Acheampong noted that the deployment of personnel under the unit would be based on the principles of availability, mobility, discipline and professionalism and that all their operations would be based on defined rules and methodology devoid of trial and error.
The IGP observed that the training of the personnel was borne out of the successful outcome of the three earlier established batches of RDF trainees in Accra and Kumasi.
‘‘The impressive and sterling performance by the three groups has made it possible to establish one here in the northern sector to handle all operational aspects of the three northern regions in a more professional manner,’’ he further intimated.
Mr Acheampong said since the establishment of the unit in Accra and Kumasi, the personnel had chalked up a lot of successes in the management of football matches, political rallies, demonstrations, and student and industrial riots among others in those cities.
The IGP also observed that the training was timely as the nation was preparing to host the African Cup of Nations.
‘‘This tournament is going to bring all kinds of behaviour which may be contrary to the Ghanaian norms and values for which reason you are expected to deal with all these problems professionally without incurring the displeasure of our guests,’’ he cautioned.
Alhaji Idris commended the security services for their contribution to the prevailing peace and unity in the region and indicated that the area was very stable and ready to host the Ghana 2008 tournament.
He, therefore, urged the personnel to step up their efforts in ensuring a successful tournament, stressing, ‘‘We want Tamale to stand out as a unique city before, during and after the games.
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