THE Northern Region Hajj Committee (NRHC) has expressed its opposition to the seven-member Interim Hajj Management Committee (IHMC) constituted by the National Chief Imam (NCI).
‘‘The move is not an intervention, but an ill-informed decision calculated to bring the good office of the NCI into disrepute; we therefore call on the office of the Chief Imam to disassociate itself from the committee to avoid embarrassment,’’ it stated.
It further questioned the reason for the delay in the formation of such a committee and said ‘‘with which groups of Muslims have they consulted to arrive at this decision to form a seven-member committee?’’
At a press conference in Tamale, the Chairman of the NRHC, Sheikh Abubakar Tanko, also indicated that the Hajj fare package announced by both the National Hajj Council and the Committee were without due process and consultations with the various regional Hajj committees.
‘‘We are of the opinion that the Hajj fare is not only high but also above the means of intended pilgrims,’’ he added. While the IHMC has fixed the fare at $3,100 the NHC haspegged theirs at $2,999.
‘‘No regional consensus was attained from any single region for the national Hajj organisation. Hajj affairs have been managed by Accra-based selected individuals in the name of the larger Muslim community individuals rather than the regional committees,’’ he stated.
According to Sheikh Tanko, since the NHC was established by the government in 2005, it should be the only body to see to the organisation of Hajj.
Sheikh Tanko said so far, five regional Hajj committees had been inaugurated and therefore called on the other regions to, as a matter of urgency, establish their committees ‘‘to avoid exploitation by Accra-based Muslim elite who are ever ready to take advantage of their lack of interest in Islamic affairs”.
The chairman observed that this practice over the years accounted for failed Hajj operations of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 because no regional consensus was attained.
He has therefore called for an immediate intervention to ensure that this year’s Hajj pilgrimage was not messed up. ‘‘We Muslims in the region through our leaders, would advise our intended pilgrims to suspend the trip to save their lives, property and dignity.’’
Sunday, August 31, 2008
11 DISTRICTS TO BENEFIT FROM SANITATION PROJECT (PAGE 34)
ELEVEN districts in the Eastern Corridor in the Northern Region are to benefit from a $29-million water and sanitation project to help eliminate guinea worm and other water-borne diseases in the area.
Seventeen million dollars of the amount will be invested in the provision of water and sanitation, while the rest will be channelled into capacity building and technical assistance.
The Northern Region Small Town (NORST) water project is being funded by the Canadian government. Thirty small towns are to benefit from the seven-year project.
The project is being facilitated by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), with COWATER International of Canada serving as the advisory agency.
This was disclosed at a NORST inception meeting attended by representatives of the beneficiary districts, officials of the CWSA and the Canadian Advisory Committee in Tamale on Tuesday.
According to the Northern Regional Director of the CWSA, Mr Wigberty Y. Dogoli, about 125,000 people were expected to benefit from the project.
‘‘It would also strengthen local capacity to manage and sustain access to potable water and sanitation services in the small towns,’’ he indicated.
The director further explained that the overall objective of the project was to increase supply of sustainable, locally managed potable water and sanitation services in the region.
He said the successful implementation of the project would complement other interventions in the sector over the years and therefore called for the effective co-operation by the people.
The NORST Project Director, Andrews Livingston, said the programme was a partnership between the Canadian and Ghanaian governments.
He said it would increase the capacity of stakeholders at regional, district and sub-district levels to effectively fulfil their respective roles in the delivery of potable water and sanitation services.
‘‘Arrangement between Canada and Ghana, including a detailed appended plan of operation, will specify the criteria and procedures for the allocation and disbursement of these funds,’’ the director explained.
Mr Livingston further indicated that the responsibility for the achievement of project results would be shared by the CAA, CWSA and beneficiary districts.
Seventeen million dollars of the amount will be invested in the provision of water and sanitation, while the rest will be channelled into capacity building and technical assistance.
The Northern Region Small Town (NORST) water project is being funded by the Canadian government. Thirty small towns are to benefit from the seven-year project.
The project is being facilitated by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), with COWATER International of Canada serving as the advisory agency.
This was disclosed at a NORST inception meeting attended by representatives of the beneficiary districts, officials of the CWSA and the Canadian Advisory Committee in Tamale on Tuesday.
According to the Northern Regional Director of the CWSA, Mr Wigberty Y. Dogoli, about 125,000 people were expected to benefit from the project.
‘‘It would also strengthen local capacity to manage and sustain access to potable water and sanitation services in the small towns,’’ he indicated.
The director further explained that the overall objective of the project was to increase supply of sustainable, locally managed potable water and sanitation services in the region.
He said the successful implementation of the project would complement other interventions in the sector over the years and therefore called for the effective co-operation by the people.
The NORST Project Director, Andrews Livingston, said the programme was a partnership between the Canadian and Ghanaian governments.
He said it would increase the capacity of stakeholders at regional, district and sub-district levels to effectively fulfil their respective roles in the delivery of potable water and sanitation services.
‘‘Arrangement between Canada and Ghana, including a detailed appended plan of operation, will specify the criteria and procedures for the allocation and disbursement of these funds,’’ the director explained.
Mr Livingston further indicated that the responsibility for the achievement of project results would be shared by the CAA, CWSA and beneficiary districts.
Friday, August 29, 2008
YENDI HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME HOLDS MEETING (PAGE 26)
THE Yendi Municipal Mutual Health Insurance Scheme has held its first general meeting to review its achievements and challenges to chart a new course for the smooth management of the scheme in the municipality.
The scheme was initiated by the government in 2003 in line with the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy to offer accessible, affordable and quality health care to the people.
The scheme in the municipality began managing claims in November, 2005 and so far, 120,302 people are benefiting from it representing 76 per cent of the population of 159,000 people.
The seven accredited health facilities delivering services to clients in the area are the Yendi Government Hospital, the Church of Christ Mission Clinic, and the Bunbong, Gnani, Adibo, Sang and Jimli health centres.
The rest are the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds at Sunson, Dabogni and Kuni.
According to the Chairman of the scheme, Alhaji Yakubu Yusif, ‘‘the scheme has not left any stone unturned in ensuring that those at the hinterland have licensed private chemical shops to serve their needs.’’
He said hospital attendance had soared since 2005 to June, this year, where a total number of 90,423 clients had been attended to while about GH¢1,043,065.27 had been paid to the various health facilities within the same period.
‘‘The implementation of free maternity care and delivery services for women, even though not currently registered under the NHIS, is expected to increase the number of attendance as we continue to record high numbers daily at our registration desk,’’ the chairman stated.
He further indicated that as a result of the prudent and efficient management of the scheme in the municipality, the management did not owe the service providers any money.
Alhaji Yusif, however, mentioned inadequate computers, photocopiers and the lack of software for the operation of the scheme as some of the daunting tasks faced by management.
The chairman further observed that the administrative support received from the headquarters in Accra was irregular while other logistics such as motorbikes, inadequate health personnel and staff were challenges against the smooth running of the scheme.
The Scheme Manager, Mr Alhassan Shahadu Issahaku, appealed for an upward review and subsidy per head of the exempt group to enable the scheme to withstand the shock of increased bills paid monthly.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Yendi Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani, said the achievements recorded so far should motivate the management and other stakeholders of the scheme to strive hard to ensure 100 per cent coverage of the scheme in the municipality.
He also stressed the need for the people to sustain the prevailing peace in the area to accelerate the development of the municipality to improve on the general well-being of the people.
The Northern Regional Manager of the NHIS, Mr Hudu Issah, called on other districts in the region to emulate the success story of the Yendi scheme.
He disclosed that so far, about 1,290,267 people in the region, representing 64 per cent of the population had registered with the scheme out of which 900,000 of them were actually benefiting from the initiative.
The manager announced that the NHIS authority had developed strategies to address some of the difficulties encountered in the successful operation of the scheme in the country.
The strategies included the de-coupling of children, development of a uniform tariff structure, introduction of a uniform ID card and collaboration with other stakeholders to identify actual indigents.
The scheme was initiated by the government in 2003 in line with the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy to offer accessible, affordable and quality health care to the people.
The scheme in the municipality began managing claims in November, 2005 and so far, 120,302 people are benefiting from it representing 76 per cent of the population of 159,000 people.
The seven accredited health facilities delivering services to clients in the area are the Yendi Government Hospital, the Church of Christ Mission Clinic, and the Bunbong, Gnani, Adibo, Sang and Jimli health centres.
The rest are the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds at Sunson, Dabogni and Kuni.
According to the Chairman of the scheme, Alhaji Yakubu Yusif, ‘‘the scheme has not left any stone unturned in ensuring that those at the hinterland have licensed private chemical shops to serve their needs.’’
He said hospital attendance had soared since 2005 to June, this year, where a total number of 90,423 clients had been attended to while about GH¢1,043,065.27 had been paid to the various health facilities within the same period.
‘‘The implementation of free maternity care and delivery services for women, even though not currently registered under the NHIS, is expected to increase the number of attendance as we continue to record high numbers daily at our registration desk,’’ the chairman stated.
He further indicated that as a result of the prudent and efficient management of the scheme in the municipality, the management did not owe the service providers any money.
Alhaji Yusif, however, mentioned inadequate computers, photocopiers and the lack of software for the operation of the scheme as some of the daunting tasks faced by management.
The chairman further observed that the administrative support received from the headquarters in Accra was irregular while other logistics such as motorbikes, inadequate health personnel and staff were challenges against the smooth running of the scheme.
The Scheme Manager, Mr Alhassan Shahadu Issahaku, appealed for an upward review and subsidy per head of the exempt group to enable the scheme to withstand the shock of increased bills paid monthly.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Yendi Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani, said the achievements recorded so far should motivate the management and other stakeholders of the scheme to strive hard to ensure 100 per cent coverage of the scheme in the municipality.
He also stressed the need for the people to sustain the prevailing peace in the area to accelerate the development of the municipality to improve on the general well-being of the people.
The Northern Regional Manager of the NHIS, Mr Hudu Issah, called on other districts in the region to emulate the success story of the Yendi scheme.
He disclosed that so far, about 1,290,267 people in the region, representing 64 per cent of the population had registered with the scheme out of which 900,000 of them were actually benefiting from the initiative.
The manager announced that the NHIS authority had developed strategies to address some of the difficulties encountered in the successful operation of the scheme in the country.
The strategies included the de-coupling of children, development of a uniform tariff structure, introduction of a uniform ID card and collaboration with other stakeholders to identify actual indigents.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
CHIEF OF MAMPRUGU WELCOMES BAWUMIA (PAGE 14)
THE Paramount Chief of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Nayiri Na Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, has welcomed the nomination of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the Vice-Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), but advised him to ensure a decent campaign, devoid of personal attacks and acrimony.
He also urged him to reach out to all Ghanaians, as a unifier and a team player, and be ready to avail his expertise and experience to help in the accelerated development of the country.
The chief further observed that as a Mamprugu royal and a celebrated technocrat, he should be prepared to open up to diverse views, be prepared to serve people with humility and also work towards improving their well-being.
The Nayiri was speaking after the running mate was formally introduced to him and his elders and sub-chiefs at Na Sheriga’s palace at Nalerigu on Tuesday.
Dr Bawumia’s visit to the palace was his first visit to the Northern Region since he was nominated by the NPP flag bearer, Nana Akufo Addo, earlier this month.
He was accompanied by the Northern Regional Minister, Alhjai Mustapha Ali Idris, the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Peter Mac Manu, some members of Nana Addo’s campaign team and national and regional executives of the party.
Also, present were Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children’s Affair, Alhaji Boniface Saddique, Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, the former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Lepowura Alhaji MND Jawula, among others.
Dr Bawumia earlier made a stop over at his family house at Kperiga, near Walewale, where he formally announced his candidature to family members and also visited his late father’s grave.
His father, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, a veteran politician who served the country in various capacities died about seven years ago as the chief of Kperiga after being the Chairman of the Council of State for eight years in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
The vice-presidential hopeful who was visibly overwhelmed by the warm reception extended to him and his team pledged to live up to the challenge entrusted to him by supporting Nana Addo to win the December polls convincingly for continuity.
Addressing a rally at the palace after his introduction, he indicated that, ‘‘my selection by Nana Addo and the party reflects the confidence and respect they have for Muslims, Mamprugu and the north in general.’’
He, therefore, entreated the people not to let Nana Addo and the party down, but vote massively for the NPP to continue with the development agenda of the Kufuor administration which he said, had the people at heart.
Dr Bawumia acknowledged the invaluable contributions of his forebearers to the socio-economic development of the north over the years.
‘‘Nana and the NPP are concerned with the development of the north and Ghanaians, and would therefore strive hard to move this nation forward; we would, however, need your mandate to be able to carry this vision through,’’ he stated.
He also urged him to reach out to all Ghanaians, as a unifier and a team player, and be ready to avail his expertise and experience to help in the accelerated development of the country.
The chief further observed that as a Mamprugu royal and a celebrated technocrat, he should be prepared to open up to diverse views, be prepared to serve people with humility and also work towards improving their well-being.
The Nayiri was speaking after the running mate was formally introduced to him and his elders and sub-chiefs at Na Sheriga’s palace at Nalerigu on Tuesday.
Dr Bawumia’s visit to the palace was his first visit to the Northern Region since he was nominated by the NPP flag bearer, Nana Akufo Addo, earlier this month.
He was accompanied by the Northern Regional Minister, Alhjai Mustapha Ali Idris, the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Peter Mac Manu, some members of Nana Addo’s campaign team and national and regional executives of the party.
Also, present were Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children’s Affair, Alhaji Boniface Saddique, Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, the former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Lepowura Alhaji MND Jawula, among others.
Dr Bawumia earlier made a stop over at his family house at Kperiga, near Walewale, where he formally announced his candidature to family members and also visited his late father’s grave.
His father, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, a veteran politician who served the country in various capacities died about seven years ago as the chief of Kperiga after being the Chairman of the Council of State for eight years in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
The vice-presidential hopeful who was visibly overwhelmed by the warm reception extended to him and his team pledged to live up to the challenge entrusted to him by supporting Nana Addo to win the December polls convincingly for continuity.
Addressing a rally at the palace after his introduction, he indicated that, ‘‘my selection by Nana Addo and the party reflects the confidence and respect they have for Muslims, Mamprugu and the north in general.’’
He, therefore, entreated the people not to let Nana Addo and the party down, but vote massively for the NPP to continue with the development agenda of the Kufuor administration which he said, had the people at heart.
Dr Bawumia acknowledged the invaluable contributions of his forebearers to the socio-economic development of the north over the years.
‘‘Nana and the NPP are concerned with the development of the north and Ghanaians, and would therefore strive hard to move this nation forward; we would, however, need your mandate to be able to carry this vision through,’’ he stated.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
MUSLIM PILGRIMS MUST FLY DIRECT FROM TAMALE (PAGE 29)
SOME residents in Tamale have appealed to the government to ensure that Muslims who intend to embark on this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage from the northern sector of the country are flown directly from Tamale to Saudi Arabia.
They contended that since the facilities at the Tamale Airport have been upgraded to some appreciable levels, there would be no need for majority of the people from the three Northern and the Brong Ahafo regions to travel all the way to Accra.
The people described as embarrassing and dehumanising the treatment they were made to go through at the International Airport in Accra in order to fulfil one of the five pillars of Islam that is incumbent on any Muslim, who has the means and is capable of embarking on the Holy journey.
According to a Muslim cleric, Alhaji Abdul-Basit Idris, ‘‘during the Africa Cup of Nations in February this year, the South African team was flown directly from Johannesburg to the Tamale Airport at night; why can’t we also fly from Tamale to Saudi Arabia directly?’’
‘‘Indeed, the first time such a feat was chalked was in the 1970s, when pilgrims in the northern sector were flown directly from the Tamale Airport, where facilities were not as good as they are today; and so I am convinced that it can be done this time round too,’’ he added.
An Arabic Scholar, Sheikh Yakubu Abubakar, observes that Tamale is a predominantly Muslim society, and majority of pilgrims come from the Northern Region. Therefore, he wonders why governments over the years have not put in place the necessary arrangements for pilgrims to fly directly from Tamale.
‘‘This could save us the humiliation we undergo annually in Accra, especially our elderly mothers and fathers, who sometimes are not able to withstand the ordeal at the AFGO Village and the airport,’’ he stated.
Pastor Daniel Obeng, a Christian also added his voice to the appeal to the government and the Muslim leadership to ensure that those at the helm of affairs at the Hajj Committee lived up to their responsibilities and duties to ‘‘save our nation and Muslim brothers and sisters from further embarrassment this year’’.
The facilities at the rehabilitated Tamale Airport include a System Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) and Simple Approach Lighting Systems.
The runway has also been marked and demarcated, while some damaged portions have been patched.
The 2.4 kilometre runway is the second longest in the country after the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
Other facilities are the modernised terminal and business and VVIP lounges.
The rehabilitation work on the Tamale, Kumasi and Takoradi airports, estimated at $45 million, started late last year. The four cities were venues for this year’s Ghana CAN 2008.
They contended that since the facilities at the Tamale Airport have been upgraded to some appreciable levels, there would be no need for majority of the people from the three Northern and the Brong Ahafo regions to travel all the way to Accra.
The people described as embarrassing and dehumanising the treatment they were made to go through at the International Airport in Accra in order to fulfil one of the five pillars of Islam that is incumbent on any Muslim, who has the means and is capable of embarking on the Holy journey.
According to a Muslim cleric, Alhaji Abdul-Basit Idris, ‘‘during the Africa Cup of Nations in February this year, the South African team was flown directly from Johannesburg to the Tamale Airport at night; why can’t we also fly from Tamale to Saudi Arabia directly?’’
‘‘Indeed, the first time such a feat was chalked was in the 1970s, when pilgrims in the northern sector were flown directly from the Tamale Airport, where facilities were not as good as they are today; and so I am convinced that it can be done this time round too,’’ he added.
An Arabic Scholar, Sheikh Yakubu Abubakar, observes that Tamale is a predominantly Muslim society, and majority of pilgrims come from the Northern Region. Therefore, he wonders why governments over the years have not put in place the necessary arrangements for pilgrims to fly directly from Tamale.
‘‘This could save us the humiliation we undergo annually in Accra, especially our elderly mothers and fathers, who sometimes are not able to withstand the ordeal at the AFGO Village and the airport,’’ he stated.
Pastor Daniel Obeng, a Christian also added his voice to the appeal to the government and the Muslim leadership to ensure that those at the helm of affairs at the Hajj Committee lived up to their responsibilities and duties to ‘‘save our nation and Muslim brothers and sisters from further embarrassment this year’’.
The facilities at the rehabilitated Tamale Airport include a System Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) and Simple Approach Lighting Systems.
The runway has also been marked and demarcated, while some damaged portions have been patched.
The 2.4 kilometre runway is the second longest in the country after the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
Other facilities are the modernised terminal and business and VVIP lounges.
The rehabilitation work on the Tamale, Kumasi and Takoradi airports, estimated at $45 million, started late last year. The four cities were venues for this year’s Ghana CAN 2008.
ICT SEMINAR HELD FOR STATEHOLDERS IN HEALTH (PAGE 30)
THE Ghana Information Network for Knowledge Sharing (GINKS), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has held an Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) seminar on health for stakeholders in the Tamale metropolis, with a call for the streamlining of ICT in health training institutions and facilities in the country.
According to Mr Ken Gbeve of the Ghana Health Service in Tamale, when such an initiative was effectively implemented, it would help health professionals, including doctors to learn about the latest technological developments in the sector and also facilitate their work to improve output.
He said it could also be used to detect diseases early enough, and that the programme would be realised through networking of ICT delivery facilities at health centres, which would be constantly upgraded and health professionals sensitised to the use of the facilities.
Topics discussed were “Ghana ICT for Development on the Health Sector: State of Implementation, Challenges and the way Forward.
The rest were how ICTs were used by Ghanaian health workers and the effective use of ICT in the health sector-best practices.
The country came out with a policy on the use of ICT for accelerated development five years ago, which contained a chapter on ICT in health.
The participants, therefore, examined the place and role of ICT in medical institutions and health facilities.
Mr Gbeve said the challenges inhibiting the implementation of the programme included inadequate resources and funding, a lack of harmonisation and commitment by leadership and non-existing ICT infrastructure at rural communities.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr Ken Sagoe, said the hospital had received 32 computers, and that some would be installed at the various consulting rooms.
According to him, they would be networked and hooked on to the Internet to facilitate health care at the hospital.
The Northern Regional Co-ordinator of GINKS, Mr Stephen Agbenyo, explained that the organisation was established in 2003, out of a collaboration with the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) and its local partners, with the objective of streamlining all ICT projects, initiatives and programmes in the country.
He said health, agriculture, research, gender and education were some of the areas they were developing through the use of the ICT.
‘‘We also strengthen and facilitate strategic alliances among network members to engender the development of information and knowledge-based issues,’’ the co-ordinator further indicated.
According to Mr Ken Gbeve of the Ghana Health Service in Tamale, when such an initiative was effectively implemented, it would help health professionals, including doctors to learn about the latest technological developments in the sector and also facilitate their work to improve output.
He said it could also be used to detect diseases early enough, and that the programme would be realised through networking of ICT delivery facilities at health centres, which would be constantly upgraded and health professionals sensitised to the use of the facilities.
Topics discussed were “Ghana ICT for Development on the Health Sector: State of Implementation, Challenges and the way Forward.
The rest were how ICTs were used by Ghanaian health workers and the effective use of ICT in the health sector-best practices.
The country came out with a policy on the use of ICT for accelerated development five years ago, which contained a chapter on ICT in health.
The participants, therefore, examined the place and role of ICT in medical institutions and health facilities.
Mr Gbeve said the challenges inhibiting the implementation of the programme included inadequate resources and funding, a lack of harmonisation and commitment by leadership and non-existing ICT infrastructure at rural communities.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr Ken Sagoe, said the hospital had received 32 computers, and that some would be installed at the various consulting rooms.
According to him, they would be networked and hooked on to the Internet to facilitate health care at the hospital.
The Northern Regional Co-ordinator of GINKS, Mr Stephen Agbenyo, explained that the organisation was established in 2003, out of a collaboration with the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) and its local partners, with the objective of streamlining all ICT projects, initiatives and programmes in the country.
He said health, agriculture, research, gender and education were some of the areas they were developing through the use of the ICT.
‘‘We also strengthen and facilitate strategic alliances among network members to engender the development of information and knowledge-based issues,’’ the co-ordinator further indicated.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A NATIONAL CONGRESS TO SAVE RTU? (GRAPHIC SPORTS PAGE 16)
A Media consultant and an ardent supporter of the “Pride of the North”, Real Tamale United (RTU), Alhaji Razak El-Alawa, has called for a national congress of all stakeholders to chart a new course for the club that has experienced dwindling fortunes in the elite division in recent years.
He, therefore, appealed to the Patron of the club, who is also the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, to as a matter of urgency, call for the congress, which he suggested should be held before the close of August this year, sooner than the commencement of the annual Muslim Fast.
“The congress will review the past 30 years of the club’s participation in the elite division, find out what has gone wrong in recent times, analyse the problems, find solutions and look at the way forward,” Alhaji El-Alawa indicated.
According to him, when the club was established it was seen as a club for the people, formed by the people and for the benefit of the people, and that the time had come to involve the people who, he said, are the real owners in the running of the club. The supporters played significant roles in its past glories and that “it was no wonder that in those days, despite the limited resources, RTU was virtually invincible at home while the club performed creditably in her away matches”.
“Sir, the same cannot be said of RTU today, despite the sponsorship it enjoys from WIENCO. RTU still has the talents but it is no longer the fearsome side when playing at home while their away record has left so much to be desired,” the consultant further observed.
“RTU must be saved from collapse. The club must be able to survive in the Premiership in the next 30 years and now is the time to lay another foundation, since the one laid 30 years ago has become weak,”he stated.
According to Mr El-Alawa, “no true lover of RTU would like to go through the tension of the last few weeks of the last season”.
The club miraculously escaped relegation in the just-ended Onetouch Premier League by a hairs breadth when they came back from a goal down to beat Zaytuna United by 2-1.
The team was founded as a result of a merger between former Real Sportive and Northern United on September 26, 1976 through the instrumentality of the then Regional Minister, Colonel Bob Zumah. No wonder RTU were nicknamed the Zumah Babies in the early days.
A year after their qualification, RTU broke into the elite division but could not participate in the then Division One League because the 1977/78 league was adjusted in view of the Nations Cup which was hosted in Ghana.
RTU were compelled to go back to compete in the national middle league which they won successfully and rejoined the premiership for an unbroken 30 years.
He, therefore, appealed to the Patron of the club, who is also the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, to as a matter of urgency, call for the congress, which he suggested should be held before the close of August this year, sooner than the commencement of the annual Muslim Fast.
“The congress will review the past 30 years of the club’s participation in the elite division, find out what has gone wrong in recent times, analyse the problems, find solutions and look at the way forward,” Alhaji El-Alawa indicated.
According to him, when the club was established it was seen as a club for the people, formed by the people and for the benefit of the people, and that the time had come to involve the people who, he said, are the real owners in the running of the club. The supporters played significant roles in its past glories and that “it was no wonder that in those days, despite the limited resources, RTU was virtually invincible at home while the club performed creditably in her away matches”.
“Sir, the same cannot be said of RTU today, despite the sponsorship it enjoys from WIENCO. RTU still has the talents but it is no longer the fearsome side when playing at home while their away record has left so much to be desired,” the consultant further observed.
“RTU must be saved from collapse. The club must be able to survive in the Premiership in the next 30 years and now is the time to lay another foundation, since the one laid 30 years ago has become weak,”he stated.
According to Mr El-Alawa, “no true lover of RTU would like to go through the tension of the last few weeks of the last season”.
The club miraculously escaped relegation in the just-ended Onetouch Premier League by a hairs breadth when they came back from a goal down to beat Zaytuna United by 2-1.
The team was founded as a result of a merger between former Real Sportive and Northern United on September 26, 1976 through the instrumentality of the then Regional Minister, Colonel Bob Zumah. No wonder RTU were nicknamed the Zumah Babies in the early days.
A year after their qualification, RTU broke into the elite division but could not participate in the then Division One League because the 1977/78 league was adjusted in view of the Nations Cup which was hosted in Ghana.
RTU were compelled to go back to compete in the national middle league which they won successfully and rejoined the premiership for an unbroken 30 years.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
NGO OFFERS ASSISTANCE IN HIV/AIDS MANAGEMENT (PAGE 23)
A Tamale-based NGO, the Social Change Advisory Network (SCAN), is building the capacity of some community-based organisations in the Northern Region to effectively deal with the HIV/AIDS menace in their respective communities.
The aim of the exercise is to help the organisations to reassess the effectiveness of the various methods and strategies being used in the fight against the disease, and how to provide proper care and support for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in their localities.
The Programme Director of SCAN, Mr Sayibu Mahamoud Sule, who was speaking at one of such capacity building workshops in the Tamale Metropolis, said there was lack of adequate information and training for most organisations engaged in HIV/AIDS programmes.
The workshop participants included members of Abarayo, a community-based organisation in the East Gonja District, with sponsorship from a Danish-funded international NGO, Ibis-Ghana.
Among the topics discussed at the three-day workshop were: HIV/AIDS and Development—Basic Facts and Experiences in Ghana, Knowledge and Skills Enhancement for Behaviour Change and Enhancing Target Groups’ Mobilisation, Skills and Action Planning.
The director stressed the urgent need for the establishment of HIV/AIDS peer education clubs in schools and at all communities, ‘‘considering the high poverty levels, the vulnerability of the youth, and the stigma attached to PLWHA in our localities.’’
Mr Sule also entreated policy makers and implementers to always involve people in decision-making, especially those concerning their health and livelihood for sustainability and better results.
‘‘Past experiences suggest that decentralisation will not work without vibrant, participatory communities and civil society groups,’’ he stated.
Mr Sule further explained that it was for that reason that, ‘‘SCAN seeks to empower the people to give them voices to advocate for change to accelerate development.’’
Ms Ayishetu Iddi, on behalf of her colleagues, expressed appreciation to the management of SCAN for the training and pledged to make the knowledge acquired beneficial to the people.
The aim of the exercise is to help the organisations to reassess the effectiveness of the various methods and strategies being used in the fight against the disease, and how to provide proper care and support for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in their localities.
The Programme Director of SCAN, Mr Sayibu Mahamoud Sule, who was speaking at one of such capacity building workshops in the Tamale Metropolis, said there was lack of adequate information and training for most organisations engaged in HIV/AIDS programmes.
The workshop participants included members of Abarayo, a community-based organisation in the East Gonja District, with sponsorship from a Danish-funded international NGO, Ibis-Ghana.
Among the topics discussed at the three-day workshop were: HIV/AIDS and Development—Basic Facts and Experiences in Ghana, Knowledge and Skills Enhancement for Behaviour Change and Enhancing Target Groups’ Mobilisation, Skills and Action Planning.
The director stressed the urgent need for the establishment of HIV/AIDS peer education clubs in schools and at all communities, ‘‘considering the high poverty levels, the vulnerability of the youth, and the stigma attached to PLWHA in our localities.’’
Mr Sule also entreated policy makers and implementers to always involve people in decision-making, especially those concerning their health and livelihood for sustainability and better results.
‘‘Past experiences suggest that decentralisation will not work without vibrant, participatory communities and civil society groups,’’ he stated.
Mr Sule further explained that it was for that reason that, ‘‘SCAN seeks to empower the people to give them voices to advocate for change to accelerate development.’’
Ms Ayishetu Iddi, on behalf of her colleagues, expressed appreciation to the management of SCAN for the training and pledged to make the knowledge acquired beneficial to the people.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
COMPUTER TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NYOHINI (PAGE 24)
A group of young volunteers from Oxford, in the United Kingdom, has rehabilitated the main block of the Kumasi Children's Home to improve the living conditions of the inmates.
Known as the Themish Volunteers, the group which is made up of young men and women, painted the block to give it a new outlook, and also replaced three water closets that were in a very deplorable state.
They also rehabilitated the showers, replaced broken louvre blades that had exposed the inmates to the vagaries of the weather, especially when it rained. The group of volunteers also donated a gas cooker to the Home to facilitate preparation of meals for the inmates.
One of their leaders, Mr Paul Stockley, told the Daily Graphic that their attention was drawn to the plight of the inmates through a Ghanaian friend, Mr Isaac Nketia, who was resident in Kumasi.
He said they were in the country to learn the culture and traditional values of Ghanaians, but "we decided to assist the inmates of the Kumasi Children's Home and establish a bond of friendship between us".
"The walls looked very bad when we came and their toilets and showers were not the best, so we immediately decided to contribute to fix them before we leave for the United Kingdom," he noted.
Mr Stockley said the main floor of the block was also in a deplorable state and this could cause some of the young ones to get injured anytime they wanted to play "but since we do not have sufficient funds to rehabilitate it we have decided to go back and raise more funds to rehabilitate it during our next visit to Kumasi".
"With a new outlook at their block, the inmates will look more comfortable and enjoy their stay. This will make it possible for them to grow and develop their potential to enable them contribute to the development of society," he stressed.
The Supervisor of the home, Madam Victoria Asumgnya, commended the Themish Volunteers from Oxford for their gesture, and called for more of such assistance to enable the inmates feel more at home.
She said prior to the fixing of the louvre blades, for example, the inmates always felt uncomfortable anytime it rained.
She said the toilets were also in a very deplorable state, "but thanks to the volunteers they now look better".
She also commended the volunteers for providing them with a gas cooker and "that will make it easy for us to prepare meals for the inmates".
Known as the Themish Volunteers, the group which is made up of young men and women, painted the block to give it a new outlook, and also replaced three water closets that were in a very deplorable state.
They also rehabilitated the showers, replaced broken louvre blades that had exposed the inmates to the vagaries of the weather, especially when it rained. The group of volunteers also donated a gas cooker to the Home to facilitate preparation of meals for the inmates.
One of their leaders, Mr Paul Stockley, told the Daily Graphic that their attention was drawn to the plight of the inmates through a Ghanaian friend, Mr Isaac Nketia, who was resident in Kumasi.
He said they were in the country to learn the culture and traditional values of Ghanaians, but "we decided to assist the inmates of the Kumasi Children's Home and establish a bond of friendship between us".
"The walls looked very bad when we came and their toilets and showers were not the best, so we immediately decided to contribute to fix them before we leave for the United Kingdom," he noted.
Mr Stockley said the main floor of the block was also in a deplorable state and this could cause some of the young ones to get injured anytime they wanted to play "but since we do not have sufficient funds to rehabilitate it we have decided to go back and raise more funds to rehabilitate it during our next visit to Kumasi".
"With a new outlook at their block, the inmates will look more comfortable and enjoy their stay. This will make it possible for them to grow and develop their potential to enable them contribute to the development of society," he stressed.
The Supervisor of the home, Madam Victoria Asumgnya, commended the Themish Volunteers from Oxford for their gesture, and called for more of such assistance to enable the inmates feel more at home.
She said prior to the fixing of the louvre blades, for example, the inmates always felt uncomfortable anytime it rained.
She said the toilets were also in a very deplorable state, "but thanks to the volunteers they now look better".
She also commended the volunteers for providing them with a gas cooker and "that will make it easy for us to prepare meals for the inmates".
Monday, August 11, 2008
CHIEF EXPRESSES APPRECIATION TO GOVERNMENT (PAGE 53)
THE Paramount Chief of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, has expressed appreciation to the government for its efforts to find an amicable solution to the protracted Bawku conflict.
The chief also called on the people to support such laudable efforts to ensure sustainable peace in the Bawku Municipality where there had been resurgence of the conflict since December, last year.
In a statement signed by Naa Sheriga, who is also the President of the Northern Region House of Chiefs, he described as heart-warming a recent statement issued by the leadership of the Kusasis calling on the people of Bawku to refrain from any further violence.
“The Mamprugu Kingdom welcomes the statement and hopes that this will bring to bear on our Kusasi sons and daughters a new dawn in which there will be peaceful co-existence among all people in the municipality and its environs,” the statement said.
According to the statement, “the Nayiri and the people of Mamprugu have always stood for peace and will support all efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution of the conflict”.
At a press conference in Bawku last month, the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, called on the people to live together in peace and also cooperate with the security agencies to ensure free movement of persons to farms and other endeavours.
He further urged them not to take the law into their own hands but to report any incident that had the tendency of breaching the existing peace to the security services.
The chief also called on the people to support such laudable efforts to ensure sustainable peace in the Bawku Municipality where there had been resurgence of the conflict since December, last year.
In a statement signed by Naa Sheriga, who is also the President of the Northern Region House of Chiefs, he described as heart-warming a recent statement issued by the leadership of the Kusasis calling on the people of Bawku to refrain from any further violence.
“The Mamprugu Kingdom welcomes the statement and hopes that this will bring to bear on our Kusasi sons and daughters a new dawn in which there will be peaceful co-existence among all people in the municipality and its environs,” the statement said.
According to the statement, “the Nayiri and the people of Mamprugu have always stood for peace and will support all efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution of the conflict”.
At a press conference in Bawku last month, the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, called on the people to live together in peace and also cooperate with the security agencies to ensure free movement of persons to farms and other endeavours.
He further urged them not to take the law into their own hands but to report any incident that had the tendency of breaching the existing peace to the security services.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
ADB OFFICIALS STUDY ORGANIC FARM PLANTATION (PAGE 40)
OFFICIALS of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) have paid a working visit to the Dolan-Ayana organic farm plantation at Pong-Tamale in the Savelugu/Nanton District of the Northern Region to learn at first hand the management practices at the farm.
The visit was, among other reasons, aimed at replicating the good management practices on the farm onto the bank’s funded organic mango plantation project in other parts of the region.
The three-man team was led by the Deputy Managing Director (MD) of the bank, Mr Alex Owusu-Ansah. The rest were the Area Manager of the ADB in Tamale, Mr Kwaku Anane-Acheampong, and the Co-ordinator of the bank’s mangoes project, Mr Paul Seidu.
The director of the plantations, Alhaji Yakubu Ayana, conducted the team round the 120-acre farm where he later briefed them on the prospects and challenges involved in organic farming.
He said at the moment, there was high demand for the organic mangoes outside the country as a result of its high nutritional value, ‘‘and even internally, most Ghanaians are developing the taste for it.’’
Alhaji Ayana said currently, the company had employed 39 farm hands and supervisors, adding that, it intended to expand the acreage in the near future.
He said the company was also helping to protect river bodies in its catchment area by planting trees along the Black Volta at Nabogu.
‘‘We also have plans of establishing a processing plant on the farm where the mangoes would be processed and packaged to attract the needed market, home and abroad,’’ the director stated.
According to him, work on the accommodation and offices that had been suspended for some time, would commence in due course.
Alhaji Ayana , however, expressed concern about the capital intensive nature of the project and appealed for support to enable them to carry their vision through.
He noted that the successful maintenance of the farm, especially during the harmattan season, was expensive as the plants had to be constantly watered.
Alhaji Ayana, a native of Tamale who also trades in and exports sheanut, is engaged in estate development and a popular Hajj agent, as well as a philanthropist.
The deputy MD commended Alhaji Ayana for the efficient management of the farm, and urged him to carry on with his vision, which he observed, conformed to the programme of the bank to encourage more farmers to go into that venture.
He stated that the bank’s pilot mango project in the three northern regions was to engage the youth and also help improve on the lot of farmers in the area.
He cited for instance that, under the project, a total of 120-acres of organic mangoes had so far been cultivated at Zabzugu in the Zabzugu/Tatale District and Mangoli, near Tamale, in the Northern Region.
Mr Owusu-Ansah said in all, 500 acres would be cultivated in the region and that, the farmers had been organised into groups and received training to improve on their output to enable them to benefit from their toils.
‘‘The project was started last year; and this year, we intend to extend it to both the Upper East and Upper West regions, and when successful, would be replicated elsewhere,’’ the director announced.
‘‘We also have plans to add value to the products that would be processed and exported to conserve foreign exchange,’’ Mr Owusu-Ansah stated.
The visit was, among other reasons, aimed at replicating the good management practices on the farm onto the bank’s funded organic mango plantation project in other parts of the region.
The three-man team was led by the Deputy Managing Director (MD) of the bank, Mr Alex Owusu-Ansah. The rest were the Area Manager of the ADB in Tamale, Mr Kwaku Anane-Acheampong, and the Co-ordinator of the bank’s mangoes project, Mr Paul Seidu.
The director of the plantations, Alhaji Yakubu Ayana, conducted the team round the 120-acre farm where he later briefed them on the prospects and challenges involved in organic farming.
He said at the moment, there was high demand for the organic mangoes outside the country as a result of its high nutritional value, ‘‘and even internally, most Ghanaians are developing the taste for it.’’
Alhaji Ayana said currently, the company had employed 39 farm hands and supervisors, adding that, it intended to expand the acreage in the near future.
He said the company was also helping to protect river bodies in its catchment area by planting trees along the Black Volta at Nabogu.
‘‘We also have plans of establishing a processing plant on the farm where the mangoes would be processed and packaged to attract the needed market, home and abroad,’’ the director stated.
According to him, work on the accommodation and offices that had been suspended for some time, would commence in due course.
Alhaji Ayana , however, expressed concern about the capital intensive nature of the project and appealed for support to enable them to carry their vision through.
He noted that the successful maintenance of the farm, especially during the harmattan season, was expensive as the plants had to be constantly watered.
Alhaji Ayana, a native of Tamale who also trades in and exports sheanut, is engaged in estate development and a popular Hajj agent, as well as a philanthropist.
The deputy MD commended Alhaji Ayana for the efficient management of the farm, and urged him to carry on with his vision, which he observed, conformed to the programme of the bank to encourage more farmers to go into that venture.
He stated that the bank’s pilot mango project in the three northern regions was to engage the youth and also help improve on the lot of farmers in the area.
He cited for instance that, under the project, a total of 120-acres of organic mangoes had so far been cultivated at Zabzugu in the Zabzugu/Tatale District and Mangoli, near Tamale, in the Northern Region.
Mr Owusu-Ansah said in all, 500 acres would be cultivated in the region and that, the farmers had been organised into groups and received training to improve on their output to enable them to benefit from their toils.
‘‘The project was started last year; and this year, we intend to extend it to both the Upper East and Upper West regions, and when successful, would be replicated elsewhere,’’ the director announced.
‘‘We also have plans to add value to the products that would be processed and exported to conserve foreign exchange,’’ Mr Owusu-Ansah stated.
DEPRIVATION AND POVERTY, CAUSES OF CHILD LABOUR IN NR (PAGE 40)
THE issues of human trafficking and child labour are real in the northern part of the country. One can feel its pervasiveness in the rural communities, where deprivation and poverty stare one in the face.
Indeed, the lack of job opportunities, coupled with parental irresponsibility and the resultant endemic poverty in the area are some of the reasons why the practice still persists, despite the various interventions and attempts by the government and civil society organisations to stop the negative practice.
Most of the children from northern Ghana migrate down south to engage in menial jobs just to make a living due to the same reasons. The children, majority of whom are girls, also drop out of school to join the bandwagon at the least opportunity.
Other reasons include ignorance and child fostering that is widely practised in the area, where children under 10 are sent to relatives for grooming. Such children are often turned into maids and are not enrolled in school. This compels them to migrate, sometimes without the knowledge of their parents or guardians.
The children eventually end up on the markets and streets of Accra and Kumasi, where some of them chase traders and shoppers and even struggle among themselves to carry the wares of these shoppers and traders in return for pittance.
They normally look shabby, unkempt and hungry. They sleep at open spaces, under stalls, verandas and in kiosks, where they are exposed to the vagaries of the weather and are sometimes raped and defiled.
The ‘‘lucky’’ ones finally return home with babies who do not know their fathers, while others come back maimed. Some are also forced to go home after contracting various diseases, including the deadly HIV/AIDS.
It is for these reasons that the National Programme Co-ordinator of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Mr Mathew Dally, has entreated district assemblies to take ownership and responsibility of development projects by incorporating human trafficking and forced labour issues into their Medium Term Development plans, to ensure sustainability of the project effects.
‘‘It is worthy of note that donors will come and go but the development of the district will continue to be the responsibility of the district assembly and the people,’’ he stressed.
The co-ordinator made the appeal after presenting Yahama motorbikes, bicycles and mobile phones to some communities in the Tolon/Kumbungu District in the Northern Region.
The three beneficiary communities are Gbanjon, Garizegu and Galinkpegu. The donation formed part of an ILO pilot project dubbed: ‘‘Enhancing Communities’ Capacity in Nigeria and Ghana to combat human trafficking.
The project is being funded by the German Development Organisation (GTZ). The Regional Advisory, Information and Network Systems (RAINS), a Tamale-based NGO is one of the local advocacy partners.
Under the project, traditional leaders, 25 per cent of whom are women in beneficiary communities, are sensitised while Community Vigilance Groups, which also include 25-per cent female membership, are trained on advocacy and monitoring.
Hotlines for victims and witnesses of human trafficking would also be established and orientated towards gender-specific measures to prevent and detect incidents of trafficking.
‘‘The presentation of the equipment adds a new and symbolic element to the global struggle against child labour and trafficking, exemplified by the rapid ratification of the UN Convention 182 of 1999 by over 100 countries, including Ghana,’’ Mr Dally explained.
The consultant of the project, Mr Kwasi Amenuvor, said the needs assessment for the programme included the training of opinion leaders, the formation and training of community vigilance groups.
He advised the beneficiaries to take good care of the equipment and use it for the intended purpose of preventing child trafficking.
Mr Amenuvor stated further that trafficking in persons in the West African sub-region alone involved between 200,000 and 800,000 persons and that it yielded illicit profits estimated at $9 billion globally for people he described as criminal groups and networks at both internal and international levels.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr Wahabu Suhuyini Wumbei, in a speech read on his behalf, called for effective collaboration between community members and other players in combating forced labour and human trafficking.
He expressed concern over the increasing number of such cases in northern Ghana, which has been identified as the major source and transit of trafficked labour in the country.
The DCE advised parents and guardians to take advantage of the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme by enrolling their children and wards in school and make sure that they stayed and completed schooling.
Indeed, the lack of job opportunities, coupled with parental irresponsibility and the resultant endemic poverty in the area are some of the reasons why the practice still persists, despite the various interventions and attempts by the government and civil society organisations to stop the negative practice.
Most of the children from northern Ghana migrate down south to engage in menial jobs just to make a living due to the same reasons. The children, majority of whom are girls, also drop out of school to join the bandwagon at the least opportunity.
Other reasons include ignorance and child fostering that is widely practised in the area, where children under 10 are sent to relatives for grooming. Such children are often turned into maids and are not enrolled in school. This compels them to migrate, sometimes without the knowledge of their parents or guardians.
The children eventually end up on the markets and streets of Accra and Kumasi, where some of them chase traders and shoppers and even struggle among themselves to carry the wares of these shoppers and traders in return for pittance.
They normally look shabby, unkempt and hungry. They sleep at open spaces, under stalls, verandas and in kiosks, where they are exposed to the vagaries of the weather and are sometimes raped and defiled.
The ‘‘lucky’’ ones finally return home with babies who do not know their fathers, while others come back maimed. Some are also forced to go home after contracting various diseases, including the deadly HIV/AIDS.
It is for these reasons that the National Programme Co-ordinator of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Mr Mathew Dally, has entreated district assemblies to take ownership and responsibility of development projects by incorporating human trafficking and forced labour issues into their Medium Term Development plans, to ensure sustainability of the project effects.
‘‘It is worthy of note that donors will come and go but the development of the district will continue to be the responsibility of the district assembly and the people,’’ he stressed.
The co-ordinator made the appeal after presenting Yahama motorbikes, bicycles and mobile phones to some communities in the Tolon/Kumbungu District in the Northern Region.
The three beneficiary communities are Gbanjon, Garizegu and Galinkpegu. The donation formed part of an ILO pilot project dubbed: ‘‘Enhancing Communities’ Capacity in Nigeria and Ghana to combat human trafficking.
The project is being funded by the German Development Organisation (GTZ). The Regional Advisory, Information and Network Systems (RAINS), a Tamale-based NGO is one of the local advocacy partners.
Under the project, traditional leaders, 25 per cent of whom are women in beneficiary communities, are sensitised while Community Vigilance Groups, which also include 25-per cent female membership, are trained on advocacy and monitoring.
Hotlines for victims and witnesses of human trafficking would also be established and orientated towards gender-specific measures to prevent and detect incidents of trafficking.
‘‘The presentation of the equipment adds a new and symbolic element to the global struggle against child labour and trafficking, exemplified by the rapid ratification of the UN Convention 182 of 1999 by over 100 countries, including Ghana,’’ Mr Dally explained.
The consultant of the project, Mr Kwasi Amenuvor, said the needs assessment for the programme included the training of opinion leaders, the formation and training of community vigilance groups.
He advised the beneficiaries to take good care of the equipment and use it for the intended purpose of preventing child trafficking.
Mr Amenuvor stated further that trafficking in persons in the West African sub-region alone involved between 200,000 and 800,000 persons and that it yielded illicit profits estimated at $9 billion globally for people he described as criminal groups and networks at both internal and international levels.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr Wahabu Suhuyini Wumbei, in a speech read on his behalf, called for effective collaboration between community members and other players in combating forced labour and human trafficking.
He expressed concern over the increasing number of such cases in northern Ghana, which has been identified as the major source and transit of trafficked labour in the country.
The DCE advised parents and guardians to take advantage of the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme by enrolling their children and wards in school and make sure that they stayed and completed schooling.
BEEF UP SECURITY AT REGISTRATION CENTRES (PAGE 31)
THE Northern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission Mr Sylvester Kanyi, has called for the beefing up of security at some registration centres in the Tamale metropolis to ensure a smooth process of the exercise in the area.
This follows an isolated incident that occurred at one of the polling stations at the United Primary centre, where some unidentified persons on board pickup vehicles fired warning shots at the centre and made away with the registration materials, including the forms.
The registration assistants and persons who had queued up to register their names at the station had to scurry away for their lives.
There have, however, not been any reported injuries. No arrest had also been made yet. A police source claims investigations were underway to apprehend the perpetrators of the bizarre action and also retrieve the stolen materials.
The director has explained that ‘‘there is no cause for alarm, because we have all the numbers contained in those forms. What we have to do is to block the numbers in the scanner machine’’.
He described the incident as rather unfortunate and indicated that the exercise was going on smoothly at other centres in the metropolis in spite of some minor misunderstandings that are associated with such important exercises in the electoral process.
Mr Kanyi further advised the people and the leadership of the various political parties in the area to report any anomalies in the exercise to his outfit or the security agencies for redress and not to take the laws into their own hands.
This follows an isolated incident that occurred at one of the polling stations at the United Primary centre, where some unidentified persons on board pickup vehicles fired warning shots at the centre and made away with the registration materials, including the forms.
The registration assistants and persons who had queued up to register their names at the station had to scurry away for their lives.
There have, however, not been any reported injuries. No arrest had also been made yet. A police source claims investigations were underway to apprehend the perpetrators of the bizarre action and also retrieve the stolen materials.
The director has explained that ‘‘there is no cause for alarm, because we have all the numbers contained in those forms. What we have to do is to block the numbers in the scanner machine’’.
He described the incident as rather unfortunate and indicated that the exercise was going on smoothly at other centres in the metropolis in spite of some minor misunderstandings that are associated with such important exercises in the electoral process.
Mr Kanyi further advised the people and the leadership of the various political parties in the area to report any anomalies in the exercise to his outfit or the security agencies for redress and not to take the laws into their own hands.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
NDC DENES ALEGATION OF ASSAULT IN TAMALE (PAGE 17)
THE Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described as mischievous and deceptive a publication in the Monday, August 4 issue of the Statesman with the headline, "NDC Fraud, Assault Halt Registration Process in Tamale."
The said story was published with a picture of one Abdul-Ganiyu Iddrisu Brigade in blood stained cloths.
"We wish to dismiss the publication as outrageous, fraudulent and misleading as Ganiyu Iddrisu is very fit and walking about freely with no apparent physical injury to him as the Statesman will want the public to believe, "the party indicated.
At a press conference in Tamale on Tuesday, the Vice-Chairman of the NDC in the Northern Region, Mr Nasamu Asabigi, described the reportage as most unfortunate and said the public deserved a better reportage.
Present were the National Vice-Chairman of the party, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Mr Inusah Fuseini, and some regional executive of the NDC.
Mr Asabigi challenged the Statesman to ask Brigandi to report his alleged assault to the police. "Indeed, it beats our imagination how Gyaniyu got soaked in blood on Saturday, August 2 and can still ride about on Sunday August 3."
, "We consider the publication as another attempt to paint a picture of Tamale as a violent metropolis led by the NDC", he said.
Mr Asabigi further alleged that that plan was contrived by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Tamale on August 2 where they recruited a professional photographer and took him to a house for the purpose of "this deceptive story."
"We further challenge the Statesman and their reporter, Hamza Lansah Lolly, to impress upon Ganiyu Briganda to show proof of his attack by specifying where and when the incident took place since we have a copy of another picture he took with the same photographer at the same time in the same blood soaked clothing doing a kangaroo dance."
The vice-chairman also called on the Statesman and other media houses to always cross-cheek their stories before publishing, as such stories could impact negatively on the prevailing peace in the region.
The said story was published with a picture of one Abdul-Ganiyu Iddrisu Brigade in blood stained cloths.
"We wish to dismiss the publication as outrageous, fraudulent and misleading as Ganiyu Iddrisu is very fit and walking about freely with no apparent physical injury to him as the Statesman will want the public to believe, "the party indicated.
At a press conference in Tamale on Tuesday, the Vice-Chairman of the NDC in the Northern Region, Mr Nasamu Asabigi, described the reportage as most unfortunate and said the public deserved a better reportage.
Present were the National Vice-Chairman of the party, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Mr Inusah Fuseini, and some regional executive of the NDC.
Mr Asabigi challenged the Statesman to ask Brigandi to report his alleged assault to the police. "Indeed, it beats our imagination how Gyaniyu got soaked in blood on Saturday, August 2 and can still ride about on Sunday August 3."
, "We consider the publication as another attempt to paint a picture of Tamale as a violent metropolis led by the NDC", he said.
Mr Asabigi further alleged that that plan was contrived by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Tamale on August 2 where they recruited a professional photographer and took him to a house for the purpose of "this deceptive story."
"We further challenge the Statesman and their reporter, Hamza Lansah Lolly, to impress upon Ganiyu Briganda to show proof of his attack by specifying where and when the incident took place since we have a copy of another picture he took with the same photographer at the same time in the same blood soaked clothing doing a kangaroo dance."
The vice-chairman also called on the Statesman and other media houses to always cross-cheek their stories before publishing, as such stories could impact negatively on the prevailing peace in the region.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
FOOD SAFETY WEEK HELD IN TAMALE (PAGE 28)
THE sixth National Food Safety Week has been held in Tamale, with a call on the public to be vigilant and monitor the conditions under which food is prepared to ensure their safety at all times.
According to the Northern Regional Zonal Officer of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), Mr Solomon Agampim, “much interest should also be shown in the conditions under which food is produced, processed and marketed”.
He said reported cases of food-borne diseases in the country for 2007 stood at 297,104 and, therefore, called for an effective collaboration between the FDB and other stakeholders to address the situation.
The celebration, which was observed on the theme: “Clean Markets, Safe Food, a Healthy People”, was aimed at sensitising the public to the increasing health and socio-economic importance of food safety.
Mr Agampim said his outfit had, in partnership with the Ghana Tourists Board, already inspected most food joints in the region and also organised workshops on food handling and hygienic practices to that effect.
He criticised the practice by which some food processors used obsolete machines and cast iron machines in blending food, instead of the recommended stainless steel equipment, as an example.
The officer further expressed concern over the practice by some butchers of carrying meat on their bare backs, on bicycles, motorbikes and in open vehicles, without covering it with any protective materials to sell to unsuspecting consumers.
According to Mr Agampim, regulatory measures could not be enforced on such recalcitrant dealers without the full co-operation of the public.
He, therefore, entreated the people not to hesitate in reporting such unhygienic practices to his outfit for the necessary action to be taken.
According to the Northern Regional Zonal Officer of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), Mr Solomon Agampim, “much interest should also be shown in the conditions under which food is produced, processed and marketed”.
He said reported cases of food-borne diseases in the country for 2007 stood at 297,104 and, therefore, called for an effective collaboration between the FDB and other stakeholders to address the situation.
The celebration, which was observed on the theme: “Clean Markets, Safe Food, a Healthy People”, was aimed at sensitising the public to the increasing health and socio-economic importance of food safety.
Mr Agampim said his outfit had, in partnership with the Ghana Tourists Board, already inspected most food joints in the region and also organised workshops on food handling and hygienic practices to that effect.
He criticised the practice by which some food processors used obsolete machines and cast iron machines in blending food, instead of the recommended stainless steel equipment, as an example.
The officer further expressed concern over the practice by some butchers of carrying meat on their bare backs, on bicycles, motorbikes and in open vehicles, without covering it with any protective materials to sell to unsuspecting consumers.
According to Mr Agampim, regulatory measures could not be enforced on such recalcitrant dealers without the full co-operation of the public.
He, therefore, entreated the people not to hesitate in reporting such unhygienic practices to his outfit for the necessary action to be taken.
MINISTER DONATES TV SET TO GNA (PAGE 30)
THE Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, has made a personal donation of a 21-inch colour television set and a radio cassette player to the Tamale Office of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to facilitate the work of the agency in the area.
The minister explained that the presentation was in recognition of the agency’s contribution to news dissemination in the region, especially in very difficult conditions and times.
‘‘I recognise the support the media is giving to the region and as minister, I have no doubt in my mind that the equipment would motivate you to offer your best,’’ Alhaji Idris stated.
The minister further commended media practitioners in the area for their immense contribution to the socio-economic development of the region.
‘‘I would urge the media to continue to offer their best in their various reportage to help sustain the prevailing peace we are enjoying and also sensitise the people to the need to always resort to dialogue in resolving their differences,’’ he admonished.
The minister appealed to the people and the leadership of political parties to support the Electoral Commission in the ongoing registration exercise to make it successful in the region.
He also urged the parties to educate their members on the need to behave maturely and desist from encouraging the registration of minors at the centres.
The Northern Regional Manager of the GNA, Mr Paul Osei-Tutu, who received the items, expressed gratitude to the minister, and added that ‘‘the Tamale office and the GNA management would for ever remember you for this kind gesture’’.
He appealed to other individuals and well-meaning organisations to help equip the office to facilitate the work of the agency in the region, which he said, was the largest in the country.
The minister explained that the presentation was in recognition of the agency’s contribution to news dissemination in the region, especially in very difficult conditions and times.
‘‘I recognise the support the media is giving to the region and as minister, I have no doubt in my mind that the equipment would motivate you to offer your best,’’ Alhaji Idris stated.
The minister further commended media practitioners in the area for their immense contribution to the socio-economic development of the region.
‘‘I would urge the media to continue to offer their best in their various reportage to help sustain the prevailing peace we are enjoying and also sensitise the people to the need to always resort to dialogue in resolving their differences,’’ he admonished.
The minister appealed to the people and the leadership of political parties to support the Electoral Commission in the ongoing registration exercise to make it successful in the region.
He also urged the parties to educate their members on the need to behave maturely and desist from encouraging the registration of minors at the centres.
The Northern Regional Manager of the GNA, Mr Paul Osei-Tutu, who received the items, expressed gratitude to the minister, and added that ‘‘the Tamale office and the GNA management would for ever remember you for this kind gesture’’.
He appealed to other individuals and well-meaning organisations to help equip the office to facilitate the work of the agency in the region, which he said, was the largest in the country.
CALM RETRURNS TO TAMALE ELECTORAL AREAS (SPREAD)
CALM has returned to all the 27 electoral areas in the Tamale metropolis where three centres were closed down last Saturday, as a result of intimidation and other electoral disturbances.
According to the Northern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr Sylvester Kanyi, registration is currently going on smoothly at all the centres and the Commission had no intention of extending the closing date for the exercise in the metropolis.
Mr Kanyi and representatives of the various political parties were chased out of some registration centres, including the Zogbeli JSS and the United Primary School at Moshie-Zongo, which stalled the registration exercise in Tamale last Saturday.
‘‘At the moment, we have not suspended the exercise in any part of the metropolis and registration is on-going at all the centres in the area,’’ he stated.
Commercial activities are also going on as usual with the respective financial institutions busily transacting business with customers while traders at the various market centres busily sell their wares.
The registration exercise, which began nationwide last Thursday, was nearly marred at some centres in the metropolis, following reports of accusations and counter-accusations of registration of minors between members by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The misunderstanding between the two parties followed reports of alleged assault, intimidation and firing of warning shots at some of the centres.
At the United Primary registration centre last Friday, some unidentified persons in a pick-up fired warning shots at the centre and made away with the registration materials, including the forms.
After that, Mr Kanyi and representatives of the various political parties in the metropolis were chased out of the Zogbeli JSS registration centre during a routine check there.
In the process, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Mr Inusah Fuseini, was manhandled, while the vehicle carrying him was pelted with stones.
A saloon car belonging to a regional executive member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) also had its window screen damaged.
In Accra, Musah Yahaya Jafaru reports that anxious youth in parts of Accra who wish to get their names on the voters register have expressed their frustration at the shifting of registration centres from one electoral area to the other.
They said the practice was responsible for the long queues at the various registration centres in Accra in the ongoing revision of the voters register.
“The reason is that people who are anxious to register but cannot do so in their electoral areas follow up the registration exercise outside their electoral areas,” one young man told the Daily Graphic at Adabraka yesterday.
At some registration centres, the registration officers refused to register persons who moved outside their electoral areas, insisting on their house numbers and witnesses to testify that they were resident in the respective areas.
However, other registration officers who did not want to incur the ‘wrath’ of party agents, had stopped challenging the residential status of the people.
When the Daily Graphic team visited other registration centres yesterday, people, numbering between 200 and 300, were standing in long queues as of 3 pm. The registration centres included the Dunia Cinema registration centre in Nima West, the Old GNTC registration centre for residents of Kanda Estate and Kanda Ruga, both in the East Ayawaso Constituency, the Accra Technical Training Centre in the Ayawaso Central Constituency, and the Salem Secondary registration centre and Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) registration centre, both in the Osu Klottey Constituency.
Some of the anxious people tried to jump the queue, resulting in some disturbances. The police had to be called in to restore order at those registration centres.
At YWCA and Salem Secondary School registration centres, some of the people in queues had to be locked outside the main gates, and ushered in turns.
Some people claimed that they had been in the queues since 4 a.m.
The Electoral Officer of the Old GNTC registration centre, Mr Yakubu Bukari, told the Daily Graphic that the exercise was meant for the Kanda Estate and Ruga area, but residents of the Nima East also had gone there to register.
That, he said, increased the number of the people in the queue and complicated the registration exercise as the officers were given additional task of sorting out true residents.
According to the Northern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr Sylvester Kanyi, registration is currently going on smoothly at all the centres and the Commission had no intention of extending the closing date for the exercise in the metropolis.
Mr Kanyi and representatives of the various political parties were chased out of some registration centres, including the Zogbeli JSS and the United Primary School at Moshie-Zongo, which stalled the registration exercise in Tamale last Saturday.
‘‘At the moment, we have not suspended the exercise in any part of the metropolis and registration is on-going at all the centres in the area,’’ he stated.
Commercial activities are also going on as usual with the respective financial institutions busily transacting business with customers while traders at the various market centres busily sell their wares.
The registration exercise, which began nationwide last Thursday, was nearly marred at some centres in the metropolis, following reports of accusations and counter-accusations of registration of minors between members by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The misunderstanding between the two parties followed reports of alleged assault, intimidation and firing of warning shots at some of the centres.
At the United Primary registration centre last Friday, some unidentified persons in a pick-up fired warning shots at the centre and made away with the registration materials, including the forms.
After that, Mr Kanyi and representatives of the various political parties in the metropolis were chased out of the Zogbeli JSS registration centre during a routine check there.
In the process, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Mr Inusah Fuseini, was manhandled, while the vehicle carrying him was pelted with stones.
A saloon car belonging to a regional executive member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) also had its window screen damaged.
In Accra, Musah Yahaya Jafaru reports that anxious youth in parts of Accra who wish to get their names on the voters register have expressed their frustration at the shifting of registration centres from one electoral area to the other.
They said the practice was responsible for the long queues at the various registration centres in Accra in the ongoing revision of the voters register.
“The reason is that people who are anxious to register but cannot do so in their electoral areas follow up the registration exercise outside their electoral areas,” one young man told the Daily Graphic at Adabraka yesterday.
At some registration centres, the registration officers refused to register persons who moved outside their electoral areas, insisting on their house numbers and witnesses to testify that they were resident in the respective areas.
However, other registration officers who did not want to incur the ‘wrath’ of party agents, had stopped challenging the residential status of the people.
When the Daily Graphic team visited other registration centres yesterday, people, numbering between 200 and 300, were standing in long queues as of 3 pm. The registration centres included the Dunia Cinema registration centre in Nima West, the Old GNTC registration centre for residents of Kanda Estate and Kanda Ruga, both in the East Ayawaso Constituency, the Accra Technical Training Centre in the Ayawaso Central Constituency, and the Salem Secondary registration centre and Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) registration centre, both in the Osu Klottey Constituency.
Some of the anxious people tried to jump the queue, resulting in some disturbances. The police had to be called in to restore order at those registration centres.
At YWCA and Salem Secondary School registration centres, some of the people in queues had to be locked outside the main gates, and ushered in turns.
Some people claimed that they had been in the queues since 4 a.m.
The Electoral Officer of the Old GNTC registration centre, Mr Yakubu Bukari, told the Daily Graphic that the exercise was meant for the Kanda Estate and Ruga area, but residents of the Nima East also had gone there to register.
That, he said, increased the number of the people in the queue and complicated the registration exercise as the officers were given additional task of sorting out true residents.
SHOPS SPRING UP EVERYWHERE
THE Tamale metropolis has gradually become a city of shops. Stores and stalls are dotted at every nook and cranny of the metropolis. Metal containers and kiosks are springing up in almost every available space.
Pavements and bicycle lanes in the central business district of the metropolis have been taken over by traders, thereby obstructing the free flow of human traffic and riders.
At the backyard of the Ghana Telecom offices near the central market, vegetable sellers and beggars have “seized” the railings and pavements, forcing pedestrians to compete with motorists on the very busy and narrow road.
The traders have also succeeded in taking over the car park outside the Kaladan Park and its immediate vicinity, as well as the Aboabo Lorry Station.
The practices of some of the traders leave much to be desired, contributing greatly to the unsanitary conditions in the metropolis, as they litter the area indiscriminately.
Tenants in houses close to the streets are often told by their landlords that they want to turn those rooms into offices or stores that could attract higher rent.
According to the Tamale Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, Alhaji Mohammed Adam Baba, most shop owners neither consulted the assembly, nor did they receive any permit, before constructing, erecting or placing their structures anywhere.
He described the practice as most unfortunate, illegal and unacceptable.
Alhaji Baba said the assembly was taking measures to help stem the tide to make the city clean to reflect its status.
A resident, Mr Iddrisu Tikuma, said the assembly should rather enforce its order on the traders to relocate “because the assembly’s numerous notices to the traders to relocate have fallen on deaf ears.
“As a result, these illegal structures are springing up daily, without recourse to any laid-down rule or plan, as some of them are erected or positioned on major service lines,” he stated, adding, “There should be discipline in the way we do things.”
He also said if those structures were not removed now, they could obstruct a future expansion of the roads and other user facilities.
A student, Ms Fauzia Abdulai, also expressed concern over the menace of stray animals on the roads and called on the assembly to set up a task force to get rid of such animals to make the roads safer for both motorists and pedestrians.
She suggested that owners of such animals be fined before their animals were released to them or in default the assembly should confiscate the animals and later dispose of them.
Pavements and bicycle lanes in the central business district of the metropolis have been taken over by traders, thereby obstructing the free flow of human traffic and riders.
At the backyard of the Ghana Telecom offices near the central market, vegetable sellers and beggars have “seized” the railings and pavements, forcing pedestrians to compete with motorists on the very busy and narrow road.
The traders have also succeeded in taking over the car park outside the Kaladan Park and its immediate vicinity, as well as the Aboabo Lorry Station.
The practices of some of the traders leave much to be desired, contributing greatly to the unsanitary conditions in the metropolis, as they litter the area indiscriminately.
Tenants in houses close to the streets are often told by their landlords that they want to turn those rooms into offices or stores that could attract higher rent.
According to the Tamale Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, Alhaji Mohammed Adam Baba, most shop owners neither consulted the assembly, nor did they receive any permit, before constructing, erecting or placing their structures anywhere.
He described the practice as most unfortunate, illegal and unacceptable.
Alhaji Baba said the assembly was taking measures to help stem the tide to make the city clean to reflect its status.
A resident, Mr Iddrisu Tikuma, said the assembly should rather enforce its order on the traders to relocate “because the assembly’s numerous notices to the traders to relocate have fallen on deaf ears.
“As a result, these illegal structures are springing up daily, without recourse to any laid-down rule or plan, as some of them are erected or positioned on major service lines,” he stated, adding, “There should be discipline in the way we do things.”
He also said if those structures were not removed now, they could obstruct a future expansion of the roads and other user facilities.
A student, Ms Fauzia Abdulai, also expressed concern over the menace of stray animals on the roads and called on the assembly to set up a task force to get rid of such animals to make the roads safer for both motorists and pedestrians.
She suggested that owners of such animals be fined before their animals were released to them or in default the assembly should confiscate the animals and later dispose of them.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
NDC APPEALS TO AGGRIEVED ACTIVISTS (PAGE 14)
THE Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has appealed to some aggrieved party activists who were disqualified from contesting the parliamentary primary in the Tamale North Constituency, to abandon their decision to contest the December parliamentary poll as independent candidates.
“The party entreats you to reconsider your stand and rally behind your elected parliamentary aspirant, Alhaji Abubakari Sumani, and the party's presidential hopeful, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, to ensure a resounding victory in the forthcoming December general election,” the Northern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Alhaji Abdulai Harruna Friday, stated.
Making the appeal in Tamale, Alhaji Friday also commended the executive of the three NDC constituency branches in Tamale for working hard for the party.
"We thank you for working selflessly to increase the party's goodwill and support in the metropolis. We, however, urge you not to be complacent with these achievements," he admonished them.
The appeal came after Alhaji Friday had led some regional executive to interact with some of the constituency executive to sensitise them to the importance of the voters registration and revision exercise that commenced yesterday.
Among the suburbs visited were Vittin, Lamashegu, Sagnrigu, Gurugu, Sabojinda and Victory.
The secretary said all activists of the NDC must step up efforts by mobilising eligible voters to register, since that was the only way to garner the necessary votes to beat the ruling New Patriotic Party.
The Northern Regional NDC Propaganda Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk, also advised party sympathisers to exercise maximum restraint during the entire period of the exercise and to report any misgivings to the appropriate quarters for redress.
The Regional Women's Organiser of the party, Hajia Raliatu Yakubu, admonished NDC supporters, particularly the women, not to allow any individual or group to deceive them into trading their votes for money.
“The party entreats you to reconsider your stand and rally behind your elected parliamentary aspirant, Alhaji Abubakari Sumani, and the party's presidential hopeful, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, to ensure a resounding victory in the forthcoming December general election,” the Northern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Alhaji Abdulai Harruna Friday, stated.
Making the appeal in Tamale, Alhaji Friday also commended the executive of the three NDC constituency branches in Tamale for working hard for the party.
"We thank you for working selflessly to increase the party's goodwill and support in the metropolis. We, however, urge you not to be complacent with these achievements," he admonished them.
The appeal came after Alhaji Friday had led some regional executive to interact with some of the constituency executive to sensitise them to the importance of the voters registration and revision exercise that commenced yesterday.
Among the suburbs visited were Vittin, Lamashegu, Sagnrigu, Gurugu, Sabojinda and Victory.
The secretary said all activists of the NDC must step up efforts by mobilising eligible voters to register, since that was the only way to garner the necessary votes to beat the ruling New Patriotic Party.
The Northern Regional NDC Propaganda Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk, also advised party sympathisers to exercise maximum restraint during the entire period of the exercise and to report any misgivings to the appropriate quarters for redress.
The Regional Women's Organiser of the party, Hajia Raliatu Yakubu, admonished NDC supporters, particularly the women, not to allow any individual or group to deceive them into trading their votes for money.
NPP EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER HARRASSMENT
THE New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed concern over the alleged harassment of their polling agents at some registration centres in the Tamale metropolis. It has, therefore urged security personnel in the area to beef up their presence at those flashpoints.
The party also entreated officials of the Electoral Commission in the Northern Region to ensure that all eligible citizens were duly registered at the various designated centres in the region without any intimidation.
The National Youth Organiser of the NPP, Mr John Boadu, who was speaking in Tamale yesterday, expressed worries over what he described as a very low turn out at some centres.
He was addressing a press conference following claims of harassment of some NPP polling agents at the Kalpohini SDA Polling Station, which resulted in an alleged injury of one Abdul-Samed.
The organiser claimed that the party agents were attacked by some thugs after they attempted lodging a protest over the registration of some alleged minors during the registration exercise at the centre on Thursday.
Mr. Boadu indicated that the attackers were brought to the centre in a pickup with a registration number, GW 4137 J. He said the incident had since been reported to the police who were yet to effect an arrest.
However, he said, the victim had been handed a police medical form, and that he had since visited the Tamale Teaching Hospital for medication.
“If a registration exercise begins this way, then we can’t imagine what the election day would look like,” the organiser noted, adding that, “We had to restrain our members from retaliation, but our tolerance has limit when it comes to protecting ourselves.”
According to Mr Boadu, the NPP had always believed in the processes leading to free and fair elections, for which reason “we want to appeal to the security agents and the EC to be up and doing to ensure a violent-free exercise s this year”.
The Northern Regional Director of the EC, Mr Sylvester D. Kanyi, said centres in the metropolis had to be called off yesterday as a result of some disturbances.
He, however, explained that those centres were re-opened yesterday following a meeting between the commission and elders from those electoral areas.
The party also entreated officials of the Electoral Commission in the Northern Region to ensure that all eligible citizens were duly registered at the various designated centres in the region without any intimidation.
The National Youth Organiser of the NPP, Mr John Boadu, who was speaking in Tamale yesterday, expressed worries over what he described as a very low turn out at some centres.
He was addressing a press conference following claims of harassment of some NPP polling agents at the Kalpohini SDA Polling Station, which resulted in an alleged injury of one Abdul-Samed.
The organiser claimed that the party agents were attacked by some thugs after they attempted lodging a protest over the registration of some alleged minors during the registration exercise at the centre on Thursday.
Mr. Boadu indicated that the attackers were brought to the centre in a pickup with a registration number, GW 4137 J. He said the incident had since been reported to the police who were yet to effect an arrest.
However, he said, the victim had been handed a police medical form, and that he had since visited the Tamale Teaching Hospital for medication.
“If a registration exercise begins this way, then we can’t imagine what the election day would look like,” the organiser noted, adding that, “We had to restrain our members from retaliation, but our tolerance has limit when it comes to protecting ourselves.”
According to Mr Boadu, the NPP had always believed in the processes leading to free and fair elections, for which reason “we want to appeal to the security agents and the EC to be up and doing to ensure a violent-free exercise s this year”.
The Northern Regional Director of the EC, Mr Sylvester D. Kanyi, said centres in the metropolis had to be called off yesterday as a result of some disturbances.
He, however, explained that those centres were re-opened yesterday following a meeting between the commission and elders from those electoral areas.
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