Day: July 26, 2022

Accra, July 26, GNA – Daniel Fenyin, Member, Ghana National Association?of Certified Councilors has urged government to address school dropout menace?in the country’s schools, particularly among boys.

A survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in 2017 and 2018 indicated that more boys dropped out of school compared to girls.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, Mr. Fenyin,?noted that?school dropout, which continues to be an issue of concern, lacked the necessary attention.

He expressed worry about the rate at which pupils and students, particularly?boys, dropped out of school and attributed the situation to poverty, peer pressure and lack of parental control.

“When you are coming from a poor home or a home that depends or looks up to you to bring something home, you are likely to engage in all forms of activities that will bring money home.” He said.

He asserted that the survey from the GSS revealed more school dropouts among boys than girls at every level from the kindergarten level through to Junior High School and beyond.

Mr. Fenyin emphasized that the situation deserved national attention. “There is the need for some intervention in order to retain the boys at school while ensuring gender?parity among boys and girls at school.”

The Councilor also advised parents to play responsible roles in the upbringing of their children.?

He said, “it is necessary for school children to enjoy the Free Compulsory?Universal?Basic Education (FCUBE) and called on parents to assist their children’s education.”?

“Let us keep our eyes on the boys and escort them to school and avoid?compelling them to work. Let us monitor and see if they follow their friends and peers out of school.”??

Meanwhile, the Korle Klottey Municipal Education?Directorate (KKMED) has commenced the implementation of some measures to address the problem.

According to Ms Patricia Abotsi,?Girls Education Officer, KKMED, despite the encouraging boys enrolment in schools, they ended up dropping out of school, engaging in social vices and internet fraud, popularly known as “sakawa,” and attributed this to lack of attention and counselling as they stumbled on the educational ladder.

Ms Abotsi said much attention had been given to girls in the quest to encourage and increase enrolment, adding that there had been so much complacency in boy child education, which was becoming a big problem.

“Formerly, we secluded the girls and have talks with them educating and motivating them and then leave the boys to either play football or do whatever they like. So we realize that the boys not being unattended to is now leading to so many vices such as the “sakawa” and betting that we are experiencing now,” she?said.

Ms Abotsi said School Based Coordinators in the Municipality had been sensitized to move along with the boys as well, give them the platform to also get the motivation or the encouragement given to the girls, in order to retain them in school and become successful.

She was hopeful, the measures taken by the Directorate would complement government’s effort to address the menace.?

Source: Ghana News Agency

Winneba (C/R), July 26, GNA-The Director of Research, Statistics, Information Division of Ministry of Health, Dr Wisdom Atiwoto, has called for pragmatic and innovative approaches to managing the COVID-19 pandemic as the world continued to face unprecedented challenges due to the disease.

He said to curb the spread of the virus, public health surveillance needed to be strengthened, through research, capacity building and action.

Dr Atiwoto made the call in an address at the Sixth Biennial Conference of the Faculty of Social Sciences Education at the University of Education Winneba (UEW) on the theme: “Bringing the Grown to town: Reflections on Africa’s Development in the Face of Pandemics”.

It was to capsulate the contribution of African scholars to societies amid the outbreak of pandemics during the post-pandemic era, what they have learnt from previous pandemics, how well they have prepared to support the continent and measures to employ to help safeguard Africa from devastating effects of the pandemic.

Dr Atiwoto, who delivered the keynote address, stated that the pandemic had profound and long-term economic and social impacts which needed an integrated model for the delivery of training courses, social research and strengthening of institutional mechanisms for sustainable recovery and restoring normality in people’s lives.

Also, innovative strategies and protocols must be found to respond to similar outbreaks in the future.

“The current pandemic has changed our world by touching not only the health sector but the education and agriculture sectors as well as other sectors of the economy,” he said.

According to him, there were growing concerns that the unequal impact of the pandemic across social-economic groups, risk cementing inequalities of opportunity and undermining social mobility and, therefore, called for policies to foster an inclusive recovery and strengthen resilience.

Concerning communicable diseases, specifically, findings from previous pandemics suggested that social determinants of infection risks and disease severity contributed to aggravated social inequalities in health and widen the health gap.

According to him, such findings were rarely acknowledged, neither in public discussions nor in the planning and implementation of infection control measures.

Dr Atiwoto indicated that Ghana’s Universal Health Care (UHC) roadmap had the vision of ensuring that all people in the country had timely access to high-quality health services irrespective of their ability to pay at the point of care.

“It also recognizes the critical role research and evidence generation must play in the attainment of the UHC by 2030.

“For which, reason research agenda setting, as well as collaboration with research institutions, has been outlined as components of the roadmap,” he stated.

To effectively respond to a public health emergency, Ghana’s Health System must engage and step up preparedness activities with active involvement and leadership of health sector players, communities and private sector participation, he suggested.

Professor Lucy Effeh Attom, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences of UEW, said Africa’s developmental agenda had been to increase productivity, improve the socio-economic wellbeing of individuals and also to promote self-reliance.

According to her, agenda 2063 which seeks to transform Africa into a global powerhouse was yet to see the desired growth and development.

As result, there was the need for certain adjustments and total reconsideration of the development plan, since pandemics have the potential to cause total restructure of all aspects of development, she added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A research conducted in 2021 by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) found that 40 per cent of dams constructed under the One-Village-One-Dam (1V1D) initiative did not meet the requirements of the project design.

The research also found that the depth and storage capacity as well as the quality of the embankment and spillway of many of the dams, fell short of what was designed.

It was further found that the location of most of the dams was unsuitable as most of them were sited in bad landscape and on waterways, which made them break during the rainy season.

The research entitled: “Impact of irrigation improved productivity and market value for smallholder farmers: Evidence from One-Village-One- Dam Policy in Ghana”, was to assess the impact of the policy on irrigation and agriculture in general.

A total of 30 communities where the 1V1D dams were sited and 30 communities that did not have the dams were used in the study, which employed random sampling selection procedures with a total of 1,470 households in the five regions in the north interviewed.

Professor Charles Amoatey, the Principal Investigator on the research, presented the findings at the Advancing Local Leadership Innovation and Network (ALL-IN) Ghana Baseline Dissemination workshop, held in Tamale.

The workshop was organised by the International Centre for Evaluation and Development(ICED) in partnership with the Feed the Future Innovation Lab.

It was to create opportunities for selected organisations to disseminate their research findings and interventions to help influence policy implementation and decision-making processes in the country.

The five regions in the north were noted to be the poorest areas in the country and experienced erratic rainfall with a long dry season.

This made it impossible for dry season farming by residents resulting in poverty and food insecurity.

The IVID initiative was therefore, to allow the construction of larger and multipurpose dams in the area to promote dry season farming and help reduce poverty.

Professor Amoatey said it was also found that 14 per cent of respondents indicated that 1V1D dams were a main source of water for domestic use such as drinking and washing.

He said over 80 per cent of households indicated that farmers were unable to use the 1V1D dams for dry season farming.

He added that “Also only 9 per cent of the respondents used the dams commercially.

He said, “The dams dry up during the dry season. Few can use them for planting vegetables and fruits like watermelon. Some communities in the Upper East, Savannah and Upper West Regions use dams for limited vegetable production.”

The research recommended the expansion of the water holding capacity of the dams, fixing of valves on the dams to enable them to carry water to irrigation farms, and training farmers on irrigation farming.

It called for the involvement of community members in paid jobs for the maintenance of the dams.

It further called on the government to come out with clear policies and guidelines to clarify the roles of each stakeholder within the 1V1D value chain.

Dr David Ameyaw, the President of ICED and Co-Director of the ALL-IN Programme, said the project was a joint research programme in Africa that sought to create opportunities for researchers to drive evidence-based decision-making.

He said there were about 12 research works ongoing in eight countries in Africa under the ALL-IN programme, four of which were in Ghana.

He urged stakeholders to join hands to promote research works in the country.

The ALL-IN Research grant is funded by Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk & Resilience at the University of California at Davis in collaboration with ICED.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Bolgatanga, July 26, GNA – Ghana has experienced a spillover of terrorists’ activities at Sapeliga, a border community in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, compelling unarmed security personnel to seek haven.

Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI), Martin Tioseh Soyeh, the Upper East Regional Public Affairs Officer, Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Bolgatanga.

He said as a result of the recent attacks on Burkina Faso nationals living along the border on the Bawku enclave, many people fled into Ghana, in order to escape the attack, however, the terrorists pursued them into the country.

He said the Immigration officers stationed at the place at the time were not armed and could not defend themselves against the armed terrorists and therefore took to their heels.

“Last month, the terrorists stormed the Sapeliga market in pursuit of their targets and our officers had to flee because they were not well armed.

“We have an operation in the Bawku sector but that was not their area as at that time, so those few officers, who were unarmed just managing human traffic and had to also take to their heels since they could not withstand those attackers who were having guns,” he stated.

Currently, over 1,000 Burkina Faso nationals are seeking asylum in the Bawku enclave and many more are trooping into the country after the recent attacks in which two people were killed.

The refugees are spread across Sapeliga community in the Bawku West District, Bansi community in the Binduri District and Djantiga community in the Bawku Municipality.

Within a space of a month, two major attacks were recorded near Ghana borders, including Dakola, close to the Paga border where one person was shot dead and the Bawku sector where the two were also killed.

According to the Public Affairs Officer, the two who were killed were part of six selected persons trained for 21 days and given weapons by authorities in Burkina Faso as watchdogs to protect the border communities against terrorists’ attacks.

“The information we have gathered is that the remaining four had returned the guns back to the security services in Burkina Faso and have since run into Ghana and are currently in Kumasi,” he added.

To combat further spillover, he said, the Immigration Service was collaborating effectively with the Military and had mounted sand bags at the borders and added that snap check patrols had also been launched to ensure that communities along the borders were protected against further intrusion.

DSI Soyeh said the porous nature of the country’s borders and the many unapproved routes along Ghana’s borders had been a big challenge in combating crime in the region and urged residents living along the borders to report to the security agencies any suspected characters in their communities.

He also warned landlords to do diligent background checks before renting their houses out to people, especially foreigners.

Meanwhile, Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, has paid a visit to the communities where the refugees are being kept and donated 10 bags of rice and five cartoons of cooking oils to them.

He advised them against indulging in activities that would destabilize the peace in the communities and jeopardize their stay in Ghana.

The refugees usually travel back to their communities in Burkina Faso during the day to engage in socioeconomic activities, including farming and trading, and return to Ghana at night to sleep.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Sunyani, July 26, GNA – The newly-elected executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions, have been sworn into office at a short ceremony at the premises of the Sunyani High Court.

They include Larry Paa Kwesi Moses of TV3, Regional Chairman, Dennis Peprah and Regina Benneh Siaw of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Regional Secretary and Vice-Chairperson respectively.

The elected executives, who went unopposed during the Association’s just-ended national and regional elections, co-opted four other executives, Freda Abban of the GTV, Treasurer, Nana Osei Kyeretwie of the GNA, Fiifi Ofosu Okyere, a retired broadcaster and Kwabena Asumin Gyamfi a retired Journalist as executive members.

Justice Patrick Baayeh, the Supervising High Court Judge in Sunyani, took the executives through the national oaths of office and secrecy at his chamber, and congratulated them on their elections.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana Premier League champions Kumasi Asante Kotoko have unveiled their new home and aways kits for the 2022/23 football season.

The kits are manufactured by Italian side, Errea which come in red and green.

The Porcupine Warriors continue their partnership with the Italian based kit manufacturing company for their 2022/23 jerseys as they enter the third year of their collaboration.

In October 2020, Asante Kotoko announced a three-year partnership deal with Italian firm Errea which special home and away jerseys were designed to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the club.

Asante Kotoko’s new kits for the upcoming season dubbed Pillar of Peace which is designed to celebrate the club’s life patron, His Royal Majesty Otumfou Osei Tutu II.

Asante Kotoko will represent teh country in the CAF Champions League next season and will hope to defend their Premier League title.

Source: Modern Ghana

Aborkugya (O/R), July 26, GNA – A four-member delegation from the Ghana Road Fund Management Board and the Department of Feeder Road have inspected ongoing construction works on some roads in the Krachi East Municipality of the Oti Region.

The roads are a four-kilometre Aborkugya to Papaye and ongoing prima sealing and upgrading of 12-kilometre Adakpornu junction to Cement Road.

Mr John Afful Junior, who led the delegation, speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the Department was going to inspect all major and community roads that were awarded and would take swift action on their completion.

He said the team would tour Municipal and District Assemblies in the Region to know the challenges of the road networks and address them.

Mr Micheal Yaw Gyato, a former Member of Parliament under whose tenure the contracts were awarded, reiterated that President Akufo-Addo was determined to deliver on the “Year of Roads” agenda.

He said the facelift of roads had reduced accidents among the fisher folks.

Mr Mohammed Alhassan, an Engineer of the Feeder Roads, noted that about 80 per cent of work had been done and would be completed end of August this year.

Some residents, who interacted with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), commended the government for upgrading their roads.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Shatta Wale’s assistant, Nana Dope, who is also one of the accomplices in the musician’s fake gun case has reportedly also exited his camp.

This comes a few days after Deportee, another member of Shatta Wale’s crew, alleged that Shatta bailed himself out of their fake gun case and left them.

Nana Dope, in a series of messages on Snapchat, alleged a case of physical assault involving him while in the musician’s camp.

According to him, he was physically assaulted by someone whose name he has promised to reveal very soon.

“Finally & hopefully in some few days, I’d be able to smile & say God got me outta this shit. Say a prayer for me & know when this is all over, the boy got something to finally get off his chest #NANA DOPE,” he wrote.

In another post, he explained why he hasn’t exposed the people who betrayed him, adding that he was put behind bars because of ‘loyalty’.

He added, “LOYALTY AINT ONE-SIDED! On this side, that’s how it’s like but I don’t have regrets because when I had to be behind bars because of loyalty, I gladly did. Will be back in a few days to say what I got to say! God bless everyone that’s genuinely loyal no matter how dirty who you being loyal to, does you!

“They should be thankful loyalty got me this quiet for months but in some few days, that loyalty to me won’t mean shit no More!!! And ohhh, loyalty gets you beaten as well on this side! LMAO!!”

Source: Modern Ghana