Category: Key Issues

Accra, Mr Alfred Asiedu Adjei, Secretary of the Greater Accra Presiding Members has appealed to his colleagues to check their lifestyles by eating the right food and exercising regularly to avoid dangerous diseases.

That, he said could minimize the risk of cardiovascular system against the coronavirus and other communicable diseases.

“Honourable members, let us choose the path of good health, by taking good decisions on quality food, regular exercise and enough rest. Life is about the decision or the choices we make to achieve results, either positive or negative.”

Mr Adjei made the appeal during the two-day annual conference of the Greater Accra Association of Presiding Members in Accra.

The conference brought together all the PMs of the region to deliberate on issues on security, sanitation, health, good governance and development.

It also served as a training ground for members to strategise towards the growth and development of the region.

Sanitation and waste management also formed an integral part of their conference.

Mr Adjei said decisions were relevant in every aspect of life adding: “The hardworking Regional Minster has taken a good decision to transform Greater Accra and today, we are seeing ood results. The decision we take today affects us tomorrow.

“If you take a decision to throw the safety protocols to the dogs, COVID-19 awaits you, if you take a decision to often take in too much sugary foods and fats, diabetes candida infection and other sicknesses await you.”

Mr Adjei encouraged his colleagues to engage in regular exercises, limit starchy foods and take in a lot of fruits to avoid some of the killer diseases that created negative health issues for people.

He commended the Ga people for their successful celebration of the annual Homowo festival and urged them to continue to adhere to the Coronavirus safety protocols of regular handwashing, regular use of hand sanitizers and continuous use of nosemasks.

Dr Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Service at the office of Local government service called on the Presiding Members to be innovative towards the development of their Assemblies.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency

Enchi (WN/R), The Western North Regional Minister, Mr Richard Ebbah Obeng, has pledged to provide the needed support for Ghanaian companies interested in mining legally. He said this was part of government’s strategy to help create sustainable jobs for the unemployed youth in the Region and the country at large.

The Regional Minister made the remark when he paid a day’s working visit to Chrisphil Goldfield Company Limited in the Aowin Municipality.

The visit, was to enable Mr Obeng have first-hand information about the proposed community mining site, and also access their operations.

Interacting with management of the firm, the Regional Minister who was accompanied by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Aowin, Mr Samuel Adu Gyamfi and other dignitaries, expressed satisfaction for the progress of work made so far at the site and commended them.

“The current assessment I have done at Chrisphil Goldfield Company Limited indicates your preparedness to be considered as a community mining. I am tasking you to maintain such high standards in order not to attract any sanction from the government,” he added.

Mr Henry Okum, Operation Manager of Chrisphil Goldfield Company Limited, informed the Minister that delays in the acquisition of mining licenses had been a major challenge in the operations of the company.

He said Chrisphil Goldfield Company Limited has initiated appropriate measures and would adhere strictly to the rules and regulations governing the mining industry.

Mr Okum noted that “my outfit has begun a reclamation programme. We have so far planted more than one thousand trees of coconut on a degraded land”.

The Operation Manager appealed to the authorities in charge of the acquisition of mining licenses, to speed up the process to enable them operate fully, and contribute their quota to the development of Western North Region and Ghana.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency

Winneba (C/R), Selected Police personnel from 11 African countries have undergone explosive recognition and awareness training to combat explosive-related threats by terrorists and extremists.

The two-week training dubbed: “Explosives Hazards Awareness Training (EHAT) of Trainers,” drew participants from Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cameron, Egypt, Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Gambia.

Held at the Ghana Police Command and Staff College, Winneba in the Central Region, the training programme, the first of its kind, was sponsored by the British Government, the African Union, and the Ghana Police Service (GPS).

Facilitators drawn from Ghana, Britain and Zambia, trained students to deal with explosive hazards, which has lately become rampant.

Addressing the closing session of the programme, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr Christian Tetteh Yohunu, Director-General of Administration, GPS, said for law enforcing officers whose operational assignments went beyond their individual national boundaries to international peace-keeping operations, the EHAT course was a useful tool in bridging their knowledge gap in identifying threats, proper management of explosives, to encountering activities of rogue non-state armed fighters.

“In our own sub-region, political activities and festive periods are prime occasions when miscreants resort to the use of explosives to kill and maim members of the vulnerable civilian public, cause massive destructions to public and private property, lives and for territorial controls,” he said.

COP Yohunu hinted that Specialised Professional Development courses, such as the EHAT, would be introduced at the College in future to enrich the knowledge of officers in key institutions including the National Intelligence Bureau, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana National Service, other security services, financial institutions, among others.

Chief Superintendent of Police Dr Dinam Zoiku, Commandant of the College said the session retooled students with the needed knowledge, resources and techniques to combat the upsurge in the use of improvised explosive devices, which easily fell in the hands of criminals and bandits, who used them maim, kill or cause massive destruction to both private and public property.

The second phase of the a-three-phased programme would commence in a fortnight.

Mr Steve O’Donoghoe, Police Advisor, British Peace Support Team (BPST), Africa, said the training was timely as it would develop the capacity of police personnel to confront the threats of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

Camal Al Saeed Almal, an Egyptian course participant and the overall best was grateful to the organisers for the opportunity given to him and his colleagues to participate in the programme, and pledged to share the knowledge gained.

Certificates were presented to participants and special awards to the overall best and also some course facilitators.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Key public and private sector players in the housing industry will gather at the 2021 Ecobank-JoyNews Habitat Fair scheduled from October 27 to 31, this year, to provide solutions to bridge Ghana’s national housing deficit.

This year’s habitat fair on the theme: “Homeownership: To Buy or to Build ” would see industry players in the real estate value chain engage potential buyers to find better ways of making meaningful contributions towards helping Ghana reduce its housing deficit.

Mr Dan Sackey, Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana, speaking at the launch of the fair at the Ecobank Head Office in Accra said, Ghana’s housing deficit which was more than two million housing units is of great concern and his outfit was poised in providing affordable housing units to help bridge the gap.

He noted that to resolve this housing deficit both private and public stakeholders had to provide 100,000 housing units.

“As a leading bank in Ghana and, indeed, the most admired financial services brand, Ecobank continues to reiterate its commitment to helping grow Ghana’s economy. The willingness is vividly manifested in the way we approach issues of pressing national interest, such as facilitating homeownership by workers.

“We believe that we should be able to expand the stock of housing available in the country. We say the government should help bridge the housing deficit gap but in the era of COVID-19, the government’s resources are stretched and that means the private sector like us and other partners, have a unique role to play to accelerate the provision of housing to all those who desire to own houses,” he said.

Mr Stephen Debrah, Vice President of Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) disclosed that in efforts to make commercial housing affordable to Ghanaians, his outfit is engaged with both state and private sector including the Ministry of Works and Housing, Investors, Banks, and other stakeholders to supply 20,000 housing units across the country.

“The Works and Housing Ministry with its current Minister Mr Francis Asensu Boakye have pledged in recent stakeholders’ engagement, to partner the private sector to bring the needed changes to confront the worsening deficit.

“The move to establish the National Housing Authority as prescribed in the National Housing Policy documents launched in 2015 and the composition of the Real Estate Agency Council as required by the Real Estate Agent act passed last year are some of the anchors needed to drive the needs for change,” he noted.

Mr Ken Ansah, Chief Operating Officer for the Multimedia Group Limited applauded stakeholders and partners for their numerous efforts at working together to provide affordable housing units for Ghanaians.

He was hopeful that they would deliver an excellent event that would yield results for the Ghanaians who are determined to either build or buy a house.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Goaso, (A/R), Mr Manas Kwabena Adom, Former Deputy Communication Director of the China branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has appealed to President Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo to facilitate the development of the Ahafo Region.

This is to enhance the fortunes of the NPP in Election 2024.

Although the creation of the Ahafo, he said, remained a huge and unprecedented achievement of the NPP government, people in the region anticipated speedy development and that would accordingly widen the votes of the party in the general election.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Goaso, the regional capital, Mr Adom regretted Ahafo had been side-lined for development for age-long, and commended the President for the creation of the region but added the development of the Ahafo ought to be prioritised and catered for.

“Many are those who opposed the creation of the new regions initiated by the president and very few people agreed to the proposition of the Ahafo region. But Nana Addo as the President and based on his farsightedness made the Ahafo region possible”, he said.

As a new region, Mr Adom said Ahafo required a standard maternity block, regional Hospital, and fire command, saying, though development was progressive, government ought to prioritise that because the region remained a stronghold of the NPP.

He said though Ahafo remained the food basket of the country, most of the major towns in the region including Yamfo, Duayaw-Nkwanta, Kenyasi, Hwidiem, Goaso, and Kukuom were all lagging behind in development.

“Ahafo is one of the spots where anything from farming to mechanics can be prosperous. This is a region where companies like AYUM, formerly known as Mim Timber Company and Newmont Ghana Gold Limited are all operating. The huge Forest Reserve between Bediako and Gambia number two is a national asset and even the quantities of quality cocoa beans that comes from this region are even unthinkable”, he said.

“So, if all these are coming from an infant region like Ahafo, then, the government must do something. The people of Ahafo have every reason to be thankful to President Akufo-Addo. That notwithstanding, the reason for the creation of the region must begin to manifest”, Mr Adom stated.

“Again, out of the six Members of Parliament (MPs) in Ahafo, the NPP has the majority of four, and we are working hard to secure all the six seats in election 2024”, he indicated, and called on President Akufo-Addo to ensure that the region had her share of the national cake to sustain the confidence of the people in the NPP.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Mr Henry Quartey, Greater Accra Regional Minister on Thursday reiterated that his “Let’s make Accra Agenda was not only geared towards sanitation in the capital, but also towards health, education, security and indiscipline.

He said: “Let’s make Greater Accra work agenda focuses on five significant pillars of security, sanitation, health, education and indiscipline, which is cross-cutting.”

Mr Quartey who made the call when addressing the annual conference of the Greater Accra Presiding Members in Accra on the theme: “Making Greater Accra work, the role of local Assemblies (Let your action count) said the agenda was borne out of indiscipline and total disregard for orderliness in the capital.

The programme brought together all Presiding Members in the Region, Experts in Local governance and development partners.

It would also serve as a training grounds for members to strategise towards the growth and development of the region.

Sanitation and waste management would also form an integral part of their conference.
Mr Quartey called on the Presiding Members to influence their Assemblies to carry out educational programmes with stakeholders to achieve the vision of the agenda.

He said the next line of action would be on maintaining high standards in the erection of advertising signs on the major streets of the region.

The Regional Minister said the Regional Coordinating Council was currently carrying out training programmes to bring sanity into good advertising standards.

He announced that stakeholders in the private sector had been supportive in the agenda and called for more support to achieve it.

Mr Joseph Korto, Regional Dean of Presiding Members called on his colleagues to place premium on education as it was the bedrock of education.

He said: “Honourable members, since education is the only weapon that society can use to level up, I will want to suggest that we intensify education in our various districts to fight the disease.”

He commended Mr Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister for his innovations in keeping the city clean and appealed to his colleagues to offer the Minister maximum support to achieve health and sanitation goals.

“The Regional Minister’s operation clean your frontage and the demolition of unauthorized structures on water ways, among many others cannot yield positive impact without the support of the Assemblies in the region.”

He described the Regional Minister as a courageous leader with high level of intelligence who needed their support for the Greater Accra region to work.

Mr Korto, who is also the national Dean of Presiding Members appealed to the Executive and Legislative arms of government to take steps to improve the conditions of service of Members across the country.

Dr Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Service at the office of Local government service called on the Presiding Members to be innovative towards the development of their Assemblies.
He called on the Assemblies to avoid awarding contracts that could not receive adequate funding as that could lead to putting up so many uncompleted buildings.

Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Greater Accra representative of the Council of State urged Assemblies to move their conversations towards electing MMDCEs, a proposal that had lingered on for sometime now.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency

Assin-Bereku (C/R), Mr Henry Nana Boakye, National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called on the rank and file of the Party to channel their energies towards promoting Party peace, unity, and harmony.

He also urged them to desist from actions that sought to ruin their electoral fortunes ahead of the 2024 polls.

He said the Government was working assiduously to accelerate socio-economic development across the country, hence, it behooved Party members to embrace unity and work harder to improve the lot of the people.

“As a democratic party, we must stand firm and commit ourselves to our common goal to build a new Ghana we all desire under the able leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufu-Addo.

“In every election, there will always be winners and losers and, therefore, we should be able to appreciate the fact that we are a Party with a common destiny. Let’s see it as such and stay united in the supreme interest of the NPP,” he stressed.

Mr Boakye who doubles as a member of the Governing Board of the National Youth Authority (NYA) advised at the Assin North Delegates Conference.

He urged Party folks to bury their differences, saying the NPP has a team that was solidly knitted together with a focus on pragmatic socio-economic policies and had stayed true to the people by delivering most of its promises.

Touching on the embattled Assin North Member of Parliament’s legal battle, he expressed the readiness of the Party to convincingly win the seat in a possible by-election.

According to him, the election of a Legislator for the constituency will significantly ease the rising political tension and apprehensions in the area to accelerate rapid socio-economic development.

“President Akufo-Addo won the 2020 elections in the Assin North Presidential election however, the NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Abena Durowaa Mensah lost the seat to the embattled NDC candidate, Jame Gyakye Quayson, hence our determination to work hard to win the seat.

“From all indications, the good people of Assin North are ever ready to give the seatback to the NPP. All that is required is for us to promote cohesion among the rank and file. I, therefore, urge all of you to be united with a common purpose and prepare yourself adequately for the looming by-election” he added.

A Cape Coast High Court at its sitting on Wednesday, July 28, ordered a fresh election to be conducted in the constituency after restraining Mr James Gyekye Quayson, the Member of Parliament (MP) from holding himself as the MP for the Area.

In its ruling, the court presided over by Justice Kwasi Boakye, declared the election of the MP as illegal and void in contravention of article 94 (2) of the 1992 constitution and ordered the EC to organize a new election to elect an MP.

This is because Mr Quayson, the then Parliamentary Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), held allegiance to the Canadian government as at the time he filed his nomination to contest the seat during the 2020 general election.

Mr Benjamin Essah, Assin North Constituency Chairman of NPP said “we are battle-ready for the possible by-elections. We are putting our acts together to take the seat by all legal means to reaffirm the party’s political dominance in the area.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency