World Vision Intensifies Efforts to Promote Hygiene Behaviors

31-07-2012         

Some of the competing schools

In line with its efforts to improve health and hygienic behaviors in schools, World Vision (WV) has organized quiz competition for some selected schools in the Kassena-Nankana West District (KNWD) under the Water, Sanitation and hygiene (WASH) component of the organization. In all, 8 schools drawn from Sirigu, Mirigu and Kandida Area councils participated in this year’s quiz competition, the first of its kind to be organized in the district. The event attracted members of the various school health clubs including teachers and pupils. Speaking to Radio Ghana, the WASH facilitator, Josiah Aduah disclosed that World Vision believes that simplest measures like washing with water and soap has the potential of preventing diseases, hence their vision to improving the health condition of children in deprived areas of the country and to save lives worldwide through good sanitary practices. The WASH campaign, he explained, was to ensure that children become the agent of change in influencing people’s behaviors towards good health. Children, he moreover stressed, can bring about change in achieving the millennium development goal on health.  Mr. Aduah recounted some of the interventions put in place by world vision to improve on the health situation of children and mentioned the inauguration of school health clubs as one of the interventions. The quiz completion he explained forms part of their activities geared at educating pupils on the need for healthy sanitary behaviours. Another area which is given much prominence by WV is the Community and school Led Total Sanitation, where world vision provides technical support to help realize its set objectives. This intervention he explains is backed by the government of Ghana and other implementing agencies. The KNWD  SHEP Coordinator in charge of sanitation, Rev Monica Achana said the district education directorate put much premium in the health of pupils and has over the years collaborated with other organizations to improve upon the health condition of school children. World Vision, she disclosed has been of tremendous help to the directorate through the provision of hand washing facilities as well as the formation of school health clubs. They have also contributed in the training of health teachers in beneficiary schools in the district and called for more support. Rev. Achana said children should be considered as the first point of contact as far as health and hygiene behaviors is concerned and appealed to other organizations concerned to complement the efforts of World Vision in given children the best of education on health. She bemoaned the practice of open defecation and encouraged students to educate their parents and the community on the dangers of the practice.  At the end of the quiz competition, Sirigu Primary ‘A’ was adjudged winners clinching 58 points to beat Fr Morin Primary, who had 56 points to occupy the second position. Sirigu Primary B came third after clinching 54 points followed by Nyangolingo primary school. They were presented with sanitary tools including water containers, rakes and shovels.

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NPP /PNC Message of Condolence

Late Prez Mills

                                                                    

The Upper East Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party, wishes to expressed its profound heartfelt sympathy to the immediate family of President Mills, the NDC fraternity and the people of Ghana. This follows the untimely demise of the Late President Mills on Tuesday. The message, contained in a release issued and signed by the Regional Communications Director, Bashiru Ibrahim, said the death of the President came as a great shock. It said, it is their hope that Ghanaians would see the departure of the president as a great loss not only to the NDC but to all meaning Ghanaians. It urged all its supporters in the region to pray for the departed soul of the President. Meanwhile, the office of the Upper East Regional Secretariat of the People’s National Convention, have received the news with shock and dismay. They are therefore expressing their deepest condolence to Ghanaians and the bereaved family. According to them, death is inevitable but the untimely departure of the Late President has created a vacuum in the heart of Ghanaians which will take time to replace. While expressing their heartfelt condolence, the party’s has put on hold, all regional and constituencies activities in line with the declaration of week mourning by His Excellency President John Mahama. The party is urging all to close their differences and give the late president a befitting burial. In a release signed by the Regional Secretary, Henry Fatchu, all hands must be put on deck to ensure that peace reigns before, during and after the 2012 general election.

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11th Session of the Regional Teachers Award Scheme held at Bolgatanga

Regional Minister, Mr Woyongo  addressing the gathering

     

The 11^th session of the Regional Best Teacher Award ceremony has ended at Bolgatanga with a call on the government through the Education Ministry to as a matter of concern consider increasing the intake quotas of the country’s Teacher Training Colleges. This has become necessary due to the yawning disparity between pupil teacher and pupil trained teacher ratio in our basic and junior high schools. Adherence will improve the quality of education at the pre-tertiary educational level as the desired quality cannot be achieved if we continue to have so many pupil teachers in the school system.   The Upper East Regional Director of Education, Mr Paul Apanga who made the call implored government to expedite action on the matter since most teacher training colleges have enough vacuum to absorb more qualified applicants, but they do not have the mandate to do so.  He cited St John Bosco’s Training College as an example, noting that though the school has the required facility and capacity of recruiting about 1,700 students; it is compelled to absorb only 280 applicants, which according to him is unfortunate. According to him several teacher training colleges across the country suffer the same fate but are helpless due to the quota system instituted across board. Mr. Apanga in the course of his request moreover charged the government to consider introducing the development of fee paying system in the country’s teacher training colleges of Education so that appreciable number of qualified SHS graduates that meet the admission criteria of the colleges but are not catered for through the government quota system be admitted by the colleges. To him, such individuals are interested in the profession and have the ability of settling the payment of their training, adding that after training they can be recruited by the GES through quotas released each year and given licensed and registration numbers to occupy the empty classrooms in our schools. In his later submission, Mr Apanga congratulated the award winners for their exemplary qualities and appealed to RCC and the Assemblies to help institute such award schemes in their respective districts to motivate and inspire qualified teachers to their districts. In reaction to the appeal made, the Upper East Regional minister, Mark Woyongo who was the guest of honour pledged to forward some of the concerns to his colleagues for redress in the next Regional Ministers Conference to be held in Takoradi this year. He also underscored moves by the government to broaden the scope of award to motivate teachers. Teaching and non-teaching staff that distinguished themselves in various forms of disciplines were awarded for their dedicated service. Prizes ranging from 20 inch television sets, double door refrigerators and burner gas cooker were presenters to the awardees. The award winners were also presented with certificate of honor to appreciate their effort. Mr Augustine Atanga on behalf of the awardees implored teachers to put up their best since the quality of human resource will determine the ability of students in ensuring massive reduction in poverty.

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Police Administration reiterates their commitment to remain neutral and accountable to the state.

Mr Woyongo in the midst of Police recruits and staff    The Police administration has renewed its commitment in ensuring that the upcoming December polls is conducted in a free , fair and transparent manner devoid of bias or partiality in the discharge of their duties. To achieve the set objective, the police is assuring the various political parties and the general public that it shall not discriminate against any group or persons but rather continue to remain neutral and accountable to the state, the law and the people of Ghana. The Director General in charge of Human Resource Development of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP)  Alhaji Hamidu Mahama Sampa who gave the assurance called for police public co-orporation for the vision of the service to be realized. He also entreated all well meaning Ghanaians to support the service in combating crime. COP Mahama Sampa was addressing 220 general recruits at the Pwalugu Police Training School at Pwalugu in the Upper East Region. To him the police owe it a civic responsibility to protect the wellbeing of its citizens, hence the duty of all members of the public to be active stakeholders in policing to enable the service enhance its quality of service it renders to Ghanaians. The onus he further touched is on Ghanaians to respect the laws of the land. To the new recruits, COP Mahama Sampa who also represented as the Reviewing Officer said much is expected of them as they are bound to face difficult and complex challenges in the course of their duties. These he noted requires the application of the skills and knowledge have acquired in their training as well as the exercise of good discretion. He therefore challenged them to apply the knowledge positively under any given situation. In ensuring professionalism and competent workforce, COP Mahama Sampa outlined various policy interventions instituted by the Police administration in the area of human resource improvement strategies as well as reform and restructuring. This is geared at improving the skills, competencies and professionalism of personnel in the service. He said apart from the basic training curriculum which witnessed a revision to include French and ICT training, personnel will benefit from capacity building courses within the service to enhance their academic and professional competences. COP Mahama Sampa later commended the government for addressing some of its numerous logistical constraints and appealed for more support especially in the area of vehicle supply to help them fight crime. This year’s passing out ceremony witnessed a gallant drill of display by the recruits to the admiration of all. Categories of awards were presented to deserving recruits. The best recruit went to PWR Lydia Odarkor Lamptey.

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Kolbia Primary School launches its 50th Anniversary

                         

The Bolgatanga Municipal Director of Education, Gregory Amoah has underscored the urgent need for government and the general public to collectively ensure that the objective of the 2008 Educational Act (Act 778) is made to serves its core mandate. The Act, he explains provides for the establishment of an educational system intended to produce well balanced individuals with requisite knowledge and skill acquisition as well as values and aptitudes. Explaining further, Mr Amoah said the Act when practically prioritized, would mean that students would be well nurtured through education to become useful and productive citizens for the country. He however touched on the relevance of “Community Ownership of Schools” and appealed to stakeholders including chiefs to play their roles in that respect. Mr Amoah was speaking at the launch of Golden Jubilee Celebration of Kolbia Primary School at Kolbia in the Upper East Region. The launching organized in collaboration with the URA Radio Fun Club; Kolbia Branch brought together past and present students of the school including chiefs drawn from the nearby communities among other functionaries. Mr Amoah was impressed about the level of development of the school having chalked appreciable achievement in the area of academic and sports. According to him, much needs to be done to put the school on a high pedestal since the appalling performance of students over the years gives a cause to worry. Mr. Amoah however charged parents, PTA and relevant stakeholders to play their respective roles in ensuring that students are given the best in education. Education he said is the best legacy particularly parents can bequeath their children as it also serves as an antidote to the eradication of poverty in the society. He moreover advised students to desist from acts of indiscipline since his outfit will no longer tolerate such acts. In achieving this, students should take the study of religious and moral education seriously and refrain from immoral acts that have the tendency of jeopardizing their education. The Headmistress of the school, Mrs Cecilia Boakye Dadzie recounted a lot of challenges faced by the school and called on the support of all to assist in whatever way possible. She said though the school has benefited from various government interventions, it was still grappling with issues of electricity and water supply, incessant school drop-outs as a result of teenage pregnancy , ritual migration down south, and  inadequate classroom accommodation among others.  More so, the school is excluded from the government’s school feeding programme. Mrs Dadzie therefore appealed to the government and all concerned to come to the aid of the school. The Municipal Chief Executive, Edward Ayagle, for his part, challenged students to live up to expectation by learning to become responsible adults in future. He pledged the assembly’s support for the school and urged the school to do their part.

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“My major Concern Is Education” : Says PNC Candidate for Nabdam

David Kurug, a lecturer vying under the ticket of the PNC for the Nabdam Constituency says when given the nod to govern his people as an MP, he will ensure that education reaches every corner of his constituency. Education, he indicated has the potential of breaking the shackles of poverty, hence his resolve to make education his topmost priority among his developmental agenda. Mr Kurug who is a lecturer at the Bolgatanga Polytechnic said considering the role of education in national development, much needed resources ought to be injected into the sector to enhance its development. Mr Kurug gave the assurance at the Nabdam district capital,  Nangodi after receiving massive endorsement by constituency delegates to represent as the party’s Parliamentary Candidate for the area. It was conducted and supervised by the electoral commission and attended by party enthusiasts among other functionaries. Thanking his delegates for the confidence repose in him, Mr Kurug was confident of wrestling power from the incumbent Member of Parliament for the area, Moses Asaga who for four successive years retained the seat as  MP for the ruling NDC.  He said as part of his developmental agenda, he was poised to bringing development to the doorstep of the people and would remain committed to the task ahead especially in the area of agricultural development, which he noted, was second to his educational agenda. Mr Kurug highlighted the plight of ordinary farmers particularly during the dry season and pledged to demonstrate true commitment to alleviating their plight and suffering. In the light of this, he will give much preference to agricultural education whilst liaising with development partners to introduce the use of mechanized farming methods, hence the reduction and subsidization of fertilizers for farmers. Mr. Kurug moreover expressed his desire of empowering the youth through various vocation and skill training to enhance their livelihood. An educational fund coupled with an effective sponsorship package, he promised would be established to assist brilliant but needy students.  He said when given the opportunity to represent as MP, he will ensure the establishment of micro finance to assist women in business and also help improve small and medium enterprises. According to him, the issue of portable drinking water, electricity and the legalization of small scale mining forms part of his development agenda and would ensure that the youth take their rightful places in society for the total development of the new district. Both the Constituency and Regional Secretary for the party, Cletus Nagbila, and Albert Adongo urged Ghanaians to consider voting the PNC into power because the party is ready to change the fortunes of Ghanaians for the better.

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Bawku Naba pays tribute to Prof Mills

An Icon of Peace: Prof Mills

28-07-2012                  

The overlord of the Kusaug Traditional Area, Zug-Raan Bawku Naba, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka has received the death of Prof Mills with shock and dismay describing it as a dagger in the heart of Ghanaians.  He on behalf of the people of Kusaug is extending his deepest condolence to the government machinery as well as the bereaved family, entreating all concerned to accept the incident as a will of God and endeavor to rise up courageously to keep on with the struggle to build a formidable and a better Ghana which the late president incessantly advocated for. Zug-Raan Bawku Naba says it is high time Ghanaians put away all differences and forge ahead with a common destiny devoid of violence and political hatred. He said as the mother hen whose chickens are whisked away by the eagle, it is never too late to get along with life, recounting on the role of traditional authorities in ensuring a good governance system.

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“We should remain united as ever”: Bishop Ayeebo Ayeebo urges Ghanaians

      

Member Council of State for the Upper East, Rev. Bishop Kofi Ayeebo has expressed regret at the loss of the country’s eminent statesman, Pro J.E.A Mills, urging Ghanaians to emulate his shining examples. According to him, the nation as a whole has lost a great leader, a man who through dint of hard work, dedication and humility gained national and international recognition as an outstanding leader. He expressed with shock and disbelief the sudden departure of Prof Mills and called on the good people of Ghana to use his untimely demise to honour his good leadership by living the ideals of peace and unity he stood for. To him, this is the time for Ghanaians to sit down and reflect more on the things that unite us as people rather than those that tend to undermine the country’s peace and integrity. Rev Bishop Ayeebo expressed these sentiments when he signed the book of condolence in tribute to the late president at the Office of Regional Coordinating Council in Bolgatanga. He described the late President as a selflessman with a pleasant character whose legacy cannot be forgotten.  Rev Bishop Ayeebo shared with the bereaved family the grief and sorrow wailing through the heart of not only Ghanaians but also people in the diaspora. He prayed for peace to prevail as the country gears up to go to the polls in December to choose a leader for the country. Rev Bishop Ayeebo also prayed for unity in the NDC party and urges the Council of Elders to sustain its democratic principles at all times. The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni in a tribute also described the late president as a man of peace who took Ghana as his personal child and cuddle it. To her, Prof Mills who passed on last Tuesday afternoon has left an indelible legacy worthy of emulation. Mrs Awuni called for prevailing peace among Ghanaians and appealed to all to forge ahead in ensuring the deepening of the country’s enviable democracy. A host of other eminent personalities including the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Edward Ayagle, Chief Director at the RCC, Paul Cante, the Regional Police Commander, COP Bright Oduro, the DCE for Talensi, Vivian Anarfo and the Regional Immigration Officer, Emmanuel Abiti were signatories to the book of condolence. They expressed their heartfelt condolence to Ghanaians and the bereaved family and called for God’s blessing on the departed soul.

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EPA/FC educate farmers on mango grafting

                     

More than 50 representatives drawn from six communities in the Upper East Region have been taken through techniques for grafting mango seedlings.  The one day training workshop was organized by the Forestry Service Department with financial support from the Environmental Protection Agency under the Ghana Environmental Management Project, a 5-year Canadian sponsored project that seeks to address and control desertification in Ghana, particularly, the three regions of the north.  The project among other interventions sought to encourage the planning and management of desertification initiatives through capacity building and also create institutional support at all levels of government to reinforce awareness and technology transfer with the aim of creating rural opportunities. The District Manager of the Forestry Service Department, Robert Deri in a statement disclosed that the introduction of GEMP project has for the past two years made remarkable strives as six community networks have been established in the various district and municipal assemblies of the region, citing areas such as Sherigu in the Bolgatanga Municipal, Balungu in the Talensi District, and Basiyonde in the Garu-Tempane district as some of the beneficiaries. Other areas include Zebilla in the Bawku West District, Kunkua in the Bongo district as well as Kadema in the Builsa District. According to Mr. Deri, his outfit is determined to move a step ahead to implementing the grafting of mangoes in beneficiaries areas as they are of high demand in the region. In view of the set objective, participants were taken through nursery management, techniques of raising seedlings and techniques in the grafting of mangoes. The Upper East Regional Director of the EPA, Zenabu Wasai-King who gave an overview of the GEMP, said the establishment of tree nursery which is one of the components of GEMP activities is of much relevance since most farmers lack the needed skill and technique in raising seedlings, particularly mangoes. She emphasized the collaboration of the EPA and the Forestry Service Department, stating that funds through CIDA is made available to engage the services of forestry department in order for them to provide technical support to nursery attendants. The Forestry Department since 2010 has raised about 50,000 seedlings in the six beneficiary communities. She said under the project, EPA realized that different seedlings were raised by farmers. This, she said explains their decision to provide funding to the department and other institutions to use their technical expertise to train them on how mangoes are grafted. The move she noted was to assist them earn a living whilst protecting the environment. Ms Wasai-King said her office is still open to proposals for tree growing activities.


GBC                                                                     END                                                            IA

11th Session of the Regional Teachers Award Scheme held at Bolgatanga

12-07-2012



The 11th session of the Regional Best Teacher Award ceremony has ended at Bolgatanga with a call on the government through the Education Ministry to as a matter of concern consider increasing the intake quotas of the country’s Teacher Training Colleges. This has become necessary due to the yawning disparity between pupil teacher and pupil trained teacher ratio in our basic and junior high schools. Adherence will improve the quality of education at the pre-tertiary educational level as the desired quality cannot be achieved if we continue to have so many pupil teachers in the school system. The Upper East Regional Director of Education, Mr Paul Apanga who made the call implored government to expedite action on the matter since most teacher training colleges have enough vacuum to absorb more qualified applicants, but they do not have the mandate to do so. He cited St John Bosco’s Training College as an example, noting that though the school has the required facility and capacity of recruiting about 1,700 students; it is compelled to absorb only 280 applicants, which according to him is unfortunate. According to him several teacher training colleges across the country suffer the same fate but are helpless due to the quota system instituted across board. Mr. Apanga in the course of his request moreover charged the government to consider introducing the development of fee paying system in the country’s teacher training colleges of Education so that appreciable number of qualified SHS graduates that meet the admission criteria of the colleges but are not catered for through the government quota system be admitted by the colleges. To him, such individuals are interested in the profession and have the ability of settling the payment of their training, adding that after training they can be recruited by the GES through quotas released each year and given licensed and registration numbers to occupy the empty classrooms in our schools. In his later submission, Mr Apanga congratulated the award winners for their exemplary qualities and appealed to RCC and the Assemblies to help institute such award schemes in their respective districts to motivate and inspire qualified teachers to their districts. In reaction to the appeal made, the Upper East Regional minister, Mark Woyongo who was the guest of honour pledged to forward some of the concerns to his colleagues for redress in the next Regional Ministers Conference to be held in Takoradi this year. He also underscored moves by the government to broaden the scope of award to motivate teachers. Teaching and non-teaching staff that distinguished themselves in various forms of disciplines were awarded for their dedicated service. Prizes ranging from 20 inch television sets, double door refrigerators and burner gas cooker were presenters to the awardees. The award winners were also presented with certificate of honor to appreciate their effort. Mr Augustine Atanga on behalf of the awardees implored teachers to put up their best since the quality of human resource will determine the ability of students in ensuring massive reduction in poverty.

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