Put girls under family planning as a measure to curb teenage pregnancy: Bonaba propose to parents

Naba Salifu Aleemyarum flanked by other revered chiefs

Narration: The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Salifu Aleemyarum has advocated strongly for parents to nurture and educate their wards on abstinence as the surest way to curb the high incidence of teenage pregnancy.

He intimated that parents owe it a responsibility to shape the future of their children, therefore educating children against early sex was key to addressing the upsurge of teenage pregnancy among girls of school going age.

Naba Alemyarum who was emphatic on the issue of teenage pregnancy in the Bongo district proposed to parents to put their girl child under a 5-year family planning, if they decline to abstain from sex, adding that by the end of the five years, they would have attained the age of 18 and beyond.

Naba Aleemyarum made the assertion at this year’s Azambene Fire Festival by the chiefs and people of Bongo under the theme: ‘ Culture Reawakening in support of Education-The Role of the Youth”.

Some indigenes displaying what they can do best

Chief of Ablekuma Joma Zongo (Middle)

Some of the invited chiefs

Report

The annual Azambene Fire Festival is in commemoration of the defeat of Busasis by Asikulga and Awubigo descendants from Bongo.

It is also in remembrance of the movement of their great fathers from Nalerigu into Bongo.

Just like other respected festivals, the annual Azambene festival provides the opportunity for homecoming, reunion, spiritual regeneration and cultural revival among sons and daughters of Bongo both home and abroad.

 It also offers the opportunity for citizens in the area to reflect and take stock of activities in the past and fashion out ways to addressing the developmental gaps of the area.  

 This year’s event which was organised under the distinguished patronage of the Chief of Ablekuma Joma Zongo, marks the 9^th celebration of the event since it was designated as a district festival in 2007.

Since it assumed a district character, the event has been celebrated in support of needy but brilliant students.

This is partly due to the inability of parents to meet the cost of education of their wards, thus resulting in the scarcity of the human resource base of the district.  

 Touching on the theme, the Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Salifu Aleemyaruum said his paramountcy attaches much importance to education of the youth particularly brilliant but needy students. 

He said over the years, academic performance of students in the area has been on the decline, hence the creation of an education endowment fund in support of the less privileged whose parents were unable to further their education.

For him, the support coming from indigenes and well-wishers is woefully inadequate to meet the increasing demand of students desirous of pursuing their academic careers.

Naba Aleemyarum, hinted that the committee in charge of the fund is in the process of instituting a revolving fund to compel beneficiary students refund their school expenses when they are gainfully employed after completion.

Naba Aleemyaarum expressed regret about the increasing spate of teenage pregnancy among girls in the district.

 He appealed to the youth to abstain from sex, and further asked parents to imbibe moral discipline in them.

He further proposed to parents to consider putting their girls under family planning if they do not abstain.

Speaker after speaker re-echoed the need for parents to give priority attention to their wards education since education is the best legacy their can bequeath them.

For his part, the Bongo DCE, Alexis Ayamdor, spoke against the infiltration of foreign cultures and called on the youth to embrace the country’s rich culture and blend it with education to bring about total development.

The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Daniel Syme, requested Bonaba and his sub chiefs to establish linkages with the district assembly and the GES for counselling towards improving on the district’s educational development.

This year’s occasion celebrated amidst pump and pageantry brought together dignitaries including government officials, revered chiefs, parliamentary aspirants as well as heads of decentralized departments among other functionaries.

GBC NEWS                                                         END                                                    IA/

Representatives of Tree Aid, an Environmental NGO

Election of Presiding Member for Bolga Municipal Assembly greeted with disappointment

    Mathias Gandaa Asokiyine ( Left) in verbal confrontation with Hon. Atongo   

For the second time running, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly has failed to elect a presiding member to preside over the business of the assembly.   

Today’s contest which was between the Assembly Member for Zuarungu Central, Roland Abire and Mathias Gandaa  Asokiyine, Assembly member for  Kalbeo yielded no positive results. 

The two were not able to attain two thirds of the number of votes cast. 

In all, fifty three elected and appointed assembly members took part in the voting exercise supervised by the Deputy Regional Director of the EC, Azu Bosco. 

At the end of the first round of voting, Roland Abire, a teacher polled 24 votes as against 21 chalked by Mr Asokiyine, a local government expert and a Civil Engineer by profession. 

The number of rejected votes was seven. 

A second round of voting was organised to ensure a winner but in the end, members of the house again failed to produce one. 

At the end of voting, Mr Abire has 22 while Mr Asokiyine obtained 23 votes. In view of this, the EC decided to postpone the election to pave way for broader consultation and campaign among members. 

However, the intention, of the EC was welcomed with mixed reactions from some assembly members some of whom moved a motion for the two candidates to step aside to allow other interested candidates to apply for the position. 

The motion which was initially moved by a government appointee, Abubakari Atongo Saluc, was seconded by a section of the house. 

Those in favour of the motion that the candidates step aside for fresh nominations were 18 as against 24 who opposed the motion. 

On behalf of the Regional Minister, who is also the acting MCE for Bolgatanga, the Regional Coordinating Director, Alhaji Abdullai Abubakar called for the adjournment of the polls. 

Alhaji Abubakar who was not happy about the turn of event advised the assembly members to unite as body and engage themselves  in healthy consultations to enable them produce a Presiding Member in  the next election.   

It will be recalled that the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly during the national inaugural ceremony of newly elected and appointed assembly members failed to elect a presiding member. 

Four assembly members  including Thomas Nyaaba and John Ayimbilla contested for the position. 

After second round of voting in the keenly contested election, Thomas Nyaaba obtained 24 votes while his main contender Roland Abire had 22 votes with 7 rejected ballots. 

The election was therefore postponed because both candidates were not able to attain two thirds of the number of votes cast. 

Meanwhile, Mr Asokiyine in a short message has given the assurance that further consultations will be done with members of the house on the way forward, hence the need for the house to exercise restraints while talks resume.

GBC NEWS                                                             END                                                        IA/

Bolgatanga BOST depot re-commissioned

Signing of MOU in process

With its broad vision of becoming the leading and preferred petrochemical industry in the energy sector, management of Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation, BOST, have had series of discussion with the Tema Oil Refinery to give the country’s oil sector a major boost.  

 With this strategic management sessions in place, the two oil giants are determined to produce the highest quality petroleum products at the lowest prices than any oil producing company can import into the country. 

This is expected to materialise in the next few months. 

The Managing Director of BOST, Kinsley Kwame Awuah Darko gave the assurance at the re-commissioning of the Bolgatanga BOST depot which has been out of operation for the past nine years. 

He intimated that the resuscitation of the Bolga depot will ensure an increase in the company’s generating capacity to be able to supply adequate petroleum products to neighbouring Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and other Saharan markets. 

The re-commissioning of the facility culminated in the signing of an MOU between BOST and SONABHY Oil Company of Burkina Faso. Isaac Asare was there for Radio Ghana.

 

Th two dignitaries exchanging pleasantries

The Bolgatanga BOST depot is a strategic stock location that receives supply of petroleum products from Buipe, through a pipeline of over 260 kilometers.   

The facility which can boast of a generating capacity of about 36,000 tonnes of diesel and patrol has remained dysfunctional over the years due to some operational challenges. 

This has resulted in a major shortfall in the supply of petroleum products to designated fuel outlets in the country and beyond. 

However, the re-commissioning of the facility is expected to ensure constant supply of petroleum products both within and outside the country. 

The upgrading of the depot can now be counted among the six operational depots stretched across the country.  

 At a sod cutting ceremony held at the premises of the facility, the Managing Director of BOST, Kinsley Kwame Awuah Darko, said in the wake of recurring fuel shortage with its associated challenges, the re-opening of the facility was timely and necessary. 

According to him, the full operationalization of the depot will ease pressure on the country’s oil refinery and make life worthwhile for Ghanaians. 

Its existence, he moreover indicated will afford Mali and other neighbouring landlocked countries the opportunity to access petroleum products with ease, fight smuggling and  also address some safety concerns with regard to accidents and delays faced by tanker drivers on their way from Tema. 

He said the prime mandate of BOST was to support Ghana fuel security while supporting other neighbouring countries.  

 Mr Awuah Darko hinted that BOST was in the process of finalising its engagement with TOR on how best they can work on a detailed plan to deliver on its vision of becoming the preferred petrochemical industry in the country’s energy sector. 

He said when this is achieved, it will be extremely difficult for any other oil company to import high quality petroleum product cheaper than what BOST can produce.

The official re-commissioning of the Bolgatanga BOST depot witnessed the signing of an MOU between management of BOS and the Société Nationale Burkinabé des Hudrocarbures, SONABHY, the national oil company of Burkina Faso.

The contractual agreement was to strengthened business relation between both countries. It was signed by Mr Awuah Darko and the Managing Director of SONABHY, Gambetta Nacro.

In a speech read for him, the Minister of Petroleum, Mr Armah Kofi Buah and the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Daniel Syme underscored the significance of the facility, stressing on the need to faceguard it to serve its mandate.  

They observed that the resuscitation of the facility was going to create job opportunities for most unemployed youth in the region.

At the event were dignitaries including the Board Chairman of BOST, Kakra Essamuah among other functionaries.

GBC NEWS                                                  END                                                   IA/

Bolgatanga Regional Hospital faces acute congestion

Authorities at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital for the last six weeks have been battling with congestion to the extent that people are admitted at the main OPD to receive medical treatment.

The unfortunate situation coupled with the uneven nature of patient-to-bed ratio has compelled some patients to receive drips on the floor and benches.

The worst hit is the children’s ward, which now accommodates between 60-70 babies as against 41 beds.

The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Peter Bafour, who confirmed this to Radio Ghana's Isaac Asare, said though congestion at the facility has been an annual recurring issue, the current situation has been overwhelming considering the high number of people that visit the hospital on a daily basis.

He admitted that patients are sometimes kept at the emergency treatment room at the OPD beyond 24 hours due to shortage of beds at the main and emergency wards.

Dr Bafuor observed that the upsurge in cases brought to the facility has been a source of worry to both patients and the hospital authorities as it is taking a heavy toll on the hospital’s facilities.

He said with the expansion works at the hospital, the facility anticipates measurable progress on the sideline of action plans put in place to improve the issue of congestion in the coming years.

GBC

Newly elected and appointed assembly members tasked to champion the interest of electorates

 Fifty three elected and appointed assembly members for the Bolgatanga municipal assembly were today sworn into office to spearhead the socio-economic development of their respective electoral areas. 

At an inaugural ceremony held at the premises of the assembly, the newly inducted members were tasked to champion the interest of the group they represent and exercise their functions diligently in line with the mission and vision of the assembly. 

The Upper East Regional Minister, James Zuuga Tiiga, who made the call, said by the local government act of 1993, members of the assembly are obliged to establish close contact with their electorates, consult them on critical issues and above all collate their views for presentation to the assembly. 

He said while performing this task, they also owe it a responsibility to live up to expectation and have regard for issues of national interest and not their personal parochial interest. 

 Mr Tiiga, who is also the acting MCE for Bolgatanga municipal following the exit of the former MCE, Edward Ayagle, further charged members of the assembly to help deepen the country's decentralisation process by encouraging grassroots participation to promote democracy and peace in the country. 

Touching on the potentials of the area, Mr Zuuga Tiiga,  observed that the region and for that matter the Bolgatanga municipality and it's catchment area abound in lots of economic potentials that could be harnessed to provide additional revenue for the assembly. 

He therefore challenged the assembly to explore avenues by venturing into such untapped resources to assist in the development process of the assembly. 

Delivering the inaugural address on behalf of the President, the Principal of Gbewaa College of Education, Rev.  Luke Abugri reiterated the need for the members to serve their people and the country at the local level diligently. 

He said under the decentralisation process, former functions and powers of government had been entrusted into the assemblies. 

This means that assembly members have to work closely as a team in the discharge of their duties. The 53 assembly members of the Bolgatanga municipal assembly consist of 37 elected and 16 government appointees. 

They were officially sworn into office by Rev Abugri. Out of the 53 assembly members, five were women. 

The election of Presiding member for the Bolga Assembly has been postponed for another 21 days because all the four contestants failed to attain two third of the number of votes.   

At the time of filling this report election of presiding members for all the 13 district assemblies were ongoing. 

At Tongo in the Talensi district, 34 assembly members comprising 10 government appointees including the DCE and 24 elected members were sworn into office. 

The oath of office was administered by the Regional Minister, James Zuuga Tiiga. After the inaugural ceremony, retired educationist and elected assembly member for Tongo central, Bernadict Yindol was by unanimous decision elected as the Presiding Member for the Talensi assembly. 

This was after his main contender who is the assembly member elect for Shiega electoral area, Michael Zooga withdrew from the race.  

According to him, he took the decision on personal grounds. 

In the Bongo district, 38 elected and 16 appointed members of the assembly were inducted into office. Out of the number, 9 were women. 

GBC