Bolgatanga: Easter Sunday marked with series of activities

   

The past week has witnessed the celebration of the holy week of Easter, a period to commemorate God's perpetual love for mankind through his passion, death and resurrection. 

Easter Sunday is therefore a day described in the New Testament as having occurred three days after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at Calvary, where he was condemned to death to bring salvation to all.

On this festive occasion, millions of Christians all over the country and the world honour his resurrection and engage in fellowship and merry making to appreciate his selfless love.

 In the Upper East Region, correspondent Isaac Asare reports that orthodox, charismatic and other Christian denominations held services to actualize the significance of the day and what it means to them as Christ believers. 

Most of the churches were filled to capacity with majority clad in white attire to signify Christ’s victory over sin. 

Churches visited include the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Bolga Area of the Church of Pentecost and the Peniel Presbyterian Church. 

The atmosphere at these denominations was charged as members sang and praised God for offering his beloved son to die for the atonement of sin.  

 At the Awogeya primary school park, the Bolga Area of the Church of Pentecost observed the day with a convention on the theme: ‘Jesus Christ, Our example of a true kinsman Redeemer’. 

The Area Pastor, Apostle Wilberforce Kwame Nkrumah who based his sermon on the theme with reference to Ruth 3:12 and Luke 24: urged Christians to take advantage of Christ’s resurrection to renew their faith in God and work towards building peace among reconciliation with each other.

 His message was amplified by his Area Secretary Rev Emmanuel Osei Akosa who implored Christians to soberly reflect on the past and sacrifice for their families, institutions and the country at large. 

 

At the Peniel Presbyterian Church, the District Minister Rev James Awuni said as Christ believers, they have the moral obligation to live in the fullness of his grace and let his tenets translate into their everyday life. 

On nation building, Rev Awuni said Ghana without Christ cannot progress, therefore Christians owe it a responsibility to work towards overcoming the economic woes of the country. Among the congregation were members of other sister churches. 

Also present was a staunch member of the Presbyterian Church and a Deputy Attorney General, Lawyer Joseph Dindiok Kpenka. Lawyer Kpenka in an interview with Radio Ghana advised Ghanaians to demonstrate unity of purpose and refrain from acts that have the potency to undermine the relative peace being enjoyed in the country. 

GBC

Regulate mining activities to safeguard the environment for posterity: Bishop Agyenta

The Bishop for the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese, Most Reverend Bishop Alfred Agyenta is seeking the consent of government and other regulatory bodies to come up with clear cut policies that will ensure the safety of the environment against illegal mining activities, especially ‘galamsey. 

He said calls for the total ban on illegal mining is not the surest way to curb the menace, but rather people should be made to appreciate the level of devastation being caused to the environment. 

Rev. Bishop Agyenta in a Good Friday message warned that if appropriate steps are not taken to regulate, monitor and enforce actions for non-compliance on mining, posterity will have nothing to boast of as far the environment is concerned. 

According to him, the leadership of the Catholic Church is much concerned about the constant depletion of the environment and the eco-system and the threat it poses to the very survival of mankind. 

He was however happy that people are beginning to be conscious about the environment and commended the government and the media in particular for leading the crusade in drawing people’s awareness to the dangers caused to the environment. 

Rev. Bishop Agyenta said he had so far engaged relevant stakeholders on the issue including the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari, who is also much particular about on the upsurge of illegal mining in the region. 

He therefore implored the security agencies to enforce the law and take action against perpetrators to save the environment for future use. 

He against challenged government to show high level of responsiveness in dealing with issues of illegal mining before it gets out of hand.  

 Rev Bishop Agyenta exhorted all Christians to use the death and resurrection of Christ as an opportunity to build bridges renew friendships and more importantly be at peace with one another. 

GBC                                                         END

Schools tasked to design award schemes to encourage reading habits among students

Students’ lackadaisical attitude towards reading has become a major source of worry not only to parents but people in academia. 

 

With the advancement of ICT, there has been a total revolution in the reading habit of students especially those at the basic and senior high school levels. 

 

As a remedial step to check the unfortunate turn of event, schools have been challenged to institute or design award schemes to encourage proper reading habits in students. 

 

Mrs Rosemary Akolaa, an old student of the Navrongo Senior High School, popularly known as ‘NAVASCO’ gave the advice when she led the 1992 ‘A’ Level year group to donate assorted books to their alma mater.

Background

 

Available statistics put Ghana’s illiteracy rate to 43.3 percent, an indication that majority of Ghanaians particularly the rural folks were incapable of reading and writing. 

 

Most intellectuals are of the view that the advent of information technology has revolutionized the reading habits of young people especially students at the second cycle schools. 

 

For them, the use of communication gadgets particularly mobile phones have greatly accounted for this unfortunate turn of event. 

 

An old student of the Navrongo Senior High School, Mrs Rosemary Akolaa who doubles as the Director of the Indigenous Women Against Hunger and Poverty, IWAH for short, shares in this thought and has described the situation as worrisome. 

 

She blamed students’ lackadaisical attitude to reading on the rate at which they applied themselves to modern technology at the expense of their books. 

 

This, she bewailed had reduced their interest in the reading of novels and other printed materials. 

 

Mrs Akolaa who led the 1992 ‘A’ level year group to donate assorted reading materials to her alma mater said from the foregoing, schools can design motivational  schemes to award students that excel in academics especially in the area of reading. 

 

This, according to her, could serve as a recipe to whip up their interest in reading while broadening their knowledge scope. 

 

On the rationale for the gesture, Mrs Akolaa said the presentation was in appreciation for the exceptional academic training they had from the school during their days. 

 

 According to her, the school has produced a number of eminent personalities who are found in all fields of endeavors, be it academia or politics through learning.

 

 Therefore giving back to the school was a step in the right direction. Mrs Akolaa later disclosed plans to extend further assistance to the school when the need arises. 

 

The Assistant Headmaster Administration, Mr Robert Kanpusi, who received the books on behalf of the headmistress advised the students to make judicious use of the books to enhance the knowledge base. 

 

Accompanied by Mrs Rosemary Akolaa was a member of the 1992 year group and the Executive Director of Trade Aid, Nicholas Apokera. Also present was the CEO of Iconz Media Consult, Anthony Adama. 

GBC

CDD-Ghana rates 100 days of Akufo-Addo led government satisfactorily

Monday, April 17, 2017 marks exactly 100 days since the Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo led NPP administration was inaugurated. 

However, a democratic governance think tank, Ghana Centre for Democratic Development, CDD-Ghana, is using the upcoming occasion to commend President Akufo-Addo for giving impetus to the fight against corruption by allocating a substantial 1.2 million Ghana cedis to the CHRAJ, to implement activities under the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, NACAP. 

In a statement signed by the Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, Gyimah- Boadi and copied to GBC, the president was also applauded for the declaration to put an indefinite freeze on the purchase of new vehicles and completely terminate the standing policy that allowed government appointees to purchase their official vehicles. 

The statement deem these decisions as important symbolic steps towards promoting good public financial management.

 In respect of the latter policy, the Center recommends that the NPP government pass a comprehensive law on the disposal of all public assets to provide a long-term guideline for the disposal of these assets. 

The statement further congratulated President Akufo-Addo for the speed with which he assembled his team of ministers and deputy ministers for the take-off of the new government.   

His effort, according to the statement explains the rationale behind the nomination of specific individuals for the respective ministerial positions. 

It added that the practice suggests the willingness of the President to subject his own logic and reasoning to broad scrutiny, a healthy development for Ghana’s nascent democracy, if sustained. 

While acknowledging a number of refreshing developments in the first 100 days of the Akufo-Addo led administration, the centre recounted some condemnable acts perpetuated by allies and affiliated vigilante groups of the NPP.

 Such unhealthy acts, it noted, gives cause for dismay.

 It cited the wrongful takeover of state assets and public facilities including toilets, toll booths and the unlawful seizure of vehicles of members of the previous administration. 

It was particularly concerned about the failure of government, and law enforcement agencies to deal decisively with the NPP-affiliated vigilante groups, mainly the Delta and Invincible Forces that invaded sensitive government installations, including a Circuit Court in Kumasi.

 In the light of this, CDD-Ghana is as well acknowledging the commitment of the general public and the national security hierarchy for the effort made to bringing those involved to justice as endorsed by the President. 

The Center fully endorses the calls for the immediate disbandment of all political party-affiliated vigilante groups to uproot this threat to national security. 

The Center is convinced that, the more credible way to deal with the canker of militant party-affiliated vigilantism should, start with proactive de-politicization of state control of the police and other national security agencies, including the appointment and transfers of their leadership. 

It also requires a firm stance to end the accompanying partisanship in the deployment of security agencies, which breeds impunity among incumbent government supporters and fosters mistrust among opposition party supporters.  

GBC