Residents of Upper East urged to take into account issue of birth control

01-12-2011       

Narration: The population of the Upper East Region is said to explode if conscious efforts are not made to control its continuous increase. The 2010 population census puts the current population of the region to 1,031,478 as compared to the 2000 census figure of 920,089,an increase of about 12.1 percent. This was disclosed by the Upper East Regional Population Officer, Mr Alosiba Azam, at the 4^th Quarter Meeting of the Regional Population Advisory Committee (RPAC) held in Bolgatanga. He said despite intense public education on birth control, people are still adamant and are producing more children than they can take care though majority of them lives in abject poverty and depend on others for their survival.  Here is a report by Isaac Asare.

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Mr Azam attributed the increase in the region’s population to a number of factors including the non- cooperative attitude to family planning, particularly among men, inadequate funding for family planning activities, youth involvement in unprotected sex, and teenage pregnancy among others. Other challenges such inadequate and irregular funding for population programmes has rendered almost all the District Population Advisory Committees (DPACs) dormant and non-functional. This is because some assemblies took off budget lines created for population programmes including meetings of their district committees while the existing budget lines faced difficulties in getting such assemblies to release funds from the budget lines. Mr Azam however appealed to the various assemblies to consider providing the needed funding to support population activities. He thanked the media, the Regional Coordinating Council and the RPAC for their invaluable support during the period under review and hoped that such partnership will exist in the years ahead. The Deputy Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr James Akpablie denounced the growing misconceptions and superstitions attached to the issue of family planning, which he noted even exist among some health workers. Such problems bordering on family planning are sometimes compounded by educated elites who feel they might not conceive because of frequent in take of family planning products. Some men also do not see the need to patronize family planning products with the view that women were created to produce. forgetting the socio-economic impact on the society and the economy. He said some men even go to the extent of beating their wives for accessing family planning services at the health facilities. Dr Akpablie said the issue of family planning needs to be taken seriously, hence the need for people to regulate the number of children produced. He also challenged the population council to amass enough financial and managerial resources to build a strong advocacy for family planning activities. This, he explained would help conscientize people particularly rural folks on the need to bring forth children they can take care of. Dr Akpablie seize the opportunity to advice the public to refrain from unprotected sex to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS which he lamented has gained its roots in the region recording high prevalence rate in areas like Navrongo and Bolgatanga. He also cautioned the public on the incident of malaria and announced plans by his outfit to embark on an indoor residual spraying exercise as a measure to reduce its infection.  In achieving this, about 500,000 insecticide treated bednets would be distributed throughout the region in the later part of January and February next year.  Dr Akpablie disclosed that the exercise would among other benefits create employment opportunity for most youth in the region and appealed to the various assemblies and institutions to support the proposed move since its logistical implications are highly demanding. The public were moreover reminded of the CSM and the yellow fever disease as it has claimed one life in the Kassena-Nankana West District. Mr Philip Yinbil who chaired the function called for the reactivation of the various district population advisory committees, and urged the assemblies to get those committees working.

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Employers tasked to show love and compassion to employees living with HIV and AIDS

01-12-2011            

As we celebrate World’s AIDS Day today, Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, an NGO, is urging all employers to stop discriminating against their AIDS-affected employees and the society in general against those infected by the virus. Efforts must therefore be made to recognize their contribution and promote their active participation in all aspects of the AIDS response. This will help improve their condition and make them feel part of the society. Speaking to Radio Ghana at Bolgatanga, the Programmes Coordinator of Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, John Kingsley Krugu said it is high time people recognize the need to show love, support and compassion to people living with HIV and AIDS and to commemorate those who have lost their lives due to the deadly scourge. He said people living with the disease should be recognized and be seen as powerful role models in guiding us to better approaches to prevention, sustainable health and human dignity. He added that as people aiming at a common goal, there is the need to unite in the fight against the disease by being aware of HIV act accordingly to prevent its spread. The time to act he said is now. Mr Krugu he said HIV and AIDS affects mostly the youth between the ages of 15 and 35, the reason being that the youth are the most sexually active people and constitute 50 percent of the total population affected with HIV in the country. The youth he further stated indulge in unprotected sex and sometimes live promiscuous lifestyles with multiple partners. This, Mr Krugu noted tend to increase the possibility of getting infected with the disease. He was of the view that factors such as lack of information and education on sex, pressure from friends and the media to be sexually active and being in control of their health care like having to attend to a doctor with their parents also contribute in making them vulnerable to the spread of the virus. He disclosed that HIV and AIDS is by far the most deadly disease claiming the lives of over 25 million people since its discovery. About 33.2 million people worldwide live with the disease as of 2007 making it the most critical epidemic recorded in history. In preventing its spread, Mr. Krugu called for the collective effort of all and stressed the urgent need for people to know their HIV status. According to him, the road to achieving this year’s theme:” Getting to Zero” is foreseeable since the strategies and promises made in UNAIDS adopted strategy for 2011-2015 are audacious, concrete and practical. The strategy he explained aims to advance global progress in achieving country set targets for universal access to HIV prevention,care and support and to halt and reverse the spread of HIV and moreover contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development goals of 2015 owing to the growing HIV concerns raised worldwide. In realizing the vision of the said theme, Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, he assured aspires to intensify its educational campaign among the people of the region against the devastating impact the disease has globally, and also encourage all youth groups to rise up to the challenge and organize programs to combat the causes of the deadly disease. He further expressed his outfit commitment to encourage young people to update their knowledge on the dangers of the disease and commit themselves to prevent its spread.

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Exclude students of Northern Ghana from the Computer School Selection and Placement System - Kazigo Chief Appeals

06-12-2011         

The Divisional Chief of Kazigo, a farming community in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, Pe Parekuri Aluah, has made a passionate appeal to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to consider excluding students of Northern Ghana from the new Computer School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) owing to the frustration students go through to know where they are placed. Besides the frustration, the system has to some extent reduced the three year SHS duration to two year and a term, which to him is not the best for slow learners and rural schools that did not get good academic foundation at the basic level. He complained that the system is more corrupt than lobbying school heads for admission in the past. According to him, only top influential people lobby for their wards to be placed in the so called category ‘A’ and endowed schools, citing an instance where a girl from his area got aggregate 15 but was denied placement at her first choice school. He said upon a follow up, he realized that even girls with aggregate 21 and 24 were put in the category ‘A’ schools. Pe Aluah was sad to note that in terms of academic structure, students down south are always ahead of those in the north, thus, creating a yawning academic gap between the north and the south. Pe Aluah was of the view that improvement in the academic performance among students of the north could only be made to be at par with their folks down south only if they are offered equal academic opportunities and provided with the needed school infrastructure. He said issue of inadequate school infrastructure coupled with lack of qualified teaching personnel and accommodation for both students and staff still remain a major challenge to education in the north. Pe Aluah told Radio Ghana that much needs to be done by the government and other educational stakeholders in addressing these challenges. He was quick to add that government should as a matter of immediacy allocate the chunk of its budget on education to the north and also ensure that more trained teachers are sent to deprived areas to teach. He also stressed on the need for teacher motivation and opening of more girls schools to help narrow the wide educational imbalance between gab existing among boys and girls.

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Stephen Atugiba threatens to go independent

                                       

An aspiring Parliamentary Candidate for the Binduri Constituency, Stephen Atugiba, who lost narrowly in the recent parliamentary primaries of the NDC is threatening to go independent should government fail to relinquish the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni off her post. Mr. Atugiba backed by some constituency party executives is therefore calling on His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills to with immediate effect remove her from office to enable and enhance the party to annex the parliamentary seat from the NPP. Adherence he explained would enhance the party’s chances of retaining power come 2012. Briefing the press on his intention to file as an independent candidate for the Binduri constituency, Mr. Atugiba explained that his call for the removal of the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister is not ill- motivated but informed by the fact that she failed to play a neutral role in the just ended parliamentary primaries as the mother of the region thus contributing to his defeat to his main contender, Mr Ben Noah who clinched 92 votes as against 90 votes  to emerge as the new parliamentary candidate for the constituency. Mr. Atugiba also accused Mrs. Awuni of being self centred, biased in the awards of contracts, and for exhibiting gross incompetency in the discharge of her official duty by being insensitive to the plight of her constituents. Mr Atugiba leveled various allegations against Mrs. Awuni , stressing that she is championing the cause of division among members of the party in the Binduri constituency. Mrs Awuni has for the past two weeks come under constant criticism from some section of the youth of Binduri, particularly, a group calling itself Concern Youth of Binduri advocating for her removal. Speaking to Radio Ghana, the spokesperson of the said group, Andrew Asungiiba, vowed that the group with the support of other individuals, would either boycott voting or vote ‘skirt and blouse’ in the upcoming general election should government refuse to heed to their call. They again threatened to ‘fight tooth’ and nail till government intervenes by ensuring the urgent removal of the deputy minister. When contacted, Mrs. Awuni refuted all allegations leveled against her stating that the move is a calculated attempt by some individuals to tarnish her hard won reputation and warned that such behaviours when not exercise with caution would spell doom for the party in the 2012 general elections. She however seized the opportunity to caution the youth against divisive tendencies, emphasizing that the party’s chances of wrestling power from the NPP in the constituency could only be realized if collaborative efforts are made to foster unity among the rank and file particularly party executives. She advised the youth of the party to rather devise key strategies that would entice more people into the party and not resort to the launch of personal attack on individuals.

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Mining firm donates to the Talensi-Nabdam District Assembly

29-11-2011                     

The Management of China Gold (Ghana) Resources Group Limited has handed over a vehicle valued at about 65,000 US dollars to the Talensi-Nabdam District in the Upper East Region. The provision of the vehicle is to mitigate the transportation needs of the assembly. Making the presentation, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, which is providing technical support for the Yeyenye Mining Company, a local mining firm, Mr. Wei Xing said they were proud to be associated with efforts at promoting development in the area. He said aside the vehicle; the company is also interested in promoting social economic development of its operational area. To that end it is in the process of extending a 34 KVA electric power supply from Pwalugu to Gbane, where it operates. The company will as well establish a health facility to help bring health care delivery to the door step of the workers and members of the community. Mr Wei Xing told Radio Ghana that his outfit has already provided furniture for schools in the locality where it operates. He however declared their preparedness to construct a Junior High School for the area to help increase school enrolment. As part of its corporate social responsibility, the mining firm will by the close of December this year, reconstruct a bridge to link and open up two communities in the area, notably Tarkwa and Kajetia. The motive, he said, is to facilitate easy movement of the people. Mr. Xing promised to donate 20 computers and 10 printers to the district assembly to support in its administrative work. The District Chief Executive for Talensi-Nabdam, Mrs. Vivian Anafo expressed the assembly’s appreciation to the company stressing that the assembly was happy to be associated with efforts of the company at promoting development in the area.  She moreover expressed gratitude to the company for creating employment opportunities, particularly for the teeming unemployed youth in the area and called for the strengthening of bond of partnership and cooperation amongst the two organizations to help ensure development in the district.  The Deputy District Coordinating Director, Mohammed Akalifa, praised the company for the gesture and the many interventions being carried out in the district by the company. He also called for more support in ensuring that mining in the area takes place successfully without creating health problems for the people.

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Binduri to be made a District- DCE assures

29-11-2011   

Narration: Government is taking giant steps to elevate the Binduri Constituency of the Upper East Region to a district. This will help pave way for massive infrastructural development in the area and to a larger extent showcase the rich potentials of the constituency. The Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Musa Abdullai who made the pronouncement said government recognizing the endowed human and material resources in most parts of the country, will ensure that the status of such areas are upgraded to bring about development  and also bring governance to the doorstep of the people at the grassroot. Mr Abduallai was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Binduri Constituency Development Association (BICDA) at Binduri, a constituency under the Bawku Municipality. Here is a report by Isaac Asare.

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Mr Abdullai also announced plans by the assembly to construct a police station in the Binduri constituency before the end of this year. He said 60 communities within the Bawku municipality including communities in Binduri constituency will soon be connected to the national electricity grid to help improve on the lives of the people. He disclosed that government is poised to developing every corner of the country, saying it behoves on all and sundry to support the developmental efforts of the government. Government he further said will not renege on its promise to Ghanaians indicating that efforts must be made to work collaboratively with the various municipal and district assembly’s to enable them articulate their concerns to the appropriate quarters for redress. On infrastructure, Mr Abdullai highlighted a number of development projects undertaken in the area and mentioned the rehabilitation of the Binduri-Kaade road network, the rehabilitation of the Yarigungu road which has being successfully executed with a bridge, the construction of 3 and 6 Unit classroom blocks for most deprived communities and the provision of boreholes as some of the projects executed by the assembly.  According to him, government through the assembly has provided computers, classroom furniture and school uniforms to needy schools and pledged that more schools would be made to benefit from such gestures. Mr Adbullai later appealed to members of the association to remain focus and work to foster unity among its members. He also cautioned members not to be partisan in their dealings, but work in tandem with any individual or organization for development. A member of BICDA, Mr John Atikiba said the association was established in April, 2006 through the tireless efforts of some illustrious sons of Binduri who were concerned about issues of development of the area. The formation of the association, he explained has helped to unearth the geographical landscape of Binduri and expressed gratitude to one, Richard Akambus and others for their role in tracing the geographical location of Binduri. Through their work it came to light that the first missionaries who came to area, precisely the Roman Catholics arrived first at Binduri in 1938 and settled there until they relocated to Bawku in 1950. He said notwithstanding all this achievements and considering the fact that Binduri is endowed with the required human resource, its development over the years has remain stagnant and called for a swift intervention by all stakeholders including the government. Mr. Atikiba told Radio Ghana that BICDA aims to foster unity and fraternal relations among members and is poised to ensure the promotion of investment not only to its members but the entire Kusaug kingdom. The association he added also has the objective of mobilizing resources for sustainable and progressive development in the Binduri constituency and will continue to advocate for the creation of the constituency to a district. Mr Atikiba appealed for the support of all in realizing their set objectives. A five member committee headed by Madam Laurentia Azure was set up to steer the affairs of the association. They were sworn into office by His Lordship Paul Alhassan, a circuit court judge. An appeal for fund was later held to support the association in its work. 

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Chiefs and People of Sherigu demand fair share of the national cake

27-11-2011        

The 38^th Naba –Yeska festival of the chiefs and people of Sherigu in the Upper East Region has taken place with a call on government to respond to the plight of the people by ensuring that massive infrastructural development strives in the area as promised. The Traditional Chief of the area, Nana Apasinaba who made the call on behalf of his subjects expressed readiness to release parcel of lands for the construction of developmental projects including schools and the proposed Bolgatanga Teaching Hospital. He said Sherigu as a village under the Bolgatanga municipality, has for the past years suffered total neglection with regards to the sharing of the national cake though the area can boast of a population of about 15,000. Naba Apasinaba expressed graved concern on the deplorable nature of the Sherigu-Naaga roads, describing it as not only bumpy and dusty but has on it uncompleted culverts that has lasted about two to three years. According to him, there is no single kilometer of the Sherigu-Naaga road that is tarred though gravels used by contractors working on other major and access roads within the municipality are fetched from the Sherigu community. The, situation, he said calls for immediate action by the municipal assembly since the people are worried. Serious concern was also raised on the parcel of land released to the assembly to be used as a refuse dump site. The community, Naba Apasinana noted are not happy with the way the assembly is managing the site and appealed to the assembly to take drastic measures in constructing a fence wall around the site and regularly spray the area to prevent diseases. The spraying, he further, explained will go a long way in reducing the spread of malaria caused by the influx of mosquitoes. Touching on the theme for this year’s occasion:”Sustainable Livelihood and Self Independence through Education”, Naba Apasinaba disclosed that 90 percent of the entire populace of Sherigu lives in abject poverty with majority of the people engaged in peasant farming and basket weaving, whiles a few of them travel far and near to engage in irrigational farming. The poverty level he said is as a result of lack of education, stressing that most parents due to poverty are unable to cater for their wards through school leaving the children no option than to engage in low income generating activities which do not augur well for their wellbeing as future leaders.   Naba Apasinaba showed appreciation to both past and present governments for providing much needed educational infrastructure in the area and appealed to government to boost school performance and also speed up development in the area by providing more school infrastructure for students.  The occasion was used to launch the Naba –Yeska Educational Fund as a measure to assist brilliant but needy students, especially the girl child and appealed to the people to contribute their widows’ mite to ensure that the education of the girl child is pursued to the latter. An appealed for fund was later held to solicit money to support the fund.