Vice
President, Dr. Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia on Sunday paid a visit to some victims
of the floods that hit parts of Upper East Region.
The
Vice President who led a sizable government delegation to the region regretted
that the impact of the rains has resulted to loss of lives, properties and
rendering many homeless.
“We
are here today, to extend on behalf of His Excellency the President Nana
Akufo-Addo and the government and people of Ghana, our deepest condolences to
you the Manyoro Chief, the Nantognia Chief and all the families who are here
represented, for the loss of lives and properties that, we have suffered as a
result of this rainfall. Government is very very concerned about it”
Dr.
Bawumia said this at Manyoro community in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of
the Upper East Region where he met with some of the floods victims.
According
to him government is concern with the disaster and will soon support the
affected persons with relief items aside some items donated in the course of
the week.
The
Vice President on behalf of government donated a Ghc50,000 cash as initial contribution
to support the affected persons.
“As a result, government is putting together initial relief items and these items include, rice, blankets, cooking oil, mosquito nets, soap, plastic buckets, basins, plates, poly mats, mattresses, mosquito coils, roofing sheets, maize and water purification tables. These are to deal with the immediate needs of the people. In addition, government has also provided Ghc50,000 to deal with the immediate needs of the families”
Dr. Bawumia presenting the cash donation to MCE for Kassena-Nankana, William Aduum
The
Vice President also tasked Municipal and District Chief Executives in the
region to support the floods victims to put up structures that can withstand
floods when they occur.
“The
way we build, sometimes doesn’t help when the rains come with this types of force.
I have asked that, the MMDCEs look at how we can help whether it is with cement,
so that they can be stronger to withstand the rains as they come. Ultimately,
government wants to have permanent solution to flooding in our area and this is
why we are very keen to construct the Pwalugu Dam. And by the grace of God, we
will proceed with its construction soon”, he stated.
Chief
of Manyoro, Pe Dr. Atudiwe Atudipaare Pwakweah Manchi III thanked government
for the swift responds to the plight response of the floods victims.
“I have called on the people of Manyoro and its surrounding communities that a person who stood by you in times of difficulties, is the person you should remember when you are taking action in the quest of that person. The Vice president of our republic has demonstrated not just once that he is our brother, he has demonstrated that he has the nation at heart. I have been here all my life; I have never seen my father sat in any skin or stool to welcome a vice president to this town. It is the first time I am sitting here to welcome him”, the chief said.
Dr. Bawumia with his entourage at the Tono Irrigation Dam
The
Vice president also visited the Tono irrigation Dam where the torrential rains
have caused damaged to the spillway.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling for an immediate removal of Upper East Regional Minister, Tangoba Abayage.
According to the party the minister who “likes enjoyment” to the plight of floods victims in the region has outlived her usefulness in the high office and should be shown the exit door to enable her continue doing what she enjoys doing most.
Madam Tangoba is currently serving her annual leave out of the region, at a time the region is hardly hit with floods leading to more than 20 deaths. But the NDC believes she could have suspended her leave and pay a visit to the victims back at her home region if only she had the people at heart.
“We are also deeply scandalized and disappointed in the nonchalance and inaction of the substantive Upper East Regional Minister, Madam Paulina Abayage who continues to be on leave in these difficult times. The least expected of a responsible Regional Minister is to have suspended her leave, and make a quick trip to the Region to commiserate with her people and help bring some relief to them”.
Upper East Regional Secretary of the NDC, Donatus Akamugri who addressed the media called on President Akufo-Addo to sack the minister in order to save the people of the Upper East Region from such “irresponsible and insensitive leadership”.
“Finally, ladies and gentlemen, considering the fact that Ministers of State are appointed to solve problems on behalf of the President, we are left with no other option but to conclude that the Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Paulina Tangoba Abayage has already outlived her usefulness in that high office. She has obviously prioritized enjoying the comfort of her annual leave over the painful plight of her people. We therefore advise President Akufo-Addo to reconsider her appointment in order to save the people of Upper East Region from such irresponsible and insensitive leadership”.
The
opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has attacked government for
failing to attend to the plight of flood victims in the Upper East Region.
The
region recorded about 27 deaths according to figures from National Disaster
Management Organization (NADMO) as a result of torrential rains. The flood
waters also brought down houses rendering some residents homeless. The Upper
East Region has been on the news due to the havoc caused.
Addressing
the media at the party’s regional office in Zuarungu, in the Upper East Region,
the NDC has taken a swipe at government for neglecting the affected victims in
the region. Buttressing his point, Regional Secretary of the party, Donatus
Akamugri said government would have responded swiftly if similar tragedy had occurred
in other parts of the country.
“We must state, however,
that the greatest tragedy in all of this has been the inaction of President
Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia whose fellow Northern brothers and sisters are the
victims of this natural disaster. We have witnessed similar occurrences in
other parts of the country, on very much low-scale, and how government has
responded with swiftness and alacrity. So why does President Akufo-Addo and Dr.
Bawumia who hails from the North seem to care less when it concerns northerners?
We want to know why.”
The NDC recounted a fatal
accident that occurred this year on the Kintampo road involving a bus from
Garu-Tempane as a case study to believe that government has always shown little
or no attention to the plight of victims from the Upper East Region.
“It would be recalled
that earlier this year when there was a ghastly accident at Kintampo involving
a public bus from the Garu-Tempane area, leading to loss of several lives,
President Akufo-Addo showed next to little empathy for the many grieving
families who had lost their loved ones. The President failed to embark on a
simple trip to commiserate with the bereaved families”.
The NDC is therefore calling on President Akuffo Addo and his Vice Dr. Bawumia to as a matter of urgency “dispatch an emergency response team from NADMO Headquarters to visit the region and assess the impact of the disaster, and make the necessary relief items available to the victims”.
More
than 135 people in the Upper East Region who have suffered various forms of
defects are undergoing free plastic surgery at the regional hospital to correct
the deformities.
The
gesture is organized by an international charitable organization known as
Restoring Emotional Stability Through Outstanding Reconstructive Efforts
(RESTORE).
RESTORE
under its founder, Dr. Michael Kwame Obeng has been organizing this free
surgery yearly across the country for persons who could not afford to correct
various forms of deformities suffered either by accident or by birth.
This
year, under the leadership of Deputy Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office
of the President, Dr. Nadia Adongo Musah who is a native of the Upper East
Region, the team of medical officers have extended the service to the region
for people who are in dire need of plastic surgery but cannot afford to the
cost.
Dr.
Nadia Adongo Musah speaking to A1 News said the free surgery which she lobbied
for people in the region to benefit is in line with the ‘Year of Return’ which
seeks to reunite all African diasporas.
“This is our second time coming with RESTORE. As a Deputy Director of Diaspora Affairs at the presidency, part of our mandate is to, how do we mobilize our diasporas to come back and provide their own quota to the development of this country. As you all know, this year is the ‘Year of Return’ so we have done various ways of activities including the surgery”, she said.
Dr. Nadia Adongo Musah (left) interacting with a beneficiary of the free surgery
Among
various forms of deformities corrected by the plastic surgeons include, eye
deformity, ear deformity, nose deformity, genetic deformity, breast deformity cleft
lip cleft palate and other defects either caused by genetic, viral infection
during pregnancies or by accidents.
Team
Leader of RESTORE, Dr. Paa Ekow Hoyte-Williams in an interview said the surgery
which would have costed over ghc3,000 per individual based on individual’s
condition is offered free by the organization as a way of giving back to the
society.
According
to him the Upper East Region which has no single plastic surgeon lacks the
required instruments at the regional hospital for appropriate surgeries to
carry out.
Nonetheless,
he expressed optimism that the team of medical officers will be able to perform
all the outlined surgeriesin due
time.
The
beneficiaries of the free surgery included a Nigerian national who suffered
facial deformity due to accident.
They
thanked the benevolent organization, RESRORE and Dr. Nadia Adongo Musah for the
kind gesture extended to them in restoring the lost hopes.
Paramount Chief of Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Baba Salifu Alemyaarum has challenged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to reduce the number of ministers serving under his government.
The Akufo-Addo administration which has about 125 ministers has come under serious criticism of being an over-sized government in the history of Ghana. This, according to some critics is having a negative toll on the country’s budget.
Adding his voice to the call for a reduction of ministers in the country is Paramount Chief of Bongo, Naba Baba Salifu Alemyaarum.
Naba Baba Salifu Alemyaarum believes the Nana-Addo over-sized government is adversely affecting the fight against corruption in the country.
“If
the Excellency the President will agree to reduce the number of Minister in
this country so that for the establishment of anti-corruption board to function
correctly”, Bonaba stated.
The
Paramount Chief of Bongo who doubles Vice President of Upper East Regional
House of Chiefs said this in Bolgatanga during an engagement program organized by
Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and Commission on Human Rights and
Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for members of the Upper East Regional House of
Chiefs on the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP).
The
GII and CHRAJ is embarking on a nationwide tour to solicit support from Chiefs
to fight against corruption in the country.
Beneficiaries
of Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) in the Bolgatanga Municipality of Upper East
Region have donated assorted items worth ghc1, 000 to Mama Laadi Children’s
Home in Yorogo.
The
items include gallons of cooking oil, cans of soft drinks, toiletries, bathing
soap, bags of rice and washing powder.
The
donation was in line with the celebration of the 1-year anniversary of the pro
poor policy introduced by government.
Presenting
the items to the orphanage on behalf of beneficiaries, Bolgatanga Municipal
Coordinator of NABCO, Johnson Agolmah explained that it was the interest of
beneficiaries of NABCO in the Municipality to assist the vulnerable in society
especially needy children.
“We
are celebrating our 1-year anniversary so the trainees in the Bolga Municipal
decided that we give something small back to the society. We know it is not
easy for Mama Laadi’s Home. So we decided to buy some out of the little that we
have so that they can use for food the little ones for the meantime”.
Mr.
Agolmah while commending managers of the home for the initiative which is
geared towards empowering vulnerable children to be fit well into the society
called on other benevolent persons to assist the needy in society
“When
it comes to Christmas, New Year and other festive occasions people celebrate but
we should always think of how we support the support”, he admonished.
Receiving
the items on behalf of the home, Aduko Paul a caretaker, thanked the NABCO
beneficiaries for the gesture.
While
pledging to put into good use the items donated he called for support from the
public to assist the home by emulating same
As part of the activities to climax the One Year anniversary celebrations of the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) at District and and Regional levels, beneficiaries in all the 15 Municipal and District assemblies of the Upper East Region, have engaged themselves in some humanitarian services to the poor and vulnerable across the Region.
Upper East Regional NABCO Coordinator, Jambeidu Khan
The beneficiaries said their gestures were aimed at giving hope to the hopeless and giving back to the society through their monthly stipends. Some of such gestures included donating to orphanages and blood donation. They also planted trees in some selected areas.
At the climax of the
Regional anniversary celebration in Bolgatanga on Monday, October 14, 2019, the
Upper East Regional NABCO Coordinator Jambeidu Khan expressed satisfaction with
the level of support shown by beneficiaries since the commencement of NABCO
till date.
President of Millar Open University, Prof. David Millar
Crediting the Akufo-Addo administration for implementing NABCO to curb unemployment rate in the country, the coordinator hinted that President Akufo-Addo will be launching the second component of the NABCO, which is learning component and its will be spearheaded and partnered by the Ghana-Indian Kofi Annan of excellence.
Representatives of the
various models of NABOC including Educate Ghana for Ghana Education Service,
Heal Ghana for the Ghana Health Service and Revenue Ghana for Ghana Revenue
Authority expressed their gratitude to the government for the initiative. They pledged to continue to cooperate with
government in making sure NABCO beneficiaries are absorbed into the mainstream
employment.
The executive Director
for Rise-Ghana Awal Ahmed Kariama, who was a speaker challenged the beneficiaries
to read more books and as well meet more people who can easily transform their
lives for.
He said, “You can be talented, but the people you meet,
the opportunities you get and the hard work you put, will determine whether
NABCO will pass through you or you will pass through NABCO.”
He encouraged the
beneficiaries to improve upon their skills to enable them excel beyond NABCO.
The guest speaker at
the anniversary celebration and President of Millar Open University, Prof.
David Millar, admonished beneficiaries to be focused and desist from been money
conscious. According to him, today’s youth do not want to sacrifice time for
learning in becoming better tomorrow.
“The youth today do not
want jobs, they want money and luxury. They don’t want work, so if you said you
are unemployed, is either you are unemployable or you don’t want to work, what
you want is just money.”
“Let me disappoint you
today, by saying the first degree isn’t a professional degree, we are only
pretending with it in this country. First degree is nonprofessional these days.
A professional degree starts with postgraduates. The first degree is to set you
up to move you into a professional level. So if you want to work internationally
first degree does not sail, because a lot of outfits do not operate them
anymore.”
He, therefore,
encouraged the beneficiaries upgrade themselves through NABCO programme in
order to meet up with the job market.
Deputy Upper East Regional
Minister, Fuseni Adongo, in his speech also congratulated NABCO beneficiaries
in the region for their cooperation since the inception of the programme as he expressed
optimism that NABCO stands to be one major public service agency that creates avenues
for the youth of Ghana to participate in governance of their country.
The District Chief
Executive of Bongo, Peter Ayinbisa, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive
Joseph Amiyure and Tempane District Chief Executive also gave their testimonies
of NABCO beneficiaries in their various districts.
During an open forum,
some beneficiaries called on the government to give NABCO programme a legal
backing and also capture beneficiaries under the Social Security and National
Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
The theme for the one
year anniversary is; ‘Investing in the youth, securing our future through
opportunities for work and nation building.”
Source:
A1radioonline.com|101.1MHZ|Ghana|Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen
As Ghana joins the rest of the world to mark the International Day of the Girl Child, AfriKids Ghana, a child rights Non-Governmental Organisation based in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, has called on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education to take a critical look at the need for changing rooms for girls and gender friendly washroom in schools.
The day is marked
annually on October 11. The global team for this year’s commemoration is ‘Empowering
Girls for a Brighter Tomorrow.” Here in Ghana, the theme is; ‘Promoting Access,
Transition and Completion of Education for Girls.’
In a press
statement issued by Richard Amoah, AfriKids Ghana Strategic Approach to Girls
Education Manager (STAGE), AfriKids remains committed to advocating for girls
in Ghana, and especially the Northern Savanna Zone and this year’s theme is
central to AfriKids programs and projects.
While appealing to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education to take a critical look at the need for changing rooms for girls and gender friendly washroom in schools, AfriKids Ghana also appeals to traditional authorities, to support in educating their subjects on dangers of Gender Based Violence and other socio-cultural practices that seek to marginalize the girl child.
Below is the full statement
CELEBRATING
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL (11TH OCTOBER, 2019)
GHANA THEME:‘PROMOTING ACCESS, TRANSITION AND
COMPLETION OF EDUCATION FOR GIRLS’
Nearly 26 years ago, some 30,000 women and men from nearly 200 countries arrived in Beijing, China for the Fourth World Conference on Women, determined to recognize the rights of women and girls as human rights. The conference culminated in the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: the most comprehensive policy agenda for the empowerment of women.
On the International Day of the Girl Child with the aim of ‘empowering girls for a brighter tomorrow by
promoting access, transition and completion of education for girls’
AfriKids remains committed to advocating for girls in Ghana,
and especially the Northern Savanna Zone. This year’s theme is central to
AfriKids programs and projects.
Our experience and work with adolescent girls living in
emergency contexts aims to address their overall subordination and exposure to
violence, whilst investing in unlocking their potential, and reducing their
vulnerabilities as a marginalized group. It is important to note that the
social and economic drivers of migration, violence against girls, poverty, child
marriage, education inequality, gender-based violence, climate change,
self-esteem, and girls’ rights to enter places of worship or public spaces during
menstruation, still persist.
Government over the years through various legal instruments
have demonstrated some commitment to providing opportunities for all girls to
receive education; the Education Strategic Plan, 2010-2015, 2015-2020 and the
recent one 2018-2030, the Education Act, 778(2008), the National Youth Policy of
2010 etc. These have inured to initiatives such as Capitation grants, LEAP, Fast Tract Initiative, School Feeding,
GPASS among others. Other major global commitments such as the MDGs and the
recent SDGS all are geared towards creating opportunities for all children of
school going age including girls to access education and skills for a better
future. Though these initiatives have caused some progress in girls accessing
and progressing in education, many girls still face various barriers to access
and transition at the advanced stages of education.
Adolescent
girls are simply not allowed to enjoy their childhood and no space for
socialization. They are incessantly suffocated in avenues of realizing their
rights as girls.
Inequalities in education is a
barrier to many girls accessing and progressing from primary level of
education. Available records indicate that in the Northern Region over 65% of
girls at age 15 have not received any formal education as compared with the
national average of 21 % (GSS, 2007).
The 2010 population census of Ghana show that female participation in schooling
dropped from 34% in 2010 to 24% in 2012, while that of boys dropped marginally
from 18% to 14% within the same period (GSS, 2012). The report further
indicates that in the northern region, 59.9% of children have never been to
school, for those in school, females are more at risk of dropping out of school
at the primary level than their male counterparts.
In
the case of retentions and transition, most girls in the Northern Savana Zone
struggle to progress from primary school. According to a report by Camfed Ghana
on what works in Girls’ Education in Ghana,
it is found that whiles the average retention for girls at the primary
school is 59.6%, it was 85% at the JHS.
This suggest that when girls are able to transition to the higher levels in
schooling, they are able to complete the basic education (CAMFED, 2012). This
means it is imperative that appropriate supportive systems are made available
for girls not to only access, but progress to the highest level in order to
secure higher educational credential for that competitive knowledge for a
productive future.
In Ghana, children with disability are mostly children
who reflect evidence of marginalization and vulnerability and are generally
described as the last ‘batch’ of out-of-school children. Projections from the
2010 Population and Housing Census (PHC), indicate that about 2% of the entire
population of school going children aged between 6-14 years have some form of
disability, of which 14% are out of school. Again, this shows the
marginalisation of children with disability at the family and school levels.
It is in this vain that AfriKids over the years have
implemented several interventions in formal education and skills training to
empower children and youth especially girls to have knowledge and skills for a
better future.
AfriKids Ghana is currently partnering with World Education
Inc. to implement the Strategic Approaches to Girls Education (STAGE), with
support from DFID to provide 4,050 out of school girls (10 – 14 years) with formal school and another 1,000 (15 – 19) in
skills empowerment across 5 districts in the Northern Savanna Zone. Acknowledging that saving and empowering the
girl-child and unlocking her potential especially in the Northern Savanna Zone is
a global effort responding to the Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by
stereotypes and exclusion, including those directed at children with
disabilities and those living in marginalized communities. As entrepreneurs,
innovators and initiators of global movements, girls are creating a world that
is relevant for them and future generations
The
progress since the Beijing Declaration is remarkable, but girls around the
world – especially those living in rural areas or humanitarian settings and
those with disabilities still need us to stand with them to achieve their full
potential. This agenda calls for a world where every girl and
woman can realize all her rights, such as to live free from violence,
to attend and complete school, to choose when and whom she
marries, and to earn equal pay for equal work.
Girls
are resilient and have an enormous untapped potential to contribute to healthy
and peaceful communities. Today, and every day, let us do everything we can to
listen to girls and empower them with the individual abilities, social support
and the resources they need to survive, thrive and transform their communities,
even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Girls
are the largest generation in history and a vast source of ideas and solutions
for all career fields. Yet far too often, girls are not given the space and
opportunities they need to achieve their full potential. Multiple barriers
include systematic discrimination, biases and lack of training.
On
this special day of the Girl-Child, AfriKids Ghana is appealing to the MOE/GES
to take a critical look at need for changing rooms for girls and gender
friendly washroom in schools; to our traditional authorities, to support in educating
their subjects on dangers of Gender Based Violence and other socio-cultural
practices that seek to marginalize the girl child
AfriKids
equally appeal to CSOs working to empower women and girls to collaborate more
effectively in their operations and to our dear girls, we urge them to remain
assertive and supportive of each other to avoid being taken advantaged of or
abused.
We need to equip girls with transferable and lifelong skills
such as critical thinking, creativity and digital awareness.
As
we come together to celebrate our progress, AfriKids and its development
partners would wish to ask.
The state to recommit herself to the
promotion of the welfare of girls
Traditional leaders to do away with
all forms of social and cultural barriers that impede the progress of the girl child.
Civil society organizations to provide
adequate and targeted support towards the promotion of the welfare and
empowerment of girls in both the formal and non-formal sectors of life.
Parents should also take active responsibility
to support and empower their girls in both formal and non-formal education for
a better future.
In
summary, we urge all to work assiduously to reinforce girls’ rights to a safe
childhood, to decide for themselves, to decide on their education and skills
path or simply, their right to the future they want.
Thank you, God bless our homeland, Ghana and make our national Great and strong!!!
Richard Amoah, AfriKids Ghana Strategic Approach to Girls Education Manager (STAGE)
