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RSS, Ghana Library Authority introduce mobile library at Asorogobise JHS

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The Restorative Seed Society (RSS), in partnership with the Ghana Library Authority, has introduced a mobile library initiative at Asorogobise Junior High School to improve students’ access to books and encourage reading.

Headmistress of the school, Celestina Akanlise, said limited access to books had been a major challenge for students, with some struggling to develop their reading skills.

According to her, the introduction of the mobile library would give students greater access to reading materials without having to travel elsewhere to use a library.

She said the initiative was particularly significant because some of the students had not previously had the opportunity to see or use a physical library.

Madam Akanlise thanked the Restorative Seed Society and the Ghana Library Authority for extending the initiative to the school.

She also commended teachers who volunteered to participate in the launch despite the ongoing industrial action by teachers.

Assembly Member for the area, Bawa Atule, welcomed the initiative and said improved access to books could contribute to the educational development of children in the community.

He, however, called for stronger communication between organisations implementing projects and local stakeholders.

Mr Atule said communities, schools and their representatives should receive adequate information when organisations enter communities to implement projects to ensure wider participation and coordination.

He pledged to continue advocating for development in the area and encouraged young people, women’s groups and opinion leaders to participate in community development initiatives.

PTA Chairman of Asorogobise JHS, Samuel Amalga, also urged students to make regular use of the books provided through the initiative.

He said the ability to read and understand English was important across different subjects and encouraged students to develop consistent reading habits.

“Reading and understanding are inseparable,” he said.

Mr Amalga said parents and community leaders wanted to see children in the area progress through the different levels of education and appealed for continued support from civil society organisations and other partners.

The mobile library initiative is being implemented by the Restorative Seed Society in partnership with the Ghana Library Authority.

Source: News Contributor, Comfort Nmaah Adongo

Taekwondo facilities to be considered in planned Upper East sports complex – Minister

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Upper East Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri Atanga has pledged support for the Upper East Regional Taekwondo Association, including efforts to address its equipment needs and consider facilities for the sport in the planned regional sports complex.

The commitment followed the association’s presentation of eight medals won at the 2026 Korea Ambassador’s Cup Championship in August.

The Upper East team returned from the competition with one gold, one silver and six bronze medals.

During the presentation, Mr Akamugri said sports should be considered not only as entertainment but also as an avenue for youth development, employment and livelihoods.

He said the government’s planned sports infrastructure for the region could help address some of the challenges confronting different sporting disciplines.

The Minister directed the Upper East Regional Coordinating Director, Bless Kwame Darkey, to engage the Taekwondo Association over its immediate equipment needs.

The association has requested about GH¢25,000 worth of training equipment, and Mr Akamugri said the Regional Coordinating Council would explore ways of providing support.

He also disclosed that a technical team from Accra was expected in the region in the first week of October to inspect the proposed site for the regional sports complex and consider how different sporting disciplines could be accommodated.

Mr Akamugri therefore urged the association to engage the technical team and identify the specific facilities required for taekwondo for consideration in the plans.

He further assured the association that the RCC would intervene if challenges arose over access to its current training facility while plans for the new sports infrastructure were being developed.

Assistant Coach of the Upper East Regional Taekwondo Association, Jesse Apalazoya, who spoke on behalf of the group, said athletes from the region had continued to perform at competitions despite inadequate resources.

He said the association lacked sufficient training equipment and did not have a permanent training facility.

According to him, the centre currently used by the association does not belong to it, creating uncertainty over its long-term training arrangements.

Coach Apalazoya appealed for support to provide athletes with the equipment and facilities needed to improve their training and performances at competitions.

The association subsequently presented its eight Korea Ambassador’s Cup medals to the Regional Minister.

Source: Upper East Regional Coordinating Council 

PETROSOL Platinum Energy PLC undertakes clean-up at Upper East Regional Hospital

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PETROSOL Platinum Energy PLC has undertaken a clean-up exercise at the Upper East Regional Hospital as part of its corporate social responsibility activities.

The exercise, held on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, brought together staff of the company to clean parts of the hospital environment and promote proper sanitation at the facility.

Head of Marketing at PETROSOL Platinum Energy PLC, Phillip Boamah Asampong, said the exercise was part of the company’s efforts to give back to communities in which it operates.

“As a company serving the people of Ghana, and particularly the people in the northern parts of the country, we are always happy to come back here not this time to sell fuel or conduct our usual business, but to give back to the community and support them in the area of health,” he said.

Mr Asampong said the company also considered the exercise an opportunity to show appreciation to residents for their support over the years.

He said businesses had a responsibility to contribute to the wellbeing and development of the communities in which they operate.

According to him, PETROSOL Platinum Energy PLC’s operations in northern Ghana make it important for the company to support initiatives that directly benefit residents.

Mr Asampong said the decision to undertake the exercise at the Upper East Regional Hospital was informed by the facility’s role in providing healthcare services to people in the Upper East Region.

He thanked the management and staff of the hospital for cooperating with the company during the exercise.

Mr Asampong said PETROSOL Platinum Energy PLC would continue to support initiatives in health and other areas as part of its corporate social responsibility activities.

A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Mary Atiamah Aperika | Bolgatanga

Help us track challenges with free primary healthcare – GHS tells journalists

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Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has called for stronger collaboration with journalists to identify challenges in the implementation of free primary healthcare and improve health services at the community level.

He said journalists should see themselves as partners in the health system rather than outsiders whose role is limited to reporting on health-related developments.

Speaking during an AMMREN webinar on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Dr Kaba Akoriyea said journalists’ close interaction with communities placed them in a position to provide valuable feedback on how health policies and services were being experienced by the public.

He said the implementation of free primary healthcare presented an opportunity for the media and health authorities to work together to identify challenges and find practical ways of improving the programme.

Dr Kaba Akoriyea disclosed that the Ghana Health Service would hold a dedicated engagement with journalists to examine the implementation of free primary healthcare and discuss how the programme could be made more effective.

“We don’t want the system to be Ghana Health Service versus journalists,” he said, calling for a relationship built around cooperation and improving healthcare delivery.

He encouraged journalists to participate in GHS activities and raise questions, concerns and ideas that could contribute to strengthening health services.

According to the Director-General, journalists are themselves users of the health system, whether seeking healthcare, visiting relatives at health facilities or reporting on issues within the sector.

Health workers, he added, also depend on the same system for healthcare, making its improvement a shared responsibility.

Journalists can provide community feedback

Dr Kaba Akoriyea said journalists have a unique relationship with communities and could help health authorities better understand people’s experiences with healthcare services.

He encouraged journalists who encounter challenges within the health system to draw the attention of the GHS to them through the appropriate channels.

Such engagement, he said, could provide the Service with information about problems at the community level that may require attention.

He said this would be particularly important as the country implements free primary healthcare, with feedback from communities helping authorities assess how effectively the programme is working and where improvements are required.

Concern over misinformation

The GHS Director-General also raised concerns about health misinformation, particularly with the growth of artificial intelligence, digital media and social media platforms.

He said inaccurate information could spread rapidly and sometimes gain credibility simply because people encountered it on television, social media or an established news platform.

Dr Kaba Akoriyea therefore urged journalists to ensure that health information provided to the public is accurate.

He thanked journalists and other stakeholders participating in the engagement and called for continued cooperation between the media and the Ghana Health Service to improve healthcare delivery.

A1 Radio | 101.1MHz | Mary Atiamah Aperika | Bolgatanga

Invest in proven solutions to keep children learning during crises – Apaak

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Deputy Minister for Education Dr Clement Apaak has called on governments and development partners in West Africa to invest in proven education interventions to prevent children affected by conflicts, climate shocks and other emergencies from losing access to learning.

He said responses to education emergencies should not be driven by urgency alone but by evidence showing which interventions work, who they work for and the conditions under which they can be successfully implemented.

“Urgency matters, but urgency without evidence wastes scarce resources and can fail the very children we mean to serve,” Dr Apaak said.

He made the call in a keynote address delivered on behalf of Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu at the 2nd High-Level Conference on Scaling Education Initiatives in Emergencies, ACCELERATE+, in Accra.

Dr Apaak said conflicts in the Sahel, floods, droughts, health emergencies and economic hardship continued to disrupt education across West Africa, with girls, children with disabilities, rural communities and poor households among those most affected.

He urged governments and development partners to use research to establish what works, for whom, at what cost and under what conditions before committing scarce resources to education interventions during emergencies.

Lessons from COVID-19

Dr Apaak said Ghana’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of building education systems capable of keeping children learning when normal schooling is disrupted.

During school closures, he said, radio, television and online platforms were used to continue teaching and learning.

However, children without access to devices, electricity, internet connectivity or adult support were at greater risk of being left behind.

Dr Apaak said emergency education interventions must therefore take account of existing inequalities and ensure vulnerable children are not excluded.

“Gender equality and social inclusion are not add-ons. If our programmes do not reach girls, children with disabilities and the displaced, they are failing, whatever the averages say,” he said.

Prioritise foundational learning

The Deputy Minister also called for greater attention to foundational learning, arguing that getting children back into classrooms after an emergency was not sufficient if they were unable to read or perform basic mathematics.

He identified four priority areas for education investment in West Africa: building resilience before emergencies occur, scaling interventions that have demonstrated results, placing equity at the centre of education responses, and strengthening domestic financing and regional cooperation.

Dr Apaak said accelerated education programmes, community-based learning, low-technology remote learning and proven foundational learning interventions should receive sustained and predictable funding rather than remain short-term pilot projects.

He also urged researchers to make their findings accessible to policymakers and called on governments to allow evidence to inform education policies, programmes and budgets.

The two-day conference brings together researchers, policymakers, education practitioners and development partners from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and other parts of West Africa to discuss how effective education interventions can be expanded to reach children affected by emergencies.

Dr Apaak said the ultimate measure of the region’s response should be whether children pushed furthest away from education by crises are able to return to learning and make meaningful progress.

A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga

Navrongo Central MP supports Upper East GJA Awards

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Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central, Simon Akibange Aworigo, has sponsored the Child Protection Reporting category of the 5th Upper East Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards.

Mr Aworigo, as part of his support for the awards, urged journalists in the region to maintain professionalism and courage in the discharge of their duties.

He also encouraged journalists to give greater attention to human-centred stories, particularly issues affecting women and children.

The Navrongo Central MP described journalists in the Upper East Region as professionals and pledged to continue collaborating with the media to contribute to the development of the region.

Upper East Regional GJA Chairman Albert Sore thanked the MP for supporting the awards.

“We are grateful for their sponsorship for the Child Protection reporting category and hope that our partnership grows even stronger,” he said.

Mr Sore also appealed to individuals, businesses and institutions to support the association as it prepares for the awards.

The 5th Upper East Regional GJA Awards are scheduled for October 2, 2026, under the theme, “Beyond the Headlines: The Media’s Role in Promoting WASH for Safe Motherhood and Quality Healthcare.”

The awards will recognise journalists for their work across various reporting categories in the Upper East Region.

A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga

A hoe, two newspapers and a business: The journey of Benjamin Anyanah

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When Benjamin Anyanah arrived in Accra looking for work, a newspaper retailer was reluctant to trust him with his stock.

Anyanah was a stranger. The retailer, Charles Agbonyo, did not know whether he would return after taking the newspapers.

So he gave him just two copies of the Daily Graphic.

Anyanah sold both and returned for more.

It was a modest beginning to a trading venture that he says eventually helped provide the savings and business experience that contributed to the establishment of BC Bencyn Group, operators of Bencyn Pharmacy and Susu Enterprise.

But his journey into business had begun even earlier, with a hoe and a rice farm.

After completing sixth form in 1987, Anyanah returned to his hometown at a time when employment opportunities were limited.

His maternal uncle, a blacksmith, gave him a simple hoe, which he used to cultivate rice.

The farm eventually produced several bags of rice, an experience Anyanah says gave him the confidence to look for other opportunities.

He subsequently travelled to Accra hoping to find work. When formal employment proved difficult to secure, he turned to newspaper vending.

After successfully selling the first two copies given to him by Agbonyo, Anyanah gradually increased the number and variety of publications he sold.

His stock eventually included international publications such as The Times, Newsweek, Ebony and Reader’s Digest.

For Anyanah, those early experiences taught him lessons that would shape his approach to business: start with what is available, identify a need, save and reinvest.

Anyanah said he did not begin his entrepreneurial journey with substantial capital or financial backing from investors.

Instead, he relied on the income he generated from his activities and developed the habit of saving part of what he earned.

Over time, his ventures developed into BC Bencyn Group, which includes Bencyn Pharmacy and Susu Enterprise.

He also continued his education, including studies at the University of Cumbria between 2012 and 2014.

Looking back at his journey, Anyanah believes saving was one of the most important habits that allowed him to progress from one venture to another.

“You cannot grow without saving. And you cannot grow without ambition,” he said.

He encourages young people earning regular incomes to consider setting aside at least 10 per cent while exploring appropriate insurance and investment opportunities.

He also advocates financial discipline, including reducing unnecessary expenditure and making sacrifices towards longer-term goals.

Anyanah also challenges the perception among some young Ghanaians that travelling abroad is the surest route to economic success.

He argues that the determination and sacrifice required to seek opportunities outside Ghana could also be applied to identifying and developing opportunities at home.

His own journey, he said, began without substantial capital: first with a hoe to cultivate rice and later with two newspapers entrusted to him by a retailer who barely knew him.

Each opportunity provided something with which to pursue the next.

For Anyanah, that experience underpins the advice he now gives young people: starting small does not necessarily determine how far an enterprise can grow.

A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Anaba Azubire | Bolgatanga

Upper East Region is not deprived, we must harness our resources – Benjamin Anyanah

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Chief Executive Officer of BC Bencyn Group, Benjamin Anyanah, has challenged the description of the Upper East Region as deprived, arguing that the region has natural resources and human potential that could be harnessed to drive development.

Mr Anyanah said discussions about the region had focused heavily on its development challenges without paying enough attention to the resources and opportunities available to its people.

He argued that the region had yet to fully explore and develop resources beneath the ground and those available on the surface, making it premature to define the area principally by deprivation.

According to him, agriculture, rivers, rocks and other natural resources could provide opportunities for economic activity and improved livelihoods if properly developed.

Mr Anyanah said transforming those resources into development would, however, require people with the skills, creativity and mindset to identify opportunities and develop practical solutions.

He therefore called for changes to Ghana’s education system, arguing that greater emphasis should be placed on practical learning, innovation, creativity and problem-solving.

He said an education system heavily focused on theory risked producing young people who had acquired academic knowledge but lacked sufficient opportunities to apply it to challenges within their communities.

Mr Anyanah pointed to the ability of previous generations to develop crafts, music, cultural practices and other forms of production from locally available resources despite having limited access to formal education.

He said that experience demonstrated the importance of creativity and people’s ability to transform resources within their environment into useful products and economic opportunities.

Mr Anyanah consequently called for greater investment in technical and vocational education to equip young people with practical skills that could enable them to create employment and contribute to the region’s development.

He urged stakeholders to rethink how the Upper East Region is described and focus more attention on developing its natural resources and investing in its people.

He said addressing the region’s development challenges would require moving beyond identifying problems to finding practical ways of using available resources to create opportunities.

A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Anaba Azubire | Bolgatanga

RISE-Ghana calls for separate referendum questions on constitutional reforms

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Executive Director of RISE-Ghana, Awal Ahmed Kariama, has called for proposed amendments to Ghana’s 1992 Constitution to be presented separately to voters rather than bundled into a single Yes or No referendum question.

He said separating the proposals would allow Ghanaians to consider the individual issues and make decisions on each rather than being required to accept or reject several proposed changes together.

Mr Kariama made the call during a sensitisation engagement on Ghana’s constitutional review process, where participants were taken through recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee, the work of the Constitution Review Implementation Committee and the government’s response to proposed reforms.

He said the Civil Society Platform for Constitutional Reforms was working to promote broader citizen participation in the process and ensure that the eventual reforms reflect the views and interests of Ghanaians.

According to him, although the Platform supports some of the proposed reforms, it has concerns about others and wants citizens to have sufficient information and opportunity to participate in discussions before any referendum.

One of its major concerns, he said, was how questions on proposed constitutional amendments would eventually be presented to voters.

Mr Kariama said individual proposals should be separated instead of being lumped together into a single question requiring voters to vote Yes or No to several reforms at once.

Mr Kariama said the Platform was also opposed to a proposal that would allow the government or President to nominate five candidates to contest local-level elections at Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

He argued that eligible Ghanaians should have equal opportunity to contest local-level elections and said the process should encourage greater participation by women.

The Platform also wants local-level elections to remain non-partisan.

Mr Kariama further called for stronger safeguards for independent constitutional bodies, including the Electoral Commission, to enable them to perform their functions without undue interference.

He said such institutions should have clearly defined mandates, security of tenure and dedicated funding to strengthen their independence.

The Platform is also proposing changes to the Council of State, including extending the tenure of members beyond the lifespan of the administration under which they are appointed.

It also wants more members of the Council of State to be elected rather than appointed by the government.

On local government financing, Mr Kariama said the Platform supports increasing the District Assemblies Common Fund from five per cent to 10 per cent.

It is also calling for a review of the portion of the Common Fund allocated to Members of Parliament, including clearer rules on its purpose and use.

According to Mr Kariama, resources intended for district assemblies should be made available to the assemblies to finance development at the local level.

He called on civil society organisations, journalists and other stakeholders to intensify public education on the constitutional review process so citizens understand the proposals before being required to make decisions on them.

Mr Kariama said meaningful constitutional reform required broad participation and should reflect the interests and aspirations of citizens rather than being limited to government and political actors.

A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | David Azure | Bolgatanga

Bongo women seek dedicated funding for water, sanitation in health facilities

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Women in the Bongo District have petitioned the District Assembly to establish a dedicated and trackable budget for water, sanitation and hygiene services in healthcare facilities.

The women, operating under the Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors initiative, say inadequate WASH services at some health facilities are affecting infection prevention, patient safety and the provision of safe and dignified care, particularly for women and newborns.

The petition was presented to Bongo District Coordinating Director John Jojoe Amanah by the leader of the group, Hannah Talata Asanyuure.

The women said their demands were informed by citizen scorecard assessments, engagements with healthcare facilities and the experiences of women, mothers and caregivers who use health services across the district.

Among the challenges identified were unreliable access to safe water, inadequate or poorly maintained toilets and handwashing facilities, and sanitation facilities that do not adequately meet the needs of pregnant women and persons with disabilities.

The women also raised concerns about healthcare waste management, inadequate funding for the maintenance and repair of WASH facilities, and limited information available to communities about district plans and budgets for addressing the problems.

According to the petition, WASH emerged as a priority across the district’s sub-districts during community consultations towards the preparation of the District Medium-Term Development Plan.

“This demonstrates that improved WASH services are a district-wide priority and should be adequately reflected in district plans and budgets,” the petition stated.

Central to the petition is a demand for the Assembly to establish a dedicated and trackable budget line for WASH within the District Health Service budget, beginning with the current Annual Action Plan and budgeting process.

The women also want specific WASH interventions in healthcare facilities to be costed and included in the District Annual Action Plan and relevant departmental budgets.

They further called on the Assembly to apply a government directive they said requires 20 per cent of applicable district resources to be allocated to WASH.

The group wants the Assembly to disclose how much is allocated under that arrangement and what proportion will specifically support WASH services in healthcare facilities.

According to the petition, funding should not be limited to constructing new facilities. It should also cover recurrent costs, including water supply, repairs and maintenance, cleaning and hygiene materials, accessible sanitation facilities and safe healthcare waste management.

The women also called for regular assessments of WASH services in health facilities and a costed action plan to address identified deficiencies.

They want stronger coordination among the District Assembly, health facilities, communities and development partners in addressing the challenges.

The Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors said the petition follows an earlier engagement with the Bongo District Assembly during the Time to Deliver Global Week of Action.

According to the group, the Assembly subsequently committed to supporting the establishment of a dedicated budget line for WASH within the District Health Service budget.

The women welcomed that commitment but said it now needed to be reflected in the Assembly’s planning and budgeting process.

They have requested a formal response from the Assembly detailing the actions it intends to take, the institutions responsible for implementing them and proposed timelines.

“We believe that fulfilling the commitment to establish a dedicated budget line and increasing investment in WASH in healthcare facilities will protect lives, improve maternal and child health, strengthen patient safety and ensure safe and dignified healthcare for everyone in Bongo District,” the petition stated.

The Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors initiative, under the auspices of WaterAid Ghana, supports women to advocate for improved water, sanitation and hygiene services in healthcare facilities in the Bongo District.

A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Anaba Azubire | Bongo

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