Kofi Ayamga Anamboyine, the Coordinator for the Free Senior High School in the Upper East Region, is worried about the negative effect of the protracted conflict in Bawku on the education of children within the Upper East Region who have been placed in schools within the area.
When Mr. Anamboyine spoke to Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show today, Thursday, March 2, 2023, he was worried that the continued conflict continued to force parents and students to shy away from the Bawku Senior High Technical School; a situation that is driving a huge number of students to other schools in Garu and Tempane.
The Free SHS Coordinator, while assuring students and parents that for years, the conflict had steered clear of schools and hospitals, also called on the indigenous people of the area to strive for peace.
“Another serious activity that is confronting us is in the Bawku zone, Currently, some of the students and their parents don’t want to go to Bawku SHTS because of the insecurity in the area. That is the negative implication of the conflict.”
“We have to appeal to our sisters and brothers in Bawku that conflicts do not help so if they can stop it for the peace and development of the area [it would help]. Students that are placed there, they are entertaining fears of going. Most of them are going to Garu, Tempane. It would also be more than the Headmasters declared. That is the challenge,” he said.
The brouhaha in the Upper East Region, for the past two weeks, surrounding the work on the Bolgatanga-Bawku-Polimakom road has been put to rest by the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Stephen Pambiin Jalulah.
The visible absence of the contractor on the stretch of road generated a big conversation in the region with many questioning the location of the contractor, and the reasons for the abandonment of site.
At a press conference, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the region lamented profusely over the abandonment of the project by the Queiroz Galvao MI Brazilian construction firm working on the road.
The NDC, in its press conference about the project, said the constructor had packed out of site because of the NPP government’s failure to honour all financial obligations to the contractor executing the 117.9 kilometre road.
But in a counter press conference by the NPP Communication Directorate, addressed by the Regional Communication Director, Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga, the claims of the NDC’s were heavily refuted.
But in an exclusive interview with Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, in order to bring finality to the controversies, the Deputy Roads and Highways Minister and Member of Parliament for Pru West, Stephen Pambiin Jalulah tied the absence of the contractor to the government’s inability to meet financial obligations.
According to Mr. Jalulah, the government has not been able to settle with the foreign financial institutions that are supporting the government of Ghana to be able to construct these major roads across the country.
“Because the government has not paid its obligations to the bank and other financial institutions, they have not also been able to fulfil their obligations to the contractors that are working on our roads. I want your listeners to know that we have different sources of funding for projects in Ghana, and most of the roads involve a lot of investment. We normally do not have the money, so we have to go outside the country to borrow from banks and pay interest on this money. The Bolga Bawku Polimakom road is one of such projects, so the government went outside to look for money to come and do the road.”
“So because the government has stopped paying interest on its loans to all foreign banks and financial institutions, those banks are not also able to supply or give money to the contractors who are working on our roads across the country. so if you have noticed that a contractor has left site, that is basically the reason.”
The Deputy Minister, Mr. Jalulah, also noted that the government is currently engaging with the financial institutions, and by the end of March 2023, the government would conclude negotiations with the banks and the way forward would be known. The Pru West MP assured the people of the Upper East Region that the Bolgatanga Bawku Polimakom road is of concern to the Akufo Addo government and it will be completed.
The Ghana Education Service has warned heads of second cycle institutions against collecting what they describe as unapproved fees and items from Form 1 students upon admission.
“It has come to the attention of Management of Ghana Education Service that, some Heads of Second Cycle Schools are collecting unapproved levies and items such as P.T.A. levies, maintenance levies, paint, cement, reams of A4 paper, foolscap sheets, dustbins, big padlocks, bulbs among others from parents/guardians of Form One students upon admission in their schools.”
“Management views these allegations with all seriousness they deserve since Heads of schools have been cautioned through several mediums about such practices,” the statement said.
Portions of the statement signed by the Deputy Director General, Dr. Kwabena Bempah Tandoh sighted by this website continued to read, “Management wishes to state that, the above practice must cease forthwith. All unapproved levies and items collected from parents/guardians must be refunded/returned to them immediately. Accordingly, Management is by this letter requesting all Regional Directors of Education to ensure that Second Cycle Schools in their jurisdiction are monitored to comply with the above directives. Henceforth, all shops or sales points in the schools must be closed during admission periods.”
In prospectuses cited by this website, students were expected to purchase their own uniforms when in the past, the government insisted that the cost of uniforms be absorbed under the Free Senior High School policy.
Additionally, students are expected to purchase a box of whiteboard markers each, a ream of A4 sheets, energy-saving bulbs, a litre of PowerZone and powdered soap each, torch lights, and two batteries.
When contacted, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) explained that these additions have been made to allow the schools systems run effectively. While there is a general list of items students would have to procure, some peculiar items would have to be added to lists of schools in the Upper East Region for specific reasons.
Richard Akumbasi, the Upper East Regional President of the Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) said, “You know there is a general basic requirement and there are some that are school specific. [There are] some schools that may need some specific items, peculiar to them. For example, if it is a mission school and they are demanding a Bible, you will understand that because of the peculiarity of that school, you would definitely need a Bible. We have a common prospectus that runs through the entire schools [in the region]. This was discussed and sent to the Director-General for approval. All the heads have been schooled on that. We have told every head not to stray from what has been generally agreed upon.”
“Recently we had some challenges with one or two items and I am sure that in due course, we would come to a conclusion. As far as the Upper East Region is concerned, we agreed and sent it to the Director-General,” he said.
While these issues have been added to the prospectus of some schools, they remain a contentious issue among heads of schools.
There’s a saying that not all heroes or heroines wear capes. Some of the heroes we know are ordinary people who are pursuing and achieving extraordinary things.
This is the case of Lydia Tii Yamig, the nurse who helped deliver a pregnant woman’s baby in a cando that was headed from Bolgatanga to Pelungu, both communities in the Upper East Region.
Miss Yamig is a product of the Navrongo Community Health Nursing Training College and completed her education in 2021. For the past 2 years, she has been unable to gain employment in the field she trained in. As such, she sought temporary employment as a bar waitress.
The seeming lack of practice for two years didn’t prevent Miss Yamig from springing into action when her services were needed.
When she spoke to A1 Radio’s Mark Smith, this is what she said.
“I boarded a Cando with three other passengers, including the then pregnant woman, from Bolga to Pelungu. When we got to Logre, around 6:30pm, the pregnant woman started feeling labour contraction. We assured her that she would be fine.”
“It became more serious and she began crying louder and said she wanted to pass stool. I gathered courage and improvised by using a black rubber on my right hand to remove the baby’s head from the vagina. The baby came with a cord around the neck and I was trying to remove it but it was too tight.”
“People who had gathered and were observing decided to help us rush the woman and her newborn baby to Ayamfooya Hospital. The cord was cut when we got to the hospital, in the absence of a midwife. A midwife came later, when everything was almost done.”
Miss Yamig hopes to gain employment in her chosen field soon so she can continue to help others in the esteemed profession of Florence Nightingale.
The Bolgatanga Technical University in the Upper East Region has admitted 1,208 students into its 2022/2023 academic year with new programmes aimed at improving the technical and vocational sector in the country.
The school since its conversion into a technical university in April 2020 has added 24 new programmes.
“These demand-driven and innovative programmes are made up of 7 B-Tech, 5 HND, and 12 2-year Diploma programmes. The Programmes in all five schools namely Business and Management Studies, Applied Science and Arts, Agriculture, Engineering, and Built Environments.”
Speaking at the matriculation ceremony held in the school auditorium, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Samuel Erasmus Alnaa added that plans were advanced to add more Bachelor of technology and Masters degree programmes.
“I’m happy to announce that in the next academic year, the university will run programmes in MSc in Agriculture, BSc. Mining Engineering, BSc. Process Engineering, and BSc. Geological Engineering.”
He further indicated that the school management aimed at repositioning the school to become a school of choice in Ghana.
“Our ultimate objective in all is our endeavour to make the university the centre of relevance in technical vocational education and training in the Technical University space”, he added.
Heused the ceremony to call on the freshers to see the school’s structures as a stepping stone to achieve higher heights.
“My advice to you as young men and women is that you should take your studies seriously because that is the reason you are here. Your parents have invested resources in you so don’t disappoint them.”
The Electoral Commission of Ghana is working to ensure that the Ghana card becomes the only document for enrolment unto the voter’s register. The insistence on this, according to Member of Parliament for Bongo, Edward Bawa, is problematic and could plunge the country into chaos.
Mr. Bawa made these comments when he spoke on the floor or Parliament yesterday after the EC’s Chairperson, Jean Mensah made the case to support the EC’s position.
“Mr. Speaker, when the Electoral Commissioner was speaking, she was proud to have stated that the Electoral Commission has a proven track record. I believe that this proven track record was because of the performance of her predecessors. If you would observe, you would realise that in election matters, consensus building is key. That is what prevents conflicts.”
“Cote D’Ivoire is just here but by virtue of the fact that laws were passed created an impression that others were not citizens, created problems in Cote D’Ivoire. Afari Gyan handed over to Charlotte. Charlotte gave it to you. This country was in one piece. If this country goes to war because of this, it would be on your head,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has told Parliament that the use of the Ghana Card as the sole identification document for continuous voters’ registration will guarantee the credibility and integrity of the country’s voter register and aid elections as a whole.
For the part of the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Professor Ken Attafuah, he insisted that his outfit was ready to issue Ghana cards to eligible citizens voters to aid the EC in the registration process.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Navrongo Central, Sampson Tangombu Chiragiaa is receiving competition from 4 others in his attempt to secure another bid to lead the party into the 2024 election.
In total, 5 persons have expressed interest in leading the party to the upcoming general election.
They are Simon Akibange Aworigo, Stanislaus Alu Kadingdi, Sampson Tangombu Chiragia, Pius Ayemva Avio And Dr. Jacob Paarechuga Anankware.
Meanwhile, former Regional Minister for the Upper East and Upper West Regions and linguistics lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Professor Ephraim Avea Nsoh has made public his interest in leading the National Democratic Congress to the polls in the Bongo constituency of the Upper East Region come 2024.
He joins 5 other people, including the sitting MP, Edward Bawa, who have shown interest in leading the party.
The interested persons are, Wahabu Mohammed, Avea Ephraim Nsoh, Edward Abambire Bawa, Charles Bawaduah, Amos Atanga Atia And Dr. Rainer Akumperigya.
Meanwhile, in the Builsa South Constituency, Dr. Clement Abass Apaak, the sitting MP, would contest unopposed.
When Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, the Upper East Regional Communication Officer, spoke to Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show today, February 28, 2023, he explained that the huge number indicates the growth of interest in the NDC.
“You see the number? It shows you the party has become attractive. People have interest in the party,” he said.
Forthwith, some parents and guardians of some selected schools within the Upper East Region would be expected to pay PTA dues, an arrangement that seemingly stopped with the advent of the government’s flagship education programme; Free Senior High School.
The decision to take PTA fees is however left, solely, with the various Parent Associations and not management of the individual schools, CHASS has said.
Richard Akumbasi, the Upper East Regional President of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools made these comments when he spoke to Mark Smith today, on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show.
“Those are purely PTA matters. The school management isn’t involved. If you see any school taking PTA, it means that it is the school that has decided by themselves. They are the people doing the collection. No school management is supposed to collect any PTA levy.”
“PTA [fees] are purely by the parents. Maybe you may see some people write it on a small sheet of paper or something and attach it but it is not part of the prospectus. The prospectus we know are those that are in the letter heads of the schools and signed by the heads. If you see any prospectus signed by a headmaster or headmistress, it means that it is the unified prospectus. I don’t expect to see anything different from what we agreed,” he said.
Meanwhile,new students reporting to second cycle institutions under the government’s Free SHS policy in the Upper East Region are expected to report along with torchlights, lightbulbs, boxes of temporary makers, rims of A4 sheets among others, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools has confirmed to A1 Radio’s Mark Smith on the Day Break Upper East Show today, Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
In prospectuses cited by this website, students were expected to purchase their own uniforms when in the past, the government insisted that the cost of uniforms be absorbed under the Free Senior High School policy.
Additionally, students are expected to purchase a box of whiteboard markers each, a rim of A4 sheets, energy-saving bulbs, a litre of PowerZone and powdered soap each, torch lights, and two batteries.
When contacted, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) explained that these additions have been made to allow the schools systems run effectively. While there is a general list of items students would have to procure, some peculiar items would have to be added to lists of schools in the Upper East Region for specific reasons.
Richard Akumbasi, the Upper East Regional President of the Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) said, “You know there is a general basic requirement and there are some that are school specific. [There are] some schools that may need some specific items, peculiar to them. For example, if it is a mission school and they are demanding a Bible, you will understand that because of the peculiarity of that school, you would definitely need a Bible. We have a common prospectus that runs through the entire schools [in the region]. This was discussed and sent to the Director-General for approval. All the heads have been schooled on that. We have told every head not to stray from what has been generally agreed upon.”
“Recently we had some challenges with one or two items and I am sure that in due course, we would come to a conclusion. As far as the Upper East Region is concerned, we agreed and sent it to the Director-General,” he said.
While these issues have been added to the prospectus of some schools, they remain a contentious issue among heads of schools.
The Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies in the Upper East Region, has been for months now, researching into finding alternatives to tree charcoal. The results of the research, according to the school, have received positive commendation.
The grass briquettes project was embarked by the University with an attempt to produce charcoal from grass in order to mitigate the impact of climate change and preserve the ecosystem.
Speaking at the second series dialogue conference at the university’s main campus, Professor David Millar, President of the institute said, the continued production of tree charcoal is having a negative effect on the environment.
According to Prof. Millar burning of bush which is prohibited by the laws of Ghana still continues to happen daily, especially in the savanna regions where the culprits go unpunished and thus do more harm than good to the environment. Large scale adoption and use of grass briquettes would solve the problem.
“It is the Grass briquettes project, and it simply means making charcoal from grass not from trees. And this is what we have been piloting over time and we have seen that it is possible to convert grass to charcoal. And gradually if the communication goes as we expect it to, it might gradually replace the role of the tree charcoal. We know especially in the savanna regions the destructive effect of wildfires and of cutting trees to use for charcoal.”
“We believe in the principle of looking for alternatives rather than the continuous banning. There are laws and bylaws on bushfire management. If somebody burns a bush, the person should be arrested and prosecuted but it is not working. So even the laws that exist about wildfire are not working, so we are now experimenting with alternatives that are not the policing type but that will motivate people to invest in managing the resource,” he said.
The conferences brought together various stakeholders to dialogue to create a grass economy for northern Ghana.
Former Regional Minister for the Upper East and Upper West Regions and linguistics lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Professor Ephraim Avea Nsoh has made public his interest in leading the National Democratic Congress to the polls in the Bongo constituency of the Upper East Region come 2024.
He joins 5 other people, including the sitting MP, Edward Bawa, who have shown interest in leading the party.
The interested persons are, Wahabu Mohammed, Avea Ephraim Nsoh, Edward Abambire Bawa, Charles Bawaduah, Amos Atanga Atia And Dr. Rainer Akumperigya.
Meanwhile, in the Builsa South Constituency, Dr. Clement Abass Apaak, the sitting MP, would contest unopposed.
When Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, the Upper East Regional Communication Officer, spoke to Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show today, February 28, 2023, he explained that the huge number indicates the growth of interest in the NDC.
“You see the number? It shows you the party has become attractive. People have interest in the party,” he said.
