Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central constituency, Inusah Fusieni has asked farmers to yank their hopes from the government’s subsidized fertilizers.
According to him, the government’s fertilizers will only come when majority of their crops are above the stage of applying the first fertilizer and that will go a long way to affect the good yields.
Hence they should rather find alternative means even if it involves spend their all to get the open market fertilizers, they should do it with a tactical calculation to prevent losses.
The MP who is also a Commercial Rice Farmer at the Jadema Rice Valley in the Builsa South District spoke exclusively to A1radioonline.com regarding the recent scarcity of fertilizers experienced by farmers in the four regions of the North region.
The explanation by the Minister of Agric is mere rhetoric, he said, he and the President have to come up with alternative means to remedy the farmers’ plight.
The former MP stated that the Minister should have known that there would be a time like this and could have prepared ahead.
He said, “The minister should have prepared ahead of the rainy season and not to wait until now. If they (Agric Minister and the President) would not find alternative means to remedy the farmers’ plight then, their PFJ policy has failed its purpose.”
Daasebre Professor Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area
A sanitation dialogue by Graphic Communications Group, in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana, has stressed the importance of coordination of sanitation interventions, such as mass campaigns and exercises, to ensure a clean environment.
The event, patronised by several stakeholders in Koforidua, highlighted the imperative need for coordinating and sustaining individual efforts in keeping personal hygiene and ensuring that local communities are kept clean at all times.
Opening the dialogue on the theme: “Keeping Ghana clean,” Daasebre Professor Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area, said the success or failure of any health education programme was largely determined by the level of people’s acceptance and use of services.
He said the involvement of communities guaranteed long-term solutions to disease control and universal access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
“An inclusive and sustained social intervention offers the best strategy to move Ghana rapidly beyond the stagnant and abysmal 15 per cent improved sanitation coverage to a more desirable and acceptable threshold.”
The Graphic Communications Group Limited launched the National Sanitation Awareness Campaign in April 2021, calling for strict enforcement of sanitation bye-laws and naming and shaming sanitation offenders.
Since then, it has taken the campaign to Ashanti and Volta regions and lately in the Eastern Regional capital Koforidua, to dialogue with stakeholders on sustained ways of solving Ghana’s sanitation challenge.
Daasebre Boateng said: “The sufficiency criterion of getting and keeping the whole Ghana clean will be attained only if the critical mass of all communities and other stakeholders in Ghana get involved in a coordinated and sustained effort in keeping themselves and their environments clean.”
He said an examination of the disease profile in New Juaben revealed that the communities were afflicted mainly by malaria, cholera, typhoid and measles largely due to poor sanitation.
The Traditional Council, therefore, launched “operation clean communities” in March this year to complement the government’s efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases.
Participants called for the involvement of government, root-based institutions, traditional authorities, local assemblies, sanitation service providers and faith-based organisations to mount serious health education programmes on sanitation and general hygiene protocols.
Such education should focus on the best hygiene practices by all households in eliminating stagnant water in and around houses and workplaces.
People were also advised to find the best ways of dumping refuse, dislodging choked drains, and embarking on fumigation in communities.
On the importance of changing perceptions, Daasebre said: “The belief that individuals cannot do anything on their own to stop the cycle of dirt and diseases must be debunked.”
Contributing to a panel discussion, Mr Isaac Apaw Gyasi, New Juaben South Municipal Chief Executive, said the Assembly was committed to dealing with poor sanitation in the capital and would soon make it expensive for people to throw waste around.
He said the local authority would, in the next few weeks, deploy sanitary officers to households to enforce proper sanitation and hygiene.
“If anyone is culpable, no one should come to plead for them. Let us allow the system to work,” he said.
He said the interference was a challenge in tackling poor sanitation in Koforidua and called for the cooperation of the public and traditional authorities to support the campaign of making Ghana clean succeed.
Ms Faustina Shardey, Acting Eastern Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana, said although the company had deployed several workers and containers to various public places, the places were still littered with dirt.
She said public education activities had been rolled out in collaboration with environmental health officers to help people appreciate the need to practice good hygiene by keeping their environments clean.
Dr Arko Akoto-Ampaw, Medical Director of Eastern Regional Hospital, noted that sanitation remained a vital place in the health and development of every person as it contributed to expanding lifespan and called on the public to take hygiene seriously.
Mr Kobby Asmah, Editor of Daily Graphic, said it was a shared responsibility in making Ghana the cleanest country on the continent, adding, “We can effect a great change when we come together as a community to address our sanitation challenges.”
He said Graphic would continue to lead in the sanitation campaign to get the entire country clean.
Though there is no specific reason for drinking alcoholic beverages, every consumer has a specific drink that he/she prefers and can not resist anytime it appears on the counter.
But as change management talks about the need for every human being to make a change at a particular point in time, majority of alcoholic consumers still have the notion that marrying to one particular “bottle”( drink) help them keep in check their drinking habits.
This notion, though is a conjuncture some experts believe that people can either become chronic drinkers or lack the beauty of drinking if they keep to a specific drink.
Interacting with some youth in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region on A1radioonline.com they shared their drinking experience and why they keep to that same drink for years despite wanting to change.
Robert, not his real name said “My grandma actually introduced me to alcohol. She used to send me to buy her ‘Golden larger beer’ at a nearby spot around our house. And anytime, I come, she will pour some small for me. Then I developed the taste for Golden larger beer. Now, if I’m at a function and there is no Golden larger beer, no drink for me on that day. My fear to change for a different drink is that it may increase my alcoholic intake and I don’t want it to be so. Hence I will rather be managing with my larger beer.”
Guinness is my drink, Kojo Akoo said, and I do not see any reason why I should change because anytime I drink three bottles of Guinness I usually feel the energy inside me. Who doesn’t want that? He asked.
Akoo noted that he started drinking and developing the love for Guinness at the Senior High School in 2005, and was introduced to it by his closest friend at the time.
Randy, not his real name also said he loved club beer and can drink up to eight bottles without getting tipsy.
This he said often got him worried and will not hesitate to shift to a different drink. “I will like to change but how promising will that be because I may end up drinking more or less. So let me keep to what I know”, he added.
Robert Azaare said he did like pito, the local beverage than any other drink that “…I know what they used to make it and where”.
He said he started drinking pito at the age of 12 and it was due to the house he grew up in as his mother used to make pito.
Meanwhile, health experts are cautioning that excessive intake of alcohol can harm one’s liver, causes cancer such as cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, throat, liver and breast as well as affect the immune system.
Youth group in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region known as Talensi Rock Youth Association, release a press statement dated 16th July, 2021 and copied to A1 News, apologizing to the Paramount Chief of the Talensi traditional area Tongraan Kugbilsong Nanlebegtang for capturing his name in a press release without his knowledge and permission.
The press release by the youth group that seeks to oppose the ‘manner’ in which a new headmaster has been appointed to manage the Gbeogo School for the Deaf in Talensi District and subsequently locked-up the headmaster’s office which has the name of the paramount chief and one of his sub-Chief in the press release.
Their apology came to light after the Overload of the Talensi traditional area, sighted the press release in the media and quickly summoned the youth group at his palace on the 15 July 2021, and condemn their action and order them to unlock the office and use the same medium to disassociate him and his divisional Chief from the action they took.
The youth group thereby issue a press statement to retract their earlier statement which suggested that the Overload of the Talensi traditional area, his divisional Chief, Baare Naab Nya-akora Maantii and the Talensi traditional council had no knowledge about the action they took neither did they endorse it.
The group therefore apologized to the chief and retracted portions of the press release that involved them in their action.
The rock youth association appealed to stakeholders to intervene and ensure due process is follow for the replacement of a new head Teacher in the Gbeogo School for the deaf, in order to have smooth running of the School.
Below is the full statement
TALENSI ROCK YOUTH ASSOCIATION (TAROYA)
RETRACTION AND UNQUALIFIED APPOLOGY TO THE TONGRAN, THE PARAMOUNT CHIEF OF THE TALENSI TRADITIONAL AREA AND THE TALENSI TRADITIONAL COUNCIL BY THE TALENSI ROCK YOUTH ASSOCIATION (TAROYA)
16TH JULY, 2021
With regret and deep remorse, the leadership of the Talensi Rock Youth Association wish to state emphatically that before the locking of the office of Headmaster of the Gbeogo School for the Deaf and subsequent press release on the 14th July 2021, in connection with the impasse in the school, the Tongran Kugbil-somire Nalebig tang, the Baare Naab Nya-akora maantii and the Talensi traditional council as an institution were never notified.
And so, we further wish to state that the tongran or his divisional chief neither instigated nor gave their blessings to the actions of the youth as might be perceived out there by the general public.
We therefore accordingly retract the portions of our press statement where mention was made of the Tongran, the Baare naab and the Talensi traditional council and subsequently render an unqualified apology for same.
However, we still wish to appeal to them and other stakeholders; that is, the Upper East regional director of education and the upper east regional minister to intervene in the matter in order that the right thing will be done to find a replacement to the office of Headmaster of the School.
This we believe will calm down the tension and pace way for productive academic work to proceed in the school.
LONG LIVE THE TONGRAN
LONG LIVE TALENTENG
LONG LIVE UPPER EAST REGION AND
LONG LIVE GHANA
A teacher has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a piece of cloth at Tinkong in Akuapem North Municipality in the Eastern Region.
The incident occurred Sunday afternoon; July 18, 2021.
The body of the deceased identified as John Atta Asamoah Duodu (a twin) alias “O-Level” has been conveyed by the Adawso police to the morgue for preservation and autopsy.
The deceased did not leave behind any note stating reasons for his action.
However, Starr News has gathered that he was allegedly deceived to take a loan to invest in an online network marketing business called Qnet which turned out to be a scam.
He incessantly complained of hardship as a result of the huge deduction of his monthly salary.
His brother Benjamin Boateng told Starr News “apart from the fact that he complained that he only takes home GH¢500 after deduction of his loan, he was hallucinating too so it seems there were evil forces haunting him”.
Samuel Abokyi, Assembly Member for Tinkong Electoral Area, told Starr News
“it is true. Yesterday we had a big funeral at Tinkong while at the funeral we had information that someone has committed suicide. Later, the police called me that the family had reported so I went there and the body was conveyed to the morgue. He hanged himself with a piece of cloth in a room”.
Government has declared Tuesday, July 20, 2021 as a public holiday to mark the 2021 Eid-ul-Adha celebration.
A statement issued by the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery said the day is a “Statutory Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country.”
Eid-ul-Adha is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah’s (God’s) command to sacrifice his son.
Two persons who lured a 20-year old Beninois to Ghana to be sold for $160,000 to a police decoy have been sentenced to a total jail term of 11-years, by an Accra Circuit Court.
Ibrahim Keita, a 33-year old unemployed, would serve six years, while his accomplice,
Baba Issah, a 31-year – old barber and a driver, would serve five years.
This was after the court, presided over by Mrs Christina Cann, had found them guilty on the charge of conspiracy to commit human trafficking.
Keita was additionally found guilty of human trafficking.
The Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Agartha Asantewaa, told the court that both Keita, a Malian, and Issah resided at Agona Nyakrom in the Central Region.
The Prosecution said in April last year, the Swedru Police Divisional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had intelligence that the two of them were looking for someone who would buy a young man.
Consequently, a police officer, in an under cover operation, began engaging them over the phone.
They initially asked for $150,000, but later increased it to $160,000, claiming that the cedi had depreciated.
The Prosecution said Keita, assured of a deal, lured the victim and sent him money for his transportation from Benin to Swedru.
When he arrived in Ghana on June 26, this year, he called Keita, who asked him to wait at a lorry station for him.
The Prosecution said Keita and Issah then arranged with their perspective buyer to complete the transaction.
In the process, they were arrested, while the police officer revealed his identity and rescued the victim.
The matter was duly referred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at the CID Headquarters.
Chief Inspector Asantewaa said further investigations revealed that Keita had earlier travelled to Benin, where he and met the victim, who was assisting his aunt to operate a restaurant.
He discussed with him his desire to have his money doubled, but the young man could not assist Keita.
In September 2019, however, Chief Inspector Asantewaa said, Keita arrived at Agona Nyakrom and lodged with Issah.
Prosecution said Keita discussed with Issah his desire to have his money doubled, therefore, the two of them travelled to Wa in the Upper West and Assin Fosu, in the Central regions, but Keita could not find any helper.
Chief Inspector Asantewaa said Keita then asked Issah to find someone who would buy a human being for him.
The Prosecution said Keita thereafter called the victim and informed him that he had secured a job for him as a cleaner in Ghana.
They were, subsequently, arrested during the transaction at a spot in the Bawjiase Lorry Station at Agona Swedru.
The ruling New Patriotic Party has inaugurated the “Constituency Officers Welfare fund” to mobilize resources to improve welfare of the constituency executives of the party.
The constituency officers’ welfare was birthed by the Constituency chairmen of the party across the country and has been co-opted by national executives.
The interim National Chairman of the NPP Constituency Officers Welfare Dr. Akyea Darkwa also the Asuogyaman Constituency Chairman said the welfare is to serve as a special purpose vehicle to create a dedicated fund to address challenges at the base of the party to reduce overdependency on national executives and the Presidency.
According to him, the Welfare is structured to be financially sustainable to span many governments to help strengthen the base of the party.
“Some of us when we came into the seat we identified that there were so many challenges that were bedeviling the base of the party and we saw that most people are expecting that the Presidency or the government solves all our problems for us which we know is impossible. So we decided that there are some of the challenges that we can solve ourselves so why don’t we do it. so we solicited ideas from the Constituency chairmen for this welfare fund,” Dr.Akyea Darkwa said.
Inaugurating the Welfare in Koforidua Saturday, July 17,2021, the national chairman of NPP Freddy Blay said welfare scheme has always been part of the NPP tradition however regretted that the party has overly fixated on securing power in the fourth republic, therefore, lauded the creation of the new welfare.
He said strong and sustainable financial resources is critical to the success of every political party therefore in pursuit of the “breaking the 8” agenda, Constituency Officers’ welfare has been timely.
“In many other countries in the world- South Africa, Germany, in Morocco the parties are able to organize themselves such that they get themselves involved in commercial activities. To help assist each other when in problem. We don’t expect a party to be sustained from the Central government’s coffers, no. Ideas can be developed such that the party will have resources from ourselves and from our networks”.
He added “we must put Ghana first as a party to build a sustainable future. That is why we should discuss the welfare because it is linked to the survival of members of the party if the party remains unattractive because it is not in the position to help its members , if a party is unattractive because you who are members of the governing party can’t take care of yourselves or can’t be assisted to take care of members of the party and others it is difficult to sustain the party. It is important that we see ourselves as selfless; selflessly to build our party, selflessly for the welfare of the people”.
The Vice President Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia said in a speech delivered on his behalf by Fred Oware, a former National Vice Chairman of the NPP that good governance and unity can retain the party in power beyond two terms.
He pledged his full support to the Constituency welfare.
Dr. Samuel Annor who also delivered a solidarity message on behalf of Alan Kyeremateng stated that the welfare fund is apt and must be structured to live up to its intended purpose of helping the part take care of its members in need at the base.
The Eastern Regional first Vice Chairman of the NPP Alhaji Umar Bodinga on behalf of the regional executives across the country proposed that they must be enrolled into the scheme to broaden the scope of the welfare for optimized outcome.
Present at the event were Sammy Awuku, National Organizer, former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, Eastern regional Secretary Jeff Konadu who represented General Secretary John Boadu.
A former Chief Executive Officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Charles Wereko-Brobby has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to condemn the Member of Parliament for the Assin Central constituency, Kennedy Agyapong over alleged threats he made on the life of Erastus Asare Donkor, a Broadcast Journalist with Kumasi-based Luv FM.
“The MP [who is a member of the New Patriotic Party] said if he was the president [he would have ensured that the journalist is whipped]. I think that should have been an opportunity for the president [Nana Akufo-Addo] to say that I am the president and I don’t subscribe to what you are saying. I think it is important for all of us to sometimes put aside partisan interest and say that this is wrong, patently wrong,” Wereko-Brobby said.
“When we always sent a signal that there is a party position and another position, then I think we are doing our democracy and our people a lot of wrongs. So I expect the president that the same way he and all of us followed keenly the issue of George Floyd, he should condemn Kennedy Agyapong for this threat,” he added on Newsfile on Joy FM.
Background
Kennedy Agyapong is alleged to have called for the reporter, Erastus Asare Donkor, to be beaten following the latter’s testimony before the committee probing the disturbances in Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
The mother company of Luv FM, Multimedia Group, has already made a formal complaint to the police over the threat.
The legislator has also been referred to the Privileges Committee of Parliament.
This is the second time Kennedy Agyapong has been dragged before the committee.
We’re probing Kennedy Agyapong’s threat on Luv FM journalist – Police
“The petition is receiving attention and being investigated by the Regional Crime Officer, and any further developments will be communicated,” the Police in Ashanti said in a statement.
“Let us allow the police to investigate the matter and not to inflame passion and make comments that could ultimately mar the investigations,” police added in the statement.
The Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, says the Commission has represented the Government’s 2022-2025 coordinated socio-economic policies to Parliament for consideration and approval.
This follows extensive consultations with the civil society organisations, local assemblies, private sector institutions and other key stakeholders across the country to solicit their views and concerns into government’s medium to long-term development plan.
The implementation of the plan is backed by legislations and, therefore, every project is expected to undergo critical value-for-money analysis to prevent waste of public funds.
Dr Mensah-Abrempa, addressing the media in Accra on Sunday on work done so far in putting together a national development plan, said the Commission, over the past six months, held consultations with key stakeholders across the country and finally came up with a harmonised document, which contained the vision of government for the next four years.
The development plan, upon approval by Parliament, intended to ensure equitable access to social infrastructure by the citizens, enhance human capital development, industrialise the economy and make it more inclusive, as well as create jobs for the youth, mobilise revenue for wealth creation and build a resilient economy.
The Director-General of NDPC noted that the implementation of the coordinated policies would also revitalise the economy, which was ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic and cited the GHc100 billion GHANA-CARES programme as one of the initiatives to rejuvenate the Ghanaian economy.
He said the GHANA-CARES programme, for instance, intended to provide financial support to micro, small and medium scale businesses to expand the economy and create jobs, as well as offer support for the pharmaceutical and housing sectors to scale up.
More so, Dr Mensah-Abrempa said, there was an ongoing dialogue geared towards putting together a national food system framework, which would be presented to the United Nations Food System global conference in September, this year.
The food system framework aimed at putting measures in place to safeguard food security in the country and provide good nutrition for all Ghanaians.
