By Bernice Bessey

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Foundation for Generational Thinkers (FOGET), has called on stakeholders in education to properly mentor the upcoming youth, in order to instill discipline and working hard in them.

The organisation, which believes in the ‘catch them young’ philosophy, organised an inter-schools quiz competition for six schools in the Ablekuma West and South constituencies to boost confidence, thinking ability, and the bridge the knowledge gap of the children.

FOGET, in order to shape future leaders at the early stages, tested the minds of pupils from Saint Charles School, Salvation Army Cluster of Schools A&B, Martyrs of Uganda R/C Basic School, Joehans Academy, and New Baps School.

The students were quizzed on subjects such as mathematics, integrated science, social studies, religious and moral studies, and general knowledge among others.

At the end of two hours of hot quiz, Joehans Academy, Salvation Army ‘B’ and Martyrs of Uganda R/C Basic School were positioned 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively.

FOGET awarded computers, printers, souvenirs, certificates and educational materials to the participating schools and candidates.

Prosper Dan Afetsi, President of FOGET, in an interview with The Chronicle, said the tenure of indiscipline in the society was becoming worrisome because some of the young ones are not well coached to become responsible citizens.

He said individualism and self-centeredness were eating into the very fabric of discipline, patriotism and the cultural cohesion of the country, saying: “It is about time, we end this culture of takers and move to the thinkers’ culture, in order for us to preserve what is there for the next generation.”

He said the organisation, on its part, has sought to help children and adults alike to acquire skills in areas like leadership, environmental sustainability, life empowerment & education, financial literacy training, good governance, and legacy.

About the quiz, Mr. Afetsi explained that FOGET wanted to improve upon the problem solving skills of the children, and also to help them discover their abilities.

Ebenezer Quarshie and Angelo Agbosu led their school, Joehans Academy, to carry away the ultimate prize, thanked FOGET for the platform, and promised to work harder to improve upon their academic studies.

The post FOGET supports children’s problem-solving skills appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey
Happy Kids School in the Greater Accra Region has held its 23rd Pre-School Graduation, under the theme, ‘The role of Play in Early Childhood Development.’ The school graduated a total number of 123 pupils into the basic school.

The Chief Executive, Jemima Nartey, speaking at the graduation ceremony recently, urged parents to allow children play, since play is the right of every child and an integral aspect of the child’s physical and social development.

“So many things happen when children are given chance to play. They develop skills, habits and attitudes that will stay with them throughout their lives. As they play, they learn to cope with challenges. Vocal expression and sharing of ideas become an advantage to children who play during their childhood,” she added.

She added that playing offers children the opportunity to explore new ways of learning, and also gives adults the chance to reflect within themselves. Ms Nartey encouraged parents to seek the welfare of their children, and desist from the practice of paying less attention to their wards.

She further pleaded with parents to be fully involved in the lives of their children, and that they shouldn’t leave them to the influence of house helps, drivers and other strangers.

The Guest Speaker for the ceremony, who is also the Chairperson of the Montessori Foundation, Ghana, Antoinette Ami Ashong, added that parents should even take the initiative to play with their children.

She said play helps children with how to be patient, socialise, explore, creative, problem solving, and language skills.

The post Happy Kids Holds 23rd Pre-School Graduation appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the city of Paynesville on the 100 Resilience Cities Project, which gives aid to support cities adapt to physical, social and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st Century.

The MoU was to help the two cities share experiences on best practices and innovations that would lead to cohesive cooperation and development.

The MoU, which was under the supervision of the Rockefeller Foundation in the US, would help the AMA and Paynesville, not to be just resilient to natural disasters like earthquakes, fires, famine, etc., but also to the stresses that weaken the fabric of a city on a day-to-day or cyclical basis.

The Chief Executive of AMA, Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, at the signing ceremony in the country’s capital recently, said Paynesville was one of the newest cities to join the Resilience Cities Global Network alongside Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Lagos, and Cape Town.

Explaining the benefits to be derived from the collaboration, he said both cities have similar development, economic and environmental challenges, and that the partnership would foster the needed progress of their metropolises.

Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije added that Accra and Paynesville would facilitate on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and goodwill information sharing to enhance the Resilience Strategy Development and implemented process.

“The leaders and top-level department administrators of both cities would maintain and facilitate open channels of communication to expedite consultation, exchange and cooperation on questions of issues and common concern,” he said.

The Mayor of the City of Paynesville in Liberia, Cyvette M. Gibson, signed the MoU on behalf of her city, and thanked the Rockefeller Foundation and the 100 Resilience Cities Project for the opportunity.

Her gratitude was, as the City of Paynesville had experienced 20 years of civil war, which led to the destruction facilities and infrastructure in the metropolis and the country as a whole.

Ms. Gibson hoped that both cities would learn and share how to address issues on sanitation, health, unemployment, economic and other social challenges.

Mr. James Ayando was assigned the Accra Chief Resilience Officer, with the responsibility to co-ordinate, research and suggest best practices that would help the assembly achieve its target.

The MoU signing was witnessed by Ms Liz Agbor-Tabi, Associate Director of City and Practice Management at the 100 Resilience Cities Project in the US.

The 100 Resilience Cities Project initiatives was launched in 2013 to support selected 100 cities globally to form a network that will receive technical support and resources for hiring staff, and developing and implementing urban resilience plans with the help of the Rockefeller Foundation.

Also, the Rockefeller Foundation will leverage a billion dollars in infrastructure financing to help these cities withstand and thrive through the effects of urbanisation, globalisation and climate change.

The post AMA, Paynesville Form Partnership For Dev’t appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey
Some former students of the University Basic School, Legon (UBSL), have donated an assortment of sports equipment to their alma mater.
They presented this during the school’s Nursery Graduation and Prefects’ Handing Over ceremony for the primary division, held at the school’s premises on Tuesday.

The alumni, comprising the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005 year groups, came together to donate sporting equipment, which included brand new soccer training bibs, footballs and basketballs, to the sports department of UBSL.

During the donation, the spokesperson for the year groups, Nana Kwame Osei Fordjour said, “It’s always a privilege to visit our alma mater and get in touch with the teachers who taught us to be disciplined citizens of our great nation, to all the teachers of UBSL, I say “Ayekoo” on behalf of these year groups.”

He went on to assure parents whose wards were students of the school that their children were in good hands because majority of the teachers who taught him for close to two decades were the same teachers tutoring their wards.

Mr. Osei   Fordjour went on to give the rationale behind the donation. “ Over the past four years, old students have made it point to come together and support the school in our own way, and this year we decided to support the sports department as a way of encouraging students to pursue their dreams in sports whiles studying”.

The Assistant Headmistress of the JHS at UBSL, Mrs. Christiana Armah, received the items on behalf of the school. She commended the old students for their kind gesture and encouraged them to take keen interest in the affairs of the school.

“We are happy to see our old students from five different year groups coming together to support the school, the thought of it is so refreshing and we hope they will continue with their benevolent act in subsequent years,” he said.

The donation climaxes the UBSL Alumni Games, an annual event that brings together old students of the University Basic School to engage in sporting activities.

The event entered its fourth consecutive year this year with the 2005 UBSL year group emerging as winners of the competition. Organizers of the event have promised to involve more year groups in 2017.

The event brought together diverse stakeholder groups comprising parents, members of management staff as well as the university community.

Aside the graduation ceremony for outgoing nursery students, a new set of prefects in the primary school, was sworn into office by the Headmistress of the primary division, Mrs. Evelyn Lartey.

The post University Basic School Alumni Donate To Alma Mater appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey
Melcom Care Foundation, a subsidiary of the Melcom Group of Companies, to help save lives at various hospitals and clinics across the country, yesterday began its journey, targeted at collecting more than 1,000 pints of blood for the National Blood Service.

The lifesaving exercise was motivated by the country’s long standing history of road accidents, which often saw victims die because the hospitals lacked blood to save their lives.

According to the National Road Safety Commission, from January to December last year, a total number of 1,474 people perished in road accidents. With 8,448 people suffering various degrees of injuries, the number of vehicles involved was 15,505.

The Melcom Group Communication Director, Mr. Godwin Avenorbgo, addressing the media at the company’s largest shop, Melcom Plus, in Accra, said the exercise was conducted at 18 branches across the country.

According to him, collection of blood to support the National Blood Service to save lives was an annual event that the group had embarked on since 2013.

Mr. Avenorgbo stated that Melcom was concerned with exercise because the Police Traffic and Transport Department’s record of the 2nd quarter of 2015 alone indicated that 554 pedestrians were knocked down, 447 lost their lives while 2,381 got injured.

“Estimates show that Ghana loses US$ 230million annually due to road accidents, leaving 1,600 people dead with 23% of the pedestrian fatalities being children below age 16,” he noted.

He thus called on authorities to tighten up road safety measures to ensure catastrophes on the road were reduced to the barest minimum.

He also used the occasion to encourage Ghanaians and other residents to voluntarily donate blood to help save lives of patients, including pregnant mothers, accident victims, infants and others who required blood due to aliments.

He advised Ghanaians not to wait until their relatives were seriously in need of blood to give themselves out for the blood donation exercise.

Mr. Avenorgbo said research had shown that people who donated blood stood the chance of balancing iron level in the blood, had better blood flow, were with mini physical and longer life.

He asked persons above 18 years of age to make it a point to donate blood voluntarily to help others and the whole society. Blood, he said, could be donated at least once or twice a year. However, but hypertension and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients, as well as homosexuals, Mr Avenorgbo explained, were exempted from the exercise.

The post Melcom To Collect Over 1000 Pints Of Blood appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey
In order to bring healthcare service delivery to the doorsteps of the rural poor, a women’s rights-based non- governmental and non-profit organisation, Women in Law and Development in Africa-Ghana (WiLAF), has reached out to 5,324 people in two districts in the country.
The districts – Ga West Municipality and Akuapim North – had their residents screened for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, cervical cancer, Hepatitis B, breast cancer, diabetes, family planning, blood pressure and other general healthcare.

WiLDAF’s passion to reach out to residents in these localities was to address issues relating to maternal mortality and other health challenges that confront women’s survival and development.

The community outreach programme is a 3-year project, sponsored by the European Union and other development partners to support healthcare.

Esenam Ahiadorme, Programme Officer WiLDAF, Ghana, said the organisation decided to deliver healthcare to the doorsteps of the people, because majority of the villages have poor road networks, making it difficult to access clinics or hospitals in times of emergency.

In a recent mobile health clinic organised in Akuapim North precisely, Addo Nkwanta, she said WiLDAF recorded a high tendency of teenage pregnancy and expectant mothers who are not seeking antenatal care.

She noted that some expectant mothers, especially the teenagers that were screened, had high risk pregnancies that needed emergency medical attention.

The Programme Officer revealed this to The Chronicle in an exclusive interview in Accra. Mrs. Ahiadorme said the complaints they received from the pregnant women were that they didn’t have the means to register for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), or pay for antenatal care.

“Some of the teenagers refused seeking healthcare, because they are verbally abused by the nurses, but after we introduced them to the hospital, they don’t stop,” she added.

On other crunching health concerns such as HIV/AIDS and cancer, the Programme Officer called on the Ghana Health Service and Ministry of Health to immediately visit the area, since, in all their screening exercise, new cases were recorded.

She said the screening, which is carried out every two quarters in a year, discovered three or more new cases of HIV/AIDS. Her worst fear was that some of these patients refuse to accept the fact, and instead of seeking help at the hospital, rather go to spiritual healers for assistance, and sometimes blame it on witchcraft.

“In the course of our screening, we met a woman who has been tested positive of HIV about a year ago, but refused to accept the truth. She became pregnant and never sought health care. As I’m speaking to you, she has given birth and her baby is infected with the disease,” she added.

Mrs. Ahiadorme stated that WiLDAF was working hard to create awareness on the need to seek medical attention at all times. She also called on the government to expand the NHIS registration to remote villages, improve road poor road networks, and provide health facilities that are closer to the people.

The post WiLDAF Screens 5,324 People appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey
The Accra Institute of Technology (AIT) has held its 10th graduation ceremony, with 196 students graduating with PhDs, PhD candidates, Master’s and Bachelor’s respectively.
Thus, eight people had PhDs, seven were PhD candidates, 23, Master’s and 158, Bachelor degrees.

Professor Clement K. Dzidonu, President of AIT, congratulated the graduands for working hard to acquire knowledge and skills in electrical and electronic engineering, computer engineering, computer science, information technology and business administration.

Addressing the graduands, he said though the country can boast of 86 tertiary institutions (70 private and 16 public universities), there was still a need to have more of such institution to accommodate the nation’s growing population.

According to him, a huge number Senior High School leavers still don’t have access to university education, with the country finding it difficult to produce enough graduates to feed the economy, saying:

“if we are enrolling less than required, and hence producing less than expected, how is it that we are experiencing the phenomenon of graduate unemployment in the Ghanaian economy?”

He blamed the teeming youth unemployment on universities’ inability to produce graduates that needed for the economy, and government’s incapacity to create jobs.

Prof. Dzidonu said the country lacks foresight to plan higher education, which has resulted in the nation not having skillful human resource that would cushion it development.

“We cannot, as a nation, strike the balance between the demand and supply of graduates across various skills if we do not carry out, as part of a national higher education planning process, regular national human resource gap analysis studies that will assist us in undertaking graduate output requirement planning, to serve as a basis for the government to set quotas for graduate output in key fields and professions,” he added.

Though, he congratulated the nation’s effort for maintaining quality and standard of education, he pleaded with the education authorities to do some on planning, in order to meet national developmental goals and aspirations.

On the day, among the 158 bachelor holders, 31 obtained First Class Honours, 52 obtained second class upper division, 74, second class lower division, and one obtained third class.

The AIT President urged them to continue seeking knowledge and opportunities in other areas of their endeavours. Prof. Francis K. Allotey, Chairman, AIT Board of Trustees, congratulated the graduands for studying hard to obtain degrees in various disciplines at the university.

The post AIT Holds 10th Graduation appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

From Inusa Musah
The Po-Opotu Royal Family of the Prampram Traditional Area has enstooled Naa Osabu Abbey I as Queenmother.
Known in private life as Josephine Korkor Abbey, Naa Osabu Abbey I succeeds Naa Larbi, whose death four years ago left the stool vacant.

All the royal clans gave their blessing to the new Queenmother, and Numo Osabu Abbey, Prampram Traditional Area Stool Father, said the peaceful atmosphere that ushered in the enstoolment and celebration of their new Queenmother should unite Prampram for better development.

“It was not a smooth path at all for a traditional area to be without a Queenmother for four years. Though it was the turn of this royal family to give us a heir, it was not easy getting this far, but we thank God that we are witnesses to victory,” Numo Osabu Abbey explained.

He said he believed in the good organisation and ability of Naa Abbey to get the women in the traditional area working to help in the nurturing of children.

He said the women in the area had been clamouring for a Queenmother, and now that they had been given one, and considering the rally the women held to welcome the new Queenmother, he said he was of no doubt that the women would give Naa Abbey the needed support to operate to better their lot.

On her part, Naa Osabu Abbey I promised to fill the gap her predecessor’s demise had left the women and entire Prampram Traditional Area. She reminded women of their huge responsibilities in helping their husbands grow their homes, thus, their duty to work to financially support the home.

Naa Osabu Abbey I further encouraged other women in high public offices to remain focused in the dispatch of their duties. Concluding, she said: “Men should encourage women in high offices and politely correct them when they realise the women are veering off their tracks.”

Moslem youth advised against butchering one another for politicians
The Chief for the Frafra community at Zenu in the Kpone-Katamanso District has advised Moslem youth to distance themselves from any violent acts as the political parties gear up to begin their campaigns.

Chief Abdulai Yen said the Moslem youth should reflect on the teachings of Islam to tell any politician who would hire them to engage in a political violence that they could not do their bidding. “When you do anything criminal and the law grabs you, your paymaster will desert you…you will rot in jail,” he advised.

Abdulai Yen said these at Zenu, where he was installed Frafra Chief, after the Tema Traditional Council (TTC) and the Tema Paramount Chief, Nii Adjei Kraku II, had handed him a certificate of recognition.

Chief Abdulai Yen said the Moslem youth should ask their unpatriotic and violent-minded political paymasters to rather empower them financially, so that they would be independent.

He said it was insulting and disgraceful that wicked politicians would give a paltry GH¢50 to some Moslem youth to go and beat and maim their political opponents, or snatch ballot boxes.

‘Don’t allow your conscience and God-given life to be ruined by any nation wrecker,” he encouraged. This year’s elections would stretch the peace and stability of Ghana, and so the security agencies would be on high alert to clamp down on any rioters, he said.

Therefore, he said the Moslem youth should love their country, family and loved ones, as that would motivate them to protect the country’s peace and stability.

Chief Abdulai Yen was grateful to his kingmakers and community for the honour and responsibility handed him, and promised to work hard to ensure that the unity among all the tribes at Zenu was maintained.

He was happy that all the various religious faiths were peacefully co-existing, “and this is the way we can all unite to make our community better for generations.”

The post Prampram Gets Queenmother appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey & Joana Lisa Quarshie

The Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), a technology-focused private university, graduated eight PhD students in the fields of Business Administration and Information Technology, during the University’s 10th Graduation Congregation held in Accra over the weekend.

The graduation was the second time the technology university had graduated students with PhDs. According to the President of the University, Prof. Clement K. Dzidonu, AIT is poised to create opportunities for individuals hoping to attain a higher level of education.

The AIT President noted that the university’s ability to aid individuals to acquire PhDs marks, not only AIT history, but also history in the annals of private university education in this country.

In his speech to the congregation, which also saw the graduation of 158 Bachelor’s degree and 27 Master’s degree holders, Professor Clement K. Dzidonu observed that this major achievement of a university, which is barely seven years old, makes AIT the first private university in Ghana to successfully offer and graduate students on an internationally benchmarked Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree programme.

According to him, this is no small achievement, if put within the context of the fact that the PhD per capita of Ghana is extremely low.

He noted that given the fact that over 250 PhD students are now enrolled at AIT, the university has become one of the leading postgraduate research institutions on the continent.

Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, former Vice Chancellor, University of Education, Winneba, and a member of the AIT Board of Trustees, who was the Guest Speaker for the occasion, commended AIT on this great achievement, and encouraged all other universities to emulate the AIT example.

According to him, the number of PhD graduates in South Africa alone annually is ten times that of Ghana. He, therefore, urged universities in Ghana to take PhD research serious, to improve the research status of Ghanaian universities internationally.

Professor Francis K. Allotey, Chairman of the AIT Board of Trustees, in his address to the congregation, indicated that the success of AIT has been possible, due to the strong collaborative relations with several top class universities across the world, like the world-class Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of the USA and others.

He added that the AIT’s objective in all these relationships is to acquire state-of-art and the best learning, teaching and research resources and materials for its students. To him, this is the most effective way, and the best way AIT has chosen to deliver world class education for the benefit of students.

The post AIT Graduates More PhDs appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey & Joana Lisa Quarshie

Indigenes of Danchira, a village along the Densu River in the Greater Accra Region, have applauded the Supreme Court for aiding in bringing about peace to the community.

The Danchire village, which is made up of four families, namely Sawerprano, Amanfo, Juaben and Kubeshishi, is a farming community that has lost its livelihood to estate developers.

The Stool Secretary of Danchire, Mark Tettey Oppong, addressing a press conference in Accra recently, indicated that the village, which once hosted one of the country’s biggest animal and crop farms, Ocloo Farms, had its lands invaded by trespassers leading to the loss of their plantations.

He said the estate developer, without their consent, ravaged the land with bull dozers, destroying their farm produce.
However, the matter was sent to the High Court, and the case was adjudicated in their favour, adding:

“We won. Djan Bi Amoo appealed to the Court of Appeal, which overturned the Judgment of Tanko J., but justice was not killed by that judgment, it was only dazed, for on 13th April 2016, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned the judgment of the Court of Appeal, and upheld the Judgment of Tanko Amadu J.”

“Tanko Amadu J’s judgment is thus the judgment of the Supreme Court. The matter was finally settled on the 28th of July 2016, when the Supreme Court, by a 7-0 decision, dismissed an application for review brought by FKA Company Limited and Djan Bi Amoo family,” he added.

He said the families’ engagement with the media was to let the whole world know that Danchira lands are owned by the four composite families – Sawerpramo, Amanfo, Juaben and Kubeshishi

He called on institutions and individuals hoping to establish business in the area to deal with the families only.
“Apart from the heads of these families acting in conjunction with the consent and concurrence of the principal elders, no one, we repeat, no one, has the authority to deal with Danchira lands. All who have purchased land from Djan Bi Amoo or FKA Company Limited have purchased nothing,” he stated.

The post Peace At Danchira appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey & Joana Lisa Quarshie

The family of Korle We has called on government to tighten security presence at James Town in the Odododiodioo Constituency, in order to save the family from further attacks from unknown persons.

According to the family, on Sunday 24th July 2016, the Korle Wulomo, one of the principal traditional priests of the Ga State, was attacked at Korle We, where he abides, and his valuable assets, including money, stolen.

The leader of the family, Nii Oblie Quaye, told journalists recently in Accra that other occupants of the house, mostly family members, also suffered a similar fate. He said though the issue has been reported to the James Town police, nothing has so far been done to save the situation.

He added that the inability of the police to intensify security in the area, especially for the family, has opened the flood gates for another criminal attack on Saturday 30th July 2016.

“That Saturday… in the full glare of officers of the James Town Police, this army of land guards, not only attacked Korle We, but vandalised the place and stole properties of the occupants, which included the Woyei.

“The Korle Wulomo was attacked with broken bottles and cutlasses. He sustained cutlass wounds all over his body, and was forced to sit on the broken bottles, and his attire was taken off him. His room was ransacked, and valuable properties, including money, were stolen,” he added.

Nii Oblie Quaye indicated that in Ga custom, the destoolment of a Wulomo is unknown, and in extreme cases, he could only be suspended.

He said the desecration of the body of the Korle Wulomo and the Korle Shrine is an abomination that should be condemned by all, adding that what has happened has never been recorded in the history of the Ga State, and the perpetrators must hold their heads in shame.”

He however called on the police to launch proper investigations into the matter to ensure the perpetrators are punished for taking the law into their own hands.

The post Increase Oolice Presence At James Town -Korle Family Cries Out appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey

To ensure this year’s poll, to would be held on December 7, is peaceful and devoid of clashes and violence, the Divine Healers Church has called on the youth to shun politicians who will engage them in negative activities.

According to the church, though the youth are full of life, energy, power of courage, adventure, temper, imagination and the will to create, they should not allow deceitful politicians to avert their attention from the goals and aspirations of the nation.

The Divine Healers Church- Greater Regional ‘A’, Children and Redeemers’ Movement Coordinator, Rev. Nii Adjin Mensah, in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle, urged the youth to be bold to tell the politicians that they are not for violence, but peace.

Rev. Nii Adjin Mensah granted the interview to this reporter at the church’s 4-day programme purposed to win souls for the Lord Jesus recently in Accra.

According to him, the youth hold the future keys of this nation, and must not give chance to evil doers to use them as vessels to destroy the foundations of the country.

To him, elections are not about destruction of the country, but construction of the state to achieve desirable development.

Touching on the theme:  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Mathew 11 V 28”, he encouraged the youth to put all their trust in God Almighty.

“Jesus Christ is our Saviour and the only one that can give life in abundance. So, if you are in any difficulty, it is only Jesus Christ that can deliver you. So I want to encourage the youth to put their trust in Him,” he charged.

Apostle Mrs. Felicia Bonaparte, West 1 District Head, encouraged Ghanaians to pray and rely on the word of God for deliverance, since the nation is going through trying times.

She said the church chose the theme because Jesus Christ is the only Saviour, who willingly died to afford mankind salvation.

“People are really suffering in taking care of their children, going to the market, and paying their children’s school fees,” she, however, assured Ghanaians: “If only you would faithful to God, all your burdens will be laid down by the Lord Jesus Christ.”

She entreated parents to teach their wards the word of God and how to pray, so that when they grow up they don’t depart from the word.
The convention, which was held Sampe in the Ablekuma South Constituency, consisted six districts – District West 1, 2, 3 & 4, A East & A North.

About 250 children were graduated to young adult service, as well several others who believed and were converted into Christianity.

The convention also focused on three cogent areas – preparing children to meet the Lord; encouraging them to be soul winners; and preparing them to be responsible adults in the future.

The post Promote Peace – Divine Healers Church Urges Youth appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey

The Ga South Municipal Assembly, on Wednesday, brought its 8th year celebration of its creation as a Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region to a climax, with a grand durbar of the assembly, chiefs and opinion leaders at the assembly’s premises in Weija, during which the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Jerry Akwei Thompson, enumerated the assembly’s achievements during the period.
He said one problem the assembly has suffered over the years has been the inability of many to differentiate it from its neighbouring Accra Metropolitan and Awutu Senya assemblies, resulting in loss of revenue.

Howeve,r the assembly has overcome this since it rebranded, launched its website, and published a magazine, which has resulted in an increase in its revenue.

“The rebranding started with the creation of a website, www.gsmaweija.com, the printing of a magazine, the printing of a calendar, and finally the printing of a cloth with our logo to identify workers and other people related to us,” the MCE stated.

Mr. Thompson explained that the assembly has, since its inception, focused on providing services to the residents, which has resulted in the assembly flourishing as a centre for excellence and education, coupled with the coming into being of the West Hills Mall and other commercial houses.

He explained that since its creation, the assembly has invested in educational infrastructure, sanitation and health, roads, markets, and most especially, the new office complex, of which the first phase is almost complete.

Enumerating the achievements, the MCE said GaSMA had only six per cent motorable roads, which has been increased to 40% through government intervention and donor funding, while revenue generation has improved.

The Greater Accra Deputy Minister, Mr. Isaac Vanderpuye, commended the assembly on its judicious use of resources to the benefit of the people, and urged it to intensify its efforts to satisfy the people, through the provision of more social services.

He also asked the assembly to strengthen its internal financial controls, and block all leakages.

The Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Free Zones Board, Ms. Obubia Darko Opoku, also an aspiring Member of Parliament for the Weija-Gbawe Constituency, said the municipality, being a true cosmopolitan area, is ideal for genuine businesses, and asked the residents to take advantage of these to improve life in the municipality.

Citations were given to past MCEs – Stephen Owusu Afriyie and Nii Sheriff Otto Dodoo – while the assembly members presented the MCE with a specially designed kente and traditional sandals.

The post GaSMA Climaxes 8th Year Celebration With Grand Durbar appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey

Waste Landfills Company Limited, under the Jospong Group of Companies, has organised a massive fumigation exercise at the Abokobi landfill site and nearby surroundings to prevent spread of flies and other insects pestering residents.

The fumigation exercise, according to the waste company, is carried out periodically to reduce health hazards that might generate from the landfill site.

The Municipal Chief Executive Officer (MCE) of Abokobi, Mr. John Kwao Sackey, said the assembly was collaborating with the waste company upon complaints by residents in the area.

Mr. Sackey, speaking to journalists after a working tour of the landfill site yesterday, indicated that the assembly has plans to relocate the place.

He said though the area was acquired by the assembly in the year 2004, settlers, who are mainly encroachers, are fighting the assembly to relocate the landfill site.

Giving a brief history about the landfill site, he said the area originally belonged to the defunct Ghana Post and Telecommunications (P&T), before government in 2004 reacquired it, after establishing the Abokobi Municipal Assembly.

“After it (government) established the district, the policy was to provide a final waste disposal site, and at the time it was convenient to use the area, but later the landlords started selling the land to private developers,” he explained.

He said though most of the residents are illegal occupants, the assembly has liaised with the waste company to periodically spray the vicinity, especially during the rainy season, to bring, at least, some comfort to the residents.

Mr. Sackey said: “This morning, the spraying gangs are spraying the area, and also making sure that the residents are not duly discomforted. Almost every month we do the fumigation; especially, when in the rainy season; at least, every two weeks.”

He said the assembly, under his administration, had acquired 43 acres of land to situate a waste recycling plant to complement that of the Accra Compost Plant.

The MCE added that the assembly has intentions to turn waste into energy, and all it was waiting for, was for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to give the said company certification.

“You will agree with me that it is better to have waste dumped at one point, than scattered in the whole metropolis. It a challenge; we are working at it, that is the reason why you are seeing the fumigation exercise this morning,” he added.

He was of the view that waste management should be everyone’s business, since Accra, apart from the Abokobi Landfill Site, can only boast of the Kpong and Nsumea landfill sites.

The Abokobi Assembly MCE called for inter-ministerial commitment in waste management, saying: “the problem of waste should not be left to the local government administration alone… the Agriculture Ministry should be interested in turning waste into manure to reduce importation of fertiliser. The Ministry of Works and Housing must team up with the Local Government Ministry to ensure proper disposal of waste.”

He said the Works and Housing Ministry has demanded that estate developers produce plans on how they would manage both liquid and solid waste in their areas, stressing: “We pay for waste, but we don’t care about its disposal.”

The Operation Manager of Waste Landfills Company Limited, Richard Omane, also added that the company periodically undertook spraying activities to combat cockroaches, houseflies and other pests that might breed in refuse heaps.

The post Waste Landfills Ltd battles pests at Abokobi appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey
Royal Missionary Medical Relief (Royal MMR) Hospital has opened a new branch at Dansoman Last Stop to bring healthcare services to the doorsteps of deprived communities like Chorkor, Agege, Gbegbeise, Opetekwea, Glefie, Banana Inn and Akpetema.
The hospital, which has as its main target assisting individuals living in deprived communities to assess quality healthcare at reasonable and affordable rates, has also established itself in communities like Sukura, Ashaiman and Dome Pillar ‘2’.
According to the Chief Executive of the Royal MMR Hospital, Mr. Adom Seme, the hospital operates as non-profitable organisation and was only providing free health screening to individuals, churches and other bodies.
He said the new Royal MMR Hospital branch is a state of an art facility with a 109-bed capacity, pharmacy, modern equipment, and qualified doctors and nurses to offer cancer care, dialysis, pediatric, OBS & gynae, dental care, hypertensive and diabetic services.
“We are not here to make profit. If we want to make profit, we would have sited this ultramodern facility at East Legon and Adjiringanor so that the rich will come,” he said.
The Chief Executive added that he is willing to expand to other deprived communities in order to make healthcare more accessible, adding that the Royal MMR Sukura Community Hospital recorded 10,000 patients within a month.
He called on the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to fast-track the hospital’s accreditation, in order for the beneficiaries to access free health care. He appealed to the residents to consider the facility their own.
The Chief Executive/ Registrar of Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HWFRA), Dr. Sylvia J. Anie, while joining hands with the management of the hospital to cut a tape to officially open the facility over the weekend, urged the residents to take advantage of the centre.
She pleaded with people not hide their sicknesses and other infections at home, but seek medical attention.
According to her early, diagnoses helps health treatment better than when the disease has developed into a worse condition.
He also advised them to practice hygienic and environmental cleanness, and try to avoid lifestyles that would have a negative impact on their health.
Also at the same programme was Mr. George Mensah of the Royal Missionary Medical Relief (MMR) Hospital, who added that they will not only provide healthcare for the people, but also champion the National Sanitation Day in the area.
According to him, if the people practice hygiene, it will reduce their expenses on healthcare: “It will translate into your pocket, because you don’t spend so much on healthcare.”

The post Royal MMR opens new branch appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Bernice Bessey
An Indian eye specialist, Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal, has opened a new state-of-the-art eye care facility in Accra to fill the deficit in ophthalmology care in the country.
The hospital has modern equipment to treat and care for eye problems such as glaucoma and cataract.
According to Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal, the 14,000-square feet facility is to provide first class eye care service to the citizenry and other members of the sub-region.
He said the advanced diagnostic and eye care treatment with optical facility ensures comprehensive eye care under one roof, and saves time, money and the stress of traveling abroad for retinal treatment for serious cataract surgeries, glaucoma management and pediatric eye care.
He said the eye hospital has been in operation since 1957, and hopes to turn the fortunes of Ghana’s health sector into health tourism to attract other countries to seek the best ophthalmic care.
“The advance and modern ophthalmology practices in the hospital can be felt with the presence of hi tech investigational and diagnostic equipment, meant for imaging and scanning purpose. The equipment like AB Scan, Auto Perimeter, Fundus Fluorescein Angiography (FFA), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) etc., not only support the ophthalmologists with precise diagnosis and status of eye ailments, but also helps in the decision of appropriate treatment,” he added.
Dr. Agarwal Eye Hospital was inaugurated by the Minister of Health, Mr. Alexander Segbefia, at Tesano, last Wednesday.
According to the Minister, there are 90 ophthalmologists taking the responsibility to serve the population of over 26 million people, and 50 percent of these ophthalmologists are based in Accra.
He indicated that the three regions in the north are the most affected, with a low number of ophthalmologists.
He was hopeful that the establishment of a comprehensive specialist facility of this nature in the country would help to bridge the accessibility gap in eye care.
“I am happy to note that the idea behind this building is to help support the extremely low number of ophthalmologists in Ghana. The increasing population of Ghana, and the available health care facility, has always been a concern of society. One of the areas of concern is an eye care facility, which is among our priority issues, and which should addressed soon for the betterment of society.
“We are glad that Dr. Agarwal’s eye hospital has been in eye care since 1957, thus, almost six decades, as old as Ghana’s independence. It is known for pioneering interventions in the field of ophthalmologic care, with several works to its credit. Dr. Agarwal’s Department (R&D) has over the period developed an excellent team of highly skilled ophthalmic specialist, surgeons and para medics to assist in its growth plans,” he noted.
Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital operates in 14 countries across the globe in over 67 hospitals, and Ghana is the 16th country in Africa where the hospital is operating.
The hospital has its presence in the country to address eye ailments of both the rich and less privileged.

UNDP engages media on women empowerment
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has engaged some media practitioners in Accra on the best ways to encourage and empower women to take up leadership roles in the communities and the nation as a whole.
The media engagement was held recently to identify challenges hindering women from putting themselves out for positions that would translate into holistic national development.
Among some of the challenges identified were poor traditions and customs, stigma, stereotype, and prejudice the women faced in their endeavours.
Journalists, mostly from The Chronicle Newspaper, Daily Graphic, Daily Guide, Multimedia, TV3, Finder, Daily Searchlight and GBC among others, agreed that the problem with women and leadership must be addressed through the traditions and customs the various ethnic groups practice.
Though they pledged to propagate and promote issues concerning in the green light, however, they believed that women must also gather confidence like their male counterparts to be selected to lead.

The post Dr. Agarwal Eye Hospital opens in Ghana appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Richard Kofi Attenkah
The Tema Ministers Organisation (TMO) has called on the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Isaac Ashai Odamtten, to intensify education on sanitation to ensure that there is no more littering in the city.
According to the TMO, which is made up of pastors who live and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ within the Tema Metropolis, people who break the laws should be brought to order or prosecuted for indecent disposal of waste.
The Tema pastors further called on the TMA boss to put in place measures to sanitise the city by encouraging residents to drop their litter or waste into two different litter bins, which would be positioned at vantage points across the Metro.
The pastors explained that one of the bins should be used to collect organic (food) waste, while the other to be used to take care of non-organic (other) waste.
This was contained in a communiqué dubbed “Clean City” to be presented to the Tema Mayor, and announced at a programme organised by the TMO to sensitise residents of the Metropolis about the need for them to stop littering the city, at the forecourt of the TMA.
Before assembling at the forecourt of the TMA, the Tema ministers embarked on a float from the Tema General Hospital through the major streets of the city, picking litter along the stretch to demonstrate their commitment towards their agenda.
All the aspiring parliamentary candidates and Members of Parliament (MPs) of all the political parties in the three constituencies in the Metropolis, namely; Tema East, West and Central, as well as the TMA boss, were invited to the programme, but only the MP for Tema East, Titus Glover, and the MCE, Isaac Ashai Odamtten, turned up.
Addressing participants of the float and other top ranking officials within the Metropolis, Rev David Nagbemedor, President of the TMO, he advised the Assembly that once two different bins have been created, the picking up of these wastes should be done separately and discharged at their designated sites.
“The non-organic waste can be sent to an intermediary warehouse for segregation for onward distribution or processing,” he noted.
He explained further: “In sorting out the non-organic waste, which is said to be 30% of the waste generated by all households, value is made, and will also cut down the waste sent to the landfill; the organic could, as well, be used as compost or fertiliser.”
This, according to him, would help focus resources and collaboration to better respond to the waste management challenges and bring the “Harbour City” to its former glory, where it was regarded as the cleanest city in the whole of West Africa.
The TMO admitted that even though the Assembly has the requisite by-laws on sanitation, it lacked the capacity to enforce those laws, as a result of its limitation, as far as financial and human resources are concerned.
Rev Nagbemedor, who is also the Head Pastor of the Tema Central Assemblies of God Church at Community Four (4), said: “Faced with all these challenges, TMO also recognised that the regulatory by-laws, as well as sanitation and waste management operations, have become too complicated and fragmented.”
He continued: “Once waste generation is an inevitable aspect of life, it becomes a matter of urgent need to observe the process from generation to disposal, in order to determine the areas of critical concern, and tackle them, in order to avoid pollution to a large extent, and also preserve good health.
“The benefits from converting useful resources in our solid waste stream into valuable products are lost when they are dump in landfill sites, which may soon not be available. Value can therefore be generated, if the waste is sorted or segregated at household levels into organic and non-organic.”
The Tema Mayor, Isaac Ashai Odamtten, noted that since cleanliness is next to godliness, residents in Tema must learn to clean their surroundings without getting tired, the same way they have been praying without ceasing.
This, he said, is because just one big clean up exercise, “as has been done today” does not mean the city would be clean forever, saying “it must be a continuous affair to ensure that our city is clean indeed.”
“This is an annual affair; but let us have the reawakening that what we have done today, would be the base standard for us in the coming years, and in the coming year, we should be able to even decentralise and ensure that every community is taking it up, because there is a church in every community in Tema.
“And if there is a church in every community in Tema, then this signal we are sending across must happen in every community in Tema.
“It is important that we clean our city; it is important that we participate in the cleaning exercise, and it is also important that we participate in the National Sanitation Day, which happens on the first Saturday of every month,” the TMA boss observed.
Continuing, he said the Assembly is planning to decentralise the exercise, because it wants the various electoral areas in the Metropolis to own it, because we have responsibility to clean our environment, adding, “We will continue to provide logistics, and even if it is not enough, it must be the base on which all persons can contribute to make Tema better.”
On his part, the MP for Tema East, Titus Glover, said the problem of poor sanitation in the Tema Metropolis is attitudinal, “because people clean their homes, and when they come out and find no dust bins in which they can dump them, they throw them into drains.”
He noted that the most important aspect of this practice is that when they throw it into the drains during the raining season, it tends to block it, and eventually cause flooding in the city.
According to the outspoken New Patriotic Party (NPP) legislator, his biggest worry is that, sometimes, some of the residents throw even human faeces into the drains, and called on Tema residents to desist from the practice.

The post Let there be no littering in Tema appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

…as he escapes death narrowly
A young man, believed to be in his early 20s, narrowly escaped death on Thursday, when a trotro hyundai vehicle, with registration number ER 533-12, knocked him off his motorbike at Manya Kpongunor in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality.
The victim, whose name was not readily established at the time of filing this report, sustained various degrees of injuries.
He is currently receiving treatment at Agormanya St. Martin Hospital, after he was rushed there for medical care.
Meanwhile, the driver of the vehicle is on the run.

The post Motorbike rider teases death appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Pascal Kafu Abotsi
The National Waste Bin Distribution Programme (Nawa Bin), in collaboration with the National Service Scheme (NSS), on Friday, launched this year’s edition of the Urban Sanitation Module in Accra.
The programme, introduced last year with the aim of mobilising selected national service personnel across the country to collect data to enable sanitation companies deliver services to communities, identified 2,000 personnel for this year’s training session.
The NSS personnel and other participating groups in this exercise would be given training to equip them with the requisite skills for logistic distribution and data gathering to facilitate the entire process.
Addressing participants at the ceremony, Group Head of Finance of Subah Holdings, Mrs. Adokarley Okpoti-Paolo, said the module was initiated in a bid to address challenges such as inaccurate data for household subscribers to waste management companies, poor sanitary practices, inadequate number of dustbins, poor revenue collection, and revenue leakages.
She said her outfit would provide the service personnel with tablets, power banks and other gadgets to enable them to, technologically, accomplish their tasks appropriately, noting that dishonest persons, who would attempt forgery of results, would be fished out, as there was a tracking device for that purpose.
Mrs. Okpoti-Paolo advised the fresh graduates not to take the training for granted, saying their “contributions will be seen as a permanent solution to Ghana’s challenges, in terms of data on households.” “You have been engaged to collect data to build the data base, not only of the country; the world at large,” she added.
Deputy Government Statistician Mr Anthony Amuzu urged them to stay committed to the exercise, and consider it as a way of contributing to developmental growth and sanitation efforts of the country.
He reminded the personnel that although data collection in Africa generally, was not an easy task, especially, in the urban centres, they should do their best to come out with credible information for NaWa Bin and the government.
Mr. Amuzu told them to have a proper understanding of their undertaking, if they wanted to do effective data collection. He also asked them to develop good attitudes towards people, so they could obtain the needed information.
Mr. Carl Afenu, of the Town and Country Planning Department, said their district offices were ready to give the necessary support to the service personnel. “We have some useful data which we are willing to share. Where you have any challenges, do well to visit us,” he added.
Philemon Beyeo, who represented the Executive Director of the National Service Secretariat, Dr. Michael Kpessa-Whyte, urged the service personnel to perform well, especially on data validation.
Because more personnel have been rolled onto this year’s module, Mr. Beyeo was hopeful for “bigger data, especially, as Subah is on board,” cautioning them to “collect the data as expected of you.”
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Tema, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, on his part, encouraged the participants to be serious in the endeavour, as it was the foundation for their lifetime employment. “This exercise prepares you for today’s competitive job market … make a mark so these institutions will look out for you,” he pointed out.

The post NaWa Bin, NSS launch 2nd Edition of Urban Sanitation Module appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.

By Richard Aatinka
Star Junior High School (JHS), on Friday, emerged winner of the maiden Tema Metro Fixit Fast ICT Quiz, which was organised by Fixit Fast ICT Center, based at Community One (1), a suburb of Tema.
The school received two sets of computers and a trophy as its prize, while each of the two students who represented the school walked home with three sets of ICT books, a pen drive as well as a certificate each from Fixit Fast ICT Center.
The first runner up was St. Stephen JHS, which had 22 points, one less than what the overall winner got (23), followed by Naylor SDA JHS, which bagged 20 points.
St. Stephen JHS received, as its prize, a computer, while the two students who contested on behalf of the school, were given a certificate and pen drive each.
On its part, Naylor SDA JHS received a Samsung printer, and the two contestants each had a certificate and three sets of ICT books.
Speaking in an interview with the Accra File, George Boateng, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fixit Fast ICT Center, said for the purpose of the ICT quiz, the Tema Metropolitan area was divided into three, namely; Tema East, Tema West and Tema Central sub-metro zones.
“We started the quiz at the Tema East sub-metro. Each sub-metro was divided into two groups for the purpose of the quiz, and the winner from each group was selected to contest at the grand finale, which is the Tema Metro Fixit Fast ICT Quiz.
“There were 11 schools in the Tema East sub-metro, and at the end of that contest, which was held at the Twedaase JHS, two schools – Shinning Star JHS and Twedaase JHS – came tops.
“There were nine schools at the Tema Central sub-metro, which took place at the Tema Community Eight No 1 JHS, and we picked the winners of each group,” he explained.
According to him, the quiz for the Tema West sub-metro, which comprised of 14 schools, was held at the Sakumono School Complex on September 29, 2016.
He noted that the decision to organise the quiz came up when “My team of ICT experts conducted a survey throughout the Tema Metro, where the company is based, and discovered that the students needed some support to make what they are being taught in school complete.
“So we sent a proposal to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to conduct an ICT quiz for all the JHS schools within the Metropolis, to enhance teaching and learning of ICT in the various schools.
“GES gave us the approval, and sent letters to all the 174 junior high schools within the Metropolis to apply to participate in the quiz, and majority of the schools applied. Application was free, and the questions were based on the GES syllabus,” he continued.
The Fixit Fast ICT Center boss said it was their hope that all things being equal, next year, they would include Ashaiman and Nungua to the quiz, and then in their third year, they would go regional.
He was optimistic that by their fourth year, they hope to go national, adding, “It is our vision that we take this programme globally, where representatives of Ghana would be competing with other countries in ICT quiz.”
He said when the quiz started initially, the contestants were a bit jittery, but as it progressed, they found their rhythm and moved along, saying he was hopeful that it would go a long way to improve the knowledge of the students in ICT.
He called on heads of the various schools to always ensure that their students participate in the contest to help bring out the best in them.
He thanked all the heads of the various schools for releasing their students to participate in the maiden Fixit Fast ICT Quiz. “We also thank all the contestants for putting out their best and ensuring that it ended successfully.”
The quiz was sponsored by Fixit Fast ICT Center, and supported by Roll One Consult, Waco Business Center at Tema Manhean, and Revolution Entertainment and Curve Image, which provided video coverage of the whole programme.

The post Star JHS wins maiden Tema Metro ICT Quiz appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.