Arm smuggle on Boxing Day
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Sekondi
A man who managed to smuggled 30 pieces of locally manufactured pistol from Sinkansy in Togo through Ghana has been grabbed in his attempt to cross to Pillar 34 border in the Western Region to Cote d’ Ivoire.
According to the police, the suspect, Akwasi Kuma appeared at the Pillar 34 Cote d’Ivoire-Ghana entry point near Sefwi Yawmtwia and claimed he was visiting his brother in Cote d’Ivoire for Christmas celebrations.
They said the suspect was carrying spraying machine, a DVD player and traveling bag and went through the normal check for him to cross to the other side of the border.
The joint security force made up of the police, immigration and CEPS demanded to know the content of the bag he was carrying.
The police said Akwasi Kuma told security personnel that the bag contains his Christmas cloths.
Not satisfied with the claim, the police insisted he opened after an officer felt the bag and said the content was too hard to describe cloths.
Upon opening the bag, new 30 pieces of locally manufactured guns were discovered and when questioned, the suspect told the police that he brought from Togo through the Northern Region of the country.
The police source said when asked about his nationality, he said is a Dagati by birth but was borne and bread in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Asked how he managed to pass through the various security checking until he was busted in Western Region at the verge of crossing to neighboring country he did not answer.
When contacted the Regional Police Command confirmed the story and said they had commence investigation to establish the facts and the origin of the suspect and the arms.
At the moment the suspect, Akwesi Kuma and the arms are currently been transferred from Sefwi Yawmetwia entry point to Western Regional Police Command in Sekondi for further interrogation.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
DR ABU IN THE RACE FOR VICE-CHAIRMANSHIP
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
Dr Frank John Abu has declared his intension to contest National Vice-Chairmanship position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said aside the qualification to contest the vice-chairmanship position his vast experience positioned him as the best among the other contenders.
Dr Abu said the experience is what the party needs improve upon its performance over that of 2008 in readiness for 2012 elections.
He said he was aware that elections were not won at the national level and that it was important to note that the people at the constituency and pooling station are very important to the success of the party.
When voted, Dr Abu said when voted he would take care of the foot-soldiers to ensure that the situation where it was even difficult to get pooling agents to stand in for the party was the thing of the past,” he said.
He said during his tuner as the immediate past Western Regional Chairman, there were so many recommendation they made what did not get the needed attention.
“Therefore, when I get to the Accra, in the position I would then tell them to take a look at those strategies we proposed to ensure that we did not run into any difficulties in the 2012 elections,” he said.
He said the goal of the NDC was not only to win power, but win, retain and continue and therefore there was the need for experience team to steer the party on the path of constant victory.
Dr Abu said with his experience, it was important the party structures were made stronger at the constituency and pooling station levels to make everyone feels part of the team.
He said situations at some of the areas are very sad and it was important that “we look for unifier, a brother, a father, approachable person and team player to move us the directions we want to go.”
Asked what if he loses, Mr Abu said, the party NDC was very big and had large interest to take care of as well as the needs of the entire population and, “therefore if I lose, I would still serve my party, if I did not win.”
He therefore called for fairness and brotherliness to ensure that the party emerged at the winner.
The Western Regional Executives of the party commended Dr Abu for his personal efforts to ensure that the party’s 8-seats were increased.
“We trust that the same way you steered the affairs of the party in the region until our victory in 2008, you will let that bear on the party at the national level where you have the bigger platform,” they said.
Dr Frank John Abu has declared his intension to contest National Vice-Chairmanship position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said aside the qualification to contest the vice-chairmanship position his vast experience positioned him as the best among the other contenders.
Dr Abu said the experience is what the party needs improve upon its performance over that of 2008 in readiness for 2012 elections.
He said he was aware that elections were not won at the national level and that it was important to note that the people at the constituency and pooling station are very important to the success of the party.
When voted, Dr Abu said when voted he would take care of the foot-soldiers to ensure that the situation where it was even difficult to get pooling agents to stand in for the party was the thing of the past,” he said.
He said during his tuner as the immediate past Western Regional Chairman, there were so many recommendation they made what did not get the needed attention.
“Therefore, when I get to the Accra, in the position I would then tell them to take a look at those strategies we proposed to ensure that we did not run into any difficulties in the 2012 elections,” he said.
He said the goal of the NDC was not only to win power, but win, retain and continue and therefore there was the need for experience team to steer the party on the path of constant victory.
Dr Abu said with his experience, it was important the party structures were made stronger at the constituency and pooling station levels to make everyone feels part of the team.
He said situations at some of the areas are very sad and it was important that “we look for unifier, a brother, a father, approachable person and team player to move us the directions we want to go.”
Asked what if he loses, Mr Abu said, the party NDC was very big and had large interest to take care of as well as the needs of the entire population and, “therefore if I lose, I would still serve my party, if I did not win.”
He therefore called for fairness and brotherliness to ensure that the party emerged at the winner.
The Western Regional Executives of the party commended Dr Abu for his personal efforts to ensure that the party’s 8-seats were increased.
“We trust that the same way you steered the affairs of the party in the region until our victory in 2008, you will let that bear on the party at the national level where you have the bigger platform,” they said.
STORAGE FACILITY TO DICONGEST CITY
Picture & Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
A multimillion dollar cocoa storage facility under the operations of the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) has decongested the haulage traffic in the Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi.
It has also reduced the turnaround time of cargo vessels and enhanced the fumigation of cocoa beans for onward shipment to the international market.
The 120,000 ton cocoa storage capacity warehouse also has space for more than 800 of haulage trucks at a time, a canteen, weighing bridge, security, electricity and water supply, garages for auto mechanics, vulcanizing, a hostel and other social amenities that would make life better for the drivers of the haul truck.
The officials say the facility had enable CMC to pack the bags of cocoa in containers from the facility straight to the ship; thereby decongestion the port and limiting the time cargo vessels spent at the port.
According the Regional Coordinator, Mr Samuel Oduro-Asare, who took the media on tour of the facility at Apowa said the apart from the cocoa produced in the Western Region, the facility also takes care of the produce from the Central and Ashanti regions.
He said at the moment about 90 per cent of cocoa export were packaged at the Warehouse under the watchful eyes of customs and other relevant institutions.
The coordinator said the system was arranged in the way that when the trucks arrived from up country, CMC takes over the waybills and issues a parking chit to the trucks to pack after going to through the processes awaiting its turn to offload the good into the warehouse.
“Before the facility was provided, it takes us days to process just a ton, but the facility have made the job so easy, therefore, making the well fermented Ghana cocoa more competitive in the international market,” he said.
Mr Oduro-Asare said one of the main focuses of the company was to ensure that cocoa was handled in a manner that could create more demand for the country’s produce.
Their activities he said had employ the best methods of fumigation by its quality control unit of CMC and other forms of handlings that ensures quality, creates safety as well as the enabling environment for hundreds of people who had found employment at the facility including the drivers.
Asked what the other benefits of the storage facility were, Mr Oduro-Asare said hitherto the building of the facility, cocoa trucks parks everywhere in the metropolis which in many cases result in accidents and drivers slept on the street.
He said It was important to acknowledge that cocoa was one of the lifelines to the country’s economy, therefore, it was important that when the needed environment was created for its preservation before its onward shipment.
“I am personally happy with the fact that after the removal of the trucks from the streets of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis, the constant report of collision and crash had seized. That aside it has also created hundreds of jobs to people aside those who are cooking and for the worker and drivers,” he said.
A multimillion dollar cocoa storage facility under the operations of the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) has decongested the haulage traffic in the Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi.
It has also reduced the turnaround time of cargo vessels and enhanced the fumigation of cocoa beans for onward shipment to the international market.
The 120,000 ton cocoa storage capacity warehouse also has space for more than 800 of haulage trucks at a time, a canteen, weighing bridge, security, electricity and water supply, garages for auto mechanics, vulcanizing, a hostel and other social amenities that would make life better for the drivers of the haul truck.
The officials say the facility had enable CMC to pack the bags of cocoa in containers from the facility straight to the ship; thereby decongestion the port and limiting the time cargo vessels spent at the port.
According the Regional Coordinator, Mr Samuel Oduro-Asare, who took the media on tour of the facility at Apowa said the apart from the cocoa produced in the Western Region, the facility also takes care of the produce from the Central and Ashanti regions.
He said at the moment about 90 per cent of cocoa export were packaged at the Warehouse under the watchful eyes of customs and other relevant institutions.
The coordinator said the system was arranged in the way that when the trucks arrived from up country, CMC takes over the waybills and issues a parking chit to the trucks to pack after going to through the processes awaiting its turn to offload the good into the warehouse.
“Before the facility was provided, it takes us days to process just a ton, but the facility have made the job so easy, therefore, making the well fermented Ghana cocoa more competitive in the international market,” he said.
Mr Oduro-Asare said one of the main focuses of the company was to ensure that cocoa was handled in a manner that could create more demand for the country’s produce.
Their activities he said had employ the best methods of fumigation by its quality control unit of CMC and other forms of handlings that ensures quality, creates safety as well as the enabling environment for hundreds of people who had found employment at the facility including the drivers.
Asked what the other benefits of the storage facility were, Mr Oduro-Asare said hitherto the building of the facility, cocoa trucks parks everywhere in the metropolis which in many cases result in accidents and drivers slept on the street.
He said It was important to acknowledge that cocoa was one of the lifelines to the country’s economy, therefore, it was important that when the needed environment was created for its preservation before its onward shipment.
“I am personally happy with the fact that after the removal of the trucks from the streets of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis, the constant report of collision and crash had seized. That aside it has also created hundreds of jobs to people aside those who are cooking and for the worker and drivers,” he said.
LACK OF PROFESSIONALS IN EDUCATION AND HEALTH SECTORS IN W/R
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Enchi
Education and health facilities in the Aowin Suaman District and 16 other districts of the Western Region are seriously in need of nurses and teachers.
Some districts are so deprived that some health and education professional consider posting to these communities as punishment compared to their colleagues in the cities, who receive the same salary and allowances like them.
The said communities in various districts did not have access roads, electricity, water, decent accommodation, transportation among other poor social infrastructures not even telephone receptions.
As a result the demand for quality education and health have become the fervent needs of the people especially women and children.
Interestingly, the people in these deprived communities are those who produce the country’s chunk of cocoa, timber, gold, bauxite and manganese as well as food stuff to feed the endowed minority in the cities and towns.
Pregnant women in some of these communities die on their way to health centers, their children had to walk miles across weak bridges and streams before getting to school.
In some of the communities, the people have to cover the journey of more than seven hours walk to access education and health care.
The consciousness of children waking up in the morning and going to school in the cities are not there in these communities in the Western Region as most of these children are in smaller communities and wake to see people going to farm.
However, the District Chief Executive for Aowin Suaman, Mr Oscar Ofori Larbi vow to reverse the trend by offering opportunities to qualified indigents to be trained at the cost of the assembly.
He said since it was difficult to get the professional to come to district, it was best for them to train people from the communities in the district.
Mr Larbi said the indigents are the last hope of the people therefore, “if the indigents will train by the assembly and after the training they will deny their own people then they would be far from the solution to the problem of shortage of professional to handle the schools and health centers.
The DCE made this known when he toured various communities and said “Students who have passed their mathematics and general science, English and are interested in these professions should not hesitate to move to the assembly.”
“The assembly will also counsel the beneficiaries on the need to return to their communities to help their people,” he said.
He said it was important that the people who would be interested in the package by the assembly were told that the district would need them after their training.
The DCE said many of these young people qualified for the training but due to some form of financial constraints they were not able to apply for these training institutions.
He expressed the hope that chiefs, parents and people in the communities in the district would take advantage of the offer to step forward with the qualified candidates for training.
When contacted the Western Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Linda Vanotoo acknowledged the problem and said it is the case everywhere.
She said they were doing everything possible to save the situation.
Education and health facilities in the Aowin Suaman District and 16 other districts of the Western Region are seriously in need of nurses and teachers.
Some districts are so deprived that some health and education professional consider posting to these communities as punishment compared to their colleagues in the cities, who receive the same salary and allowances like them.
The said communities in various districts did not have access roads, electricity, water, decent accommodation, transportation among other poor social infrastructures not even telephone receptions.
As a result the demand for quality education and health have become the fervent needs of the people especially women and children.
Interestingly, the people in these deprived communities are those who produce the country’s chunk of cocoa, timber, gold, bauxite and manganese as well as food stuff to feed the endowed minority in the cities and towns.
Pregnant women in some of these communities die on their way to health centers, their children had to walk miles across weak bridges and streams before getting to school.
In some of the communities, the people have to cover the journey of more than seven hours walk to access education and health care.
The consciousness of children waking up in the morning and going to school in the cities are not there in these communities in the Western Region as most of these children are in smaller communities and wake to see people going to farm.
However, the District Chief Executive for Aowin Suaman, Mr Oscar Ofori Larbi vow to reverse the trend by offering opportunities to qualified indigents to be trained at the cost of the assembly.
He said since it was difficult to get the professional to come to district, it was best for them to train people from the communities in the district.
Mr Larbi said the indigents are the last hope of the people therefore, “if the indigents will train by the assembly and after the training they will deny their own people then they would be far from the solution to the problem of shortage of professional to handle the schools and health centers.
The DCE made this known when he toured various communities and said “Students who have passed their mathematics and general science, English and are interested in these professions should not hesitate to move to the assembly.”
“The assembly will also counsel the beneficiaries on the need to return to their communities to help their people,” he said.
He said it was important that the people who would be interested in the package by the assembly were told that the district would need them after their training.
The DCE said many of these young people qualified for the training but due to some form of financial constraints they were not able to apply for these training institutions.
He expressed the hope that chiefs, parents and people in the communities in the district would take advantage of the offer to step forward with the qualified candidates for training.
When contacted the Western Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Linda Vanotoo acknowledged the problem and said it is the case everywhere.
She said they were doing everything possible to save the situation.
JOMORO DISTRICT MAKES GAINS IN REVENUE MOBILIZATION
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Half Assini
Jomoro District Assembly in the Western Region has registered positive gains in its revenue mobilization drive.
It said last year, the assembly had collected GHc190,546 from the January to October 2009 representing 83 per cent of its set target for the year under review.
The assembly said the amount collected met about 81 per cent of its expenditure and called on all to ensure that they worked hard to ensure that more was generated to meet the future needs of the communities.
In future the assembly said it would ensure that enough was generated to meet the needs of the communities within its jurisdiction.
At the last general assembly meeting of the assembly, the District Chief Executive, Mr Victor Nyanyi Kablan announced that they had made strides in its income and expenditure.
He said the massive deduction placed on the common funds makes it impossible for them to depend solely on it, therefore, in more transparent and accountable manner the assembly had to ensure that more was generated internally to ensure that expenditure targets were met.
“As at now the assembly had not receive its 3rd and 4th quarter allocation of the district assembly’s common fund (DACF). The late release of the fund coupled with massive deductions from the central government makes it difficult for the assembly to meet its intended expenditure,” he said.
Mr Kablan said that should not deter or suppress development as the potential were there to ensure that more was generated locally to meet the expenditure to satisfy the needs of the people.
He said in spite the challenges and the problems in revenue generation, “Our revenue collectors continue to blaze all odds to make gains to ensure that we had generated enough to meet our expectations.”
The DCE said one of the important things to the realization of revenue target was date and that the assembly had generated a comprehensive revenue data to help in that direction.
He said the data would not only help in the preparation of realistic budget but also boost actual revenue collection by helping to plug some of the loopholes in the system.
The DCE said while the focus was to ensure that more was entered into the tax net, “we have to have a complete data to tell us that where to go while go after the new ones.”
Jomoro District Assembly in the Western Region has registered positive gains in its revenue mobilization drive.
It said last year, the assembly had collected GHc190,546 from the January to October 2009 representing 83 per cent of its set target for the year under review.
The assembly said the amount collected met about 81 per cent of its expenditure and called on all to ensure that they worked hard to ensure that more was generated to meet the future needs of the communities.
In future the assembly said it would ensure that enough was generated to meet the needs of the communities within its jurisdiction.
At the last general assembly meeting of the assembly, the District Chief Executive, Mr Victor Nyanyi Kablan announced that they had made strides in its income and expenditure.
He said the massive deduction placed on the common funds makes it impossible for them to depend solely on it, therefore, in more transparent and accountable manner the assembly had to ensure that more was generated internally to ensure that expenditure targets were met.
“As at now the assembly had not receive its 3rd and 4th quarter allocation of the district assembly’s common fund (DACF). The late release of the fund coupled with massive deductions from the central government makes it difficult for the assembly to meet its intended expenditure,” he said.
Mr Kablan said that should not deter or suppress development as the potential were there to ensure that more was generated locally to meet the expenditure to satisfy the needs of the people.
He said in spite the challenges and the problems in revenue generation, “Our revenue collectors continue to blaze all odds to make gains to ensure that we had generated enough to meet our expectations.”
The DCE said one of the important things to the realization of revenue target was date and that the assembly had generated a comprehensive revenue data to help in that direction.
He said the data would not only help in the preparation of realistic budget but also boost actual revenue collection by helping to plug some of the loopholes in the system.
The DCE said while the focus was to ensure that more was entered into the tax net, “we have to have a complete data to tell us that where to go while go after the new ones.”
PROACTIVE MEASURE TO CURB FLOOD IN ELLEMBELLE
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Aiyinase
Ellembelle District, one of the badly affected districts in the Western Region in the recent flood has adopted proactive measure to ensure that the people did not suffer in the next raining season.
The District Chief Executive, Mr Daniel K. Eshun and his team had started a tour of the 13 communities within his jurisdiction to educate them to seek their opinions the next way forward and their next line of action.
He said the assembly was also in the process of securing a grader to shape to roads that were affected in the last flood and also create path for the anticipated heavy flood waters.
Mr Eshun said the rains last year brought a lot of trauma to the people as well as halted economic activities for months and destroy properties and farm produce worth thousands of Ghana Cedi.
The DCE said “it was just right that even before the intended advertised road construction by the government commences, we at the assembly to start work on some of the badly affected areas.”
He observed that due to the nature of the road, cocoa produced at Aiyinasi North could not access the buying centers in the district. And that the farmers had to go through hell accessing buying centers.
Giving the current state of the road, even though the people of Aiyinase were part of the district, one had to travel through Tarkwa, Asankragwa in about eight-hours before they could access the district.
This he said did not auger well for the development of the local economy and must be reversed through self help and governmental support.
Mr Eshun said the Aiyinase-Nyamebekyere-Asomase roads were very important for people in these areas saying “when constructed it could take the inhabitant less than two-hours to get to Aiyinase North and also facilitate farmers to send their cocoa to the buying centers in the district to enable the district earn revenue.”
At New Adiembra, the people said their main concern was the road and appealed to the government through the DCE to give them little attention as they described the current and sad and the felt they were cut off from the rest of the country.
The bad nature of the road according the people was also preventing agriculture extension officers to visit them to educate them on new farming practices.
The three-day tour also took the DCE and his team made up of the district engineer, town and country planning officer, Agric officer, education officer and other members of the Assembly to New Adiembra, Ananekrom, Dadwen, Kroboline, Asomase, Bonsukrom,Basake No.
Other places visited include Kwasikrom, Adjeikrom.Santaso, Mondumgbane and Aidoo Suazo Ewerekosuazo.
Ellembelle District, one of the badly affected districts in the Western Region in the recent flood has adopted proactive measure to ensure that the people did not suffer in the next raining season.
The District Chief Executive, Mr Daniel K. Eshun and his team had started a tour of the 13 communities within his jurisdiction to educate them to seek their opinions the next way forward and their next line of action.
He said the assembly was also in the process of securing a grader to shape to roads that were affected in the last flood and also create path for the anticipated heavy flood waters.
Mr Eshun said the rains last year brought a lot of trauma to the people as well as halted economic activities for months and destroy properties and farm produce worth thousands of Ghana Cedi.
The DCE said “it was just right that even before the intended advertised road construction by the government commences, we at the assembly to start work on some of the badly affected areas.”
He observed that due to the nature of the road, cocoa produced at Aiyinasi North could not access the buying centers in the district. And that the farmers had to go through hell accessing buying centers.
Giving the current state of the road, even though the people of Aiyinase were part of the district, one had to travel through Tarkwa, Asankragwa in about eight-hours before they could access the district.
This he said did not auger well for the development of the local economy and must be reversed through self help and governmental support.
Mr Eshun said the Aiyinase-Nyamebekyere-Asomase roads were very important for people in these areas saying “when constructed it could take the inhabitant less than two-hours to get to Aiyinase North and also facilitate farmers to send their cocoa to the buying centers in the district to enable the district earn revenue.”
At New Adiembra, the people said their main concern was the road and appealed to the government through the DCE to give them little attention as they described the current and sad and the felt they were cut off from the rest of the country.
The bad nature of the road according the people was also preventing agriculture extension officers to visit them to educate them on new farming practices.
The three-day tour also took the DCE and his team made up of the district engineer, town and country planning officer, Agric officer, education officer and other members of the Assembly to New Adiembra, Ananekrom, Dadwen, Kroboline, Asomase, Bonsukrom,Basake No.
Other places visited include Kwasikrom, Adjeikrom.Santaso, Mondumgbane and Aidoo Suazo Ewerekosuazo.
SENARI CALLS FOR CLEAN CAMPAIN
Story & Picture: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
The acting Women’s Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Hajia Mariam Sinare, has called for healthy campaign to ensure that the party emerged the winner in the coming congress.
Hajia Sinare, who is competing for the National Women Organizer post said the interest of the party was important, therefore, delegates should not under any circumstance succumb financial or material influenced to vote against their clear choices.
Women, she said would be her prime focus to ensure that they were properly taking care-of if she wins and to also help the party mobilize to deliver as well as bring more women on board.
Hajia Sinare speaking to the Daily Graphic during her tour of the Western Region and to lend support to some members of the party who were also contesting other positions in the party.
“If you are influenced by money or a piece of gift to vote against your will, you will not be in the position to question the wrong doing of the person because he or she has bought you out of your right to speak against them,” she said.
“Our party upholds the intrinsic-worth of morality, accountability and transparency, therefore, there should be not room for material or financials influence in our campaign, but rather we should all ensure healthy crusade, she said.
She said the party came to power based on the submissive and human centered posture of its leader, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, “Prof campaign with clear message of a better Ghana and not financial or gift giving campaign, let us follow to the footsteps of Prof.”
Therefore “if we want to contest various positions in the party we have to make sure that people were made to choose freely base on their own conviction and what the delegates made of the message of various candidates.”
Hajia Senari, who was the first deputy women organizer during the 2008-campaign that brought the National Democratic Congress power, said she would not play down the strength of other contenders of the post, but rather focus on message that would ensure that delegates voted for her.
She observed that during the last election 2008, one of the things that won power for the party was the indomitable will of the women who had strong conviction that NDC would worth voting for.
“Therefore, if I get the nod, I would continue to work tirelessly to improve the fortunes of the party to ensure that we did not only maintain our strength but improve on it,” she said.
“I will be constantly committed to the needs of women and ensure that as we did for the party to win the trust of women during the 2008 elections continues,” she said.
Asked how her election to the position which she had deputized for all this years would improve the fortunes of the party, she said women play very important role organizing and mobilization.
“We have own an elections and we cannot wait for the next election to start campaigning the time is now, we have to work as a team to ensure that we peacefully and gracefully elect people to various positions devoid of influence of any form,” Hajia Sinare said
“By the grace of Allah I am very sure of winning the position of the National Women Organizer and to work for the party throughout the country, I will part of the Team-2012 for real,” she assured.
Picture: Hajia Mariam Sinare interacting with some executive members from various constituencies in the region.
The acting Women’s Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Hajia Mariam Sinare, has called for healthy campaign to ensure that the party emerged the winner in the coming congress.
Hajia Sinare, who is competing for the National Women Organizer post said the interest of the party was important, therefore, delegates should not under any circumstance succumb financial or material influenced to vote against their clear choices.
Women, she said would be her prime focus to ensure that they were properly taking care-of if she wins and to also help the party mobilize to deliver as well as bring more women on board.
Hajia Sinare speaking to the Daily Graphic during her tour of the Western Region and to lend support to some members of the party who were also contesting other positions in the party.
“If you are influenced by money or a piece of gift to vote against your will, you will not be in the position to question the wrong doing of the person because he or she has bought you out of your right to speak against them,” she said.
“Our party upholds the intrinsic-worth of morality, accountability and transparency, therefore, there should be not room for material or financials influence in our campaign, but rather we should all ensure healthy crusade, she said.
She said the party came to power based on the submissive and human centered posture of its leader, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, “Prof campaign with clear message of a better Ghana and not financial or gift giving campaign, let us follow to the footsteps of Prof.”
Therefore “if we want to contest various positions in the party we have to make sure that people were made to choose freely base on their own conviction and what the delegates made of the message of various candidates.”
Hajia Senari, who was the first deputy women organizer during the 2008-campaign that brought the National Democratic Congress power, said she would not play down the strength of other contenders of the post, but rather focus on message that would ensure that delegates voted for her.
She observed that during the last election 2008, one of the things that won power for the party was the indomitable will of the women who had strong conviction that NDC would worth voting for.
“Therefore, if I get the nod, I would continue to work tirelessly to improve the fortunes of the party to ensure that we did not only maintain our strength but improve on it,” she said.
“I will be constantly committed to the needs of women and ensure that as we did for the party to win the trust of women during the 2008 elections continues,” she said.
Asked how her election to the position which she had deputized for all this years would improve the fortunes of the party, she said women play very important role organizing and mobilization.
“We have own an elections and we cannot wait for the next election to start campaigning the time is now, we have to work as a team to ensure that we peacefully and gracefully elect people to various positions devoid of influence of any form,” Hajia Sinare said
“By the grace of Allah I am very sure of winning the position of the National Women Organizer and to work for the party throughout the country, I will part of the Team-2012 for real,” she assured.
Picture: Hajia Mariam Sinare interacting with some executive members from various constituencies in the region.
VIGIL FOR NEW YEAR
From Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
Residence of the Sekondi/Takoradi welcomed the New Year with church services, vigil at drinking bars and street corners till date and time turned 00:00, 2010.
At the churches, ministers at various churches called for peace, understanding, brotherliness and great tolerance of one another’s views.
At the Evangel Church International, Kwekuma in Sekondi, Pastor David Agbeli reminded that the congregation that they are achievers and urged them to work hard to ensure that their dreams were realized.
He said it was through hard work and understanding, love, peace and tolerance that they could be in the position achieve their set targets and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
At Sekondi branch of Light House, Pastor B. Ampofo called on Christians to devote more time to God and seek wisdom and understanding.
“In the new year that we just started, there were many instances that we have harbored bitterness in our hearts, this the time to let go and start afresh to ensure that we live as a family with a common goal,” he said.
At other venues residents danced to every sound of music at street corners while other share drinks and hug each other when the clock turned 00:00, 2010 amidst thunderous noise from the people.
Residence of the Sekondi/Takoradi welcomed the New Year with church services, vigil at drinking bars and street corners till date and time turned 00:00, 2010.
At the churches, ministers at various churches called for peace, understanding, brotherliness and great tolerance of one another’s views.
At the Evangel Church International, Kwekuma in Sekondi, Pastor David Agbeli reminded that the congregation that they are achievers and urged them to work hard to ensure that their dreams were realized.
He said it was through hard work and understanding, love, peace and tolerance that they could be in the position achieve their set targets and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
At Sekondi branch of Light House, Pastor B. Ampofo called on Christians to devote more time to God and seek wisdom and understanding.
“In the new year that we just started, there were many instances that we have harbored bitterness in our hearts, this the time to let go and start afresh to ensure that we live as a family with a common goal,” he said.
At other venues residents danced to every sound of music at street corners while other share drinks and hug each other when the clock turned 00:00, 2010 amidst thunderous noise from the people.
HASCO IN DEPLORABLE STATE
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Half-Assini
The facilities at the Half-Assini Senior High School in the Jomoro District of the Western Region apart from the Administration and Science blocks has become a death trap and unfriendly for academic work.
Since its inception in 1960 with less than 60 students, the students’ population has moved up to more than 1,000. But the school had not seen rehabilitation or expansion of its infrastructure.
The school which is selected for model school project is yet to see its facilities upgraded to that status.
The assembly hall which is used for entertainment and other school functions could collapse at anytime if urgent measures are not taken.
The 50 years old structure had the ceiling in the hall was off, the roof leaks badly, electric cables are seriously exposed, and the structure could be likened to an abandoned one but part of the school’s facilities and still in use.
At the dormitories, especially the girls’ dormitory, a room that was designed for 15 girls and their belongings is currently accommodating about 90 girls.
Some did not have access to bed; therefore, place their student mattresses on floor to sleep.
That aside, Art Theater has been converted into classroom, and the furniture in the classrooms was straight single deck desk which parked with little space for the students to move.
This was as a result of the increase in the intake of the school without the correspondent expansion of its infrastructure.
At the moment, the upper part of one of the boy’s dormitory is being used as a lecture hall for all first year students.
One interesting thing about the converted upper dormitory is that, it is a long hall that was partitioned with plywood without window and doors.
Therefore what the tutor is teaching in class A1 his message could be heard by those in the last end of the long hall converted into classrooms.
“When the teachers are delivering their lecture, we could hear all that the teacher in form 1A is saying in even form 1 D, therefore it has become very difficult for us to concentrate,” one of the students has said.
Because the windows are off therefore, when it start raining, or the sun is up, academic work is either suspended or if becomes necessary, the students had to shift to one side.
Typical of most endowed schools is a good library, sick bay and toilet facilities. But the case of HASCO is different; they did not have any of these facilities.
If a student is sick at night, they have to rush him or her to the government facility which is a distance from the school. The sad aspect was that the road to the school is also very bad.
There were about three abandoned projects, which according to the school authorities, were award to contractors but failed to complete the project.
According to the headmaster of the school, Mr Kojo Egya, it was only the hand of God that was preventing any disaster during functions at the assembly hall.
Asked if they were not doing anything to support themselves, he said, from their internally generated fund, they had initiated projects and are yet to be completed.
At present, according to the students, what their pressing needs was classrooms, well equipped library and good furniture to enhance their academic work.
To them, the facilities are the primary and Junior High Schools they came from were even better the here.
“But we have no option, how can we be studying and the direction of the sun or the weather will force us to shift our tables,” they asked.
That aside the students were said to be discipline and per form well in final exams.
The facilities at the Half-Assini Senior High School in the Jomoro District of the Western Region apart from the Administration and Science blocks has become a death trap and unfriendly for academic work.
Since its inception in 1960 with less than 60 students, the students’ population has moved up to more than 1,000. But the school had not seen rehabilitation or expansion of its infrastructure.
The school which is selected for model school project is yet to see its facilities upgraded to that status.
The assembly hall which is used for entertainment and other school functions could collapse at anytime if urgent measures are not taken.
The 50 years old structure had the ceiling in the hall was off, the roof leaks badly, electric cables are seriously exposed, and the structure could be likened to an abandoned one but part of the school’s facilities and still in use.
At the dormitories, especially the girls’ dormitory, a room that was designed for 15 girls and their belongings is currently accommodating about 90 girls.
Some did not have access to bed; therefore, place their student mattresses on floor to sleep.
That aside, Art Theater has been converted into classroom, and the furniture in the classrooms was straight single deck desk which parked with little space for the students to move.
This was as a result of the increase in the intake of the school without the correspondent expansion of its infrastructure.
At the moment, the upper part of one of the boy’s dormitory is being used as a lecture hall for all first year students.
One interesting thing about the converted upper dormitory is that, it is a long hall that was partitioned with plywood without window and doors.
Therefore what the tutor is teaching in class A1 his message could be heard by those in the last end of the long hall converted into classrooms.
“When the teachers are delivering their lecture, we could hear all that the teacher in form 1A is saying in even form 1 D, therefore it has become very difficult for us to concentrate,” one of the students has said.
Because the windows are off therefore, when it start raining, or the sun is up, academic work is either suspended or if becomes necessary, the students had to shift to one side.
Typical of most endowed schools is a good library, sick bay and toilet facilities. But the case of HASCO is different; they did not have any of these facilities.
If a student is sick at night, they have to rush him or her to the government facility which is a distance from the school. The sad aspect was that the road to the school is also very bad.
There were about three abandoned projects, which according to the school authorities, were award to contractors but failed to complete the project.
According to the headmaster of the school, Mr Kojo Egya, it was only the hand of God that was preventing any disaster during functions at the assembly hall.
Asked if they were not doing anything to support themselves, he said, from their internally generated fund, they had initiated projects and are yet to be completed.
At present, according to the students, what their pressing needs was classrooms, well equipped library and good furniture to enhance their academic work.
To them, the facilities are the primary and Junior High Schools they came from were even better the here.
“But we have no option, how can we be studying and the direction of the sun or the weather will force us to shift our tables,” they asked.
That aside the students were said to be discipline and per form well in final exams.
MP's GIFT TO CONSTITUENTS
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Ellembelle
The Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Mr. Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, has organised a party and presented Christmas gifts to thousands of children in more than 40 communities in the Constituency in the Western Region.
The move which was his maiden edition of an annual children’s programme instituted the MP dubbed “Help the child with a toy, build the future with joy” was to whip up the interest of the children in education.
The items, which included toys, teddy birds, bicycles and other educational playing materials was distributed to all communities in the constituency.
He said the future of the country would only be secured if the children were encouraged to take their education seriously saying “My main aim of organizing this programme is to empower, inspire and motivate the children of my constituency as part of the Better Ghana agenda of our government.”
“If these children are happy, the future of this country will obviously look more contented as the children are the future of the country" he said.
He said from time to time he would be visiting the schools to ensure that the children felt the presence of the MP for their area and to encourage them aspire for higher ground than him.
Mr. Kofi-Buah, who is also the Deputy Minister for Energy, urged parents to ensure that they invested in the education of their children.
He said those in the helm of affairs today toady would do their best to transform the country and its constituencies purely based on the needs of today, but the future lies in the hands of the children.
The MP said “we will fail them if we ignored their educational needs today, the needed solid foundations will not be secured.”
“Irrespective of biological relations to these children we have to ensure that the children get the best of parental care, quality education, good health and discipline. If we are able to do that, I can assure you that the whole of Nzema land will enjoy the fruits of that labor" Mr Buah assured.
He said about GHc40,000 of his common fund has been directed to the health sector to support the district health programmes in tackling the major debilitating diseases that have over the years confronted the people in the area.
In the field of education, Mr Kofi-Buah said his office was still opened to all his constituents for suggestions, solutions and information on the development of the sector which he described as a pillar to all the development process of the area.
That aside, several scholarships he declared has also been offered to needy but brilliant students in the constituency from the basic level, junior and senior high to tertiary level.
The parents expressed their gratitude to the MP for the support and promised to ensure that the children were encouraged take their studies seriously.
They urged him to continue be humble and to always avail himself to his constituency.
The Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Mr. Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, has organised a party and presented Christmas gifts to thousands of children in more than 40 communities in the Constituency in the Western Region.
The move which was his maiden edition of an annual children’s programme instituted the MP dubbed “Help the child with a toy, build the future with joy” was to whip up the interest of the children in education.
The items, which included toys, teddy birds, bicycles and other educational playing materials was distributed to all communities in the constituency.
He said the future of the country would only be secured if the children were encouraged to take their education seriously saying “My main aim of organizing this programme is to empower, inspire and motivate the children of my constituency as part of the Better Ghana agenda of our government.”
“If these children are happy, the future of this country will obviously look more contented as the children are the future of the country" he said.
He said from time to time he would be visiting the schools to ensure that the children felt the presence of the MP for their area and to encourage them aspire for higher ground than him.
Mr. Kofi-Buah, who is also the Deputy Minister for Energy, urged parents to ensure that they invested in the education of their children.
He said those in the helm of affairs today toady would do their best to transform the country and its constituencies purely based on the needs of today, but the future lies in the hands of the children.
The MP said “we will fail them if we ignored their educational needs today, the needed solid foundations will not be secured.”
“Irrespective of biological relations to these children we have to ensure that the children get the best of parental care, quality education, good health and discipline. If we are able to do that, I can assure you that the whole of Nzema land will enjoy the fruits of that labor" Mr Buah assured.
He said about GHc40,000 of his common fund has been directed to the health sector to support the district health programmes in tackling the major debilitating diseases that have over the years confronted the people in the area.
In the field of education, Mr Kofi-Buah said his office was still opened to all his constituents for suggestions, solutions and information on the development of the sector which he described as a pillar to all the development process of the area.
That aside, several scholarships he declared has also been offered to needy but brilliant students in the constituency from the basic level, junior and senior high to tertiary level.
The parents expressed their gratitude to the MP for the support and promised to ensure that the children were encouraged take their studies seriously.
They urged him to continue be humble and to always avail himself to his constituency.
WOMAN ARRESTED FOR FRAUD
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Axim
A self-styled business woman who has defrauded 12 unsuspecting traders to the sum of more than GHc295,000 in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region has been arrested in the act.
According to the police the suspect, Maame Adwoa Sabaah, managed to collect hundreds of bags of sugar, rice, flour from unsuspecting dealers under pretext of supplying it to her customers and paying them in a day or two.
The police said after gaining their confidence and collecting the stuff from their shops that was the last they had seen Sabaah.
Asked what she uses the consignment for, Sabaah told that police that she reduces the prices and offload it quickly and move on to another trader in a different location for supply.
Her luck run out at Kasoa in the Central Region, when one her victims she duped in Axim identified her on the verge of loading another consignment from the shop of an unsuspecting customer and raised alarm.
She was then arrested and handed over police and later passed her on to the Axim District Police Command where it was established that many people had lodged complain about the activities of the Adwoa Sabaah.
According to Axim District Police Commander, DSP Lovelace Tefutor, they had complains from June to December 2009 about the activities of the suspect.
The police he said started their intelligent works until the report came that she was apprehended at Kasoa in similar act act.
Mr Tefutor said some of the suspects told the police she took more than 85 bags of rice, 90 full bags of sugar and others claimed she took bulk supply of flour with the hope supplying and returning to them with the money.
The district commander said the victims said they waited but Adwoa Sabaah did not returned with the money and they were compelled to report to the police to help trace the woman.
He said currently, Adwoa Sabaah is remanded in to police custody pending further investigations.
A self-styled business woman who has defrauded 12 unsuspecting traders to the sum of more than GHc295,000 in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region has been arrested in the act.
According to the police the suspect, Maame Adwoa Sabaah, managed to collect hundreds of bags of sugar, rice, flour from unsuspecting dealers under pretext of supplying it to her customers and paying them in a day or two.
The police said after gaining their confidence and collecting the stuff from their shops that was the last they had seen Sabaah.
Asked what she uses the consignment for, Sabaah told that police that she reduces the prices and offload it quickly and move on to another trader in a different location for supply.
Her luck run out at Kasoa in the Central Region, when one her victims she duped in Axim identified her on the verge of loading another consignment from the shop of an unsuspecting customer and raised alarm.
She was then arrested and handed over police and later passed her on to the Axim District Police Command where it was established that many people had lodged complain about the activities of the Adwoa Sabaah.
According to Axim District Police Commander, DSP Lovelace Tefutor, they had complains from June to December 2009 about the activities of the suspect.
The police he said started their intelligent works until the report came that she was apprehended at Kasoa in similar act act.
Mr Tefutor said some of the suspects told the police she took more than 85 bags of rice, 90 full bags of sugar and others claimed she took bulk supply of flour with the hope supplying and returning to them with the money.
The district commander said the victims said they waited but Adwoa Sabaah did not returned with the money and they were compelled to report to the police to help trace the woman.
He said currently, Adwoa Sabaah is remanded in to police custody pending further investigations.
FAKE FINANCIAL INST ARRESTED
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Axim
The operator of a fake financial institution operation in the Nzema East Municipality has been arrested after defrauding more than 300 people amounting GHc45,000.
Interestingly, employees who thought there was something wrong with their boss’s mode of operations reported him to the police after he was unable to give a simple balance of a customer within a period.
The suspect, Vincent Terry, formed a none-existing company called Solid Rock Financial Services (SRFS) and promised his victims loan of three times the amount they contributed after three months of registering and saving with the company.
According to the police source, the suspect who is a native of Elimina resident in Takoradi came to the community with his fake business and employed four girls.
Terry managed to convince the people various communities within the municipality and rented an office accommodation that positioned him as a credible institution.
The police said his claim to give loan to people three times what they contributed spread like a wildfire and he had attract a lot of unsuspecting contributors.
The police said he appointed one of the girls as an accountant and the other three as mobilization officers.
However, his cover was blown when one of the victims decided to know how much he had contributed for the last three months to enable him calculate how much he would get in terms of loan.
The police said on one of the trip to mobilize the saving one of the girls came back that a customer was demanding to know how much he had contributed over the period.
But Terry told them that the managing director of the solid financial services by name Solomon Yankson, had come to collect the whole contribution to the headquarters therefore he could readily give the balance of the customer.
This according to the police did not go down well with the four girls upon employment, Terry told that he was the owner of the business and also wondered why he could not give them the balance in the database of the customers.
They therefore reported the conduct of their boss to the police, upon investigation they realized that the company did not exist.
He was subsequently arrested and placed in police custody pending further investigation. The police had retrieved a laptop and a desk top computer from his office to help them in their investigations.
The operator of a fake financial institution operation in the Nzema East Municipality has been arrested after defrauding more than 300 people amounting GHc45,000.
Interestingly, employees who thought there was something wrong with their boss’s mode of operations reported him to the police after he was unable to give a simple balance of a customer within a period.
The suspect, Vincent Terry, formed a none-existing company called Solid Rock Financial Services (SRFS) and promised his victims loan of three times the amount they contributed after three months of registering and saving with the company.
According to the police source, the suspect who is a native of Elimina resident in Takoradi came to the community with his fake business and employed four girls.
Terry managed to convince the people various communities within the municipality and rented an office accommodation that positioned him as a credible institution.
The police said his claim to give loan to people three times what they contributed spread like a wildfire and he had attract a lot of unsuspecting contributors.
The police said he appointed one of the girls as an accountant and the other three as mobilization officers.
However, his cover was blown when one of the victims decided to know how much he had contributed for the last three months to enable him calculate how much he would get in terms of loan.
The police said on one of the trip to mobilize the saving one of the girls came back that a customer was demanding to know how much he had contributed over the period.
But Terry told them that the managing director of the solid financial services by name Solomon Yankson, had come to collect the whole contribution to the headquarters therefore he could readily give the balance of the customer.
This according to the police did not go down well with the four girls upon employment, Terry told that he was the owner of the business and also wondered why he could not give them the balance in the database of the customers.
They therefore reported the conduct of their boss to the police, upon investigation they realized that the company did not exist.
He was subsequently arrested and placed in police custody pending further investigation. The police had retrieved a laptop and a desk top computer from his office to help them in their investigations.
MAN, 65 JAILED 5YRS
Man, 65 jailed 5yrs
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
A 65-year-old man, Isaac Gyamfi, has been jailed five years for swindling and giving false information to the police in the Sekondi/Takoradi and other parts of the Western and Central regions.
Takoradi Circuit B presided over by Mr Charles Nimako Bamfo, convicted the suspect who pleaded guilty on his own plea and was sentenced to five years imprisonment in hard labor.
On his mode of operation, the convict informs the police officers in Apam in the Central Region and Beposo, Kwesimintsim, and Agona Nkwanta in the Western Region that he has been robbed of huge sums of money and vehicles.
Then after giving his statement to the police, he then asked the police for assistance him to travel to his base and return to station the next day to assist in investigations.
After receiving the assistance from the police, that would the last of the convict at the station.
Briefing the court, the prosecutor, Sgt Seth Ahelegbe, said after the convict managed to secure some money from the unsuspecting police officers, he then moves to another police station to lodge a similar complain.
Gyamfi was arrested when the convict was submitting his statement at Kwesimintsim Police Station and the Station Officer for Agona, one of the stations he swindled walked into the CID Unit of the police and was surprised to run into Gyamfi.
The prosecutor said, convict called at the Kwesimintsim Police Station and reported that, he traveled to Half Assini to transact business. And on his way back to Takoradi, upon reaching Apowa, he asked the driver of his vehicle, Opel Astra with the registration number ER 272-09 to stop for him to respond to call of nature.
Gyamfi told the police that on his return, the driver had sped-off with the car and cash amounting to GHc8,350 in a briefcase.
The prosecutor said prior to that, Gyamfi had reported to Agona Police that his driver had bolted with his vehicle, Opel Vectra with the registration number ER 6578 Z and cash also amounting to GHc7,800.
Sgt Ahelegbe said Gyamfi attracted the sympathy of the police officers on duty after he told them he had no pesewa on him and succeeded in collecting GHc70 from the contribution of officers on duty to enable him travel to his home town to return to help in investigations.
The prosecutor said, Agona Police did everything to contact the convict to help in the investigation but proved futile until he was identified in an attempt to visit his motives on the unsuspecting visitors at Kwesimintsim.
According to the prosecution before Gyemfi could be processed for court, the signals from other offices indicated that he had visited such crime on other stations in the Central and Western Regions.
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
A 65-year-old man, Isaac Gyamfi, has been jailed five years for swindling and giving false information to the police in the Sekondi/Takoradi and other parts of the Western and Central regions.
Takoradi Circuit B presided over by Mr Charles Nimako Bamfo, convicted the suspect who pleaded guilty on his own plea and was sentenced to five years imprisonment in hard labor.
On his mode of operation, the convict informs the police officers in Apam in the Central Region and Beposo, Kwesimintsim, and Agona Nkwanta in the Western Region that he has been robbed of huge sums of money and vehicles.
Then after giving his statement to the police, he then asked the police for assistance him to travel to his base and return to station the next day to assist in investigations.
After receiving the assistance from the police, that would the last of the convict at the station.
Briefing the court, the prosecutor, Sgt Seth Ahelegbe, said after the convict managed to secure some money from the unsuspecting police officers, he then moves to another police station to lodge a similar complain.
Gyamfi was arrested when the convict was submitting his statement at Kwesimintsim Police Station and the Station Officer for Agona, one of the stations he swindled walked into the CID Unit of the police and was surprised to run into Gyamfi.
The prosecutor said, convict called at the Kwesimintsim Police Station and reported that, he traveled to Half Assini to transact business. And on his way back to Takoradi, upon reaching Apowa, he asked the driver of his vehicle, Opel Astra with the registration number ER 272-09 to stop for him to respond to call of nature.
Gyamfi told the police that on his return, the driver had sped-off with the car and cash amounting to GHc8,350 in a briefcase.
The prosecutor said prior to that, Gyamfi had reported to Agona Police that his driver had bolted with his vehicle, Opel Vectra with the registration number ER 6578 Z and cash also amounting to GHc7,800.
Sgt Ahelegbe said Gyamfi attracted the sympathy of the police officers on duty after he told them he had no pesewa on him and succeeded in collecting GHc70 from the contribution of officers on duty to enable him travel to his home town to return to help in investigations.
The prosecutor said, Agona Police did everything to contact the convict to help in the investigation but proved futile until he was identified in an attempt to visit his motives on the unsuspecting visitors at Kwesimintsim.
According to the prosecution before Gyemfi could be processed for court, the signals from other offices indicated that he had visited such crime on other stations in the Central and Western Regions.
SUSPECTED CABLE THIEF ELECTROCUTED
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Sekondi
A young man last Wednesday was electrocuted in his attempt to steal high tension overhead electrical cables carrying 11,000 volts.
The said over head cables serve corporate and domestic customers in the Shama District and parts of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis in the Western Region.
The alleged thief was found dead with a huge cutter beside him in the bush behind the Inchaban Police Check Point in the Shama District.
When the news team got to the scene of the incident, the young man who is yet to be identified had positioned a long stepladder at the neck of one of the poles where he successfully cutoff the cable.
According to the engineers, it was clear that after cutting the thief was not able to collect the cables before the system restored itself thereby killing him instantly.
According the Regional Engineer of the company, Mr Dan Acquah-Larbi, both corporate and domestic customers in these affected areas had been in the darkness about a day.
He said the activities of these cable thieves did not only affect the company financially, but also slows the wheels of industry, commerce and creates social discomfort.
He said they had had many instances where these high tension cables were stolen and the company had cough the money to restore service to customers.
Explaining how the thieves operate, he said the thieves fault the lines by throwing wire on the overhead cables to bridge it.
“If that happens, the system will trips then the lines go off to protect itself, between the times the system is restored, they then cut the cables and carry it away,” he said.
He said in the case where the young man was electrocuted, he (the cable thief) was not able to cut before system restores itself, thereby killing him instantly.
He said considering the implements and weight of the stepladder that was used, it was clear that there were other with him and that they might probably bolted after realizing that their colleague was dead.
Mr Acquah-Larbi urged members of the public to volunteer information on the operation of these people saying, when they carried the stepladder to the bush where the pole was erected somebody might have seen them.
He reminded the public that they had a civic responsibility any suspicious behavior to the police and that if power went off it was not only ECG that loses but corporate Ghana loses not to mention the social discomfort.
The regional engineer reminded the liked minded people that, the lines were carrying more than 11,000 volts and should not be tempered with.
The body of the deceased had been deposited at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital Morgue pending identification and autopsy.
A young man last Wednesday was electrocuted in his attempt to steal high tension overhead electrical cables carrying 11,000 volts.
The said over head cables serve corporate and domestic customers in the Shama District and parts of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis in the Western Region.
The alleged thief was found dead with a huge cutter beside him in the bush behind the Inchaban Police Check Point in the Shama District.
When the news team got to the scene of the incident, the young man who is yet to be identified had positioned a long stepladder at the neck of one of the poles where he successfully cutoff the cable.
According to the engineers, it was clear that after cutting the thief was not able to collect the cables before the system restored itself thereby killing him instantly.
According the Regional Engineer of the company, Mr Dan Acquah-Larbi, both corporate and domestic customers in these affected areas had been in the darkness about a day.
He said the activities of these cable thieves did not only affect the company financially, but also slows the wheels of industry, commerce and creates social discomfort.
He said they had had many instances where these high tension cables were stolen and the company had cough the money to restore service to customers.
Explaining how the thieves operate, he said the thieves fault the lines by throwing wire on the overhead cables to bridge it.
“If that happens, the system will trips then the lines go off to protect itself, between the times the system is restored, they then cut the cables and carry it away,” he said.
He said in the case where the young man was electrocuted, he (the cable thief) was not able to cut before system restores itself, thereby killing him instantly.
He said considering the implements and weight of the stepladder that was used, it was clear that there were other with him and that they might probably bolted after realizing that their colleague was dead.
Mr Acquah-Larbi urged members of the public to volunteer information on the operation of these people saying, when they carried the stepladder to the bush where the pole was erected somebody might have seen them.
He reminded the public that they had a civic responsibility any suspicious behavior to the police and that if power went off it was not only ECG that loses but corporate Ghana loses not to mention the social discomfort.
The regional engineer reminded the liked minded people that, the lines were carrying more than 11,000 volts and should not be tempered with.
The body of the deceased had been deposited at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital Morgue pending identification and autopsy.
WATER SHORTAGE HITS TWIN-CITY
Story & Picture: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
An acquit water shortage has hit the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis, especially those in Sekondi, Kweikuma, Adiembra, Bakano, Essikado and surrounding suburbs.
Residents have to resort to the use of “pure water” for domestic purposes as well as collect stagnant water from abandoned drains to flash their toilets or trek hours with gallons in search of water.
Angry resident in these areas demand explanation from the Ghana Water Company as why they were not informed about the intended cut in supply.
However, officials of the Ghana Water Company have attributed the shortage to the significant drop in the flow of water in the Inchaban and Daboase and a major bust on its 12 and 16 pipes linking its reserves at Kojokrom last week.
That aside, the company said the last flooding has also caused a considerable damage to its equipment at the Bosomase-intake resulting in the shutting down of the place for repairs.
As a result, residents have to cut short their sleep and start searching for water as early as 2a.m.
Some had to walk from Sekondi to the premises of the Ghana Fire Service near the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, and the Sekondi Prisons just for a gallon of water.
Those who spoke to the Daily Graphic said they have to contend with the situation from the end of November throughout the Christmas festivities to the New Year without water.
At the moment the situation is such that early morning schoolchildren and residents had to struggle for very muddy stagnant water in abandoned well behind the Sekondi Mutual Health office and a drain regional office.
According to one of the residents, Mr K Addei for the past two moths the water in the abandoned well had been the main source of water for the people.
“They walk all the way from Essikado to this place to fetch. The water smells but they have no option, my fear is the top of the well could cave in due to the number of people standing on it to fetch at the same time,” he said.
The situation has also pushed the resident to besiege the entrance of the Sekondi Prisons with the Kufuor gallons now named “Egya-atta” for a gallon or two from the reserves of the inmates.
The situation is not different at Essikado and its surrounding communities and the early hours of the day for the past two months had been devoted to the search for water.
Madam Esi Arthur one of the those struggling in the early hours for the sticking muddy water, told the Daily Graphic that Ghana Water should have at least come up with some form of explanation to the public.
When contacted Mr Francis Adjei-Boateng, the Destitution Manager of the company apologized and said the problem was due to the annual low inflow at its intake points, the damage caused to its equipment at Bosomase by the floods and the major burst at Kojokrom.
He said at the moment the 12 inches pipe had been restored but explained that pressure was now building to pump water to the residents of the customers especially those uphill.
Asked what his outfit was doing knowing that it was a perennial problem, he said “that is why we took proactive measure to build the Bosomase intake where even during draught we still collect to make up for the low levels at Inchaban and Daboase.”
He however assured the people that the people that work is at the completion stage at the Bosomase and soon there would be supply to that effect.
An acquit water shortage has hit the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis, especially those in Sekondi, Kweikuma, Adiembra, Bakano, Essikado and surrounding suburbs.
Residents have to resort to the use of “pure water” for domestic purposes as well as collect stagnant water from abandoned drains to flash their toilets or trek hours with gallons in search of water.
Angry resident in these areas demand explanation from the Ghana Water Company as why they were not informed about the intended cut in supply.
However, officials of the Ghana Water Company have attributed the shortage to the significant drop in the flow of water in the Inchaban and Daboase and a major bust on its 12 and 16 pipes linking its reserves at Kojokrom last week.
That aside, the company said the last flooding has also caused a considerable damage to its equipment at the Bosomase-intake resulting in the shutting down of the place for repairs.
As a result, residents have to cut short their sleep and start searching for water as early as 2a.m.
Some had to walk from Sekondi to the premises of the Ghana Fire Service near the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, and the Sekondi Prisons just for a gallon of water.
Those who spoke to the Daily Graphic said they have to contend with the situation from the end of November throughout the Christmas festivities to the New Year without water.
At the moment the situation is such that early morning schoolchildren and residents had to struggle for very muddy stagnant water in abandoned well behind the Sekondi Mutual Health office and a drain regional office.
According to one of the residents, Mr K Addei for the past two moths the water in the abandoned well had been the main source of water for the people.
“They walk all the way from Essikado to this place to fetch. The water smells but they have no option, my fear is the top of the well could cave in due to the number of people standing on it to fetch at the same time,” he said.
The situation has also pushed the resident to besiege the entrance of the Sekondi Prisons with the Kufuor gallons now named “Egya-atta” for a gallon or two from the reserves of the inmates.
The situation is not different at Essikado and its surrounding communities and the early hours of the day for the past two months had been devoted to the search for water.
Madam Esi Arthur one of the those struggling in the early hours for the sticking muddy water, told the Daily Graphic that Ghana Water should have at least come up with some form of explanation to the public.
When contacted Mr Francis Adjei-Boateng, the Destitution Manager of the company apologized and said the problem was due to the annual low inflow at its intake points, the damage caused to its equipment at Bosomase by the floods and the major burst at Kojokrom.
He said at the moment the 12 inches pipe had been restored but explained that pressure was now building to pump water to the residents of the customers especially those uphill.
Asked what his outfit was doing knowing that it was a perennial problem, he said “that is why we took proactive measure to build the Bosomase intake where even during draught we still collect to make up for the low levels at Inchaban and Daboase.”
He however assured the people that the people that work is at the completion stage at the Bosomase and soon there would be supply to that effect.
CAR SNATCHER BUSTED
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Axim
Axim District Police Command have arrested one of the cars stealing syndicate operating between Accra and the Western Region with four stolen vehicles from various locations in the Accra at the Mile-32 Barrier in the Axim Municipality.
The suspect, Solomon Kwakyi, 24, alleged that his collaborators are some officials at various offices of Driver and Vehicles Licenses Authority (DVLA) in Accra and other regional offices.
The suspect said after stealing the vehicles, the said officers help him to secure road worthy certificates and duplicates of documents of similar brand of the vehicle he had stolen.
The vehicle is then transported to other parts of the country, sold and the booty shared.
The suspect managed to sell three of the vehicles and he was busted when he was driving to Axim to locate a prospective buyer when the police demanded to see the basic documents covering private vehicle with commercial registration number plate.
Kwakyi then stepped out of the vehicle and run into the bush. The police on duty then gave him a hot chase and managed to arrest him.
Asked why he was running away, he told the police that the vehicle was one of the four he stole from Accra and that he was on his way to sell it at Axim.
He named the vehicles he stole as KIA-Pride with the registration number GR 1007 Y at Achimota, Nissan Premiere registration number GE 7584 V at Kotobabi, Toyota Corolla with a number he could not remember was stolen in front of Papaye Fast Food, Osu in Accra.
The fourth vehicle, a Geo Prism saloon he stole from Accra was yet to be sold to a buyer at Axim when he was arrested.
He told the police that he had realized more than GHc5,000 from the sales of the vehicles and the money deposited in his bank account in Accra.
He continued that after the sale of the Geo Prism that the money would be withdrawn and shared with his alleged collaborators at the offices of the DVLA.
Asked how he operates, Kwakyi told the police that, he is a taxi driver and that all he needs was his ability to open the trunk or any of the doors of the vehicles parked normally on the street.
According to the Axim District Command said, DSP Lovelace Tefutor the suspect said he sold the vehicles between GHc2,000 and GHc2,500 at Agona in the Ahanta West District.
He said Kwakyi was arrested when the police at the check point demanded to know why the commercial registration number plate was fixed on a private vehicle.
Mr Tefutor said the suspect was not able to give any tangible answers, but rather drove to the shoulder of the road, opened the door and run into the bush.
Asked how get the vehicles ignited, DSP Tefutor said suspect said he is a taxi driver and was very conversant with the electrical systems and how to join wires to ignite the vehicle.
The district commander called on public who had their vehicles stolen from Accra central, Osu and Achimota should contact the Axim district or the Western Regional Police commands to help them in their investigations.
Axim District Police Command have arrested one of the cars stealing syndicate operating between Accra and the Western Region with four stolen vehicles from various locations in the Accra at the Mile-32 Barrier in the Axim Municipality.
The suspect, Solomon Kwakyi, 24, alleged that his collaborators are some officials at various offices of Driver and Vehicles Licenses Authority (DVLA) in Accra and other regional offices.
The suspect said after stealing the vehicles, the said officers help him to secure road worthy certificates and duplicates of documents of similar brand of the vehicle he had stolen.
The vehicle is then transported to other parts of the country, sold and the booty shared.
The suspect managed to sell three of the vehicles and he was busted when he was driving to Axim to locate a prospective buyer when the police demanded to see the basic documents covering private vehicle with commercial registration number plate.
Kwakyi then stepped out of the vehicle and run into the bush. The police on duty then gave him a hot chase and managed to arrest him.
Asked why he was running away, he told the police that the vehicle was one of the four he stole from Accra and that he was on his way to sell it at Axim.
He named the vehicles he stole as KIA-Pride with the registration number GR 1007 Y at Achimota, Nissan Premiere registration number GE 7584 V at Kotobabi, Toyota Corolla with a number he could not remember was stolen in front of Papaye Fast Food, Osu in Accra.
The fourth vehicle, a Geo Prism saloon he stole from Accra was yet to be sold to a buyer at Axim when he was arrested.
He told the police that he had realized more than GHc5,000 from the sales of the vehicles and the money deposited in his bank account in Accra.
He continued that after the sale of the Geo Prism that the money would be withdrawn and shared with his alleged collaborators at the offices of the DVLA.
Asked how he operates, Kwakyi told the police that, he is a taxi driver and that all he needs was his ability to open the trunk or any of the doors of the vehicles parked normally on the street.
According to the Axim District Command said, DSP Lovelace Tefutor the suspect said he sold the vehicles between GHc2,000 and GHc2,500 at Agona in the Ahanta West District.
He said Kwakyi was arrested when the police at the check point demanded to know why the commercial registration number plate was fixed on a private vehicle.
Mr Tefutor said the suspect was not able to give any tangible answers, but rather drove to the shoulder of the road, opened the door and run into the bush.
Asked how get the vehicles ignited, DSP Tefutor said suspect said he is a taxi driver and was very conversant with the electrical systems and how to join wires to ignite the vehicle.
The district commander called on public who had their vehicles stolen from Accra central, Osu and Achimota should contact the Axim district or the Western Regional Police commands to help them in their investigations.
Be assertive, DCE tell Unit C'TT
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Shama
Unit committees and area council members of district assemblies have been urged to be assertive in order to hold assemblies accountable to the people.
The District Chief Executive of the Shama District Assembly, Ms Emelia Arthur, who made the call at training organised for the members in the district said area council members played an important role in the country’s decentralization process of the country.
She said without them, the assembly would not effectively liaise with people in their electoral areas.
The assembly, she said, therefore, need active unit committee and area council members to ensure that the people at the community were always updated on what the assembly was doing.
She said the training organised by the assembly was to ensure that council members acquaint themselves with their roles and responsibilities after their long break.
The DCE said under the Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462) and LI 1614, district assemblies were required to initiate and implement their programmes through the area councils.
This she said would enable council play watchful role and serve as a mini government at the local level as their role was to enumerate and keep records of all ratable persons and properties as well as assist the assembly to collect more revenue.
She said through that the area council members could be mobilize people, also initiate and implement self help and development projects with the help of the assembly to speed development.
Ms Arthur said one of the important areas of these important units of the local level governance was to monitoring and inspection of government projects in communities to ensure accountability and transparency.
The unit committee and area council also had the powers to take all lawful steps to abate any nuisance to ensure that the right things were done.
The DCE said development had always been a collaborative effort; therefore, unit committee formed a very important bridge between traditional authorities to mobilize resources to support community projects and also organize people for communal activities.
“I want to you to know that the non function of the area council had adversely affected the effective delivery of the assembly to the extent of denying the people access to participate in decisions that affect their own lives.”
She said it was, therefore, important to reverse the unfortunate situation through the collaboration with relevant stakeholders when the unit committee and area council members were successfully inaugurated.
She therefore entreated them to pay attention to the issues that would be discussed at the training to ensure that they acquired the needed skills to support the assembly at community level.
The District Planning Officer for the district, Mr Isaac B. Ankomah urged the participants assert the powers vested in them to ensure that they contributed to the development of the district.
He said the training programme was very important as most of the members are not aware of the powers they had and with the long break since 2004 when the ceased to function.
Development issues he said need to be discussed and the people in the communities made aware of what was happening at the assembly.
He said it was within the functions of the area councils to organize the people in their areas with relevant stakeholders to discuss development issues and make suggestions to the assembly.
He said through that they could organize voluntary fund raising to support projects with the help of the assembly, “therefore, if this important arm of the local governance is not in place it would be difficult to reach the people at all levels.
The participants were taking through the formulation and preparation of community action plan, area action plans, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, resource identification for development, record keeping and team building among others.
Unit committees and area council members of district assemblies have been urged to be assertive in order to hold assemblies accountable to the people.
The District Chief Executive of the Shama District Assembly, Ms Emelia Arthur, who made the call at training organised for the members in the district said area council members played an important role in the country’s decentralization process of the country.
She said without them, the assembly would not effectively liaise with people in their electoral areas.
The assembly, she said, therefore, need active unit committee and area council members to ensure that the people at the community were always updated on what the assembly was doing.
She said the training organised by the assembly was to ensure that council members acquaint themselves with their roles and responsibilities after their long break.
The DCE said under the Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462) and LI 1614, district assemblies were required to initiate and implement their programmes through the area councils.
This she said would enable council play watchful role and serve as a mini government at the local level as their role was to enumerate and keep records of all ratable persons and properties as well as assist the assembly to collect more revenue.
She said through that the area council members could be mobilize people, also initiate and implement self help and development projects with the help of the assembly to speed development.
Ms Arthur said one of the important areas of these important units of the local level governance was to monitoring and inspection of government projects in communities to ensure accountability and transparency.
The unit committee and area council also had the powers to take all lawful steps to abate any nuisance to ensure that the right things were done.
The DCE said development had always been a collaborative effort; therefore, unit committee formed a very important bridge between traditional authorities to mobilize resources to support community projects and also organize people for communal activities.
“I want to you to know that the non function of the area council had adversely affected the effective delivery of the assembly to the extent of denying the people access to participate in decisions that affect their own lives.”
She said it was, therefore, important to reverse the unfortunate situation through the collaboration with relevant stakeholders when the unit committee and area council members were successfully inaugurated.
She therefore entreated them to pay attention to the issues that would be discussed at the training to ensure that they acquired the needed skills to support the assembly at community level.
The District Planning Officer for the district, Mr Isaac B. Ankomah urged the participants assert the powers vested in them to ensure that they contributed to the development of the district.
He said the training programme was very important as most of the members are not aware of the powers they had and with the long break since 2004 when the ceased to function.
Development issues he said need to be discussed and the people in the communities made aware of what was happening at the assembly.
He said it was within the functions of the area councils to organize the people in their areas with relevant stakeholders to discuss development issues and make suggestions to the assembly.
He said through that they could organize voluntary fund raising to support projects with the help of the assembly, “therefore, if this important arm of the local governance is not in place it would be difficult to reach the people at all levels.
The participants were taking through the formulation and preparation of community action plan, area action plans, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, resource identification for development, record keeping and team building among others.
QUAKE HOAX (FRONT PAGE)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
Majority of residents in the Western Region passed the night on the streets, parks and open spaces due to a rumor of an approaching earthquake that will sweep through the coastal areas of the country.
From the Shama, through the Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi, Axim, Nkroful and other communities along the coast could not sleep.
Residents converged at open places and parks to discuss the Haitians situation while other prayed to God from 2am till the announcement from the Regional Coordination Council that it was a rumor.
It was interesting at coastal communities where young people went into the houses of the old men and women and asked them to run to the beach and other open spaces.
The beaches of Shama, Abuesi, Sekondi, Axim and the coasts of Jomoro District were some of the place where residents had to wait until this morning.
In the metropolis, residents were crisscrossing each other in the darkness as the streetlights in the metropolis were also not working thereby compounding the fear of the people.
At about 1:30 am when this reporter had the first call enquiring the impending quake, the information had circulated and people kept calling their love ones to vacate their premises to avoid been trapped incase of any eventuality.
A drive through the metropolis at about 2:30am, women were seen carrying their babies firmly tied to their back standing on the street in readiness for the earthquake which never was.
At Sekondi, there was a very scaring scene as many people were on the street which was uncharacteristic of the people in the town.
The people believed and joined others on the street due to the rush and demeanor of those who were already on the street. Residents were left with no option than to join them.
Many laid their mats and long benches on the streets to pass the night while others sitting in from of their house with their children sleeping on their laptops.
According to one of the scared people at Aboadzi in the Shama District, Madam Juana “We have lock our doors and we passed the night at a park.”
She said even though there was information that everything was alright and people refused to go back to their rooms and sleep, they insisted on staying at the open place until the morning.
The situation became serious that, the Western Regional Police Commander, Alhaji Hamidu Mahama had to deplore the men from Rapid Deployment Force of the Ghana Police Service to patrol the streets to ensure that thieves did not capitalized on the fear of the people to rob them of their belongings.
Majority of residents in the Western Region passed the night on the streets, parks and open spaces due to a rumor of an approaching earthquake that will sweep through the coastal areas of the country.
From the Shama, through the Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi, Axim, Nkroful and other communities along the coast could not sleep.
Residents converged at open places and parks to discuss the Haitians situation while other prayed to God from 2am till the announcement from the Regional Coordination Council that it was a rumor.
It was interesting at coastal communities where young people went into the houses of the old men and women and asked them to run to the beach and other open spaces.
The beaches of Shama, Abuesi, Sekondi, Axim and the coasts of Jomoro District were some of the place where residents had to wait until this morning.
In the metropolis, residents were crisscrossing each other in the darkness as the streetlights in the metropolis were also not working thereby compounding the fear of the people.
At about 1:30 am when this reporter had the first call enquiring the impending quake, the information had circulated and people kept calling their love ones to vacate their premises to avoid been trapped incase of any eventuality.
A drive through the metropolis at about 2:30am, women were seen carrying their babies firmly tied to their back standing on the street in readiness for the earthquake which never was.
At Sekondi, there was a very scaring scene as many people were on the street which was uncharacteristic of the people in the town.
The people believed and joined others on the street due to the rush and demeanor of those who were already on the street. Residents were left with no option than to join them.
Many laid their mats and long benches on the streets to pass the night while others sitting in from of their house with their children sleeping on their laptops.
According to one of the scared people at Aboadzi in the Shama District, Madam Juana “We have lock our doors and we passed the night at a park.”
She said even though there was information that everything was alright and people refused to go back to their rooms and sleep, they insisted on staying at the open place until the morning.
The situation became serious that, the Western Regional Police Commander, Alhaji Hamidu Mahama had to deplore the men from Rapid Deployment Force of the Ghana Police Service to patrol the streets to ensure that thieves did not capitalized on the fear of the people to rob them of their belongings.
MAHAMA CUTS SOD FOR EXPANSION OF THERMAL PLANT
STORY: Kwame Asiedu Marfo & Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Aboadze.
THE VICE President, John Dramani Mahama has cut a sod for the commencement of the expansion of the Takoradi Thermal Power Plant at Aboadze in the Shama District of the Western Region.
The 132Mega Watts (MW) capacity Combined Cycle Plant will consists of four Gas Turbines, four Heat Recovery Steam Generators and two Steam Turbines.
The Gas Turbines will run on light oil, diesel oil and natural gas.
The project is being financed with a loan from the Canadian Government, the Societe General of Canada and the Investment Bank at the cost of US$ 185,358,651.00, with the main contractors for the project being the Canadian Commercial Corporation.
With regard to power generation, Ghana’s power supply sources are mainly from hydro-electricity, thermal from light crude oil and a small percentage of photo-voltaic solar.
At present, the power system has an installed generation capacity of about 2,000 MW, with the Akosombo Dam generating 1,020 MW, while the Kpong Dam is producing 160 MW.
Concerning thermal power generation, TAPCO (VRA) is producing 330 MW, TAQA 220 MW, the Mines Reserve Plant 80 MW and the Tema Thermal Power Plant 126 MW, while the Emergency Power Plants is generating 126 MW.
Currently, the country’s peak demand of power is about 1,350 MW.
Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for the project to start, the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama said the government had committed itself to increasing the current installed power generation capacity of about 2,000 MW to 5,000 MW by 2015.
This, he explained was to make electrical energy available for industrial as well as domestic use.
“The vision of the energy sector is to provide adequate and reliable energy supplies to all sectors of the economy to support socio-economic development, poverty reduction and also for export”, he added.
Mr Mahama said part of the vision of the power sector of the country was to become a net exporter of power, and that to achieve these objectives, the government was undertaking the construction of some power plants.
Notably among them, he said was the Bui Hydro-electric Power Project that sought to add 400 MW capacity to the existing power generation capacity in the country.
The Vice President said beside the Bui Project, the government would develop smaller hydro-power plants on the River Oti, which was expected to produce 90 MW of electricity, and also at Heman to produce 95 MW as well as Awisam to generate about 50 MW of power.
He said the Brazilian Government had also provided a loan of US$ 250 million for the construction of the Juale Plant.
Mr John Mahama said the government would continue the National Electrification Programme which was started in 1990, when about 478 communities were connected to the national electrification grid.
Since then, he said about 4,000 communities had been connected to the grid.
For his part the Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr Kwabena Donkor said the gravity of the country’s power sector generation challenge was aggravated by the use of obsolesce transmission and distribution infrastructure.
“It is sad to note that transformers, and its associated equipment manufactured and installed in the early 1960s still form the backbone of our transmission and distribution infrastructure. As a nation, we have collectively underinvested in the power sector after 1960s”, he said.
He said the government was aware that driving an energy-based economy would require an effective management of the power system and the fullest support of the citizenry to ensure adequate, reliable and cost-effective power supply.
He said the government was aware of the difficulties in the chain of distribution and acknowledged its responsibilities in that direction., and that to ensure a buoyant economy, adequate energy supply to commerce and industry was a must.
Dr Donkor said the government would support GRICO and ECG to improve their status quo as the transmission system presently was undergoing reinforcement to improve on reliability and reduce vulnerability of the network.
He said it would also support the expansion capacity of network which would carry load growth and modernize the entire transmission system to meet internationally accepted standards.
The minister said, in returning to international standards of excellence in service delivery, “We would have to collectively confront the high commercial losses experienced in the distribution chain.”
He said while there was an increase in investment would significantly reduce technical losses, the theft of power through illegal connections culminating in commercial losses must be addressed.
“We therefore call on security agencies, community, groups and patriotic minded individuals to help ECG, VRA (NED) to bring this under control by arresting and reporting the perpetrators who live in our communities to the authorities,” he said.
He said it would interest the public to note that, such commercial losses add to the individual bills as consumers, therefore it was in the interest of the public to help arrest the situation by reporting people.
The Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Darren Schemmer said Ghana and Canada had been partners in development more than centuries ago.
He said Canada used its natural resources as a springboard to development just as Ghana had started doing today saying “We expect to see more collaboration between the two countries in the years ahead”.
The Western Region, he noted with the recent oil find development was most likely to accelerate in the region with its positive ripple effect on the Central Region.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo called for attention in the area of job for the youth from the region when the contractors for the project was mobilizing its work force.
THE VICE President, John Dramani Mahama has cut a sod for the commencement of the expansion of the Takoradi Thermal Power Plant at Aboadze in the Shama District of the Western Region.
The 132Mega Watts (MW) capacity Combined Cycle Plant will consists of four Gas Turbines, four Heat Recovery Steam Generators and two Steam Turbines.
The Gas Turbines will run on light oil, diesel oil and natural gas.
The project is being financed with a loan from the Canadian Government, the Societe General of Canada and the Investment Bank at the cost of US$ 185,358,651.00, with the main contractors for the project being the Canadian Commercial Corporation.
With regard to power generation, Ghana’s power supply sources are mainly from hydro-electricity, thermal from light crude oil and a small percentage of photo-voltaic solar.
At present, the power system has an installed generation capacity of about 2,000 MW, with the Akosombo Dam generating 1,020 MW, while the Kpong Dam is producing 160 MW.
Concerning thermal power generation, TAPCO (VRA) is producing 330 MW, TAQA 220 MW, the Mines Reserve Plant 80 MW and the Tema Thermal Power Plant 126 MW, while the Emergency Power Plants is generating 126 MW.
Currently, the country’s peak demand of power is about 1,350 MW.
Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for the project to start, the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama said the government had committed itself to increasing the current installed power generation capacity of about 2,000 MW to 5,000 MW by 2015.
This, he explained was to make electrical energy available for industrial as well as domestic use.
“The vision of the energy sector is to provide adequate and reliable energy supplies to all sectors of the economy to support socio-economic development, poverty reduction and also for export”, he added.
Mr Mahama said part of the vision of the power sector of the country was to become a net exporter of power, and that to achieve these objectives, the government was undertaking the construction of some power plants.
Notably among them, he said was the Bui Hydro-electric Power Project that sought to add 400 MW capacity to the existing power generation capacity in the country.
The Vice President said beside the Bui Project, the government would develop smaller hydro-power plants on the River Oti, which was expected to produce 90 MW of electricity, and also at Heman to produce 95 MW as well as Awisam to generate about 50 MW of power.
He said the Brazilian Government had also provided a loan of US$ 250 million for the construction of the Juale Plant.
Mr John Mahama said the government would continue the National Electrification Programme which was started in 1990, when about 478 communities were connected to the national electrification grid.
Since then, he said about 4,000 communities had been connected to the grid.
For his part the Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr Kwabena Donkor said the gravity of the country’s power sector generation challenge was aggravated by the use of obsolesce transmission and distribution infrastructure.
“It is sad to note that transformers, and its associated equipment manufactured and installed in the early 1960s still form the backbone of our transmission and distribution infrastructure. As a nation, we have collectively underinvested in the power sector after 1960s”, he said.
He said the government was aware that driving an energy-based economy would require an effective management of the power system and the fullest support of the citizenry to ensure adequate, reliable and cost-effective power supply.
He said the government was aware of the difficulties in the chain of distribution and acknowledged its responsibilities in that direction., and that to ensure a buoyant economy, adequate energy supply to commerce and industry was a must.
Dr Donkor said the government would support GRICO and ECG to improve their status quo as the transmission system presently was undergoing reinforcement to improve on reliability and reduce vulnerability of the network.
He said it would also support the expansion capacity of network which would carry load growth and modernize the entire transmission system to meet internationally accepted standards.
The minister said, in returning to international standards of excellence in service delivery, “We would have to collectively confront the high commercial losses experienced in the distribution chain.”
He said while there was an increase in investment would significantly reduce technical losses, the theft of power through illegal connections culminating in commercial losses must be addressed.
“We therefore call on security agencies, community, groups and patriotic minded individuals to help ECG, VRA (NED) to bring this under control by arresting and reporting the perpetrators who live in our communities to the authorities,” he said.
He said it would interest the public to note that, such commercial losses add to the individual bills as consumers, therefore it was in the interest of the public to help arrest the situation by reporting people.
The Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Darren Schemmer said Ghana and Canada had been partners in development more than centuries ago.
He said Canada used its natural resources as a springboard to development just as Ghana had started doing today saying “We expect to see more collaboration between the two countries in the years ahead”.
The Western Region, he noted with the recent oil find development was most likely to accelerate in the region with its positive ripple effect on the Central Region.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo called for attention in the area of job for the youth from the region when the contractors for the project was mobilizing its work force.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
ABU TO CONTEST NDC NATIONAL VICE-CHAIRMANSHIP POSITION (PAGE 13, JAN 5)
A FORMER Western Regional Minister, Dr Frank John Abu, has declared his intention to contest the National Vice-Chairmanship position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said aside the qualification to contest the vice-chairmanship position, his vast experience positioned him as the best among the other contenders.
Dr Abu said the experience he had acquired over the years was what the NDC needed to improve upon its performance in readiness for the 2012 elections.
He said he was aware that elections were not won at the national level and that it was important to note that the people at the constituencies and polling stations were important to the success of the party.
Dr Abu said if elected, he would take care of the foot soldiers to ensure that the situation where it was difficult for the party to get polling agents became a thing of the past.”
He said the goal of the NDC was not only to win power, but win, retain and continue, and therefore there was the need for an experienced team to steer the party on the path of constant victory.
Dr Abu said it was important for the party structures to be made stronger at the constituency and polling station levels to make everyone feel a part of the team.
He said conditions in some of the constituencies were very bad, and that it was important that “we look for a unifier, a brother, a father, approachable person and team player to move us in the direction we want to go”.
He called for fairness and brotherliness to ensure that the party emerged the winner at the delegates congress.
The Western Regional Executive of the party commended Dr Abu for his personal efforts to ensure that the party’s eight seats were increased.
“We trust that the same way you steered the affairs of the party in the region until our victory in 2008, you will bring that to bear on the party at the national level, where you will have a bigger platform,” they said.
He said aside the qualification to contest the vice-chairmanship position, his vast experience positioned him as the best among the other contenders.
Dr Abu said the experience he had acquired over the years was what the NDC needed to improve upon its performance in readiness for the 2012 elections.
He said he was aware that elections were not won at the national level and that it was important to note that the people at the constituencies and polling stations were important to the success of the party.
Dr Abu said if elected, he would take care of the foot soldiers to ensure that the situation where it was difficult for the party to get polling agents became a thing of the past.”
He said the goal of the NDC was not only to win power, but win, retain and continue, and therefore there was the need for an experienced team to steer the party on the path of constant victory.
Dr Abu said it was important for the party structures to be made stronger at the constituency and polling station levels to make everyone feel a part of the team.
He said conditions in some of the constituencies were very bad, and that it was important that “we look for a unifier, a brother, a father, approachable person and team player to move us in the direction we want to go”.
He called for fairness and brotherliness to ensure that the party emerged the winner at the delegates congress.
The Western Regional Executive of the party commended Dr Abu for his personal efforts to ensure that the party’s eight seats were increased.
“We trust that the same way you steered the affairs of the party in the region until our victory in 2008, you will bring that to bear on the party at the national level, where you will have a bigger platform,” they said.
HAJIA SINARE CALLS FOR HEALTHY CAMPAIGN...Towards NDC elections (PAGE 13, JAN 5)
LAWA-Ghana Alumnae Incorporated (LAWA-Ghana) in collaboration with African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), both non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has organised a pre-legislation regional stakeholder’s consultation on the Property Rights of Spouses Bill and the Intestate Succession Bill in Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo Regional Capital.
The two-day consultative workshop which formed part of a nationwide consultation on the two bills supported by the German Development Corporation (GTZ) was to sensitise stakeholders and to seek their views and support before the passage of the two bills into laws.
The workshop was attended by participants from the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s (A-G’s) Department that prepared the two bills, stakeholders from other ministries, department and agencies, civil society groups including religious groups, traditional authorities, and personnel of the security agencies among others.
Mrs Barbara Ayesu, the Coordinator of LAWA-Ghana in her address said the meeting was aimed at informing key stakeholders of the advocacy plan on the two bills and to seek their input and support.
She said with respect to the Property Rights of Spousal Bill, the 1992 Constitution of Ghana that came into force on January 7, 1993, recognised the property rights of spouses as a fundamental human right and placed the obligation on Parliament under Article 22 to enact legislation to regulate property rights of spouses.
Mrs Ayesu added that it was also to ensure that spouses have equal access to property jointly acquired during marriage and for equitable distribution of same between the spouses upon the termination of marriage and other related matters.
“So in accordance with national and international obligations the Attorney General’s Department has prepared the Bill titled, Property Rights of Spouses Bill for enactment by Parliament to ensure certainty in matters connected with the Property Rights of Spouses, fairness in determining matters that relate to the property rights of spouses and clarity in law for effective implementation,” she observed.
On the Intestate Succession, the LAWA-Ghana Coordinator said it had been a problem in Ghana. This she noted was largely due to the plural legal system and family law that had led to several years of tension between the nuclear family and the traditional family unit, because the customary law provides very little protection for the nuclear family.
Mrs Ayesu observed that despite the passage of the Intestate Succession law, 1985 (PNDC Law 111), which was an innovation and was accepted mostly by spouses and children who were often victims of ejection and other forms of persecution when the breadwinner of the family, usually when a husband died intestate women continue to be discriminated against in the distribution of property after the death of their spouses.
She said the law having been passed 23 years ago, has over the time faced difficulties in its implementation and the gaps in the law have become more apparent due to the increasing importance of the nuclear family and therefore the purpose for which it was passed is fast eroding, saying it is evident that the present law does not cater for a number of important issues that arise when spouses die intestate.
The two-day consultative workshop which formed part of a nationwide consultation on the two bills supported by the German Development Corporation (GTZ) was to sensitise stakeholders and to seek their views and support before the passage of the two bills into laws.
The workshop was attended by participants from the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s (A-G’s) Department that prepared the two bills, stakeholders from other ministries, department and agencies, civil society groups including religious groups, traditional authorities, and personnel of the security agencies among others.
Mrs Barbara Ayesu, the Coordinator of LAWA-Ghana in her address said the meeting was aimed at informing key stakeholders of the advocacy plan on the two bills and to seek their input and support.
She said with respect to the Property Rights of Spousal Bill, the 1992 Constitution of Ghana that came into force on January 7, 1993, recognised the property rights of spouses as a fundamental human right and placed the obligation on Parliament under Article 22 to enact legislation to regulate property rights of spouses.
Mrs Ayesu added that it was also to ensure that spouses have equal access to property jointly acquired during marriage and for equitable distribution of same between the spouses upon the termination of marriage and other related matters.
“So in accordance with national and international obligations the Attorney General’s Department has prepared the Bill titled, Property Rights of Spouses Bill for enactment by Parliament to ensure certainty in matters connected with the Property Rights of Spouses, fairness in determining matters that relate to the property rights of spouses and clarity in law for effective implementation,” she observed.
On the Intestate Succession, the LAWA-Ghana Coordinator said it had been a problem in Ghana. This she noted was largely due to the plural legal system and family law that had led to several years of tension between the nuclear family and the traditional family unit, because the customary law provides very little protection for the nuclear family.
Mrs Ayesu observed that despite the passage of the Intestate Succession law, 1985 (PNDC Law 111), which was an innovation and was accepted mostly by spouses and children who were often victims of ejection and other forms of persecution when the breadwinner of the family, usually when a husband died intestate women continue to be discriminated against in the distribution of property after the death of their spouses.
She said the law having been passed 23 years ago, has over the time faced difficulties in its implementation and the gaps in the law have become more apparent due to the increasing importance of the nuclear family and therefore the purpose for which it was passed is fast eroding, saying it is evident that the present law does not cater for a number of important issues that arise when spouses die intestate.
Monday, January 4, 2010
MORE TROUBLE FOR HASMAL (BACK PAGE, JAN 4)
Visiting Ashanti Gold yesterday deepened the woes of Sekondi Hasaacas when they beat the homesters 2-1 in their Premier League encounter at the Essipong Stadium at Sekondi.
Ashgold which played brilliantly in the first half got the opener on the 13th minute through striker Addoquaye Addo.
The visitors increased their tally on the 43rd minute when Aminu Mohammed, after taking the ball from the midfield, managed to shrug off several tackles before putting the ball beyond the reach of the Hasaacas goalkeeper.
David Anas got the consolation for the home team on the 76th minute.
Ashgold which played brilliantly in the first half got the opener on the 13th minute through striker Addoquaye Addo.
The visitors increased their tally on the 43rd minute when Aminu Mohammed, after taking the ball from the midfield, managed to shrug off several tackles before putting the ball beyond the reach of the Hasaacas goalkeeper.
David Anas got the consolation for the home team on the 76th minute.
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