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Ayariga proffers solution to control floods in Ghana

By
NAABENYIN JOOJO AMISSAH
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Dr Hassan Ayariga addressing the press

The Founder and Leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), Dr. Hassan Ayariga, says the recent spate of floods across the country were indications that no hard lessons were learned from the infamous June 3rd disaster in 2015.

In his view, if concrete measures were instituted following the ‘Black Wednesday’ that claimed over hundred lives, the recent floods, particularly, those witnessed in the capital city of Accra, could have been avoided.

Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday, Dr. Ayariga called for the establishment of strong institutions, clothed with powers to be able to strictly enforce by-laws and other regulations, to help stem the tide.

For instance, he said that “Ghana recorded unprecedented flood event in November 2010, which affected 55 communities and displaced 700,000 people.

“Additionally, 3,234 houses were destroyed, while 23,588 acres of farmlands were submerged.”

He noted that though urban flooding was becoming a global phenomenon, Ghana could engage more trained civil engineers to delve deeper into the phenomenon, which had become an annual ritual, in order to get the best solution out to save lives.

As part of the measures, Dr. Ayariga insisted that existing laws must be enforced without fear or favour to “prevent people from building on water ways, which cause blockage of the free flow of water.”

“We need to construct drainage systems to link all waterways, and channel it into the sea; build very solid sea defense system; expand all our gutters and desilt our waterways. We have to construct community catchment areas to hold some of the volume of rain water when there is heavy downpour,” he said, stressing that these measures would go a long way to help curb the worrying situation.

“We must include structural flood protection measures like storm drains, and construction of floodways linking communities. We should adapt ways of dredging our nation before the rains starts,” he added.

Perennial flooding in several cities and towns across the country, with its accompanying concomitant effects, keeps recurring annually with no end in sight, with Accra being the hardest hit city in recent times.

On the 3rd of June 2015, the nation’s capital witnessed a devastating “twin” disaster at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle where a massive explosion occurred in the storm of a heavy flood in which it was estimated that about 150 persons lost their lives.

Unfortunately, Accra continues to get flooded whenever it rains and the situation keeps moving from bad to worse seven years after the infamous disaster at Circle that plunged the country into three days of mourning.

The continuous flooding of parts of the country and Accra in particular, adversely affects decent work and economic growth, good health and well-being, clean water and sanitation as well as innovation and infrastructure. These factors affects Ghana’s quest to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially 8, 3, 6 and 9.

Editorial: Former toll workers must be attended to

By
THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

The cessation of the collection of the road and bridge tolls in November last year has rendered many of the toll booths workers unemployed, without any means of survival. Unfortunately, most of these road and bridge toll workers are persons with disabilities, and they have been deprived of their livelihoods and source of incomes since January.

When the decision for the cessation of these road tolls was declared in Parliament by the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Attah, last year, it was a devastating blow for the workers. However, members of the Ghana Toll Workers Union were consoled when Kwasi Amoako-Attah, the Roads Minister, gave the assurance that they would be reassigned. Despite an assurance to reassign them and pay their salary arrears, the toll workers say they were yet to receive their salaries since January this year.

The Deputy Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Bright Wireko-Brobbey, has recently assured the workers that the government was currently engaging with Toll and Route Management Limited to develop other employment modules for the re-engagement of the toll workers, but it seems like it has become all talk without action.

The question is; if the government knew it would develop modules, this could have been done long before closing down the toll booths, so that as soon as they shut down the booths, they can absorb the workers. Developing the modules now is like closing the stable after the horses have bolted, or putting the cart before the horse.

Though the toll workers were paid their salaries in full in November and December last year, the remuneration has since then stopped from starting of January 2022 till date. Considering that most of them are persons living with disabilities have narrow opportunities for employment and have families to take care of, the government and ministry of roads and highways must act now.

Moreover, the Ghana Toll Workers Union on June 5, 2022 petitioned the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to reintroduce the collection of the road tolls as they have been idle for seven months.

The introduction of the e-levy, for which reason the road toll was cancelled, is after all delivering only 10 per cent of estimated income. So, government should start considering the petition to bring back the road tolls and bring back jobs and smiles on the faces of the toll workers. If government does not want to bring back the road toll, then it must reinstate the toll workers into the labor force.

The Chronicle is, therefore, asking the Ministry of roads and highways to intervene so that something urgent is done about their plight.

Letter to Senior Opupulepu (193) Is it a Matter of Greed or Just Protecting Family Values?

By
admin
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Opinion

Dear Senior Opupulepu,

How are you do? I hope you are do fine, just as I and my shordies are do, fine, fine.

Senior, because of your age and closeness to them, you should remember that day when Adam, I mean Grandpa Adam, knew Grandma Eve, and they beget a certain guy man called Wofa Cane, as in sugar cane. They later travelled apart for ages and forgot how each other looked like. When their paths crossed again, each remembered who the other was, and they again knew each other and beget Wofa Able as in Able-Body.

Senior, toil making rounds, is that Grandma Eve after being known by Grandpa Adam for like sixteen more different times, beget some fine, fine ladies and very strong, strong boys, one who was always on his marks to take off and run, was call Get-Set.

Senior, I was informed by an angel paddy of mine that our uncles also decided to know women some. But unfortunately, there were no other women in ewiase at that time for them to know, except their mother and sisters. So, each brother would pick one sister and know her. It is through this knowings in the family that humankind started increasing and multiplying and ewiase was subdued.

Senior, if Yahweh, Himself, supervised and approved of brothers and sisters knowing themselves, then why should we in today’s Ogyakrom, swear that any brother who knows his sister is dragged before an old folk who just sits on a bench doing practically nothing, to be accused of violating Yahweh’s command and be punished? What command have they violated anyway? Mind you, that act came first and Yahweh said and did nothing, so any law that is inconsistent with this, violates the tenets of the Constitution. I, too, know my rights.

Senior, I hear that there is a certain man who has chopped the age Yesu Christus Emmanuel chopped before saying “bye, bye” to eswiase, who instead of saying bye-bye to ewiase some, he decided to be knowing his fifteen-year-old sister, who he was knowing since the poor girl stop wearing pampas.

Senior, this guy man has the name of King David’s fetish priest cum spiritual director and goes by a second name, which means He/She Loves Mein the language the clan of the Medekuku people speak. To even confuse us the more he writes his father’s name as Has Happened Again. Which is in the language of those who while devout persons are praying without ceasing, they are bragging without ceasing.

Senior, perming all the names, all this guy man wanted to tell we mortals is that the spirits of the gods of the fetish priest in him, have directed that he loves his sister and his sister loves him and this love must happen over and over again.

Senior, so this guy man kept knowing his beautiful sister every since she stopped urinating on herself and had vowed that her beauty was not for any outsider. He decreed that he must preserve this valuable asset in the family for life.

Senior, so as it is, he decided to make his sister start born, borning so that their family can increase and multiply and subdue the hamlet they reside in.

Senior, what does this family matter have to do with society? Some dirty old man who has only a few days left in ewiase, decided he to must know this sweet beautiful young lady before he turns into a ghost. In fact, he has to do something before he dies.

Senior, this old man who had changed the virginity status of over one thousand innocent virgins, found out that even if he succeeded in going into this very young lady, he would not be the first. Someone had chopped him first.

Senior, what angered him the most, was when he realised that it was not any of the area boys, he had intended to discipline but rather this young beautiful lady’s brother. And to add salt and pepper to injury she had born a very basketball like baby boy. We do not know whether he is to be called Cane, Able or Get-Set.

Senior, in rage, this old man went straight and knocked on the door of a certain old lady who was minding her own business, sitting her somewhere on a bench doing nothing.

Senior, this old lady who goes by the name Lead O. Marfo, who is in now relationship with our crowned abusuapanin, O. Marfo, the talkative, decided that since there is something called Planting for Food and Employment now in Ogyakrom, the young beautiful lady’s brother, must wake up every morning and go and weed people’s farms until the desire to go, knowing women dries out from his system inside. And this he cannot fake it because the witchdoctor will do test on his system inside.

Senior, my problem here is, why do people want to believe they know better than Yahweh? Yahweh was around when Grandpa Adam and Grandma Eve’s sons and daughters kept know-knowing each other without caring or booking what the rest of creation would say, and Yahweh just looked on saying nothing but approving this quietly. Now you nowadays humans say what?

Senior, if I decide to talk just now, people will say I have committed content of court and I will be put in a court container, so please I am Dan, sorry I am Done.

It’s Me!

Community appeals for support to enhance activities at Duasidan Eco-Center

By
FRANCIS OWUSU-ANSAH
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Monkeys at the sanctuary

If given the proper and needed attention, there are numerous tourist attractions in the country that have the potential to flourish and promote Ghana internationally.

One of such is the Natural Monkey Sanctuary at Duasidan, a town in the Dormaa Central Municipal of the Bono Region.

The history, mystery, myth, and uniqueness of the Duasidan monkey sanctuary makes it arguably one of the best, if not the best tourist sites in the country.

Tucked away in a closed forest reserve, near a sacred grove, where ancestral ceremonies and sacrifices are offered occasionally, it is home to thousands of monkeys of diverse species and the history behind their very existence and occupation.

The forest is a host to three known monkey species in the forest; the campbell monkey or locally known as ‘Kwakuo,’ the spot-nosed monkey (Ahenhema), and the oliver colobus monkey (Asibe).

Community members still hold the belief that the primates are sacred thus a taboo to even harm any of them.  It is believed that one can lose his/her life for failing to respect their right to life.

Therefore, if any of these monkeys is deprived of life or even injured, there could be grave consequences, perceived to be the wrath of the gods revealed supernaturally in the form of strange chronic diseases, or culprits suffering deformity, especially those guilty of having killed or injured a monkey at the sanctuary.

It will require confession, ritual interventions and pacifications to the gods for forgiveness to reverse or revoke such self-inflicted curse.

Visitors and observers who often patronise the site give an unusual reverence, good treatment, and respect just like to any other god, to the monkeys.  The same is extended to the natural vegetative cover which harbors various species of trees, bamboo, and animals.

Kwabena Badu, a tour guide at the site in an interaction indicated that one of the last things the community would ever do is to allow hunters and inhabitants to hunt down the monkeys.

“It is completely forbidden! The inhabitants with one purpose gang up and chase recalcitrant people who flout directives not to kill these animals. The natives also hold these animals in high esteem and regard them so much.  The monkeys at the sanctuary bear funny local names such as ‘Abrewa’, an Akan word to wit ‘an old woman’ and some foreign names such as Comfort, and Vida,” Kwabena Badu said.

Minister of Health donates to Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital

By
FRANCIS OWUSU-ANSAH
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Kwaku Agyemang Manu at the donation ceremony

The Health Minister, Mr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu, has donated X-ray machines and oxygen plants to the Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital.

The donation makes the hospital the fourth health facility with such an ultra-modern X-ray machine worth hundreds of Ghana Cedis.

The other three health facilities with such machines are at Nkenkansu, Walewale and Akyem.

The provision of the oxygen plants has helped the hospital to do away with the old practice of transfusing oxygen to patients using cylinders.

The Head of Administration of the hospital, Mr. Sarpong, who took reporters around the facility to see the plants, indicated that “before the donation, the facility was spending between GH¢32,000.00 to GH¢35,000.00 on oxygen purchasing, but now the cost has substantially reduced to about half of the amount.”

He said, patients who were admitted on oxygen at the facility were paying an amount of GHc4.00 per hour but now they pay GHc2.00 for the same duration.

He further explained that one of the oxygen plants has been installed for the emergency unit, the male and female wards, and while the second one has been installed to serve the children’s ward.

Explaining how the machine works and the importance of its availability to the facility, he said “the plant generates gas from the air we breathe and converts it to oxygen. This makes it cheaper as compared to the old cylinder oxygen.” He added that, “the only cost involved is electricity and maintenance”.

A nurse at the facility in charge of the female ward also disclosed that the plant has made their work easy and simple.

“This is simple to operate as compared to the cylinder where you will need a spanner and other tools to operate. With this you just have to switch the transmuter and you are good to go,” she stated.

86,200 Ghanaians die from non-communicable diseases annually -GLOMEF

By
FRANCIS OWUSU-ANSAH
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Ralphael Godlove Ahneu , CEO GLOMeF

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), Mr. Raphael Godlove Ahenu, has bemoaned the ever-increasing number of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Ghana, as well as across the globe.

According to him, statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate that NCDs kill 41 million people yearly, equivalent to 71% of all global deaths.

He stated: “Each year, more than 15 million people die from NCDs, between the ages of 30 and 69, of which 85% of these ‘premature’ deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.”

In Ghana, he said, NCDs kill an estimated 86,200 persons each year, with 55.5% of them aged less than 70 years, and 58% being male.

Mr. Ahenu attributed the rising incidence of NCDs to unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and alcohol misuse, especially among the youth.

Mr. Ahenu made the remarks in an interview with Joy News in Sunyani to announce GLOMEF’s new project ‘Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention (GNCDP) Project’.

The project is to reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health care in Ghana, whilst empowering young people to live healthier lifestyles, and at the same time bolstering the health services available to support them.

Mr. Ahenu said the project would help Ghana to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which seeks to reduce, by one-third, premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment, and promote mental health and well-being.

Mr. Ahenu noted that preventing NCDs required a multidimensional approach, and called for collaboration with the government and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on new health policies that improve upon the prevention, detection, management and treatment of NCDs in Ghana.

The project, he said, will be engaging peers, family members, and communities to encourage healthy lifestyles through health education and community-based screenings.

He mentioned poor hygiene and sanitation, inadequate financial health investments, and limited workforce and facilities as the challenges bedeviling Ghana’s healthcare system.

Mr. Ahenu further appealed to Ghanaians to make regular health screening or check-ups a habit since it helps to find out if one has a particular disease or condition at the early stage for prompt treatment or management.

“Early detection, followed by treatment and good control of ailments or conditions, can result in better treatment outcomes and reduces the risk of serious complications,” he said.

He said the GNCDP Project would be organising a series of health screening exercises across the country, especially in remote and hard-to-reach communities that had no access to quality health care delivery.

Mr. Ahenu appealed to corporate institutions and philanthropists to support the Ghana NCDs Prevention Project.

He expressed concern about the poor knowledge and attitudes of health practitioners on chronic diseases which were undermining the quality of healthcare.

UK court rules in favor of Ekweremadu, says donor is not a minor

By
admin
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Former Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

A court in the UK has ruled that David Ukpo, a purported kidney donor for the daughter of Ike and Beatrice Ekweremadu, is not a minor. Ekweremadu, a former deputy president of the senate, and Beatrice, his wife, appeared for trial at the Westminster magistrate court on Thursday.

The court ruled that Ukpo is a 21-year-old and not 15 years old as claimed.

UK police in late June arrested Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice over an alleged conspiracy to traffic a child for organ harvesting.

Metropolitan police in a statement said that Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu and Ike Ekweremadu, who are 55 and 60 years old respectively were remanded in custody to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.

During the proceeding, the court held that Ukpo is not a minor after the counsel to the Ekweremadus made an argument on the matter.

The prosecutor had insisted that Ukpo was a minor.

Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice sued the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and others to release the certified true copy (CTC) of the biodata of David Ukpo, the donor.

Their request was granted by the Federal High Court, Abuja last week.

The defendants’ lawyers also informed the court of a bail application they intend to file in the first week of August.

Meanwhile, the UK attorney-general has approved that the case be tried at the Central Criminal Court in London.

Source: guardian.com

Gunmen attack NYSC lodge in Akwa Ibom

By
admin
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NYSC lodge in Akwa Ibom

Gunmen have attacked a lodge where some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) reside in Akwa Ibom State. The gunmen attacked the lodge at about 1:am on Wednesday, and dispossessed Corps members of their valuables at Udo Ekong Ekwere Street, off Information Drive, Uyo, the Akw Ibom State capital.

NYSC management in the state confirmed the attack but dispels reports that corp members were raped.

Akwa Ibom State NYSC Coordinator Chinyere Ekwe in a statement said she in company of the State Police Commissioner, Olatoye Durosinmi, visited the Corps members for an on-the-spot assessment,” Ekwe said.

“While there, it was confirmed that 21 Corps members occupy the said property. The interaction with the Corps members further revealed that an attack on them was actually carried out by thieves at about 1am this morning.

“In the process, the invaders took their valuables including phones, Laptops and some cash. They confirmed that NO bodily harm was meted on them, and NO CORPS MEMBER WAS RAPED.”

She further asserted that while the actions and intentions of the criminal elements remain condemnable, social media operators, and online media establishments should exercise restraint and not trivialize such unfortunate incident as the consequences on the psychology of parents and guardians of Corps members in the state would be dangerously affected.

However, Mrs. Ekwe disclosed that the State Commissioner of Police has assured the Corps members and members of the public that an investigation on the matter has been launched and that the culprits will soon be apprehended.

Credit: guardian.com

NLC president calls for fixing of refineries, subsidy removal

By
admin
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NLC President, Ayuba Wabba

In his submission on proffering solution to fuel crises, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba has told the Federal Government to fix the nation’s refineries and get rid of subsidy payments.

He also advocated the participation of private investors in building refineries adding that importation of fuel poses threats to the country.

Wabba revealed these in a presentation made to the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating daily PMS consumption in the country.

The Labor leader: “We do believe that even if there is subsidy, it cannot be at the level quoted by authorities in the sector. In our document on the oil sector, we have outlined conditions precedent for removing subsidies, if any, including fixing the refineries, creating conditions for private sector participation in the building of refineries, even if they are modular.

“Sadly, we are not aware if any of the terms and conditions we have recommended have been met, several years after. We are nonetheless conscious of the fact that the continuous opaque importation of PMS holds clear and present danger to the country.

“On the other hand, the transparent operation of the importation of PMS has two major advantages. The first advantage is that, knowing the exact volume of PMS the country needs and publicizing it will deter further falsification of imports, hopefully.”

Source: vanguard.com

Implement National Livestock Transformation Plan now, Northern Governors to Buhari 

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admin
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President Muhammadu Buhari

Governors of the 19 Northern States of the country under the aegis of the Northern Governors’ Forum have held a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar, calling on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, implement the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLPT).

Rising from the closed door meeting with the Minister where the disturbing insecurity situation in the region topped the agenda, the Governors have also said that it has become very imperative for President Muhammadu Buhari led government to carry out an immediate implementation of the State Level Project Socialisation on Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), in the Northern part of the country.

According to the Chief Security officers in the State, when these are carried out, it would go a long way in ensuring security for farmers and at the end of the day, boost food production.

The meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja was chaired by Simon Bako Lalong, Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State. It was attended by Governors of Kwara, Niger, Kebbi, Kaduna and Deputy Governors of Benue, Kogi, Bauchi and Nasarawa States.

Speaking after the meeting held behind closed doors, Governor Simon Lalong said that  the engagement was necessitated by the concern of the Northern Governors over the implementation of the programmes which have direct bearing on the lives of the people.

Source: vanguard.com

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