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Sunday, August 1, 2010

Big Boost For Central, Eastern Region

The US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has committed $12,338,958 for road construction on the Bontrase, Awutu-Senya Road in the Central Region and its link roads in the Eastern Region in order to support the Millennium Development Authority’s (MIDA) aim of intensifying horticultural production in the agricultural areas.

Rehabilitation of the 74 kilometer feeder road which is expected to be completed within 18 months would be grouped into two separate contracts with Lots EC2 comprising four road segments and Lots EC3 comprising five road networks.

The roads to be reconstructed include connections between Budumburam-Apra (4.14 km), Amanfrom-Bawjiase (10.75 km), Ofaakor-Loye-Apra (11.34 km), Awutu Breku-Bontrse-Obrakyire (18.93km), Droboro-Chinto (5.24km) and Akoti-Desum-Kwanyako (7.25 km).

The rest are Kofi Kwei-Sakyikrom-Adoagyiri (9.52 km) and Maame Dede Junction-Duayeden (3.39 km).

The Board Chairman of MIDA, Professor Samuel Sefa-Dedeh who explained these at the sod-cutting ceremony said that the reconstruction under the Transportation Project of MCA would improve the road infrastructure network in the Eastern and Central regions to enhance food cultivation.

He however expressed worry about how poor road infrastructure had inhibited the expansion of agricultural opportunities due to bad linkages of the roads.

In view of this, he appealed to all those would be affected by the project to cooperate with the consultants in charge of Environment Management and Re settlements and the constructors since MIDA would compensate all Project Affected Persons (PAP).

A speech read by Joe Gidisu, Minister for Roads and Highways on behalf of the Vice President, John Mahama, stated that he was grateful for Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) intervention which had made it possible for a number of vital feeder road linkages to be upgraded especially in the Akuapem South Municipality Assembly and the Awutu Senya District.

“These hitherto poor road corridors, when completed would affect the lives of our famers and bring joy and relief to people who ply the road daily to transact business and many others who would invest in these beneficiary communities,” he added.

He disclosed that government under the MCA program would commit itself to ensuring that regular routine and periodic maintenance would be carried out to sustain full returns on investment made in the roads.

He however advised road contractors, Messrs GKL, Kamsad JV and the Supervising Consultant, Rom Consult Limited “to build it well, finish it within the stipulated time and leave it as a legacy to Ghanaians.”

On his part, Chief Executive Director of MCC, Daniel Yahannes noted that commitment of the fund for the reconstruction was as a result of US President Barrack Obama visit to the country last July where he pledged his support for the country and Africa as a whole.

“In our interconnected global economy, what happens in Ghana matters to Americans and what happens in America matters to Ghanaians,” he pointed out.

According to the Chief of town, Nana Agyeman Larbi Otabil who spoke on behalf of the people, though the region contributes a lot to the economy, it is described as one of the poorest in the country with its accompanied bad roads compelling farmers to walk long distances to sell their produce.

Notwithstanding, he said the town is very grateful for the project and congratulated MIDA for its immense support to the community.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Unregistered Pharmacists Cautioned

The newly re-elected President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), Pharmacist Alex Dodoo has cautioned people who pose as Pharmacists to desist from the act or face the stiffest penalties.
He made this statement at their headquarters during an induction service which was held for the new standing executive committee of the PSGH.
He has however cautioned that Pharmacists who are not registered with the Pharmacists Council would be brought to book with the stiffest penalties as well as Pharmacies operating without a Pharmacist.
He explained that some elderly have the notion that without their presence there can not be any progress especially with offices occupied by older men.
“Looking down on the youth and not allowing them to flourish with ideas, ideals, dreams and vision are destructive to any country” he added.
According to him during his term of office he would make sure that the Pharmaceutical society progresses as well help Ghanaians enjoy better health with Pharmacist who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to dispense healing, advising and the best medicines.
As part of his credits during his previous term of office, Mr. Dodoo was able to build the organisation’s Headquarters at Baatsonaa in Accra which is geared to feeding Pharmacists with the required knowledge
He also mentioned that during his term of office, he would work collaboratively with the Pharmacy Council and the National Health Insurance to make the Pharmacy business becomes profitable once again disclaiming the notion that PSGH has become a conducive atmosphere for breeding money.
According to him, presently, the Pharmaceutical Society is faced with struggles due to low tariffs, high operating costs and other factors which has dwindled the efforts society in the country.
He has therefore urged members of the Pharmaceutical Society to rise and build a better society in order to create a better pharmacy in the country.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, (PSGH) has held an induction service for its newly appointed executives to serve for a two-year term in office in order to help stir the affairs of the society.
The newly elected officers of the standing executive committee of PSGH include Pharmacist Alex Nii Oto Dodoo who was again elected President unopposed, Pharm. Mrs. Doris Boafo Attafua for Vice president, Pharm (Mrs.) Ellen Sam for Honorary Treasurer and Pharm. Franklin Acheampong Editor.
The rest are Pharm. Mrs. Osei Agyapong Yeboah, Pharm. Francis Yaw Mainoo Sarpong, Pharm. Dennis Sena Awitty- Executive Secretary, Pharm. Sybil Ossei-Agyeman-Yeboah- Executive member and Pharm. Kenneth Agbodza serving as members of the executives.

Sickle Aid Ghana launched

Sickle Aid, a registered Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Ghana was recently launched by a group of Ghanaians to promote awareness of Sickle Cell disease (SCD) through education and to reach out to people living with the disease across the country.
The NGO, Ida Adu, Executive Director of the group, said was registered in August 2009 with an eight member board of trustees to bring together affected people into a unified community as well as encourage Ghanaians to know their status with regards to the sickle cell disease.
Mrs. Adu who is diagnosed with the disease said a lot needed to be done to support especially children with sickle cell since some parents consider them witches and wizards and therefore neglect or do not regarded them as normal human beings.
She disclaimed misconceptions where many Ghanaians believe people with the disease do not live very long and therefore do not strive to support them through education, marriage or better living conditions which she noted send many sickle cell patients to an early grave.
“I am forty years old and yet being diagnosed with sickle cell did not prevent me from attaining a Master’s Degree or from getting married from which I have two children who do not have the disease; all they need is understanding and care,” she disclosed.
Giving in-depth information about the disease, Dr. Paul Mensah explained that though the disease was diagnosed in the 19th century many people do not know much about it yet many are sickle cell disease carriers.
He estimated that currently about half a million or two percent of the Ghanaian population if not more, have the disease or may be carriers.
Dr. Mensah stated that the formation of the disease is as a result of some disorders that affect the red blood cells or the hemoglobin which is responsible for carrying carbon dioxide and oxygen for respiration.
He explained that when both parents are carriers, that means have the hemoglobin (A) and sickle cell(S) and are therefore likely to give birth to a child or children with the sickle cell deficiency.
He advised that during premarital counseling, would-be couples should undergo screening and confirmatory tests in order for them to know their status and prepare themselves for the future.
Nutritionist, Eunice Berko also a board member educated people living with sickle cell disease to eat variety of foods but in smaller quantities every 10 to 20 minutes which would help protect the body since their immune system is weakened every minute of the day.
She advised them to seriously adopt balanced diets but avoid too salt and sugar and over cooking food saying steaming and poaching should be preferred because it retains nutrients.

ADR Sensitization Programme Held

The Management of the Court-Connected Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) of the Judicial Service last Friday held a sensitization programme for members of the general public to educate them on the alternative means of settling dispute other than the courtroom.
Following the numerous complaints about the bloated number of cases needed to be resolved at the court and delays associated with them, members of the judicial service however met to strategize new ways of reducing the load and to facilitate proceedings at the court.
The programme which was held under the theme “Court-Connected ADR: Access to Justice Made Simpler” witnessed the attendance of some Greater Accra traditional Chiefs, Greater Accra Association of Market Women, Representatives from Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the programme, Justice Marful-Sau an appointed Judge of the ADR said that there was a need for members of the Judiciary to visit the olden days where Chiefs settled disputes before the British Colonist introduced Ghanaians to justice in the court.
According to him, though the litigation system has been in existence for over 100 years, research has shown that it has not been very successful with its accompanying waste of time and the high cost of money involved.
Unlike the litigation system, he explained, ADR the does not enforce the procedures of the court thereby allowing affected parties resolve their own issue which final conclusion would eventually be entered into the books of the Court Judge as the judgement biding the parties.
Briefing them about the ADR procedure, Justice Marful-Sau said that when a registered court case is about to start or have began; parties involved may opt for ADR as a means of settling their issue face to face or continue with court trial.
In ADR method, he said , the court judge would appoint a trained mediator for the affected parties or any trained mediator of their choice together with or without their represented Lawyers to facilitates their discussion into settlement but not responsible for deciding the outcome of the dispute.
On the other hand, he stated, if the parties involved are unable to resolve the dispute under the ADR, they would be given the chance to go back and settle in court.
He as well mentioned also that, because the Judicial Service wants ADR to avoid of delaying cases or piling them up, selected court using ADR have been given the mandate to issue timeframe from which cases form commercial court would have 30 days of settlement and other courts would have at most two months.
Statistically, Justice Marful-Sau declared, since the inception of ADR in 2005, the institution has chalked number of successes in settling cases brought before it.
Numerating the importance of ADR, Nene A.O Amagatcher, a lawyer and a consultant for ADR, disclosed that the new system unlike the court proceedings are held in private, it saves much time and cost, promote good interpersonal relationship and give the parties involved the chance to solve their problem in an understandable language.
He informed the general public that the ADR settle criminal cases and civil cases including claims for debt, land matters, probate and administration with the value not exceeding GH¢5,000, injunctions, landlord and tenants cases among others.
Amagatcher clarified that mediators are not be made of lawyers alone but includes Chiefs, teachers, accountants, opinion leaders among others in order to help affected parties understand what they are doing.
He has however assured members of the general public to have confident in the ADR system since stricter measures such as contempt of court or breach of confidence would be meted out anyone who go contrary to agreement during the settlement.

NGO Fetes Countryside Orphanage

The Global Orphanage Ministry a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Accra last weekend joined members of the Countryside Orphanage Home in Bawjiaese in the Central Region to celebrate and welcome the New Year.
The group led by the Chairman, Nana Appiagyei Danka-Wosu (1), Omanhene’s linguist in the Dwaben traditional area provided the children with drinks, food as well as good music to mark the beginning of the New Year.
The NGO which was registered barely a year ago according to Nana Appiagyei, has already began donating some items to needy people in the country through the aid of sponsorship with the Countryside Orphanage Home being the first orphanage home to be visited.
He mentioned that the group’s main aim of visiting the home was to share some time with children who have been neglect and as a results have been left out of on important occasions such as the New Year’s celebration.
As side these, he said they are willing to support the children in their spiritual life, social, moral as well as their educational life to enable them become responsible members in the society.
On her part, the president of the NGO, Mrs. Dabanka Bekoe explained that the group initiative has been motivated according to the desire of God and therefore advised them to put their trust only in God.
Notwithstanding, she said the group would also adopt some of the children to cater for their educational needs.
In addressing the gathering at the celebration, Mr. Ernest Osei-Owusu the administrator said that the orphanage home first began with about twelve needy children with whom Madam Emma Boafo Yeboah, the founder first lived with as a caretaker in the house of an American couple in Winneba.
He narrated that these children later became her sole responsibility after the couple had gone on retirement and she had to abandon her school.
But during the 1983 drought, he added, the founder had to migrate to their current location in order to survive from the severe hunger.
By 1996, Osei-Owusu continued, they had managed to complete part of the building to secure them permit by the Social Welfare Department in recognition as voluntary organization rendering service to the needy.
Presently, he said, the Orphanage home with 18 rooms and 12 mothers has about 110 children to its credit of which the ages of children there ranges from less than a year old babies to 20 years and above.
According to the administrator, though the home has been in existence for a very long time, they hardly receive donations or recognitions from NGO’s and other charitable organizations.
In view of this, he stated, the management team resulted in farming activities such as rearing of pigs, goats, poultry, cattle, and tilapia together with crops such as maize, cassava, yam, plantain among others on their 28 hectares of land to feed the children when they are financially limited.
In addition to this, the administrator disclosed that a school has been provided for them which begins from kindergarten up to the Junior High School form three and support the students to further their education after completion.
Currently, the administration revealed, the Home has about 7 students pending admission to the country’s universities.
He has however called on all charitable organization to come to their aid in order to provide a better future for the needy children in the area of finance, accommodation for staff members, educational materials, as well as farming equipment.

Big Boost For Central, Eastern Region

The US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has committed $12,338,958 for road construction on the Bontrase, Awutu-Senya Road in the Central Region and its link roads in the Eastern Region in order to support the Millennium Development Authority’s (MIDA) aim of intensifying horticultural production in the agricultural areas.
Rehabilitation of the 74 kilometer feeder road which is expected to be completed within 18 months would be grouped into two separate contracts with Lots EC2 comprising four road segments and Lots EC3 comprising five road networks.
The roads to be reconstructed include connections between Budumburam-Apra (4.14 km), Amanfrom-Bawjiase (10.75 km), Ofaakor-Loye-Apra (11.34 km), Awutu Breku-Bontrse-Obrakyire (18.93km), Droboro-Chinto (5.24km) and Akoti-Desum-Kwanyako (7.25 km).
The rest are Kofi Kwei-Sakyikrom-Adoagyiri (9.52 km) and Maame Dede Junction-Duayeden (3.39 km).
The Board Chairman of MIDA, Professor Samuel Sefa-Dedeh who explained these at the sod-cutting ceremony said that the reconstruction under the Transportation Project of MCA would improve the road infrastructure network in the Eastern and Central regions to enhance food cultivation.
He however expressed worry about how poor road infrastructure had inhibited the expansion of agricultural opportunities due to bad linkages of the roads.
In view of this, he appealed to all those would be affected by the project to cooperate with the consultants in charge of Environment Management and Resettlements and the constructors since MIDA would compensate all Project Affected Persons (PAP).
A speech read by Joe Gidisu, Minister for Roads and Highways on behalf of the Vice President, John Mahama, stated that he was grateful for Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) intervention which had made it possible for a number of vital feeder road linkages to be upgraded especially in the Akuapem South Municipality Assembly and the Awutu Senya District.
“These hitherto poor road corridors, when completed would affect the lives of our famers and bring joy and relief to people who ply the road daily to transact business and many others who would invest in these beneficiary communities,” he added.
He disclosed that government under the MCA program would commit itself to ensuring that regular routine and periodic maintenance would be carried out to sustain full returns on investment made in the roads.
He however advised road contractors, Messrs GKL, Kamsad JV and the Supervising Consultant, Rom Consult Limited “to build it well, finish it within the stipulated time and leave it as a legacy to Ghanaians.”
On his part, Chief Executive Director of MCC, Daniel Yahannes noted that commitment of the fund for the reconstruction was as a result of US President Barrack Obama’s visit to the country last July where he pledged his support for the country and Africa as a whole.
“In our interconnected global economy, what happens in Ghana matters to Americans and what happens in America matters to Ghanaians,” he pointed out.
According to the Chief of town, Nana Agyeman Larbi Otabil who spoke on behalf of the people, though the region contributes a lot to the economy, it is described as one of the poorest in the country with its accompanied bad roads compelling farmers to walk long distances to sell their produce.
Notwithstanding, he said the town is very grateful for the project and congratulated MIDA for its immense support to the community.