Agona Swedru, Nov 19, GNA - Mr Serebour Quaicoe, Central Regional Deputy Director of Electoral Commission (EC), has appealed to political parties to present well educated polling agents to represent them on Election Day.    He said it would be in the interest of political parties and the nation if committed and level-headed persons represent the parties as agents to avoid suspicion and doubts of the elections results.     Mr Quaicoe said this at a day’s work shop organized by EC for parliamentary candidates at Agona Swedru.   Candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Convention Peoples Party (CPP) and National Democratic Party (NDP) attended.   Mr Quaicoe appealed to party supporters to source information from EC offices instead of from other sources which sometimes create room for suspicion and other related electoral problems.     He said speculation could cause elections violence and that if accurate information is sourced chaos could be avoided.      Mrs Philomena Edusei, Regional Director of EC, assured political parties that EC had made adequate preparations to ensure free and fair elections in December.     Mrs Pauline Adobea Dadzawa, Commissioner of EC responsible for Central Region, said the Commission was ready to cooperate with political parties to ensure free, transparent and fair elections.   GNA...

Adidome (V/R), Nov. 19, GNA - Mr Dan Abodakpi, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, has said he could smell victory for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the impending elections. He said there was, however, the need for a last-minute foray of youthful NDC supporters especially, into the towns, villages and hamlets, to put the records straight, to ensure that victory was total. Mr Abodakpi was speaking a durbar at Adidome at the weekend to formally launch Mr Joe Gidisu’s fourth bid as Member of Parliament (MP) for Central-Tongu. He said stories about lack of development of the area was propaganda by opposing parties to dampen support for the NDC in the area. Mr Abodakpi said funds had been released for the completion of electrification projects in the area by the close of the year. Mr Gidisu, who is also Minister of Roads and Highways, was said to be on a trip with President Mahama and therefore not at the campaign launch. Mr Henry Ametefe, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, said it could be suicidal for the people of the area, if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won the elections as it would superintend the rollback of all developments there. Mrs Dzifa Attivor, Deputy Minister of Transport, reminded the scores of supporters who trouped to the durbar grounds despite a heavy downpour that Mr Gidisu had done a lot for the development of the area.  She cited the arteries of roads that Mr Gidisu had organized to be constructed or repaired to make intra and inter area vehicular movement fluid. Alhaji Bubey Dzinadu, North-Tongu District Chief Executive, said the development of the area was delayed by Dr Abrefa Busia’s Progressive Party (PP) government, when it refused to grant the area a district. He said the creation of more districts in the Tongu area were indications the NDC would speed up development of the area faster than any other government. Mr Joe Kwashi Gidisu, was first elected MP for North-Tongu in 2000 and when the boundaries were redrawn in 2004, he again stood election and won as MP for Central-Tongu and kept hold of the seat again in 2008.   GNA ...

Ho, Nov. 19, GNA - Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC), has said the coming elections could pass off smoothly without any hitch if the rules and procedures were followed by all. He said it was difficult to experience defeat, but the reality was that someone would win and others lose in the coming elections so the losers should accept defeat, rather than contend results based, on often unproven and lopsided accounts. Dr Afari-Gyan said this when speaking at the Volta Region’s version of the EC’s Dialogue with Parliamentary Candidates in Ho on Monday. He said the occurrences of many underage people in the voters register was worrying especially considering the fact some illegalities could have been organized. He passed pictures of the supposed prospective kid voters round and asked that politicians help by condemning the practice and declaring that they (candidates) did not need the votes of these minors. Dr Afari-Gyan, as part of his presentation, gave a step-by-step progression of voting activities from registration through exhibition of the voters’ list to balloting and counting of votes. He said people should appreciate the work of the EC and stop bashing it at the least opportunity even for slips in registration of voters for which it (Commission) had in-built procedures to manage. Dr Afari-Gyan said candidates should ensure that their agents at the polling stations and collations centres were formalized with the EC. He said there should be no shortages of ballot papers on Election Day as each polling station would be supplied and properly documented.   GNA ...

Accra, Nov 19, GNA - Mr K. Dovlo, Acting Managing Director, Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), has said prepaid metres could be introduced to customers to help monitor the use of water by the general public. He said the company has set up a committee to work out the modalities for the introduction of such prepaid metres and was expected to come out with their recommendations by the end of the year. Speaking during a staff durbar on a merger between the GWCL and the Ghana Urban Water limited (GUWL) on Monday, he said the GWCL was currently in discussions with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) on the successful introduction of such metres. He said the introduction of the prepaid metres would make the work of GWCL easier as it would make consumers pay before services were rendered to them. Mr E.T. Mensah, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, said the lack of funds to expand the water infrastructures and the replacement of obsolete equipment and managerial ineptitude were some of the challenges facing the two companies. He said the merger of the two companies had come about in an effort to improve on the quality of services they render to customers. GUWL was formed by government on a temporary basis after the expiration of its contract with Aqua Vitens Rand Limited in 2011 to take over the company’s role of providing water for urban areas. “The amalgamation of GWCL and the GUWL into a single national utility, with the head office playing the role of an asset holding authority, we believe would be good for the country”, he said. He said an implementation team had been formed to oversee the merger and had up to February 2013 to come out with its report and assured the staff of both companies that jobs would be affected because of the merger. Mr Mensah appealed to the staff to support the acting managing director in his work as Mr Kweku Botwe, Managing Director had had taken his accumulated leave. Mr Senyo Amenyo, Acting Managing Director, GUWL, said the installation of two 10MVA transformers at Weija headworks and  another two 10MVA transformers for Kpong headworks which are yet to be installed, and the purchase of pumping equipment at Konongo, Agordome, near Sogakokpe and Kpeve as some of the achievements of the GUWL.     GNA ...

Pakyi (A/R), Nov. 19, GNA – Sandvik Mining has since 2005 spent over 590,000 US Dollars for the training of technicians at the University of Mines and Technology to help provide relevant skills for the mining industry. Mr Chris Brindley, the President of Sandvik, Africa, said this was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility policy adding that from 2009 to 2011, the company had contributed a total of 62,000 Dollars to rehabilitate the dormitory block of the Tarkwa Midwifery Training School. He was speaking at a career fair organized for the students of International Community School (ICS) at Pakyi near Kumasi saying Sandvik Mining was re-locating its West Africa and Ghana Offices to the area and holding the career fair was a move to establish a healthy relation with the school. He said the event was also a programme to assist the school community to appreciate the role of the company its scope of work as a high technology engineering group that manufactures and markets world class mining products. Mr Brandley said “for Sandvik, remaining profitable and sharing our success is dear to our hearts. For us it is not a favour we are doing. It is our right to do so. We understand very well our corporate behaviour”. Representatives of the departments within the company including business department, finance, services, inventory and logistics and human resource took turns to discuss the various requirements for employment in their areas. The Director of the ICS, Dr Charles Yeboah, said the linkage between industry and school would be enhanced with the locating of the company’s office in the area. He said “it is not by accident that ICS, a school that constantly looks for ways of doing things differently and Sandvik, a company known for its innovative approach to business happen to be located side by side”. Mr Nuhu Salifu, the Human Resource and Administrative Manager for Sandvik, West Africa, said the career fair was “all about building relationships and to help our young ones know what prospects there are for them in an organization like ours”.     GNA ...

Koforidua, Nov. 19, GNA - Mr Victor Smith, the Eastern Regional Minister, has noted with concern that the fight against illegal mining, was not making a headway, because those involved regarded the activity as their means of survival. He said despite massive destruction those activities were causing to the environment, many issues concerning their livelihoods and survival matters were making it difficult to tackle the issue because those involved were claiming they had no jobs. Mr Smith said government was not condoning those illegal activities which were destroying lives and properties in parts of the region saying after many operations to flush the illegal miners out, the perpetrators still found their way back to those mining sites. Briefing members of the Ghana Armed Forces Staff and Command College Course 34 on their tour of the region in Koforidua on Monday, Mr Smith said illegal mining was a major challenge eroding all the gains that the government had made in the area. The Regional Minister said illegal activities had rendered the environment unsafe for human activities such as farming saying discarded pits could only be likened to landmines that had been left uncovered. Mr Smith indicated that the situation had compelled the Ghana Water Company to shut down a treatment plant at Kyebi. Colonel M.I. Tetteh, who led the team to the region, said they were on a five- day environmental tour to acquaint themselves with challenges in the area saying another group was in the Upper West region on a similar mission. He said the main focus of the team was on youth employment, poverty alleviation and environmental degradation and to ensure that they were able to contribute to strategies devised to tackle those challenges. As part of the tour, a meeting of all heads of departments and agencies met to brief the members on their operations in the region.   GNA ...

Adaklu Kodzobi (V/R), Nov. 19, GNA – Ghana cannot attain the goal of reducing new HIV infections by 50 per cent, eliminate mother to child transmission of the disease and optimize treatment for all eligible patients if elimination of HIV-related stigma and discrimination is not prioritized.     This is because stigmatization and discrimination severely undermine HIV prevention efforts by making people afraid to seek information about how to reduce their risk of exposure to the disease, come for voluntary testing and discourage people living with the disease to disclose  their status.     Mr Victor Ntumi, Executive Director of AFRIWEB Foundation, a Health and Livelihood Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), was speaking at an outreach programme at Adaklu Kodzobi in the Adaklu District at the weekend.    The programme was under the aegis of AFRIWEB Foundation with support from Ghana Aids Commission and Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana.     Mr Ntumi said discrimination and stigmatization were barriers to achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and hindered progress towards achieving the health related Millennium Development Goals.     He said AFRIWEB Foundation was using churches and mosques as springboards to educate people on the dangers of discrimination and stigmatization of people living with AIDS adding “we must show love and compassion to such people”.     He said out of the about 2,000 people randomly tested for /HIV/AIDS voluntarily in the Ho Municipal Area lately only 20 people tested positive.     Mr Ntumi said it was beneficial to know one’s HIV status and assured that results of people who came for testing would be treated with the “greatest confidentiality”.     He said the face of HIV/AIDS had now changed and assured those living with the disease that “it is not the end of the road for them” and advised them to avail themselves of treatment and antiretroviral therapy currently available throughout the country.     Mr Ntumi appealed to community and faith-based organisations, opinion leaders and traditional leaders to be in the forefront in the fight against discrimination and stigmatization of PLWA.     Over 100 people were later tested voluntarily for the disease.   GNA...

Akropong Akuapem, Nov. 19, GNA - Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), has expressed concern about the high rate of corruption in the Ghanaian society.     He said even though Ghana abounded in natural resources, majority of Ghanaians continued to wallow in abject poverty due to corruption in all aspects of society.     The Moderator, therefore, urged the electorate to vote against politicians perceived to be corrupt in all the political parties in the December polls.     “I pray that during the elections, especially the forthcoming one in December, all corrupt politicians in the political parties should not be voted into power,” he said.     Rev. Prof. Martey was delivering a sermon when he commissioned 55 newly trained ministers of the Church at a colorful ceremony at Akropong Akuapem on Sunday.     The newly trained ministers underwent three months of intensive theological education at the Akuapem Presbytery Hospitality Centre and supervised by the Ramseyer Training Centre at Abetifi.     The sermon was on the theme: “Be Attentive and Active as You Wait for Your Redemption”.     The Moderator said it had become difficult to preach the unadulterated word of God in present times because people were afraid of insults.     He reminded the newly trained ministers that the Lord they serve was insulted and persecuted and that they should be prepared for more insults from people who would not be comfortable with the truth.     Rev. Prof. Martey said Ghana needed leaders of integrity to govern the nation but not people who would not care if Ghana got burnt for them to satisfy their selfish interests.     He urged the newly trained ministers not to go out and be partisan, since the Presbyterian Church of Ghana did not belong to any political party.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 19, GNA - A delegation from the Western Regional House of Chiefs on Monday informed the government of the final funeral rites for the late Nana Professor Kobina Nketsia, Omanhen of Esikado.   The delegation, led by Nana Akwasi Agyeman, also informed the government of the death and final funeral rites of Nana Aba Asafuaba, Queenmother of the area.   The combined funeral of the two traditional leaders comes off on Saturday, November 25, 2012, at Esikado in the Western Region.   The announcement was made during a courtesy call on Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur at his office at the Flagstaff House in Accra.   Nana Nketsiah died in 1995 at the age of 79 after having ruled for 47 years.   The late Nana Prof. Kobina Nketsia was a nationalist and played key roles in the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention, the Convention Peoples Party as well as the Ghana Trades Union Congress.   Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur said the government would be heavily represented at the funeral.   He lauded Nana Prof. Kobina Nketsia for his immense contribution to the country’s struggle for independence and nationhood.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 19, GNA - The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) on Monday declared Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, Presidential Candidate of the Progressive People's Party (PPP) medically fit to undertake the demanding work of the presidency.   “I declare that Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom is physically and mentally healthy. No significant pathology, disease or disability was detected. He is medically fit undertake executive function, sedentary or physically demanding task,” said a medical declaration signed by Dr Philip Amoo, Head of the Public Health Unit of the KBTH.   This follows a comprehensive medical examination undertaken by Dr Nduom a fortnight ago in fulfillment of a campaign promise to disclose his health status before the 2012 general   election in pursuance to the running of transparent government and demonstrating leadership.   Dr Amoo who handed over the medical report to Dr Nduom at the hospital commended him for taking such a bold step and urged others seeking to occupy public office to do same.   “What Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has done today is a good example of what we expect of people holding positions in Ghana and every worker and for that matter every Ghanaian should be doing annually.   “This is a big encouragement, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom I congratulate you very much for showing this leadership, may God bless you and may you bring this visionary approach to the leadership of our dear country,” he said.   Dr Nduom said he undertook the medical examination not only for personal reasons but to demonstrate that people who seek to govern must do so by example.   He said even though the report was good there were some grey areas which he had to watch and work on.   The report said Dr Nduom’s needed a dietary advice to lower his cholesterol level, and his low hemoglobin level needed further investigation and treatment.   Dr Nduom also requested an HIV test, and the medical report declared him negative.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 19, GNA -Ghana would soon commission a National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), to strategically coordinate stakeholder efforts in disaster and emergency operations.   The NEOC is a four-storey edifice sited on the grounds of the headquarters of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), where the premier disaster organisation would harness the expertise of the security services, government agencies, and recovery groups to effectively manage disasters and emergencies when they occur.   The United States Army is to furnish the Centre, which would enable government agencies and other disaster stakeholders to improve communications that would save lives and perk up relief efforts.   Mr Kofi Portuphy, NADMO National Coordinator who conducted the media round the building said the centre would provide a central coordination point in responses to disasters.   He said the centre would also coordinate all humanitarian assistance, collect, analyse and disseminate information on disasters to stakeholders, including the media, and promote preparedness activities at all levels of government.   The NADMO Coordinator said the centre would help to develop and implement a joint national action plan for disaster management.   Colonel M’bawine Atintande, Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces expressed the need for NADMO to assume a central role in coordinating relief efforts for effective disaster mitigating operations.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 19, GNA – The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday set December 3 as deadline for all candidates contesting Election 2012 to submit their list of Agents for accreditation.   Constitutional Instrument 75 stipulates that: “A candidate shall submit in duplicate to the Returning Officer in charge of the Constituency in which the candidates seeks election, not later than four days to an election, letters of appointment stating the name and address of each polling agent appointed by the candidate; and the polling station to which a polling agent is to be assigned”.   Mr Kwadwo Safo Kantanka EC Deputy Chairman in Charge of Operations stated this at day’s workshop in Accra.   He noted that the Returning Officer would set a date on which the polling agents would have to appear before him to swear an oath to the effect that he/she would abide by the laws and regulations governing the conduct of elections.   “After the oath is taken by the polling agent, the Returning Officer shall sign both the original and duplicate copies of the appointment letter and issue to the polling agent, the duplicate copy.   “The polling agent shall present the duplicate copy of the letter of appointment to the Presiding Officer of the polling station to which the agent is assigned on the day of the poll,” Mr Safo Kantanka explained.   Responding to questions, the EC Deputy Chairman said a candidate may change an agent on Election Day under special circumstances and a new agent appointed by the candidate who shall swear an oath before the presiding officer in charge of the polling station where the agent is assigned.   He said EC has secured funding for the training of the party agents; but some of the Parliamentary Candidates rejected the idea and suggested that the Commission should give the funds to them to do the training.   Mr Samuel Yorke Aidoo, EC Director of Finance who spoke on; “Key activities of the Commission between now and the December 7,” said ballot papers would be ready ahead of time.   He said the Commission has instituted a tracking mechanism to trace the movement of ballot papers from the printing houses to the final destination the polling station.   He said the Commission would also present a soft copy of the full register to parties contesting the election.   Mr Yorke Aidoo said the commission has also rolled out comprehensive publicity campaign to ensure that people are educated on the electoral process and the mandate of each stakeholder.   He urged the candidates not to feed on falsehood but contact District Electoral Officers on any electoral issue adding; “candidates should study the work of the Commission to appreciate its operations”.   “In election only one person will win- therefore there is the need for vigilance as at the end of the day its Ghana...if you win you win for Ghana and if you lose you lost for Ghana”.   The dialogue session was attended by parliamentary candidates from Ablekuma, Okaikio and Ayawaso sub-metro to discuss preparations towards Election 2012.   The engagement under the EC’s project: “Enhancing the credibility of Ghana’s 2012 Election,” was organised by the EC in collaboration with DFID.   The Parliamentary Candidates who attended were from the National Democratic Congress, Convention Peoples Party, New Patriotic Party, National Democratic Party, Peoples National Convention, Democratic People’s Party, Progressive Peoples Party, Independent Peoples Party, and Independent Peoples Party.   GNA...

Accra, Nov 19, GNA – Peace will come and remain in this year’s election only when all of us live up to expectation, Reverend Emmanuel Nikoi, Presiding Bishop of the Divine Victory Ministry said on Sunday.      He said Ghanaians were the only people who could ensure a peaceful election, adding "Peace will come from nowhere, but our own conduct. All it takes is for everyone to live up to expectation". Rev. Niikoi was speaking at a thanksgiving service to commemorate the establishment of the La-Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly in Accra. He said in a country of Christians, Muslims, and people of several other religious faiths which discouraged violence, dishonesty, acrimony and all other vices, all it took was for people to be true to their faiths for the country to enjoy peace. "Shun hypocrisy and live up to what you profess. That way, we would basically achieve law and order in the society," he said. Mr. Franklin Anku, Municipal Chief Executive of the Assembly, said he would ensure that the basic needs of the Assembly such as good sanitation, roads among several others, were provided. "We would ensure that the taxes and levies of the people are properly organized for the development of the Assembly." Alhaji Amadu Sorogoh, Member of Parliament for the Madina Constituency, as well as chiefs from towns forming the La-Nkwantanang Municipality attended the ceremony. The La-Nkwantanag-Madina Municipal Assembly was inaugurated on June 28th this year.   GNA ...

Koforidua, Nov. 19, GNA -The youth have been advised to stop spending money on expensive mobile phones and living expensive life styles to be able to save and create employment for themselves after school.      Mr Chris Bluku, Proprietor of Chris Café, a restaurant chain in the Eastern and Greater Accra regions, gave the advice at a lecture to mark this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration at the Koforidua Polytechnic and the Koforidua Islamic Senior High School.      The programme was organized by the Youth Enhancement International and was sponsored by the Local Enterprise and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP).      Mr Bluku, a product of Accra Polytechnic, started his business with two cedis in 1983 at Accra New Town before expanding them to other parts of Accra and then to the Eastern Region.      He reminded the students that the future was “not five or ten years ahead” but just a few seconds away.      He said any decision that they took at any given moment would determine what they would be and where they would be the next moment.      Mr Bluku advised the students to start their businesses on a small scale to grow and seek sufficient information about any business that they want to invest in before starting.      “Do not start a business if you are not sufficiently informed about the business,” he said and urged the students to cultivate good customer relationship for their businesses to grow.      Ms Bernice Gligah, lecturer at the Koforidua Polytechnic, said the world is in an entrepreneurship revolution and nobody or community could afford to be left out.      She reminded the students that the days when school graduates put their certificates in files and marched from one office to the other expecting to be employed was over, and that they should start thinking about employing themselves to create jobs for others.      Dr Smile Dzisi, Senior Lecturer at the Koforidua Polytechnic, advised the students to start planning for their lives right from school.      He reminded them that if others started small business and gradually grew them to big establishments, then every determined business minded fellow could also do the same.      The Eastern Regional Coordinator of the LESDEP, Mrs Fatahiya Zulka, called on graduates not to join the Graduate Unemployed Association but to join the LESDEP programme to help them to put their ideas into production.      She explained that often young people have great ideas but their challenge was how to raise the initial capital to start up and so the LESDEP programme was introduced to support the young entrepreneurs in the form of tools and equipment on loan for the beneficiaries to pay gradually.      She said by the end of June this year, over 2,000 people in the Eastern Region had benefitted from the LESDEP programme and some of the beneficiaries had set up their own companies with some employing more people.   GNA...

Kumasi, Nov 19, GNA - The Offinso College of Education has admitted 300 students to undertake a three-year diploma course in basic education to enhance educational human resource needs of the country.      Speaking at a matriculation ceremony, Mr. Lloyd Alexander Djangmah, Principal of the college, said 2,312 candidates applied for admission but 300 students made up of 209 males and 91 females were admitted.      “We could not expand our intake due to the quota of 300 maximum given to the College, even though infrastructure has slightly improve to pave way for the admission of more students,” he said.      Mr. Djangmah advised the students to comply with all the College conventions and regulations as well as the laws of the country to ensure peace, protection of life and property.      Advising the students, he said, the College assessed students on the basis of their output to work, attendance to lectures and completion of continuous assessment marks, adding that the students must comply to avoid dismissal.      “Always try to exhibit a high sense of academic integrity and sincerity, avoid laziness, procrastination and unnecessary outings as the College authority would not compromise on assignment marks and any examination malpractice,” he noted.      The Principal urged them to be time conscious to keep their aims and aspiration for tertiary education moving and make sure that the sacrifices people had made in their education might not be in vain.     "You must always listen, ask questions, have fun by all means, but make sure your goals as ambitious as you could and ensure to take your destiny into your own hands and ensure that you accomplish these goals as you spend time in this college".     Mr. Djangmah told them the College would keep an eagle eye on students, who indulged in drugs, sexual misconduct, occultism, alcoholism.     He advised them to desist from excessive socialization, rivalries and other vices such as indulging in trafficking and flee from gay and lesbianism.     "You must also avoid pilfering, gossiping, use of abusive language, dress modesty and learn hard as if you are doing that for the last time to achieve your goals in life".     Mr. Bertinus Bagbin, Director of GES, Offinso Municipality, advised the students not to deviate from the College rules and regulations and refrain from examination malpractices.     He said they should think of upgrading themselves soon after their diploma in basic education.   GNA ...

Accra, Nov. 19, GNA – The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on Monday rescheduled the 2nd Election 2012 Presidential Debate from November 20 to November 21 at the Banquet Hall of the State House.   Mrs Jean Mensa, IEA Executive Director announced this in a statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.   The debate seeks to provide a common platform for the Presidential Candidates, whose political parties have Parliamentary representation, to respond to questions on various aspects of the nation’s development process.   The first debate took place in Tamale on October 30, taking the form of a policy dialogue during which the presidential candidates presented their viewpoints, plans and programmes.   They also pointed out the weaknesses in the policies and programmes of their co-contestants and presented alternative views.   Following balloting conducted by the political Parties, the Presidential Candidates will be seated as follows: President John Dramani Mahama, National Democratic Congress Presidential Candidate; Dr Michael Abu Sakara Forster, Convention People’s Party; Mr Hassan Ayariga, People’s National Convention and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of the New Patriotic Party.   GNA...

Tamale (N/R), Nov 19, GNA - Ten (10) seminarians were on Sunday ordained as deacons at the Saint Augustine Millennium Major Seminary (SAMS) in Tamale after completing a nine-year intensive theoretical and practical studies.      The group would be proclaimed as priests after a successful six months of service in the various parishes they would be posted to.      The Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, Most Reverend Philip Naameh, speaking at the ceremony, explained that being conferred with a deacon title meant one had abandoned his own will and had decided to serve God.       The occasion was also used to dedicate a newly built church for the seminary.      The Archbishop said the role of a deacon included proclamation of the word of God, assisting marriage blessing, presiding over funeral, seeing to the ministry of charities as well as caring for the widow, orphan and the needy.      He urged the deacons to exhibit a high sense of fidelity to Jesus Christ, moral integrity and obedience to their superiors as well as to the congregation.      Most Reverend Naameh bemoaned the use of church premises as market place for selling items including news papers and newsletters.      “Although some people argue that proceeds of these items are use to help the church, but it is not just right in the sight of God. Make sure the church is use for it purpose,” he said.      Vice Rector of the Seminary, Very Reverend Rudolph Alumam, who gave the background of the school, said the seminary was instituted in September 2000.      He said from a humble and difficult beginning, seminarians and formators used the contractor’s wooden shed as both dining hall and chapel.      Today he said, SAMS had steadily risen to consist of three 10-unit residential for seminarian, residence for three formators, and a lecture and dining halls.      Very Reverend Alumam thanked the Saint Peters Apostles in Rome, Friends of the States and individuals for their support towards to institution of the seminary. GNA ...

Offinso (Ash), Nov. 19, GNA – The Offinso Municipal Health Directorate recorded a total of 1,600 teenage pregnancies last year, a figure described as disturbingly high.                Ms Beatrice Acquah, Municipal Health Director, said their ages ranged between 10 and 19 years.       She said 267 of the pregnancies were aborted.       She was speaking at a stakeholders’ forum held to draw attention to the dangers of unsafe abortion and the need for comprehensive family care at Offinso.       It was jointly organized by the Offinso Health Directorate, the Centre for the Development of the People,  International Pregnancy Advisory Services Ghana and the Offinso Queen Mothers Association.      The goal was to help bring down unwanted pregnancies in the area.      Ms Acquah said unsafe abortion was one of the leading causes of maternal deaths and was often associated with complications like bleeding, infections, perforated uterus and infertility.      She cautioned women against the use of herbs and concoctions to terminate unwanted pregnancies.      She said they had stepped up public health education in schools, markets and workplaces on reproductive health.      She encouraged couples to accept family planning methods.      Nana Amma Adowaa Akyaa, Queen of Ayensua-Kokoo, said they would provide the needed leadership in their communities to help reduce the high incidence of teenage pregnancy.   GNA...

Abekoase (E/R), Nov 19, GNA - Two cocoa growing communities in the Eastern Region have received a mechanized borehole, electricity generating play ground and 40 pieces of customized chargeable solar lanterns.     The Electricity-Generating Play Ground produces electricity to charge the lamps whiles the children play with it.     The chargeable solar lanterns were donated by Touton and Transmar, Cocoa processing companies in France under a traceability project to improve the living conditions of people in cocoa growing areas.     Abekoase benefited from the borehole estimated at GH¢9,000, whilst Ekoso-Akwadum received the Electricity-Generating Playground and the customized solar lanterns costing 10,000 dollars.      The Electricity-Generating Play Ground was situated at the Ekoso-Akwadum Roman Catholic Basic School. The accompanying chargeable lamps would be distributed to households in the community to enable their children learn in the evening to improve their educational performance.     Traceability Foundation is a collaboration between the Ghana COCOBOD, the Produce Buying Company (PBC) and the Touton and Transmar established three years ago to improve the lives of cocoa farmers and their communities through a special arrangement of paying additional premiums on quality cocoa from the producing communities.     Mr Asante Poku, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana COCOBOD, said the projects were additional benefits accruing from cocoa farming through the initiative of the COCOBOD and the PBC for better conditions for cocoa farmers and their communities. He observed that the move was to boost cocoa production to meet the demand of the European market and therefore farmers must ensure good farming practices and endeavor to boost their production for more of such developmental projects. Mr Kwadwo Ata-Krah, the Managing Director of the PBC, said the Traceability Foundation was also to ensure that cocoa communities adhered to good farming practices for quality of their cocoa beans through education. He said the Foundation assessed the communities on child labour exploitation to ensure that they did not engage their children on cocoa farms at the expense of their education and urged the cocoa farmers to produce more cocoa through good practices to attract more of such premiums for the development of their communities. According to the PBC Manager, the premiums were different for the prices already paid on purchasing the cocoa and that the project was currently running in two cocoa districts in the region. He said Abekoase was chosen as a beneficiary because it produced about 800 bags averagely during cocoa seasons. Mr Ata-Krah hoped that the Electricity Generating Play Ground would improve the performance of the children in the community, who were mostly wards of cocoa farmers. The Chief of Abekoase, Barimah Akroma Acheampong, who was elated by the gesture, thanked the collaborators for the provision of the borehole, which he noted would solve the acute water problem facing the community. He, however, appealed to the Foundation to consider the construction of a clinic for the community and pledged the support of the community in improving and boosting cocoa production in Ghana.   GNA ...

Tarkwa, Nov. 19, GNA –GNA – Two illegal miners, Yaw Patakron, 31 and Yaw Amo, 41, have been remanded in to prison custody by Tarkwa Circuit Court for killing a 28 year-old man, Kofi Asare at Amoanda in Prestea Huni/Valley District.   Their plea was not taken and they would re-appear on December 3.   Prosecuting Police Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah told the court presided over by Mr Samuel Obeng Diawuo that the deceased and accused persons were residing at Amoanda near Huni/Valley.   He said about 0030 hours on Tuesday, November 13, the deceased together with the two accused persons were at a wake keeping when a quarrel ensued between the deceased and some people at the funeral ground.   Ch/Inspt Amponsah said Patakron stepped out to beat the deceased but was restrained by those around.   He said the deceased started to insult Patakron without provocation, who did not utter a word, however Amo warned the late Asare that if he was the one he was abusing, he would have shot him dead.   Patakron slapped the deceased, who in the process hit his fore head which resulted in a cut.   As Mr Asare was  been escorted home by one Kwabena Kesse, Patakron hit him with his leg to the ground when he tried to escape.   Ch/Inspt  Amponsah said Patakron then stabbed the deceased and left him in a pool of blood.   Mr Asare who was managing to seek for help from his grandfather fell unconscious on his way and was  rushed to a nearby health centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival.   He said the Huni/Valley police arrested the accused persons and handed them over to the Tarkwa police  to avoid being lynched by an angry crowd.   GNA...