Accra, Nov. 15, GNA – The Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) has called for the promulgation of laws to regulate the auditing, inspection and certification of new buildings by qualified engineers and safety personnel.    The GIA said the local municipal or metropolitan assemblies should also be mandated to issue a habitation certificate, which should be is acceptable to the National Insurance Commission, prior to the opening of the facility to the public.     Mr. Adotei Brown, President of the GIA, said this at a press briefing in Accra to express the views of the GIA on the Achimota Melcom Shopping Mall disaster.     He said the audit should include certification as to whether or not the building was being put to use as designed and applied for, whether it met the structural engineering requirements, fire certification and was prepared enough for emergencies among others.     Mr. Brown described the collapse of the Melcom Shopping Mall last Wednesday November 7th as an event that could have been avoided if the necessary controls had been applied.    He said the GIA and the Ghana Institution of Engineers had visited the site of the collapsed building, and initial evidence show of a structural failure, “we will leave the Structural and Geo-technical Engineers to render their detailed observations and findings, after due scientific investigations."     Mr Brown said "as Architects, we are and should usually be the initiators and coordinators of projects of this nature and size, as required by Article 6 of the Building Regulations right through implementation.”    We consider it imperative to be involved in the issues which we believe should be addressed urgently if public safety in buildings should be improved.    Mr. Brown said whilst the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are in charge of enforcing that buildings are put up in compliance with laid down regulations, they are logistically constrained.   "Their capacity to follow the numerous projects springing up all over the country is therefore totally inadequate," he said.    The GIA President said "the failure of this project shows that private developers may not always use the requisite professionals for their projects."    He said it was unfortunate that real estate developers in the country did not need to have architects and structural engineers to be part of their projects "and the existing laws therefore allow them to do all sorts of low quality projects that eventually puts the public at risk".  Mr. Brown recommended that the Assemblies must ensure that laid down processes for the acquisition of property for public use were adhered to.  "This should be extended to all buildings and that should be certified for habitation before granting the public access".     He said a threshold should also be set up to have a mandatory involvement of only architects and engineers, duly registered and in good standing, to projects being designed and constructed, which were beyond single residential properties, or single storey-horizontal extensions.   "We also need to establish something that regulates and assures the quality of personnel of building contractors and that, regular training is given to their trades men."    Mr. Brown said this might be a body or institution separated from the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, where the public is assured that they can seek redress, "if they suspect shoddy work".    It is the fervent the hope of the GIA that any committee set up to investigate the unfortunate incident will have a representation of competent and experienced building professionals, in order to get the maximum input from the findings, said Mr. Brown.    He also expressed the hope that the recommendations of any investigative body would be duly acted upon.    A six store building housing the Achimota Melcom Shopping Mall collapsed on Wednesday, November 7 killing 14 people and injuring about 78 people.   GNA ...

Techiman, Nov. 15, GNA – Government on Thursday affirmed its commitment to provide the necessary support to harness the commercial, agricultural and economic potentials of the Brong Ahafo Region.     President John Dramani Mahama made the commitment when he addressed separate rallies at Techiman, Kintampo, Wenchi and Nsawkaw as part of his four-day campaign tour of the Region.   He said agriculturally, the Region was well resourced and government was working round the clock to provide improved seeds, fertilizers, tractors and other farming equipment and implements.    “The Region has comparative advantage in both cash and food crop production, livestock and other commercial ventures", he said, adding that governmental support would help it to realize its full potential in those areas.   President Mahama had previously addressed similar rallies at Goaso, Kukuom, Kenyasi, Atronie, Nkoranza, Yeji, Atebubu, Prang, and Chiraa all in the Brong Ahafo Region.   He said government would also support farmers to access marketing centres to make farming attractive and profitable, and encouraged the younger ones to undertake that venture.   He also promised to provide accessible roads in all the farming communities of the region to enable them to evacuate their agricultural produce from the farming centres to the commercial and marketing centres.   President Mahama advised the people to vote massively to return the national Democratic Congress to power to complete all the development projects initiated by late President John Evans Atta Mills and to enable government to initiate many more projects.   He called on the electorate to ignore the wild promises opposition parties were churning out, saying that “They cannot defend those promises and I can tell you that those promises are even untenable.”  President Mahama said the NDC government was concentrating on quality education, which was fundamental and relevant, rather than promising to provide free Senior High School Education.   "How will the students get to the Senior High Schools to acquire the free basic education, if they have not got good foundation to pass their examinations into such Senior High Schools to get free education?" he asked.   He appealed to party supporters to eschew violence and all other forms of misconduct that could derail the orderly progress of the December 7 polls.     GNA ...

Tamale, Nov. 15, GNA – Madam Adwoa Kluvitse, the Country Director of ActionAid Ghana, has downplayed the nomination of women by some political parties as their running mates saying “it is not an achievement to choose women as running mates…what we want is the passage of affirmative action law”.          She said the minimum acceptable level at which Ghana could pat itself at the back was to give 30 percent representation to women at all levels of decision making. Mad Kluvitse told the GNA in an interview that women constituted more than 51 percent of the population and they must be equally represented.          She was commenting on the nomination of women as running mates to some political parties for the December 7 elections. The Progressive People’s Party, the Peoples National Convention and the Convention People’s Party have made women the running mates of presidential candidates.           “We want the passage of affirmative action law that will tackle problems relating to women, children and the vulnerable in society and when that is achieved, we can then jubilate”, she said.          Madam Kluvitse, whose organization has been championing and advocating for women and the vulnerable, said good structures and foundation had not been given to women making some women lacking the courage and confidence to compete with men.          She called for a quota of women to be given positions in the district assemblies and building the capacities of women.   GNA  ...

Logre (UE) , Nov. 15, GNA - Logre  Concerned Youth for Development in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region have expressed dissatisfaction about the  MP for the Nabdam Constituency  and successive governments for neglecting the development of the area.  The group at a Press Conference read by its Secretary , Mr Bugre Wisdom indicated that the MP for the area, Mr Moses Asaga, had failed to fulfill his promise of providing the  people in the area with a dam, road and electricity.       ”Our member of Parliament has promised us the construction of the Dasaam-boc dam, a  road through the community and the enlargement of our Junior High School, ... as we talk now , none of the above promises has been fulfilled. “      Madam Juliet  Kumdaare, a teacher  in the Community said  because of lack of water in the community school children in the area went to school late as a result of commuting long distances in search of water. “ Due to the bad nature of the route leading to the clinic in the area ambulance or cars  cannot travel on it, making  sick people particularly pregnant women go through difficulties before arriving at the health facility.    "There are many instances where  a lot of pregnant women have passed away without reaching the health facility due to the bad nature of the route to the facility”,  Madam Kumdaare said.  The group cited an instance where teachers of Logre Junior High School had to sacrifice and contribute towards the completion of  a two- classroom block that was  started by the community after several appeals had been made to the MP without any response from him.  They also complained that when the JHS was ripped off and several appeals were made to the MP  he was adamant to come to their assistance, and said it was the World Vision and Afrikids who came to their aid by re-roofing the school and also providing potable water for some sections of the community.  ‘’ As we speak, potable water is a scarce commodity in most parts of our community. Sections such as Logre Kollpeng, Logre Potin, Logre Zooge just to mention a few, do not have good drinking water. The electricity poles have long become rotten.  "Several calls to the MP have gone unheeded to our petition and the decision now is that any politician who thinks we can influence elections and therefore needs our support should provide two or three of these needs: a dam, the Logre JHS and construction of the road”, the group said.  The Regent of Logre , Zatou Sapalug said their demands were not politically motivated but were genuine concerns, and that the Logre community could no longer tolerate deception from politicians, stressing that if the trend was not changed the community would stop voting.   Meanwhile in a telephone interview with Mr Asaga , he said  the issue was a campaign issue and he was making efforts to handle the situation with the youth and the entire community .   GNA ...

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA – Anthony Allotey, Head Coach of Berekum Arsenals has expressed optimism in his team’s ability to bounce back from their false start to the season. The Berekum-based club is languishing at the depth of the league log win a win-less run after seven matches, yet Allotey has refused to throw in the towel as far as their chances are concerned. Arsenals tasted their fourth defeat of the season, a lone goal loss to newcomers Amiadus Professionals at the Tema Park last Sunday, and the trainer strangely believes the result may lead to their resurgence. “We have identified our weak points and are looking forward to work on it before our next game,” Allotey told GNA Sports. Allotey remained coy on the identity of the supposed weakness, claiming future opponents may capitalize on it to add more salt to their injury. “We cannot come public with the problem as it may help our opponents in our subsequent matches. The most important is we have identified it and are bent on tackling it.” The one-time Hearts of Oak deputy trainer admits there is still more to play for in the league, with 27 matches to go. The ‘Gunners’ have survived the last three seasons by the skin of their teeth, and  Allotey insists history has no place in his books. “The league is still on. Only seven matches have been played and there more matches to come. In our next games, people will see a new-look Berekum Arsenals team. We will surely bounce back in grand style.” Arsenals next play Obuasi Ashantigold in their week eight clash on Sunday, November 25 at the Golden City Park in Berekum     GNA ...

Koforidua, Nov. 15, GNA - The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, on Wednesday launched the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) guidelines for acquisition of environmental permits for compost projects, in Koforidua. The NCCAS seeks to improve societal awareness and preparedness for climate change, enhance the mainstreaming of climate change into national development planning. Ms Sherry Ayittey, the Sector Minister, in a speech read on her behalf, noted that climate change is a major developmental issue since it affects ecosystems and socio-economic well-being of people and said: “This is because climate change has resulted in increases temperature and changes of rainfall pattern”.      She said there was the need for urgent action both at the national and international level to tackle climate change issues.     Ms Ayittey said there was the need to feed the most vulnerable with the right and timely information that would assist them to adapt to the impacts of climate change.      She Ghana in 2008 with financial support from the Climate Change and Development Programme-Adapting by Reducing Vulnerability Project commenced the preparation of the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Document.          Ms Ayittey said that the main goal of the document was to enhance Ghana’s current and future development by strengthening its adaptive capacity with regards to climate change impacts and to build the resilience of the society and ecosystem.     She noted that the need to utilize waste as a resource had been used by many countries, and said based on that, Ghana had initiated several interventions in that area. Ms Ayittey said: “The Co-operative Housing Foundation of Ghana under the technical direction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed two publications. “The first one is on accessing the global carbon credit using composting and the second one is guidelines for the acquisition of environmental permits for composting projects in Ghana”. Ms Ayittey said those publications provided very useful information that guides investors on how to access Clean Development Mechanism  and the permitting process of the Ghana Environmental Impact Assessment. She said more specifically, those publications would provide a guide for operators in the waste sector to take advantage of the global emission trading system to earn carbon credits that could be sold at the international market. Ms Ayittey said the EPA under the auspices of the Ministry had undertaken initiatives, including the implementation of the African Adaptation Program, which focuses primarily on early warning systems, climate change and health. Mr Daniel S. Amlalo, Executive Director of the EPA, said climate change was having a toll on the entire globe, particularly, developing countries that are relatively vulnerable such as Ghana. He said global climate change was one of the greatest environmental threats and the most devastating development challenge facing the world presently.     Mr Amlalo said Ghana had not been left out of the impacts and effects of climate change and that data show that Ghana from 1960 to 2000 experienced a progressive rise in temperature and decrease in mean annual rainfall in all agro-ecological zones in the country. He noted that currently in Ghana, there was increasing variability of rainfall nationwide, extreme weather events and disaster; a widespread increase in the risk of flooding and erosion at many human settlements, which were impacting negatively on agriculture, water resources, physical infrastructure, health and the environment.   GNA ...

  Accra Nov. 15, GNA- The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany on Thursday said its contract with VFS Global will end on 31st December 2012.          It said all applicants applying for short-term Schengen visa for business purposes, visits, holidays or honouring official or private invitations were then no longer required to submit their applications with the German Visa Reception Center in Labone but, instead, book an appointment through the Embassy's online appointment system.           “As of 1st January 2013, all appointments for visa (including long-stay visa for family reunion, studying, re-entry, au pair, etc.)  have to be booked through the online appointment system,” said a statement issued by the embassy in Accra.          The statement said further information and the link to the online appointment system can be found on the website of the German Embassy www.accra.diplo.de   GNA  ...

Nkonya (C/R), Nov.15, GNA - Perseus Mining Ghana Limited (PMCL) on Tuesday launched the “Edikan” community development fund with an initial amount of GH₵750,000 to be used to develop of five communities within its catchment area. The company would give this amount to the communities annually.    The Company also signed a partnership agreement to see to the growth of the communities namely Abenabena, Ayanfuri, Nkonya, Gyaman, Fobinso in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region.   At a ceremony to present the monies to the communities the General Manager of PMGL, Mr. Wayne Nicoletto, said the payment of the money was in fulfilment of a promise made by the Company during an Environmental Protection Agency Public Hearing Forum.    Mr. Nicoletto said despite setting aside GH₵750,000 annually for development projects, Perseus will continue to invest and support the local communities.     He mentioned the construction of two schools and 10-seat aqua privy toilets each in Abenabena and Fobinso, a town water project at Ayanfuri and the repair of boreholes  as some of the projects the Company had undertaken in the area.    On Education, the General Manager said the PMGL have donated text books and a 20-foot container full of books and other educational materials to all the schools in the catchment communities as well as the Senior High Schools in Diaso, Wassa Akropong and Dunkwa-On- Offin.    He said the Company was also providing furniture for the classrooms and staff common room and the Headmaster’s office for the new Ayanfuri Senior High School at a cost of GH₵ 35,240.   It has in addition offered scholarship to 40 young men and women from all the catchment communities to undertake a four- year technical and vocational training at the Kumasi Technical Institute.   The number, he said, had been increased to 50 this year and GH₵94,817 had so far been spent on the beneficiary students.   Mr. Nicoletto said the Company had also instituted a new scholarship scheme for second cycle and tertiary institutions for brilliant children in the local communities.    On employment, he said as of October,  1,468 workers constituting 44.4% of its total workforce have been locally employed.    Nana Ntie Bediako II, Chief of Abenebena who chaired the function commended the management of PMGL for the numerous development projects executed in the area and urged them to continue to honour all agreements reached with the people.    For his part, Nana Prah Agyensaim VI, board chairman of the Company, called for dialogue between the company and the communities on issues that might arise for peaceful co-existence.       GNA ...

Kunkumso (W/R), Nov 15, GNA – A five-year project to help fight poverty and provide people in forest conservation areas with alternative income sources has been launched at Kunkumso in the Bia District.       International Development and Research Council (IDRC) of Canada are funding it and it is a collaborative effort by academic institutions and community organizations in Ghana, Canada and Tanzania.       Under the project farmers in the Bia and Sefwi-Wiawso districts are being trained and set up in beekeeping. They are supplied with beehives and stands, hand gloves, hive tools, smokers, bee suits and brushes.      A number of them from Essam, Debiso, Kunkumso and Asuopiri had already benefited.      Mr Richard Gyamfi Boakye, a Beekeeping Consultant, speaking at the close of a three-day training for some farmers at Kunkumso, said the goal was to improve the lives of people in protected areas and stop the degradation of the reserves.      Returns on beekeeping, he said, could be substantial if properly end efficiently managed.  One hive could yield five gallons of honey and at the current price of GH¢40.00 per gallon, a farmer could gross not less than GH¢200.00 at the end of each harvest.             Mr Boakye said the farmers are also being supported to incorporate wildlife into their land use by planting trees to improve wildlife habitat under the “Protected Areas and Poverty Reduction Project.” GNA ...

Cape Coast, Nov.15, GNA - The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-GHANA) on Wednesday organized a parliamentary debate for aspiring Members of Parliament (MP) in the Cape Coast North Constituency.   The debate which was organized in collaboration with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), was to enable parliamentary candidates across the country to outline their plans and programmes for the electorates to make informed choices.   It was held at the Pedu Catholic Seminary in Cape Coast and was attended by a cross section of the public and students, with two of the three expected candidates, Mrs. Sarah Bucknor of the Progressive People’s party (PPP) and Dr. Mrs. Henrietta Abane of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) participating. Mr. Ebo Barton-Odro, the incumbent MP seeking re-election, was absent.  The three moderators, Mr. Ebenezer Aggrey, Assistance Registrar of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Mr. David Acheampong, Central Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Mr. Kofi Ampah-Korsah, Regional Officer for Teachers and Educational Workers Union, asked questions on Education, health, Disability law and its compliance, peace and security, and corruption. Questions were asked and answered in the Fanti local dialect to the understanding of all present. On eduation, Mrs. Bucknor assured the people that when she was voted into power, she will make sure that the school feeding programme was expanded and that lands would be acquired where farmers would be employed to plant some crops so that they could get enough food to feed their families.    She also said she would ensure the provision of well equipped kitchens in the schools and employ competent caterers who will cook good and healthy food for the children.   When asked about the plans of her Party to help the disabled in the society, Mrs Bucknor said she would help them acquire jobs so that they could get something meaningful to do to make them economically independent. On the provision of good health, Mrs. Bucknor said she would provide mobile clinics in deprived areas to cater for mostly pregnant women so they would not have to walk long distances to attend hospitals to help curtail the rate of maternal deaths. To reduce malaria, a PPP government would provide enough mosquito nets to the public and intensify health and sanitation education, she said, adding that the necessary equipment needed in the hospitals would also be supplied to improve health care delivery. Dr. Mrs. Abane on the school feeding programmes, said she would make sure the agency responsible for hiring caterers employed qualified people who had the finances to do the job. She appealed to the Government to provide the resources needed to keep the programme going.     On health she intimated that she would send proposals to the government to provide the hospitals with the needed  equipment for the early detection of diseases.   On the disabled, the parliamentary candidate pledged to carry out intensive education for the public to treat persons with disability with equal respect as their able-bodied counterparts whilst  avenues would be created for them to get jobs to get them off the streets.  She said she would organize workshops for them and take their plight to parliament so that they can be helped. She would also draw the attention of architects to put in place structures that would  favor them, especially those using wheelchairs and those who are blind.    She indicated that to promote accountability and reduce corruption, she was prepared to declare her assets to the public.  After the debate, the two candidates took turns to advise the electorate to comport themselves on the December 7 general election for peace to continue to prevail after the polls. GNA...

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA - Coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani says Asante Kotoko are obsessed with beating Hearts of Oak when the arch rivals lock horns in the week seven 'super' clash in the Garden City (Kumasi) on Sunday.   Dramani would be guiding the Porcupine Warriors in his fourth game since joining the team and tells GNA Sports “we are obsessed with beating Hearts because our aim is to climb to second place this Sunday and jump to the top before the end of the first round”.   He is well aware of the challenge and pressure that comes with playing the Phobians though the latter are struggling to keep their campaign on track.   “I disagree with those who say form guide plays no role in football. It does a lot in the modern game and we will seek to capitalize on our current form on Sunday.   “We know the pedigree of the Hearts team, their weaknesses and we hope to use our strength to our advantage.”   He reckons “it will be a very emotional game especially for Hearts because of their present circumstances and the fact that they have a new coach. The players will want to 'kill' themselves to catch his attention in a big game like this one.   “I respect (David) Duncan because he is a good coach and his track record. He will know by now the pedigree of Kotoko because his previous teams played against Kotoko.   “But this is a different team, new crop of players and a different coach in charge so things won’t be the same. There is a big blend of new and old players and things around here are no longer the same.”   On what level of impact he expects Duncan to bring to bear, he said: “I don't expect much from him because he is new at the club but it is not enough to underestimate his side.   “We are very composed and just planning to approach the game like any other.”   The game billed for the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi is Duncan's first since taking charge at Hearts.     GNA...

Pusiga (U/E), Nov 15, GNA - Indigenes of the Sugudi Community in the Pusiga District, one of the newly created Districts in the Upper East Region, have said lack of irrigation facility in the area was one of the major problems facing them.    Members of the Sugudi Asangkat Nong Cooperative Farmers Society, who made this known at a press briefing at Pusiga on Tuesday, said as a result of that they could not do irrigation farming during the dry season. The Treasurer of the Association, Mr Charles Abugre, said the situation was getting worse as there was no drinking water for their livestock during the dry season.    Mrs Akandibila Asule, a 38-year-old woman, said the challenge was seriously undermining education in the area as many of them could not engage in dry season activities such as tomato, onion, pepper and green leafy vegetables among others to cater for their children’s education.    “As a result of this many of our children have left for the southern sector and neigbouring countries, thereby forfeiting their education”, she said.    The Community said they were prepared to release land for the construction of a dam for them and called on government to, as a matter of urgency, help them with a dam.   “We are also ready to ensure that we help maintain the facility if we get it since we are in dire need of it”.    A research conducted by the BUSAC service provider, Mr Richard Ananga, confirmed the farmers’ plight and suggested that the government build a dam for the community since majority of the community members are farmers and their livelihood depends on farming.   He said the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, Irrigation Company of Upper East Region and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) should be involved.     GNA...

Sumbrungu (U/E), Nov. 15, GNA - The Bolgatanga Polytechnic has held its 10th matriculation with a call on the newly admitted students to take their studies seriously to enable them become productive in national development.      ...

  Accra, Nov. 15, GNA - The commitment to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of    public finance in the country under the ongoing Public Financial Reform (PFR) is unwavering, Mr Mac–Effort Adadey, Deputy Project Director of Ghana Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) has said. This is because the process to implement GIFMIS has been going on since 2010 to migrate public sector financial transactions from manual to a single electronic platform. The project is being implemented under the auspices of the Controller and Accountants General   Department (CAGD) as part of the e-Ghana project with pooled funding from the World Bank, EU,   UK AID and DANIDA.   Mr Adadey made these remarks when he spoke at a workshop on the reforms for 50 participants, including Regional Coordinating Directors, Regional Heads of Departments, Regional Accountants, auditors and   other stakeholders in the Central Region on Tuesday.   He explained that under the GIFMIS project, five core financial tools   that were used in public finance transactions, namely Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, General Ledger, Purchasing and Cash Management, had all been integrated into one electronic platform.   He said the GIFMIS system had been deployed and was being used by the head offices of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Accra and that the workshop formed part of a nationwide regional   sensitization and training programme to introduce the new system to the MDAs in the regions.   He said the project’s objective was to ensure that by June 2014, all MDAs and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) would have been hooked onto the GIFMIS system and working  with the new tools.   He said such a feat will also ensure efficient, reliable and the timely production of management reports for informed decision-making, among other benefits.   Mr. Samuel Duodu, Central Regional Director of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, urged all stakeholders to develop a strong sense of commitment and ownership of the project.   He said stakeholders should be guided by the positive experiences of earlier initiatives like the Budget and Public Expenditure Management System (BPEMS) to ensure the success of GIFMIS.   Nana Agyekum Dwamena, Cultural Change and Process Management Team Leader (CCPMT) of the GIFMIS Project, told workshop participants that their acceptance of the GIFMIS  working tools  was  not optional but an absolute necessity if they were to remain relevant at the work place.   He said  governments around the world were  investing a great deal of resources into streamlining and improving public financial management,  and that Ghana being part of the global village could not afford to continue using old systems that were inimical to the country’s development.   A similar workshop was also organised in Takoradi for 90 stakeholders in the Western Region.   Mr. Kwame Boadi Danso, Western Regional Director of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department urged the participants to embrace the tools being introduced under the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information Systems to enhance service delivery and efficiency in the Region.     GNA...

Tarkwa, Nov 15, GNA -Two illegal miners,  Kojo Williams and Egya Atta, have been sentenced to 6 months imprisonment each by the Tarkwa circuit court for prospecting for gold on the concession of Goldfields Ghana Limited (GGL), Tarkwa mine, without authority.        They pleaded guilty.   Prosecuting, Police Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah told the court that on October 15, security officers of the company were on their normal patrol duty when they spotted the convicts prospecting for gold on the company’s concession.   He said they were arrested with their tools and handed over to the police.     GNA...

Worawora (V/R), Nov 15, GNA- Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Wednesday said there would be transformation and universal access at the basic education level to build a strong foundation for the development of the nation’s human resource.   He said the government had also demonstrated its commitment to quality education by constructing a lot of classroom blocks to replace schools under trees.   It has distributed free school uniforms, gave free meals and exercise books to pupils and enhanced the pay of teachers through the Single Spine Salary Structure and is working out other packages for teachers as motivation.   Vice President Amissah-Arthur said this when he called on some chiefs and addressed rallies on the first of a two- day tour of the Volta Region.    He called on Togbega Dagadu, Paramount Chief of Akpini Traditional Area, Nana Okotor Kofi III, Paramount Chief of Nkonya Traditional Area, Daasebre Asare Baah, Paramount Chief of Worawora, and Togbe Gabusu, Paramount Chief of the Gbi Tradional Area.   The Vice President praised traditional authorities for their leadership and wisdom and said the government would continue to engage and to partner them to bring projects and prgroammes that would improve the lives of the people.   He expressed the appreciation of the NDC to the people of the Volta Region for keeping faith with the party over the years and expressed the hope that they would vote President Mahama as President again and for the NDC parliamentary candidates.   “The NDC’s relationship with the Volta Region is a love affair that knows no end,” Vice President Amissah-Arthur said.   Addressing the people, Vice President Amissah-Arthur said the government had programmes to complete all classrooms blocks for all communities in the next one and half years.   “NDC believes in investment in people, and is investing in education infrastructure to enhance the capacity of the people,” Vice President Amissah-Arthur said in Kpando, as he addressed the people, reiterating that education is a top priority of the NDC government.   He later inspected the progress of work on a six-unit classroom block at Nkonya Asakyiri being built by the Ghana Education Trust Fund.   At Kpando, Togbe Dagadu thanked the government for the elevation of Kpando into a Municipality.   He appealed for more police stations and the improvement in security in the area, a municipal hospital and the Kpando Technical Institute to be upgraded into a college.     GNA...

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA - The Legal Resources Centre (LRC), a human rights non-governmental organization, has stepped up its efforts to equip politicians and other stakeholders about the workings of the electoral court.   LRC is seeking to empower stakeholders on the types of offences for which an action may be brought to an electoral court and special rules that pertain to the operation of the court.   In a paper to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday, LRC said specific courts have been set aside to hear election cases before, during and after the 2012 elections.   The LRC is therefore organizing two workshops in Accra and Tamale on November 15th and 27 respectively to ensure the speedy resolution of conflicts arising as a result of the elections.   The workshops on the theme: “The Elections Court: The Technicalities of Instituting an Election Case,” will be addressed by Mr Justice Vincent C. R. A. C Crabbe and Justice L. L. Mensah, Supervising High Court Judge, Tamale.   The LRC workshops are aimed at strengthening the judiciary to deal with human rights abuses during Election 2012.   According to LRC in the past, election disputes had to go through the regular courts that were already bogged down with cases, which tended to delay the peaceful resolution of conflicts that festered as a result of the protracted adjudication.   The project is being funded by STAR-Ghana, a multi- donor pooled funding agency.     GNA  ...

Obuasi, Nov 15, GNA –A group known as “Youth for John Mahama 2012“ has been formed at Obuasi with the aim of amassing support for the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), President John Dramani Mahama.   “Youth for John Mahama 2012” was officially launched yesterday alongside the “Lordina Mahama Movement“ another youth group determined to win more female votes for the ruling NDC.   Speaking to the press after the launch, Mr. Mohammed Suleimana, chairman of the youth for “John Mahama 2012” said the group had been motivated by the vision the president had for the youth and the nation including job creation and infrastructural development.   He said the new developments Obuasi was witnessing, especially on the town roads, suggested that the president was development oriented and therefore he should be supported to enable him to continue with his good works.   “Infrastructural development in the country, peace and stability are all shining examples that should encourage Ghanaians to vote for John Mahama to continue with the good work for nation”,the chairman said.   Mr. Suleimana said the president’s policy of  bringing  on board all political parties to share ideas towards facilitating the development of the country  if he was given the mandate was a unique one. “It shows that John Mahama is a unifier, he loves unity”.   The chairman added that by sponsoring Ghanaian youth to go and study medicine in Cuba showed that the president considered the health of the people as one of his major priorities. “This and many more acts of the president has motivated us to join his campaign trail” he said.   Mr. Suleiman advised the electorate to vote massively for John Mahama and the   NDC, admonishing the youth to refrain from all acts of violence, to make the election peaceful.    “Ghana is our country. It belongs to us and we need to protect it from violence “he added.   The “Lordina Mahama movement has Martin Abanga as chairman.     GNA...

Cape Coast, Nov.15, GNA - The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-GHANA) on Wednesday organized a debate for parliamentary candidates in the Cape Coast North constituency.   The debate was organized by National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with the Coalition of Domestic Observers (CODEO) and was held at the Pedu St Peter’s Seminary.   It was attended by Mrs. Sarah Bucknor, the candidate for the Progressive People’s party (PPP) and Dr. Mrs. Henrietta Abane for the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Mr. Ebo Barton-Oduro, the MP who is seeking re-election, was absent.   A cross section of the public and students from the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Dump were present.   Mr. Ebenezer Aggrey, Assistance Registrar of the University of Cape Coast, Mr. David Acheampong, the Central Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers and Mr. Kofi Ampa-Korsah, the Regional Officer for Teachers and Educational Workers Union moderated.   They asked   questions on education, health, the disability law and its compliance, peace and security and corruption. The aspirants gave their answers in Fanti to enable all present to understand.   On education, Mrs. Bucknor said when given the nod she would make sure school children who are not part of the school feeding programme got the chance to enjoy it.   She said land would be acquired to produce foodstuff to be used for the school feeding programme.   Mrs Bucknor said modern kitchens would be built for the beneficiary schools and that qualified and competent caterers would be employed to cook good and healthy food for the children.   When asked about plans for the disabled, she said she would help them get jobs and would educate the public not to discriminate against people with disability.   On the provision of good health, Mrs. Bucknor said she would provide mobile clinics in communities that do not have health centres so that the people, especially pregnant women, would not have to walk long distance to attend hospitals.   Dr. Mrs. Abane said when given the nod, she would stop the pre-financing of the school feeding programme by caterers and would encourage the government to provide resources that would make the programme sustainable and extended to all schools in the country.   On the disabled in society, Dr. Mrs. Abane said, she would protect them and also educate the society on the need to treat them well especially when it comes to jobs.   She said she would provide workshops for them and take their plight to parliament so that they could be helped and also draw the attention of architects to put in place structures that they could easily access , especially those using wheelchairs and those who are blind.   On health  Dr. Mrs. Abane said she would send proposals to the government to provide hospitals with equipment that would make health care  more accessible and affordable  and that  pregnant women  would be given adequate education on the need  to  visit  the hospitals for check-ups..   When asked if they would declare their assets when given the nod, the two candidates said there was the need for all Ghanaians to know the assets of politicians.   After the debate, the two candidates took turns to advise the electorates to comport themselves in the December polls to ensure a peaceful election in the country, especially in the constituency.     GNA...

Yeji (B/A), Nov 15, GNA- President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday called on the opposition to desist from the use of falsehood and lies because these are not effective tools to win the December 7 general election.   He said Ghanaians were aware of the performance of the National Democratic Congress and they would vote based on that performance and not on falsehood and propaganda the opposition is churning out.   President Mahama said this when he addressed a rally at Yeji in the Pru District as part of his four-day campaign tour of the Brong-Ahafo Region.   President Mahama also addressed rallies at Chiraa, Nkoranza, Atebubu, Prang, Kwame Danso, Jato Zongo and Kunkunde and made whistle stops at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.   The President said the NDC’s track record of good governance and social interventions had overwhelmed the opposition parties and “resorting to propaganda and falsehood will not save you from defeat that is written clearly on the wall.”   He appealed to NDC members to eschew the use of violence and other forms of misunderstanding that could mar the December polls.   President Mahama said elections were about policies, issues and programmes and it was only parties that convince the electorate that would win elections.   He said the government would step up the extension of electricity to many more communities, eliminate more schools under trees and provide motivation for teachers and other public servants to give off their best in their various roles.   The chiefs appealed for good roads, potable water, electricity and qualified teachers and nurses.     GNA...