CAPT. MAHAMA ADAM (RTD) URGES GHANAIANS TO WALK THE TALK AGAINST MOB JUSTICE

Captain Dennis Mahama Adam (Rtd) the father of the late Major Maxwell Adam Mahama today joined hundreds of security personnel's and the general public within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis to walk against mob justice which led to the death of his son some weeks ago at Denkyira Obuasie in the Central Region of Ghana.

"Walk the Talk", an awareness creation initiative by Ahot) 102.3 FM in Takoradi with support from Melody FM also based in Takoradi is to drum home the call against Mob Justice which has been part of our society for some time and is taking the life of many innocent people whiles it denies investigators of accurate evidence.

Captain Dennis Mahama Adam (Rtd) who join in the Two hours walk through the principle streets of Takoradi with his second son Michael Mahama expressed gratitude to the organisers for taking the lead in the campaign against mob justice which "I am going to embark on across the length and breath of this country".

According the retired captain, he believes his son's death will end this whole canker of citizens taking the law into their own hands for one reason or the other.

The General Manager of Melody FM, Ekow Mensah Shalders mentioned that radio stations owe it as a responsibility to the masses to shape every discussion in the country "and that is exactly what we joined hands with Ahot) FM to champion this worthy cause through walking."looking at the health benefits for taking a walk as an exercise, we equally are educating the public to stay away from such a barbaric behavior".

Meanwhile the Acting Manager of Ahot) FM, Mr. Patrick Bismark Mensah noted that the excise is to bring home the issue of taking our evidence to the police as we refrain from taking the law into our own hands to deal with suspects.

He also hinted that the "Walk the Talk" campaign will continue to every part of the country and see to the closure of mob justice in this country.

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ABANDONED STATE BUNGALOW DETERIORATE AS DIRECTOR LODGES IN A HOTEL IN TARKWA

The Abandoned Bungalow in Tarkwa

After lodging in a hotel for more than two years, the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Director of Education has finally moved into a two bed room self-contain apartment rented for her by the Municipal Assembly while her abandoned official bungalow deteriorate in it dilapidated state.

For more than two years, the Education Director for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality has been lodging from one hotel to the other. This is because the formal director who currently went on retirement complained of seeing snakes in the house.

She left the bungalow with her family out of fear thinking that will also allow the assembly to fix the deteriorating wooden decking’s in the house. 

Front View of  the Abandoned Bungalow in Tarkwa

When I visited the abandoned bungalow of the Education Director in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality at Government Hill next to the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) bungalow, I realized that the all the decking’s used in the said bungalow has fast deteriorated and needed to be replaced.

The basement of the bungalow has sadly become a home for squatters.    

The new Director Education for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, Anastasia Kuntaa corroborated the story adding that she has been lodging in a hostel in Tarkwa since May 2016 when she took over from her predecessor until December 2016 when she was informed that the assembly has secured a two bed room self-contain for her while she was indisposed. 

The Basement of the Abandoned Bungalow in Tarkwa

She said that, the rented apartment is temporal and because she is fully aware the immediate past Municipal Chief Executive, Christian Cobbina directed the assembly’s engineer to renovate the place for her.

Mrs. Barbie Annan Nunoo

But the Public Relations Officer for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly, Mrs. Barbie Annan Nunoo disclosed to me that the Assembly needs two hundred and forty-two thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc242, 000) to rehabilitate the official residents of the Municipal Education Director of Tarkwa and the assembly has yet not award that contract for the bungalow to be renovated since the money involve is way too hug for the assembly to bear.

Basement of the Abandoned Bungalow 

However, the assembly according to her will definitely renovate the official bungalow of the Municipal Director of Education because it’s a government property and reminded us that the assembly cannot continue to rent accommodation for the Directors of Education posted to the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality. 

Front View of  the Abandoned Bungalow in Tarkwa

Meanwhile, the current director of Education of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, Anastasia Kuntaa is proposing that civil servants staying in government bungalows should be levied towards a periodic maintenance of the government bungalows in which they reside.

She believes that will ensure commitment on the part of these citizenry in protecting state properties.                             

                                                                        
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PREZ. NANA ADDO WILL LEGALIZE GALAMSEY - Mireku Duker.

The Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, Mr. George Mireku Duker has hinted that President Nana Addo will legalize illegal mining popularly called "galamsey" to help create more jobs for the youth.

Mr. George Mireku Duker

The first time legislator but a formal Municipal chief executive (MCE) for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region is firmly assuring the people in his constituency especially the youth that the Nana Addo led administration is going to refined the way they have been doing mining in the area as small scale miners and give them prepare training as to how to reclaim the land afterwards.

The assurance comes on the back of propaganda pealed by the NDC in the constituency that the Nana Addo led administration is going to collapse small scale mining business in the town which has been the heartbeat of most household in the Municipality.

“You cannot talk of Tarkwa Nsueam without small scale mining or “galamsey” and I have told the young men that we the NPP have not come to collapse galamsey we will look for a nice way to group them and give them training and license to operate as small scale mining so that they will not destroy our water bodies and the land”.

He mentioned that the 'legalization policy's the small scale mining sector will be mindful of protecting water bodies, forest reserves and proper reclamation of the land on which they mine.

He however seized the opportunity to thank, Chiefs and people of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency for bestowing on him the honor to serve in the August house in their interest.

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BIG AIDOO RUBBISHES PRESS CONFERENCE BY HIS REGIONAL ORGANIZER, JAPHET BAIDOO

The blame game that is bedeviling the NDC since their defeat in the just ended general elections seems not to be subsiding any time soon as the cracks among the rank and file of the party deepens over issues.

The western regional organizer of the National Democratic Congress, (NDC), Japhet Baidoo has openly challenge some parliamentary results in the just ended general elections stating that the regional executives of the party will soon be heading to court with facts and figures available to them on how the NPP rigged the elections.

He mentioned that over voting was recorded in some constituencies like Shama which saw the NPP candidate taking the parliamentary seat from the incumbent NDC candidate and indicated the party's readiness to seek redress in court.

He made these allegation and more at a press conference in Takoradi.

Meanwhile the western regional chairman of the NDC party Michael Aidoo popularly known as "Big Aidoo" has this morning in a sharp turn disassociated the NDC party and the western regional executives of the party from that press conference organized by the regional organizer of the party.

Speaking to METRO NEWS Correspondent, Patrick Ennimil Arthur this morning, the Western Regional Chairman of NDC party, Michael Aidoo stated that the NDC party in the western region which he is the chairman cannot be associated with the press conference organized yesterday afternoon by the regional organizer Japhet Baidoo and supported by the regional deputy communication officer, Kirk Mensah.

He said it can be seen as their personal opinion but not the party’s stands because nobody has commissioned them to put out that communique on be half of the party and he the chairman of the party in the region has no single idea on what went on yesterday.

"I disassociate the NDC party and the western regional executives from the Japhet Baidoo organized press conference and anything said there isn't the position of the party. At the appropriate time you will hear from us".

According to Big Aidoo, the Western Region NDC is still putting together their documents after the just ended 2016 general elections and at the appropriate time the media will be communicated to when necessary.

The NDC in the just ended elections lost eight parliamentary seats to the NPP reducing their current number of parliamentary seats from 18 to 10 as against the 16 parliamentary seats by the NPP.

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AHANTA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL GETS CUSTOMARY LAND SECRETARIAT

The Oil and Gas boom in the western region is said to have tripled the quest for land acquisition especially in the southern belt of the region and this has resulted in pockets of land disputes in almost every Land in the Ahanta Traditional Area.

The establishment of the Customary Land Secretariat is one of the key interventions under the Land Administration Project (LAP) designed by Government as one of the key policy actions and initiatives to ensure reforms in the land sector through a more efficient and decentralized land administration system. 

It is also said to be a policy measure aimed at addressing the challenges associated with land management and administration in this country.

As part of this land administration project, government is to assists and supported traditional owning communities to set up their own customary land secretariat so that they will be able to keep and maintain accurate records for the office of the Administrator of Stool lands to help minimize land related conflicts and disputes that are normally associated with land management and administration.

The Regional Stool Lands Officer from the Office of the Administrator of Stool lands, Ruth Paintsil, believes the decentralized Customary Lands Secretariat in Busua in the Ahanta West District of the western region will promote peaceful development of our communities and help make available information on the land use and rights as well as ownership.

“You and I know that if we have accurate and proper records we will not condone with the purchase of multiple sale of lands”.

She as well mentioned that the Customary Lands Secretariat will also help promote the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which intends to ease the pressure on the judiciary.   

Ruth Paintsil however advised that all documents on land transactions are to be sent to the Customary Lands Secretariat for records keeping to avoid double sale of lands in the Ahanata Traditional Area.

According to the western regional surveyor, Robert Hackman Antwi, the establishment of this office in Busua certainly makes the end of the frustration surveyors in the region go through just to do a piece of works on a land in the area.

Excited about the establishment of the Secretariat in Busua, chiefs cloud not hide their joy over the fact that the Secretariat affords them an alternative dispute resolution outside the court in the face of pockets of land litigations in almost every traditional area in the Ahanta land.

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GCB OFFERS FREE EYE SCREENING TO RESIDENTS OF SEKONDI-TAKORADI

A little over seven hundred people in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis yesterday benefited from a free eye screening exercise from the Ghana Commercial Bank’s noble gesture of giving back to the resident in Takoradi.

The Effiakuma Roman Catholic Church in Takoradi was this morning packaged with hundreds of people within the sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and its environs coming to participate in the GCB free eye screening exercise in Takoradi.

Residents were taken through basic eye tests, provision of spectacles and drugs at no cost. Free medication and eye glasses were provided to those with minor eye conditions while those with serious defects were referred to respective specialist clinics within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

7 ophthalmologists, 10 physician assistants as well as 20 volunteers from the Bank helped in the exercise yesterday.

According the Western and Central Regional Manager of Ghana Commercial Bank, Mr. Martin Yaw Abofra, the project forms part of GCB’s corporate social responsibility which was partnered by the Third Eye Care and Vision Centre.

He mentioned that this is the first in the health series for the people of the western region and entreat their customers to keep up the relationship they have with the bank.

Staff of GCB took the opportunity to educate residents on the need for healthy savings and investing for their future.

Some of the residents also took the opportunity to open accounts with the Bank while others commended GCB for bringing their eye care project to their door step.

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GRADUATES SEAMSTRESSES RECEIVES SOWING MACHINES IN WASSA AKROPONG

Seventeen seamstresses who just completed apprenticeship in dress-making and sowing in Wassa Akropong have received sowing machines donated by the Member of Parliament for the Wassa Amenfi East Constituency who is also a Minister of State at the Presidency, Hon. Akwesi Opong Fosu to enable them start something on their own as they begin another step in their career.

Hon. Akwasi Opong Fosu making a presentation to Dina Blay

All 17 graduate seamstress were successful in the Ghana National Tailors and Dress Makers Association examination to certify them as qualified seamstresses.

The items were presented to them through the Wassa Akropong Branch of the Ghana National Tailors and Dress Makers Association in fulfillment of the MP’s promise to support young people who are learning various forms of trade to enhance their well begin in life.

Speaking to Metro TV News Correspondent in the Western Regional, Hon. Akwasi Opong Ofosu noted that his target is to continuously support those who are acquiring skills in various vocations like welding, spraying, brick laying, sowing among others to better position themselves in the job market after their training, just as the Amenfi East Scholarship Fund is catering for brilliant but needy students in the District.

Hon. Akwasi Opong Fosu

"We see the youth as a huge potential for the development of this country that is why we are engaging master craft men of various trades and support them so that can expand their capacities to take in more apprentices and for these apprentices we will support them equally as we are supporting others in Education”.

Touched by the effort of Dina Blay, a young disabled lady to successfully complete her apprenticeship, Hon. Akwasi Opong Fosu promised to open a shop for her to enable her pursue the carrier she has chosen and not following others begging on the streets for money. 

He however encouraged the young seamstresses to do more in their field as fashion designers. That he said will put them in to the lamp light for the socio-economic growth of Wassa Akropong and its environs.

Meanwhile the Wassa Akropong Branch of the Ghana National Tailors and Dress Makers Association was so grateful to the MP for supporting the association through diver’s ways and now giving a direct helping hand to their apprentices.

This gesture they say will help uplift the image of apprenticeship in the district and as well create healthy competition among the apprentices since they know that there is help for those who will successfully pass out. 

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283 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO FORMAL EDUCATION IN AKILIKA

283 students from the Akilika M/A Basic School are dined access to formal education since teachers in their school dread losing their lives crossing River Bonsa in a life threating canoe that plies the only access road to the Akilika Community.

Some residents of Akilika crossing river Bonsa 

Akilika is one vibrate farming community that sits behind river Bonsa. In 2015, Akilika was adjudged the best cocoa producing community in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality by COCOBOD.

With a population of about 2000, the community lack basic social amenities like electricity, portable drinking water, health center among others.

Children of school going age are currently on an indefinite holiday in Akilika because their Teachers have decided not to risk their lives anymore on the River Bonsa in a dilapidated canoe all in an attempt to teach the children.

Speaking to the head teacher of Akilika M/A Basic School, Richard Yaw Beyuo who has been teaching in the school for 10 years now explained that, they have been living dreadfully each day of their lives since they were posted to the Akilika M/A Basic School knowing that they would have to cross River Bonsa in a dilapidated canoe before they can render the required service to the community.

According to him, a big tree fell on the canoe in October 2015 and since that time effects to get a new canoe from the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly through the Ghana Education Service has all fallen on deaf ears.

“This year a big tree fell on the canoe perforating holes into the canoe allowing water to seep into the canon and we have trying to get a new one but all to no avail. That is from October 2015 to July 2016, so on the 13^th of June 2016, the river overflowed again and I wrote to the district education director explaining that, we cannot continue risking our lives on the river anymore”.

The dilapidated canon carries a maximum of four people at a time and they must always ensure that they collect water seeping into the canon every second they spend in it less they all drown.

Meanwhile the promises made by NADMO and the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly four years ago to construct a walking bridge on the river when four people lost their lives in a canoe on the same river has still not seen the light of day.

The situation which has compelled teachers of Akilika M/A Basic School to abandoning the school still poses a threats to the lives that travels on the river every day to carry out their business until they get a new canoe.

The head teacher pleads “that they will provide us with a teachers quarters in the community or build a bridge on the river for us. Else, the children will suffer in their education since the situation is a daily ritual”.

The Chief of Akilika, Godson Sadekla said that “the education of our children has become a worry to us since they will be sitting the same exams with other children studying the same syllabus elsewhere. Now who do we blame if they fail in their examination?”

Now the future of these children in Akilika lies in the construction of a foot bridge on River Bonsa to easy their movements to and from the Akilika community.

End… 

Akilika in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality- W/R

WASSA FIASE CHIEFS CALL FOR THEIR MINERAL ROYALTIES FROM GOVERNMENT

The Wassa Fiase Traditional Council is appealing to government to quickly release the mineral royalties which has been in arrears since 2012 to enable the smooth running of the Council.

Osagyefo Dr. Kwamena Enimil VI
(The Paramount Chief, Wassa Fiase Traditional Council) 

The Paramount Chief of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council, Osagyefo Dr. Kwamena Enimil VI in his address at the Council’s first General Meeting for the year 2015 in Tarkwa noted that the unpaid mineral royalties by government is hampering the progress of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council. 

According to him, the chief’s share which comes from the nine percent mineral royalties received by the District Assemblies from the Central Government is their major source of revenue for the council.

"The issue is worrying and as our major source of revenue in running the council, if care is not taken, the Traditional Council's activities will come to a halt".

He said all the scholarships for students from the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council has been put on hold for some time now till the mineral royalties are duly paid to them.

Osagyefo Kwamina Enimil believes the prompt release of their mineral royalties which has been in arrears since 2012 will help the chiefs and the Traditional Council function properly. 

He has therefore appealed to Government of Ghana 
He therefore pealed with the government to release their share of the mineral royalties to them for the good of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council. 

End... 

Fishermen Protest MEDEA Seismic Survey at ECTP

The fishermen associations in the the western region are fiercely protesting the signing of an agreement reached by GNPC and MEDEA DEVELOPMENT LTD to undertake a Seismic survey on the east cape three point (ECTP) sub-basin in Offshore Ghana.

The meeting which took place at the Sekondi fishing Harbour between official of GNPC, MEDEA and the fishermen ended without the fishermen signing the agreement which was agreed and signed by GNPC and MEDEA about 7 months ago.

The seismic vessel will tow 6 streamers each 8 km long with 100 m separation and will be escorted by 2 guard boats. Speaking to Joseph Eshun, the secretary to the Sekondi Canon Owners Association, he noted that the 70 days seismic survey is greatly going to affect their work knowing to well the month of August is a bumper harvest for fishermen in the western region of Ghana. 

According to him, they were not consulted in the process before signing the agreement. "now GNPC want us to sign documents we know nothing about, no way it's not possible. Until GNPC deems it fit to listen to our side and consider how best to go about this Seismic survey, we the fishermen in Ghana are going to protest this fiercely".

Adding that, I fishermen in the western region will resist any arrangements so far as the booming oil and gas industry in Ghana is concern that careless of their welfare.