Accra, Nov. 20, GNA -Broll Ghana Limited (BGL), a property services company, has asked property owners to conduct periodic audits of their premises to correct any defects and to ensure the structural integrity of the buildings.     Tony Sekyere, Properties Portfolio Manager, Broll, told a press conference that property owners needed to adhere to international best practices adding that an audit was not the periodic painting of the buildings but rather professional checks by qualified individuals.     He said while there were existing rules and regulations guiding the built environment, they were not being properly enforced to ensure compliance.     In this direction, Mr Sekyere said the call for a regulatory body to police the industry was important as it would help sanitise the industry and ensure that building contractors adhered to the provisions of the building permits they had been issued with and also ensure that high rise buildings were architecturally sound.     Mr Sekyere explained that though the Municipal, Metropolitan and the District Assemblies had regulations for the building industry, a regulatory body would add further impetus to help boost the property industry.     He said because Broll takes issues of safety in the properties it manages seriously, the company had instituted as part of its take-on procedure to conduct an audit to ensure that the properties they manage were safe for habitation.     ''In conducting safety analysis of the buildings, we consider the architectural designs and also ensure that fire equipment such as fire alarms are installed and emergency exit are provided,'' he said.     Mr Sekyere assured the clients that Broll’s properties were safe for use, saying the company conducts monthly, quarterly and yearly audits to ensure that all their buildings were safe for occupation.     In addition, he said, Broll had structural engineers who promptly produced structural reports on the company's properties to ensure that all their buildings were strong and fit for habitation.     The Portfolio Manager appealed to investors in the property industry to seek professional advice before putting up high rise buildings.     Operations Manager of BGL, Emmanuel Caulley for his part entreated property owners to conduct regular maintenance of their properties.     Property maintenance, he said, was not only about painting and changing of air conditions,  but also conducting structural audits to check the  structural integrity of a building  to ensure they were safe for occupation. Mr Caulley advised tenants and corporate bodies   to critically scrutinise the structural designs and building certificates before renting them for use.   Chief Executive Officer of Broll Ghana Limited (BGL), Kofi Ampong in a statement enjoined players in the property industry in the country to put safety measures in place to ensure   that their buildings were safe for habitation.     BGL, jointly owned by Broll South Africa, SIC and SSNIT, is a leading property management services company in the country.   The company manages high rise buildings in Accra and Tema and Takoradi with the intention of expanding to Kumasi.     GNA ...

Accra, Nov. 20, GNA – Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) and the Asongtaba Cottage Industries (ACI) have graduated trainee hairdressers and dressmakers at a ceremony in Accra. The grandaunts numbering 3,629 were made up of 2,486 dressmakers and 1,143 hairdressers were trained in ways to establish sustainable businesses and how to provide direct and auxiliary employment assistance to others. Mr Abuga Pele, Executive Director of GYEEDA in a speech read on his behalf, said in propelling the agenda for youth entrepreneurship, steps have been initiated to harness the immense benefits of Public Private Partnership towards solving the youth unemployment situation in the country. He said several initiatives are being implemented jointly with private and non-Governmental institutions such as Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Youth Enterprises and Skills Development Center (YESDEC), RLG Communications and Asontagtaba Cottage Industries. Mr Pele said the World Bank had agreed to finance a programme, “Youth Enterprise Project”, which would bring together youth groups and individuals who have brilliant business ideas and proposals to be supported and mentored as they grow their businesses into sustainable ventures. Mr Issac Vanderpuye, Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, said Government was progressing in its effort to provide jobs and training to the youth. He said Government was aware of her responsibility to provide basic skills to the youth of the country and cautioned the beneficiaries of the training to be responsible citizens by paying their taxes to their various assemblies. Mr Vanderpuye assured managers of the programme of the Regional Coordinating Council commitment and support as they seek to improve the lot of others. Mr Henry Kangah, Executive Director of ACI, said government sees the development of the youth as vital as they are a rich resource base and with the right training can make a positive contribution to the economic development of the nation. He said this can be realized through a well defined public-private partnership which has been exemplified in the relationship between government and GYEEDA. Mr Kangah said Asongtaba through the partnership was facilitating the training of the youth in various vocations with the overall goal of making them economic independent and socially proactive. The Chairman of the occasion was Nii Nortey Owuo III, Osu Mantse and President of the Osu Traditional Council.   GNA ...

Akyem Ofoase (E/R), Nov. 20, GNA - Mr David Oppon-Kusi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase-Ayirebi, on Tuesday donated a motor bike to the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at the Akyemmansa District. Making the donation, Mr Oppon-Kusi said earlier in the year, he had donated five of such motor bikes to the Ofoase District Police Command as the constituency was one of the most deprived in the country. The challenges of the area include poor road networks which made access to the various communities very difficult, said the New Patriotic Party MP who is seeking re-election for a third term in office. He said most of the decentralized agencies and departments in the constituency were under resourced and hoped that his little contribution to the two institutions would help them to perform their duties effectively. Mr Oppon-Kusi said since becoming MP for the area, he had done a lot for his people, especially in the area of education by offering a number of scholarships to students in both Junior and Senior High Schools. He said he had also lobbied for electricity to the Constituency and was hopeful that when given the mandate again to represent his people he could do a lot more for them. Mr Opong-Kusi appealed to his constituents to vote massively to retain him as their MP and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, flag bearer of the NPP, in the December polls. The District Director of the NCCE, Mr Daniel Chartey, said the donation had come at the right time since his outfit needed to be mobile in order to go about their activities in preparation for the upcoming polls.     GNA ...

Akyem Afosu (E/R), Nov. 20 GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, has appealed to voters in New Abirem to vote for Ms. Mavis Ama Frimpong, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate in the area. Mr Ofosu- Ampofo made the appeal during the campaign lunch of Ms Frimpong at Akyem Afosu. Ms Frimpong, who holds a Masters Degree in Public Health (MBH) from the University of Ghana Legon, is a Public Health Technical Professional and Development Expect and a Researcher. Until her appointment as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for New Abirem over a year ago, she worked with a Colombia University Earth Institute Centre for West and Central Africa as the Regional Sexual and Reproductive Health Advisor. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said Ms Frimpong was well poised to snatch the seat from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in order to bring development to the constituency. The Eastern Regional Organizer of the NDC, Mr Anthony Gyampo, appealed to the people to reject the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) as she has achieved little for the area and that the time had come for the electorate to vote for someone like Ms Frimpong who could serve their interest in Parliament better. Ms Frimpong on her part said she was humbled by the massive show of support by the people and pleaded that they translate that into voting on December 07 in order to accelerate the pace of development in the Constituency. She said under the “Better Ghana Initiated Project” she had ensured the establishment of a District Magistrate Court at New Abirem to prevent litigants from travelling to Akyem, Ofoase or the Nkawkaw Courts for hearing of their cases.   GNA ...

Mpraeso (E/R), Nov. 20 GNA - Mr Kwadwo Sarfo- Katanka, the Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), has said political party agents should be blamed for the high rate of the registration of minors in the voters register. He said party agents were sent to the registration centres among other things to monitor the process and their failure to challenge minors when they were being registered should be a concern to all. Mr Sarfo Katanka said even though the biometric registration exercise was a good one, all Ghanaians should have been vigilant and cooperate with all stakeholders to challenge the registration of minors in the registration and exhibition exercise for the country to produce one of the best voter registers for the country. He said this when addressing Parliamentary candidates, electoral officers and the media from 10 constituencies in the Northern part of the Eastern Region at a day’s dialogue at Mpraeso on Tuesday. The dialogue was to enhance collaboration between the candidates, the EC and other stakeholders to ensure credible election in the constituency. The constituencies included Atiwa East and West Fanteakwa, Afram Plains North and South, Nkawkaw, Mpraeso, Abetifi and New Abirem. Mr Sarfo-Katanka said the biometric registration had detected multiple registration and other malpractices as the people failed to challenge the registration of minors during the exercise throughout the country. He warned that any minor who would try to vote during the December polls would be arrested and prosecuted. Mr Katanka said a little over 14 million voters had been registered in about 26,000 polling stations throughout the country for the polls. He advised the district and municipal electoral officers to educate the electoral officials who would be recruited for the elections to abide by the rules and regulations to ensure free, fair and credible election. Mr Samuel York Aidoo, a Director of Finance of the EC, urged all stakeholders to develop a keen interest in activities of the EC for them to understand the challenges and other technicalities of their operation. He said copies of the voters register were being printed for distribution to all the political parties before the election. The Eastern Regional Electoral Officer, Mr Paul Boateng, said the achievement of a credible general election for the country would be the responsibility of all stakeholders in the electoral process.   GNA ...

Atebubu (B/A), Nov. 20, GNA - The Atebubu-Amantin District in Brong-Ahafo Region has raised GH¢244,590.13 out of its estimated Internally Generated Fund of GH¢401,380 for 2012. The amount realised by the end of October, represented 61 per cent of the estimates,  Mr Sanja Nanja, Atebubu-Amantin District Chief Executive who announced this at the Third Ordinary Meeting of the Assembly at Atebubu. He expressed optimism that management would welcome any measures for revenue mobilisation and implored members to explore all possibilities to assist the assembly in that regard. Mr Nanja said the allegation that the School Feeding Programme was collapsing in the district “was totally false” as it had rather expanded from 20,628 to include 23,122 pupils. He said the district had remained calm and relatively peaceful for the past four years but noted that the impasse between the Krontire Royal Family and the Atebubu Traditional Council as well as that of Amantinhene and Amantinhemaa remained unsolved despite combined efforts by the District Security Council and Regional Security Council. Mr Nanja said a major security achievement in the area now was the reduction of political tension during an election year because the district had always been characterised by chaos during campaigns by political parties. He announced that the district had qualified for GHȼ904,000 under the District Development Facility (DDF) based on Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT) for 2010 to finance some developmental projects in the area.        GNA ...

Nyinahin (Ash), Nov. 20, GNA – The Atwima-Mponua District Office of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE),  has organised a peace walk at Nyinahin to draw attention to the need for political accommodation as the nation inch towards December 7polls.         It brought together members of the various political parties, civil society and youth associations.         They held placards with messages such as “We have done it before, let us do it again,” “Your actions on December 7 will make or unmake Ghana,” and “We need peace not war.”         Addressing the marchers, Nana Agyemang Gyasi, District Director of the NCCE, urged politicians to ensure responsible conduct by using decent language on the campaign platform.   He asked them to avoid inciting their supporters to violence.      Nana Gyasi asked voters to comport themselves at the polling centres to make the exercise smooth and peaceful.      Deputy Superintendent of Police Ernest Fosu, District Police Commander, assured the people of adequate security protection on the day of the elections.   GNA...

Tamale, Nov. 20, GNA - Dr Clement Apaak, Convener, Forum for Governance and Justice, said the country needed to maintain peace, unity and stability during and after the December polls to ensure the achievement of her democratic and development aspirations.   “As far as I can tell, without peace, unity and stability, all our dreams, our wishes, our desires, our hopes, our aspirations both personal and as enshrined in our Constitution, even loudly espoused by political parties and their candidates, will never see the light of day,” he said.   He said democracy could not be practiced in an atmosphere of violence and instability and the best way to cherish it was to maintain peace, unity and stability enshrined in our Constitution.   Dr Apaak was a addressing a press conference in Tamale on Tuesday as part of activities of the Forum for Governance and Justice (FGJ) to sensitized the public on the need for peace in the country which would influence the growth of our democratic culture, social transformation and the delivery of justice.   He said the forum harnessed the expertise and experience of its members to think through matters that concerned governance, human rights and respect for the rule of law.   He said peace had always been among humanity's highest values and the most supreme for some, adding that the most popular view of peace is as an absence of dissension, violence and war.   Dr Apaak said: “Without peace, unity and stability, we cannot uphold our constitution, the basis for our democracy, including the right to vote…our natural and inalienable right to establish a framework of government, which shall secure for ourselves and posterity the blessings of liberty, equality of opportunity and prosperity”.   He appealed to all political parties to be national in character and free to participate in shaping the political will of the people, disseminate information on political ideas, social and economic programmes of a national character.   Mr Amadu Issahaku, Northern Regional Population Officer, said peace was cardinal for the coming elections and advised politicians who incited the youth to cause violence to stop that practice.    GNA ...

  Accra, Nov. 20, GNA - Nine Ghanaian teenagers have been named among the final 33 successful candidates for the Glo Soccer Academy reality show after going through the second phase of screening in Lagos, Nigeria, last week.     The selected candidates who will join other teenagers from Republic of Benin and Nigeria include; Davis Abagana (14), Samuel Opoku Mensah (14) Abaa Daniel (17), Aminu Murtala (16), Princewilll Owhormeji (14), Annan Klinsmann (15), Charles Addai Danquah (17), Bismarck Larbi (16) and Collins Asare (17), were shortlisted from  a pool of 52 players selected from the three countries.   A statement from the Public Relations outfit of Glo Ghana Limited, said the nine Ghanaians qualified along 24 other nationals.   It said four of the candidates were from the Republic of Benin with the remaining 20 coming from Nigeria.   According to the statement, six of the selected Ghanaian players were midfielders while three were defenders.   The statement however noted that, the selected 33 candidates include; three goalkeepers, eight defenders, 18 midfielders and four strikers.   They are expected to camp for one month in Lagos, after which a final squad of 16 players will be selected to form " the Glo Dream Team” and which they will be flown to Manchester for a training tour with the Manchester United Soccer School.   One of the final 16 finalists will eventually emerge as the Most Valuable Player (MVP), with an ultimate prize of GH¢60,000, with 15 other players receiving GH¢12,000 each along with separate academic scholarships and qualification to become Glo Ambassadors.   The Glo Soccer Academy, the biggest soccer reality show and talent hunt in the sub region, started with a six week-long international screening campaign in Kumasi, Ghana, through Benin and ended in Lagos with the selection of 52 male youth from the three countries.    Globacom, the African communications giant launched Glo Soccer Academy in September this year to provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young, untapped soccer talents to kick-start their careers in professional football.   GNA...

Asuom (ER) Nov. 20 GNA-Prophet Samuel Kwesi Twumasi, the Founder and General Overseer of the Faith in God Healing Church (FGHC), has appealed to politicians to put “Ghana first” in the course of their campaigns such that their utterances would not plunge the country into chaos before, during, and after the December polls.      He made the appeal at the head quarters of the church at Akyem Asuom in the Kwaebibirem District during the one year anniversary celebration and three days Christmas Convention of the Church.      It was under the theme “Glorifying God for peace in election 2012” and was attended by members from 21 branches of the church.       Prophet Twumasi noted that each of the candidates contesting for the various positions was qualified and appealed to those who would be defeated to accept the results in good faith.      Lamenting on devastating effects of wars and chaos as a result of upheavals, Prophet Twumasi said people would not have the freedom to worship their God if war should break out.      He therefore urged pastors to go on their knees every day for God’s divine intervention and favour for every form of tension to go down and allow peace to prevail.      Prophet Twumasi said religious leaders owed it as a duty to be bold and bring to order any politician who in his quest to win political power would either stand on the platform or use the mass media to plunge Ghana into confusion.      “Whether that person is from Government or in opposition, it is our responsibility as men of God to have courage to condemn the person or prosperity will not forgive us” Prophet Twumasi stressed.      Ghanaian politicians and supporters he emphasized ought to be circumspect in their utterances and put Ghana first since they cannot rule Ghana and its people in the midst of war.      A leader and Head Prophet of Christ Faith Word Church International at Nazareth, Akroso, Prophet Nana Kusi Afram Tawiah ll, cautioned men of God to refrain from engaging in partisan politics since taking the stand could land their own churches into confusion.     He rather advised religious leaders to concentrate in preaching the word of God and pray for national cohesion and peace at all times.   GNA...

Aflao (N/R), Nov 20, GNA - An idol, which is a subject of controversy between the Pentecostal Revival Centre Assemblies of God Church at Aflao and the traditional authorities which nearly resulted in a clash years ago is to the relocated.   Togbe Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of Aflao gave the assurance while addressing a homecoming programme by the church to reunite its former and current members.   “I can assure you the idol has already begun crawling and would soon walk away from your entrance,   “As you celebrate your homecoming the idol would also soon celebrate its home going to close the chapter on the issue,” Togbe Fiti said to the excitement of the church members.   Togbe Fiti said the huge cost of rituals involved in the relocation and foot dragging by the Ketu-South Municipal Town and Country Planning to allocate a plot along the Ghana-Togo border were reasons for the delay.   Land owners who have converted to Christianity are reluctant to give their lands to the idol.   He said his outfit is expecting Gh¢ 20,000 compensation for the removal of two other idols at Legbasime to pave way for reconstruction work on the Aflao-Accra highway.   The idol located on the land prior to its acquisition by the church had been a source of controversy between the mission and the chiefs.   The chiefs demanded Gh¢2,000.00 from the Church as a condition for the removal of the idol.   Togbe Fiti who was a member of the church when he was young man, expressed happiness at the phenomenal growth of the congregation.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 20, GNA – The National Pension Regulatory Authority (NPRA) on Tuesday fixed November 20 - December 3 for collection of provisional statements on workers’ five per cent contributions to the mandatory contributions to second tier occupational pension scheme.   The contributions cover a period January 2010 to June 2011.   A statement issued by NPRA in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the provisional statements covers contributors of workers under the Controller and Accountant Generals’ Department payroll (public sector workers).   “All employers who made contributions on behalf of their staff during that period are encouraged to collect the provisional statements for onward distribution to their staff,” NPRA said.   The Authority said the 10- day nationwide distribution period would be done concurrently from 0830 hours to 1230 hours and 1300 hours to 1630 hours daily.   Employers and Institutions are requested to pick up the Provisional Statements through appropriately authorised representative staff (preferably Accountant or Human Resource Officers).   According to NPRA each representative staff will be required to submit an Authority Note from his or her employer or Head of Institution bearing the collecting Officer’s name.   In addition, each representative staff must provide any of the following identification; Voters Identity Card, Drivers Licence, Passport, National Identification Card and finally, sign a log book before statements are released to them.   Employers and Institutions who have been paying contributions to the Second Tier Occupational Pension Scheme since January 2010 should endeavour to pick up the Provisional Statements by December 3.   The NPRA has designated agents of Daily Graphic (or Graphic Communications Group) who have been assigned to do the exercise in the 10 regional collection points.   NPRA direct institutions to contact its Corporate Affairs desk on telephone: 0302 968692 or 0302 968693 or through the email: [email protected] or [email protected]   No.   Region                 Location (collection point) Time: 8:30am – 12:30pm & 1:00pm – 4:30pm each day   Graphic Designated Agents   Ashanti                  Daily Graphic Office, location: Asafo Labour, near the Ghana @50 Roundabouts and opposite the Zion School, Kumasi.   Oscar   Tigayie (0244 437642/ 0209 041074/ 0265 13306/ 0276 211516)   Daily Graphic Office, location: adjacent to the Standard Charted Bank, Obuasi   Stephen Amankwah (0277 548862)   Brong Ahafo   Daily Graphic Office, location: the Cocoa House building, Sunyani   Charles Bampoh (0278 866304 / 0244 216609/ 0261155281)   Central   Daily Graphic Office, Location: Main Ghana Commercial Bank, Annex Building, Cape Coast      Joseph Sampson (0208 224934)   Eastern   Daily Graphic Office, Location: adjacent to the SIC Office (Tema-House), Koforidua   Catherine Ablorh (0272 337952/ 0261 506157)    Greater Accra   G-PAK LIMITED (Main Sub. of Graphic Communications Group Ltd., Daily Graphic Office, Location: No. 3 Graphic Road, Accra   Martha Amoako (0272 423300 / 0302 670520 / 0302 665209)   Daily Graphic Office, Location: 2nd floor of the Kristal Plaza Building near the Evergreen Supermarket, Community 4, Tema/Teshie Nungua                 Eugenia Maccready (0303-910000)   Northern   Daily Graphic Office, Location: the 3rd Floor of Ghana Commercial Bank building, Opposite STC Yard, Tamale   Karimu Ali (0244 407468 / 0205589554)   Upper East   Daily Graphic Office, Location: the 2nd Floor of Ghana Commercial Bank Building, Bolgatanga                 George   FI. Arthur (0205 597980)   Upper West   Daily Graphic Office, Location: the Ministries Building, Block B, Wa           Judith Suglor (0201 846932)   Volta   Daily Graphic Office, Location: Ministries, opposite to the High Court Building, Ho   Charles Mensah (0244 110367)   Western   Daily Graphic Office, Location: on the Market Circle Liberation Road, Takoradi                 Roland Sampson (0312-023013)   GNA...

Sunyani, Nov. 20, GNA - The Brong Ahafo Regional Office of Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has intensified its last quarter market surveillance to clear and control inferior goods from the market towards Christmas celebration.       Mr Matthew Gyang Nkum, Brong Ahafo Regional Officer of FDB, speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani, said the exercise begun this month and would end in February, 2013.      The surveillance is being conducted on drugs, cooking oil, assorted drinks, milk, confectionery and tin products, some of which had been seized and would be destroyed soon.      Some of the seized items had expired, containers bloated, some not registered, others without batch numbers and some had their seal tampered with.      Mr Nkum pointed out that during such festive occasions, patronage of food products increased and dealers took advantage to import inferior products on the market which put consumers at risk.      He called on the public to critically check the labels of containers for expiry dates and refuse to purchase products they suspected had their expiry dates tampered with.   He said for the safety of consumers, they could report such traders at the consumers complain desk of the board for necessary action to be taken in the interest of the public.       Mr Nkum said although the board had been mandated to regulate food, drugs, medical and household chemicals to ensure they were of good quality for the safety of the public, the public could contribute immensely to achieve this.   He said shop owners after intensive education now appreciated the need for such exercises, co-operate and accept the board’s staff at their shops without any assault  and resistance.       Mr Nkum said some shop owners even called for assistance from the board to dispose off their expired products and cautioned that individuals did not have the right to dispose off any expired goods or drugs without the board’s consent.      He pointed out that shop owners found disposing off unwholesome goods or tampering with expiry dates on products would be arrested and prosecuted.   GNA...

Tamale, Nov. 20, GNA –   Mr Shaibu Dawuda an official of the Northern Regional Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate has observed that the scourge of open defecation (OD) cost the nation 79 million dollars a year.   However eliminating the practice would require less than one million latrines to be built and used, he said.   Mr Dawuda made the observation when he addressed the Chiefs and people of Dungu, a farming community and its environs in the Tamale Metropolis on Monday during this year’s World Toilet Day.   “Open defecation does not only have higher costs than any other sanitation practise yet it had serious adverse social impact,” he said.   He said about 60 per cent of diseases in the region are sanitation related, citing the more than 50 cholera cases reported in the East Gonja and Kpandai districts where two lives were lost.   Mr Dawuda called on government to address sanitation inequality through specific strategies in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions.   Mr Sulemana Abudul-Karim, Executive Director of Behasun Integrated Development Organisation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), observed that lack of proper sanitation could plunge a community into the outbreak of diseases including cholera and typhoid fever.   He called on government and political parties to fulfil their promises on sanitation made during political campaigns, as well as commitments during the “High Meetings on Sanitation and Water” to ensure sanitation and water for all.   He asked the people to develop communal regulations to ban OD to ensure environmental cleanliness.   Mr Abdul-Karim recommended that official of town and country planning should refuse estate developers who do not include a toilet facility in their building plans as a strategy to reduce the case of OD.   Mr Felix Gbevillah Programme Officer of WaterAid, an NGO and sponsors of the day, called on the public to change their attitude towards sanitation.   The day was on the theme: “Achieving Open Defecation Free.”   This year’s commemoration marks the 11th Anniversary to take concrete action aim at breaking the taboo around toilets and draw attention to the global sanitation challenge.   GNA...

Kokofu (B/A), Nov. 20, GNA – Mr Anthony Kofi Bona, Atebubu-Amantin District Best Farmer for 2012, said the use of weeding as punishment in schools discouraged the youth from entering into farming.        “Using weeding as a form of punishment in the basic and senior high school (SHS) is negative and discouraged teenagers and the youth to develop interest in farming,” he said.        Mr Bona, 39, also a teacher at the Roman Catholic Primary School in Atebubu and assemblyman for Kokofu, has, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other stakeholders in education to prescribe alternative forms of punishment to pupils and students that would not affect farming.         In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kokofu near Atebubu, Mr Bona said some teachers, under the guise of using weeding as punishment, sent the pupils and students to work on their farms.         “Agriculture is not an avenue for punishment and poverty but a sector for wealth creation,” he said.         He said negative remarks by parents and guardians about farming to their children and wards also affected their interest to venture into farming.        Mr Bona explained that most farmers in the rural areas attributed their poverty to farming but failed accept that they were subsistence and peasant farmers which normally could not generate enough income except foodstuffs and vegetables for their survival.        He said they rather encouraged their children and wards to learn trades such as tailoring, dressmaking, carpentry and hairdressing.        Mr Bona said due to lack of knowledge in applying technology, some of these peasant farmers failed to use the services of agricultural extension officers to improve their farming.        He said the land tenure system also impeded easy access to land acquisition for commercial farming by the few interested youth in the rural communities.         Mr Bona called on the government to intervene through the traditional authorities, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies for the easy release of farmlands to interested persons based on mutual agreement and benefit for all parties.       He identified the get-rich quick syndrome as another discouraging factor among the youth to invest their time, energy and other resources in farming.       Mr Bona appealed to the government to adequately resource the Irrigation Authority to construct small dams in farming communities for irrigation purposes to encourage more young men and women to undertake commercial farming.       Mr Bona is currently a first year distance learning student of a two-year Post Diploma Basic Education at the Kumasi campus of the University of Education, Winneba.   He started commercial farming in 2008 and employs seven permanent workers and 40 casual labourers annually.      He has 73 acres of crop farming comprising 14 acres of yam, 28 acres of maize, six acres each of rice and cassava, four acres of garden eggs, a six-acre teak plantation, four acres of mango, an acre of plantain and four acres of pepper.      In addition, Mr Bona has 40 cattle, 24 pigs, 45 goats, 40 sheep and 45 local fowls.   GNA...

Accra, Nov.20, GNA – The People’s National Convention (PNC) has tagged agriculture and food security as the main stay of the nation’s economy based on which the electorates should vote for its presidential candidate Mr Hassan Ayariga on December 7.   “Food production is the Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the nation. It provides the fuel that drives the nation’s life. That is why the PNC finds the present high cost of food unacceptable as it is beyond the reach of the ordinary Ghanaian.   “The PNC also finds unacceptable the present situation whereby the bulk of the nation’s foreign exchange is spent on the importation of food that can be produced locally,” the PNC said.   The PNC in its Election 2012 Manifesto obtained by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), claimed that it would bring on board an integrated programme comprising the government, farmers, financial institutions, agricultural mechanization companies, input suppliers and industry on a revolving basis.   “The methodology of the programme shall be to group small scale farmers who produce the bulk of the nation’s food and the youth into co-operatives and make them the main vehicle towards achieving food sufficiency for the nation.   “A PNC government will depoliticize the sale or supply of farm machinery to individuals and facilitate as well as encourage the establishment of plant pools of farm machinery by the private sector to provide prompt and timely services to farmers at approved rate," it said.   According to the Manifesto, mechanization companies would plough the farms of the various cooperative groups and their accounts debited with the cost by the banks upon certification by agriculture extension officers.   Under regulation and ownership, the PNC said through the Department of Co-operatives, the Ministry of Agriculture would organize small scale farmers and the youth into co-operatives.   It would acquire suitable farm lands, provide irrigation facilities, arrange mechanization services, guarantee loans from financial institutions, supply farm inputs, supervise application of inputs, monitor performance of farms from planting to harvesting and ensure prompt repayment of loans.   "To further ensure that the nation achieved food sufficiency within the shortest possible time, our government shall acquire large tracts of lands and lease them to individuals, co-operate organizations, companies and investors who may wish to do large-scale farming.   "Public servants and private individuals will be encouraged and assisted to do backyard farming, high yielding crop varieties and scientific methods of farming will be introduced to farmers to increase yields,” it said.   The PNC administration will aim at increasing cocoa production from the present one million metric tons to about 1.5 million metric tons within the first four years in office.   “We shall achieve this by replanting all fallow cocoa farms, mass distribution of fertilizers, ensuring accessibility of chemicals by farmers, and effective measures to stop smuggling of cocoa, including moving cocoa depots away from boarders to curtail smuggling," it said.   According to the Manifesto, more irrigation dams would be constructed across the country to enable all year round farming.   It said: “To facilitate easy transportation of farm produce and people to urban areas, feeder roads linking all food production areas will be given high priority. A railway network to aid in transportation will be another priority of a PNC administration”.   It said a PNC administration hoped to rehabilitate abandoned silos and build new ones to help improve food storage system, reduce post-harvest lost and provide food security during the lean periods, it said.   “Our government, when given the nod, will review the existing fishing laws and block all loopholes that tend to put our fisher folks at a disadvantage. We shall also explore other ways of reviving and revamping the fishing industry.   “In this direction, our administration will tackle and solve the perennial problem of non-availability of pre-mix fuels and other fishing inputs.   “We will work closely with the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen to explore ways of assembling outboard motors and manufacturing fishing nets locally.   “We will make fish farming a key module under the National Youth Employment programme to encourage the youth to engage in fish farming and initiate policy to make it a viable source of income," the Manifesto said.   It said a PNC government would establish large plantations of sheanut trees, a sheanut marketing board will be established; expand and create more shea-butter factories to create more jobs for the youth and women in the Northern Region.   Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the National Commission for Civic Education, titled “Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter” obtained by the GNA, revealed that 48.2 per cent of respondent suggested the government should subsidize agriculture inputs.   Another 21.1 per cent said government must give financial support to farmers in form of loans and scholarships for children of farmers to enable them to continue their education to the highest level whilst 8.1 per cent called on government to provide market for farmers and also fix prices of agriculture crops.   About 7.3 per cent respondents called for mechanized farming, 5.3 per cent appealed for the provision of irrigation and access roads by government, 4.6 per cent wanted government to make farming attractive to the youth, 4.1 per cent called for the provision of storage facilities for agricultural products and 1.3 per cent suggested the reintroduction of state farms by government.   GNA...

Accra, Nov 20, GNA- Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Tuesday expressed worry over the sagging reputation of Ghana Police Service, and called for co-operation and team work to facilitate efficiency in the discharge of their duties.   Vice President Amissah-Arthur who was speaking during his maiden visit to the Head Quarters of the Service in Accra assured the personnel of continuous Government support in the form of logistics and equipment.   After inspecting a guard mounted in his honour, the Vice President who is also the Chairman of the Police Council commended the Police for its role in ensuring peaceful elections over the years and urged them to maintain their impartiality in Election 2012.   Mr William Aboah, Minister of the Interior commended the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its massive support to the Police Service.   He commended President John Mahama, immediate past Vice President,   for his “proactive leadership”, adding that through his hard work and commitment the Police Service has received unprecedented benefits.   “No Government has resourced the Police Service the magnitude that the NDC has,” Mr Aboah noted.   He said Government has empowered the Police through the provision of logistics, and training in the art of modern policing and expansion work at the Police Hospital in Accra.   Mr Aboah also praised the Vice President, the immediate past Governor of the Bank of Ghana, for raising the image of the Central Bank globally.   He gave the assurance that the Police Service would take the necessary steps for incident free elections and protect the territorial integrity of the nation.   GNA...

Accra, Nov.20, GNA - Mr Hubert Charles, National Director, World Vision (WV) Ghana, on Tuesday called on government to fulfill its promise of spending 15 per cent of the national budget on health in line with the Abuja Declaration.   He said currently, government expenditure on health is 12 per cent of total expenditure, which amounts to 325 million dollars, whiles out-of –pocket expenditure on health is 27 percent of the total health expenditure.   Mr Charles was speaking at a media encounter in Accra to announce “Child Health Now” (CHN) campaign as part of WV Global Week of Action.   WV Ghana is also taking part in activities to mark the Global Week of Action to raise awareness on the need to reduce the death of children under five as well as mothers.   Mr Charles said the state must improve the quality and access of health services with particular focus on the poor and marginalized communities.   He said the nation must also fast track the passage into law and implement of the new National Health Insurance Authority bill, which provided for the extension of health services to all children under the age of 18 years.   Mr Charles said the country must address the human resource gaps in rural health facilities, including improving incentive packages to attract personnel.   He said there was the need to ensure equitable access to health services on the agenda of District Health Management Teams.   He called for prioritization of proven interventions to improve nutrition in the national health and development agenda, and make them available to all children and mothers, particularly the most vulnerable.   Mr Charles also charged the government to increase funding and ensure rational use of funding for essential drugs, promote local production of essential drugs and improve coordination of procurement to prevent ‘stock out’.   He called for the full implementation of the child health policy on effective prevention and treatment of pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria by using antibiotics that could be administered at community level.   Mr Charles said the nation must increase the capacity of communities to take first line critical actions to promote and protect the health of children, women and most vulnerable.   Mr Charles said: "these programmes can be achieved with the expansion of education for families and communities on good nutrition and health practices to improve their health-seeking behavior".   He said the empowerment of families and communities to demand quality and effective health service was very important to achieving excellence health delivery.   Mr Raymond Owusu, Nutritionist Programme Specialist of WV Ghana, who made a presentation on the CHN campaign, said the move aimed to contribute significantly to the reduction in child and maternal mortality rates, by pressing the government to focus more on family and community health in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).     He said WV views health as a development issue and through the CHN campaign "is calling for concrete action to address ineffective health systems that are not able to respond to the needs of mothers and children.’’   He said for the government to ensure equitable access to quality health services to effectively address maternal, newborn and child health, there should be a long term predictable funding for these programmes.     Mr Owusu also called for increased investment to strengthen the health systems in an equitable way.   This he said will ensure that the poor and marginalized children and their mothers and communities have access to quality essential care when and where they needed it.   Mr Owusu said donors must support national strategies and strengthen existing national systems and structures to build capacity and ensure the sustainability of support over the long term.   GNA...

Accra, Nov 20, GNA – The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has set the modernization of the agricultural sector, as the main bait to attract electorate to vote for the party’s presidential candidate for lection 2012, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, on December 7.   The NPP in its Election 2012 manifesto titled: “Transforming lives, transforming Ghana,” made available to the Ghana News Agency,  set out modalities to encourage small holder farmers to adopt new and improved agricultural technologies.   It said: "Small holder farmers would be provided with quality and affordable fertilizer with an improved land tenure and acquisition.We will also encourage private sector investments into large-scale commercial agriculture that also support cooperative, small and out-grower farmers.   “We are committed to completion of the restructuring of the Land Title Registration transfer of title and use of agricultural land”.   The party noted that in order to enhance the ability of Ghanaian farmers to acquire the relevant technology to make them competitive, an NPP administration would establish an Agricultural Technological Fund to provide financing to small scale farmers at subsidized rates.   An NPP government would reposition State Owned Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to fulfill its original mandate of specifically supporting agricultural financing.   The party promises to establish 250 mechanization centres across the country to provide services to farmers at competitive prices and restructure agricultural research institutions to build on the high yielding crop varieties and technologies already developed to farmers.   The manifesto said:“We would create more access roads to our farm-gates and market centres to mitigate post-harvest lost and ensure availability of foodstuff to consumers. We would work with the private sector and traditional authorities to improve our market places, and to develop warehouses and pack houses to ensure effective and efficient distribution and to minimize post harvest lost”.   In the fishing and livestock sub-sector, the NPP seeks to develop a vibrant livestock industry in addition to fisheries.   The manifesto said the NPP will re-establish the Ministry of Fisheries to implement policies that will revive a sustainable fishing industry and ensure good practices and enhanced productivity for fishermen.   With regards to the poultry industry, the NPP seeks to introduce a short measured tariff increase that would result in relative high price for broiler meat whilst providing assistance to poultry farmers to make them competitive.   The NPP said that it will address the nutritional needs of Ghanaian children by initiating policy for pupils in secondary institutions to be fed an egg a day as part of their protein supplement.   In the cocoa sector, the NPP said that it would provide cocoa farmers good incentives through high producer prices, bonuses, cocoa scholarships and extension services to improve productivity and production.    Meanwhile, in a survey conducted by the National Commission for Civic Education titled “Election 2012: matters of concern to the Ghanaian voter” obtained by the GNA, revealed that 48.2 per cent of respondent suggested that the government should subsidize agriculture input.   Another 21.1 per cent said government must give financial support to farmers in the form of loans and scholarships for children of farmers, to enable them to continue their education to the highest level whilst 8.1 per cent called on government to provide market for farmers and also fix prices of agriculture crops.   About 7.3 per cent of the respondents called for mechanized farming, 5.3 per cent appealed for the provision of the irrigation and access roads by government, 4.6 per cent wanted government to make farming attractive to the youth, 4.1 per cent called for the provision of storage facilities for agricultural products, whilst 1.3 per cent suggested the reintroduction of state farms by government.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 20, GNA - Dr Lawrence Tetteh, Founder and President of the Worldwide Miracle Outreach (WMO) on Tuesday said God will give Ghana a President on December 7.   He was speaking at a press conference in Accra to formally launch a three-day miracle crusade programme by the Anglican Church of Ghana under the auspices of the St George Anglican Church, Chorkor Parish.   The  crusade dubbed: “Christ is the answer crusade” aims at seeking the face of God  for peace before, during and after the December 7, general election and to usher in a new transition of hope and prosperity for the nation.    In a homely, Dr Tetteh reminded Ghanaians that it was God who gave peace and appointed leaders and so on December 7, he would do it again for Ghana.   “True peace comes from the God we all serve and we must ensure that in our utterances and actions the characteristics of the followers of God must be evident. No political agenda or propaganda will give us a president but God. He is the one who enthrones kings. God will elect a president for Ghana come December 7, so let’s do it peacefully,” said Dr Tetteh.   He emphasised that “Ghana does not belong to any group of special people but to all of us. Ghanaians are one people and we can unite to build a peaceful and a prosperous Ghana”.   He said that political differences should not be a platform for enmity, violence, disregard for authority and intense hatred for one another.   He called on Ghanaians to learn to count their blessings and be thankful for how far God had brought the country.   The renowned global evangelist said a country that acknowledged the greatness of God was bound to succeed.   He said in that vein it was important that information on religious, economic, social and political issues be factual in order that the populace was not misled – a feat that the Ghanaian press had strived to achieve.   He addressed some pertinent issues which to him should be stressed during "this pre-election period".   Dr Tetteh indicated that respect, decorum, honesty, selflessness, Godliness and many other virtues which were synonymous with the character of the average Ghanaian was fast becoming a thing of the past.   He lamented that Ghana’s airwaves, print media, as well as the internet were fraught with insults, lies, character assassination, deceit and the use of intemperate language.   He said those vices which were corrupting the fabric of the society should be condemned in no uncertain terms by all well meaning Ghanaians.   “All leaders – political, religious, traditional and civil society in general have a crucial role to play in curbing this rather worrying trend,” he reiterated.   “Ghana is the only home we have and in fuelling violence and encouraging outright indiscipline, we are destroying the very nation we so dearly love,” he added.     Dr Tetteh urged Ghanaians to be resolute in their quest for the peace of the nation, saying “a massive united front is the way forward for Ghana in our bid to have successful and peaceful elections”.   Citing 2 Chronicles 7:14, he said: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”. He said  religious leaders would continue to pray for the nation and lead by example.   He cautioned the media to abhor any unacceptable language and desist from fueling the already existing tension,  as "a wise word tends to douse the flames of a raging fire but a reckless statement fuels the fire and has far reaching consequences".   He further urged editors of all media houses in Ghana to ensure that what they put out for the public promoted the good of the nation.   He stated that presidential candidates of the various political parties had been invited to the crusade, namely President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party, Dr Michael Abu Sakara Foster of the Convention People’s Party, among other candidates.   The Reverend Father Edmund Nii Kwate Quartey, Parish Priest of the St George the Martyr Anglican Church and Evangelism Coordinator of the Anglican Diocese of Accra, is the Host Minister of the Crusade.   Among the dignitaries that graced the press conference were Dr Stephen Danso, a Ghanaian Analysis Engineer, an Evangelist and a Pastor domicile in the United States of America, Rev. Patrick L. O. Ayer of the WMO and the congregants of the St. George the Martyr Anglican Church at Chorkor in Accra.     GNA...