Seth Okai, (C/R), Nov. 25, GNA-The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has intensified its nationwide education on proper voting to reduce the incidence of ballot paper rejection or spoilt ballots in the December 7 polls.   Ms Abena Offe, a Commission Member, made this known at a durbar organized by the Agona East District branch of NCCE at Seth Okai near Agona Nsaba in the Agona East District of the Central Region at the weekend.   She said the Commission had been organizing seminars, durbars and fora to demonstrate to the public the correct procedure of voting and also to collate views and other relevant information that could help reduce the spoilage of ballot papers by voters.   Ms Offe said during the education the NCCE had also allowed Persons With Disability to voice out their problems. She said similar programmes were taking place in all 10 regions across the country, adding that it was being organized in the local dialects to enable the people to understand the importance of the education.   “The Commission is doing everything possible to educate the electorate on the correct voting procedure to avoid plenty ballot papers spoiled as was seen during previous elections”.   Mr Cletus Abang, Central Regional Director of NCCE, said research conducted by the Commission revealed that voters were very much interested in voting for candidates who had prioritized education, quality health care and employment.   He said the NCCE had also been able to reach out to communication teams of various political parties in all the 23 constituencies of the Central Region and educated them on the dangers of elections violence.   The Regional Director said the NCCE had been organizing film shows on war-torn countries such as Liberia, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, DR Congo and others to enable the people to see the devastating effects of wars.   Mr Sackyi Sam, Agona East District Director of NCCE expressed gratitude to the European Union (EU) for sponsoring the Commission to organize such education programs. He charged Ghanaians to ensure that democracy in the country was sustained while the peaceful atmosphere being enjoyed in the country was also maintained.   Mr Sam urged political parties going round poisoning the minds of Ghanaians with propaganda and other vain promises that could not be fulfilled to put a stop to it.   GNA...

Ho, Nov. 25, GNA - A nation with a reliable statistical base develops faster than others, Dr Louis Munyakasi, Head of Mathematics and Statistics Department of Kumasi Polytechnic has stated. He said in that fast developing country, development programmes and implementation modules were often evidence-based.   Dr Munyakasi was speaking at the 2012 Celebration of African Statistics Day held in Ho on Saturday. It was organized by the Ghana Association of Statistics Students, whose membership is mainly statistics students in polytechnics across the country on the theme,   “Making Every Woman and Man Count: Engendering Statistics for Better Development Outcomes”. Dr Munyakasi mentioned Japan as an example where data on every aspect of development was so reliable to make policy programming and interventions fluid. He said statisticians were in fact the “voice of the voiceless,” who normally would not come out to state their circumstances.   “You collect that data that speaks for them to be put correctly in development programming,” Dr Munyakasi added. He regretted the low numbers of people wanting to pursue careers such as statisticians, saying perhaps teaching methods and historical references were scaring people, especially women, from mathematics and statistics.   Mrs Augusta Ocantey, Volta Regional Director of Statistical Services Department, said Africa should improve gender-disaggregation in their reporting to make planning more responsive to the needs of the different segments of society.   Mr Michael Nelson, President of Ghana Association of Statistics Students’ Alumini (GASSA) said “statistics must not be seen as an isolated field at all, as it cut across traditional fields such as economics, agriculture, health and employment”.   On account of the low numbers offering statistics in schools, he called on students of Junior and Senior High Schools to take mathematics-related subjects with great interest to enable them to study statistics as programmes at the tertiary level.   The Day was initiated in 1990 by the Subsidiary Body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the Joint African Conference of Planners, Statisticians and Demographers to be celebrated every November 18 to highlight the role of statistics in social and economic development.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - Mrs Akosua Frema Opare, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, on Saturday said for genuine peace to prevail in this year’s general election the Electoral Commission (EC) and all stakeholders must sit up.   She made this observation in Accra during the “Family Day and Culture performance celebration” of the Northern Outreach Programme (NOP) of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG). It was under theme: “Peace, Unity and Development before, during and after the 2012 general elections."   The event which aimed at promoting peace, unity and tolerance among all the political parties in the constituency, was patronized by some parliamentary candidates, namely Mr Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko of the NPP, Mr William Dorkpor of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and Mr. Kwame Awuah-Darko of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).   Mrs Opare said there was a lot of anxiety in the minds of many people, that needed clarification from both government and the EC, and it was only when such issues were dealt with that peace could prevail. “The government must uphold the rule of law, the EC must be up and doing and must endeavour to fulfil its mandate as spelt out in the constitution so that all parties would be satisfied at the end of the day,” she emphasized.   She stated that all the political parties must play the game by the rules, and advised her fellow politicians to watch their language, saying; “politicians would do the nation some good if they avoid inflammatory language.   “We can express our diverse opinions without violence or insults; it is your message or ideas that would win votes for you, not violence,” she added. Mrs Opare said the clarion call for peace before, during and after the elections had been very intense this year than ever before in the history of Ghana and warned that these calls would be in vain if the EC and the political parties refused to play the game by the rules.   “It takes more than a person or a group to engage in a conflict, we need to look at all sides to be sure that we are not doing things that would derail the peace in the country,” she said. She noted that the numerous calls for peace was largely due to a number of violent incidents that took place early this year in the country, saying: “Ayawaso West Wougon has been spared such political violence over the years and all the political parties in the constituency deserve some commendation for this.   ” Mrs Opare cautioned the mass media against planting falsehood and negative sensational headlines with the aim of breeding conflict, and urged them to promote developmental issues in their agenda setting.   She called on all institutions involved in the electoral processes to live up to their tasks, especially the security services, in order to ensure free and fare elections this year. She appealed to the EC to print enough and genuine ballot papers to forestall any unforeseen circumstances.   “Let us all uphold the good name of Ghana. If democracy succeeds in Ghana, it is due to the fairness of all the stakeholders,” she stated. She said it was her prayer that the best candidate emerged victorious in the constituency. The Reverend John Bosco of the NOP, Akweteyman Congregation of PCG in a homely message said the beauty of Ghana lay in the diversity of her people.   He called on all and sundry to ensure that there was peace before, during and after the elections, and urged Ghanaians to rally behind whoever emerges winner in the December polls, because leadership was from God.   The Rev. Dr. Mrs Ivy Drafor-Amenyah, Associate Pastor of the Covenant Congregation, Dzorwulu branch of PCG, in a welcome address said the Presbyterian Church had spread from the coastline of Ghana to the north, and that they were all one people. Pastor Samuel Ayamga of the NOP, Covenant Congregation, Dzorwulu branch of PCG, who hosted the programme said Ghanaians were one people with a common destiny and advised all to endeavour to maintain the peace, unity and stability of the nation.   “Come December 7, let us all do it peacefully, for Ghana is God’s nation,” said Pastor Ayamga. All the three parliamentary candidates present pledged to do all within their powers to ensure peace before, during and after the December 7, elections in the constituency.   The programme was chaired by Mr Peter Agolma and in attendance was Naba Doo Kan Wekure, a sub-chief of Sumbrungu near Bolgatanga, among other dignitaries. There were cultural performances by some traditional troupes.   GNA...

Wa, Nov. 25, GNA – Zongo Youth for President Mahama in the Wa Central Constituency of the Upper West Region have pledged to work round the clock to secure victory for President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December elections.   The group believes that President Mahama having risen through the ranks as a Member of Parliament (MP) for 12 years, a Deputy Minister/Minister for Communications for four years and Vice President for three and half years put him at a higher pedestal than all his competitors.   Mr. Issah Aduah, Patron of the group said this at the launch of the group in Wa on Friday. He said "Zongo Youth for Mahama" was a volunteer group whose membership was national in character and open to all well meaning Ghanaians who shared in the vision of building a Better Ghana.   Mr. Aduah cited the introduction of circular education to Arabic Schools, the amendment of the Public Holiday Act to give Muslims two Public Holidays and the establishment of the Hajj Village to provide comfort and dignity to would-be pilgrims by the first and second NDC administrations as very remarkable examples of the party’s commitment to the wellbeing of Muslims in the country.   He again commended the NDC for committing GH¢200 million to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) in fulfilment of the promise made by the party in its 2008 manifesto. He noted that SADA had already created over 5,000 jobs for some youth and was looking ahead to doubling the figure if the party retained power.   Mr. Aduah stated that for the first time in the country, the NDC government had put in place a guaranteed price for shea nuts to improve the livelihoods of women who engaged in the shea butter business as done for cocoa farmers.   He said under the NDC government, the Wa Central Zongo Community could now boast of getting its fair share of development ranging from improved infrastructure in their schools, provision of boreholes and construction of better drains, among other amenities.   He called on all in the Wa Central Constituency to vote for President Mahama and the Parliamentary Candidate, Alhaji Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo for them to continue with the strengthening of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to position it better to serve the health needs of the people.   Mr. Aduah pledged on behalf of Zongo youth that they were committed to peace and would therefore not allow themselves to be used by any cheap and war-mongering politician to carry out any diabolical agenda in the coming elections. Alhaji Pelpuo called on the people to sell the NDC's success story properly to ensure a one touch victory for President Mahama.   GNA...

Essikado, Nov. 25, GNA - A Government delegation led by Vice Presdent Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur on Saturday attended the funeral rights of Nana Prof Kwabena Nketsiah, late Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area in the Western Region.   Nana Nketsiah died in 1995 at the age of 79 after having ruled for 47 years. The funeral of the late Nana Nketsiah was jointly held with that of Nana Aba Asafuaba, Queenmother of the area. In a tribute Prof Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State, eulogised Nana Nkestiah, and said he played a prominent role among traditional leaders in Ghana’s fight for independence.   He said Nana Nketsiah made a lot of sacrifices to the benefit of his people and Ghana as a whole. The Council of State member recalled that the late Nana Prof. Kobina Nketsia was a nationalist and played key roles in the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention, the Convention Peoples Party, as well as the Ghana Trades Union Congress.   On the forthcoming general election, Prof Awoonor who spoke in immaculate Fante language, repeated the call on all Ghanaians to make the elections peaceful. The Government of Ghana made a donation of GHC70,000 and a quantity of assorted drinks towards the funeral celebration.   Also in attendance at the funeral was Former President John Agyekum Kufuor and other prominent members of the New Patriotic Party. Vice President Amissah-Arhtur is scheduled to attend the funeral rights of the late Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama in Tamale on Sunday.   GNA...

Abirem (ER), Nov. 25, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Sunday concluded his three-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region with a call on supporters of the National Democratic Congress to tolerate their political opponents.   “Political campaign is not about the number of insults you can churn out, neither is it about attacking your political opponents, but it is all about how you package your ideas and issues to make them acceptable to the electorate”, he said.   President Mahama who was addressing a rally at Abirem, said victory in the 2012 general election was already staring the NDC in the face and that there was no need engaging in fruitless attacks and violence that could destabilize the peace Ghana was enjoying.   “It is often said that in every football match, it is normally the weaker teams that create troubles to end the match, but we in NDC are already winners and there is no need engaging in activities and tendencies that can derail our smooth democratic dispensation,” President Mahama added.   During his three-day tour of the Eastern Region, President Mahama outlined the development plan of the NDC for the next four years, inspected and inaugurated development projects, interacted with party supporters and held meetings with the party hierarchy in the region.   The President called on Ghanaians not to allow elections to serve as a divisive activity, but to rather unify them to fight against poverty, illiteracy, disease and hunger.   “There is no need to continue pointing out that we are Gonjas, Dagombas, Ashantis, Fantis or Ewes, but what we need now is to see ourselves as Ghanaians with a common destiny ready to fight the ills of society such as poverty, disease, illiteracy and hunger,” he reiterated.   President Mahama gave the assurance that he would do everything under his purview as the President of the Republic to ensure a peaceful and successful election, just like the five previous ones the country had gone through.   GNA...

Takoradi, Nov.25, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said on Saturday that the country cannot wait for another 20 years before implementing a free Senior High School (SHS) Education Programme.   Speaking at a regional rally in Takoradi, he said the fact that some people were doubtful about the policy did not mean that it could not be implemented.   He said those who could not implement the programme should give way to those who could do it.   Nana Addo said basic education alone was not enough for Ghanaian children and that free Senior High School (SHS) would make it possible for as many children as possible benefit from education.   He said he would ensure that the country's revenue from oil and gas was used judiciously to develop the Western Region and the nation as a whole. Nana Addo said young people in the region would be encouraged to get involved in the oil and gas industry.   Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, said the December 7 election was an election for the youth who were the country's future leaders.   He said the NPP’s proposed free SHS programme was to make the country’s youth competitive in a “Global Village where economies are now driven by knowledge." Former President Kufuor called on the youth to vote Nana Addo into office as President to make the country experience a great transformation.   GNA...

Sandema (UE), Nov. 25, GNA - The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has presented cheques of GHc8,000 each to two separate traditional councils in the Upper East and Upper West Regions. The presentations were meant to assist in the celebration of this year’s Feok and Kakube festivals of the chiefs and people of the Builsa and Nandom Traditional Councils respectively.   The Builsa Traditional Council received a cheque for GH₵5,000 and 50 branded NLA anniversary T-shirts, while the Nandom Traditional Council got a cheque for GH₵3000 and 50 branded NLA anniversary T-shirts.   The donation formed part of the NLA's 50th anniversary celebration and its contribution in the development of the country through games and economic growth. Making the donation at a meeting with some members of the two Traditional Councils at Sandema and Nandom respectively, Mr George Gyamfi-Osew, Director of Special Projects at the NLA noted that as part of his outfit's mandate to develop the country through games, it had supported festivals in most parts of the country to promote cultural heritage.   He said the NLA as part of its corporate social responsibility was focusing on investing in education and alleviating poverty in the country with special attention on the northern parts of the country.   He expressed satisfaction at the unity and cohesion that had existed in the Builsa Tradition Council and said that peace was a pre-requisite for development in society. He called on the chiefs and people of the two tratitional areas to embrace peace for the continuous development of their areas even as this year's elections fast approached.   Nab Apig-Jiak Afulang, Siniensi–Nab who received the cheque and NLA anniversary T-shirts on behalf of the Traditional Council, indicated that the Feok festival would be celebrated in December in memory of the victory of their ancestors over slave raiders in the 18th century, and as a thanksgiving for a good harvest in the just-ended farming season.   He said the celebration of the festival was further intended to bring the people of the traditional area together to deliberate on developmental issues like the falling standards of education and the economic transformation of the people. Mr Norbert Awulley, Builsa District Chief Executive thanked the NLA on behalf of the chiefs and people for the kind gesture and pledged they would use it for the intended purpose.   The Chief of Nandom, Naa Dr. Puoure Puobe Chiir VII, commended management of the NLA for the gesture and pledged to educate his subjects against patronising banker-to-banker lottery. He indicated that the gesture would contribute immensely towards the proper organisation of the festival which was meant to re-awaken the people to appreciate their tradition and culture and also give the people the opportunity to thank their ancestors and ask them to bless the soil and protect them during subsequent farming seasons. The Kakube festival is celebrated from the last week in November to the first week of December.   GNA...

Wa, Nov. 25, GNA – Dr Clement Apaak, Director of Forum for Governance and Justice (FGJ) has observed that violence and the promotion of violent behaviour is the greatest threat to Democracy as a form of governance.   “Without peace, unity and stability all our dreams, our wishes, our hopes and our aspirations as enshrined in the constitution, even though loudly espoused by political parties and their candidates, will never see the light of day”.   He said this at a workshop held under the theme: “Peace, unity and stability a watch-word for election 2012” organized for the youth to promote peace during the upcoming elections in the Upper West Region. FGJ is a non-governmental organization that is committed to influencing the growth of democratic culture and delivery.   Dr Apaak stated that voting in an election was an important civic duty for all citizens but they should listen to the views, pronouncements and positions of different parties and candidates before deciding whom to vote for.   Mr. Mumuni Sulemana, Regional Director of the National Youth Authority urged the youth to recognize themselves as one though they might belong to different political affiliations.   He stated that for peace to reign in the country even after the December 7 elections, every citizen had a crucial role to play to ensure the attainment of that objective. Mr. Sulemana called on all to contribute their quota to the development of the region since it was still young, with poverty being its greatest enemy.   Alhaji Dawd Yahaya, chairman of the Regional Peace Council noted that there could not be justice without peace and everyone should ensure that peaces reigns in the country before, during and after the election.   He reminded the youth that the recent post-election violence in Ivory Coast should be a lesson for all Ghanaians and therefore urged all to preach peace during and after the elections.   GNA...

Ho, Nov. 25, GNA - Government has commenced the distribution of another batch of 2,125 laptops to schools in the Volta Region. This batch, which is under the aegis of the Ministry of Science and Technology, is going to individuals in tertiary schools, skills and professional-based training institutions and Senior High Schools in the region.   Miss Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment Science and Technology in a symbolic presentation ceremony in Ho on Saturday, said the programme was to boost technology-led knowledge seeking among students. She cautioned beneficiaries that the laptops, procured under the government-RLG Communications collaboration, were not for entertainment but rather to spur self-tutorship amongst students.   Miss Ayittey said the policy was a reflection of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s systematic approach to raising the quality of education across all levels of education in the country. She said with time, the ratio of one computer to 1,000 students would be reduced to one computer to 100 students, allowing for ICT knowledge to break into every community in Ghana.   Mr Henry Ametefe, Deputy Volta Regional Minister said only recently, close to 7,000 laptops were distributed to some basic schools in the region. He said going along with the programme was the extension of electricity to many communities in the region. Mr Emmanuel Arthur, Corporate Affairs Manager of RLG Communications, said his company, which is assembling the laptops, was pleased to be associated with the project and would deliver on schedule.   Mr Desmond Mensah, President of Ho-Polytechnic Chapter of the Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN), of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in a statement, said the there was no political tinge to the distribution of the laptops and that one did not have to associate with the NDC to get one. He said to qualify, one only needed to apply and that one could go through the process of application online.   Beneficiaries were from 17 institutions, including Ho Polytechnic, EP University College in Ho, Health Assistant’s Training School, Keta, Akatsi College of Education and hosts of Senior High Schools.   GNA...

Nandom (U/W), Nov. 25, GNA - The Paramount Chief of the Nandom Traditional Area, Naa Dr Puoure Puobe Chiir VII, has offered to be an ambassador for the National Lottery Authority NLA to canvas against the activities of Banker-to-Banker operators in his traditional area.   The activities of Banker-to-Banker operatives take a chunk of the NLA's market for which the Authority is constantly battling to ensure that national lottery games directly fall under its authority.   The Paramount Chief made the offer when the Authority presented a cheque for GHc3000 towards the celebration of the Kakube Festival of the Chiefs and People of the Nandom traditional area at Nandom, in the Upper West Region at the weekend.   The Paramount Chief noted that Banker-to-Banker operations continued because the patrons of such illegal businesses did not appreciate the effects their actions had on the national economy and said there was the need for constant education to sensitize both patrons and operators on the illegality, the consequences and effects of their businesses on the nation's development.   The Paramount Chief remarked that the NLA was a national asset where a significant amount of the country's domestic earnings was derived for the execution of development projects such as the construction of schools, the provision of potable water, construction and rehabilitation of roads, among other development needs.   He therefore cautioned that it behoved on all well-meaning Ghanaian citizens to protect it by desisting from staking from the Banker-to-Banker operators whose earnings from these illegitimate businesses only go into their pockets.   The Paramount Chief used the occasion to appeal to government to speed up works on the Wa Airstrip to open the area up to brisk commercial activities, adding that the Upper West Region was well positioned to take up trade challenges as it shared borders with other West African countries.   Naa Poube expressed gratitude to the management of the NLA for the donation and said it would help to improve on activities scheduled for this year by the committee organizing this year's festival.   Mr George Gyemfi-Osew, Director of Special Projects, at the NLA who presented the cheque to the Nandom Traditional Authority, commended Naa Poube's offer to act as an ambassador to weed off Banker-to-Banker operatives in his traditional area.   He indicated that Banker-to-Banker activities took up to about 40-45 per cent of the NLA market nationwide and said those activities had become a serious menace to the Authority, adding that his outfit welcomed any person, group or authority that would volunteer to help curb the menace.   Mr Gyemfi-Osew said NLA had for a long time supported traditional authorities in the country with funds and other logistics to organize festivals and said the gift for northern Ghana was the first step, adding that the Authority would continue the gesture to ensure that Ghanaians upheld their traditions, culture, and heritage for posterity.   The Kakube festival is an occasion for the people to give thanks to ancestral spirits and ask them to bless the soil and protect them during the farming season. It is celebrated from the last week of November to the first week in December every year.   GNA...