The VALCO Employees Housing Co-operative Society Limited (VEHOCS) has completed and handed over 10 blocks of 20 houses to its members bringing to 201 the number of beneficiaries since the society started operating in 1992.
Each of the workers, most of whom are unemployed as a result of layoffs, is entitled to a two-bedroom self-contained unit with facilities.
At the inauguration of the houses, the acting Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Mr Felix Ampomah Kusi, said co-operative development was an important and integral part of the national multi-sectoral approach to fight against poverty.
He explained that the poor could be mobilised in their small way to contribute financially to achieve meaningful results to better their lot.
Mr Kusi commended members of VEHOCS for working hard to acquire the houses.
This, he noted, was achieved through determination, dedication and concerted effort, as well as through the support of stakeholders.
Mr Kusi urged other groups of people to take advantage of the co-operatives to reduce poverty, stating that there were other areas such as agriculture, finance, industry and service co-operatives which could be taken advantage of.
The Deputy Managing Director of VALCO, Mr George Dodd, commended the workers for coming together to make such huge investments to accommodate their members.
He said management would not relent in its efforts to give support to the workers when the need arose and urged them to ensure that the investment was put to good use.
The President of VEHOCS, Mr Jerry Aikins, said the inauguration of the 20 houses represented the completion of the first phase of the housing project initiated by VEHOCS.
He urged other VALCO workers who were either laid off or still in employment to join the society to benefit from the scheme, adding that those who had benefited must also ensure that they paid up to enable the society to provide more houses for other members.
Mr Aikins noted that the society had a total of 252 members and had earlier housed 181 of them and therefore with the allocation of the 20 units the total number of beneficiaries had come to 201.
He expressed the gratitude of members to Nene Martey Kpone-Gbugbla and elders of Mataheko-Afienya for releasing the land and promised to ensure that it was used for the purpose for which it was allocated.
Mr Aikins announced that the society was ready to start the next phase of the project immediately and re-echoed to members to make do with their commitments.
He appealed to the Dangme West District Assembly to aid the beneficiaries to put the road network in good shape to encourage the people to take settlement as early as possible.
The District Co-ordinating Director of Dangme West, Mr Emmanuel Nartey, commended the workers for the effort and called on other workers to emulate the example.
He appealed to the beneficiaries to pay their property rates promptly to enable the assembly to provide the needed facilities in the area.
Nene Martey Kpone-Gbugbla, assisted by the Very Reverend Fr Andrew Campbell, cut the tape to inaugurate the houses.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
ROTARY CLUB'S POLICE STATION PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION (PAGE 30)
An estimated GH¢ 1.1 billion police station project initiated by the Tema Rotary Club last year is to be completed this year to serve communities 6, 10 ,11 and 12 which are far away from any police station facility in Tema but are areas where criminal activities have been on the ascendancy in the metropolis.
The project, which forms part of the club’s service to communities is presently at the roofing level .
The newly-elected President of the Rotary Club, Mr John Bisiw, made this known during a fund-raising programme at Tema.
He also expressed the club’s commitment to equipping the youth to face future challenges in life by providing the Gbetsile Cluster of schools with a community library.There are about 700 pupils and students from the Kindergarten, primary up to the junior high school level.
Mr Bisiw urged members of the club to ensure that they held on to voluntarism and continued to strive for the survival of needy people and fight against malaria, hunger, Aids, ,illiteracy and other forms of deprivations.
The biggest project of the Tema Rotary Club is its book distribution which equips schools and other institutional libararies with books.
Mr Bisiw said under this project, which is aimed at equipping the youth with good knowledge to face future challenges, the club had distributed over US$45 million worth of books to various institutions.
He recounted that the club had in the past year provided a clinic for the Kpone community, a blood bank for the Tema General Hospital, a set of surgical instruments to the La General Hospital and constructed a fence for the Padmore School in Tema.
The outgoing President of the Tema Rotary Club, Mr Ben Richard Aniagyei, thanked members for their support and assistance offered him during his tenure of office.
He congratulated all companies, individuals and Rotarians whose contributions in cash and kind made it possible for the club to undertake its projects.
Mr Aniagyei later installed the new President into office and urged him to work harder and in close collaboration with his board members to achieve the club’s objectives.
Some Rotarians were presented with the Paul Harris Fellow awards for their contributions to support the club’s humanitarian projects including polio eradication.
The club organised raffle games and lucky dips to raise funds for its projects.
The project, which forms part of the club’s service to communities is presently at the roofing level .
The newly-elected President of the Rotary Club, Mr John Bisiw, made this known during a fund-raising programme at Tema.
He also expressed the club’s commitment to equipping the youth to face future challenges in life by providing the Gbetsile Cluster of schools with a community library.There are about 700 pupils and students from the Kindergarten, primary up to the junior high school level.
Mr Bisiw urged members of the club to ensure that they held on to voluntarism and continued to strive for the survival of needy people and fight against malaria, hunger, Aids, ,illiteracy and other forms of deprivations.
The biggest project of the Tema Rotary Club is its book distribution which equips schools and other institutional libararies with books.
Mr Bisiw said under this project, which is aimed at equipping the youth with good knowledge to face future challenges, the club had distributed over US$45 million worth of books to various institutions.
He recounted that the club had in the past year provided a clinic for the Kpone community, a blood bank for the Tema General Hospital, a set of surgical instruments to the La General Hospital and constructed a fence for the Padmore School in Tema.
The outgoing President of the Tema Rotary Club, Mr Ben Richard Aniagyei, thanked members for their support and assistance offered him during his tenure of office.
He congratulated all companies, individuals and Rotarians whose contributions in cash and kind made it possible for the club to undertake its projects.
Mr Aniagyei later installed the new President into office and urged him to work harder and in close collaboration with his board members to achieve the club’s objectives.
Some Rotarians were presented with the Paul Harris Fellow awards for their contributions to support the club’s humanitarian projects including polio eradication.
The club organised raffle games and lucky dips to raise funds for its projects.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
FACELIFT FOR ASHAIMAN MARKET (BACK PAGE)
The Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (AMA) is to rehabilitate the main Ashaiman Market at an estimated cost of GH¢150,000 to give the market a facelift.
Present conditions at the market are very deplorable with bad layout, causing overcrowding.
Compounding the problem is the frequent flooding that renders the place muddy whenever it rains, a situation which affects the free flow of traffic.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Numo Adinortey Addison, told the Daily Graphic that the project would be funded from the assembly's share of the District Assemblies Common Fund and internally generated resources.
He stated that the assembly needed to improve on its infrastructure for it to befit its status as a municipality.
The chief executive was of the view that Ashaiman was expanding steadily, with a corresponding increase in population, and that such development and expansion called for a general appraisal of the municipality.
Numo Addison stated that the market would be expanded and more sheds provided for the traders.
He said the assembly would provide places of convenience, and electricity extended to the market as part of the arrangement to enhance security.
He appealed to the women to vacate the sheds to pave way for the project to be executed anytime it became necessary.
Present conditions at the market are very deplorable with bad layout, causing overcrowding.
Compounding the problem is the frequent flooding that renders the place muddy whenever it rains, a situation which affects the free flow of traffic.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Numo Adinortey Addison, told the Daily Graphic that the project would be funded from the assembly's share of the District Assemblies Common Fund and internally generated resources.
He stated that the assembly needed to improve on its infrastructure for it to befit its status as a municipality.
The chief executive was of the view that Ashaiman was expanding steadily, with a corresponding increase in population, and that such development and expansion called for a general appraisal of the municipality.
Numo Addison stated that the market would be expanded and more sheds provided for the traders.
He said the assembly would provide places of convenience, and electricity extended to the market as part of the arrangement to enhance security.
He appealed to the women to vacate the sheds to pave way for the project to be executed anytime it became necessary.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
ASHAIMAN ASSEMBLY TDC URGD TO COLLABORATE TO REGISTER ALL HOUSES (PAGE 29)
The Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku, has urged the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly to co-ordinate with the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) to register all houses in the municipality to raise revenue for the assembly.
He explained that early residents of Ashaiman,which was then known as 'Kwasei', went there when the people of Tema were re-located to Manhean, and therefore, it was by compulsion and not by choice that they went there.
Nii Kraku said this when the Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, Numo Adinortey Addison, called on the Tema Mantse to present customary drinks to him to mark the celebration of the Homowo festival by the people of Tema Manhean.
The Tema Mantse said Ashaiman was a young municipality, and therefore, would need to harness all available resources to develop, as its population continued to grow.
He expressed concern about the way houses were being put up haphazardly.
Nii Kraku said the TDC, as the planning authority, could not be left out in bringing sanity to the system and must, therefore, be involved in ensuring proper development of the municipality.
He said residents of Ashaiman expected to benefit from its new status, and must therefore, work hard with his team of officers for the benefit of the people.
Nii Kraku advised the municipal chief executive to be firm in order to leave his mark on the municipality.
The Municipal Chief Executive,Numo Addison, expressed the gratitude of the assembly to the chief and his stool elders for their concern with regard to the development of Ashaiman .
He gave the assurance that he would work hard to ensure that the image of Ashaiman improved to attract people to it .
Numo Addison appealed to the traditional council to assist the assembly with land for development.
He said Ashaiman needed land for more schools, hospitality and recreational facilities, among others.
He urged landowners of Ashaiman to support the assembly to pursue its development agenda.
He was accompanied by the Presiding Member of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, Mr Nikoi Djanie, some assembly members and staff.
He explained that early residents of Ashaiman,which was then known as 'Kwasei', went there when the people of Tema were re-located to Manhean, and therefore, it was by compulsion and not by choice that they went there.
Nii Kraku said this when the Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, Numo Adinortey Addison, called on the Tema Mantse to present customary drinks to him to mark the celebration of the Homowo festival by the people of Tema Manhean.
The Tema Mantse said Ashaiman was a young municipality, and therefore, would need to harness all available resources to develop, as its population continued to grow.
He expressed concern about the way houses were being put up haphazardly.
Nii Kraku said the TDC, as the planning authority, could not be left out in bringing sanity to the system and must, therefore, be involved in ensuring proper development of the municipality.
He said residents of Ashaiman expected to benefit from its new status, and must therefore, work hard with his team of officers for the benefit of the people.
Nii Kraku advised the municipal chief executive to be firm in order to leave his mark on the municipality.
The Municipal Chief Executive,Numo Addison, expressed the gratitude of the assembly to the chief and his stool elders for their concern with regard to the development of Ashaiman .
He gave the assurance that he would work hard to ensure that the image of Ashaiman improved to attract people to it .
Numo Addison appealed to the traditional council to assist the assembly with land for development.
He said Ashaiman needed land for more schools, hospitality and recreational facilities, among others.
He urged landowners of Ashaiman to support the assembly to pursue its development agenda.
He was accompanied by the Presiding Member of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, Mr Nikoi Djanie, some assembly members and staff.
TEMA POLICE NAB 22SUSPECTED ROBBERS (PAGE 29)
The Tema Regional Police Patrol team arrested 22 suspected robbers at Gorme, near Ada, after they had terrorised and robbed travellers on the Ada -Accra stretch in the early hours of Tuesday August 11, 2009. One of the suspected robbers was however killed during the operation.
One of the suspects was nearly lynched and his condition is said to be critical.
The suspected robbers were numbered more than 30 and they were said to have engaged the police in a fierce battle during which the police was able to arrest 20 of them.
The suspects included juveniles who were allegedly armed with machetes and knives, and tracked down travellers who were returning from the Ada Asafotufiam festival.
Items found on them included a large number of mobile phones, a DVD player , a television set, travelling bags, matchetes and different types of knives.
The Tema Regional Police Commander, ACP Augustine Gyening, told the media that at about 12.30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 11, 2009, the police had information that some criminals were attacking unsuspecting residents, visitors and travellers who were returning form Ada after joining the people to celebrate the Asafotufiam festival that weekend.
He said the police suspected the robbers, whose ages ranged between 11 and 21 years, to be landguards at Dahwenya, Zenu , Gbetsile and their immediate surroundings, who had gone to Gorme on motorbikes and hid in some uncompleted buildings waiting to strike in the night.
ACP Gyening said when the police patrol team got to the area, the robbers in an attempt to escape, fired at the police compelling the police to return fire in self defence. Sensing danger the robbers allegedly ran into the community with the police in close pursuit.
He said when residents of the Gorme community saw the police chasing the suspected robbers they gave them support and succeeded in arresting 13 of them.
ACP Gyening said the remaining nine suspected robbers were rounded up in their various hideouts in the community when the police combed further in the morning.
He gave the assurance that the police would ensure that they protected citizens from criminals.
ACP Gyening warned against the use of landguards because it had contributed to armed robbery as the same people metamorphosed into armed robbers at night to terrorise people.
One of the suspects was nearly lynched and his condition is said to be critical.
The suspected robbers were numbered more than 30 and they were said to have engaged the police in a fierce battle during which the police was able to arrest 20 of them.
The suspects included juveniles who were allegedly armed with machetes and knives, and tracked down travellers who were returning from the Ada Asafotufiam festival.
Items found on them included a large number of mobile phones, a DVD player , a television set, travelling bags, matchetes and different types of knives.
The Tema Regional Police Commander, ACP Augustine Gyening, told the media that at about 12.30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 11, 2009, the police had information that some criminals were attacking unsuspecting residents, visitors and travellers who were returning form Ada after joining the people to celebrate the Asafotufiam festival that weekend.
He said the police suspected the robbers, whose ages ranged between 11 and 21 years, to be landguards at Dahwenya, Zenu , Gbetsile and their immediate surroundings, who had gone to Gorme on motorbikes and hid in some uncompleted buildings waiting to strike in the night.
ACP Gyening said when the police patrol team got to the area, the robbers in an attempt to escape, fired at the police compelling the police to return fire in self defence. Sensing danger the robbers allegedly ran into the community with the police in close pursuit.
He said when residents of the Gorme community saw the police chasing the suspected robbers they gave them support and succeeded in arresting 13 of them.
ACP Gyening said the remaining nine suspected robbers were rounded up in their various hideouts in the community when the police combed further in the morning.
He gave the assurance that the police would ensure that they protected citizens from criminals.
ACP Gyening warned against the use of landguards because it had contributed to armed robbery as the same people metamorphosed into armed robbers at night to terrorise people.
MARIE STOPES STEPS UP MATERNAL EDUCATION (PAGE 11)
A number of health-related organisations have intensified efforts at initiating projects and programmes geared towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
One of such organisations that is working towards the attainment of MDG 4, which relates to reducing child mortality and MDG 5, which relates to improving maternal health, is the Ghana branch of Marie Stopes International.
The organisation, in collaboration with queens in Tema Manhean, launched a programme to educate the people on maternal mortality in line with the attainment of the MDGs.
Participants were enlightened on improved methods of maternal care and family planning methods and the dangers involved in the use of herbs and other unapproved methods of aborting pregnancies.
Asafoanyemei in Tema Manhean who were present at the forum, expressed concern about the rate at which some women of reproductive age in the area had lost their lives as a result of the use of unorthodox means to prevent and terminate pregnancies.
According to Asafoanye Naa Kortu, there was the need for queens and elders of traditional areas to join hands with organisations engaged in education and provision of care to prevent maternal mortality .
She said teenage pregnancy coupled with school drop out was high in Tema Manhean and called for intensive education by the traditional authority and related organisations to curb the trend.
The Country Director of Marie Stopes International, Mrs Faustina Fynn-Nyame, said the organisation realised the importance of queens as role models in society and their role in offering advice to young women to lead responsible lives.
She advised the people to disabuse their minds of the misconceptions about family planning method and appealed to the queens to meet with the women from time to time to sustain the educational programme
Mrs Fynn-Nyame mentioned unsafe abortion haemorrhage and sepsis as some of the causes of maternal deaths and stressed the need for improved access to good reproductive health to reduce maternal mortality rates in the country
The Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku, expressed concern about the attitude of some women who resort to the use of dangerous concoctions to abort unwanted pregnancies and advised them to seek medical attention at the available clinics by making use of the health insurance scheme.
The participants were later taken through the practical use of modern family planning methods.
One of such organisations that is working towards the attainment of MDG 4, which relates to reducing child mortality and MDG 5, which relates to improving maternal health, is the Ghana branch of Marie Stopes International.
The organisation, in collaboration with queens in Tema Manhean, launched a programme to educate the people on maternal mortality in line with the attainment of the MDGs.
Participants were enlightened on improved methods of maternal care and family planning methods and the dangers involved in the use of herbs and other unapproved methods of aborting pregnancies.
Asafoanyemei in Tema Manhean who were present at the forum, expressed concern about the rate at which some women of reproductive age in the area had lost their lives as a result of the use of unorthodox means to prevent and terminate pregnancies.
According to Asafoanye Naa Kortu, there was the need for queens and elders of traditional areas to join hands with organisations engaged in education and provision of care to prevent maternal mortality .
She said teenage pregnancy coupled with school drop out was high in Tema Manhean and called for intensive education by the traditional authority and related organisations to curb the trend.
The Country Director of Marie Stopes International, Mrs Faustina Fynn-Nyame, said the organisation realised the importance of queens as role models in society and their role in offering advice to young women to lead responsible lives.
She advised the people to disabuse their minds of the misconceptions about family planning method and appealed to the queens to meet with the women from time to time to sustain the educational programme
Mrs Fynn-Nyame mentioned unsafe abortion haemorrhage and sepsis as some of the causes of maternal deaths and stressed the need for improved access to good reproductive health to reduce maternal mortality rates in the country
The Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku, expressed concern about the attitude of some women who resort to the use of dangerous concoctions to abort unwanted pregnancies and advised them to seek medical attention at the available clinics by making use of the health insurance scheme.
The participants were later taken through the practical use of modern family planning methods.
Friday, August 14, 2009
TEMA METROPOLITAN ASSEMBLY MAKES STRIDES (PAGE 29)
The Tema Metropolitan Assembly lost GHҐ400,000 in revenue in the year 2008 as a result of the creation of the Adenta and Ashaiman municipal assemblies out of it.
The assembly was, however, able to achieve 99.8 per cent of its budgeted internally generated fund while total revenue generated amounted to 95 per cent of the budgeted amount.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kempes Nii Ofosuware, announced this at the first ordinary meeting of the third session of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly.
He said it was a commendable achievement. He said the assembly had projected to achieve its revenue targets for the year 2009.
Mr Ofosuware explained that the assembly had already achieved 48.8 per cent of its budget of internally generated fund by June 30, 2009.
He appealed to the staff of the assembly and the assembly members to rally behind him for greater achievements.
Mr Ofosuware urged them to examine their shortfalls and re-strategise to achieve better results.
He said sanitation continued to be the biggest challenge to the assembly as it still consumed a large proportion of the assembly's resources.
Mr Ofosuware said the waste management department of the assembly was, however, able to reduce piles of waste dumps in the metropolis.
He said the landfill site at Kpone, where all types of solid waste, including slag from steel industries in Tema, were dumped received an estimated 1,800 tonnes of refuse per day with about 100 refuse trucks visiting the site daily.
Mr Ofosuware said the waste management department was currently confronted with challenges of indiscriminate dumping of heavy materials and domestic waste around the metropolis, irregular payment of fees for refuse collected, inadequate equipment and vehicles to manage and supervise solid waste management.
He said the assembly had under the household toilet system, constructed 45 public toilets in the metropolis with five at Kpone ,five at Sakumono and 35 at Tema Manhean.
The metropolitan chief executive said the Tema stadium needed a facelift and that the assembly had plans to upgrade it to a 10,000-seater sports facility.
He said in line with the exercise, the assembly would provide seed money of about GHҐ500,000 million for the successful take off of the project by the year 2010.
Mr Ofosuware said the assembly was talking to public agencies and the private sector operators to join hands with it to realise this objective.
The metropolitan chief executive said the Tema Restoration Agenda would include the refurbishment of all spoilt street lights within the Central Business District and the fixing of new ones on some selected streets within the metropolis.
The metropolitan chief executive said the Works Department of the assembly had been tasked to draw up a programme for the successful execution of a decongesting programme.
Mr Ofosuware called on the assembly members to work hard to uplift the metropolis, noting that it was relevant to upgrade existing structures and systems in the metropolis with a view to strengthening them, while creating new ones where necessary to ensure a more efficient and effective service delivery.
The assembly was, however, able to achieve 99.8 per cent of its budgeted internally generated fund while total revenue generated amounted to 95 per cent of the budgeted amount.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kempes Nii Ofosuware, announced this at the first ordinary meeting of the third session of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly.
He said it was a commendable achievement. He said the assembly had projected to achieve its revenue targets for the year 2009.
Mr Ofosuware explained that the assembly had already achieved 48.8 per cent of its budget of internally generated fund by June 30, 2009.
He appealed to the staff of the assembly and the assembly members to rally behind him for greater achievements.
Mr Ofosuware urged them to examine their shortfalls and re-strategise to achieve better results.
He said sanitation continued to be the biggest challenge to the assembly as it still consumed a large proportion of the assembly's resources.
Mr Ofosuware said the waste management department of the assembly was, however, able to reduce piles of waste dumps in the metropolis.
He said the landfill site at Kpone, where all types of solid waste, including slag from steel industries in Tema, were dumped received an estimated 1,800 tonnes of refuse per day with about 100 refuse trucks visiting the site daily.
Mr Ofosuware said the waste management department was currently confronted with challenges of indiscriminate dumping of heavy materials and domestic waste around the metropolis, irregular payment of fees for refuse collected, inadequate equipment and vehicles to manage and supervise solid waste management.
He said the assembly had under the household toilet system, constructed 45 public toilets in the metropolis with five at Kpone ,five at Sakumono and 35 at Tema Manhean.
The metropolitan chief executive said the Tema stadium needed a facelift and that the assembly had plans to upgrade it to a 10,000-seater sports facility.
He said in line with the exercise, the assembly would provide seed money of about GHҐ500,000 million for the successful take off of the project by the year 2010.
Mr Ofosuware said the assembly was talking to public agencies and the private sector operators to join hands with it to realise this objective.
The metropolitan chief executive said the Tema Restoration Agenda would include the refurbishment of all spoilt street lights within the Central Business District and the fixing of new ones on some selected streets within the metropolis.
The metropolitan chief executive said the Works Department of the assembly had been tasked to draw up a programme for the successful execution of a decongesting programme.
Mr Ofosuware called on the assembly members to work hard to uplift the metropolis, noting that it was relevant to upgrade existing structures and systems in the metropolis with a view to strengthening them, while creating new ones where necessary to ensure a more efficient and effective service delivery.
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