The Tema Office of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), has extended its activities to promote oral health education among school children to schools in the metropolis .
As part of the programme, NCCE officials in Tema have in collaboration with Unilever Ghana and the Dental department of the Tema Polyclinic launched the oral education programme at the Salvation Army Basic School .
Over 453 school children from Kindergarten to Junior High School of the school benefited from the programme.
They were taken through oral health, including how to keep their mouth healthy and how to brush their teeth.
Health officials from the Tema Polyclinic took the children through the exercise.
According to the Programme Officer for the project Mr Theophilus Amewu , the exercise was to enable the children to have healthy growth.
He said the exercise would cover schools in the Tema Metropolis and expressed the hope that by the end of it many children would have learnt the proper way of brushing their teeth and how often it should be done.
The Headteacher of the school, Mr Samuel Gyimah Abaidoo, commended the NCCE for including children in their activities.
He said health was included in the school’s curriculum but the exercise would help the children to understand better the need to keep their teeth healthy because of the inclusion of the professional dentists.
A Principal Dental Nurse at the Tema Polyclinic, Ms Hilda Achengba, who took the children through the practical way of brushing the teeth, explained that tooth decay was on the increase and advised parents to send their children to the clinic at least every six months for check up.
She said tooth decay and other problems were on the increase among children because they usually took in a lot of sweets .
Ms Achengba urged the children to rinse their mouths anytime they ate sweets and that their parents should provide them with soft tooth brushes.
She said soft brushes were the best because hard brushes had given the users cuts resulting in swollen gums and gingivitis.
Ms Achengba took the children through practical ways of using the brush after which they were given some tubes of Close Up tooth paste.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
COURT NULLIFIES TERMINATION OF HEADMISTRESS'S APPOINTMENT (PAGE 46, JULY 26, 2010)
The Accra Fast Track High Court has declared the termination of the appointment of the former headmistress of the Tema Parents' Association School as null and void.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Edward Amoako Asante, described the governing board of the school which terminated the appointment of Mrs. Leona Anyele Nsakie- Kassim as an 'illegally constituted one.’
In its judgement, the court ruled that the appointment of the defendants as directors of the board of the school was of no legal effect and directed the reinstatement of the previous board.
Justice Amoako Asante was giving the ruling in a case which had dragged on for over two years between Mrs. Kassim and seven defendants who claimed to have terminated her appointment with effect from November 23, 2007.
Mrs. Kassim had sued the defendants, Mr E.O. Mensah, Mr G.W.K. Adanuvor, Mr Martey Plange, Mr S.A.S. Nunoo, Mr Eddie Armah, Mr A.B. Assan and Madam Carole Odamtten for wrongful termination of her appointment and wrongfully holding themselves up as Directors of the Board of the school.
She had prayed the court for a perpetual injunction to restrain them from unlawfully interfering with her employment contract.
She contended in her statement of claim that the defendants held an unlawful meeting during which they decided to terminate her appointment and caused her position to be advertised in the Daily Graphic of October 30, 2007.
She stated that the defendants dismissed her per a letter dated 27th November signed by Mr G.W.K. Adanuvor, who acted as the Chairman of the Board.
The plaintiff contended that the said Board had no lawful authority to dismiss her, hence the writ against them.
In its judgement, the court referred to the complaints of the defendants that the appointment of the previous Board which they purportedly ousted was illegal, pointing out that the appointment of the new Board did not also conform to the regulations of the company and was, therefore, equally illegal.
According to the court, the appointment of the new Board was in contravention of regulations 25 and 26 of the school.
General damages of GH¢3,000 was awarded against each of the seven defendants in favour of the plaintiff.
The court also awarded costs of GH¢3,000 jointly and severally against the defendants for the plaintiff.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Edward Amoako Asante, described the governing board of the school which terminated the appointment of Mrs. Leona Anyele Nsakie- Kassim as an 'illegally constituted one.’
In its judgement, the court ruled that the appointment of the defendants as directors of the board of the school was of no legal effect and directed the reinstatement of the previous board.
Justice Amoako Asante was giving the ruling in a case which had dragged on for over two years between Mrs. Kassim and seven defendants who claimed to have terminated her appointment with effect from November 23, 2007.
Mrs. Kassim had sued the defendants, Mr E.O. Mensah, Mr G.W.K. Adanuvor, Mr Martey Plange, Mr S.A.S. Nunoo, Mr Eddie Armah, Mr A.B. Assan and Madam Carole Odamtten for wrongful termination of her appointment and wrongfully holding themselves up as Directors of the Board of the school.
She had prayed the court for a perpetual injunction to restrain them from unlawfully interfering with her employment contract.
She contended in her statement of claim that the defendants held an unlawful meeting during which they decided to terminate her appointment and caused her position to be advertised in the Daily Graphic of October 30, 2007.
She stated that the defendants dismissed her per a letter dated 27th November signed by Mr G.W.K. Adanuvor, who acted as the Chairman of the Board.
The plaintiff contended that the said Board had no lawful authority to dismiss her, hence the writ against them.
In its judgement, the court referred to the complaints of the defendants that the appointment of the previous Board which they purportedly ousted was illegal, pointing out that the appointment of the new Board did not also conform to the regulations of the company and was, therefore, equally illegal.
According to the court, the appointment of the new Board was in contravention of regulations 25 and 26 of the school.
General damages of GH¢3,000 was awarded against each of the seven defendants in favour of the plaintiff.
The court also awarded costs of GH¢3,000 jointly and severally against the defendants for the plaintiff.
WOMEN IN MARITIME INDUSTRY FORM ASSOCIATION (PAGE 46, JULY 26, 2010)
WOMEN in the maritime industry have called for the institution of a sub-regional coast guard network that can police the waters from the shipping range of Mauritania to Angola to provide maximum security along commercial shipping routes.
They called on maritime administrations, shippers and port authorities to intensify their integration for regional and sub-regional co-operation, partnerships and networking.
The President of the Women International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Ghana, an organisation of women in management positions involved in maritime transportation business, Mrs Naa Densua Aryeetey, made the call at the inauguration of the association in Tema.
She said the association had among its objectives the need to facilitate the exchange of contacts, information and the promotion of the education of its members.
Mrs Aryeetey said the need to fight piracy and armed robbery would require the initiatives of all port authorities in the sub-region emphasising that 'no one country can do it alone”.
She said there were national WISTAs in over 28 countries world-wide, and in Africa, Ghana was the third country to have a national association with the others being WISTA Nigeria and WISTA South Africa.
Mrs Aryeetey said WISTA Ghana was established in June 2009 with a current membership drawn from both the public and private sectors to promote the role of women in the maritime industry.
She noted that its objectives were in line with the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) agenda on women and development.
Mrs Aryeetey said that the marine industry was an international and dynamic one which depended on trade.
She estimated that between 2010 and 2015, there would be tremendous growth in the industry, though it would mostly be from Asia, specifically, China and India.
Mrs Aryeetey said with occurrences of oil spills, marine pollution and piracy among others, there was the need to invest more in maritime education to build the necessary human resource capacity to meet those challenges.
She explained that with the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities, the issue of security and safety could become critical, especially as the commodity would have to be exported and transported from one destination to the other.
Mrs Aryeetey emphasised that WISTA would help to promote the maritime industry and urged members to play their roles effectively for the growth and development of the industry .
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Aku Attivor, commended the women for forming the association to bring players in the shipping industry together.
She said it was the desire of the government that the bond of unity among Ghanaian women would be extended to sister countries in the sub-region.
Mrs Attivor stressed that women today had more opportunities in all aspects of life including education, career development and business to improve their access to training, employment, social protection and better working conditions.
She encouraged them to be honest, diligent and hardworking to achieve their objectives.
The Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Mr Isaac P. Azumah, congratulated the WISTA Ghana, and said the GMA had since its inception tried to promote gender equality in line with the Millennium Development Goals.
Mr Azumah was of the view that this had reflected in its recruitment policy of giving qualified women equal opportunity in the organisation and ensured that staff development was spread equally to equip both men and women to excel at their jobs.
He gave the assurance that the GMA would partner WISTA Ghana to promote the progress of women in the maritime industry to achieve the 2015 deadline of the millennium development goals .
Mr Azumah urged members to exhibit high levels of commitment to the association and keep abreast of various developments in the industry .
A Representative of WISTA International, Ms Dime Agboire, expressed happiness that women in the marine industry in Ghana had succeeded in forming an association and pledged to support it to make greater strides.
She said it was a landmark in the history of WISTA International and urged them to network, learn and share experiences to make the association grow.
The President of WISTA Nigeria, Mrs Ify Akerele, and other executives from Nigeria presented to the WISTA Ghana brochures and documents which would help them to build on their knowledge.
Other dignitaries at the function included the Minister for Women and Children, Mrs Juliana Azumah, the Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) , Mr Nestor Galley, Chief Executive of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Mr Kofi Mbiah, and the Rector of the Regional Maritime University, Mr Enoch Asamoah.
They called on maritime administrations, shippers and port authorities to intensify their integration for regional and sub-regional co-operation, partnerships and networking.
The President of the Women International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Ghana, an organisation of women in management positions involved in maritime transportation business, Mrs Naa Densua Aryeetey, made the call at the inauguration of the association in Tema.
She said the association had among its objectives the need to facilitate the exchange of contacts, information and the promotion of the education of its members.
Mrs Aryeetey said the need to fight piracy and armed robbery would require the initiatives of all port authorities in the sub-region emphasising that 'no one country can do it alone”.
She said there were national WISTAs in over 28 countries world-wide, and in Africa, Ghana was the third country to have a national association with the others being WISTA Nigeria and WISTA South Africa.
Mrs Aryeetey said WISTA Ghana was established in June 2009 with a current membership drawn from both the public and private sectors to promote the role of women in the maritime industry.
She noted that its objectives were in line with the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) agenda on women and development.
Mrs Aryeetey said that the marine industry was an international and dynamic one which depended on trade.
She estimated that between 2010 and 2015, there would be tremendous growth in the industry, though it would mostly be from Asia, specifically, China and India.
Mrs Aryeetey said with occurrences of oil spills, marine pollution and piracy among others, there was the need to invest more in maritime education to build the necessary human resource capacity to meet those challenges.
She explained that with the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities, the issue of security and safety could become critical, especially as the commodity would have to be exported and transported from one destination to the other.
Mrs Aryeetey emphasised that WISTA would help to promote the maritime industry and urged members to play their roles effectively for the growth and development of the industry .
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Aku Attivor, commended the women for forming the association to bring players in the shipping industry together.
She said it was the desire of the government that the bond of unity among Ghanaian women would be extended to sister countries in the sub-region.
Mrs Attivor stressed that women today had more opportunities in all aspects of life including education, career development and business to improve their access to training, employment, social protection and better working conditions.
She encouraged them to be honest, diligent and hardworking to achieve their objectives.
The Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Mr Isaac P. Azumah, congratulated the WISTA Ghana, and said the GMA had since its inception tried to promote gender equality in line with the Millennium Development Goals.
Mr Azumah was of the view that this had reflected in its recruitment policy of giving qualified women equal opportunity in the organisation and ensured that staff development was spread equally to equip both men and women to excel at their jobs.
He gave the assurance that the GMA would partner WISTA Ghana to promote the progress of women in the maritime industry to achieve the 2015 deadline of the millennium development goals .
Mr Azumah urged members to exhibit high levels of commitment to the association and keep abreast of various developments in the industry .
A Representative of WISTA International, Ms Dime Agboire, expressed happiness that women in the marine industry in Ghana had succeeded in forming an association and pledged to support it to make greater strides.
She said it was a landmark in the history of WISTA International and urged them to network, learn and share experiences to make the association grow.
The President of WISTA Nigeria, Mrs Ify Akerele, and other executives from Nigeria presented to the WISTA Ghana brochures and documents which would help them to build on their knowledge.
Other dignitaries at the function included the Minister for Women and Children, Mrs Juliana Azumah, the Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) , Mr Nestor Galley, Chief Executive of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Mr Kofi Mbiah, and the Rector of the Regional Maritime University, Mr Enoch Asamoah.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Land guards invade Irrigation Site at Ashaiman, (PAGE 29, JULY 21, 2010)
Story: Rose Hayford Darko, Ashaiman
ENCROACHERS, described as land guards, are said to have invaded the vegetable farms at the Irrigation Dam site at Roman Down and Jericho, near Ashaiman, and selling the land to potential developers.
More than 150 acres of land were acquired by the government for the Irrigation Development Authority (IDA) for demonstration farming but half of it has been illegally acquired and turned into residential facilities.
A spokesman for the Ashaiman Roman Down Co-operative Farmers Society, Mr Emmanuel Doe, told the Daily Graphic that the situation was brought to the attention of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly long ago but the rate of encroachment kept increasing.
Sources at the IDA and the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly confirmed the story but added that there were plans to demolish structures in the area because the developers had crossed the buffer zones which protected the dam.
According to sources, the land guards were often armed with dangerous weapons to ward off any resistance from the farmers as they (land guards) demarcated the land for potential developers.
Mr Doe said many more pillars had been erected at vantage points on the land, indicating that those areas had been sold out, but he could not tell the person behind the activities of the land guards.
He said the 150-acre land had virtually been reduced to half and expressed the fear that very soon the whole land area would be covered with buildings, pushing the IDA and the farmers out.
When contacted, the Tema Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Augustine Gyenning, said activities of the land guards in the Ashaiman area had become a matter of concern to the police.
He said land guards created multiple problems because after they had aided their agents to secure the land, they in turn attacked the developer for compensation for work done.
ACP Gyenning said attempts to refuse them had led to bloody incidents and harassment.
He said there were some of such cases pending at the courts and appealed to victims to report any such incident to the police for action.
ACP Gyenning urged chiefs to desist from the practice of using land guards to achieve their objectives.
Meanwhile, the Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, Numo Adinortey Addison, has confirmed that the government acquired and reserved the farmlands for farming.
He said the assembly had called for the original site plan of the area from the IDA to enable it to undertake the demolition operation.
Pix- one
The spokesman for the farmers, Mr Emmanuel Doe, pointing at the encroached land which, hitherto, had vegetables and other crops but now have some structures springing up.
ENCROACHERS, described as land guards, are said to have invaded the vegetable farms at the Irrigation Dam site at Roman Down and Jericho, near Ashaiman, and selling the land to potential developers.
More than 150 acres of land were acquired by the government for the Irrigation Development Authority (IDA) for demonstration farming but half of it has been illegally acquired and turned into residential facilities.
A spokesman for the Ashaiman Roman Down Co-operative Farmers Society, Mr Emmanuel Doe, told the Daily Graphic that the situation was brought to the attention of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly long ago but the rate of encroachment kept increasing.
Sources at the IDA and the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly confirmed the story but added that there were plans to demolish structures in the area because the developers had crossed the buffer zones which protected the dam.
According to sources, the land guards were often armed with dangerous weapons to ward off any resistance from the farmers as they (land guards) demarcated the land for potential developers.
Mr Doe said many more pillars had been erected at vantage points on the land, indicating that those areas had been sold out, but he could not tell the person behind the activities of the land guards.
He said the 150-acre land had virtually been reduced to half and expressed the fear that very soon the whole land area would be covered with buildings, pushing the IDA and the farmers out.
When contacted, the Tema Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Augustine Gyenning, said activities of the land guards in the Ashaiman area had become a matter of concern to the police.
He said land guards created multiple problems because after they had aided their agents to secure the land, they in turn attacked the developer for compensation for work done.
ACP Gyenning said attempts to refuse them had led to bloody incidents and harassment.
He said there were some of such cases pending at the courts and appealed to victims to report any such incident to the police for action.
ACP Gyenning urged chiefs to desist from the practice of using land guards to achieve their objectives.
Meanwhile, the Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, Numo Adinortey Addison, has confirmed that the government acquired and reserved the farmlands for farming.
He said the assembly had called for the original site plan of the area from the IDA to enable it to undertake the demolition operation.
Pix- one
The spokesman for the farmers, Mr Emmanuel Doe, pointing at the encroached land which, hitherto, had vegetables and other crops but now have some structures springing up.
PLANT TO PROCESS CONVENTIONAL FUEL INTO ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY PRODUCT (PAGE 46, JULY 22, 2010)
An estimated GH¢800,000 pilot plant to process conventional fuel into a cost- effective product, which reduces emissions and saves about 30 per cent cost on fuel consumption, has been unveiled in Tema.
The plant,when it becomes operational, will produce to serve boiler and furnace user industries.
The technology, which uses petroleum, water and emulsifiers to turn out the refined product, will also help to minimise the intermittent shut downs of boilers and furnaces for maintenance.
Branded M-Fuel, the plant which was patented in Korea, is being test run on a capacity of 60,000 litres of fuel daily to turn out 80,000 litres of the refined product. The plant is expected to begin supplying its refined products by the end of July 2010.
According to the Group Managing Director of Marado Company, Mr Robert Adomako, the technology could be used for all types of fuels ranging from diesel, bio-diesel, bunker oil and kerosene.
He said the M-Fuel would concentrate on the processing of diesel and residual fuel which were by-products from oil refineries which emitted high levels of nitrogen oxides and were harmful to the environment.
Mr Adomako said the M-fuel company would purchase conventional fuel on the market and sell the processed product at cheaper cost to industries, but would also accept contracts from industries to refine their conventional fuel products for them to run the boilers and furnaces.
He explained that after processing, the quantity of oil delivered to the company by various industries would increase by 30 per cent because of the use of water in the process.
Mr Adomako called on industries to cut down on production cost by patronising the M-fuel in order to benefit fully from the innovation.
The Chief Executive of Marado Company, Mr Lloyd Amoah, who took invited guests through the process of refining the emulsified fuel, said the plant processed about 60 per cent oil and 40 per cent water.
He emphasised that the M-fuel system was economical to use and environmentally friendly .
Mr Amoah was of the view that the technology could help reduce production cost of industries by 30 per cent with the use of the M-fuel .
He stated that fuel produced by the technology was stable under normal storage conditions for up to a year without any subsequent stirring.
Dr Ali Abugre, a retired Deputy Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), commended the management of Marado Company for transferring the innovation to Ghana and therefore Africa, to support the industry.
He said the supply of conventional fuel on the market should not hinder their operations because as an independent entity, the company could fall on the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs ) for supply.
Dr Abugre described the system as an innovation to the boiler system, which would enable fuel to burn completely and reduce maintenance cost.
He said the system was another means of economising on fuel use in the country and advised industries to patronise the product.
Dr Abugre said the 30 per cent savings to be made on the use of the product was very significant aside the health implications that users of the conventional fuel suffered.
He explained that the TOR was a refinery and not into the nano-technology which would operate with water, fuel and emulsifiers and that it could be done only if TOR decided to build a plant for it.
There was a demonstration to show the difference between conventional fuel and the processed fuel under the nano-technology.
Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana National Fire Service, representatives of industries, engineers and the general public observed the process.
Korean experts, who built the plant, demonstrated by firing two improvised furnaces and the conventional fuel burned with red flames and thick black smoke, while there was no smoke when the processed M-Fuel was fired.
The plant,when it becomes operational, will produce to serve boiler and furnace user industries.
The technology, which uses petroleum, water and emulsifiers to turn out the refined product, will also help to minimise the intermittent shut downs of boilers and furnaces for maintenance.
Branded M-Fuel, the plant which was patented in Korea, is being test run on a capacity of 60,000 litres of fuel daily to turn out 80,000 litres of the refined product. The plant is expected to begin supplying its refined products by the end of July 2010.
According to the Group Managing Director of Marado Company, Mr Robert Adomako, the technology could be used for all types of fuels ranging from diesel, bio-diesel, bunker oil and kerosene.
He said the M-Fuel would concentrate on the processing of diesel and residual fuel which were by-products from oil refineries which emitted high levels of nitrogen oxides and were harmful to the environment.
Mr Adomako said the M-fuel company would purchase conventional fuel on the market and sell the processed product at cheaper cost to industries, but would also accept contracts from industries to refine their conventional fuel products for them to run the boilers and furnaces.
He explained that after processing, the quantity of oil delivered to the company by various industries would increase by 30 per cent because of the use of water in the process.
Mr Adomako called on industries to cut down on production cost by patronising the M-fuel in order to benefit fully from the innovation.
The Chief Executive of Marado Company, Mr Lloyd Amoah, who took invited guests through the process of refining the emulsified fuel, said the plant processed about 60 per cent oil and 40 per cent water.
He emphasised that the M-fuel system was economical to use and environmentally friendly .
Mr Amoah was of the view that the technology could help reduce production cost of industries by 30 per cent with the use of the M-fuel .
He stated that fuel produced by the technology was stable under normal storage conditions for up to a year without any subsequent stirring.
Dr Ali Abugre, a retired Deputy Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), commended the management of Marado Company for transferring the innovation to Ghana and therefore Africa, to support the industry.
He said the supply of conventional fuel on the market should not hinder their operations because as an independent entity, the company could fall on the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs ) for supply.
Dr Abugre described the system as an innovation to the boiler system, which would enable fuel to burn completely and reduce maintenance cost.
He said the system was another means of economising on fuel use in the country and advised industries to patronise the product.
Dr Abugre said the 30 per cent savings to be made on the use of the product was very significant aside the health implications that users of the conventional fuel suffered.
He explained that the TOR was a refinery and not into the nano-technology which would operate with water, fuel and emulsifiers and that it could be done only if TOR decided to build a plant for it.
There was a demonstration to show the difference between conventional fuel and the processed fuel under the nano-technology.
Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana National Fire Service, representatives of industries, engineers and the general public observed the process.
Korean experts, who built the plant, demonstrated by firing two improvised furnaces and the conventional fuel burned with red flames and thick black smoke, while there was no smoke when the processed M-Fuel was fired.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
NCCE INTENSIFIES EDUCATION ON DISTRICT POLLS (PAGE 14, JULY 0, 2010)
THE National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has intensified its efforts at educating the people on the forthcoming district assembly elections to whip up interest and encourage eligible voters to participate effectively.
At a forum of opinion leaders, chiefs, educationists and eligible voters at Tema Manhean, the Tema Metropolitan Director of the NCCE, Mr Ebenezer Tetteh-Wayo, expressed concern over the low turnout of voters during district level elections.
He said the poor turnout was a national phenomenon, adding that in 2002, the overall turnout was 33.3 per cent of the voting population, while in 2006, it was about 44 per cent.
That, Mr Tetteh Wayo said, was of concern to the NCCE, which is responsible for education.
He urged the people to embrace the district assembly concept, which is enshrined in Chapter 20 (Article 256) of the Constitution and the Local Government Act 462, for participatory democracy in the development of the nation.
He called on the people to be interested in those they chose to lead them in the assembly, saying they must be vigilant and actively involved in the effective use of assembly funds for proper accountability.
He noted that some citizens had lost confidence in their assembly members for non-performance, hence their decision to abstain from voting.
He said assembly members were there to represent the people and convey the concerns of the people to the assembly for resolution.
Mr Tetteh-Wayo said assembly members were to liaise with the people in the communities, hold meetings and discuss the people’s needs, as well as inform the people on how the assembly operated.
He said effective participation in governance was the surest way to attain the objectives of democracy and appealed to the citizenry to attach importance to the district level elections, just as they did to presidential and parliamentary elections, and come out in their numbers to elect their community leaders.
He advised the youth to refrain from violence and electoral malpractice that would mar elections and prevent people from exercising their franchise.
Mr Tetteh–Wayo urged aspiring candidates to endeavour to satisfy all the requirements of the electioneering processes before they posted their posters for the elections.
During the open forum, participants were surprised to hear that assembly members were not paid salaries, nor were they given money to undertake development projects.
They appreciated the education by the NCCE and appealed to the government to resource the organisation to enable it to undertake more programmes.
An aspiring assembly member was not happy that some candidates were being sponsored by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly in the forthcoming district level elections and called on the NCCE to ensure that everything was fair to whip up the interest of as many people as possible to take part.
At a forum of opinion leaders, chiefs, educationists and eligible voters at Tema Manhean, the Tema Metropolitan Director of the NCCE, Mr Ebenezer Tetteh-Wayo, expressed concern over the low turnout of voters during district level elections.
He said the poor turnout was a national phenomenon, adding that in 2002, the overall turnout was 33.3 per cent of the voting population, while in 2006, it was about 44 per cent.
That, Mr Tetteh Wayo said, was of concern to the NCCE, which is responsible for education.
He urged the people to embrace the district assembly concept, which is enshrined in Chapter 20 (Article 256) of the Constitution and the Local Government Act 462, for participatory democracy in the development of the nation.
He called on the people to be interested in those they chose to lead them in the assembly, saying they must be vigilant and actively involved in the effective use of assembly funds for proper accountability.
He noted that some citizens had lost confidence in their assembly members for non-performance, hence their decision to abstain from voting.
He said assembly members were there to represent the people and convey the concerns of the people to the assembly for resolution.
Mr Tetteh-Wayo said assembly members were to liaise with the people in the communities, hold meetings and discuss the people’s needs, as well as inform the people on how the assembly operated.
He said effective participation in governance was the surest way to attain the objectives of democracy and appealed to the citizenry to attach importance to the district level elections, just as they did to presidential and parliamentary elections, and come out in their numbers to elect their community leaders.
He advised the youth to refrain from violence and electoral malpractice that would mar elections and prevent people from exercising their franchise.
Mr Tetteh–Wayo urged aspiring candidates to endeavour to satisfy all the requirements of the electioneering processes before they posted their posters for the elections.
During the open forum, participants were surprised to hear that assembly members were not paid salaries, nor were they given money to undertake development projects.
They appreciated the education by the NCCE and appealed to the government to resource the organisation to enable it to undertake more programmes.
An aspiring assembly member was not happy that some candidates were being sponsored by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly in the forthcoming district level elections and called on the NCCE to ensure that everything was fair to whip up the interest of as many people as possible to take part.
TMA TO RETRIEVE STOLEN STREET BULBS (PAGE 18, JULY 20, 2010)
THE Tema Metropolitan Assembly has instituted measures to retrieve a missing quantity of street-light bulbs supplied by the Ministry of Energy to support the Assembly to provide light in the metropolis.
As a result, a team of assembly members has been tasked to a count all street-light bulbs installed in their electoral areas and to submit reports to the assembly by the end of this month.
The Chairman of the Tema East Sub Metro , Mr Enoch Adjei Mensah, who is leading the Tema East task force, told the Daily Graphic in an exclusive interview that the complaint was made on the floor of the assembly by some members of the house.
Mr Adjei-Mensah made the comment when the issue resurfaced at an educational forum organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Tema Manhean to encourage eligible voters to come out and vote massively when the time comes.
At the forum, a participant complained that an individual in the community was claiming ownership of ten streetlights installed by the assembly at the U compound area of Tema Manhean and inscribed his name on them with the indication that he had supported the area with the provision of light and therefore appealed to the assembly to investigate the issue.
Mr Adjei–Mensah, who is also a Principal Officer at the Tema NCCE, explained that the Assembly had already taken steps to investigate how the bulbs were taken out in somebody’s name.
Mr Adjei-Mensah recounted that late last year, the Energy Ministry supplied a quantity of street-light bulbs to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly to install on ceremonial routes in the metropolis.
He said when the issue was brought to the notice of assembly members, they suggested that the bulbs were rather fixed in the communities which were dark.
This, Mr Mensah said, was accepted by the house and therefore, each of the 39 electoral areas was given ten bulbs, with poles, to be erected in their communities, in collaboration with the residents.
He gave the break down in the electoral areas as Tema East-17 , Tema West-12 and Kpone Katamanso-10 which totalled 39 bulbs in all.
Mr Adjei Mensah said the task force was scheduled to start work on Monday, July 20, 2010, to count all streetlights in the metropolis.
He noted that some people, through personal contributions, provided streetlights in their areas but said they were different from the ones supplied by the Ministry of Energy.
Mr Adjei–Mensah who was confirming the allegations made by the concerned citizen said the assembly had taken up the issue, and called on people who had any information about it to contact the Sub–Metro office at Tema Manhean.
The concerned participant who lived at U Compound area at Tema Manhean had explained at the forum that the suspicion arose because the ten poles and bulbs were conveyed and installed in the area by a team of engineers from the TMA.
He said residents witnessed the installation and therefore, were surprised that an individual had his name inscribed on them and was campaigning that he had supplied light in order to win their favour in the forthcoming elections.
Meanwhile, information available to the Daily Graphic indicates that the one alleged to have inscribed his name on the bulbs was aspiring to become an assembly member in the forthcoming district level election.
As a result, a team of assembly members has been tasked to a count all street-light bulbs installed in their electoral areas and to submit reports to the assembly by the end of this month.
The Chairman of the Tema East Sub Metro , Mr Enoch Adjei Mensah, who is leading the Tema East task force, told the Daily Graphic in an exclusive interview that the complaint was made on the floor of the assembly by some members of the house.
Mr Adjei-Mensah made the comment when the issue resurfaced at an educational forum organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Tema Manhean to encourage eligible voters to come out and vote massively when the time comes.
At the forum, a participant complained that an individual in the community was claiming ownership of ten streetlights installed by the assembly at the U compound area of Tema Manhean and inscribed his name on them with the indication that he had supported the area with the provision of light and therefore appealed to the assembly to investigate the issue.
Mr Adjei–Mensah, who is also a Principal Officer at the Tema NCCE, explained that the Assembly had already taken steps to investigate how the bulbs were taken out in somebody’s name.
Mr Adjei-Mensah recounted that late last year, the Energy Ministry supplied a quantity of street-light bulbs to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly to install on ceremonial routes in the metropolis.
He said when the issue was brought to the notice of assembly members, they suggested that the bulbs were rather fixed in the communities which were dark.
This, Mr Mensah said, was accepted by the house and therefore, each of the 39 electoral areas was given ten bulbs, with poles, to be erected in their communities, in collaboration with the residents.
He gave the break down in the electoral areas as Tema East-17 , Tema West-12 and Kpone Katamanso-10 which totalled 39 bulbs in all.
Mr Adjei Mensah said the task force was scheduled to start work on Monday, July 20, 2010, to count all streetlights in the metropolis.
He noted that some people, through personal contributions, provided streetlights in their areas but said they were different from the ones supplied by the Ministry of Energy.
Mr Adjei–Mensah who was confirming the allegations made by the concerned citizen said the assembly had taken up the issue, and called on people who had any information about it to contact the Sub–Metro office at Tema Manhean.
The concerned participant who lived at U Compound area at Tema Manhean had explained at the forum that the suspicion arose because the ten poles and bulbs were conveyed and installed in the area by a team of engineers from the TMA.
He said residents witnessed the installation and therefore, were surprised that an individual had his name inscribed on them and was campaigning that he had supplied light in order to win their favour in the forthcoming elections.
Meanwhile, information available to the Daily Graphic indicates that the one alleged to have inscribed his name on the bulbs was aspiring to become an assembly member in the forthcoming district level election.
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