Redeveloped Ho central market to be ready in June

Shops under construction

Redevelopment works at  the Ho central market  is set for completion in June, 2016.  The project which is under the Ghana urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP) started in the first quarter of 2014 with the aim of modernizing the central market, which hasn't seen any major renovation for decades.

Facilities under construction at market include, 231 shops, ware houses, places of convenience, Police and fire service post as well as a crèche.

Mr. Kofi Hayford, resident engineer in charge of the project told the Volta regional minister, Helen Ntoso during an inspection tour that, the project is over 60 percent complete with the most difficult aspect being the structural framing done. He said the remaining is the partitioning of structures into the various shops.

He also noted that, two other projects under the GUMPP such the construction of an abattoir and an engineered land fill site with the Ho municipality are on course and will also be ready by the June deadline.

British High Commissioner on a day's visit Volta region

Regional minister in a handshake with Jon Benjamin

The British High commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Jon Benjamin has on Monday embarked  a one day working visit to the volta region.

Mr. Benjamin upon arrival , paid a courtesy call of the volta regional minister, Helen Ntoso and her deputy Francis Ganyaglo at the Volta regional coordinating council in Ho.

According to him, the visit is to afford him the opportunity to familiarize with other parts the country beyond the national capital Accra.

‘As a High commissioner,  I   see it necessary to travel out of the Accra to other parts of the country, just to see things for myself. There is a historic British involvement in the volta region and my visit here is to strength that relationship,’ Mr. Benjamin, who is also the British ambassador to Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso,  noted.

Roads in Ho and two other towns to be asphalted

Ho Poly - SSNIT flat road

Road networks within three towns in the Volta region  are  to be  given an asphaltic facelift, President Mahama has revealed.

The re-surfacing which will take place before the end of 2016 forms  part of an urban roads improvement project being undertaken by government to improve  the standard of roads in Ho, Hohoe and Keta. 

President Mahama  who disclosed this, during  a courtesy called on the paramount chief of Asogli traditional area, Togbe Afede XIV, in Ho over the weekend, said 25 kilometers of roads have been earmarked for the asphaltic surfacing in Ho as part of the phase of the project. 

“The project is being awarded and very soon the contract will be on site to raise the standards of the roads with asphalt and this will also be done in Keta and Hohoe,” he stated.

The president’s assurance comes on the back sentiments expressed by  residents, which Togbe Afede re-echoed  at the meeting, about the  quality of some roads which were recently resurfaced with bituminous  chipping within the Volta regional capital.

Three killed in gory Ho accident

At least, three persons are reported dead in an accident involving a Benz bus and two taxi cabs in Ho Saturday, afternoon.
The bus with registration number GT 8320 C, according eyewitnesses was descending the Galenkui hill, when it ran into the taxis, one of which was engaging in a u-turn in front of the Goil filling station opposite the OLA SHS 2nd gate, with the other overtaking it.
Eyewitnesses believe the 33 seater bus might have had brake failure resulting in the accident.
Several persons on the bus are said to have sustained various degrees of injury, as it capside on a pavement.

Personnel from the Fire Service and Police service were at the scene to evacuate the victims to the regional hospital in Ho for treatment, as investigation commenced.

Passengers onboard the Benz bus have been identified as members of the Apostles Revelations Society (ARS) church, who were returning from a funeral. 

Source: VoltaOnlinegh/LA

Photos: Vice President keep fit with appointees in Ho

Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur and a host of of government ministers and appointees took time off their busy schedules to burn some calories in a health walk in Ho, the Volta regional capital, Saturday morning.

The appointees including the chief of staff, Julius Debrah clad in polo shirts with inscription #Changinglives, #transformingGhana walked through the principal streets of Ho, starting  from the Volta Serene hotel on Kabakaba Hills.

President Mahama reopens refurbished Adomi Bridge

The refurbished Adomi bridge (c) Facebook 

President John Mahama has reopened the rehabilitated Adomi bridge at Atimpoku in the eastern region to commuters, Saturday afternoon.

The 335 metre suspension steel bridge across the Volta river was refurnished at a cost of 12.9 million euros by Bilfinger MCE GmbH of Austria within the period of 20months. 

The rehabilitation saw  the reinforcement of  steel beams  beneath the bridge deck, replacement of the hanger cables holding  the suspended  deck  to the steel arch, replacement of concrete on steel deck with asphalt and the provision pedestrian concrete walkway.

Speaking at the recommissioning ceremony, President Mahama noted that, the rehabilitation became necessary following deep cracks that have developed on  parts of the steel beams as a result of excess weight from overloaded trucks.

He therefore  cautioned  drivers  to adhere to axle load requirement and urged officials of the Ghana highways authority to enforce  the laws by  not allowing overloaded  trucks to access to the bridge, in order to elongate its life span.

Gov't rebuilds Gbi Paramount Chief’s residence

Government has  reconstructed the vandalized residence of the paramount chief of Gbi traditional area, Togbega Gabusu VI in Hohoe. 

The residence, which   was vandalized  by some irate zongo  youth in June, 2012 during a communal clash  with some indigenes of area, was rebuild as part of peace efforts by government through the Volta regional coordinating council.  

The  GHc 254, 000 two bedroom self contain and  three semi-detached chamber and halls were constructed by CW constructions Ltd within a period of 18 months.

At a brief ceremony to handover keys to the walled and gated facility on Tuesday, Director of CW Constructions Limited, Mr William Chidiak told journalists  the facility is ready  for occupation by the chief.

He however said the company will be on standby to rectify any defect which will detected during the initial  period of occupation.

The deputy Volta regional minister, Mr Francis Ganyaglo,  who received the keys to the house, said the completion of the residence will ‘cement the existing peace and tranquility’ currently prevailing in the area.

He commanded the contractor for contributing towards the peace process and urged the zongo community and the indigenes to coexist peacefully.

Mr. Ganyaglo also charged the police in the area to provide 24 hour surveillance at the residence until the chief relocates to the place. 

Togbega Gabusu who is currently out of town, will be handed over the residence at an official ceremony upon his return. 

Rehabilitated Adomi bridge to be opened to traffic

Adomi Bridge

Motorists who use the Adomi bridge to connect to Accra and other parts of the country will soon heave a sigh of relief, when President Mahama reopens the rehabilitated bridge situated at Atimpoku in the eastern region to vehicular traffic  this weekend.

This follows the completion of an 18 months extensive  rehabilitation works by the  Austrian construction and Engineering  firm, Bilfinger MCE GmbH on the  335metre bridge,  spanning across the Volta river.

The bridge which  connects  the Volta region  to other parts of the country through  the eastern region, was closed down in March 2014, for its  first  major rehabilitation after it was commissioned over  five decades ago.

The  closure  created a lot of inconvenience to   motorists and  travelers moving from the central and northern parts of the Volta region to the national capital, Accra, as they spent long hours waiting   to cross the river with the two ferries provided by the Ghana  Highway Authority at Senchi.

14 perish in gory Hohoe-Jasikan road accident

    File photo 

Some 14 persons are reported  dead in a fatal accident which  occurred on the Hohoe-Jasikan road in the Volta region, Thursday afternoon.

The accident which occurred between Bowiri and Jasikan,  involved an urvan passenger vehicle  traveling from  Jasikan in a head-on collision with a Metro mass transit bus, coming from the Hohoe direction.

According information gathered, almost all the  passengers on board the urvan bus have perished, except a woman and her baby who were  miraculously found alive in the mangled vehicle.

An eyewitness, Foster who arrived at the scene moments after the accident, told Volta Online that, passengers on board the metro mass also sustained various degrees of injury and have rushed to the Jasikan and Hohoe government hospitals for treatment by a team of Police and Fire service personnel, who reported at the scene.

“There are about sixteen people in the urvan and all are feared dead, except a woman and her child. The others in the metro mass sustained various degrees of injuriees and have been taken to the Jasikan and Hohoe hospitals’  the emotionally distraught eyewitness narrated.

The eyewitness, believe that the deplorable and dusty nature of the road might have contributed  to the accident, as visibility on the road  was poor.

Police in the area have since begun investigations into the tragedy.

First year Ho Poly student murdered

Police in Ho are investigating the gruesome murder of a female student of the Ho Polytechnic by an unidentified assailant(s), Monday dawn.

The body of Naomi Kpodzro, a first year HND Fashion student was found in a pool of blood by her mates on Monday dawn at 'Divine Star' - a private female hostel- with knife and gunshot wounds on her body.

She was however pronounced dead at the regional hospital in Ho, where she was rushed for treatment.

An assistant registrar in-charge of Public relations at the Polytechnic, Mr. Isaac Meyir who confirmed the incident,  said the family of the deceased have also been contacted. 

Though, It is unclear what led to the killing,  reports indicate the deceased may have offended a lover.

According to anonymous sources  , a call made to the victim's phone was answered by the suspected killer who asked the caller to let the victim know that, “it's not everyman's money you spend and go for free.”

However, a contrary report  indicated that, the lady might have been a victim of a mistaken identity, whose roommate might have been the actual target.

New Police station commissioned at Sokode-Bagble

As part of efforts to enhance security as well as  maintain law and order within the Ho municipality of the Volta region a new police station has been commissioned in the area.

The facility located at Sokode-Bagble along the Ho-Accra highway, was solely financed by a Ho based businessman and philanthropist, Mr. Joe Ayivor popularly known as ‘Afelotto’.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Mr. Ayivor said the increasing incidents of robbery and burglary including recent attacks on fuel service stations  within the area necessitated his intervention. 

According to him, the absence of a police installation  in the area  hinders the early response of the police to crime alerts, and  recounted how  he had to drive several kilometers at night  to Ho to get a police patrol team to respond to a robbery attack on his fuel service station a year ago.

“From Sokode-lokoe to Anyinawase, there is no police post, so all communities within that stretch are in danger in terms of any criminal attacks. That's why I decided to support the communities here.”

The new police station which is the third in the municipality, comprises of a charge office, office for the station officer, male and female cells with modern washrooms. The offices are fully furnished with, computer set, furniture, air-condition, television, refrigerator set, potable water with a reservoir among others.    

UHAS Land owners to demonstrate over unpaid compensation

Individuals, whose lands were taken for the construction of permanent campus for University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) at Sokode-Lokoe near Ho in the Volta region, are up in arms against government for long delay in the payment of their compensations.

Government through an Executive Instrument (EI) compulsorily acquired the lands for the first public university in the region, which was established an Act of Parliament in 2011.

Though the construction of permanent structures on the land, which begun in 2013 have been completed this year, the land owners are yet to be compensated.

To this end, the individuals who have come together under the UHAS land owners association have resolved to demonstrate at the permanent campus on Wednesday, November 18, same day President Mahama is expected to commission the campus.

“We are compelled to demonstrate on Wednesday, November 18 at the university premises to make government and the general public aware of the unfair and illegal treatment of UHAS land owners, with regards to the compensation which we are constitutionally owed,” the group said in a press release on Monday.

Monsignor Emmanuel Fianu ordained new Catholic Bishop of Ho

 

The ordination and installation of the new Bishop elect for the Catholic diocese of Ho in the Volta region region,Monsignor Emmanuel Fianu is underway at  Jubilee park in Ho.

Monsignor Fianu who is an SVD priest was elected by Pope Francis in July 2015 as the successor to the first Ghanaian Bishop of the then Keta-Ho diocese, and now Ho diocese, Most Rev. Francis Kofi Anane  Lodonu.

Bishop Emeritus, Lodonu was in charge of the Roman Catholic Church in the Volta region for the past four decades and over.

Thousands of Catholic faithfully across the Volta region and the country have thronged the Jubilee park in Ho  to witness this  special event.

Other dignitaries including members of the GHANA Catholic Bishops conference are also in attendance. Traditional leaders including president of the Volta regional house of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV and top government officials led by the the Speaker of Ghana's parliament Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho are also in attendance. 

Togbe Afede XIV (2nd L) flanked to his left by Hon. Helen Ntoso (Volta regional minister)

There are  missionary priests, bishops and other religious from parts of Africa, including Togo, Bennin, Nigeria among others in attendance. The Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) at Vatican is also presence to support of his members, who until his appointment, was the Secretary General of the SVD.

The principal consecrator at this ceremony is His Eminnce, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, Archbishop merit us of Cape coast in Ghana and the current President of the Pontifical council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican.

He will be assisted by the Apostolic Nuncio to GHANA, Most Rev. Jean-Marie Speich and Bishop emeritus of Ho Most Rev. Francis Lodonu.

Scroll down for more updates.

15:15GMT: the new bishop of Ho diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Fianu addressing the congregants. He expresses gratitude to all and sundry for their well wishes and prayers. Calls for everyone's support in his ministry as the new leader of the Catholic Church in Ho.

Bishop Fianu extols the good works of his immediate predecessor, Bishop emeritus, Francis Lodonu and expressed profound gratitude to him for successfully leading the church in last 40 years and more.

He promise to organize a grand event in the near future to honour the bishop emeritus.

Bishop Fianu, in shades, flanked by Apostolic Nuncio (L) and Cardinal Turkson (R)

President Mahama join Chiefs and People of Ziope to celebrate Agbleza

Torgbui Binah Lawluvi welcoming President Mahama to the festival grounds

Government is to relaunch the Youth in Agriculture programme, under the new Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in order to boost young people's interest in that sector.

According to President John Mahama, the relaunch has become necessary following the restructuring of the then Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) into now Ghana Youth Employment Agency (YEA) backed by an Act of Parliament.

This, he said will ensure the equipping young people with the requisite skills, inputs and machinery to engage in large scale cultivation to meet the high market demand for agricultural produce.

Addressing the Chiefs and people of Ziope traditional area in the Agotime-Ziope district of the Volta region, during their annual Agbleza (farming festival) on Saturday, the President urged the youth in the area to take advantage of the programme to improve their livelihood.

Touching on the 200 community Senior  high schools promised by the NDC government, President Mahama disclosed that, work is currently progressing on 123 out the 200 across the country.

Photos: Late Biakoye DCE laid to rest

The mortal remains of the late Chief Executive of the Biakoye district in the Volta region, Nana Louis Akatah has been laid to rest on Saturday.

Nana Akatah, who died on May 24 this year at the Margaret Marquart hospital after a short illness, was buried in his hometown Akposso-Kabo.

Dozens of mourners, including NDC party functionaries and MMDCEs in region attended a requiem mass held on a local basic school park to pay their last respect to the 62 years old educationist cum grass-root politician.

The Volta regional minister, Helen Ntoso in a tribute described the late Nana Akatah as a 'gentleman' who was diligent in his duties.

She also noted Nana Akatah, who was the first substantive DCE for Biakoye, with its capital at Nkonya-Ahenkro, didn't enjoy his position due to the protracted land dispute between the people of Nkonya and Alavanyo, which has led to sporadic attacks.

Mr. Michael Adjaho, DCE for Agortime-Ziope, who also double as Dean of Volta MMDCEs said the death of their colleague was a big blow to them, stating that ' in less than a year, we've lost two of our hard working colleagues. Early this year we buried our former colleague DCE for Nkwanta South, Peter Kenyenso who was gruesomely murdered in November last year and here we are, today burying another colleague."

‘Wakye is our favourite’-Ho Prison Inmates declare

Wakye in a pack Photo (C) facebook.com/Ndamoah

Inmates of the Ho Central prisons may have their freedom curtailed, but not their insatiable love for Wakye, Yes! wakye; that indigenous delicacy rich in protein.

The inmates who unambiguously declared their unflinching love for the local food, prepared by boiling beans and rice together with other ingredients, shouted “We want Wakye”, when asked by the chief Prison warden about the food they will like to eat as their next meal, at recent durbar held in the prison yard.

Just when the chief Warden, Deputy Director of Prisons, Victor Agbelengor assured them of their wish, the entire prison resounded with a thunderous applause and chants to signify their excitement and gratitude.

One of the inmates, sum up their insatiable love and crave for Waakye, to our reporter at the durbar saying “Wakye is our food and we don’t care eating it every day.. It’s very delicious.”

So whenever you consider donating food items to the Ho prisons, make wakye ingredients number one item on your list or better still serve them wakye with its accompaniments and you will leave a lasting memory in their minds.

Police Constable shot dead in Aflao

Constable Kove

A Police operation to arrest suspected criminals at Aflao in the Ketu South Municipality has led to the killing of one the police men, Friday dawn.

Constable Wonder Kove, of the Form Police Unit (FPU) was reportedly shot by an unknown assailant, when he led his colleagues on a raid at Zorokpome, a suspected criminal den around the Aflao border.

Kove, believed to be in his late 20s was part of a police team deployed from the Police Headquarters in Accra to the area to clampdown on the increasing criminal activities there.

It is, however, unclear where the bullet came from as a police source claimed there was no exchange of fire during the operation.

Wonder’s junior brother, Promise Kove, told Volta Online, his senior brother’s sudden death is unbearable to him and his family, stating that, ‘he is the one taking care of us all… as I speak with you, and I’m even in his room in Accra.’

‘I have been staying with him, ever since he joined the Police Service about two years ago… he only left for the Aflao operation on Sunday and just this morning, one of his colleagues called to tell me that he is dead’ distraught Promise narrated.

AUDIO: Dr. Bawumia speaks to Voltarians: hints of restoration of Scrapped teacher & Nursing trainees' allowances

Dr. Bawumia in the studios of Volta Premier FM

The running mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)for the 2016 general elections, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday, April 17, 2015 granted an interview to Ho Polytechnic campus based radio station, Volta Premier FM  as part of  his familiarization visit to the Volta region.

The interview conducted by Rustum Gameli Senorgbe touched on a wide scope of issues including the NPP electoral fortunes in the region, which is the 'world bank' of their opponent, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dr. Bawumia Also revealed during the interview that, the NPP will restore allowances for teacher and nursing trainees, when it wins the 2016 elections.
The NDC government in 2013 scrapped off and nursing trainees' allowances in order to increase enrolment into the colleges. The allowances is subsequently replaced with the student loan scheme, to the displeasure of many of the trainees. 

According to the NPP vice presidential candidate, the reasons given by the current NDC government for scrapping the allowances is untenable, since the education and health sectors are crucial for the nation’s development.

Man killed in accident on Ho-Adidome road

One person died on the spot while another sustained severe injuries in an accident involving a tipper truck with registration number GR 5901-12 on the Ho-Adidome, Friday afternoon.

The truck, belonging to Ussuya Ghana Ltd, one of three construction firms working on the Ho-Adidome road, was said to be transporting gravel to site at Adaklu-Hlekpe, when it veered of the road and fell into a ditch near a Gridco sub-station popular known as ‘Power house’.

According to eyewitnesses, the loose chippings on the road might have caused the truck driver, Zaburu Abubakar to lose control of the vehicle resulting in the crush.

The deceased, identified only as Gadako, who was on board the truck with the driver is reportedly not an employee of the construction firm.

Meanwhile the driver is receiving treatment at the Ho Volta regional Hospital as police commence investigations into the accident. 

Immigration Service deports 48 illegal Nigerian immigrants

Officials of the Ghana Immigration Service in the Volta region on Saturday afternoon deported about 48 illegal Nigerian immigrants, who entered the country through unapproved routes.

The immigrants who claimed to be fulanis from Oyo state in Nigeria, were arrested at Bandai in two Benz buses on their way to Chinderi, the capital of Krachie-Nchumuru district on Friday.

The group including six male adults, 18 women and 24 children were transferred to Ho on the request of the regional minister for immigration profiling and health screening.

Their leader, who holds a Nigerian Voter I.D with name Atiku, Alhaji Adams, told officials in Hausa that, they were relocating to Chinderi engage in cattle herding but were jettisoned at the Dambai ferry site with their belongings by the articulator truck which took them from Nigeria.