Nkwanta South: Minister clarifies delay in approving DCE

Hon. Helen Ntoso

The Volta Regional minister Helen Ntoso has explained  reasons for the delay in the approval of the new District Chief Executive for Nkwanta South, Mr. Alfred Wokanya.

Mr. Wokanya who was nominated by  President Mahama in November last year to replace the  murdered DCE, Peter Kojo Kenyenso, has his confirmation processes pending till now.

The delay has angered some NDC youth in the area, who went on protest an locked up the party office. They also blamed the regional minister Helen Ntoso for continually postponing the confirmation meetings by assembly members.

However, responding to the sentiments of the  youth in an interview with Ho-based KUUL FM, the regional minister, Helen Ntoso attributed the delays to concerns raised by some ethnic groups in the area, which  needed to be  addressed  before going ahead with the confirmation.

First Sky to commence asphalting of Ho town roads

Test run of asphalt on 150metres stretch of road

Work is  set to the start on the asphalting of some roads within the Volta regional,Ho.

This follows the successful installation and test run of the asphalting plant and equipment by the contractor, First Sky constructions Ltd.
A 150 metre stretch of the road linking SSNIT flats and Goshen city was also asphalted as part of the test run over weekend.

The project, which forms part of the government's urban roads improvement project, is aimed at giving facelift to roads networks in all regional capitals and selected major towns in the country.

The minister of roads and highways, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini who witnessed the test run of the plant and equipment, said 25 kilometers of roads in Ho will be asphalted with Keta and Hohoe roads also receiving similar facelift of ten and five kilometres respectively. 

He however appealed to both motorists and residents to cooperate with the contractor since  the project will create some inconveniences on the roads.

Project engineer (L) briefing the roads minister

“These are existing roads that we are working on, so we should expect some inconveniences. Sections of the roads will have to be blocked at various points in time for the asphalts to be laid. So I urge residents to cooperate with the contractor.”

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.

OLA SHS hosts Summer Camp for Girls Senior High Schools

Cross Section of Participants

About 600 girls from all 38 Girls Senior High Schools in the country have converged at OLA Senior High School in Ho to participate in the 2015 summer camp.

The annual camp, instituted by the Forum of Heads of Girls Senior High School (FOHGSHS) in 2007, is to provide a platform for the students to interact and deliberate on issues of common interest.

Some of  the schools include,  Wesley Girls SHS, St. Louis SHS, Aburi Girls SHS, Mfantsiman Girls, Bolga Girls SHS, St. Mary's Girls SHS, E.P Mawuko Girls SHS, Gambaga Girls SHS, Tamale Girls SHS, Islamic Girls SHS, Krobo Girls SHS, Ahantanman Girls SHS, among others.

President  of the forum and headmistress of Wesley Girls Senior High School in Cape Coast, Mrs. Betty Dzokoto, said, FOHGSHS through the annual camps,  is committed to training high calibre of ladies who will break new grounds by empowering  young girls to break the socio-cultural barriers which militates against  their holistic  growth and development.

The one week camp programme, which is themed, ‘the cyber menace’, will engage the young girls in brainstorming the rudiments on the use of the cyber space and its associated dangers to users.

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."

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.

Murdered Nkwanta-South DCE buried on Assembly Premises

The remains of the murdered Nkwanta-South District Chief Executive, Peter Kojo Kenyenso was on Saturday laid to rest at the forecourt of the district assembly premises at Nkwanta.

Hundreds of mourners including, Politicians, traditional leaders and business Executives trooped the Nkwanta R.C School Park to pay their last respects to a man, who was brutally shot dead by unknown assailants in the evening Monday, November 3 last year his residence.

A government delegation led by the Local government Minister, Julius Debrah, MMDCEs, MPs and leading members of the governing NDC party including Dan Abodakpi was present to mourn with the Kenyenso family including his wife and three kids

Several tributes poured in for the 50 year old local politician, with many describing him as ‘affable and energetic’ man with unbridled ‘passion and dedication’ towards the development of his area.

Nkonya, Alavanyo Not Litigating Over Land - Chiefs

Vice President With the Chiefs in a handshake

The leaders of Nkonya and Alavanyo have refuted claims that the two factions were engaged in a land dispute. According to them, the land dispute is between individuals and families from both sides and not the entire traditional areas.

This came to light when leaders of the two factions met Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur on Friday to find a lasting solution to the over 90-year-old conflict.

This will be the third attempt by government to broker peace between the two parties after talks stalled in 2013. In December last year, there were renewed clashes that left one person dead.

The violence in the two communities has persisted for years despite several mediation attempts.

The paramount chief of Alavanyo Traditional Area, Togbe Tsedze Atakora VII stressed, “I also want to put it on record that it might surprise everybody here that Alavanyo and Nkonya have never gone to court over land. If anyone has that record, let him show it.”

He further clarified, “I am saying that some people from Nkonya Tayi and six individuals from Alavanyo went to court over land.”

Nkonya Youth Call For Investigation of REGSEC

Cosmos Sarpong, Spokes Person

Residents of Nkonya led by the youth of the area has carried out their promise to hold a news conference as an alternative move to a demonstration which was stopped a fortnight ago by Police and Military in the area.

The Nkonya people represent a faction in dispute with Alavanyo over a piece of land for the past 90 years. Their press conference which could be likened to mini-demonstration was attended by over 600 residents who converged at Nkonya Nchumuru for the petition to be read.

The residents represented under a group called; Coalition of Orphans, Widows and Victims of Nkonya-Alavanyo Conflict, in their petition appealed to the President to institute an investigation into the activities of the Volta Regional Security Council (REGSEC) in relation to protracted communal conflict and the peace process.

Reading the petition, the spokesperson, Cosmos Sarpong claimed that the REGSEC since September 2013 was thwarting efforts by an NGO; Youth for Peace and Security Africa, YPS-AFRICA which started a peace building process among the people of both Nkonya and Alavanyo.

Deputy Min. calls for revamping of Arts and Culture in Schools

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Madam Dzifa Abla Gomashie has called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to collaborate with Ghana Education Service and the Centre for National Culture to revamp Arts and Cultural activities in the various basic and second cycle schools in the country, as a means of preserving and promoting the rich Ghanaian culture.

According to her, Arts and Culture is what distinguishes a person or a group of people from others hence the need to ensure it never goes extinct, noting that without art and culture a person or group of people has no identity and heritage.

This, she said is necessary in protecting the country’s culture heritage against western adulteration and imbibing true Ghanaian values and patriotism among the youth and generations unborn.

Alavanyo chiefs invoke deity after Soldier Assailants

Traditional leaders at Alavanyo in Hohoe Municipality are said to have invoked the wrath of the gods on the unknown assailants who opened fire on a military man who was on peace keeping in the area on Thursday afternoon.

The assailants were said to have escaped into a nearby bush after they shot Lance Coporal William Bedford who have gone to the bush to urinate.

According to the chiefs the rituals which was performed at the scene of the attack, will compel the assailants to own up or the wrath of the gods will be visited on them and their families.

Lance Coporal Bedford is part of a team of security personnel deployed in the area to maintain peace following sporadic communal clashes between the people of Alavanyo and Nkonya.

Though, the motive behind the attack is not yet known, Police sources said the incident has no link with the age old communal conflict but believe it may be a case of settling "personal scores".