201 Cholera outbreaks recorded in Volta region

Mr. Draffor with Mr. Dogbegah

The Volta region has so far recorded 201 cholera cases with five casualties as of Tuesday, August 26, Mr Mathew Drafor, Head of Disease Surveillance Unit at the Regional Health Directorate has stated.

According to him, the Ketu-South district recorded the highest number of cases, with 110 cases and two deaths, a sharp increase in 60 cases recorded on Friday, August 22. Also the Nkwanta South recorded 67 cases with three deaths, Ho-West, 12 cases, Ketu-North 10 cases and the Ho Municipality with two cases.

Mr. Draffor disclosed this on Tuesday at a public sensitization forum organised by the Ho Rotary Club in conjunction with the Royal Hospital at the Ho central market on the theme: “End Cholera Now.”

He noted that the increasing pace of the disease is getting out of hand and called for concerted efforts from stakeholders to tackle the menace.

He also urged the public to practice good personal hygiene and also be careful in handling dead persons.

Mr Richard Ahiagbede, Municipal Environmental Officer said the Assembly is fumigating some areas in the communities to halt the spread of the disease.

‘We’ll work with Stakeholders to drive development’

Rev. Dr. Agidi

The Moderator-Elect of the Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P) Church, Ghana Rev. Dr. Seth Senyo Agidi has disclosed that, the church under his tenure will strengthen its collaborative efforts with other stakeholders to uplift both the spiritual and social status of individuals in the society, in order to drive the socio-economic development agenda of the country.

Reverend Dr Agidi, who is the church’s Director of Programme, Ecumenical and Social Relations, was elected at the just ended 6th General Assembly meeting and will take over from Right Reverend Francis Amenu, in January 2015 for a six years term.

At a cocktail reception organised in his honour by the Rotary Club of Ho, of which he is member, Rev. Dr. Agidi noted that core tenets of Rotary is in sync with the church’s mission of improving the well being of individuals, since it is not enough for the church to only feed people spiritually with the gospel.

“When the spirit is strong and flesh is weak, the flesh will draw back the spirit and vice versa” he said and pledged to work with all stakeholders including the Rotary club to improve the welfare of every individual. 

He also announced his intention to engage in unity talks with the Global Evangelical Church, which broke ranks with the E.P church some years ago.

Rev. Dr. Agidi further disclosed his intention to embark on a membership expansion drive so as to double the church’s membership by intensifying and extending the gospel of Christ to every ‘nook and cranny’.

Mr. Rockson Dogbegah, President of the Ho Rotary said the election of Rev. Dr. Agidi to the high office of Moderator of the E.P Church is symbolic to the club’s core value of ‘Service above self’, and congratulated him on his elevation.

He assured Rev. Dr. Agidi of the club’s unflagging support throughout his tenure in driving the socio-economic development of the region and Ghana as a whole. 

Ho Rotary Club launches education award scheme

The Rotary Club of Ho has launched an education award scheme to help improve academic performance of basic schools in the Volta Region.

A statement signed by Mr Fred Duodu Takyi, Public Relations Officer of the Club, said the “Rotary Best Basic Schools and Teachers Award Scheme,” would be operational next academic year.

It said the scheme was in line with the Club’s theme of “Lighting up Education in the Volta Region,” and expected to motivate teachers to renew their commitment to the teaching profession, and foster healthy competition among communities, schools and pupils.

The release quoted Mr Rockson Kwesi Dogbegah, President of the Ho Rotary Club as saying it was “unacceptable” for the Region to place last in the last Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and pledged the readiness of the Club and its partners to help address the situation.

Mr Dogbe said eligibility for the award would be based on hard work, commitment and performance.

Mr Bright Dey, Planning Officer at the Volta Regional Education Directorate, commended the Club for the initiative, and hoped it would improve learning outcomes, skills and performance in BECE results across the region.

Statistics from the Regional Education Directorate indicate that since 2009, the performance of school children in BECE had been decreasing with the average percentage pass of the region falling from 48.8% in 2009 to 43.7% in 2010. It further dropped to 38% in 2011 and again fell to 27% in 2012 but went up slightly to an average of 39%.

Credit: GNA

Rotary club of Ho gets new executives

Mr. Dogbegah (R) being sworn into office

The Ho chapter of the world acclaimed charity club, Rotary International have inducted into office new executives to run the affairs of the club for next rotary year, (July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015).

The ceremony which took place at the Rotary community centre in Ho last week saw Mr.  Rockson Dogbegah, chairman of Berock Ventures Ltd, an indigenous construction company, taking over from Madam Vivian Agbotse as president.

The rest are Mr. Kofi Tenaso Gbedemah, a civil society activist as vice president, Dr. Cyril Fayose, President of the E.P university college, secretary, Mr. Douglas Wagba, a former regional manager of defunct Ghana Telecom, as treasure and Madam Delali Amedume as sergeant-at-hand.

New directors of the club were also announced including Mr. Frederick Duodu Takyi, as the Communication director.

Delivering his inaugural speech, the new president, Mr. Rockson Dogbegah, declared that the Rotary of Ho under his tenure would be ‘lighted up and fired up’.

He said a 5-year strategic plan will be developed to drive the club’s to the next level and called for the sacrifice and dedication of members in that direction.

He pledged to consolidate the vibrancy injected in the club by the outgoing executives and commended their efforts in the rejuvenation and doubling the club’s membership from 14 to 28 members.