From Ernest Best Anane

Junior Chambers International, Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has donated items worth GH¢1,000 and undisclosed amount of money to the Ashan Children’s Home at Denase in the Afigya Kwabre District.

The items included toys, teaching and learning equipments, Kalyppo, second hand clothes, a carton of Voltic mineral water, carton of mixed fruit juice drinks, two bags of rice and slippers.

Mrs. Juana Erica Arthur, at the presentation, explained that the gesture was part of the corporate social responsibility of the organisation, aimed at helping the needy and less privileged in society.

According to her, the organisation was a federation of young people worldwide, with a membership of over 2,000.

She urged every young person within the age group of 18 to 40 years, who has the will to help the needy and less privileged in society, to also join the organisation.

Mrs. Jim Konadu, Deputy Director of Ashan Children’s Home, commended the President and management of the organisation for the kind gesture, and appealed to them not to end it there, but continue with the good work.

She appealed to other corporate bodies and individual philanthropists to also emulate JCI Ghana.

Stories by Sebastian R. Freiku

The popular Paul Sagoe Lane in Kumasi in honour of the Kumasi-based businessman, Nana Paul Sagoe alias Nana Kofi Enu V, Tufuhen of the Ekumfi State in the Central Region and Member of the Nkosuo Division of the Kumasi Traditional Council, has been renamed under the street naming project being undertaken by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

Paul Sagoe Lane now has two names. A part of the Lane is now Aburatiaso Walk, and the other Akyawkromhene Walk.

The late Asantehene Otumfuo Opoku Ware II and the Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem, had bestowed that honour on the Fante indigene for being able to singlehandedly transform the once stinking area in the Central Business District of Kumasi to a desirable place, by financing the construction of the first Kumasi Improved Ventilation Pit (KVIP) in the whole of Kumasi, to improve the sanitation in the area at the time he established Sanbra Hotel there.

In January 2002, the KMA contracted ASI Zipcode Systems Limited to embark on a street  naming and house numbering project with a contract sum of GH¢1,200,000 to establish the orientation system of the City of Kumasi .

The project is using demarcations of the Land Valuation Board as a guide to identify areas in the Kumasi Metropolis, and to produce and install 100,000 house numbers and number all vacant plots for easy identification of areas, places, businesses and homes.

It would also produce and install 6,000 street name signage poles with two street names for easy direction, faster delivery of letters/mail, and quick response to emergencies by the Fire Service, police and ambulance service.

Mr. Owusu Bempah, Managing Director of ASI Zipcode Systems Limited, the project contractors, told Ashanti File that the decision to rename the Paul Sagoe Lane emanated from deliberations of a committee by KMA, upon recommendation of Manhyia to name  all streets, avenues and walks in the Central Business District of Adum to the original 77 townships that constitute Kumasi, and that save those named after Colonial masters like Guggisburg Road, streets bearing the names of indigenes should be changed.

A proposed Paul Sagoe Street at Adum, for which Nana Sagoe contributed GH¢1,500.00, cannot materialise because of the decision, according to Mr. Owusu Bempah. He said however, that a Street at Patasi where Nana Sagoe resides has been named Paul Sagoe Avenue in recognition of his contribution.

Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah, Asokore Mamponghene, who heads the Manhyia Committee for Street Naming, corroborated Mr. Owusu-Bempah’s explanation, adding that Nana Paul Sagoe had done a lot for Kumasi.

Traders at the Paul Sagoe Lane were not happy because the change would affect business addresses and directions.

Some of them are angered that a decision by the late Oumfuo Opoku Ware and the Asantehemaa, in honour of an illustrious resident, had been reversed in like manner as Dr. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, the Accra Mayor, unilaterally re-named the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium after the late John Evan Atta Mills recently.

Oko Vanderpuije’s decision has since been reversed by His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama on seeing the impropriety of the decision.

Nana Paul Sagoe could not be reached for his reaction. “Sorry, Nana is out of town” came an answer from the other end, when the paper called his landline of his Patasi residence.

By Sebastian R. Freiku

The Prempeh Assembly (Town Hall) in Kumasi, built in 1938 for social events and the theatres, is deteriorating. The building, which accommodates the office of the Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), is seriously leaking, as a result of which the woolen carpets at the high table are soaked whenever it rains.

The hall and the office of the Presiding Member and the restrooms are filled with stagnant water after the rain.

The facility, named after an Ashanti King, first saw a major renovation in 1998, when the then Mayor, Nana Akwasi Agyeman, sunk ¢1.28 billion (GH¢128,000) of KMA funds into it, amid much criticism.

The rehabilitation works involved changing the roof, fixing new ceilings, new electrical systems and rehabilitation of the offices and fence wall, among other things.

But the maintenance of the facility has been relaxed since, leading to the steady deterioration of the place.

When contacted about the situation, Mr. Godwin Okumah Nyame, Public Relations Officer of the KMA, told the paper that the attention of the Maintenance Unit of the Assembly would be drawn to the situation, for the preparation of a budgetary estimate for approval by the General Assembly to rectify the situation

The Defence for Children International (CDI)-Ghana, a non-governmental organisation for the implementation of the ‘Girl Power project’ in the Obuasi municipality, has, since 2011, provided legal service for a number of girls and women in helping to settle 204 cases, which included defilement, child maintenance, child labour and stealing.

Dr. George Oppong, Executive Director of DCI-Ghana, who announced this at a day’s community leaders’ workshop, stressed the need for community leaders to lobby with the Obuasi Municipal Assembly to enact bye-laws to protect and control children, especially the wayward ones.

The workshop, organised by the DCI Ghana at Obuasi, with the aim of enlightening the 60 participants about the importance of the Project was under the theme “Equal opportunities for Girls and Women.”

The participants were taken through topics like gender Equality, Rights and Responsibilities of Children, Domestic Violence, and others.

Dr. Oppong revealed that so far 21 Child Right Clubs, made up of about 700 males and females, had been formed to educate them about the importance of the project.

He said 10 communities in the municipality including Anyinam, Gausu, Bongobiri, Bedieso, Amangoase, Antobuasi and Tutuka are beneficiaries of the project.

Other beneficiaries of the project are Kumasi and the Kwabre East District also in the Ashanti Region.

The Executive Secretary emphasised the need for continued resource mobility, capacity building, networking and collaboration among the various stakeholders for the effective strengthening of the child protection system in the region.

He said the project, which would end in 2015, has targeted 1,000 girls and young women as beneficiaries of the project, being funded by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Netherlands.

The participants collaborated with the Obuasi Municipal Assembly to set up a community watchdog committee and monitor children in the area.

Stories from Ernest Best Anane

Nana Koofum, known in private life as Alexander Owusu Boakye, and a station officer in charge of the Senya Bereku police station in the Central Region, has sworn the oath of allegiance to Nana Okufrubuo Boamah Kwabi IV, Omanhene of the Beposo Traditional area.

He succeeds the late Gyasehene, Nana Boansi Kru II.

The Omanhene, Nana Boamah Kwabi, advised the new chief to be humble and always exercise his functions as a chief and not a police officer to earn the respect of the people.

Nana Koofum thanked the Omanhene and nananom for reposing their trust in him, and for giving him the nod to be part of the team to ensure the welfare of the people.

He said he would use his experience as a peace officer to settle matters in the interest of peace and development.

From Issah Alhassan

Mr. Kwaku Appiah, 50-year old industrialist, was last week Monday enstooled the new chief of Essienimpong in the Ejisu Juaben Municipality at a grand ceremony at the Manhyia Palace.

He now answers to the stool name Nana Kwaku Appiah Owawani to succeed Nana Kwaku Bio I who was destooled by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in June this year.

The action followed the unanimous decision by members of the Asanteman Council to show the embattled chief the exit for disregarding Otumfuo’s Great Oath, and trampling upon customary practices, including pouring of libation in the stool room.

Otumfuo also heard how Nana Bio had taken a firm position not to pour libation and other rites in the stool room, claiming he was a Christian, and that indulging in such customary practices contradicted his beliefs and violated his Christian doctrine.

Tradition was at its best, as the new chief, adorned in a black cloth, was carried high in a palanquin amidst the playing of Fontonfrom and other traditional drums, soon after swearing the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene at the Palace.

The Asantehene charged the new Essieninponghene to hold in high esteem the traditions and customs of the people, and also listen to the advice of his elders at all times.

In addition, it was expected of him to be humble, respectful, truthful and honest in the discharge of his duties.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu reminded Nana Kwaku Appiah Owawani how his predecessor disregarded custom, and hence, created problems for himself, resulting in his destoolment, and charged him to use his new office to unite all his subjects and develop Essieninpong.

He stressed the need for him to be a unifier and development-oriented to bolster sustainable socio-economic growth for his people.

Nana Kwaku Appiah Owawani, who is the CEO of Agya Appiah Bitters and also president of Ghana Federation of Medicine Association, GHAFTRAM, thanked the Asantehene for the honour done him, and assured him that he would be committed to the cause and welfare of his people, and also abide by the oath he had sworn.

Stories from Issah Alhassan

The Sankofa Gold Mines at Prestea in the Western Region has presented 100 bags of cement to support the construction of a multi-purpose community centre complex at Bekwai.

The donation followed an appeal by Nana Karikari Appau II, Omanhene of the Bekwai Traditional Area, on behalf of the Bekwaiman Development Committee.

The Omanhene, on behalf of the Traditional Council and the Committee, expressed his appreciation to the management of Sankofa Gold for the kind donation and support, and hoped other corporate bodies and individuals would continue to offer assistance for the completion of the project.

The project, initiated by the Bekwaiman Development Committee in April 2011, is estimated to cost GH¢400,000.

Under the project, a four-acre plot of land released by the Omanhene is to be converted into a modern community facility for various activities, including meetings, funerals, political rallies, religious crusades and sporting activities.

The project would also have a library, offices, and conference hall.

Stories from Issah Alhassan

The South Ghana Conference of the Seven Day Adventist Church, Ash Town District, has presented assorted items worth about GH¢3,000 to the Children’s Ward of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

The items include an LCD television, chairs, toiletries, assorted drinks and tissues, mobilised through welfare and the coffers of the Ash Town District of the church.

The presentation was an annual occasion, which forms part of activities marking the church’s yearly Camp Meeting, which was held at the Military barracks branch of the church.

Presenting the items, the District Pastor, Pastor Kwaku Adu-Boahen, said the donation was the widow’s mite of the church, in fulfillment of the scripture which encourages one to support the vulnerable and those in need.

He said the church was hopeful that the items would bring joy to patients of the hospital, especially the children receiving medical care at the ward.

Pastor Adu-Boahen noted that the heart of the church would continuously be with the sick, as they seek divine healing for them on a daily basis.

He, therefore, urged Christians all over the country to fulfill the word of God, by rendering support to people who need them in the society.

The Nursing Officer at the Children’s Ward 4 and 5, Evelyn Acheampong, who received the items, thanked the church for the kind gesture.

Pix: Pastor Adu-Boahen presenting the items to the hospital

Stories from Issah Alhassan

The study of Information Communication Technology in the Asokore Mampong Municipality has received a massive boost, following the commissioning of a new Community Information Communication and Technology Training Centre at Asawase.

The about GH¢120,000 project, funded by the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Asawase Constituency, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, is expected to provide avenues for the teaching and learning of basic knowledge in computer technology for school children, and also provide internet service facilities to the public at a fee.

The facility would also be fitted with other secretarial services such as scanners, projectors, and photocopiers to provide a one-stop business centre for residents living within the Asokore Mampong Municipality and beyond.

Speaking at the official commissioning of the project, MP Muntaka lamented the poor performance of schools within the locality, and called on stakeholders to collaborate their efforts at arresting the unfortunate situation.

The MP said there was the need for urgent attention to be given to the improvement of education in the area, and stressed the provision of educational infrastructure and other logistics to basic and junior high schools within the locality.

Muntaka disclosed that though lots of schools, through his initiative, had benefitted from facilities such as the provision of computers and information technology, a lot more schools lacked these resources, a situation, which he said, had impacted negatively on the development of education in the area.

The MP revealed that other project facilities in the area of health were also being undertaken, and cited the proposed establishment of a sick bay and nursing quarters at the Kumasi Academy Senior High School (KUMACA).

Muntaka, therefore, charged the Municipal Assembly and Ghana Education Services (GES), which will have oversight responsibility over the project, to ensure its proper utilisation and maintenance, in order to achieve the purpose for which it was established.

The MCE for the area, Nuru Hamidan, said the study of computer and information technology was relevant to modern courses, and expressed the hope that the project would help change the educational direction of the municipality, and improve the performance of students.

The Municipal Director of Education, Mrs. Agyemang Badu, acknowledged the support of the MP, and wished that other areas would also receive such facilities.

Pix 1: The newly constructed ICT Centre

Pix 2: Asokore Mamponghene’s rep being assisted by the MP and MCE to commission the project

From Sebastian R. Freiku,

Sixty persons, comprising 57 females and three males, have undergone four weeks training in entrepreneurial skills development at Effiduase in the Sekyere East District.

Mr. Nii Abaitey, acting Manager of World Vision Sekyere East ADP, organisers of the programme, said his outfit was pursing programmes in a manner that empowers communities.

He stated that World Vision Ghana was dedicated to working to transform the lives of children, families, and their communities to enable the beneficiaries to reach their full potentials in life.

The graduands were trained by facilitators from Christian Line Entrepreneurial Development, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Accra.

Madam Baaba Appiah Mends, leader of the facilitators, enumerated a number of skills taught during the four week training period as batik, tie & dye, screen printing, cosmetics like body cream, and hair food, as well as powdered soap, cake soap, medicated soap and alata liquid soap, and making of cake, chips, pie and bread.

Madam Mends was hopeful that the graduands would put to good use the skills acquired to help them generate income to support themselves and their families.

Mr. Charles Ofori Nyarko, Accounts Officer of WV Sekyere East ADP, indicated that his outfit would organise another training session early next year, following the success of the programme this year.

The course prefect, Miss Benedicta Opong, on behalf of her colleagues thanked WV Sekyere East ADP for sponsoring them to acquire employable skills, and appealed to individuals and other organisations to complement the efforts of WV towards setting up their own businesses.

Nana Sefa Kanto, Nifahene of the Asokore Traditional Area, who presided over the graduation ceremony, appreciated the tremendous intervention of the NGO in the areas of health and education since it assumed operations in the area.

From Sebastian R. Freiku

A medical revolution has been launched under County Group of Hospitals of Kumasi and Apollo Group of Hospitals in India, following the launching of telemedicine in Ghana at the Abenkyiman Hospital at Anhwiankwanta in the Bekwai Municipality.

Apollo Hospitals, founded by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy in 1983, is a major hospital chain based in Chennai, India, as the largest telemedicine provider in India with 71 centres, and has a series of firsts to its credit in medicine generally.

County Hospitals, namely County (Abrepo), Abenkyiman (Anhwiankwanta), Evant Clinic (Bantama) and Washie (Ahodwo), were founded by Dr. Kwame Antwi.

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technology in order to provide clinical health care from a distance.

It helps eliminate distance barriers, and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities. It is also used to save lives in critical care and emergency situations.

Early forms of telemedicine achieved with telephone and radio have been supplemented with video telephony, advanced diagnostic methods, supported by distributed client/server applications, and additionally, with telemedical devices to support in-home care.

Telemedicine, by which the best healthcare is brought to everybody through the expertise of highly qualified doctors through technology, was successfully launched at the Abenkyiman Hospital last Friday.

The partnership, initiated by Dr. Kwame Antwi, Chief Executive Officer of County Hospitals, is to exploit the clinical excellence of the Indian counterparts.

A group of medical experts from India are currently doing feasibility studies towards establishing a referral centre in telemedicine in the next years.

Dr. K. Hari Prasad, Chief Executive of Apollo Hospitals, an expert in acute stroke treatment, who is leading a group of nine medical experts, said the team would also launch a “medical camp”, where specialists would avail their expertise and services to clients in the treatment and management of kidney, liver and stroke, among other ailments, at Abenkyiman.

The Apollo Chief Executive gave the assurance that about 85,000 medical experts involved in Apollo would support Dr. Antwi to realise his vision of making Abenkyiman a destination of excellence in telemedicine in Ghana.

Dr. Kwame Antwi said services at the centre were affordable, and that it would cost between GH¢50 and GH¢100 to access telemedicine, through which patients would be connected to the best doctors around the globe.

Dr. Antwi said in furtherance of his vision of excellence in healthcare, an additional 75-acre piece of land had been acquired for the purposes of building a Medical City for West Africa.

Under the project, hotels, nursing school, X-ray laboratory, shopping mall and other facilities would be built as an expansion of the existing facility.

The intention, he said, was to create a correct environment to attract human resources abroad back home to deliver quality healthcare to the people.

The Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Joseph Osei-Owusu, who witnessed the launching of the technology, commended Dr. Antwi for the foresight and championing the introduction of telemedicine in Ghana, and hoped Ghanaians would take advantage of the facility, which is intended to further enhance quality healthcare delivery.

From Issah Alhassan, Kumasi

The Dwantoahene of the Wiamoase Traditional Area, Nana Oppong Ababio II, has donated 40 bags of cement and a cash sum of GH¢500 towards the construction of the Wiamoase Presbyterian Church.

His gesture follows his realisation that the traditional authorities and religious bodies can effectively co-exist to ensure the socio-economic development of the people, and improve their lives.

He said there was no need for the occasional conflicts and clash of ideas between the churches and traditional authorities, which, he said, does not augur well for the development of society.

According to him, churches and religious institutions were part and parcel of any society, stressing that there was the need for constant collaboration to ensure, not only the spiritual needs of its congregation, but also the material requirements that make life comfortable and worth living.

Nana Ababio II, who is also a staff of the Achimota School in Accra, said the gesture was part of his personal contribution towards the development of the church.

He noted that the Wiamoase community was bedevilled with lots of development challenges, including lack of proper roads, schools and health infrastructure, and therefore, made a passionate appeal to the government, through the media, to come to the aid of the community.

Rev. Alexander Ofori, Head Pastor of the Wiamoase Presby Church, commended the chief for the kind gesture, stressing that it would go a long way to help in the construction of the church building.

Stories from Sebastian R. Freiku

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have celebrated the gains of the Rice Promotional Event of the Sustainable Rain-Fed Low Land Rice production project, introduced in the Ahafo Ano North District in 2009.

It is aimed at promoting rice cultivation towards increased production through the adoption of technologies.

The District Director of Agriculture, Mr. Samuel Ankomah, said the sustainable rain-fed low land rice production project was being implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and JICA in nine districts in Ghana, four districts in the Northern Region, and five, including the Ahafo Ano North district in the Ashanti Region.

According to the Agric Director, the project which started with 47 farmers, two model sites, and 6 trail plots in two communities, boasts of 308 farmers in 41 communities, and that the farmers’ capacity had been enhanced in terms of training in rice cultivation, thus improving the farmers’ perception in land development.

Director Ankomah disclosed that the yield per hectare increased from 2 tonnes per hectare in 2009, to 5.5 tonnes per hectare in 2012, adding that rice quality was improving as a result of the rice quality improvement promotion forum.

More than 300 rice farmers were given a T-shirts, cups and certificates of appreciation as part of the celebration.

The District Chief Executive for Ahafo Ano North, Mr. David Addai Amankwah, said the agricultural sector is the dominant sector in the Ghanaian economy, in terms of its share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Employment and Foreign Exchange earnings.

He said the sector employs about 70% of the labour force in the sector, and contributes about 40% to the Gross Domestic Product, while accounting for 50% of foreign exchange earnings.

The DCE said one of the goals of the government is to increase agricultural productivity and production, so as to achieve and maintain food security for all households.

In view of this, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), with the help of a number of development partners and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), had provided funding and technical support to revitalise agricultural production.

He noted that the projects would bring development to the doorsteps of the rural communities, and make the over 60% of the populace who live in the rural areas part of mainstream economic activity.

The project, he said, was, therefore, meant to help bring these citizens into the mainstream of the economic agenda.

As a result, DCE Amankwah said the government and District Assembly had put in place measures for the rice farmers, including the streamlining of their activities, and rehabilitation of the roads leading to the farms.

The Assembly has also collaborated with a rice mill in Tepa to offer the farmers the best services and help to create awareness on the consumption of the local rice.

From Richard Owusu-Akyaw

The Martyrs of Uganda Roman Catholic Junior High School, last Saturday, marked its Silver Jubilee in Kumasi with a call on the government and stakeholders to come to its aid, in terms of infrastructural development.

Activities that marked the 25^th milestone of the school were climaxed last Saturday with a durbar of chiefs, stakeholders and past students.

The Martyrs R/C JHS was established on October 4, 1988, with a student population of 43 to take in pupils from the Martyrs Preparatory School. Its motto is: “Veritus Vincit”, meaning ‘Truth Conquers.’

Mr. Anthony K. Akansisi, Headmaster of the school, indicated that Martyrs R/C JHS had attained 100 percent in all examinations, saying the school had never recorded failure in any Basic Education Certificate Examination since its establishment in 1998, making it the great school it is.

He noted indicated out of 224 candidates who sat for the just-ended examination, 202 candidates got their first choice, and ten were placed in their second choice, whilst eight got their third placement.

Mr. Akansisi said, in line with the mission and vision of the school, the pupils are subject to strict discipline, having put together a booklet on the code of conduct for the school for each student to serve as a guide, something, he said, had encouraged parents to send their wards to Martyrs of Uganda.

Headmaster Akansisi urged the students to study hard, since education was the best and finest legacy their parents or guardians could bequeath them.

The Headmaster called on stakeholders, philanthropists and old students, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), and all well-wishers to come to the aid of the school.

“The school does not have a library, assembly hall, a canteen, and that the dusty compound needs landscaping.” he complained.

The Boys’ Prefect of the school, Oduro Kusi Anthony, thanked the staff for the fatherly care.

Nana Boakye Dankwa, Chief of Odeneho Kwadaso, who presided over the function, appealed to the government and stakeholders to come to aid of the school to complete the multi-purpose PTA block.

Ashanti Home Touch, a once popular eating place for local dishes in Kumasi, has upgraded and moved to another level of the hospitality industry.

It has been transformed into a 56 air-conditioned bedroom hotel and modern restaurant to serve visitors and travelers to Kumasi.

Located near the Neoplan Station, the three-storey project, which started three years ago, is to be officially commissioned on November 30, this year, according to the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Baah Achamfour.

When it becomes operational, Ashanti Home Touch would serve local and continental dishes, and provide accommodation to travelers. The edifice has a spacious conference hall and car park.

Mr. Baah Achamfour has called on the well-to-do in society to help open up job opportunities for the youth to earn a decent living as their contribution towards nation building.

Stories from Albert Nana Asante

The Obuasi sector of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) has announced plans by the mother church to establish a Senior High School (SHS) at Obuasi.

Pastor Andrews K. Fosu, Sector Chairman of the church, announced this at a ceremony to mark the 125^th Anniversary of the SDA church in Ghana.

While expressing his outfit’s readiness and commitment toward the school project, he added, however, that acquisition of land for the project remained a challenge.

He, therefore, appealed to the Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Richard Ofori Boadi, to assist the church in procuring the needed land to enable it realise its dream.

Mr. Richard Ofori Boadi, on his part, promised to liaise with the Adansi Traditional Council in ensuring that land was allocated for the project.

He disclosed that the assembly had made significant progress in its quest to get a tertiary educational institution established in the municipality.

Meanwhile, the church, as part of activities marking the anniversary, embarked on massive clean-up exercises at key health facilities within the municipality.

The over two hours exercise saw members of the church de-silting gutters, clearing weeds, and scrubbing among others.

The facilities included the Bryant Mission Hospital and Eye Clinic, St Jude Hospital, and the Obuasi Government Hospital.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Obuasi anniversary, Elder James Adjei Mensah, explained that they were motivated by the Church’s mission of ensuring healthy environments at all times, and hoped other churches would emulate their example.

Mrs. Alice Kwarteng, a midwife at the St. Jude Hospital, on behalf of the medical institutions, thanked the church for factoring the well-being of the people of Obuasi in its anniversary celebration.

The 125^th Anniversary was under the theme; ‘Proclaiming the coming King.’

Stories from Ernest Best Anane

The Amansie West District Assembly has taken delivery of 140 laptops under the Better Ghana Agenda Laptop Project to be distributed to the three Senior High Schools in the District.

The package comes as part of efforts by the government to ensure that the youth in the district are equipped with computer skills.

Mr. Alex Kwame Bonsu, District Chief Executive, announced this while delivering his sessional address at a special assembly meeting held at Manso-Nkwanta, the district capital.

He further said the assembly had also taken delivery of about 80% of the tools needed to support the youth in dressmaking, masonry, carpentry and hairdressing, and that about 52 youth would get support initially.

He also revealed that about 997 households benefited from the support of LEAP this year in providing assistance in the area of entrepreneurial based programmes, health and education.

According to the DCE, the assembly budgeted for an amount of GH¢655,200 to expand the School Feeding Programme to help increase school enrolment this year. He said the Assembly had so far has received GH¢171,288, which represents 26.14%.

DCE Bonsu pledged to champion the cause to increase the number of schools benefiting from the policy, to ensure that a highly skilled human resource base is achieved.

He, however, lamented on the poor performance of revenue mobilisation, which, he attributed to inadequate logistics and limited personnel, and hinted that preparations were underway to provide the necessary logistics and capacity building programme for personnel charged with those duties.

The Vision Educational Fund, aimed at mobilising to support the less privileged and brilliant but needy students to enable them access better education, has awarded scholarships to five deserving students for further studies.

Four of the beneficiaries are for the second cycle, while the other one is in the tertiary.

The beneficiary students are Justice Osei Agyemang, Oscar Boateng, Oppong Mahama (Kumasi Anglican), Doris Kumah, Yahaya Zinab (Effiduase St Monica’s, Islamic Senior High School), and Michael Odum, University of Education Winneba, Kumasi Campus.

Mr. Collins Oppong, the founder of Vision Educational Fund, said the gesture was his contribution to assisting students from deprived homes to have better education.

Under the package, the NGO will cater for their school fees and other basic needs while in school, to make sure they have what it takes to become good citizens to help in nation building.

Mr. Oppong announced that he was inspired by the financial challenges and hardships he went through during his school days, because his parents were not better off financially to take care of him.

He pleaded with all stakeholders and philanthropists to also help the less-privileged to achieve their goals of becoming responsible citizens and future leaders.

Oppong Mahama, on behalf of his colleagues, commended the founder for the kind gesture, which afforded them the opportunity to better their lives through education, and promised not to disappoint him.

He promised that they would study hard and become responsible people and make him proud.

Nana Taa Agyemang II, Siakwahene and former Headmaster of Barekese Senior High School, as Guest Speaker at the short but impressive ceremony, appealed to the concerned citizens and civil organisations in the area to contribute their quota towards sustaining the foundation, for others to benefit from their package.

Mr. Simon Karikari Bonsu, Assembly Member for the area, also commended the founder and urged all parents to support the NGO towards sustaining a good cause.

He reminded the students to study hard because that was the only way they could safeguard the scholarships from being withdrawn, since scholarships depended on academic performance.

The Soul Project, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in collaboration with the Old Tafo District branch of the Pentecostal Life Church, has, through the initiative of Yaw Frimpong Addo, Member of Parliament for the Manso-Adubia constituency in the Ashanti Region, has embarked on free distribution of shoes and sandals to children of school-going age at Manso-Mim.

Yaw Frimpong Addo indicated that the gesture was to make education more attractive to the children, and discourage them from getting involved in illegal mining.

Manso-Mim Primary and Junior High School received over 1,200 pairs, while other schools in the constituency also received a sizeable quantity of the shoes and sandals, in a bid to help raise the standard of education in the area.

The MP advised the children to be disciplined and show respect to their teachers and parents to help them unearth their God-given talents.

Mr. Martin Kumi and Rev. Daniel Anane Peprah, Chief Executive Officer of the NGO and District Pastor of the Pentecostal Life Church respectively, appealed for sponsorship to enable them employ full time workers to help the effective running of the NGO.

He expressed sadness at the duties on goods at the ports, saying, if possible, the government should reduce the duties to registered NGOs which help the less privileged in the provision of their basic needs.

Mr. Akuoko Kwarteng, Assembly Member for Manso-Mim, also commended the MP and the organisation for the kind gesture, and noted that it would help increase intake in schools in the area.

He pleaded with parents to prioritise their wards’ education by providing their basic needs to make learning attractive to them, adding that parents must take keen interest in their children’s studies after school hours.

From Sebastian R. Freiku

Consar Ghana Limited, an Italian construction firm headquartered in Kumasi, has donated quarry chippings costing GH¢2,200 to support the on-going multi-purpose entertainment centre at Bekwai.

The Bekwai Traditional Council, in conjunction with the Bekwaiman Development Committee, has embarked on the construction of a GH¢400,000 modern multi-purpose community centre complex at Bekwai.

The Administrative Manager of Consar Ghana Limited, Mr. John Abgesi, presented the chippings to the Bekwaiman Development Committee, on behalf of the company at a ceremony last week, as part of their corporate social responsibility.

Consar Company Limited is currently executing the $16 million Bekwai Government Hospital project, funded by the ECOWAS Bank for International Development, African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Ghana, and which facility would be equipped with the state-of-the-art equipment to address the health needs of the people.

The materials were received by Mr. Sampson Ofori, Secretary of the committee, on behalf of Nana Karikari Appau II, Omanhene of the Bekwai Traditional Area.

Mr. Ofori thanked the company for the support, and hoped other corporate organisations, individuals and members of the general public would contribute towards the completion of the project.