GPEG Project improves quality education delivery Bongo District

32nd National Farmers Day Celebration Held At Nangodi –Upper East Region

A 75- year - old visually impaired, Yen Bonti Yakote, emerged as the overall best farmer inthe Nabdam District of the Upper East Region at this year’s farmers day.

The  75- year- old visually impaired,   who emerged as  the overall best farmer  out of the  twenty farmers  at the event,  organized at Nangodi, in the Nabdam  District, is into sorghum, guinea corn, beans, cowpea, groundnuts , maize and  rearing of ruminants  such as cattle , sheep and goats as well as fouls guinea fowls.

 Speaking to the GBC in an interview after the event, he said being physically challenged, does not mean one is disempowered and appealed to his colleagues to also work hard to improve upon their living conditions instead of depending solely on others.

 According to him, in each farming season, he develops five pits of compost manure and use that as an organic manure to fertilize his crops.

 Mr Yakote who attributed the high yields he gets every farming season to the use of the organic manure, he said it helps him to cut down cost in his farming expenditure.

He admonished, particularly small holder farmers in the region to adopt the compost manure technology instead of relying on fertilizers which are sold at exorbitant prizes.

He disclosed that through farming, he has been able to cater for his wife and 10 children and siblings education, some of whom, he noted, are at the tertiary level.

“I want to take this opportunity to admonish my colleagues physically challenged persons not to give up in their lives. It is only when you start something that the society can help you to continue with it” Mr Yakote admonished. 

 Among the award winners was Mrs Christiana Atara, a-48-years-old woman with five children who also became the second best farmer in the District.

Whilst the overall best farmers received a motorbike, a bicycle, Willington boots, knapsack sprayer, two cutlass , bags of fertilizer  and two key bar soaps, the second best farmer also took home a bicycle, Willington boots, knapsack sprayer, two cutlass.

 The remaining award winners also got consolation prizes. Addressing the award winners, the District Chief Executive for the area, Mrs Vivian Anafo, lauded the efforts of award winners for contributing to ensuring food security and the nation’s economic growth.

The DCE who encouraged farmers in the area to see farming as an economic venture, said the land in the area is very suitable for farming crops such as maize, rice, millet, sweet potatoes, cowpea, soya beans, and tomatoes among others.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

She assured the farmers that Government will continue to provide them with the necessary support in the areas of fertilizer subsidy and rehabilitation and de-silting of dams to empower them enhance on their farming activities.

The District Director of Agriculture, Mr Amale Michael, who reiterated the need for the farmers, will continue to facilitate to ensure that they get support from organizations including the Northern Rural Growth, the Ghana farmers to embrace farming as an economic venture, assured the farmers that his outfit Social Opportunities Project (GSOP), banks and NGOs to boost their activities.

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Reading Festival Held in Tongo- UER

A reading festival for ten selected basic schools in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region has

 been held with a call on parents and stakeholders in educations to assist pupils develop interest and 

motivate them to cultivate the habit of reading at the early grade level.

This will help them improve their reading skills. The Regional Coordinator, USAID Partnership for Education, Mrs. Clara Weobong, who made the call maintained that reading is the core foundation of all learning.

Therefore, teaching children how to read, particularly at the early grade level will determine their future educational success.

The reading festival nicknamed “Travel the World through Reading” was jointly organized by the USAID Partnership for Education, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, GES. It was on the theme:  “Learn to Read, Read to Learn”.

The reading festivals which begun in ten regions has become an annual affair, based on the success of last year’s event.

It is a five year activity geared at improving Ghana’s performance in teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy skills, in the early grades.

The program further seeks to enhance basic education practices and management systems, for sustainable learning outcomes, especially in reading.

 It is to strengthen parents, schools and local government capacity and engagement to support approximately 2.8 million school pupils from Kindergarten KG to primary three, P3, across 165 districts.

The learning project has so far ensured the distribution of 26 English books titles and a total of One hundred and ninety thousand, 52 copies of reading supplementary materials to all schools in the 13 districts of the Upper East Region.

 Addressing the gathering, the Regional Coordinator, USAID Partnership for Education, Mrs. Clara Weobong indicated that training of One thousand, five hundred and 17 school management committees had been carried out, adding that another in-service training for teachers from KG1- P3 is yet to commence in all the 13 districts in their coverage area.

She bemoaned the continuous falling standards in education as evident in the perennial dwindling academic performance of students.

 Mrs Weobeong however identified literacy and numeracy as major obstacles and underscored the urgent need to improve the area in order to produce the best human resource for the future.

The 2013 Early Grade Reading Assessment EGRA and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment, EGMA, report showed that only two 2 percent of pupils in lower primary are able to read and understand.

 According to her, the situation can only be addressed if reading and writing are improved at the basic level, hence the reading festival.

Some of the children demonstrated their reading skills. There were poetry recitals and cultural display at the event.

 In all, ten schools took part in the reading festival, with fifty students from the Nabdam district.

Present at the function were dignitaries including the representative of the Tongo Rana, the Talensi District Chief Executive, Edward Awunnore and the District Director of Education, Stephanny Mosory, elders of the various communities, representative of SMC and PTA graced the occasion.

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Educational workshop on water safety- Upper East Region

A workshop on water safety has been organized by the Ghana Standards Authority, GSA, for locally bagged and bottled water producers association in Bolgatanga on the theme “the quality of bagged and bottled water: the certification process”.

The Regional Director of the Ghana Standards Authority, Aquinas Asolmia, took participants through the certification process by the Ghana Standard Authority.

 He said the GSA, is the umbrella body for all standards in the country and beyond and has the mandate to ensure that water produced for consumption meet the required standards for certification.

 He said though there are other regulatory bodies, it is mandatory that producers get their products certified with the GSA logo.

 He advised that water filters are not to be washed but rather changed weekly and work premises kept clean.

 Mr Asolmia said the GSA will soon embark on an inspection tour to close down products and shops that do not meet their standards.

He expressed worry about how the market was being flooded with sub-standard products putting the consumer’s life at risk, hence, the need for the workshop.

The overall objective was to engage persons involved in the water production to standardize their operation to avoid running counter with the law.

 Standards, he explained, are simply guidelines laid down for any producer to follow in order to meet the requirement for certification.

Mr Asolmia explained the differences between mineral water or hard water and that of treated water or soft water in the production of wholesome water for consumption, saying, it is not all clean water that is safe for human consumption.

 He further explained that water is a mixture of many elements that must pass through the necessary process to be considered wholesome.

According to him, the primary aim of every producer is to make money but the safety of the consumer is paramount.

He advised all water producers to acquire the reverse osmoses machine which removes odours, bacteria and other trace minerals in the production process.

 During an open forum, participants lamented that the certification process of GSA and that of Food and Drugs Authority, FDA, were the same and expressed grave concern about the high cost involved in the process of certification which, they noted, was collapsing their business.

 The Regional chairman of the bagged and bottled water association, Rev. Oppong Kyekyeku in his closing remarks, commended the Regional Director of the GSA for organizing the workshop and urged water producers to adhere to laid down regulations set out by the regulatory bodies.

 Rev. Kyekyeku also pledged to strengthen the association to take up the challenge. 

GBC

Cerebral Palsy day marked – Upper East Region

A mini durbar has been held in Bolgatanga to mark the world cerebral Palsy day with the theme “A child with Cerebral Palsy; A child with possibilities”.

 Children drawn from Sirigu and Bolgatanga special schools together with some staff of the Presbyterian Health Service went on a float through the principal street of Bolgatanga to mark the day.

The programme was organized by the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Christian Blood Mission, and Afrikids Ghana. 

The day was marked to disabuse the mines of parents and society that children with cerebral palsy are spirit children, and must be loved and cared for especially their educational needs.

 Addressing the durbar, the Founder of St. Charles Special School, Madam Mary Akampoe Amana, explained disabilities in various forms saying the day was not to show sympathy to persons with disabilities but empathized with them, that everyone has a disability of a sort.

Madam Akampoe Amana encourage parents of children with cerebral palsy conditions never to give up, rather when such children are given all the necessary care and love they need, they could become prominent personalities in future because they are equally capable like normal children.

She advised parents not to hide children with such conditions in their homes, but report cases to the GES offices, Afrikids or PCG for further advice.

The Director Development and Social Services of the Presbyterian Primary Health Services of the Upper Presbytery, Maxwell Akandem, explained the significance of the day, as showcasing the potential of children with cerebral palsy  and how productive they can be to their parents and society at large.

 He said cerebral palsy is a damage condition that affects part of the brain that is responsible for the growth of certain parts of the body resulting to the cerebral palsy conditions of children.

 He further highlighted the significance of the celebration of the cerebral palsy.

GBC

Seasional Address of the Bawku West District Assembly-Zebilla

               

Political and non-political players of the Bawku West District Assembly  have  been challenged to bury their differences, team up  and work for the good of the people in the area. 

The call was made by Upper East Regional Minister Dr. Ephriam Avea Nsoh, during the first ordinary meeting of the ninth session of the Bawku West District Assembly at Zebilla.

 Present at the meeting were ; Member of the Council of State for the upper East Region  Rev. Dr. Jacob Ayeebo, Member of Parliament for Zebilla District Hon. Cletus Avoka, the DCE for Zebilla Mr. Simon Ayande  Agbango, as well as members of the Assembly the Presiding members.

 Dr. Nsoh praised the previous successes chalked by the Zebilla District Assembly in areas such as ; the functioning of sub-structures, the spirit of self help which led communities to embark on the  construction of many projects.

 The concept of the decentralization was to give the local people the chance to determine their destiny he added.

 Dr. Nsoh however, expressed regret that the success story once recorded by the Zebilla District Assembly has since  not  changed. 

But was optimistic that with the new crop of leadership, the Assembly  was poised to regain its  past glory. 

He said a Regional Strategy document is being developed to offer the good people of the region a strategic direction as to how to eliminate or modify the negative practices and promote the region’s potentials.

 In his sessional address, the DCE for Zebilla Mr. Simon Ayande Agbango  laid  emphasized on  the President priority Projects being rolled out by the government  to achieve the better Ghana Agenda.

 The DCE said significant strives have been made on the street naming and property addressing system and government’s Accelerated senior High school Programme.

On ducation, he said the assembly has awarded a contract for the construction of classroom blocks which  are all near completion.

 He moreover touched on progress made with regards to  Teacher incentive scheme, student scholarships, health, water and sanitation, Ghana social opportunity project (GSOP), and the activities of gallamsey operators in the area.

 He said the Assembly has so far made the second payment to affected landlords regarding the expansion of the Zebilla market.

 The DCE thanked all the Assembly members for their continued support to the Assembly to achieving the planned development.