Two vehicles burnt at Bolgatanga Technical Institute UER

Two vehicles of the Bolgatnaga technical Institute have been gartered by fire.

The two vehicles, a bus with registration number GV 437 Z and a wooden track popularly called boneshaker, which has been grounded for about five years now were all packed side by side at the school’s principal residence.

According an eye witness Radio Ghana spoke to, they heard the horn of the bus blowing and the whippers working without the driver in it.

Then the front part of the bus started burning.

They called the Fire Service but before they arrived, the two vehicles were burned beyond recognition.

The officer in charge of the fire tender at scene said the course of the fire outbreak could not be ascertained immediately.

Speaking to Radio Ghana, Mr. Mark Billa a lecturer of the Institute explained that the vehicle was never used the whole day.

 He attributed the incident to an electrical fault. 

Four Persons injured in robbery attack at Sandema

 Four persons yesterday sustained gunshot wounds through a robbery attack by some unknown armed men at Sandema in the Upper East Region.

of the injured persons were shot on target resulting in the injury of the other two who were affected by stray bullets. The robbers numbering three attacked a popular supermarket in the Sandema Township known as “No Hurry in Life”.

Narrating the incident to Radio Ghana, the owner of the shop, Adabiyak Akanlugba, said at about 5pm in the evening, he was with the wife taking care of the shop, when suddenly three men wielding guns and other offensive weapons emerged and opened fire on them.

 He said while firing was underway, three other persons also in possession of guns have mounted a road block outside the shop to secure the safety of their accomplices.

According to him, the robbers made away with the sales for day and various telecom scratch cards that were on display for sale.

In the shooting process, a 35 year old Anyueta Aparik and Anthony Akosua 25, were shot on the thigh. As a result of the indiscriminate shooting, one, Anyakpang Akantialie, 42 and Asiakatoa Emmanuel, 20 also sustained various degree of injuries.  

Akosua Anthony, who was badly hit by the stray bullet is currently in a critical condition and receiving treatment at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital.

Meanwhile, Anyueta Aparik and Anyakpang Akantialie are still on admission at the Sandema Hospital while Asiakatoa Emmanuel has since been treated and discharged.

An eye-witness, Kenneth Lawine told Radio Ghana that the incident occurred when he was transacting business at the banking hall of the Builsa Community Bank also known as BOCOBANK, which is directly opposite the said shop. 

He said out of curiosity, he came out from the banking hall to witness the shooting incident. When contacted for details of the unfortunate incident, the Sandema District Commander, ASP Yaw Dankwah Agyakum, said he was in the office at the time of the incident.

According to him, he heard gun shots and rushed out only to realize that it was an armed robbery attack. He then quickly, dispatched his men to the scene and upon arrival, the robbers manning the road block outside the shop opened fire on them.

Sensing danger, a Nissan Pick-up with registration number GP 3576 belonging the District Police Command was not spared.

He added that in order to avert further casualties and save innocent lives, the police declined to fire back at the robbers because it was a market day and the incident took place right in the middle of the town.

For him, it would have been suicidal on the part of the police to engage the robbers in a shoot-out.

So far, no arrest had been made but the police say it was conducting investigation into the attack and perpetrators will be fished out and be made to face prosecution.  
 
GBC                                                        END

NPRA’s Tier 3 for the informal sector UER

The National Pensions Regulatory Authority NPRA, has organized a sensitization forum, for the informal sector, on the third tier pension’s scheme at the Bolgatanga. 

About 204 participants, drawn from the various artisans attended the forum. 

According to the Corporate Affairs Manager of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority, Emmanuel Awuku Dagbanu, the National Pensions Act 2008 Act 766 was implemented in 1st January 2010. 

Since then NPRA has engaged in stakeholder education and sensitization, both the formal and informal sectors countrywide. 

The aim was to encourage people to contribute towards their retirement, especially those in the informal sector that constitutes about 85 percent of the working population. 

Mr Dagbanu said the second round of the sensitization was in partnership with the Swiss Government and NPRA with the focus on the tier 3 pension’s scheme. 

He explained that the tier 3 as a voluntary Provident Personal Pensions scheme, supported by tax incentives. 

It aims at addressing peculiar needs of workers in the informal sector and provides additional funds for formal sector workers, who want to make voluntary contributions to better their pension’s benefits. 

On presentation of the new tier 3 Pensions Scheme, Mr Richard Sunday Yinbil took participants through the benefits which include reductions of the qualifying period of 20 years to 15 years, increase in income from 12 years to 15 years, tax exemptions of up to 35 percent, members can transfer their contribution from one scheme to another as they change jobs and can also use their lump sum under tier 2 in future to secure a mortgage for their primary residence.

60th Independence Day observed in Bolgatanga municipality

For the first time, school children from Zuarungu and Sumbrungu had an opportunity to join their colleagues to commemorate the 6oth anniversary celebrations in the upper East Region.

 Present were the Bukinabe entourage led by Segurda Casimire. 

In all fifty schools including the St. Charles special school, primary, Junior High and Senior High schools. 

Other departments such as Zoomlion, and the various security services including the army, police, and prisons took part in the anniversary parade. 

The Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Ayine Bukari, paid a glowing tribute to the founding fathers that led the country to Independence. St Charles Special School was among the schools that won price for outstanding performance.

Illegal loggers arrested at Anateem Upper East Region

The natural vegetation of the Upper Region is that of savanna wood lands.

 This is characterized by short scattered drought resistant trees and grass that usually got burnt or scotched by sun during the dry season.

Human interference such as bush burning and felling of trees are prevalent at the Aateem forest.

A track load of logs and a crane has been arrested at Anateem in Sumbrungu in the Upper East Region, due to the illegal felling of the Rosewoods trees.

The rosewoods tree species is graduality getting extinct, hence the need for its protection.

Rosewoods trees are very strong and heavy and results in an excellent polish.

To this effect the, the tree is good for furniture, guitars, marimbas, and chairs set.

According to the forest guard Mr. Micheal Awuni, the drivers loading the logs bolted when spotted by the soldiers.

Mr. Awuni lamented that the backing of traditional authorities is encouraging the illegal felling of the trees in the forest.

Meanwhile the Upper East Region Minister Mr. Rockson Ayine Bukari has instructed the Upper East Security Council REGSEC to ensure the arrest of all persons engage in illegal logging of trees in the region.

He assured member of the general public that suspect arrested will be arraign before court for prosecution.

Family Planning awareness creation by CHN UER

A family planning awareness creation has been organized in Bolgatanga, the regional capital of the Upper East Region. 

The event was organized by the community Health Nurse’s branch of the Bolgatanga Regional hospital and sponsored by Ipas in collaboration with the Ministry of health. 

It was under the theme, Family Planning a quality life. 

The coordinator of the event, Mary Amoah, indicated that about three years now the acceptance rate of family planning continuous to  reduce drastically.

 She admitted that even though, much awareness on the phenomenon has been created, the number of women who go to the health facilities to seek for family planning care are often few. 

Meanwhile when Radio Ghana conducted an interview with some couples in the Municipality on why they would not go for family planning services, some mentioned that it has some negative health implication. 

Sharing her experience, Sara Anaba explained that she went in for a family planning service after which she experience double flow of her menstruation.  

Clemential Adongo also noted that she experienced difficulties in picking a seed when she stopped the contraceptive. 

The event was characterized by route match amidst brace bands. Condoms were also distributed coupled with talks with market women on the need to go for planning services.

GBC                            

Lets Build Our Region without Partisanship--- Rockson Bukari Urges

By Emmanuel Akayeti

The Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Ayine Bukari has called on the people the region, to separate party business from the work of government in order to develop the region and the country as a whole.

According to him, the region could only develop if the people look beyond politics and rally behind him to deliver the development policies to improve living condition in the region.

Mr Bukari made the call at a short but impressive ceremony to welcome him as new regional minister at the residency in Bolgatanga over the weekend.

He noted that, his elevation to the office of the regional Minister is as a result of hard work and the current democratic dispensation that has given the New Patriotic Party,  NPP the opportunity to rule this country for the next four years.

The regional minister who was sworn into office by President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo, along with his colleagues of other regions  explained that the electoral process was only a means to which the region and for that matter the nation could develop under free economy system.

 He urge the people of the region belonging to other political parties to live beyond partisanship and partner him and the NPP government to move the country forward.

Mr Bukari who once served as Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga under the erstwhile NPP government led by Former President John Kufour,  advised people of the region to remain united and work hard to eliminate poverty, illiteracy, deprivation, disease and unemployment  the common enemy of Northern Ghana.

He said, though there are challenges, irrespective of one’s political affiliation, there was the need to eschew divisions and faction e and rally behind the NPP led administration to prosecutes its manifesto to develop the  country.

The Regional Minster reiterate President Nana Addo’s call for a drastic change in our attitudes as citizens in order to achieve the desired goal for the country.

Mr Bukari admonished that discipline must permeate all facets of society and an efficient code of conduct must be adhered as Ghanaians.

He said President Nana Addo led administration will not hesitate to demand loyalty and positive ethic from the citizenry especially public office holders.

He stressed that time management is very crucial in his agenda as Regional Minister and will avail himself timely for all functions to demonstrate leadership example. 

 

PIX: Mr Rockson Ayine Bukari, Upper East Regional Minister.

The falling of Yaaba Akamugma Sirigu Kembisi

Culture, they say is a way of life and for the people of Kembisi community and surrounding villages of the Upper East Region, performing a funeral ceremony of a tree  defines the identity and reignite their relationship with their ancestors. 

In the scientific world, trees serve so many purposes including of erosion and mitigating the climate, removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 

Subsequently they store large quantities of carbon in their tissues.

Trees and forest provide a habitat for many species of animals and plants. They equally provide shades and shelter, timber for construction, fuel for cooking and fruit for food. 

Due to their long life and usefulness, trees including that of the Temarandus are sometimes revered and are sacred groves in various cultures. 

Within the Kembisi community for instance the history and traditional significance of the Pusika Tia also known as Temarandus can be traced to the migration of two brothers Akeama and Akamugma. 

These two brothers migrated from Youwa in the southern part of Burkina Faso about four hundred years ago amidst famine.

They settled in Pogmulgu-Sirigu in the Kassena Nankana municipality. Consequently, the two moved again to Sumbrungu and finally settled at Kembisi.   Akamugma died about 100 years ago but his descendant’s forms majority of the Kembisi community.

According to a soothsayer upon consultation, the Temarandus tree symbolically represent the dead Akamugma. 

Unfortunately, the tree died in November, 2016. 

The funeral rites of the tree started at the family house of the Tindana amid drumming dancing performed by war dancers. 

The community members and chief mourners finally moved to the former house where Akamugma lived, died and was laid to rest. 

These kind of houses are locally called (Daboo).

They aim of moving into the Daboo was to performed all the relevant sacrifices to bid their father the Pusiga Tia fare well.

It will interest listeners to know that the fruit of this same Temarandus tree is a major ingredient for sour water, used to stir T. Z and a local beverage called sobolo. 

However the Tindana of the area Atindanbila Ayika explained that, the tree was revered and according to tradition and culture of the people it is forbidden to use the branch as a fire wood. 

The Senior Programmes Officer of the Envirnmental Protection Agency Mr Hamid Abdulai explained that they mindful of secret grooves and Shrines when it comes to environmental impact assessment. 

Aside their traditional belief system attach to these shrines and grooves, the rules governing these places are very crucial in protecting the environment. 

EPA therefore see such traditional practices very important.   

Meanwhile the Paramount Chief of Bongo Traditional area, Naba Salifu Limyarum, has urged his colleagues and other traditional rulers not to allow modernization to over shadow the need for sacred groves and trees to be protected. 

Naba Salifu indicated that even before the advent of the EPA laws regarding environmental Protection, chiefs were very much concerned about shrines and grooves with strict laws. Sanctions could even be applied where someone there was a violation. 

Therefore in the wake of fierce war against environmental degradations, those cultural and traditional practices that promote the preservations of the environment should be encouraged. 

There are several grooves and shrines across the Upper East Region with similar practices. 

Unfortunately, due to poverty, such grooves and shrines are gradually threatened as they are often sold out to investors, for infrastructural development to the detriment of the environment.

GBC                                                                    END