High Institutional Maternal Deaths Recorded in UER

 Stakeholders at the first Ordinary meeting of the UE Regional Coordinating Council  for the year 2018.

The Upper East Region recorded 44 institutional maternal deaths in 2017, as against 33 in 2016 

respectively. This was disclosed by the Regional Director of the Ghana Health Services GHS Dr.

Windfred Ofosu, during the first ordinary meeting of the Regional Coordinating Council RCC for the

year 2018, at the conference Hall of the Regional Coordinating Council in Bolgatanga.

The meeting which brought together stakeholders including the 13 Municipal and District Chief Executives, Technocrats, Heads of Departments, presiding members, the Media among others.

It was in fulfillment of the Local Government Act 936 of 2016, which mandates the Regional Coordinating Councils throughout the country to hold at least two ordinary meetings in a year.

Speaking to GBC online, the Regional Director of the Ghana Health Services GHS Dr. Winfred Ofosu gave the reasons for the high recorded cases of Institutional maternal deaths in the region as non-communicable disease such as bleeding profusely, hypertension and quack doctors.

Dr. Ofosu also mentioned that the region for the past three years had recorded high prevalent rates of HIV/AIDS cases. He cited for instance that whilst in 2014 and 2015, the region recorded prevalent rate of 1.4 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively, it also recorded 1.7 per cent in 2016.

On the Doctor patient ratio, the Regional Director described it as not the best and indicated that the region which has a population of One million, Two hundred and sixteen thousand six hundred and 80 is currently having only 10 doctors, two of them Cubans.  

He however, hinted that another batch of eight doctors had just been posted to the region and indicated that measures were being taken to ensure that they stay and work in the area.

The Regional Director mentioned inadequate water supply, lack of accommodation and staff attitudes among the factors affecting quality health care delivery in the region.

He indicated that measures were being put in place to mitigate such problems and to ensure   prudent use of financial resources especially internally Generated Funds.

The Regional Minister , Mr Rockson Bukari Ayine on his part stressed that whilst there were other part time jobs in  the big cities like Kumasi and Accra for doctors working in such places to make additional income it was not so in the region.

There is the urgent  need for pragmatic measures including holding stakeholder meetings in the region involving everybody particularly all the fifteen Municipal and District Assemblies, traditional and religious leaders as well as the Cooperate world  to chart the way forward  to help retain doctors in the region,

Story by:: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

Tax Compliance Education Organized in Bongo District -UER

A tax compliance education has been organized for traders in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region. 

It was organized by the National Commission for Civic Education NCCE in collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority GRA as part of the second phase of the nationwide Tax Compliance campaign with the theme “Our Taxes – Our Future”. 

It was aimed at whipping up the interest of the business groups in the Bongo District to honor their tax obligations. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana, The District Director of NCCE in charge of Bongo District, Miss Alice Ndego stated that paying of tax was a civic responsibility and as a Ghanaian a duty and a requirement by law for every citizen to honor the obligation. 

She advised them to always pay up their taxes to avoid falling fowl to the law. 

The traders, made up of transport operators, dressmakers, hairdressers, weavers, mechanics, among others in the Bongo District, called on the Ghana Revenue Authority GRA to decentralize their Office in the District to enable them honor their tax obligation. 

The Business groups, indicated their willingness to pay their taxes but the distance of travelling to Bolgatanga, the Regional capital of the Upper East Region to pay  was far for them. 

They proposed that the GRA could also consider detailing agents to always come around their business set ups in the District to collect the taxes. 

The traders were also sensitized on the need to register with the GRA for the Taxpayer Identification Number TIN. 

They were made to understand that without the TIN  they could not  carry out the transactions such as opening of  Bank Account, registering  their Lands, companies, vehicles clearing of  goods from the ports, acquiring  driver’s  license, biding  for  Government contracts, conduct  Business with the  Ministries and the  Assemblies among others. 

The sensitization Programme is ongoing in the market places, faith based organizations, identifiable economic groups and Dawn and Dust broadcast initiated in the Bongo Community radio Station in the District.

GBC                                                                  END

Local Governace Forum Organized in Bolgatanga - UER

The Chief Executive Officer of TEERE, Professor Avea Nsoh, addressing the Regional local governance forum in Bolgatanga

Decentralization and local governance systems forum has been held in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital.

The stakeholders forum, which was on the theme “The Role of Stakeholders in Local Governance”, was aimed at empowering the people at the grassroots to participate actively in the decision-making process at the District Assembly levels and to contribute effectively to the implementation of the decentralization process.

The forum was organized by “TEERE”, a Non-Governmental Organization and sponsored by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Senior Experten Service both from of Germany, SAVE- Ghana and STAR-Ghana was second in the series of the Regional TEERE Local Government Forum (RTLGF).

Speaking to Radio Ghana, The Chief Executive Officer of TEERE, Professor Avea Nsoh, explained that, the main components of the TEERE Local Government Forum TLGF included community sensitization, district forum, regional forum, engagement with CSOs and national forum and round table discussion at the national level.

Professor Avea said, his outfit in collaboration with the Municipal and District Assemblies MDAs, the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, CSOs groups, the Local Government Service Secretariat LGSS and the National Association of Local Government Authorities NALAG, had been able to organize series of programmes including district and regional fora all geared towards complementing government’s effort in the implementation of the decentralization concept.

The stakeholders including Civil Society Organizations, Traditional and Religious leaders, the Ghana Health Service, Workers of trade Unions, Women Groups, the Youth, Persons with Disabilities PWDs, the Security Agencies, the Media, Technocrats among others drawn from the fifteen Municipal and District Assemblies MDAs in the Region indicated that most of the substructures of the MDAs were weak and dysfunctional.

They stated that many of the Substructures at the Assembly levels including the unit, area and town councils throughout the country were not functioning describing them as white elephants.

This they indicated was undermining the effective operationalization of the decentralization concept. Other major concerns raised by the stakeholders were the non -involvement of the citizens by some MDAs in their Medium Term Development Plan MTDP, low representation of women at the MDAs, and the award of contracts from the central government to the local levels as some of the major challenges militating against the effective implementation of the decentralization concept.

They wondered why Central Government will not allow the Assemblies to address issues of priority, after disbursing the District Assembly Common Fund but had to give directives.

Professor Avea mentioned the donation of some medical supplies to the Bongo hospitals and his intended project to support groups, particularly women in the Bongo and the Nabdam Districts to start commercial production of guinea fowl and pigs as well as the local smock cloth to help improve upon their livelihoods so as to help curb the spate of teenage pregnancy and alcoholic abuse among women in the areas.

Story by:GBC's Correspondent Emmanuel Akayeti

Camfed-Media partnership Meeting Held in Tamale –NR

The government quest to invest in girl-child education is one of the prudent measures a developing country like Ghana can adapt to improve the living standards of her people. 

It has been observed that, educating the girl-child, can help in ensuring low infant mortality and fertility rates. 

It is against this background that a one day Camfed-Media Partnership Meeting has been organized at the modern City Hotel in Tamale capital of  the Northern Region.

 It was aimed at forging mutual-beneficial working relationship between the media and Camfed. Campaign for female education,

Camfed is an NGO working to alleviate poverty and to fight HIV AIDS in Africa by educating girls and empowering women to be leaders of change.

Speaking to GBConline, the National director of Camfed Ghana John Asibi-Ali said Camfed only partner government’s sole responsibility of ensuring the wellbeing of Ghanaians.

As an organization, they have a shared value in government and have therefore decided to focus mainly on girl-child education, knowing that in the long round, it will help transform the country.

He indicated that Camfed works in 31 districts across the Northern Upper East, Upper West and Central Regions.

They support young women to become economically independent in order to achieve their full potentials

The Senior Programme officer of Camfed Ghana Rashida Iddressu explained that Cama is a network of Camfed beneficiary who are committed to supporting themselves and also reinvesting the benefits of their education into developing their communities.

She stated that Camfed as an organization, encourage the girls they support through their scholarship programme, to also think of how they can use the education they have acquired to improve their leadership qualities, their families and the communities as a whole.

Regarding challenges of Camfed in its operational area, Ms. Rashida stated  that Cama is often mistaken for Camfed explaining that Cama is an association of Camfed supported young girls coming together to volunteer to do things and see how they can address social issues and challenges in the communities.

She stressed that though it is voluntary service the render, they are sometimes, charged for the services they require. She

however, express appreciation to chiefs and opinion leaders in some communities who leant them their fullest support in their activities.

The monitoring and evaluation Mamager of Camfed -Ghana Samuel Asare Danquah said they use technology in their data collection.

They give each teacher- montor a smart phone with a software called Odekey which they use to gather data.

This he said is an additional work for the teacher yet they accept it in good faith which is very helpful to their course.

Story by; GBC' Correspondent Emmanuel Akayeti  

Chrism Mass Celebrated at the Sacred Heart Parish Bolgatanga -UER

Rt. Rev.Bishop Alfred Adjenta
The Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese has observed the Sacred Chrism in Bolgatanga with a call on the clergy to rise up to their pastoral responsibilities. The Catholic Bishop of the diocese, Rev Bishop Alfred Adjenta who made the call observed that the pastoral responsibilities are laid on his shoulders by divine but the invaluable contribution of the clergy has advance the cause of the church. He however, reminded the clergy of the task ahead in caring for the people entrusted to their care.

The Chrism Mass is the only period in the catholic calendar that unifies and creates a common platform for priests and the Bishop to celebrate mass. Chrism Mass is an integral part of the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and ordination. Named after Jesus Christ, the Chrism bestows a share in Jesus’s own anointing with the Holy Spirit.

Following the Chrism Mass, the sacred oils are distributed to representatives of every parish in the diocese. The oils are normally received by the parish in a simple rite prior to the Mass of Holy Thursday. It is an occasion where the baptized are anointed on the crown of the head signifying royal dignity and renewed call to holiness.

Moreover, when a bishop ordains a man to the priesthood, following the imposition of hands and the prayer of consecration, he anoints the hands of the priest with the Sacred Chrism. It is against this backdrop that the Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese under the leadership of Rt. Rev. Bishop Alfred Adjenta and Priests celebrated the Chrism Mass.

Speaking to Radio Ghana, Rt Rev Bishop Adjenta further explained the significance of the Chrism Mass in the Catholic faith.

About 50 priests including reverend sisters and brothers and lay faithful attended the Chrism Mass.

It is celebrated by the Catholic Church all over the world once every year during the holy week before Easter.

Rt. Rev Bishop Adjenta gave more insight into the celebration of the holy mass.

For his part, the Vicar General of the diocese Father Gabriel Atidoo said the celebration of the Chrism Mass strengthen his life as a priests, especially when he sees all his colleagues gather together in unity.

Father Augustine Abasi, chaplaincy of the University of Development Studies on the other hand said partaking in the celebration of the Chrism Mass, makes him feel part of the universality of the Catholic Church in celebrating the euchararist.

They both share their feelings with GBCONLINE 
Throughout the Bible, various references indicate the importance of olive oil in daily life.

Oil was used in cooking, particularly in the making of bread, that basic food substance for nourishment, as a fuel for lamps, and healing agent in medicine. 

Moreover, with oil the Jews anointed the head of a guest as a sign of welcome, beautified one’s appearance and prepared a body for burial.

All these underscore the relevance of the Chrism oil.

Story by;GBC's Correspondent  Emmanuel Akayeti