Survey Revealed Problems Encountered by Smallholder Women Farmers in Tampola-KNM

 A survey conducted in the Kassena-Nanakana Municipality of the Upper East Region has revealed that the  lack of adequate knowledge of the national and international laws pertaining to gender equal access to land accounts for the difficulties often encountered by women smallholder famers when it comes to accessing land. 

The survey  funded by the Business Sector  Advocacy Challenge BUSAC was conducted by the Tampola Young Generation Farmers Cooperative at the Tampola community,  one of the communities  in the Municipality  under the Project dubbed” Advocacy Action: Equal Access to Land to improve Livelihoods of Women in the Kassena Area”.

 The findings which was  made known  at  a sensitization programme held at the Tampola community attracted stakeholders including traditional and religious leaders, women, the youth, Assembly members,   opinion leaders among others was aimed addressing the challenges affecting women when it comes to land acquisition for farming and other activities.   

“Majority of the Chiefs and landlords who are the traditional leaders and custodians of the land  themselves are not aware of  treaties on equal access to land and as such are not able to implement this laws which  promote women equal access to productive resources especially land.”, the research revealed. 

The research findings also cited the existence and the use of traditional beliefs and customs as some of the hindrances that   lead to the marginalization of many women when it comes to accessing lands in the community levels for agriculture and other purposes. 

The survey identified chiefs, landlords, land administration unit, associations and civil society organizations as some of the relevant Stakeholders who could play various roles towards ensuring equal access to productive lands. 

It recommended the need for the sensitization of traditional rulers and community elders to equip them on the knowledge on the laws governing women access to lands especially the national and the international laws. 

This, the research noted, would help remove some of the negative traditions that bars women from accessing lands in their communities. 

The research also recommended the need for the Municipal Assembly to collaborate with the Traditional Authorities to enact   bylaws to serve as punitive measures for offenders who take advantage of the vulnerability of women and exploit them of their land and other resources to serve as deter people. 

“Women should be allowed to have access to lands belonging to their deceased husband on condition that they remain in their deceased husband’s home. 

This should be backed by a bylaw which will prevent the husband’s brothers from taking her land. 

The Monitor of BUSAC Fund, Mr. Vincent Subbey, underscored the need for duty bearers such as chiefs, land administrators, assemblymen, landlords and family heads to collaborate   in dealing with the issue. 

The Financial Secretary of the Tampola Young Generation Farmers Cooperative, Mr. David Amozebga, explained that the survey clearly identified gender inequality especially women access to agriculture lands and other properties an eminent problem in the Navrongo Municipal Area and that most families were glossing over it with some pretending it was normal. 

The Financial Secretary said widows and children are the most affected  especially  after the demise of their  partners and  explained  that   it was against this background that his outfit sought funding support from the BUSAC Fund to help address the issue at stake.

Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

Signs of Renewed Tension in Bawku West

There is a renewed tension between the locals and land owners at the Zangbeyire area in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region and a mining company called the “Rich Power Mining Ghana Limited” over a mining concession. 

It would be recalled that in the year 2014 the locals and landowners accused the management of the mining Company for not following the due processes of the community entry and sensitization procedures as required by the Mining laws before carrying out their mining activities in the area. 

The situation at that time led to communal clashes between various sub-community groups and the staff of the company resulting into the burning of some equipment belonging to the mining Company and the subsequent arrest of some of the locals including 90 years old, optically and physically impaired old women and men, pregnant women and school children. 

Speaking to GBConline, the local and land owners indicated that they have picked signals that some government authorities and traditional rulers in the area have gone into a deal with the Rich Power Mining Ghana Limited to return to work in the community. 

The group stated that, a their letter dated 18^th July 2018, with the subject matter “NOTICE OF RE-ENTRY OF RICH POWER MINING COMPANY LIMITED TO ZANGBEYIRE “and addressed to the Upper East Regional Minister, it is clear that the stage is set for the conflict of Zangbeyire area”. 

The local and land owners who noted that  those community members who  were arrested during the clashes in 2014 were manhandled and    brutalized and some thrown into the Bawku Prison, said they would resist any attempt made by   any authority or traditional rulers to allow the same Rich Power Mining Ghana Limited to return to the community to resume work. 

Meanwhile  in a press release issued and signed by the community members including community leaders, youth leaders, women leaders, Tingdanas, sub chiefs, landowners and opinion leaders, they stressed that their  lands were  properly invested in their  family clans and kept in custody by what they termed as “Tingdanas” and not in the custody of  traditional authorities. 

According to the group,  the Zangbeyire  area is not only  endowed with   rich natural resources  including  gold , but also  has a major potential in the area  of  agriculture of which  99 per cent of the people being   agrarian. 

The over two hundred local people and land owners of the Zangbeyire who signed the Press Release. 

Rich Power Mining Ghana Limited, an associate of the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited which is a Chinese Mining Company, moved to the area in 2013 after securing a license to do prospecting in the area,within thirty-eight thousand, nine hundred and nineteen (38, 919) acres.

Story By Gbc’s Emmanuel Akayeti

Akayeti16@gmail.com

Denial of Women Farmers to Agricultural Productive Land the cause of Food Insecurity-WMD

     

A research conducted in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern region has revealed that one of the major factors contributing to household food insecurity problem in the area is the denial of smallholder women farmers to agricultural productive land. 

The research findings which  was made known at a sensitization forum organized at the Tikarinongu community in the District, attracted stakeholders including traditional authorities, opinion leaders, women and youth groups, local authorities among others. 

The research conducted by the Tikarinongu Cooperative Farmers and Marketing Union at the Tikarinongu community, one of the communities in the District with funding support from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenged BUSAC Fund was aimed at addressing the challenges confronting smallholder rural women farmers in the White Volta basin in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region of Ghana. 

The Tikarinongu Cooperative Farmers and Marketing Union is a predominantly women group mainly into farming and other agribusiness in the area. 

The research which pointed out that by gender, most of the fertile  farmlands are owned and controlled by the male family heads of the various communities , stressed that women only depended  on marginal and infertile  lands which have been abandoned  by their male counter parts for farming. 

This, the research noted, affected   the size of smallholder rural women farmers’ farms and variety of crops in the area leading to the food insecurity in   many of the households in the community.  

It also cited that most of the smallholder rural women farmers in the area also lacked access to credit facility, labor, traction services as well as general agricultural advisory services such as agriculture extension services. 

The research indicated that women in the communities are not considered when it comes to decision-making process pertaining to the land inheritance, stated that apart from the denial of women access to agricultural productive lands, other group members whose families do not have land at the river site cannot farm there. 

It recommended the need for advocacy and sensitization programmes to be carried out in the communities targeting traditional authorities, opinion leaders, local authorities, Civil Society Organizations, Women groups among others to ensure that smallholder rural women farmers gain  access to productive lands as well as  government’s agriculture policies and programmes particularly on agriculture extension, credit facilities, and good record keeping. 

Story by: GBC's Emmanuel Akayeti

Caution; Advertisement on Food and Drugs Regulated Products-FDA

Advertisement on Food and Drugs Authority, FDA, regulated products being aired in some local 

Radio Stations in the Upper East Region, poses danger to consumers. 

This comes as a result of translated adverts of certified scripts from the Food and Drugs Authority FDA into local languages. 

This was disclosed during a meeting with the press on the advertisement of Food and Drugs Regulated Products in Bolgatanga by the Regional Manager, Zakaria Braimah. 

Speaking to GBConline, Mr. Braimah said that, most of the local Radio Stations that translate these scripts into the various dialects, do not normally contact the FDA office for corrections. 

He said they often translate and convey misleading information to the consuming public especially alcoholic beverages. 

He indicated that, the Regional Office of the FDA is to ensure that all food products manufactured, imported, distributed and sold in the region are of good quality. 

He stated that the FDA derives its mandate from the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851 which regulates both the registration and advertisement of all Products. 

Mr. Braimah therefore entreated the media to cooperate with his office to do the right thing in order to save lives of people. 

Touching on the main purpose of the meeting, the Head of cosmetics and household chemical of the Food and Drug Authority Emmanuel Nkrumah indicated that, it the mandate of the FDA to periodically send regulatory information to the general regarding the safe use the various cosmetics and get rid of the illegal once on the markets. 

He added that, the growing misused of some of skin lightening products among people especially ladies is getting worse and poses a lot danger to their health. 

He said, for instance use of steroid to lightens one’s skin and the exposure of the skin under the sun, the long term effects may results in skin cancer and its related problems. 

The Head of Communications and Public Education of the FDA James Lartey advised the media especially Radio Station to ensure that any advert that will be aired must be certified by the Food and Drugs Authority before advertising it. 

He stated that, it is important such adverts are cross checked because the sanctions of such violations are very great. Mr. Lartey warns consumers of such products not to patronize those written in foreign language.

Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

NHIS Needs More Funding For Sustainability-UER

Management of the National Health Insurance Scheme NHIS as at the beginning of 2018, through its regional and district offices in consultation with organized labor and other stakeholders, proposed a number of funding sources to help improve the smooth running of the scheme. Among the proposed funding sources included one percent increment In the National Health Insurance Levy NHIL from 2.5% to 3.5%, one percent direct contribution from employees’ salary and 2% from employers.

Among other additional funding sources the Management of the Scheme and the stakeholders proposed also   included a percentage from the oil revenues, health taxes such as cigarette, alcohol and sugar and a portion of the communication revenues. 

The Regional Director of the NHIS, Sebastian Alagpulinsa, disclosed this to Radio Ghana during the Mid-year performance review held at the In -Service Training Center of the Ghana Health Service GHS of the Upper East Region called on all stakeholders to back up the proposal of the number of funding sources suggested by the Management of the Scheme and other stakeholders.  

He stated that for Ghana to be able to achieve the Universal Access to Health Coverage the country will need a very strong and resourced NHIS. 

He  indicated that, as a leading health care financing organization, quality and affordable health care is the foundation for every citizen to lead a productive and fulfilling live which will propel a developing country like Ghana to grow a robust economy. 

He stated that an investment in quality health care delivery is human capital and a foundation for inclusion for sustainable economic growth. According to Alagpulinsa, the NHIS intervention offer easy access to healthcare and to ensure that people are healthy. 

The Regional Manager stated that the Scheme covers about 95% of disease conditions such as outpatient and impatient services, oral health, maternal care and emergencies. 

He stated that the NHIS is one of the major social protection policies in Ghana that receives international recognition as an outstanding social protection in health. 

He added that the scheme for the past decade has significantly improved health-seeking behaviors of people and also trigger membership drive which brought life expectancy from 57 in 2003 and 2004 to 63 years currently. 

Mr. Alagpulinsa said that, as at June this year, the region registered Two hundred and thirty-one thousand  nine hundred and 61 representing 65% of their set target out of Three hundred and fifty- four thousand eight-hundred and 21. 

Indigent registration stood at Thirty-Four thousand 78 representing 46% of the mid-year target of Seventy-Three thousand three hundred and 79. Mr. Alagpulinsa threw more light on the need to help fund the Scheme. 

The aim of the second quarter review meeting sort to critically examine the performance of the NHIS's successes and challenges in order to meet their target objectives by the end 2818.  

It was under the theme, "Improving the financing model of the National Health Insurance Scheme: ensuring sustainable and attaining Universal Health Coverage in Ghana by 2030". 

The Universal Health Coverage is to ensure that all people have access to the needed promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health at affordable services.

Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

Vea Dam Needs Immediate Attention Farmers Appealed - UER

An appeal has been made to the Government to as a matter of urgency, to de-silt the left and right banks canals  of the Vea Irrigation Dam, as a stop-gap measure to enable farmers crop for this coming dry season farming which begins this August. 

The appeal was made by the farmers in Vea when Radio Ghana undertook separate visits to the project communities to ascertain the deplorable nature of the irrigation facility.  

More than  3,000   farmers of the Vea Irrigation facility  in the Upper East Region have been thrown out of business as a result of the broken down and the siltation  nature  of the left and right banks  canals and laterals  that transport water from the reservoir for irrigation farming. 

Eleven communities namely Vea, Nyariga, Bongo, Bolgatanga, Zaare, Dindubisi, Yikine, Gowrie, Yorogo,  Yorogo-Gabisi and Sumbrungu  including  other people outside the areas used to  rely on the facility  for farming particularly during  the dry seasons to make a living but could not do so now due to the  deplorable state of the facility. 

When Radio Ghana visited the project sites it was realized that a considerable number of the canals and laterals that convey water from the dam to the farms have all virtually broken down and engulfed with weeds. 

It will be recalled that since the construction of the Vea Irrigation Dam in the 1960s, it had never seen any major rehabilitation. 

This has resulted to the farmers’ inability to access water to irrigate their farms   forcing majority of them   to abandon their farms. 

The Irrigation area is zoned into low lands for rice farming and uplands for tomato farming, soya beans, cabbage, lettuce and pepper and other vegetables. 

The farmers also used to grow millet and groundnuts including sorghum which is now in high demand for the brewing industries. 

The facility also has fish ponds.  Most of the farmers who are   widows and the youth blamed the past and present governments for failing to rehabilitate the facility and stressed that the facility which was constructed by the first President of the republic of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah is one of the major livelihoods of the people in the area and beyond and wondered why such an asset was left unattended to since its establishment. 

The focal person of the Peasant Farmers Association in charge of the Upper East Region, Mr John Akaribo, said government’s policies of the Planting for food and Jobs PFJs and One District one Factory stand to receive a major boost if the Vea Irrigation project is revamped.

Story by: GBC's Emmanuel Akayeti

Association of Catholic Teachers ACT Conference Held in BW District Zebilla –UER

Over 2,000 teachers drawn from the various Basic and Senior High schools in 14 parishes under the
Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese have been trained and awarded with certificates.
   

The training organized in 2016 till date involves 6,037 Basic and Senior High School Students and 35 Directors.  

Aside the training, schools under the said parishes have been provided with classroom blocks and dormitories with toilet facilities. Renovation works have been undertaken in some existing schools. 

Moreover, tuition and mock exams were being organized for beneficiary schools. This was disclosed to Radio Ghana by the Regional Manager of Catholic Education Unit, CEU Reverend Sister Bernadine Permii, during a two-day Diocesan Conference of the Association of Catholic Teachers ACT of Navrongo-Bolgatanga. 

The conference was under the theme “The Catholic Teacher: A tool for Quality Education and Evangelization”. 

The ACT was inaugurated in 2016 in Bolgatanga, under the auspices of His Lordship, Right Reverend Bishop Alfred Adjenta. 

ACT is a group of Catholic teachers, promoting professional practice from a religious point of view rather than secular activities. It plays a complementary role as a faith-based body anchored on the teachings of Christ and it mandates its members to carry Christ to the classrooms and offices. 

The objective of ACT among others is to provide professional and qualitaty development as well as education and leadership service to members of the church towards building a self-reliant community.

Speaking on the theme, a retired educationist Paul Apanga said, quality education is not merely preparing students to pass examination alone but also training the youth based on the Catholic principles. 

He indicated that, the right to education as guaranteed in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights in Article 26, states that “Everyone has the right to Education.” Education, he said shall be for free at least in the elementary and fundamental levels. 

However, Mr. Apanga added that this declaration cannot be achieved if there are no quality teachers to teach. He advised them to give off their best as they are being coached as teachers by the principles of Christ.  

Mr. Apanga explained that lack of refresher courses for teachers is a contributory factor to the poor performance of the country’s educational system. 

The Coordinator of Catholic schools of the Diocese, Dr. Joseph Ayambilla reminded teachers that their profession is a call to duty, a call to discipline and mentoring of the future leaders of this country. 

He added that good conduct is very crucial in the discharge of their duties as far as the church is concern.

Shea Network Ghana Stakeholders Meeting Organized in Navrongo -UE

 A baseline survey conducted by the Shea Network Ghana (SNG) has   attributed the difficulty of   many women in the sharenut sector   having access to share parklands to some negative cultural practices. 

The survey findings which was disseminated  at a day’s  multi-stakeholder forum  organized by the SNG in the  Navrongo Municipality of the Upper East Region on Wednesday   also revealed  lack of capital  on the part of the  women  hinders  their ability to purchase and own land.

“Rural women are still having challenges on ownership of lands especially Shea parklands to improve their situation in the Shea business. 

In spite of the fact that  the Shea is picked on the wilds,  traditional authorities still  supervised and own these lands preventing  women of  having  access to Shea parklands”, it indicated. 

The survey also cited the patriarchal kind of land ownership, the absence of women’s participation in decision making especially when it comes to land rights among others as some of the major challenges confronting majority of women in the sector. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana during the stakeholders forum, the Project Officer of SNG, Ms Dauda Hajiah Khadijah , explained that  SNG is a multi-stakeholder organization based in Tamale that  works  with private and individual members who have interest in the shea value chain across the three northern regions.  

She explained further that the aim of the network is to promote sustainable Shea business in Ghana. and to whip up the interest of its members in the Shea industry to improve and expand their business.

She said SNG only coordinates the activities of producer groups, co-operatives, butter processes, market aggregators, and cosmetics producers, research institutions and consultants who have interest in the promotion of the Shea business. 

The Project Officer who   called on traditional authorities to allow women to own parklands to improve upon their livelihoods said women played major roles when it comes to the maintenance of the homes and when supported could do more. 

A participant from the Forestry commission, Mr. Isaac Adom Donfer, stated that the Forestry Commission was collaborating with SNG to ensure that the planting of trees especially the shea trees in addition to the existing ones in the northern parts of the country were maintained and protected. 

He said it was against the Forestry Commission laws for anyone to fell a tree indiscriminately without the permission of the Commission and warned that such culprits when caught would be dealt with. 

Among the key stakeholders at the forum included traditional rulers, the Forestry Commission, women groups in the sheanut industry and the youth.

Sustainable Livelihood Adaptation SLA Project Launched in Builsa South-UE

 A sustainable Livelihood Adaption ALA Project has been launched in Fumbisi in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region. 

The project is aimed at introducing women farmers to improved Integrated Groundnuts Oil Extraction Technologies. 

It is being implemented by LINK Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organization NGO operating in Northern Ghana with funding support   from the Adaptation Fund Project AFP of the United Nations Development Programme UNDP. 

Mr Daniel A  Kansake, said apart from the project launch, it would also conduct improved quality groundnut oil extraction and packaging training for the project beneficiaries, facilitate the registration of groundnut oil extraction groups with the Business Advisory Services BAS and Cooperatives as Business Enterprises. 

He indicated that, the project had among its components to construct functional community oil extraction centers in the beneficiary   communities with ground nut grounding machines, roasters and threshers, facilitate value chain linkages among oil extractors in the areas of marketing  and financial institutions as well as  carry out gender baseline analysis. 

He mentioned that  the project  which would be implemented in   three  communities, namely Gbedema Kunkua, Kasiesa and Gbedembilisi , targeting  2500 women beneficiaries with 50 lead women to  be trained on the new technologies as agents of technology transfers in the District,  may be  up-scaled  in the subsequent years to reach other communities. 

He explained that what informed the decision of LINK Ghana to support the women groups  in the District is that  despite the critical role   women played  in the  groundnut oil  sector, many of them  had limited production technologies, knowledge and skills in producing quality and quantum of oil in a more efficient manner. 

The District Chief Executive of the Builsa South, Mr. Daniel Gariba, lauded the effort of the NGO and the UNDP for selecting the area to implement the project and indicated that it falls in line within the government’s policy of one District, One Factory. 

The Chief of Gbedembilisi,  Nab Atirekpere  Ignatius 111, mentioned that the Builsa South District  was very much endowed with agriculture potentials  such as groundnuts, rice , corn among others but was confronted with the challenges of value added addition and marketing. 

He was hopeful that with the effective implementation of the project, it would help address some of these challenges and called on other development partners to help the District exploit more of its natural resources for the development of the area.
Story by : GBC's Emmanuel Akayeti