Lack of Bridges in Bongo District affect government’s flagship programme of PFJs

One of the broken bridges toward Akayonga community in the Bongo Distirct

A research finding has revealed that, lack of bridges in some communities in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region; have been identified as one of the major factors threatening the Planting for Food and Jobs PFJs, one of the government’s flagships programmes. 

It is against this backdrop that a sensitization forum for stakeholders was organized, at the Tankoo community in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region, to disseminate the research findings.

The research which was conducted by the Tankoo Noyine Cooperative Farmers Society TANDA, Nayire and Tankoo vegetable farmers groups in the Bongo District, was on the topic “Construction of bridges on Akayonga and Dua-Kantia Rivers to facilitate market access for agricultural and other livelihood activities for Beo-Nayire and Tankoo communities in the Bongo District”. 

The forum which was sponsored by the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge BUSAC Fund and its Development partners DANIDA, USAID and EU, it brought together chiefs , assembly members,  women, youth groups , Staff of Ghana Education Service, opinion leaders, Party functionaries and members of the various community cooperative’s farmer society groups.

Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Coordinator of TANDA said that, the situation is affecting Agriculture extension; Education and health services delivery in the area as it prevent people

from accessing health care at Bongo, the District capital and also obstruct pupils from attending schools across the bridges. 

According to Asebilla, the research indicated that, 92% of the farmers have difficulties in transporting large quantities of their farm produce to the market centres due to  lack of bridges linking them.  Postharvest losses as a result of the poor road network in the areas stands at millet 15.6%, maize 20.1%, rice 17.7%, groundnuts 15.6%, and cowpea 6.5% respectively. 

Mr. Asebila noted that communities most affected by the broken down bridges are Beo Nayire,  Tankoo,  Dua –Kantia, Akayonga and the livelihood of people in these areas are seriously hindered. 

He indicated that, a Community Based Rural Development Project CBRDP in collaborated with the Bongo district assembly constructed a foot bridge on the Akayonga river in 2006 which subsequently collapsed in 2014. 

Mr. Asebila stated that, although the Bongo district assembly captured the Akayonga River in their action plan for 2016 and 2017 year to construct a foot bridge at a cost of GHs 105, 000.00, construction work has still not started since 2016.  Mr. Asebilla explained how the research was conducted. 

The Monitor of BUSAC Fund, Mr Vincent Subbey, who commended the stakeholders and urged them never to give up but to use tact and diplomacy in their advocacy activities in getting the projects worked on by the duty bearers.

GRICo NSP Donate Bore-Hole to Azorebisi Community in Sumbrungu –UER

The Borehole before handing over to the communitybmemebers

 GRIDCo in collaboration with National Service Personnel NSP, 2017-2018 year group who did their one year mandatory service with the Company, has sunk a bore-hole valued at GHC 12,500 to the Azorebisi Abaa Doone Community in Sumbrungu in the Upper East Region.  

The move was mooted by GRIDCo who entrusted their 2017 batch of NSP to undertake a Corporate Social Responsibility, upon deliberations on the fact that equity was essential in the distribution of projects; they decide to consider a region that has not benefited before from their previous undertakings. 

They saw a news item highlighting the need for potable water in Sumbrungu in the Upper East Region. 

As a batch in agreement with the SDG goals three and five, they decided that everyone deserves access to good drinking water which Sumbrungu was no exception. 

A cross section the community members

The Abaa Doone is one of the 10 clans in Azorebisi Community, Sumbrungu with a total population of about 550 people. 

Their livelihoods depend mainly on subsistence farming, basket weaving and petty trading. Most of the youth in this community, hardly go far in their education due to poverty and lack parental guidance. 

Before the advent of the bore-hole, the community relied on a ten years old rocky well for their source of water, which hardly survives the year.  An alternative was to commute a distance of about 3 kilometers to the next community for the element of survival. 

The National President of GRIDCo NSP Robert Yartey, said the need to reach out to a community in dire need of water, is in line with the core objectives of the National Service Scheme which states “Help provide essential services and amenities, particularly in towns and villages of the rural areas of Ghana”. 

He indicated that their mother company GRIDCo embracing the laudable initiative and supporting them financially is a feather in the cup.

Mr. Yartey explained further measures to ensure the borehole is kept clean and additional plans NSP have for other communities in the area.

National Service President in charge of northern sector - Frank Imoro

The President GRIDCo NSP in charge of the northern sector Frank Imoro expressed the NSP’s joy of being able to assist a needy community.

Mr. Doku addressing the community members

In an address read by Mr. Abraham Doku on behalf of the Area Manager GRIDCo Tamale stated that, comfort and hygienic life come with having access to enough water for house hold use and this is very rare to come by in most rural settlements. 

GRIDCo’s support for the project falls within their Corporate Social Responsibility and recognition of the basic fact that human being’s need to access clean drinking water. 

Mr. Doku said the assistance was a reflection of GRIDCo’s goodwill and friendship to the good people of Abaa Doone.  

Mr. Doku pumping water from the pump

The Assembyman of the area Apomina Victor on behalf of the community thanked the GRIDCo NSP for the gesture, and A1 Radio for their immense role played in bringing the project to fruition and appealed for more support in the area of education for brilliant but needy children in the community. The NSP also donated used clothing and sandals to the community members. 

An elder pouring libation 

Libation was later poured before a sod cutting to officially hand over the bore-hole to the community members.

At the sod cutting ceremony

Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

                                          

UE/R Nadmo Holds Emergency Stakeholder Forum to Assess Flood Situation

 Stakeholders the emergency forum at RCC

 Deputy UE Regional Manager of NADMO incharge of operations presentig at the forum

The Spillage of the Bagre Dam coupled with torrential rains between the period of August and early September this year, has brought a devastating effect in the entire region leading to loss of lives and properties running in to millions of Ghana cedis. 

The torrential rains which the region and Burkina has experienced over the period necessitated the spillage of the Bagre Dam causing a lot of havoc. 

The Bagre Dam was spilled on the 31^st of August, 2018 at 6:49 am, when the dam reached its maximum spillage level at 235m at 6.00 am that day.  

In line with this, the National Disaster Management Organization NADMO Upper East Region has organized an emergency stakeholder forum at the Conference Hall of the Regional Coordinating Council to highlights the destruction caused to lives and properties as a result of the spillage. 

The Forum brought together 23 representatives of stakeholders made up the various government institutions, development partners and NADMO Managers of the affected Districts. 

The aim of the forum was to update participants on the floods situation, solicit more support for the victims and plain for a joint rapid assessment. 

The update was the collaborative work of NADMO, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Ghana Red Cross Society in the Upper East Region. 

In his presentation, the Deputy Upper East Regional of NADMO in charge of operations Paul Wooma noted that, the Flood Disaster situation is fluid and changing and statistics provided cannot be constant.

 He indicated that as of 10^th September, 2018 the Dam was still being spilled as water level still remained at the maximum level of 235m saying, It has since not abated and the gauge level at Pwalugu continues to read high. 

The implication is that many farmlands around the river are likely to remain submerged. Mr. Wooma stated  that, damage done to crops in fields submerged as a result of the Spillage are yet to be assessed thoroughly as flood waters begin to recede slowly. 

He however gave the provisional figures of damage done to farmlands and houses and WASH facilities as a result of the torrential rains in the Municipalities and Districts as One hundred and twenty-two 122 communities and Eleven thousand seven hundred and 39 farmers are affected made up of 7,556 males and 4,183 females. 

A total number of children between the ages of 0-17 years affected stood at 18,286.  He said 29,899 acres are affected an equivalent of 11,959.6 hectares of farmland, adding that large quantities of food and non-food relief items are required to mitigate the situation. 

Regarding the death toll, Paul Wooma, stated that 15 deaths have so far been record, explaining that the deaths are indirect cause to the spillage of the Bagre Dam. 

Figures recorded in the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Navrongo and the Builsa North District indicates that they are the hardest hit in the Upper East Region. 

The Regional NADMO Secretariat and the Ghana Red Cross Society have visited these hard hit communities to help in relief operations and also for psychosocial counsel to disaster victims. A total of Fifteen 15 Communities have had their buildings affected in the Kassena-Nankana East Municipality. 

One Thousand, Four Hundred and Fifty Six 1, 456 people have had their buildings either partially or completely destroyed in Kologu alone. Relief items had been sent to 156 displaced victims living in Kologu Primary School in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality. 

The Upper East Regional Director of NADMO, Jerry Asamani, stated that this year’s spillage and the torrential rains only bring back memories of the 2007 floods disaster. He indicated further that, aside the death toll which is higher this year, in terms of scale,  the 2007 had more numbers of farmers affected than this year.  

In all these developments, NADMO Upper East Region together with Operation Thunderbolt, 2018 have been monitoring the situation and carrying out sensitization and education and doing emergency response to the vulnerable population.

Story by : GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti                                                      

UE/R Use Indigenous Methods of Monitoring and Evaluation M&E- GMEF

 A cross section of participants at the GMEF 

  Dr Pascal Atendem MOU Bolga & Mrs Dede Beddu-Addo Coordunator of GMEF

Monitoring and Evaluation M&E is a practice not because of school projects but a natural phenomenon in every human being such that if you do not look back at what you have done, you cannot tell whether you are moving forward. 

Everybody living in his or her normal life does some monitoring and evaluation of some sort, without necessarily being educated. 

Unfortunately, due to formal education, we have all learned to count and measure only in the English language but everyone has a way of counting and measuring in their own context. 

It is against this backdrop that a day’s meeting has been held by Ghana Monitoring and Evaluation Forum at the Regional Coordinating Council Bolgatanga. 

Participants to the forum were stakeholders drawn from the various government institutions and Civil Society Organizations. It was under the theme “Using Documentation, Evidence and Data for Monitoring and Evaluation”. 

The forum was sponsored by the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund UNICEF. In his welcome address, the Acting Upper East Regional Minister Hon. 

Frank Adongo Fuseni indicated that, the relevance of data in monitoring has been acknowledge across all sectors of endeavors. 

He added that in the light of the crucial role of M&E, the government created a special, ministry to play an oversight and coordinating role in the monitoring and evaluation of priority programmes to generate real time reports. 

Subsequently, the ministry prepared a Results Framework for 2017 to 2020 which was approved by Cabinet. 

The Minister stated that, government will through the Ministry of M&E continue to build the capacity of focal persons to enhance their knowledge and skills in M&E as well as data collection. 

He stressed that, together with GMEF and other stakeholders, National Evaluation Policy Guidelines will be developed. Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Coordinator of GMEF Mrs. Dede Beddu Addo said that, the rational is to address GMEF’s objective of seeking to share insight and experience into the art and practice of monitoring and evaluation with some of the latest developments in the use of data and evidence for M&E in various institutions and at various levels, within regional context particularly as it relates to the SDGs and national development. 

Mrs. Addo added that it will further strengthen the capacity of M&E professionals and enthusiasts by raising the awareness of key stakeholders in the region which can in turn; promote evidence based decision-making in both public and private sectors of the economy. She indicated that, documentation, evidence and data has become fundamental in every aspect of life and there is the need for strong evidence to better inform development practitioners, policy makers, donor community and private sector investors. 

In his presentations on the topic, indigenous forms of data and gathering methods for M&E, Dr. Pascal Atendem of Miller Open University, Bolgatanga indicated that, M&E is all about measurements in terms of color, seizes, numbers, ranks and proportions trying to describe a situation to determine a relationship.

 Dr. Atendem stated that in the context of indigenous data gathering , it was prudent, to conceptualize with the people in the rural area when there is a project, so that their concepts can be used to measure whether results being delivered are according to their needs. 

The Projects Manager Rise Ghana Mrs Jawrahatu Amadu took participants through Using Data for Development Work, and the relevanceof it regarding our everyday lives. 

A Senior Research fellow, University for Development Studies UDS Dr. Joseph Abazaami, talked on Regular Documentation of Evidence for Monitoring and Evaluation saying that no meaningful plaining can take plaining can take place with using date. 

The abundance of research findings reports needs to be systematically reviewed, translated, contextualized and disseminated to better inform policy makers and development practitioners to effectively transform African development and put African countries on the track to achieve the SDGs.

Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

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18 Schools to Run the Double Track System in Upper East Region

 Acting Upper East Regional Minister Frank Adong Fuseni

          Some Chief and Participants of the  Talensi District Town Hall Meeting 

The DCE Tongo Dr. Christopher Boabil

19 schools out of the total number of 400 schools are to run the Double Track System DTS in the Upper East Region. 

The DTS was introduced as a stop gap measure to be able to give education to about 180,000 more students who will be going to school this year. 

This is to make maximum use of the academic year while government works at increasing infrastructure in the next few years to accommodate all students. 

It is therefore not true that all schools will run DTS as speculated in some quarters. This was made known at a Town Hall Meeting organized by the Talensi District assembly in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, held in Tongo. 

As one of the innovations of the ruling government, such meetings are held to serve as useful platforms to engage with the citizens on the progress of policies and initiatives for social and economic transformation. 

Speaking to GBC Online, the Acting Upper East Regional Minister, Frank Adongo Fuseni,  said under the Change: An agenda for jobs; creating prosperity and equal opportunity for all, an additional eight-thousand 8,000 teachers across the country will be recruited to match the increased enrollment in the Senior High School SHS system, alongside with limited number of non-teaching staff. 

He further indicated that government’s strategy to tap into the innovative, creative and diverse potentials of the youth in this country to establish businesses as entrepreneurs. 

For this reason, under the President’s Business Support Programme of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Progeamme NEIP, some seven thousand 7,000 youth have received training on business start-ups and entrepreneurship. 

Out of this number, the President has awarded money up to hundred thousand Ghana cedis to GHC 100,000 to about One thousand Three hundred and fifty 1,350 young people with very viable business plans for a start.  

The District Chief Executive for Talensi Dr. Christopher Boabil said, the District Assembly is making great strides in the provision of school infrastructure and other facilities in the district. 

Whilst some have been completed and handed over, others are at various stages of completion. The projects include the construction of 12 bedroom teachers’ quarters at Datuko. 

Construction of this building he said was initiated by the past administration and stalled due to nonpayment of the contractor. 

Realizing the critical accommodation needs of teachers in the district, some significant payments were made to aid the contractor to complete the project. 

Dr. Boabil indicated, the renovation of 2 No. 3 unit classroom blocks at Wuug, which suffered bad effects of rainstorm since the latter parts of 2015 and did not receive attention, this led to theft and breakdown of furniture until his assumption into office in May, 2017. 

The classroom block has been nicely renovated, furnished and fitted with electricity and fans. On irrigation, the DCE stated that, Citing and consultancy works has been done for the 1V1D to begin in 10 communities in the district. 

The communities include Yameriga, Gbani, Yinduri, Awaradoone, Namoalug among others. Out of the 10, 4 communities has taken site possession namely Winkogo, Kaare, Buugu/Sawaliga and Yameriga.

Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

UE Significant strides Achieved in Health Delivery- Regional Director

 Regional Dierctor GHS Upper East Region

A Cross section of GHS staff  

 Significant stride has been chalked in health delivery in Upper East Region in the areas of pregnancy and delivery. 

Antaean care coverage stood at 30 percent; skill delivery increased from 33.5 percent in 2017 to 34.5 percent in 2018 with a total live birth of 16.080. 

Ninety-eight point five percent of these newborns were exclusively breastfeeding at the time of discharge. Postnatal care coverage was 31.4 percent, family planning acceptance rate of was 16.2 percent over the period. 

A total of 18 maternal deaths with maternal mortality ratio of 110 per 100.000 live births were recorded, a marginal reduction compared to the same period in 2017. 

This was disclosed by the Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service Dr. Winfred Ofusu at a mid-year health sector performance review conference at the Ghana Health Service In-Service Training Center in Bolgatanga. 

The conference was under the theme “Achieving Sustainable Development Goals targets for maternal and child health – the role of technology”. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana, Dr Ofosu said the theme is based on the Director General’s vision and focus on how to leverage the use of information and communication technology to improve maternal and newborn care in the region to save life and avert disability. 

Dr. Ofosu indicated that there are a number of technological facilities such as teleconsultation center, Geographic Information Systems, mobile phone calls and whatsapp platforms that are use in problem analysis and fast communication to get help and save lives. 

He state that, with support from development partners, such as KOICA, the World Bank JIKA and USAID/MCSP/Jhpiego, GHS continue strengthening the Community based Health Planning and Services system CHPS in the regions which is a vehicle for primary health care to enable the attainment of the Universal Health Coverage at the community level. 

He added that, a transactional data collection tool e-tracker was deployed recently at the CHPS in the Sub districts to facilitate data collection and utilization with Samsung Electronics and Goodneighbors Ghana, Evaluate for Health Ghana and Ghana Health Service. 

Dr Ofosu explained some of the challenges the health service in the region is faced with as the Doctor Population ratio in the region as one Doctor is to 30,000 and attributed it partly to lack of accommodation for doctors and other physician assistance, transport and slow rate of re-imbursement of National Health Insurance scheme claims NHIS.

Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

U/ER Media to Give Positive Reports to attract Investors –Outgoing Minister

 Minister handing over to Deputy

Photo with the Media and a cross section members of RCC

An appeal has been made to the media to give positive reports on issues regarding the development of the Upper East Region. 

The media as “makers of modern”, has the lauders voice and constant negative reportage especially on the security situation in the region, sends very bad and gloomy picture to the outside world since the region is bordering so many neighboring countries. 

To a large extend, this can scare away investors who may want to come and invest and it affects us the people in the region and for that matter, the country as a whole. 

The appeal was made by the outgoing Upper East Regional Minister RM, Mr. Rockson Ayine Bukari, during a meeting with the media as part of his handing over ceremony to the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister Mr. Frank Fuseini Adongo and MP for Zebilla. 

It was organized by the Regional Coordinating Council RCC.  It will be recalled that His Excellency Nana Addo last month, reshuffled the Regional Minster Mr. Rockson Ayine bukari to the office of the President and subsequently asked him to hand over his duties as a Minister of the U/ER to take up his new office at the presidency. 

Speaking to GBC Online, Mr. Bukari said he was grateful to the President for the opportunity given him to serve the Upper East as RM and expressed appreciation to the people for their support and cooperation given him throughout his stay in office especially the immense contributions of the media. 

He said that upon assumption in to office, he realized that some Bungalows belonging to the RCC are in the hands of some private individuals and steps are being taken to retrieve them. 

Mr. Bukari thanked the media for the pivotal role played in the areas of chieftaincy disputes, peace and security among others. 

He indicated that there are many development projects coming into the region but cannot take place due to lack of land. 

He charges the media to educate the people to understand and be ready to release land for development purposes and to continue championing the good course of the region. 

He advised them to be circumspect and to always cross check their facts before reporting. He however apologies to all if in the course discharging his duties, stepped on toes. 

An executive member of the Ghana Journalist Association GJA Samuel Akapule on behalf of the Regional President commended the outgoing RM for being the first ever to appreciate the media’s efforts upon his exit from office and promised that the media will continue to fight for the utmost good of the Upper Region.

Story by: GBC’s Emmanuel Akayeti

Akayeti16@gmail.com