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

BMHIS Hit 88 % biometric registration

Roland Agana Ayine (Bolga Municipal scheme Manager

Bolgatanga Municipal Office of the National Health Insurance for the year 2016 recorded 88% percent of the estimated target population of One hundred and twenty-four thousand 557. 

Management has attributed the success story to the migration of the manual registration system to biometric system in 2014.

The National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, was introduced to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians and the difficulties involved in accessing health care. 

Primarily, the scheme was brought on board   to replace the cash and carry system that characterized the country’s health facilities. 

Since the inception of the NHIS Act, Act 650 of 2003, the scheme operated under a manual registration process where subscribers were issued with ordinary identity cards to access basic health care.

 In 2014, when the NHIS was fully implemented, it migrated from manual to the biometric system which required registrants to register biometrically using a simple database.  Since the process required the thumb print of prospective subscribers, it created a bit of congestion at some scheme offices.

The situation is often compounded by link failure. Management of the scheme has resolved to address the challenge by introducing the shift system to cater for the high number of people that troop to the main office to register. 

In an interview with radio Ghana in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, the Municipal Scheme Manager Roland Agana Ayine gave the breakdown of the 2016 performance targets and what management intend to do in 2017. 

He explained that the 2016 estimated populations of Bolgatanga Municipality stood at One hundred and fourth One thousand three hundred and 10, and as at the end of the year 2016, their active membership came up to One hundred and twenty four thousand five hundred and 57. 

In percentage term, they have covered 88% in terms of active membership. Mr Ayine again said, their yearly target from January to December 2016 of One hundred and eighteen thousand seven hundred and 1, as at the end of December, 2016 management had recorded One hundred and sixteen thousand six hundred and 43 representing 98% of their yearly target. 

According to the scheme manager, management of the Bolagtanga Municipal Health Insurance in tend to embark on registering  all children under the school feeding programme, community registration and to continue the shift system introduced where some staff come to work at night order improve upon their performances in 2017.

Regarding the premium fee required by each group of subscribers to pay before registering and for the renewals processes, Mr Ayine  gave the breakdown as the formal sector or SSINT contributor, under 18 and the aged with valued number, required GHC 8 for registration and GHC 5 for renewal.

That of the informal sector, GHC 25 is required for fresh registration and GHC 22 for renewal. But an informal subscriber with a valid number, registration required GHC 8 and GHC 5 for renewal respectively.  Pregnant women, he said were exempted.

Mr Ayine indicated that since the inception of the NHIS in 2003, 2004, it has under gone a lot of changes. 

The biometric registration required the thumb print of everyone but as of now, enough data of subscribers have captured and one member of a household can renew for a whole family members with the requisite fee.

 He was optimistic that with the support of staff, backed by prudent managerial skill the 2017 targets were going to be achieved on schedule.

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.

GBC                                                                         END