Eat well, have sufficient rest and stay hydrated to boost immune system- Regional Director of Health

The Upper Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Winfred Ofosu has stressed the need to eat well, have sufficient rest, regularly and frequently drink enough water to stay hydrated and have regular dose of exercise to build a robust immune system in order to fight the effects of the Corona virus disease, saying the speed of one recovering from COVID 19 will largely depend one’s level natural

He has also discouraged the patronage of immune booster in the form of pills as substitute nutritious diet and regular physical activities.

Dr Ofosu made this known on Youth and COVID 19 show jointly hosted by 13-year-old Amoh Nana Adwoa Kente and 14-year-old Fuseini Hamshawu on GBC URA Radio over the weekend. 

He disclosed that that there is evidence that the virus is secreted in the fecal matter and that flushing the water closet after use can create an aerosol that can likely store the virus in the space for some time. 

He therefore advised not to use the wash room immediately after someone else uses it and to flush the toilet while the lid is closed to prevent aerosol from being created. 

Responding to a question on how the patients with COVID 19 are said to have recovered even though there is no known vaccine, he explained that the management protocol involves treating the Symptoms presented by each patients while monitoring the viral load and that will determine whether a patient has recovered. 

He hinted that there is evidence that even when a patient recover, the recovered person can still pass out the virus for up to about five weeks, hence the need to observe the health protocol including

 Social or physical distance, staying at home or wearing of nose mask when going out. 

Explaining why there is less death and fewer patients on ventilators in the African continent, Dr. Ofosu explained that the area with much COVID 19 cases with less death corresponds with areas where Malaria is endemic adding that some school of taught have it that has it that Africans have some level of protection due to malarial infection. 

He encouraged persons with symptoms similar to COVID 19 to Call the regional hotline 059-645-02-15 or alternatively reach the national hotline 112 and the call will be redirected to the regional response team adding this will check infesting others as one move to the health facility. 

A Workshop on Tax Education Held in the Upper East Region

Effective Tax collection is very crucial as it generates revenue for the smooth and rapid administration of every country. Unfortunately, due to poor tax education, ineffective tax laws ignorance and corruption, Ghana loses a lot of revenue for her development. 

It is against this backdrop that the Upper East Regional Tax Justice Coalition (TJC), an advocacy Organization has called on government to take steps to review the current tax system to expand the tax net to rake more revenue for national development. 

The Coalition said taxation was the major source of funding for the country’s development projects, however about 90 percent of the potential taxpayers were left out of the tax net leading to low mobilization of resources for national development. 

This has therefore compelled the Ghana to depend on external aid to finance most of the country’s project including roads, schools, hospitals and social amenities among others. 

The Coalition made the called during a stakeholder workshop in Bolgatanga, organized the Rural Initiative for Self-Empowerment Ghana (RISE-Ghana), a Non-Governmental Organization ((NGO) with funding from Action Aid Ghana, another NGO. 

The aim of the workshop was to build the capacities of Civil Society Organizations, NGOs, business owners, media among other stakeholders to enable them engage in evidence based tax justice advocacy and support local revenue mobilization efforts.

It was under the themes, “addressing policy challenges and regulatory loopholes to improve tax compliance in Ghana: what role can state and non-state actors play and “taxation: taxpayer’s role and responsibilities and the need to for compliance”. 

The workshop brought together, representatives Civil Society Organization, Government Agencies and Departments, the media and market women. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Executive Director of Rise Ghana a Non-Governmental Organization Mr. Awal Ahmed Kariyamah and a member of the Tax Justice Coalition (TJC), explained that, the coalition is made up of different civil society groups, media and other informal actors group who are concern about the fact that the tax system needs to be fair and just, so that the more taxes collected are responsive to the the needs of the people and based on their income levels. 

Mr. Ahmed stated further that, the aim of the workshop was to dialog with all the stakeholders and GRA to see how best they can support government to be able to mobilized the necessary revenue as well as how government can have equitable and just tax system, so that the collection and processing should not be a burden to the tax-payer. 

He indicated that the coalition is looking at about 70 percent of Ghana’s educational needs are going to be supported by sourcing for external funding (borrowing), the same is talked off in our health sector. 

These external borrowing come with conditions and is such huge a debt to be borne by generation yet unborn. Mr. Ahmed emphasized that if the tax system is well handled, it will rake enough revenue to achieve the much talked about of the Ghana Beyond Aid agender. 

The Acting Office Manager of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division, Bolga Small Tax-payer Office Mr. Yussif Musah Braimah took participants through the establishment of GRA indicated that, the Tax Act, Act (791) of 2009 mandate every Ghanaian of his or her tax obligation to pay as such and in default sanctions can be applied under the Revenue Administrative Act of 2016, Act (915) 

Mr. Braimah schooled participants on the role of GRA, divisions of the tax system, the various types of taxes that exist, their rates and mode of payments. 

He advised that every Ghanaian to demand for a receipt of any taxable item purchased in order to help mobilized revenue for the nation building.

UE/R Stakeholders Workshop to Influence Disbursement of DACF to PWDs

A cross section of participants at the workshop

A stakeholder’s workshop on facilitating women living with Disabilities/Albinism access to economic opportunities has been organized by the Seed for Economic Empowerment of the Vulnerable (SEEV-Ghana) in the Upper East Region. 

SEEV-Ghana’s aim is to contribute to positive change based on mutual interest and values. 

They support children, women groups, persons with Disabilities (PWDs), their associations/networks and community leaders to work in partnership with duty bearers on the development of a more inclusive, open and unwavering societies. 

Persons with Disabilities PWDs who constitute majority of the beneficiaries of SEEV-Ghana in the Upper East Region so not fully benefit from the 3 percent District Assemblies Common Fund allocations to PWDs. A situation where PWDs suffer all forms of discrimination, exclusion in addition to District Assembly restricting support for PWDs, further disempowers them economically.

 It was against this backdrop that SEEV-Ghana, with funding and technical support from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund and its donors Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union currently undertaking an advocacy action to influence Bolgatanga Municipal and Bongo District Assembly to facilitate access to economic opportunities for Women Living with Disabilities/Albinism in the communities. 

Vincent Subby BUSAC Fund Monitor and Robert Nintand Programmes Manager SEEV-Ghana

Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Programmes Manager Robert Nintang, indicated that, the workshop intended to create a platform to deliberate on findings of a research conducted in the Bolgatanga Municipality and Bongo District as part of the advocacy action and step that could be taken to resolve the issue. 

He added, with the provision of skills and established social facilities, it will bring enormous economic benefits to PWDs in the area and also increase income generating capacities to members of PWDS, create employment opportunities which will lead to economic independence and self reliance. 

The BUSAC Fund monitor Vincent Subby stated that, SEEV-Ghana has applied and met the criteria for funding from BUSAC. Therefore BUSAC will monitor every activity to ensure that their choice of fighting for PWDs to give some leverage and sustainability in the disbursement of the District Assembly is achieved. 

SEEV-Ghana came in to being as a result of peer discussion amongst development students and the constant contact with women and children in distressed communities in the Upper East Region and Ghana as a whole.

Research work on Naara (Early) and Zea (Late) Millets in Ghana

 Naara or early millet (Pennistum glaucum, (L), R.Br)  is one of the most indigenous crop, about the fourth most important cereal crop in Ghana, for that matter the three northern regions. it is about the first in northern Ghana. 

Naara is very reliable and used in almost every household, until the introduction of maize. It does well with or without fertilizer unlike maize that without fertilizer, it cannot yield anything. Millet is a drought tolerant crop that does not require much rain to grow. 

In an interview with Mr. Peter Asungre the Pearl millet breeder (PhD student) and staff of the CSIR-SARI at the Manga Station in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region.

 He indicated that, there are two types of millet early maturing (Naara) and late maturing (Zia) varieties. 

Akad-kom Naara  12cm in length drought  variety  olerant at maturity on the field 

Kaanati, Akad-kom, Naad-kohblug and Afribeh-naara and Waapp-naara are the improved early maturing ones.

Afribeh-naara (21cn in length) drought tolerant)

 whiles the late maturing ones include Salma I, Salma III and Langbense. The early maturing varieties take about 70 to 75 days to harvest maturity. 

The late millet Zia (One of the Salima

The traditional variety gives a grain yield of about 0.6 tons per hectare while the improved variety called Afribeh-naara, the least of them all in terms of grain yield, has a potential grain yield of about 1.9 tons per hectare and farmers can get about 1.2 tons per hectare. 

These varieties are high yielding, and either tolerant or resistant to some of the most dangerous diseases such as downy mildew known as crazy heads or Naad-komkoma. 

Naad-komkoma.(downy mildew disease or crazu head)

One can lose an entire crop field to the downy mildew disease. 

Waapp-naara variety

The Waapp-naara variety is tolerant to downy mildew whiles the rest such as (Kaanati, Akad-kom, Naad-kohblug and Afribeh-naara) are tolerant and chances of disease incidence is less than 5 percent.

Naad-kohblug ((panicle length 31cm). The bristtled variety, drought tolerant  and pest resistan

 In the case of the indigenous varieties, downy mildew incidence can be as 40 to 45 percent and when sown late in the season, the whole field could be completely destroyed by the disease. 

The current released varieties are the improved varieties that research has developed from the indigenous landraces. 

The first ever released naara which was introduced in the early 1970s known as Manga naara has been cropped over the years and have been faced with myriad of challenges from disease, pest and drought related problems and many farmers are falling out of its production. 

The objective of this research is to help preserve and adjust to the changing climatic conditions in order to prevent the varieties or landraces going completely extinct as our heritage. 

Throughout the length and breadth of Ghana and many parts of the West African Sub-region, naara or early millet is widely consumed. 

It is used mostly in Ghana for Kooko (porridge), Foroforo (drinks for snacks) Maasa (deep oil-fried cake), Tuo-Zafi (TZ) for the main meal of the north. Naara is a rich nutritious grain crop with comparatively high levels of micronutrients especially Iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn). 

Until recently these potentials of the grain was not explored. Millet grain is recommended for both pregnant and breastfeeding mothers as well as young females as a source of supply of Fe and Zn in their blood. Fe and Zn helps prevent anemia in children (infants) and pregnant women. 

Currently millet grain is used as infant formulae by multinational companies including Nestle Ghana Limited as a source of Fe and Zn for babies. One of the current focus of the millet breeding programme in CSIR-SARI is to come out with bird resistant material through the introgression of the brittle (spines or hair) trait onto some of the existing varieties that lack the trait. 

The presence of bristles on the panicle (head) of millet heads help to reduce, if not eliminate bird attack on the exposed grain. One of the varieties recently released (Naad-kohblug) is bristled and currently serving this purpose effectively. 

Birds of late have become very distractive pest of millet crop that makes its farming unproductive in the Upper East, West and North Regions of Ghana where it has curved itself a niche due to the climatic conditions associated with the area. 

The second focus of our Research programme is to increase the zinc and iron level of millet grain for enhanced micronutrients of those that use it in their diets. According to a report released by Satyavathl and others in 2015, over 2 billion people the world over suffer from iron and zinc disorders. 

This can cause aneamia and prolonged aneamia can result in permanent brain damage in the affected persons. 

The 2014 Ghana Demographic Health Survey report indicates that 42% of women and 66% of children under five years in Ghana are affected by aneamia due to iron deficiencies. 

To overcome these challenges measures such as food fortification, pharmaceutical, and dietary diversification have been employed in the past but these have their own limitations. 

The current trend is biofortification through breeding and agronomic work. Biofortification entails a breeding process that fixes the desired trait in the crop permanently so that anytime you eat the product you benefit from the fixed trait as well. 

In the case of micro nutrient Bio-fortification the iron and zinc levels are high in the proposed materials. In the light of this some varieties/breeding lines with very high levels of micronutrients such as iron and zinc were received from ICRISAT-Niger as breeding materials to augment the local materials. 

The breeding work to improve the iron and zinc content of the local materials are in its advanced stages and it is hoped that in the next two to three years  new varieties would be released and popularized in the country. 

It would be an opportunity for the government to add it to its flagship programmes of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) and the School Feeding. 

If millet is well incorporated into the diet of the people, it may also go a long way to support government reduce the importation of nutrient supplements for use by Ghana Health Services. Notable among these would be the zinc and iron supplementation to pregnant women and lactating mothers through the use of folic acid. 

The daily iron requirement of women in Ghana can easily be met with daily or regular consumption of millet based diets. Available literature suggest that grain of pearl millet accounts for the largest share of Fe and Zn intake in India and is the cheapest source of micronutrients compared with other cereals. 

There are evidences from other countries, especially India, that when a child is fed on the improve early millet for six months, the Fe and Zn levels required will be aptly adequate as compare to any other baby food. 

The research is currently targeting the yield of the grain, Fe and the Zn content and the prevention of birds from destroying the produce. 

There is no known millet variety the world over that can do well and matures in less than 65 days in Ghana. 

Mr. Peter Asungre indicated however that, the CSIR-SAR, Manga Agriculture Research Station intends to submit millet samples to Ghana Atomic Energy for eradication as part of investigation to see if the maturity periods of the late maturing millet (these are photo-period sensitive) could be reduced to take advantage of climate changes being experienced. 

These late maturing ones, locally called zea, are similar to the early maturing millet (Naara) variety but matures in about 120 days from sowing and flowering only occurs in August/September even if sown in January.  

Mr. Peter Asungre stated that, one of the technologies of CSIR-SARI is that is being pushed is relay cropping which involves cropping two different crops in the same season on the same piece of land. The millet crop fits well in this technology. 

This he said will enable farmers to cultivate early millet and harvest it before planting cowpea or early maturing maize in the same year in order to get enough food for their families and income to take care of their children’s education. 

Government currently has also introduced fertilizer subsidy for farmers but millet is not included thus making its cultivation unattractive. 

Given its nutritional importance and as staple food source in the five region of northern Ghana as well as its role as a climate smart crop, there is the need to improve and preserve the variety from going completely extinct.

Kaanati Naara (Panicle length 27cm)

 Naara at its early stages

UE/R Farmers Engaged in Participatory Variety Selection (PVS) on Cowpea Trials at Manga Station of CSIR-SARI

The CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), has engaged farmers in Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) on a demonstration field consisting of advanced Cowpea breeding lines at its Manga Station in the Upper East Region. 

Nine candidate cowpea lines were presented to the farmers to make selections based on their own preference and to seek opinions of the farmers on their choices. 

This falls in line with CSIR-SARI’s quest to develop new crop varieties that suit farmers needs in the midst of changing climatic conditions in Northern Ghana. 

The Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) brought together One hundred farmers, ten Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs), three Directors of Department of Agriculture, 

A cross section of some participants at the Varietal Selection at Manga

Five Research Scientists and ten Technicians. The cowpea research and the PVS was sponsored by Bayer Crop Science, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Cereals in Africa (AVISA). 

Farmers play a pivotal role in varietal selection prior to the release of varieties to ensure that the released varieties meet farmer preferred traits. 

The farmers were therefore engaged to assess and select the lines that suits them in terms of their earliness, high yield (pod and seed load), resistance to insect pests and diseases, resistance to striga and large seed size and preferred seed coat colour among others.

Research Scientist and Cowpea Breeder with the CSIR-SARI Dr. Theophilus Kwabla Tengey, in an interview

 In an interview with Radio Ghana, a Research Scientist and Cowpea Breeder with the CSIR-SARI Dr. Theophilus Kwabla Tengey, indicated that before the release of any variety, the best materials are selected and evaluated on-farm or on farmers field. 

This Dr. Tengey stated will inform the scientist/breeder on the candidate lines to present to the National Varietal Release and Registration Committee (NVRRC). 

Farmer’s participation is usually key so that at the end, whichever gets approved for release will be widely adopted or accepted by farmers as they were involved in the selection process. 

The Director of MoFA in charge of Bawku Municipal, Mr. Charles Akwotiga

The Director of MoFA in charge of Bawku Municipal, Mr. Charles Akwotiga, expressed gratitude for the immense contribution of CSIR-SARI in the Agricultural sector. 

He said the varieties released so far by the CSIR-SARI, are not only apt in mitigating the climatic conditions but are more profitable to farmers, especially in the five regions of Northern Ghana. 

Mr. Akwotiga therefore advised the farmers to discard cropping the unimproved varieties and adopt new varieties developed and also, make sure they obtain seeds from the right source in order not to toil in vain. 

Dr. Francis Kusi, a Senior Research Scientist with the CSIR-SARI

Dr. Francis Kusi, a Senior Research Scientist with the CSIR-SARI, hosted the participants. 

He took farmers through good production practices being implemented on foundation seed fields of Kirkhouse Benga and Wang Kae varieties of cowpea which were released by the Institute in 2016. 

He schooled them on land preparation, planting, weed control, insect pest management and prompt harvesting. Analyzing the cost/benefit of cowpea production, Dr Kusi admonished the farmers that it is very profitable to venture into cowpea production in Northern Ghana.

POWER Project Trains 6,277 Women in Five Regions

The   Promoting Opportunities for Women Empowerment and Rights (POWER) project, aimed at empowering vulnerable rural women in five regions of Ghana and to influence their ability to control their income has begun yielding positive results. 

In all, six thousand Two hundred and 77 women have received training and put in groups and are participating actively in their economic activities to better their living standards. 

This was disclosed at a day’s mid-term dissemination workshop held in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. 

The five year project being implemented by Action Aid Ghana (AAG), an advocacy Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with funding support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, begun implementation in 2016 in five regions including Volta, Brong-Ahafo, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions. 

It was also aimed at empowering more rural women to practice climate resilient sustainable agriculture, access to markets and other productive resources.

In an interview with GBConline, the Documentation, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the POWER, Ms Priscilla Asangalisah, explained that, the initial  aim of the project was to empower 6,000 vulnerable rural women and influence their ability to control their income by practicing climate resilient sustainable agriculture, access to markets and other productive resources.  

Ms. Asangalisah said the research indicated that, the 6277 women exceeding the initial of 6,000 women targeted by the project while 93 percent of the targeted women reported increased skills and are now confidence in demanding for their rights and reporting cases of violence, which is more than the 70 percent set target. 

The Documentation Officer who indicated further that  the project seeks to promote economic livelihood opportunities for women and to advocate for reduction and redistribution of work burden particularly Unpaid Care Work (UCW)   on women,  stated that  the findings   revealed that many  households, communities and other stakeholders had now placed high  premium on  Women’s UCW and in some cases UCW  redistributed. 

In the area of access and control of resources by women particularly land to undertake agriculture activities as well as women actively participating in local government activities recorded 48 percent and 55 percent instead of the targets of 50 percent and 60 percent expected to be achieved at the end of the project in 2020. 

The report stated that in some communities, due to the project, childcare centers were built where women   could leave their children there and have ample time to carry out their farming activities to generate income for their households. 

Whilst indicating  that the research was necessary because it would enable the project  to identify challenges confronting it  and  to find ways  of addressing the challenges, the Documentation Officer  said it  would also  enable the project  to measures its  achievements so as to enable them device measures to sustain the gains made. 

The report stated further that, in some communities, due to the project, childcare centers were built where women could leave their children there and have ample time to carry out their farming activities to generate income for their households.

UE/R Girls Model JHS Commissioned at Pusiga by ActionAid

The concept of Girls Model Junior High Schools which was mooted in 2016 across the country has received another boost, as a three unit classroom block with its ancillary facilities has been commissioned and handed over by Action Aid Ghana to the District Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), at Pusiga, Bawku in the Upper East Region.

 

The Three Unit Classroom Block fully furnished, with a Library stocked with books was constructed by Action Aid Ghana at a total cost of Two hundred and thirty-seven thousand Ghana cedis (GHC 237.000). 

It has a mechanized Borehole with 1000 liters capacity water tank mounted, a Urinal and six setter place of convenient and a changing room with sanitary pads for the girls. 

The Programmes Manager Action Aid Ghana Ahlassan Sulemana

In an interview with Radio Ghana, the Programme Manager Alhassna Sule indicated that, Action Aid believes that when the girl child is empowered, the whole society stands to gain hence, in all their educational interventions girls are given much attention to see how best they can be supported to overcome the few challenges they encounter as a results of the patriarchal society.  

He stated further that, anything that will hinder girls’ education from attaining greater heights in their future, have always been Action Aid concern. 

In her welcome address, the Headmistress of the school Madam Monica Mbatiig Poanaba said, Pusiga Girls Model JHS was established in 2016 with three teachers and six students along three other model schools, Binduri, Nabdam and Fumbisi Girls Model schools in the Upper East Region, with thirty pieces of mono desk from the Ghana Education Service (GES).  

She added that the current student population stands at sixty (60) with nine teachers made up of four females and five males. Mad. Mbatiig commended citizens of Pusiga in America, through the District Assembly donated One hundred pieces of dual desk to the school. 

She however lauded the efforts of Parents for assisting the school with teaching and learning materials. 

The Headmistress emphasized that, Pusiga Girls Model School’s vision is to empower the girl child to become positive, creative, innovative and inspirational leaders in future, through hard work and determination in a secure environment. 

The mission is to promote a culture of equal rights for educational excellence within a caring and secure environment with the values of discipline, mutual care respect for all levels in society. She was grateful to the Chief of Pusiga Naba Ayumah Aquak Ibrahim for the release of land for the construction of the school. 

A representative who spoke on behalf of the Pusiga Chief Azorang Alentis thanked Action Aid Ghana for their kind gesture and urged all stakeholders to ensure that the facility is taken proper care of, to serve its purpose efficiently. 

The District Director of Education Pusiga Madam Lydia Issaka charge the students to take their studies seriously as the enabling environment is provided, to become the prominent personalities of the future. She stated that women constituted the majority and has a lot of talents to offer for the development of mother Ghana. 

The sod cutting by the Hon District chief Executive Zubero Abdulai

A sod was later cut jointly by the District Chief Executive of Puisge Hon Zubero Abdulai and the District Director of Education to officially commission and handover the facility.