THE Brong Ahafo Region recorded 315 road accidents with 108 casualties last year.
Six people were also knocked down and killed instantly at the Tanoso and portions of the Sunyani-Kumasi highway as a result of speeding by drivers, who sped off after the accidents, leaving the victims to their fate.
The Regional Police Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Paul Wesley Baah, who made this known to the Daily Graphic in Sunyani, appealed to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), as a matter of urgency, to construct speed ramps in Tanoso.
According to him, the Tanoso portion of the Sunyani-Kumasi road had become an accident-prone area and, therefore, appealed to all road users, especially drivers plying the highway to observe the 50 kilometre per hour speed limit when entering the town.
He also urged pedestrians to exercise a lot of caution when crossing the road.
Mr Baah gave the assurance that the police would continue with their routine speed checks at that portion of the highway and other accident-prone areas in the region to prevent accidents.
He cited the Afrisipakrom portion of the highway which was also an accident-prone area, where the GHA constructed speed ramps, adding that ever since no accident had occurred in the area.
He said out of the total of 315 road accidents that occurred, 67 were head-on collisions, while 457 persons sustained various degrees of injuries.
He said the fatal road accidents in the region were recorded on the Techiman-Kintampo road and the Tanoso-Bechem Nkwanta portions of the Sunyani-Kumasi highway.
Touching on some of the traffic offences in the region, Mr Baah said a total of 369 cases were reported, out of which 107 were sent to court, with 64 of the offenders being convicted and given an option of fines amounting to GH¢10,746.
He indicated that 10 people were discharged by the courts, while a total of 260 cases were still under investigation. A hit-and-run driver was jailed for 12 months by the court without the option of a fine.
Mr Baah appealed to drivers plying roads in the region to obey road signs and markings.
Friday, January 16, 2009
GHANAIANS MUST EXERCISE CAUTION — NPP ACTIVIST (PAGE 17)
A New Patriotic Party (NPP) activist in Sunyani, Mr Frank Opoku Adjapong, has appealed to Ghanaians to exercise caution and give President John Evans Atta Mills the benefit of the doubt to prove himself as the leader ordained to lead the country after the keenly contested 2008 Election.
He also urged bigwigs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and those who matter in the party when it came to decision making to give President Mills a free hand to operate.
Mr Adjapong, who is a Sunyani-based businessman, called at the Graphic Office in Sunyani and explained that before the election, majority of Ghanaians, including Christians, Muslims and traditionalists prayed to God to give the nation peace and a good leader. By this, Prof. Mills eventually became the winner and was subsequently sworn in as President.
“With this explanation, I expect every Ghanaian to be patient with him (President Mills) and see him as someone ordained and chosen by God to lead the nation at this point in time of the nation’s history. Let’s, therefore, rally behind him and criticise constructively to enable him bring about the good he has for this country,” he suggested.
He urged those who doubted President Mills’s capabilities to do away with that, since his presidency was a divine calling from God.
Mr Adjapong, therefore, dispelled the rumours making rounds that Mills had consulted occultists and fetish priests in the neighbouring Nigeria in order to emerge as the winner in the December election.
“I monitored Prof. Mills closely when he was elected by his party as its candidate through to the electioneering till now, and he has exhibited that he is really a “born-again Christian”, as he had been a regular worshipper at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Nigeria, headed by Prophet T.B. Joshua”, he added.
“What even made me to believe the more that Prof. Mills was a leader chosen by God to lead this nation was last Sunday where he attended a thanksgiving church service at the Synagogue Church after the ECOWAS Heads of State summit in Nigeria on Saturday to give thanks to God, which I watched live on the satellite disc (Dstv),” he observed.
Mr Adjapong noted that he had no doubt whatsoever in his mind that President Mills had something good to deliver to the country, and it was incumbent on every Ghanaian, no matter their political, social and ethnic background to support him to accomplish his vision for the country.
He also urged bigwigs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and those who matter in the party when it came to decision making to give President Mills a free hand to operate.
Mr Adjapong, who is a Sunyani-based businessman, called at the Graphic Office in Sunyani and explained that before the election, majority of Ghanaians, including Christians, Muslims and traditionalists prayed to God to give the nation peace and a good leader. By this, Prof. Mills eventually became the winner and was subsequently sworn in as President.
“With this explanation, I expect every Ghanaian to be patient with him (President Mills) and see him as someone ordained and chosen by God to lead the nation at this point in time of the nation’s history. Let’s, therefore, rally behind him and criticise constructively to enable him bring about the good he has for this country,” he suggested.
He urged those who doubted President Mills’s capabilities to do away with that, since his presidency was a divine calling from God.
Mr Adjapong, therefore, dispelled the rumours making rounds that Mills had consulted occultists and fetish priests in the neighbouring Nigeria in order to emerge as the winner in the December election.
“I monitored Prof. Mills closely when he was elected by his party as its candidate through to the electioneering till now, and he has exhibited that he is really a “born-again Christian”, as he had been a regular worshipper at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Nigeria, headed by Prophet T.B. Joshua”, he added.
“What even made me to believe the more that Prof. Mills was a leader chosen by God to lead this nation was last Sunday where he attended a thanksgiving church service at the Synagogue Church after the ECOWAS Heads of State summit in Nigeria on Saturday to give thanks to God, which I watched live on the satellite disc (Dstv),” he observed.
Mr Adjapong noted that he had no doubt whatsoever in his mind that President Mills had something good to deliver to the country, and it was incumbent on every Ghanaian, no matter their political, social and ethnic background to support him to accomplish his vision for the country.
BURY DIFFERENCES FOR DEVELOPMENT — MP FOR TAIN (PAGE 16)
THE National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tain Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, has called on his constituents to bury their differences in order to promote the development of the area.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Ibrahim said even though people belonged to different political ideologies, that should not be allowed to destroy the long-standing unity that had existed for centuries among communities in the Tain Constituency.
He said under his leadership, there would be no room for discrimination along political lines, adding that everything would be based on merit.
“Beyond politics, I believe we are all one people with a common destiny,” he said.
The MP commended the chiefs and people of the area for reposing such confidence in him and urged them to rally solidly behind him in his bid to develop the constituency.
Mr Ibrahim stressed that the Tain District faced various developmental setbacks such as poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, as well as education-related challenges that had bedevilled the district over the years.
He said suggestions for the development of the district were always welcome from all those who contested him, adding, “I’m sure each of my competitors has something positive to offer the constituency. This is why my doors are widely open for suggestions.”
The MP was optimistic that in unity the district was more than capable of overcoming all its developmental challenges that had bedevilled its inhabitants since it was carved out of the Wenchi District four years ago.
“The district is endowed with rich human and natural resources which we can exploit to promote development. Unity is all that we need,” he stated.
He named such tourism potential as the Bui National Park and its Hippo Sanctuary on the Black Volta, as well as the Hani Archaeology site which is little known, saying that when those are opened up, they could offer job opportunities to the jobless youth, as well as give the district a facelift.
The MP, therefore, took the opportunity to appeal to all potential investors to direct their attention towards Tain, since the chiefs who were the custodians of the land were willing to open such tourist sites and offer land for commercial farming activities to further create jobs in the area and help reduce poverty.
Mr Ibrahim also appealed to the constituents to take education seriously in order to be able to take advantage of job opportunities that the NDC was going to create.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Ibrahim said even though people belonged to different political ideologies, that should not be allowed to destroy the long-standing unity that had existed for centuries among communities in the Tain Constituency.
He said under his leadership, there would be no room for discrimination along political lines, adding that everything would be based on merit.
“Beyond politics, I believe we are all one people with a common destiny,” he said.
The MP commended the chiefs and people of the area for reposing such confidence in him and urged them to rally solidly behind him in his bid to develop the constituency.
Mr Ibrahim stressed that the Tain District faced various developmental setbacks such as poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, as well as education-related challenges that had bedevilled the district over the years.
He said suggestions for the development of the district were always welcome from all those who contested him, adding, “I’m sure each of my competitors has something positive to offer the constituency. This is why my doors are widely open for suggestions.”
The MP was optimistic that in unity the district was more than capable of overcoming all its developmental challenges that had bedevilled its inhabitants since it was carved out of the Wenchi District four years ago.
“The district is endowed with rich human and natural resources which we can exploit to promote development. Unity is all that we need,” he stated.
He named such tourism potential as the Bui National Park and its Hippo Sanctuary on the Black Volta, as well as the Hani Archaeology site which is little known, saying that when those are opened up, they could offer job opportunities to the jobless youth, as well as give the district a facelift.
The MP, therefore, took the opportunity to appeal to all potential investors to direct their attention towards Tain, since the chiefs who were the custodians of the land were willing to open such tourist sites and offer land for commercial farming activities to further create jobs in the area and help reduce poverty.
Mr Ibrahim also appealed to the constituents to take education seriously in order to be able to take advantage of job opportunities that the NDC was going to create.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
RESORT TO INTERNAL MECHANISMS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS — AKUFO-ADDO (PAGE 14)
The 2008 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged supporters of the party to resort to the party’s internal mechanisms to resolve conflicts instead of going on the airwaves to settle their differences since that has the potential of dividing the party further.
Addressing a thanksgiving rally attended by thousands of supporters of the party at the Victoria Park in Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo regional capital, he called on the rank and file of the party to eschew all divisive tendencies, unite and work hard for the victory of the party in the 2012 general election.
Nana Akufo-Addo who also responded to cheers from the teeming crowd that he addressed from the bucket of a Nissan pick-up vehicle, advised party supporters to halt the blame game syndrome that had engulfed the party after its defeat in the 2008 election and unite for the daunting task ahead.
The NPP flag bearer who spoke in Twi, stated that this was the time for supporters of the party to unite, reorganise and position the party to wrest power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2012 elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo, however, appealed to President John Evans Atta Mills and the leadership of the NDC to impress upon their supporters to desist from attacking law-abiding supporters of the NPP as well as the seizure of cars from appointees and functionaries of the past government.
He said it is the constitutional right of every Ghanaian to join a political party of their choice and, therefore, the fact that someone did not support or voted for the NDC does not make him or her a target of intimidation and attacks.
Nana Akufo-Addo, therefore, served notice that if the attacks and intimidation by NDC supporters do not stop, supporters of the NPP who think they have been pushed too much to the wall without any provocation would react appropriately.
“I therefore appeal to President Mills to do all within his power to call to order supporters of the NDC who have taken the laws of the country into their hands to attack and intimidate our supporters across the country,” he stressed.
He also used the opportunity to thank supporters of the party in the region for their support during the 2008 elections and urged them to remain calm, focused and resolute and work hard for the return of the party to power in 2012.
Messrs Yaw Osafo Maafo, a former Minister of State; Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, the NPP National Campaign Manager, and Peter Mac Manu, the NPP National Chairman who accompanied the party’s flag bearer for the 2008 elections, also took turns to address the supporters and expressed their appreciation to them for their support and urged them to unite and forge ahead for victory for the party in the 2012 general election.
Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage earlier visited the Sunyani central market and the business district to thank the market women and traders for their support for the party.
Some members of the crowd carried placards some of which read: “Nana is our hope for 2012”, “Nana All the Way”, “The Elephant is still Alive” and “NPP No Shaking” and danced to the Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign songs composed by some musicians. They followed his convoy, which went through some of the principal streets in the municipality and acknowledged cheers from the people.
Addressing a thanksgiving rally attended by thousands of supporters of the party at the Victoria Park in Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo regional capital, he called on the rank and file of the party to eschew all divisive tendencies, unite and work hard for the victory of the party in the 2012 general election.
Nana Akufo-Addo who also responded to cheers from the teeming crowd that he addressed from the bucket of a Nissan pick-up vehicle, advised party supporters to halt the blame game syndrome that had engulfed the party after its defeat in the 2008 election and unite for the daunting task ahead.
The NPP flag bearer who spoke in Twi, stated that this was the time for supporters of the party to unite, reorganise and position the party to wrest power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2012 elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo, however, appealed to President John Evans Atta Mills and the leadership of the NDC to impress upon their supporters to desist from attacking law-abiding supporters of the NPP as well as the seizure of cars from appointees and functionaries of the past government.
He said it is the constitutional right of every Ghanaian to join a political party of their choice and, therefore, the fact that someone did not support or voted for the NDC does not make him or her a target of intimidation and attacks.
Nana Akufo-Addo, therefore, served notice that if the attacks and intimidation by NDC supporters do not stop, supporters of the NPP who think they have been pushed too much to the wall without any provocation would react appropriately.
“I therefore appeal to President Mills to do all within his power to call to order supporters of the NDC who have taken the laws of the country into their hands to attack and intimidate our supporters across the country,” he stressed.
He also used the opportunity to thank supporters of the party in the region for their support during the 2008 elections and urged them to remain calm, focused and resolute and work hard for the return of the party to power in 2012.
Messrs Yaw Osafo Maafo, a former Minister of State; Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, the NPP National Campaign Manager, and Peter Mac Manu, the NPP National Chairman who accompanied the party’s flag bearer for the 2008 elections, also took turns to address the supporters and expressed their appreciation to them for their support and urged them to unite and forge ahead for victory for the party in the 2012 general election.
Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage earlier visited the Sunyani central market and the business district to thank the market women and traders for their support for the party.
Some members of the crowd carried placards some of which read: “Nana is our hope for 2012”, “Nana All the Way”, “The Elephant is still Alive” and “NPP No Shaking” and danced to the Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign songs composed by some musicians. They followed his convoy, which went through some of the principal streets in the municipality and acknowledged cheers from the people.
RESIDENTS OF SUNYANI EXPECT PREZ MILLS TO UNITE COUNTRY (PAGE 12)
Residents of Sunyani who are from different backgrounds have expressed varied opinions on their expectations after the inauguration of Prof John Evans Atta Mills as the Third President of the Fourth Republic at the Independence Square in Accra.
Most of the people interviewed, who watched the inaugural ceremony on television, while others listened via radio, said they expected President Mills to unite the country, continue with the good policies and programmes of the outgoing government and not to pursue vengeance, which could further polarised the country.
They also pledged to throw their support behind President Mills to deliver on his promises and also described his inaugural address as reconciliatory.
Mr Frank Opoku Adjapong, a Sunyani-based businessman and Managing Director of Interbergamo congratulated Prof. Mills on his perseverance till his inauguration as President.
He stated that once Ghanaians had accepted him as their President, he should do his best to unite the country since the nation had been divided on ethnic and tribal lines during the electioneering, which did not augur well for the development of the country.
“ I expect the President to close the gap of ethnicity in the country as one of his priorities to enable Ghanaians see themselves as one people with a common destiny”, he said.
Mr Adjapong also urged President Mills to also prove his critics wrong by being his own man during his tenure in office and not to allow his party’s bigwigs to dictate the pace for him to pursue their personal and parochial interests.
He described the inaugural address by President Mills as reconciliatory, especially when he used the electioneering slogan of the NPP that says "We are moving forward" in Akan.
Mr Paa Kwesi Ansah, also a Sunyani-based businessman, for his part, said that Ghanaians had spoken that they wanted a change and, therefore, they had voted to elect Prof. Mills to be the next President, whose campaign message dwelt on change.
He therefore called on President Mills to listen to the broad masses who voted for him and bring to fruition all his campaign promises of making Ghana a better place.
Mr Ansah also appealed to the President not to see the opposing parties as his enemies, but to constantly engage them to bring about the needed change and the unity that the country was yearning for.
He urged Prof. Mills to work assiduously and help dispel the impressions held by people that he was not his own man, by discharging his duties as the number one citizen of the country without fear or favour.
He commended the EC and the security agencies for ensuring a peaceful, free and fair elections.
He, however, used the opportunity to wish Prof. Mills, his wife and the family a Happy New Year.
Paa Kwesi Larry Moses, the Regional Correspondent of TV Africa, for his part, congratulated Prof. Mills for his bravery in standing for elections three- conservative times, until his victory.
He, however, called on the in-coming administration to look into the affairs of the outgoing one to let Ghanaians know exactly what they did in office, saying if they did well, then they should be congratulated, if not, Ghanaians should be made to know.
Madam Agnes Kyeremeh, a trader at the Sunyani Central Market, also congratulated President Mills and called on him to champion the welfare of the Ghanaian woman to help eradicate poverty as promised.
She appealed to the incoming administration not to embark on political witch-hunting but to focus on the issues that they promised to tackle to make Ghana a better place.
Mr Kwame Ansu Gyeabour, a farmer, for on his part, urged President Mills to also work hard to unite the country as well as bring to fruition the campaign promise of modernising agriculture and helping the Ghanaian farmer.
He also commended the security agencies and the EC for a good job done.
Jonathan Boateng, a student, called on President Mills to continue with the good policies and programmes of the outgoing administration such as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), among others.
He also appealed to the President to focus on the development of the youth of the country, since they were the future leaders of the country.
Mr David Agbezuge, a Cameraman with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in Sunyani, commended Ghanaians for voting based on issues and not on insults and acrimony.
He also commended Ghanaians for their views and understanding and wished the entire nation a Happy New Year.
Mr Agbezuge also congratulated Prof. Mills on his ascension to the high office of the land and expressed the hope that he would deliver.
Meanwhile, supporters and sympathisers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who could not travell to Accra to witness the ceremony ,converged at the forecourt of the party’s regional office to watch the proceedings from a projector mounted under canopies.
Some of them in an interview congratulated Prof. Mills and Mr. John Dramani Mahama for their election as the President and Vice respectively and wished them well during their tenure of office.
They said with their experience in government and in opposition they would surely deliver the goods.
Most of the people interviewed, who watched the inaugural ceremony on television, while others listened via radio, said they expected President Mills to unite the country, continue with the good policies and programmes of the outgoing government and not to pursue vengeance, which could further polarised the country.
They also pledged to throw their support behind President Mills to deliver on his promises and also described his inaugural address as reconciliatory.
Mr Frank Opoku Adjapong, a Sunyani-based businessman and Managing Director of Interbergamo congratulated Prof. Mills on his perseverance till his inauguration as President.
He stated that once Ghanaians had accepted him as their President, he should do his best to unite the country since the nation had been divided on ethnic and tribal lines during the electioneering, which did not augur well for the development of the country.
“ I expect the President to close the gap of ethnicity in the country as one of his priorities to enable Ghanaians see themselves as one people with a common destiny”, he said.
Mr Adjapong also urged President Mills to also prove his critics wrong by being his own man during his tenure in office and not to allow his party’s bigwigs to dictate the pace for him to pursue their personal and parochial interests.
He described the inaugural address by President Mills as reconciliatory, especially when he used the electioneering slogan of the NPP that says "We are moving forward" in Akan.
Mr Paa Kwesi Ansah, also a Sunyani-based businessman, for his part, said that Ghanaians had spoken that they wanted a change and, therefore, they had voted to elect Prof. Mills to be the next President, whose campaign message dwelt on change.
He therefore called on President Mills to listen to the broad masses who voted for him and bring to fruition all his campaign promises of making Ghana a better place.
Mr Ansah also appealed to the President not to see the opposing parties as his enemies, but to constantly engage them to bring about the needed change and the unity that the country was yearning for.
He urged Prof. Mills to work assiduously and help dispel the impressions held by people that he was not his own man, by discharging his duties as the number one citizen of the country without fear or favour.
He commended the EC and the security agencies for ensuring a peaceful, free and fair elections.
He, however, used the opportunity to wish Prof. Mills, his wife and the family a Happy New Year.
Paa Kwesi Larry Moses, the Regional Correspondent of TV Africa, for his part, congratulated Prof. Mills for his bravery in standing for elections three- conservative times, until his victory.
He, however, called on the in-coming administration to look into the affairs of the outgoing one to let Ghanaians know exactly what they did in office, saying if they did well, then they should be congratulated, if not, Ghanaians should be made to know.
Madam Agnes Kyeremeh, a trader at the Sunyani Central Market, also congratulated President Mills and called on him to champion the welfare of the Ghanaian woman to help eradicate poverty as promised.
She appealed to the incoming administration not to embark on political witch-hunting but to focus on the issues that they promised to tackle to make Ghana a better place.
Mr Kwame Ansu Gyeabour, a farmer, for on his part, urged President Mills to also work hard to unite the country as well as bring to fruition the campaign promise of modernising agriculture and helping the Ghanaian farmer.
He also commended the security agencies and the EC for a good job done.
Jonathan Boateng, a student, called on President Mills to continue with the good policies and programmes of the outgoing administration such as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), among others.
He also appealed to the President to focus on the development of the youth of the country, since they were the future leaders of the country.
Mr David Agbezuge, a Cameraman with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in Sunyani, commended Ghanaians for voting based on issues and not on insults and acrimony.
He also commended Ghanaians for their views and understanding and wished the entire nation a Happy New Year.
Mr Agbezuge also congratulated Prof. Mills on his ascension to the high office of the land and expressed the hope that he would deliver.
Meanwhile, supporters and sympathisers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who could not travell to Accra to witness the ceremony ,converged at the forecourt of the party’s regional office to watch the proceedings from a projector mounted under canopies.
Some of them in an interview congratulated Prof. Mills and Mr. John Dramani Mahama for their election as the President and Vice respectively and wished them well during their tenure of office.
They said with their experience in government and in opposition they would surely deliver the goods.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
315 ROAD ACCIDENTS RECORDED IN B.A. IN 2008 (PAGE 34)
THE Brong Ahafo Region has recorded 315 road accidents, involving 448 vehicles with 108 casualties in 2008.
Six people were also killed instantly in the Tanoso township portion of the Sunyani-Kumasi highway, as a result of speeding by vehicles whose drivers sped off after the accidents, leaving the victims to their fate.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Paul Wesley Baah, Regional Police Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), who disclosed this in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Sunyani, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), as a matter of urgency, to construct speed ramps or tables in the Tanoso township portion of the Sunyani-Kumasi highway to check speeding which had resulted in the death of six pedestrians.
According to him, the Tanoso township portion of the Sunyani-Kumasi road had become an accident-prone area and, therefore, appealed to all road users, especially drivers plying the highway to observe the 50 kilometre per hour speed limit when entering the town, and urged pedestrians crossing the road from that area to also exercise a lot of caution.
Mr Baah also gave the assurance that in the absence of the speed ramps, the Regional Police MTTU would continue with the routine speed checks on that portion of the highway and other accident-prone areas in the region to prevent accidents.
He cited the Afrisipakrom portion of the highway, which is also an accident-prone area, especially where the GHA constructed speed ramps. He said after the construction of the ramps, no accident had occurred in that area.
Giving further statistics on road accidents in the region, he said out of the total of 315 road accidents which occurred last year, 67 were serious (head-on collisions), while a total of 457 persons sustained various degrees of injury.
Fatal road accidents in the region were recorded on the Techiman-Kintampo road and the Sunyani-Kumasi highway from Tanoso to the Bechem Nkwanta portions of the road, where some vehicles killed pedestrians, he added.
Touching on some of the traffic offences in the region (for last year), Mr Baah disclosed that a total of 369 cases were reported, out of which 107 were sent to court, with 64 of them being convicted and the offenders fined a total of GH¢10,746.
He stated further that 10 people were discharged by the court, while a total of 260 cases were still under investigations. A hit-and-run driver was jailed for 12 months by the court.
Mr Baah appealed to drivers plying roads in the region to obey the road signs and markings, saying ‘drivers must follow the language of the road to avoid accidents. “He also urged pedestrians to be extra careful when using the road; you must always look left and right before crossing the road.”
Six people were also killed instantly in the Tanoso township portion of the Sunyani-Kumasi highway, as a result of speeding by vehicles whose drivers sped off after the accidents, leaving the victims to their fate.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Paul Wesley Baah, Regional Police Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), who disclosed this in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Sunyani, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), as a matter of urgency, to construct speed ramps or tables in the Tanoso township portion of the Sunyani-Kumasi highway to check speeding which had resulted in the death of six pedestrians.
According to him, the Tanoso township portion of the Sunyani-Kumasi road had become an accident-prone area and, therefore, appealed to all road users, especially drivers plying the highway to observe the 50 kilometre per hour speed limit when entering the town, and urged pedestrians crossing the road from that area to also exercise a lot of caution.
Mr Baah also gave the assurance that in the absence of the speed ramps, the Regional Police MTTU would continue with the routine speed checks on that portion of the highway and other accident-prone areas in the region to prevent accidents.
He cited the Afrisipakrom portion of the highway, which is also an accident-prone area, especially where the GHA constructed speed ramps. He said after the construction of the ramps, no accident had occurred in that area.
Giving further statistics on road accidents in the region, he said out of the total of 315 road accidents which occurred last year, 67 were serious (head-on collisions), while a total of 457 persons sustained various degrees of injury.
Fatal road accidents in the region were recorded on the Techiman-Kintampo road and the Sunyani-Kumasi highway from Tanoso to the Bechem Nkwanta portions of the road, where some vehicles killed pedestrians, he added.
Touching on some of the traffic offences in the region (for last year), Mr Baah disclosed that a total of 369 cases were reported, out of which 107 were sent to court, with 64 of them being convicted and the offenders fined a total of GH¢10,746.
He stated further that 10 people were discharged by the court, while a total of 260 cases were still under investigations. A hit-and-run driver was jailed for 12 months by the court.
Mr Baah appealed to drivers plying roads in the region to obey the road signs and markings, saying ‘drivers must follow the language of the road to avoid accidents. “He also urged pedestrians to be extra careful when using the road; you must always look left and right before crossing the road.”
Monday, January 12, 2009
BRONG AHAFO NDC TO SUPPORT MOVE TO RECONCILE NATION (PAGE 15, JAN 12)
The Brong Ahafo Regional Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has given the assurance that it would support any move taken by President John Evans Atta Mills to depoliticise all state institutions and reconcile the nation.
“We as a party in the region would give the President our total support to reconcile this country since without unity and peace we cannot progress and his vision of making Ghana a better one cannot not be achieved”, it stressed.
Mr John Owusu Agyeman, the NDC Regional Chairman who gave the assurance at a press conference held in Sunyani, said it was the hope of the party in the region that Prof. Mills, with the co-operation of the minority parties, would deliver the goods to make Ghana a better place to live.
The regional chairman said it was a fact that under the NPP regime, there was so much politicisation of every issue to the extent that every state organisation, including the presidency, legislative and judiciary had been politicised, and that had led to the polarisation of the country.
“We as a party are assuring Ghanaians that we will help Prof. Mills to depoliticise these state institutions and depolarise the nation to help build a united country and also live in peace”, he emphasised.
Mr Agyeman stated further that irrespective of one’s political and ethnic considerations “Ghana is for all of us and we will have to work together.”
He assured opponents of the NDC in the region and elsewhere in the country that the party would continue to engage in clean politics with them for the next four years, saying “we as a party would play our politics in a mature way and, therefore, under no circumstance should you entertain fears”.
Mr Agyeman also expressed the party’s appreciation and gratitude to the chiefs and people of the region for rallying behind the party and its presidential candidate in the December 28, 2008 presidential run-off, that enabled the party to assume the reins of government.
He also thanked all Ghanaians, the Electoral Commission (EC), the security agencies, the media and all institutions for ensuring peaceful, free and fair elections and helping to entrench the country’s democratic culture and processes.
The regional chairman on behalf of its supporters and sympathisers also congratulated the party’s national chairman, Prof. Mills and its members of Parliament for winning their seats in their various constituencies.
Mr Agyeman said Prof. Mills had already given the assurance that he would be a President for all and a united Ghana and, therefore, pledged their total support to him to bring into fruition that aspiration.
He urged Ghanaians to join hands with the incoming government, work hard and eschew all negative tendencies that could undermine the vision of Prof. Mills in making Ghana a better place to live.
“We as a party in the region would give the President our total support to reconcile this country since without unity and peace we cannot progress and his vision of making Ghana a better one cannot not be achieved”, it stressed.
Mr John Owusu Agyeman, the NDC Regional Chairman who gave the assurance at a press conference held in Sunyani, said it was the hope of the party in the region that Prof. Mills, with the co-operation of the minority parties, would deliver the goods to make Ghana a better place to live.
The regional chairman said it was a fact that under the NPP regime, there was so much politicisation of every issue to the extent that every state organisation, including the presidency, legislative and judiciary had been politicised, and that had led to the polarisation of the country.
“We as a party are assuring Ghanaians that we will help Prof. Mills to depoliticise these state institutions and depolarise the nation to help build a united country and also live in peace”, he emphasised.
Mr Agyeman stated further that irrespective of one’s political and ethnic considerations “Ghana is for all of us and we will have to work together.”
He assured opponents of the NDC in the region and elsewhere in the country that the party would continue to engage in clean politics with them for the next four years, saying “we as a party would play our politics in a mature way and, therefore, under no circumstance should you entertain fears”.
Mr Agyeman also expressed the party’s appreciation and gratitude to the chiefs and people of the region for rallying behind the party and its presidential candidate in the December 28, 2008 presidential run-off, that enabled the party to assume the reins of government.
He also thanked all Ghanaians, the Electoral Commission (EC), the security agencies, the media and all institutions for ensuring peaceful, free and fair elections and helping to entrench the country’s democratic culture and processes.
The regional chairman on behalf of its supporters and sympathisers also congratulated the party’s national chairman, Prof. Mills and its members of Parliament for winning their seats in their various constituencies.
Mr Agyeman said Prof. Mills had already given the assurance that he would be a President for all and a united Ghana and, therefore, pledged their total support to him to bring into fruition that aspiration.
He urged Ghanaians to join hands with the incoming government, work hard and eschew all negative tendencies that could undermine the vision of Prof. Mills in making Ghana a better place to live.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
ERADICATE NEGATIVE CULTURAL PRACTICES (PAGE 11, JAN 10)
The Nafana Literacy Programme, a civil society organisation in the Tain District in the Brong Ahafo Region, has called on the district assembly to work in conjunction with human rights organisations and other civil society groups to ensure the total eradication of negative cultural practices in the area.
At a forum held at Nsawkaw, the Tain district capital, the acting Co-ordinator for Nafana Literacy Programme, Mr James Anane, said female genital mutilation (FGM) and some aspects of widowhood rites that had lost their relevance and importance were two cruel cultural practices that were common in most of the 23 communities in the Banda Traditional Area.
He described the practices as degrading and indicated that they had persisted in the area for ages, making it difficult to change them.
He said FGM and widowhood rites constituted a violation of women’s rights and were detrimental to the well-being of womanhood and therefore, urged the assembly and other law enforcement agencies to enforce existing regulations to curb these practices.
Mr Anane pointed out that aspects of widowhood rites that prohibited widows from working for one year on the death of their husbands, resulted in high poverty levels among some women in the district, adding that “it is unreasonable to prevent a widow who has children from working for one whole year, in the name of culture”.
He said apart from the fact that FGM affected the health of victims, it also left them with permanent, scars and emotional trauma that lowered their self-esteem.
According to Mr Anane, with assistance from IBIS, an international non-governmental organisation, a series of seminars and workshops had been organised over the past years to sensitise people in the traditional area to abolish such cultural practices.
He added that a major step towards the fight against widowhood rites was reached in 2006, when chiefs in the Banda Traditional Area resolved to do away with various cruel aspects associated with the practice.
He said during the period, a bull was demanded by the chiefs to pacify the gods to accept the abolition of inhuman cultural practices and pointed out that although most of the communities had complied with the ban, others were still glued to the practice.
The District Co-ordinator for Girl Child Education, Madam Comfort Manu, said FGM was a contributory factor to the poor performance, among pupils, especially girls, in basic schools.
She said apart from the health implications associated with FGM, girls who went through the practice had to stay away from school for not less than 40 days for the wound to heal while their mates continued with their studies.
At a forum held at Nsawkaw, the Tain district capital, the acting Co-ordinator for Nafana Literacy Programme, Mr James Anane, said female genital mutilation (FGM) and some aspects of widowhood rites that had lost their relevance and importance were two cruel cultural practices that were common in most of the 23 communities in the Banda Traditional Area.
He described the practices as degrading and indicated that they had persisted in the area for ages, making it difficult to change them.
He said FGM and widowhood rites constituted a violation of women’s rights and were detrimental to the well-being of womanhood and therefore, urged the assembly and other law enforcement agencies to enforce existing regulations to curb these practices.
Mr Anane pointed out that aspects of widowhood rites that prohibited widows from working for one year on the death of their husbands, resulted in high poverty levels among some women in the district, adding that “it is unreasonable to prevent a widow who has children from working for one whole year, in the name of culture”.
He said apart from the fact that FGM affected the health of victims, it also left them with permanent, scars and emotional trauma that lowered their self-esteem.
According to Mr Anane, with assistance from IBIS, an international non-governmental organisation, a series of seminars and workshops had been organised over the past years to sensitise people in the traditional area to abolish such cultural practices.
He added that a major step towards the fight against widowhood rites was reached in 2006, when chiefs in the Banda Traditional Area resolved to do away with various cruel aspects associated with the practice.
He said during the period, a bull was demanded by the chiefs to pacify the gods to accept the abolition of inhuman cultural practices and pointed out that although most of the communities had complied with the ban, others were still glued to the practice.
The District Co-ordinator for Girl Child Education, Madam Comfort Manu, said FGM was a contributory factor to the poor performance, among pupils, especially girls, in basic schools.
She said apart from the health implications associated with FGM, girls who went through the practice had to stay away from school for not less than 40 days for the wound to heal while their mates continued with their studies.
RTU SHOCK CHELSEA (BACK PAGE) JANUARY 5
Bechem Chelsea yesterday failed to maintain their unbeaten home record at their adopted Sunyani Coronation Park when they lost 3-1 to Real Tamale United (RTU) in their Glo Premier League encounter.
The homesters got the opener through Richard Atika on the fifth minute, while the visitors equalised through Adam Tahiru on the 19th minute.
RTU sealed the victory on the 76th and 90th minutes through Tofik Alolo and Kasim Moro respectively.
Both teams lifted their game when tied at 1-1 but failed to utilise the numerous chances that came their way until Cape Coast-based referee P.P. Awuah whistled for the end of the first half.
• Gamba All Blacks recorded their first win in the Glo Premier League yesterday with a narrow 1-0 victory over Kessben FC at their favourite Swedru Stadium, reports Jonathan Brainoo, Swedru.
Determined to prove a point following their return to Swedru, All Blacks scored the only goal on the 10th minute through Daniel Asamoah.
• Western Showboys, Sekondi Eleven Wise, yesterday held city rivals Hasaacas to a 1-1 draw in their local derby of the Glo Premier League played at the Sekondi Sports Stadium, reports Moses Aklorbortu.
Hasaacas took the lead on the 26th minute through Charles Nartey who outjumped his markers and latched onto a long cross by Joe Bissah, firing home from the 18-yard box.
Wise took the game to their city rivals but met fierce resistance by the Giants of the West, who matched their opponents boot for boot but were equally guilty of missing scoring chances.
It remained a ding-dong affair in the second half until Wise scored a deserved equaliser on the 76th minute through Mohammed Moro.
The homesters got the opener through Richard Atika on the fifth minute, while the visitors equalised through Adam Tahiru on the 19th minute.
RTU sealed the victory on the 76th and 90th minutes through Tofik Alolo and Kasim Moro respectively.
Both teams lifted their game when tied at 1-1 but failed to utilise the numerous chances that came their way until Cape Coast-based referee P.P. Awuah whistled for the end of the first half.
• Gamba All Blacks recorded their first win in the Glo Premier League yesterday with a narrow 1-0 victory over Kessben FC at their favourite Swedru Stadium, reports Jonathan Brainoo, Swedru.
Determined to prove a point following their return to Swedru, All Blacks scored the only goal on the 10th minute through Daniel Asamoah.
• Western Showboys, Sekondi Eleven Wise, yesterday held city rivals Hasaacas to a 1-1 draw in their local derby of the Glo Premier League played at the Sekondi Sports Stadium, reports Moses Aklorbortu.
Hasaacas took the lead on the 26th minute through Charles Nartey who outjumped his markers and latched onto a long cross by Joe Bissah, firing home from the 18-yard box.
Wise took the game to their city rivals but met fierce resistance by the Giants of the West, who matched their opponents boot for boot but were equally guilty of missing scoring chances.
It remained a ding-dong affair in the second half until Wise scored a deserved equaliser on the 76th minute through Mohammed Moro.
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