Month: May 2013

The Member of Parliament for Manhyia South in the Ashante Region, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has denied ever knowing the two men shot in broad day-light in Kumasi on Wednesday.

 According to him, rumours in the media that one of the victims was his personal body guard during the 2012 elections  is utterly false, as he has absolutely no links with the said young men and cannot even identify them if they are presented before him.

The two men died from gunshot and machete wounds inflicted by unknown assailants at Ashtown, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

The two, one of whom died while being transported to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the other on arrival at the hospital, have been identified as Victor Ocran and Kwadwo Asamoah, also known as Gauso.

Giving a background to the incident, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Yussif Tanko, the Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Regional Police Command said Asamoah was said to have led a gang to attack some persons in the area during the house to house campaign tour of Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South prior to the 2012 elections.

The attack left some people seriously injured and were admitted at KATH. The police suspect the attack could be a reprisal attack for the late November, 2012 incident at the nearby Manhyia South constituency and said suggestions that the killings were politically motivated were farfetched.

But speaking on Okay FM on Thursday morning, Hon. Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh affirmed that the unfortunate incident was purely criminal and not political, since the assailants and the victims had an axe to grind for the past five years.

He sympathized with the bereaved families and urged restraint on the part of both factions to ensure peaceful co-existence in the area.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Member of Parliament for Evalue –Ajomoro-Gwira, Kweku Tanikyi Kessie has donated eight (8) sets of desk top computers to the Nsein Senior High School and two (2) sets of computers to Axim Girls Senior High School both in his constituency.

He said, not only were the computers given to senior high schools but that 5 laptop computers each were given to selected junior high schools as well.

According to the MP, he secured the computers with support from the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC).

Speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh, Hon. Kweku Tanikyi Kessie stated that his motivation to secure the equipment for the schools is born out of his commitment to see an improvement in the quality of education offered to students and pupils in the area.

He emphasized the need for quality education to be delivered to the students especially at this formative stage of their lives, adding that he will continue to support the various educational institutions in his area through diverse means.

Hon. Kweku Tanikyi Kessie disclosed that he has fully funded the reconstruction of two bridges which were originally made of wood at Asunti and on the Bebolaso to Tebakrom road at a cost of GHC 2,000.

He said the bridges which are widely used by inhabitants of the two areas until its renovation was a death threat to commuters as the wooden planks were rotten and in that state endangered the lives of the people.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, MP for Anyaa Sowutuom Constitutency, has donated assorted items amounting to GH¢7,000 to the personnel of the Sowutuom police station.

The items included motorbikes, 5 security lights, 2 computers, 32” flat screen Plasma TV, and fridge.

According the MP, the personnel at the police station requested for such items to facilitate their work in the area since the station was a new one constructed for them by a philanthropist to ensure security in the area and its surrounding environs.

She told Ghanamps.gov.gh Godwin Allotey Akweiteh that the motorbikes would to a large extent enhance the patrol and mobility of the personnel easily in the area.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Member of Parliament for Offinso North in the Ashante Region, Collins Augustine Ntim is to soon connect electricity to the Wiafe Akenteng Senior High School.

The project which will cost GHC 25,000 is expected to illuminate the entire school block and enhance security of the students, while it also affords them the opportunity of studying at night to improve their education.

The school, named after the Paramount Chief of the area, Nana Wiafe Akenteng and initiated by the MP in collaboration with the chief and his elders, is the second senior high school to be established by the MP after he earlier set up the Nkenkaasu Senior High School which was absorbed by government in 2011.

Speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh, Hon. Collins Augustine Ntim stated that he is committed to making secondary school education very accessible to all students in the district, hence his resolve to establish another school at Afrancho, a project that the chief and people have assured to contribute to its construction through communal labour.

He has also taken upon himself the burden of paying the salaries of the teachers in the school, until the school is formally absorbed by government, and also commended both the District Director of Education and the District National Service Coordinator for their support in boosting education in the area.

Hon. Collins Augustine Ntim, noted that a 12 unit two storey classroom block with four offices is to be built for the Nkenkaasu Senior High School at a cost of GHC 600,000 with his share of the MPs Common Fund to enable the school accommodate more students.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Mr. Azumah Namoro Sanda, the Member of Parliament for Chereponi has emphasized his pledge to support some students in the tertiary level in the constituency to meet their educational expenses beginning this year.

The move is essentially in line with the MP’s campaign promises made to the constituents during the 2012 elections which are part of his efforts to assist lessen the economic and social burden of the people.

In an interaction with Ghanamps.gov.gh, Mr. Namoro Sanda reiterated that he would ensure that all the beneficiaries particularly students of Colleges of Education, Nursing Training Schools and the Universities  will get assistance from his share of the MP’s Common Fund for them to be able to cover part of their fees so their guardians will also meet the rest.

He said he had earlier on gathered that most of the students struggle to pay their fees in the area, hence the move to attend to their difficult situation and give out some assistance to ease their challenges.

The MP further disclosed that he also intends to fund the rehabilitation of some selected primary schools affected by rainstorm with his share of a GETfund facility to be released in the area.

He claimed that the rehabilitation project would be rolled out as soon as he secures funds for it.

They include Jakpa R/C primary, Dunburugu D/A primary and Kpenchi primary respectively.

He thus stressed that he would subsequently consider several others that were also affected in the same manner when adequate funds are ready.

Jonathan Adjei/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Daboya/Mankarigu, Hon. Baani Abudu Nelson has emphasized that eventhough the area is relatively ‘an ancient commercial district’ it represents an investment hub in the Northern region because of its enormous natural resources.

He thus asserted that these benefits in which the area was blessed with cut across in all the economic areas and invariably has the potential of turning around the fortunes of the district to speed up in development matters.

Speaking in an interview with Ghanamps.gov.gh to highlight this issue, the MP stated that farming and fishing was primarily a common activity typical amongst the local folks.

He revealed that consequently the area is essentially an important spot up-north which to a large extent represents the food basket in the Northern region.

He said currently Daboya/Mankarigu is the only area in the Northern belt to extensively grow cocoa, adding that the area is also endowed with huge forest reserves that can ostensibly aid in boosting and sustaining its environmental quality.

He reiterated that following this a task force was recently formed in the district to fish out and discourage the activities of illegal chainsaw operators to enable the area conserve its forest cover.

He also recounted on the massive salt production exploited from the White Volta in the area, saying that this was in addition one of the profitable economic avenues which deserves relative attention in terms of investment to increase the total production capacity and also create jobs for the residents.

Mr. Baani Abudu Nelson further touched on the excellent and the best hand made smock in selected communities of the area stressing that this was also a viable economic activity peculiar in the district with prospects.

To this end, he called for investors to consider moving to the district to support an even investment in the afore-mentioned areas so the district could realize the needed development which can inure the benefits of the people.

Jonathan Adjei/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The Second Deputy Speaker in Parliament, Joe Ghartey, has called on Ghanaians to join hands in the fight to repeal the law for causing fear and panic from the stature books.

This he believes will make the media more assertive. He also called for the early passage of the freedom to information bill.

Mr. Ghartey said this at the re-launch of the independent newspaper.

GBC

The Member of Parliament for Bolga Central, Hon. Emmanuel Opam-Brown Akolbir has expressed his readiness to assist offer a new office accommodation this year for the Municipal Education Directorate to boost and open up its activities in the municipality.

This was made known in an interaction with Ghanamps.gov.gh by the MP to discuss his plans and programmes towards enhancing the standard of education across-board in all the communities of the area.

He maintained that education remains an important element in the development equation hence it should be given the necessary attention to facilitate growth and development for the constituents.

He said in order to empower the Directorate discharge its work in an efficient and effective manner there is the need to give it a conducive and convenient environment to enable it work properly.

According to him, the current office occupied by the Directorate do not befit its status, therefore gave the assurance that he would put measures in place, and also join forces with other partners to support power a standard office project for it shortly.

Meanwhile the MP has noted that the teacher deficit in the municipality was alarming, as the number of trained teachers available in the municipality was insignificant to boost quality education.

He for instance mentioned that the foundation of kids was key in ensuring their future and cannot be downplayed.

Following this, he stressed the need to get adequate trained teachers in the municipality, adding that the system requires professionals to man the conduct of teaching and learning.

He then called on the Education Directorate in the municipality and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to as a matter of urgency make moves in transferring professional teachers to the area.

Jonathan Adjei/Ghanamps.gov.gh