Author: Akumaa GhanaMPs

Dr Ahmed Alhassan Yakubu, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, has supported the Mion District Health Centre, with two tricycle ambulances and some motorbikes valued at GH¢ 50,000 to help transport pregnant women to the health centre for safe delivery.

The initiative is part of measures by the Deputy Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Mion Constituency, to help reduce infant and maternal mortality in the area.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony at Sang, capital of the newly-created Mion District, Dr Yakubu said seeking the interest and welfare of the constituents was his topmost priority, and that he would continue to lend support where necessary.

He said infant and maternal mortality continued to be on the ascendancy in the Northern Region, hence the need to procure the tricycle ambulances and three new motorbikes, and repair two additional bikes, to help improve the situation.

“I thought of acquiring an ambulance for the health centre and since the funds available cannot purchase one, I decided to buy the tricycle ambulances, which can travel to remote areas of the constituency to bring pregnant women for delivery”, he said.

Dr Yakubu said aside the motorbikes, he had also done a lot for the constituency, including investing in plastic chairs, which had been allocated to various sectors within the district.

He said he had also presented some assorted number of agriculture inputs, such as herbicides, wellington boots and fertilizer for women and youth farmers in the constituency, to improve their farming activities.

He said the NDC’s “Better Ghana Agenda” was about caring for people and addressing their needs, and that he would do everything possible within his power to ensure that government policies were implemented.

Mr Nassan Sulemana, the Acting Mion District Director of Health, commended the MP for the enormous support to the health centre, and gave the assurance that the machines would be put to good use.

He expressed the hope that it would end maternal and infant mortalities, and appealed for more assistance, especially in the provision of potable water and other incentives that would attract nurses and doctors to the district.

GNA

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma Central, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie has warned striking doctors to desist from unduly pressurizing government to meet their demands.

He such the current state of the economy cannot support such huge demands from the medical practitioners, adding that it was wrong for doctors to embark on industrial action while still in talks with the government.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) last Thursday declared strike after their negotiations with government over their conditions of service hit a deadlock.

They are however expected back to the negotiation table with government on Wednesday.

Contributing to a discussion on Adom FM’s ‘Dwaso Nsem’ show Tuesday, Hon. Tetteh Chaie stated that in as much the doctors have a legitimate claim in asking for improved conditions their demands must be one that the government can provide for.

“Though it’s their right to demand salary increment, they should not demand salaries that will reduce the budget of the country” he said.

Hon. Tetteh Chaie urged the Labour commission to force the Ghana Medical Association into proper negotiation with the government.

GhanaMPs.gov.gh

Member of Parliament (MP) for Wassa East Constituency Isaac Adjei Mensah has issued a plea to the striking doctors to go back to work.

He said the strike is having a negative effect on innocent Ghanaians who through no fault of theirs are bearing the brunt of the strike.

In his view, the doctors’ demand is on a high side therefore they should come down and accept what the government is ready to offer.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show ‘Dwaso Nsem’ Thursday, the MP said the law does not stipulate that doctors go to strike over benefits therefore it is against the labour law of the country.

The doctors, he said should follow what the law says and stop coercing government to adhere to their demands by resorting to this strike action.

Mr. Mensah who is also the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways noted that, the doctors can negotiate while working to avoid any casualties during the strike.

He pleaded to the doctors to seize the strike and go back to work because their actions have put the nation under distress.

Doctors working in public health facilities are currently on strike over lack of condition of service from government.

Their action has led to the suspension of services to Out-Patient Departments (OPDS). They have also threatened to withdraw their services on in-patients and emergency cases which are still being attended to if government does not adhere to their claim.

Meanwhile President Mahama has indicated he will not authorize any expenditure or wages not provided for in the budget for both workers and Article 72 office holders.

He said any unbudgeted payment made to the doctors will open the floodgates for others in the health sector to make demands that will lead to distortions in the Single Spine Salary Structure.

The onset of the raining season has increased worries of residents of Ablekuma Central Constituency in the Greater Accra Region over their roads.

Some of the residents at Kaneshie first light who spoke to Ghanamps.gov.gh said even without the rains they were confronted with serious challenges with transportation as a result of the poor nature 0f roads in the area.

“The roads in the area are very bad and whenever we go to town and pick a taxi, they refuse to come, since they know the nature of the road”, a resident said in an interview.

According to them, their transportation ordeals will get worse and the safety of their children remains a major concern since most of them have to walk considerable distance to get a vehicle. “Let us also not lose sight of the negative effects of these on socio-economic activities in the area”, a resident added.
We have not seen any improvement in the area, since the MP doesn’t come around, not even for community meetings, for us to express our concerns” another resident also added.

They also raised issues about the safety of their properties especially their walls which are likely to be lost to erosion with the absence of gutters to allow smooth flow of waste water.

They were also disappointed that several complains made so far to the authorities to get the roads constructed have fallen on deaf ears, adding that the authorities in charge have failed in their numerous promises to get the road fixed.

When Ghanamps.gov.gh visited the area, some parts of the road were spotted with serious potholes which have been filled with coconut peels, whereas most parts were eroded creating gullies.

They have therefore called on government to come to their aid in the construction of their road to make it motorable especially gutters that will pave way for smooth flow of running water without causing serious damage to their properties.

Efforts to get reaction from the Member of Parliament for the area however proved futile.

Theresa Workartey/Ghanamps.gov.com

The Member of Parliament for Keta, Hon. Richard Quashigah has pledged his support towards any positive effort aims at helping Keta regain its academic excellence as was the case in the past.
Mr. Quashigah made the pledge when he supported basic schools quiz competition organized for schools around Kedzi in the Keta Municipality.

The competition organized by the Kedzi Youth Association, (KeYA) is an annual event which was started last year as contribution to the development of education in the area.

Hon. Quashigah who provided funds for the organization and awards for winners said he was motivated by the larger goal of boosting education in the constituency to help students improve their academic performance which has been on the decline.

He said the only way the youth can climb the academic ladder is by taking their studies seriously especially at the basic level.

According to him, every positive effort that aims at helping Keta regain its academic excellence as was the case in the past will have his support.

The MP also indicated that improving academic performance requires multiple initiatives ranging from infrastructure improvement, improved monitoring and supervision, provision of necessary logistics among others.

“A number of these initiatives have been implemented by relevant stakeholders and I will also continue to make the necessary contributions so that together we will achieve great results”, he stated.
He advised the pupils to make books their best friends and study hard for the future. He also commended KeYA for the initiative and urged them to keep it up.

Mr. Sebastian P.K. Adehoke, Vice President of KeYA and Coordinator of KeYa Quiz Competition said they are worried as youth of the area about the falling standard of education in Kedzi and are determined to make a difference with the quiz competition that will motivate the pupils to spend more time with their books.

Mr. N. K. K Gidiglo, an opinion leader in the community and chairman for the occasion commended the efforts of the MP in trying to uplift standard of education in the area. According to him, not too long ago, he brought in the 2nd lady who came to donate computers and books to the Kedzi AMA Zion School, a sign of his commitment to improving education in the municipality.

Of the three schools that took part in the competition, Kedzi AMA Zion emerged winners in both the Upper Primary and JHS level competitions, while Havedzi and Horve came second and third respectively in the upper primary levels.

The table however turned between the two in the JHS category with Horvi placing second and Havedzi placing third.

Winners will be presented with certificates of participation and citations on Saturday.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Some residents living in Taborah in the Anyaa Sowutuom Constituency have complained bitterly about the services of some of the waste management companies operating in the area.

They said Zoomlion Ghana Limited which used to operate in the area offered households with free waste bins yet charge less but this is not the case with the new companies. “The new ones charge exorbitant fees yet their services are not very encouraging”, a resident stated.

“One of the new companies, Honest Waste which operates within the area is charging 70 Ghana cedis per household a month for waste collection, and this is without the waste bins that Zoomlion provided, an aggrieved resident told ghanamps.gov.gh.

According to him, “if one compares what is offered by Zoomlion to that of Honest Waste, you realize we are being short changed. In spite of the free bin, we paid 10 Ghana cedis to Zoomlion for collecting our wastes.

Speaking with ghanamps.gov.gh, the Member of Parliament for the area Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway said even though the price is high, residents should bear with the waste companies and pay the amount.

Failure to pay the amount could plunge the area into waste management crises in the constituency leading to resurfacing of cholera cases.

Rosemary Obeng-Yeboah/Ghanamps.gov.gh