The Torchbearers International Agriculture Science and Technology (TIAST) Group, a Non Governmental Organization in collaboration with the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council through its Regional Agriculture Department has organized a two day Agri-Business Investors Conference and Exhibition for farmers.

The program aim at linking small- scale farmers to ready market and discuss the wealthy way forward in the agriculture sector was held at the Koforidua National Cultural Center in the New Juaben South Municipality.

Speaking to Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH, the Director of Business Development – Ghana of the group, Mrs. Priscilla Fiati indicated, they have noticed that lands and the climate change in the Eastern Region is good for farming activities especially cassava plantation.

According to her, farmers in the Region are doing tremendously well in the agriculture sector. However they’re being confronted by financial constraints.

“That is why we collaborated and signed MoU with the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council (ERCC) to see how possible best we can assist the farmers to get them those modern equipments to be used to run their farms so that together we can achieve the agriculture industrialization agenda in the Eastern Region and beyond,” she added.

The program was held under the theme: “ACHIEVING AGRICULTURE INDUSTRIALIZATION THROUGH EASTERN COMMODITY SATELLITE MARKETS: FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT OF THE TIAST”.

The programme commenced on Wednesday September 14 and to end on Thursday September 15, 2022.

On his part, the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong commended the Regional Agriculture Department and other
directors from the 33 Municipal and Districts Assemblies in the region for their immense contributions towards the sector.

He further told KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH that, their aim was to use the programme to revive trade in the region and also described their partnership with TIAST Group as a good move and which would go a long way of strengthen the agri-business entirely in the region.

Mr. Acheampong opined that what transpired at the exhibition grounds shows agriculture in the region has future therefore they will provide financial support for prospect farmers venture into farming to help sustain farming activities in the region.

Also, the Eastern Regional Director for Agriculture, Henry Kobina Crentsil Junior expressed his satisfaction over the program and thanked all the invited stakeholders responsible for agriculture products especially, the Ghana Standards Authority,Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Export Promotion Authority and among others.

Mr. Kobina Crentsil Jr fumed, certification is very keen for the commodity satellite market because ones a farmer packaged his or her products it needed approval from the Ghana Standards Authority and Food and Drug Authority have to certify it to ensure its safeness for human consumption.

“…And am very much excited to see them here and I believe before the end of the program many farmers will utilize the opportunity to get their products registered,” he stated.

The programme witnessed many dignitaries such as madam Luisa Hao, Chairperson for TIAST Group, Mr. David Tai, CEO for TIAST Group, Municipal and District Chief Executives from all the 33 Municipal and District Assemblies and their Agriculture Directors in the Region among others.

The TIAST Group is a much committed organization aimed at adding value to the agriculture chain and promoting the worth of the agriculture industry in all the African countries through industrialization.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source//Obohnews.

The Akuapem North Women’s Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has offered free health screening for the people of Mampong-Akuapem ahead of the climax of the year’s Ohum Festival scheduled for Saturday, September 10, 2022.

The screening exercise held on Friday, September 9, at Akuapem Mampong was spearheaded by the NPP’s Women’s Organiser for the Constituency, Mrs. Linda Darkwa.

According to her, the health of the people is very paramount to her especially the aged, hence the decision to offer them free health screening.

She stated that Akuapem North is dominated by the aged however giving them such health benefits was considered important, because most of these aged finds it difficult to visit the hospital on regular basis to examine their body.

Mrs. Darkwa, known in the political cycle as ‘Yaa Baby’ also observed by saying that once political party counts on every single vote of the constituents to complement its chances of winning power, the health of the people must be priorities since without being healthier they can’t walk to the polling centers to exercise their franchise.

She thereby disclosed that free health screening exercise was one of the pledges he made to the people en route to her seeking for the women’s organiser position thus fulfilling it.

Speaking to Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH she added that they wanted the people of Mampong to be in good health and be strong to celebrate the Ohum festival.

She seized the opportunity and expressed her appreciation to the Health Directorate of the area, Constituency Executives, and most especially the Director General of the National Lottery Authority, Mr. Sammi Awuku for their immense contributions to the programme.

“After seeing the turnout, I was so amazing because I never expected such a huge number on board” Mrs. Darkwa appreciated.

Some beneficiaries of the free healthcare services were grateful to the NPP Women’s Wing in Akuapem North for the costly opportunity given them on a free basis.

They explained that the exercise has helped them to know how important it is to regularly check up concerning their health.

A Senior Nurse at the Greater Accra East Municipal Hospital, Rebecca Kumah, said, they discovered through the various examination that the majority of the beneficiaries had blood pressure.

According to her, among the blood pressure patients, many are unaware of the illnesses whiles those who do and are on medication have stopped taking the medicines midway.

Madam Rebecca then advised Ghanaians to ensure they take their health issue seriously by way of doing regular check-ups to know their health status.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnews.

The District Chief Executive for Fanteakwa South District Assembly in the Eastern Region, Mr. Ernest Ofosu has presented six packets of roofing sheets to Bososu District Assembly J. H. S to support their IT lab block.

According to him, the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) and the authority of the school wrote a letter through the Assembly’s director of education that they are building Information Technology (I.T) centre for the school so they should support them with roofing sheets.

The DCE noted that, they will add one more packet of the roofing sheet to the first six because they requested for seven packets.

Mr. Ernest Ofosu indicated that, education is dear to the heart of the NPP gov’t, so after completion of the I.T centre the Assembly will help them to procure the computers and also provide them with furniture.

He told Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH when he presented the roofing sheets to the school.

He added that getting at least one student one computer would enhance teaching and learning of the I. T. in the District.

He commended the NPP gov’t for its commitment to education in Ghana, saying that is why the gov’t allocated the majority of the country’s budget into education sector every year to provide quality education to its citizens.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnews.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region, Alhaji Umar Bodinga has disclosed to that, more than 2,500 houses in the municipality do not have a building permit.

According to the MCE, one need a building permit before a structure is raise and after building, it required registering in order to pay for property rate fees.

Alhaji Babs Bodinga adds, they are going to meet and educate the owners of those houses on how important it is to pay their property rate tax to the Assembly because they need revenue to run the Assembly.

This came to light when the Assembly embarked on revenue mobilization exercise on Wednesday, August 31, 2022. A move he said will help them to get enough money to run and manage the Assembly.

Alhaji Umar Bodinga told Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH that after engaging the owners of those houses they have up till the end of the year 2022 to start paying their fees other than that they will be made to face the law.

He mentioned that, they will ensure every property in Abuakwa North land is registered and pay it taxes to the Assembly.

He stated that, after the revenue mobilization exercise encounter with market women in the municipality, they agreed to pay their tax to the assembly.

“The Assembly has built 128 stores at Tafo market and I let them know that we used this small money we collected from them to built it and they started praising me for using the money to do an infrastructure projects.”

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnews.

The Executive Director of National Service Scheme and former Ashanti Regional Major, Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi has advised Ghanian youth to support the NPP gov’t to retain power in 2024.

According to him, the youth have key role to play to help the ruling governments break the 8 jinx agenda because their destiny is in their own hands.

He explained that, if the youth work hard for NPP to retain power in 2024, the fortunes of their future will be made bright.

He was optimistic that the upcoming 2024 general elections would be an elections of record.

Mr. Assibey Antwi told Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH at Koforidua Technical University during the launching of the Committees of NPP’s New Juaben South Constituency Youth Wing to spearheaded the agenda ‘breaking the 8’ mantra.

The NSS Executive Director used the occasion to commend the NPP government for their outstanding performance in all sectors especially the health sector.

He accounted that, when NPP assumed office in 2016 there were badges of trained nurses who were unemployed but with the intervention of President Akufo-Addo administration majority have now been employed.

*The New Juaben South Constituency Youth Organiser for NPP, Mr. Samuel Yeboah Gyimah known in the political cycle as ‘Morocco’ said the party is aimed at rejuvenating the youth wing base to start everything afresh to see how best they can come together to work hard as one family to break the 8.

The program was on the THEME: ” MOBILIZATION AND MOTIVATING THE BASE TO BREAK THE EIGHT”.

Mr. Yeboah Gyimah indicated, a lot of measure have put in place for the youth in the area to better their standard of living, hence calling on all and sundry to forgo their differences to pave way for the NPP to maintain power come December 7, 2024 general elections.

He ceased the opportunity to advice the youth who want to establish their own businesses to apply for the U-Start program so that they can get money to open the business and employ others.

Furthermore, the NPP’s Constituency Chairman for New Juaben South, Charles Oseipoku Boakye said, many are of the view that the current economic challenge confronting the country, will be a hindrance to the party in breaking the 8 years agenda.

But to him, the people, especially the youth of New Juaben South have confidence that with oneness, togetherness, hardwork and determination they can make it possible.

Mr. Oseipoku Boakye fumed that when the new executives of New Juaben South took over the party all the wings in the party are doing marvelous job to support their MP, Mr. Michael Okyere Kofi Baafi to help him develop the constituency together.

SOURCE// KINGDOM FM.

BY// KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH.

The Vice Chancellor of the Koforidua Technical University in the Eastern Region, Professor David Kofi Assumang has suggested to the government to consider adding Environmental Education to the compulsory core subjects in the education sector.

According to him, the environmental education that talks about one’s well-being is not taught in school making it very worrying.

Prof. Kofi Assumang adds, if we want to achieve all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a country then Environmental Education must be made compulsory single subject from Nursery to Tertiary level and with that when the kids grow up it would help them to protect the country’s natural resources.

He told Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH during the official launching of Koforidua Technical University’s Centre for Sustainable Development on the theme “Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.”

Prof. David Kofi Assumang further stated, should Environmental Education be a compulsory subject in the various levels of the education system in Ghana, students would have known how important it is to keep the communities clean and also to protect the natural resources the country has.

In addition, the Dean of Faculty of Built and Natural Environment of Koforidua Technical University, Doctor Prince Boateng disclosed that, none of the Technical Universities in Ghana have Centre of Sustainable Development, however it is the first of it kind they have launched such program which will enable the University for writing articles or letters for possible publication.

“This published letters wouldn’t be like the ordinary ones but can be use to address the community problems as well as reducing poverty; hence it will help the school in many ways,” he noted.

Dr. Prince Boateng stated that, most students in SHS does not know why they study different things meanwhile once they go to the Technical University they are being taught on how they can apply it to solve problems.

To add with, the Chairperson for Environment, Science and Technical Committee of Parliament who doubles as the MP for Oforikrom in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Emmanuel Marfo added that once Ghana is developing, the citizens must ensure that the natural environment contains the needed development.

Stating that, we must again seek to it that, the natural resources won’t be destroyed by the activities of man because the unborn generation will face its consequences.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnews.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong, Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem North Municipal Assembly including Eastern Regional Agriculture Director among Others has paid a day working visit to farmers who grows vegetables in Akuapem North and Yilo Krobo Municipal Assemblies in the region.

The visit took him to a private owned Maroun and Green Housing firm at Amonokrom, Legacy Crop Improvement Center firm at Otariso all in Akuapem North Municipality and later proceeded to Akpo Akpamu, a cabbage farming community in the Yilo Krobo Municipality.

Speaking to the media Mr. Acheampong noted that the region is dominated by farmers therefore it is the core mandate of the gov’t to support them to ensure they produce enough vegetables crops for the country and import purposes.

“I’m very much impressed with the kind of work this farmers are doing in the region and wouldn’t be surprised if a farmer from Eastern Region is being crowned as 2022 best farmer,” he noted.

He continue that the gov’t is committed to farmers; thus, the introduction of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) and the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD).

According to him, in the view of the gov’t will enable change the destiny of the Ghanian farmers by way of making them well resourced.

The gov’t representative of Akuapem North Municipal Assembly, Berimah Sarpong Asiedu Larbi told Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI that, he is happy to have Maroun and Green housing and Legacy Crop Improvement Centre companies in his municipality, hence they will create job opportunities for the youth in the area.

At Maroun and Green housing, the management complained that about the lakadasikal attitude of youth where they report to work every two weeks once they exhaust the little money in their possession.

Responding to that, Berimah Larbi expressed worry over the canker and said such behavior is a threat to investors from carrying out their business in the municipality.

“We will educate them to desist from such behavior and appreciate what the private firms in the area are doing to support them. Stating for the private owned companies to established their businesses on his soil would boost their local economy,” he fumed.

On his part, Eastern Regional Agriculture Director, Henry Crentsil Junior, added that “their aim is that the Assemblies will take farming activities very serious because agriculture is also contribute to the country’s development.”

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnews.

The Retired Commissioner of Police and Chief Executive Officer of Mother Love Hospital Facility, Mr. Kwasi Nkansah has asked Apedwahene in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council of the Eastern Region, Osabarima Frimpong Manso to retract a statement he made and also render unqualified apology.

It is recalled that the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council has accused Mr. Kofi Anokye, the CEO for Koans Buildings Solution illegally acquiring their lands. And this has brought misunderstanding between the two parties.

The Apedwahene Osabarima Frimpong Manso in one of his press statement ” alleged that COP Kwasi Nkansah (Rtd), who works with Kofi Anokye, the Chief Executive Officer of Koans Building Solutions, is not the Krontihene of Akyem Apedwa neither is he a member of the council of elders of the Akyem Apedwa Stool and he should therefore be ignored”.

In response to that allegations Mr. Kwasi Nkansah has denied working with Koans Buildings Solutions and moreover he quitted the Akyem Apedwa Krontihene stool for the past 15yrs ago.

According to him he wanted to focus much on his policing job and does not understand why Osabarima Frimpong Manso is associating him into such land dispute.

“I feel worried, because I worked hard for my good name over decades. Stating, for peace to prevail between the two of us, I’m given him 10 day ultimatum to come out publicly to redraw that ill statement and apologise to me other than that would advice myself accordingly,he told Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH.

He further stated categorically that he have no connection with the said Kofi Anokye.

He explained he came into contact with Koans Buildings Solutions CEO when he and Apedwahene, Apedwa Hemaa, the current Apedwa Krontihene among other prominent persons from Apedwa went to his office at Panpanso on the Nsawam road to talk about the said land.

Mr. Nkansah further mentioned that, apart from that particular day they all went to Mr. Kofi Anokye’s office to have discussion with him about the land, he has since not met or spoken with him again.

“As I have mentioned earlier on, am given him 10 day ultimatum to come out publicly to apologized to me and retract his ill statement against me other than that would take him on,” he threatened.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnews.

The District Chief Executive for Fanteakwa South District Assembly in the Eastern Region, Ernest Ofosu has cut the sod for the commencement of three projects with the cost of GHS 2 million.

The projects include, the face- lifting of Osino main lorry station and the construction of 3-Unit classroom block at Nsutam and Hemang SDA JHS respectively.

Speaking to Kingdom FM’s KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH, the DCE noted that, Osino that is the District capital of Fanteakwa South has been lacking some social amenities hence the decision the to raise the image of Osino high.

Mr. Ofosu adds, out of the 3 projects which would commenced soon, the face-lifting of the Osino lorry station is dear to his heart because it will enhances the activities of the drivers in the area.

The DCE recounted how the residents especially the drivers always “lambast” him over the poor nature of the roads network in the district.

He admitted that the road network in the area is in a bad state but fixing that of the lorry station will help calm down nerves for the meantime.

Mr. Ofosu then pleaded with the gov’t led by President Akufo-Addo and his roads minister Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta to come to his aid and help fixed their roads because there is fire in his cap.

Furthermore, the headmaster of Nsutam SDA JHS, Mr. Nketiah Fredua noted that there are many challenges confronting their school especially when it rains it flood the whole compound which the JHS students find themselves wanting.

“So if the gov’t through the District Assembly led by Mr. Ernest Ofosu are coming to built a new 3 unit JHS classroom block for the school, we are most grateful to them,” he appreciated.

In addition, Mr. Oscar Adu Sarfo, the CEO for Osafric Construction and Mining Ltd who will build the Hemang SDA JHS assures of a quality work and to complete the project in its stimulated eight months period.

“This is the way of creating job opportunities for the localities, therefore most of the workers would be employ from Hemang to at least reduce the unemployment challenges in the area,” he added.

By/ Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Sourcce// Obohnews

The former President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his call on the government to consider a review of the implementation of the free Senior High School policy.

According to him, there are a lot of educational experts who will be able and willing to bring their experience and knowledge on board to enable resolve the challenges confronting the programme.

Mr. Mahama admitted that the free SHS policy has come to stay therefore it is the government duty to make it affordable for both public and the private schools.

“A suggestion to review will never be misinterpreted to mean a cancellation of the programme,” he observed.

He was speaking at the 2022 Ghana National Association of Private Schools 8th Biennial Delegate Conference held in Koforidua on August 17,2022.

THEME for the 2022 celebration is; ” REPOSITIONING PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE ERA OF DIGITAL GROUP: IS TIMING AS IT IS SIGNIFICANT”.

Furthermore, the President of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, Dr. Damasus Tuurosong said the world has become a technological world, with digitization facilitating learning in molding minds in many specialized sectors of development.

“The needs for embracing digital school has become even more glaring with the Covid-19 outbreak and its subsequent impact on educational institutions across the world,” he stressed.

He again stated that, a 2021 I.D.P. foundation study show that 80% of low fees in the private schools risk collapsed in January 2021 when Schools were reopen fully and added that parents inability to settle fees has further worsened the plight of financial emaciation of low fees in the private schools.

A Minority Ranking Member on Education who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Akatsi North Constituency in the Volta Region, Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, indicated that, government alone cannot provide quality education in the country.

“The private sector plays an important role but what we have seen in this country for sometime now is the non-inclusion of the private schools in the formulation of policies regarding education.”

Mr. Nortsu-Kotoe noted that if a curriculum is outdoor for the Basic Education and you don’t use public funds to train the teachers in the private schools who are supposed to use it, then what do you expect them to do?.

“So there is the need for everybody to be engaged so that they can deliver quality education,” he concluded.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnews.