The National Democratic Congress Chairman for Fanteakwa South Constituency in the Eastern Region, Mark Okraku, donated food items to his branch executives, enabling them to celebrate this year’s Christmas festive season.

The Fanteakwa South constituency has 84 branches, and the NDC has over 800 executives in those branches.

Every branch executive member went home with 5kg of rice, cooking oil, and mackerel fish.

He thanked Mercy Korang, the District Chief Executive of the Fanteakwa South District Assembly, and Lawyer Twum Berima, the Managing Director for SIC Life, for their support in putting smiles on the faces of their hardworking branch executives.

“NDC government didn’t give me money for this initiative, and they are meticulous when it comes to spending state funds because they will one account for it, hence soliciting help from the aforementioned individuals to fetch my branch executives to enable them to enjoy their labour,” he set the record straight.

According to Chairman Okraku, the donation also forms part of his generous gesture to demonstrate his appreciation for their dedication and commitment in helping the party reclaim power in 2024.

“In the 2024 general elections, the NDC’s votes appreciated in Fanteakwa South as compared to the previous ones because of the efforts our indefatigable branch executives put in place to grab victory for the party, and they deserved to be honored,” he revealed.

Some beneficiaries expressed their profound gratitude to Chairman Mark Okraku for his kind gesture.

“We have had so many chairmen in Fanteakwa South, and none of them recognized us during the Christmas festivities. We are excited that Mark Okraku has remembered us this year, and we are expecting this to continue in the subsequent years,” they added.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.

The Department of Community Development organized a free health screening for residents of Koforidua. 

Many residents have benefited from the program since its inception in 2021. 

This year’s screening was held at the Social Welfare Center in Srodae. 

Speaking to a cross-section of journalists, Patience Boadiwaa Gyasi, Programs Officer of the Department of Community Development, said this initiative is meant to show the community that the department cares about their health.

She indicated that the program has become a permanent fixture, allowing people to have their bodies screened for free. 

She explained that many people are dying because they do not pay much attention to their health status. The initiative was therefore instituted to provide workers who lack time to visit health facilities with the opportunity to undergo free check-ups, enabling them to assess their health status and stay safe. 

“This year we included cervical cancer screening in it because we have realized that cervical cancer is sending many women to their early graves and is very disgusting,” she stated. 

Mrs. Boadiwaa Gyasi further noted that men were also considered, with prostate cancer screening provided. She emphasized that if someone is diagnosed, they would be referred to the hospital for quick treatment, since early detection is the best way to treat the disease and live healthier. 

She thanked the residents for attending the program in large numbers and urged the general public to take their health issues seriously, stressing that health is wealth. 

Some beneficiaries expressed profound gratitude to the leadership of the Department of Community Development for their kind gesture. 

By // Kontihen Kofi Oboh 
Source // Obohnewsonline.com

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) is set to introduce new number plates for all Ghanaian vehicles in 2026 to enhance security. 

Speaking to journalists about the initiative, the Eastern Regional Manager of DVLA, George Afful, explained that the new plates will contain embedded radio frequency chips, which can help monitor the whereabouts of vehicles. 

He noted that the radio frequency chip will enable car owners to trace their vehicles, making car theft a thing of the past.

This initiative, according to him, will also provide security agencies with easy access to information, thereby aiding in the swift arrest of criminals. 

Mr. Afful added that Ghana’s current number plates are outdated and no longer meet global best practices. He pointed out that neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Togo, and the Ivory Coast have already adopted modern standard plates, and Ghana must follow suit. 

He further explained that not every vehicle will automatically receive the new plates, indicating that cars will first be assessed for roadworthiness before being enrolled in the new system, a measure aimed at safeguarding lives. 

Mr. Afful emphasized that this is not the first time Ghana has updated its number plates to meet modern standards. 

Reacting to the development, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Johnson Kyereh, expressed support for the DVLA’s initiative, noting that they concur with the introduction by 2026.

He stated that passengers often judge vehicles by their number plates before boarding, which complicates their work. With the new plates, however, Mr. Kyereh said such judgments will no longer be possible, as the year of the car can not be determined. 

On the other hand, the Eastern Regional Public Relations Officer of Adom Protoa, Emmanuel Wolegbe, urged the government to put proper measures in place to ensure a smooth transition.

He stressed that when the initiative begins in January 2026, challenges during the re-registration process must be avoided to guarantee efficiency. 

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.

The District Chief Executive of the Atiwa East District Assembly in the Eastern Region, Ernest Owusu Ntim, has lauded his staff for their commitment, dedication, and support towards the growth and development of the district.

According to him, when President John Dramani Mahama allocated some portion of his powers to him and appointed him as the Atiwa East District Chief Executive, the staff remained loyal and consistently ensured that they guided and directed him to succeed in his work.

This, he said, demonstrates how selfless they are in helping the government champion infrastructure projects in the area for the benefit of all.

Mr. Owusu Ntim noted that technocrats play a crucial role in every institution in the country by rallying behind government appointees to achieve their aims and aspirations, thereby honoring the President of the Republic.

He added that if you are a government appointee and fortunate enough to have good-hearted and supportive staff who always think about your success, you should appreciate and show them love, enabling them to do more for you.

In doing so, he emphasized, you will always be ahead of the game.

The Atiwa East District Chief Executive made this statement while climaxing the year 2025 with a small get-together for the Assembly’s staff, expressing his gratitude to them.

He wished them well as they prepared to go on Christmas break and implored them to help him embark on more developmental projects to build Atiwa East together in 2026.

Ernest Owusu Ntim also used the opportunity to advise drivers across the country to drive with care to avoid road accidents during the Christmas festive season.

“Whenever a road accident occurred, and people died, it cost the bereaved families a lot because that person may be the breadwinner of the family, so drivers have to reduce their speed limit and take them home safely,” he told Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.

Sanitation is one of the topmost priorities of the government of Ghana; as a result, all the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies across the country have been tasked to embark on a clean-up exercise on the first Saturday of every month to make their communities clean.

The exercise aimed to curb any unforeseen communicable diseases that may hit the country.

On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, the National Democratic Congress Chairman for the Fanteakwa South Constituency, Mark Okraku, joined Mercy Korang, the District Chief Executive of the District Assembly, and her staff to embark on a massive clean-up exercise on the principal streets of Osino, their District capital.

Speaking to Journalists, Mercy Korang said, sanitation is very important to President John Dramani Mahama, and it has also been stated in the Bible that cleanliness is next to godliness, thus embarking on the exercise to make Osino look attractive to the commuters who use the stretch to Kumasi, Accra, and other places.

She said the month of December is very unique because of the Christmas festivities,  many people travel from near and far to go home and celebrate it, hence doing theirs on Tuesday to ensure a successful and disease-free celebration.

The Fanteakwa South DCE then urged residents of the area to exercise restraint because they have a lot of projects to execute in 2026 to beautify the district.

Mercy Korang added that there’s peace in Fanteakwa South and they would maintain it and strengthen security in the District before, during, and after the Christmas celebration.

The NDC Chairman of the constituency, Mark Okraku, on his part, said they brought the party to power, and it’s his responsibility to mobilize the party members to join the clean-up exercise to help President John Mahama succeed in making sure Ghana becomes clean.

“So, together with my party executives saw the need to join the District Chief Executive to clean the street and pave the way for the Christmas festive,” he added.

Mr. Okraku announced that the party executives would also clean their various electoral areas on December 31, 2025, to support the government’s resetting agenda mantra by saving the country from contracting diseases.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Obohnewsonline.com.

The Municipal Chief Executive of the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region, John Evans Kumordzi, led his administration to cut sod for the construction of four major infrastructure projects.

The four projects comprise the Mamfe and Osabene Community Health-Based Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, as well as the Otareso and Mangoase Kindergarten classroom blocks, aimed at boosting both health and education in the municipality.

The projects form part of the government’s commitment to strengthening health and education in every community across the country, to ensure access to quality education and healthcare delivery at the local level.

Mr. Kumordzi added that all four projects are expected to be completed within six months and handed over to the Assembly.

He revealed that more projects are in the pipeline and that, in the coming days, the Assembly will break ground for additional developments, positioning the area as one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Ghana.

“The National Democratic Congress government led by President John Dramani Mahama is poised to deliver its campaign promises made to Ghanaians during the 2024 elections and that’s what they intended to do to make Ghana work again, hence the resetting agenda mantra to help the country regain its lost glory,” he opined.

Mr. Kumordzi stated that education and health play crucial roles in national development, which is why the government is determined to construct more facilities and make them attractive for citizens to benefit from the national cake.

“The beneficiary communities of these life-changing projects are very excited because it is something that they have been waiting for a very long time,” stated John Evans.

For his part, the Assemblyman for the New Mangoase Electoral Area, Samuel Obeng Kwadwo Brown, expressed deep appreciation to the government for recognizing the children of Mangoase and cutting sod for the construction of an ultramodern Kindergarten block with auxiliary facilities for the community.

He described the project as a dream come true, noting that the current learning environment for the children is in a sorry state.

He mentioned that Kindergarten pupils have been learning in a former Renault car assembly garage for decades and expressed gratitude to the government, adding that upon completion of the project, school enrolment is expected to increase.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.

The Member of Parliament for the Atiwa East Constituency in the Eastern Region, Abena Osei Asare, has expressed concerns about the rate at which doctors decline postings to rural communities, stressing that as a country, a lasting solution must be found to address the challenge.

“Doctors who decline postings to rural communities can’t be blamed, as it is very difficult to secure accommodation in those communities and maintain a sound mind to work and save lives.

“The government should ensure that there is availability of accommodation for doctors or any health personnel who will be posted to such communities, and indicate that, in doing so, it will motivate them to accept postings to the remote areas to serve those living there,” added the Atiwa East MP.

Abena Osei Asare made these assertions when she officially commissioned and handed over a two-storey building Bungalow for Doctors’ of the Enyiresi Government Hospital, to enable them to stay on-site and render quality healthcare services to patients.

“This project forms part of my personal social responsibility to give back to my constituents and to appreciate them for having trust in me and giving me the opportunity to represent them in Parliament,” she noted.

Mrs. Osei Asare believes that one way to enhance quality healthcare delivery is by ensuring decent accommodation for hardworking medical professionals, enabling them to serve the people with pride.

Furthermore, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Osei Mensah, on behalf of management, expressed gratitude to Abena Osei Asare for the infrastructure, noting that it will help them in many ways.

He reaffirmed the MP’s concerns and mentioned that the Enyiresi Government Hospital is not located within the town, and as a result, many doctors have refused postings to the facility due to accommodation challenges in the area, a situation he described as worrying.

Dr. Mensah explained that the hospital is situated along the roadside, and in emergency situations where no doctor is available, cases can worsen into more serious conditions.

He added that this is why they are grateful to Mrs. Osei Asare for coming to their aid and addressing the major challenges confronting the hospital.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.

The South-East Channel Development Manager for Mobile Telephone Network (MTN), Ali Faisal, disclosed that Mobile Money has created over 440,000 jobs for Ghanaians, comprising more than 200,000 mobile agents and 240,000 merchants. 

According to him, these people have also employed millions of Ghanaian youth, helping to reduce the unemployment rate in the country. 

“The purpose of this initiative is to help promote digital financial services, and this move would allow everybody to do their transactions without holding physical cash,” he said. 

Mr. Faisal made these remarks in Koforidua when 74 MoMo Agent and Merchant from the Eastern, Oti, and Volta Regions were awarded cash prizes ranging from GH¢2,000 to GH¢20,000 in appreciation of their relentless efforts in sustaining the initiative. 

He further stated that the government is looking forward to everybody coming on board to help expand financial access, since not all citizens have a bank account. 

“Currently, we have over 18 million clients, and they are using their wallets to help extend the financial access to the rural communities,” he recounted. 

One of the awardees, Zokli Wilson Kwasi from the Volta Region, who walked home with GH¢20,000, expressed his profound gratitude to MTN for recognizing his efforts and honoring him. 

He said he would invest the money received into his business and create more jobs for the youth.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.

The District Chief Executive of the Fanteakwa South District Assembly in the Eastern Region, Mercy Korang, has praised the President John Dramani Mahama-led government for prioritizing the welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Her commendation follows the increment in the PWDs Common Fund allocated to all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies across the country.

Initially, the PWDs Common Fund allocation stood at 3%, but under the able leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, it has been increased to 5% to enable a larger number of beneficiaries to access support under the programme.

The initiative aims to empower PWDs economically, reduce poverty, enhance their social image, and encourage participation in the labour market.

Mrs. Korang made these remarks at Dwenase on Monday, December 17, 2025, when she disbursed items to over 100 physically challenged persons in the district.

The items included freezers, charcoal, a fufu machines, and spraying machines, among others.

The DCE explained that upon receipt of the funds, the Assembly consulted the beneficiaries on the items they preferred to acquire to improve their standard of living before the purchases were made.

She noted that this approach was in line with the President’s vision to discourage persons with disabilities from resorting to begging on the streets.

Mrs. Korang further advised the beneficiaries to take proper care of the items and reinvest the proceeds from their businesses to expand operations and create job opportunities for other unemployed colleagues.

She also cautioned them against selling the items provided by the government, warning that anyone found culpable would face wrath from the Assembly.

On their part, some beneficiaries expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for recognizing them in his governance and to the DCE, Mercy Korang, for distributing the transformational items to support their livelihoods.

They assured the government that they would not sell the items but would instead use them for their intended purpose.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.

The Principal of the Presbyterian Women’s College of Education, Aburi, in the Akuapem South Municipal Assembly of the Eastern Region, Madam Cynthia Anim, has commended the 2024 year group of the institution, whose academic performance has put many in a state of shock.

Out of the total number of 369 students who graduated, 145 attained first-class honours, 167 obtained second-class upper division, 50 secured second-class lower division, while 7 placed in the third-class category.

According to her, since the inception of the institution in 1928, this is the first time in its history that over 140 students have achieved such results, a feat she described as an amazing performance. She added that the institution is looking forward to excelling in the subsequent years ahead.

Madam Anim further noted that the 2024 graduation statistics demonstrate a remarkable improvement over the 2023 year group performance. In 2023, only 37 graduates attained first-class honours, as against 145 in 2024, which she said indicates that the institution has harvested the fruits of its labour.

The overall best graduating student, Emmanuella Anim Tetteh, in her valedictorian speech, stated that the Presbyterian Women’s College of Education, Aburi, has helped shape their lives and that they will impact their learners to become useful to society.

“As we step into the classroom of tomorrow, let us not forget the responsibility entrusted to us because our hands lie in the future of the countless children, and indeed, the destiny of our beloved nation,” she urged her colleague graduates.

For his part, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Right Reverend Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, admonished the graduates to go and shine in any community they would be posted to, so that the young people there would seek to make a living in a corruption-free society where the state is not looted.

He also used the opportunity to remind the government that it initiated a process of converting some Colleges of Education into fully fledged universities and that they were waiting for the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to be passed. However, he noted that the process appears to have stalled.

He therefore appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to continue the process, stressing that the colleges already have the structures required to be elevated to university status.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, in her address, said today is a testament to the graduates’ diligence and readiness to take on the world, indicating that as educators, they are embarking on a sacred mission to shape the minds of future generations.

“I am optimistic that the knowledge and skills they have acquired at the Presbyterian Women’s College of Education, Aburi, will empower them to contribute meaningfully to society, to instill values in the youth, and to foster an environment where learning is not about academics but is about creating responsible and well-rounded citizens,” she opined.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.