YOUTH OF WALEWALE CELEBRATES GHANA VICTORY TO THE 1/16

It was all joy when Kwamena Yeboah announced the game between Australia and Serbia. The Australians 1 goal score gave Ghana the opportunity to make it to the 1/16 of the on going world cup in South Africa. Alot of the youth in Walewale took to the street with jubilation after the referee blew his whistle for the end of 93munites of proceedings.

WEST MAMPRUSI PREPARES FOR DISASTERS

The West Mamprusi District in the Northern Region is taking realistic measures to reduce the damaging effects of any possible rain disaster that may occur in the area during the rainy season.

The district is one of the areas, which experiences annual disasters such as floods; heavy rains or when the Volta River overflows its bank into nearby communities as a result of the opening of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso.

Speaking to Mr. Mashood of the C.I.C at the assembly, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. Salley Abudu Lord Zakaria, said the District Disaster Management team had been constituted, and had begun putting measures in place to forestall any disaster.
The team, he stated, had dispatched an information van to flood-prone communities in the district to create awareness on the need to move to safer grounds.

He added that the team had met with assembly members from the various communities to discuss possible ways of assisting people in those areas before, and during the rains.

Mr. Zakaria further revealed that a contingency fund had been allocated in the budget to be used in undertaking any interventions that might be needed in case of any disaster.

The interventions include the provision of relief items such as mattresses, roofing sheets, clothing, food and medicine.
Mr. Zakaria stated that the only difficulty that might impede the work of the team would be the refusal of the people in the communities to move to safer grounds.

"We would try to convince them on the need to move since it is for their own safety," he stated.

The DCE said currently, the team was preparing to assist the people of Nakpaya, where 21 rooms were burnt down last month as a result of communal violence.
"We will soon provide the affected persons with some relief items to enable them to start life afresh," he added.

D.C.E PRESENTS SIX TRACTORS TO FARMERS

The West Mamaprusi District Chief Executive, Hon.Zakaria Sulley has presented six tractors to some farmers in the District. The beneficiaries, namely Tonzua Ibrahim from Boamasa, Ibrahim Zakari from Meshoa, Adams from Bulbia and Danteni Hamisu of Nasia. Each tractors cost an amount of GH 360.00 and the farmers are advised to work and pay. The farmer already payed GH 90.00 for a start, GH 400.00 in December and GH 300.00 in 2011. Making the total of GH 360.00.

Four water pumps had also been given out on high purchase to farmers to engage in dry season farming and expected to cultivate some 200 hectares of Maize around Kparipiri and Suhuluya communities.

Mr. Zakaria who made the presentation in Walewale on Thursday named the tractor beneficiary communities as Selinvoya, Boamasa, Mashio, Bulbiya, Zua and Nasia and was expected to cultivate as many hectares as they could and to support about 250 farmers each to help fight poverty in the district.

He said the tractors and the water pumping machines would help Kparipiri and Suhuluya communities to engage in dry season maize farming.

He said the District Ministry of Food and Agriculture officials had registered some 3,098 farmers for consideration by way of assistance to cultivate food stuffs while about 450 farmers in eight communities would also be assisted in seed and tractor services to cultivate the“jatropha” plant.

Mr. Zakaria appealed to farmers to make judicious use of the tractors and the pumping machines to increase food production to ensure that government’s efforts at using agriculture to fight poverty was achieved.

He said government was aware of the developmental needs of all communities and gave the assurance that everything would be done to ensure that people’s needs were addressed.

He appealed to the people to help government to carry out its “Better Ghana” agenda by maintaining peace and security in the district.

Mr. Zakaria later made a presentation of relief items to persons whose houses were burnt in Nakpaya early last month and appealed to the people to remain calm since the matter was still under investigation.

The relief items included maize, cow pea, millet, rice, robber buckets and mats, T-shirts, packets of roofing sheets and distributed among the 152 persons who were affected.

The D.C.E on behalf of the Ministry of Food and Agricultural cautioned the beneficiaries not to use the tractors for heavy goods but rather for plughing and to be very careful with places with running water, since most tractor drivers are found of using the tractors to cross rivers. He advised the farmers to talk to their drivers to handle the tractors with care by maintaining them daily. He also added that the Ministry of Agriculture through extension officers will reach out to them and educate them on how to use the tractors. Mr. Ibrahim Zakari, one of the beneficiaries spoke on behalf of his colleague and promised the tractors were going to be put into good use. The District MOFA Officer advised the farmers to do so.

Four Tractors Assembled At
The West Mamprusi District Assembly

NATIONAL LAUNCH OF TENI HELD IN WALEWALE

At 2:30pm we had most of the Chiefs and dignitaries arriving for the programme.

Arrival of Walewale Chief (Durana Mahami Salifu)

The Programme started with a traditional dance by the Zangum zone, to entertain the guests while they waited for his Excellency Hon. John Dramani Mahama, Vice President.

At 3:21pm, the Vice President arrived and went round as usual to greet the chiefs, dignitaries and others that had made it to the programme.

Next on the agenda was a prayer by the Chief Imam of Walewale, Alhaji Labaran.

Chief Imam of Walewale, Alhaji Labaran.

Evelyn Boateng of ISODEC was called to introduce the chairperson. The Chairman Professor Nabila, the Chief of Wulugu and the president of the National House of Chiefs accepted to start the program by first delivering his speech. He congratulated and thanked the V.S.O and founding partners for introducing such an initiative for the three northern regions. He also thanked his Excellency Hon. John Dramani Mahama for actually making it to the programme despite his busy schedule. He stated that the TENI Project will help girls in the three northern regions to excel high in education.

EVELYN BOATENG OF ISODEC INTRODUCING THE CHAIRMAN

THE CHAIRMAN PROFESSOR NABILA,

GIVING HIS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH.

To his right is the Vice President followed by the Regional Minister and the D.C.E

In his speech, the District Chief Executive Hon. Zakaria Sulley stated that he was so glad that the V.S.O has decided to choose West Mamprugu for the National launch of TENI. He said that the TENI Project will be very beneficial to girl child education in the district. He also thanked the government for the increase of 100% in capitation grants. He didn't also forget to thank N.G.Os that are also helping in one way or another for good education in the district.

Hon.Zakaria Sulley D.C.E

He concluded by mentioning some problems like the lack of professional teachers in the district, poor roads to the Oversea areas and high illiteracy rates. He therefore called on Government to deal with some of these problems in order to improve the situation.

Mr. Amidu Ibrahim the Country Director of V.S.O gave a brief insight into TENI and how the project is designed to bring about change for the girl child and those with disabilities. He also spelled out some of the problems that V.S.O and TENI had noticed in the three northern regions of Ghana. Notable of which are that only 10% of pupils in primary six can read and with understanding (90% cannot), and only 65% of boys and 52% of girls manage to complete J.H.S in the Northern Region, far lower than the national average. There are also concerns over some Socio-cultural beliefs and practices which prevent girls from being supported in their schooling.

He mentioned the solutions to these problems as upgrading teachers training colleagues in the country, increase in the capitation grants etc. TENI is a girls' name and education for girls is of paramount importance. He therefore assured every one that the TENI Project will work with the District Assembly to improve the livelihood of women. TENI is founded to the tune of 3 million pounds by Comic Relief with an additional 1.5million pounds being provided by V.S.O to help. The TENI Project will also support the national scheme. TENI will work with S.M.O, Community leaders etc. and there are three research institutions, one in UK and two in Ghana, monitoring the impact of the project

He ended his speech with a powerful statement "Working together, I know we can help to solve the problem of education in Northern Ghana. If we are victorious, we can look forward to a Northern Ghana that is thriving, free of conflicts, no longer a scar on the conscience of the nation but an active participant, contributing more than its quota to national development and where youth can see a future for themselves and their children

Mr. Amidu Ibrahim Country Director for V.S.O giving his speech

Next on the agenda was a drama by school children from Gbimsi. Entitled; “IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION”.

This wonderful and entertaining Drama was staged by the Gbimsi R/C J.H.S

It was now the turn for his Excellency Hon. John Dramani Mahama. He started his speech by first thanking every one for coming to witness the launch of such an important project. In particular, thanking the Gbimsi J.H.S for the wonderful and interesting drama staged. He explained from the drama that some parents think it is more important to be wealthier or to become a chief, giving a daughter out for marriage rather than educating her. Kayaye was another point the Vice President spoke on and advised parents and children to do away with such thoughts and take education seriously, since that is the only good way to make life better. He said that lessons learned from the play/ drama should be taken seriously. The Vice President also apologised to the gathering for his delayance in Tamale.

He mentioned some developments the N.D.C Government have started initiating in their sixteen months in power. They have setup agricultural mechanisms as stated in the N.D.C manifesto; they intend to construct bridge from WA, Kpasimkpe to Walewale and the intention is to open up the Overseas area for farmers to be able to bring their products to the district capital and other places to sell.

Vice President delivering a speech

To his left is the Regional Minister and next to him is the D.C.E

He mentioned that in 16 months of rule, the N.D.C has worked with sound policies like free school uniforms and free exercise books. He called on every one to take on the responsibility of the education of the girl child. He stated some contributory factors affecting the girl child education were illiteracy and lack of professional teachers etc. He called on community leaders and members to see it as a responsibility too and not to leave every thing for the government, since we can all help to improve the provision of quality education. 50 years of V.S.O has been very instrumental in improving education in northern Ghana.

He called on the people of Walewale to embrace the Project and encourage V.S.O. He concluded by announcing this as the National launch of the TENI PROJECT.

Hon. John Dramani Mahama

Closing remarks by the Chairman. He thanked the Chiefs and all the dignitaries for coming to witness the National launch of TENI PROJECT in Walewale.

PICTURES OF THE CEREMONY

Alhaji Mohammed Haroon District Director of Education for West Mamprusi and several others

Charlotte Cashman, the woman pushing for the clubs, G.E.S and this TENI Project.

Dressed in her Ghanaian wear

His Excellency Hon. John Dramani Mahama

waves to the people, to his right is the D.C.E, behind him is the Regional Minister and the Member of Parliament for Walewale Hon. Iddirisu Zakaria.

The President of the National House of Chiefs and Chief of Wulugu. Professor Nabila greeting the Chief of Wungu and his elders.








Alhaji Mohammed Haroon shaking the hands of the Chairman, Professor Nabila














School children came out to witness the launch of TENI and also staged a play on the importance of education.










Arrival of his Excellency Hon. John Dramani Mahama to the ceremony














Arrival of the District Chief Imam Alhaji Labaran to the ceremony











Arrival of Nazori, the Chief of Wungu













The D.C.E in front, followed by his Excellency and then the Regional Minister.

They were exchanging hand shakes with the guests.








exchanging hand shakes with the guests.

Nazori the Chief of Wungu and his elders
witnessing the ceremony

RAIN STORMS WALEWALE

Last year in the same season, several people lost their properties and thousands damaged by strong rain storm. Yesterday at about 8:45pm, a strong rain, stormed the walewale township and caused a lot of damage to properties.
This is a picture of L/A ( D/A) primary school in a very bad state, caused by the storm. There are several others including homes and stores, walewale market and even electric cables, bringing work to a stand still.
Political Offices were not left out and one of those is the District Office of the People Convention Party which is sited along the Bolgatanga- Tamale road. This situation is getting out of hand and the forest department will have to come in by introducing Afforestation and other win protective measures to combat the problem.

Step By Step Enterprise, a popular bookshop in the District, was not left out. As you can see in the picture. Madam Maggie the owner of the bookshop explained that she was very sad when the news got to her, but said she will appreciate it if NADMO could come to her aid by helping with roofing sheet and others.
This morning the District Chief Executive Mr. Zakaria Sulley together with others visited places in the town that were affected, to see how bad the situation was and what to do in other to solve this yearly problem in Walewale.
District Chief Executive in the Red & white Smock

I.C.T CLUBS FORMED IN WALEWALE

RESOLUTION ADOPTED DURING A ZONAL GNAT MEETING ON ASSAULT CASE- MR. IDDRISU SHANSUDEEN ON 24TH MARCH, 2010.

J.H.S Teachers in the West Mamprusi District today embark on a strike on behalf of their colleague teacher MR. IDDRISU SHANSUDEEN

who was assaulted physically in the presence of pupils and the community folk on the 19^th February, 2010 at the town park while on duty. The GNAT Secretary in a speech stated that the house in attempt to ensure sanity for pupils and teachers and that of academic work, resolved to embark on a sitting strike action until the said culprit is apprehended.

He made mention to the District Director of another issue of concern to teachers which was the continuous stay of Alhaji Sibdow (Man Power) who went on retirement on 6^th March, 2010.And have not handed over since then.

He therefore stated on behalf of teachers that, Alhaji Sibdow (Man Power) hands over completely to the office.

The District Director of Education,Alhaji Mohammed Haroon (Cambodia) promise the teachers, that he will not let the case lying down, but is going to take a serious measure against the culprit. He therefore pleaded with the teachers to take the matter easy and go back to class, since it was affecting the innocents’ future stars of mother Ghana.





Alhaji Mohammed Haroon
addressing the teachers

PATRICT ANGANTAH

ZONAL GNAT SECRETARY
HOLDING THE WHITE CAP

Walewale I.C.T Club

WEST MAMPRUSI: 30 basic schools in the north rehabilitated

WEST MAMPRUSI: 30 basic schools in the north rehabilitated

The beneficiary districts are Tamale, Tolon/Kunbumgu, Savelugu/ Nanton, Karaga and West Mamprusi.

Mr. Martin Esson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer of MiDA who inaugurated one of the schools at Yama in West Mamprusi District, explained that the rehabilitation of the educational facilities was in line with the aims of MiDA’s programme to ensure that, farmers’ children access formal school.

This, he noted, would enable the children to benefit from a sound foundation and give them the opportunity to develop themselves in future.

Mr, Esson-Benjamin stressed that the most effective way to arrest the poverty situation in the area was to offer quality education to the children.

He said MiDA intends to address the shortages of qualified teachers in its operational zones in the rural areas.

Mr. Esson-Benjamin explained that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had agreed to collaborate with the authorities to address the problem of qualified teachers by releasing funds to sponsor individuals in the communities who are desirous to be trained as teachers.

He also indicated that MiDA was. in the process of constructing headteacher quarters. in all the schools to help improve teaching and learning "as the headteachers will stay near the.sehool to monitor the teachers".

Mr. Zakari Abudu, District Chief Executive for West Mamprusi District, commended MiDA for assistance and promised that the assembly would put in place a mechanism to maintain the facilities to prolong their lifespan.

Mr. Abudu, therefore, urged all parents in the area to enroll their wards in school and ensure their retention.

He said that it was the intention of government to improve quality teaching and learning in every part of the country, hence the assembly would not hesitate to partner any.development agencies
to achieve that goal.

Thirty-three basic and second-cycle schools in the three northern regions have been selected to benefit from the Global School Partnerships programme.

Both pupils and authorities of the selected scholls would benefit from several learning opportunities that would result from several their partnerships with school in orther parts of the world.

The acting manager of the British Council in Kumasi, Ms Bridget Konadu gyamfi, made this known in Tamale at a regional training workshop for 60 selected teachers who would facilitate the project in the Northern Region.

The Global School Partnerships (GSP) programme is a British Council programme designed to promote partnerships between schools in the United Kingdom (UK) and those in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

It is funded by the UK aid through the Department for International Development (DFID). The programme provides advice and guidance, professional development opportunities and grants to partner schools towards the devetopment of a global dimension within their curriculum.

It also helps to raise young people’s awareness of global development issues and equip them with the skills and knowledge to become active players in the global stage.

In Ghana, the British Council is implementing the project in collaboration with several non-governmental organisations.

Ms Gyamfi said through the programme some of the teachers would have the opportunity to travel outside the country for exchange programmes.

She said the training would also enhance the teachers’ knowledge in handling children’s affairs, as well as deepen their knowledge in internal affairs.

She said so far 280 schools throughout the country were benefiting from the programme.

The Director of Child Reach International, one of the implementing non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Mr Frederick Safo, noted that education in the Northern Region was not up to the required standards, particularly in the rural areas.

He expressed that hope that by linking these rural schools to schools in the UK, they would get some support to improve academic performance and the general standard of education in the region.

NADMO to distribute Ghana @ 50 paraphernalia

The Executive Committee of the West Mamprusi District Assembly has directed the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to distribute all Ghana @ 50 paraphernalia still locked up in the assembly’s store room to people.

Mr. Sulley Abudu Zakaria, the District Chief Executive, gave the directive in Walewale during the Third General Meeting of the assembly and said there should be fair distribution of the items.

The items included 2,213 pieces of T-shirts, 1,071 pieces of base ball caps, 30 yards of anniversary cloth and 629 pieces of polo T-shirts left at the District Assembly’s store room in Walewale.

On the 2009 floods that hit the district, Mr. Zakaria said steps were being put in place by the assembly for NADMO to resettle the affected persons and called on NGOs and other donor agencies to assist in resettling displaced persons.

He said statistics from the district NADMO office showed that some 5,314 households were affected in 88 communities with a total of 2,198 houses completely destroyed.

Additionally, an estimated 43,824 people were displaced while 25,376 acres of farmlands were destroyed.

Five people lost their lives in the disaster and that though government had offered relief support it was not enough to support all the victims.

Mr. Zakaria said the Assembly was adopting a short to medium term strategy to integrate climate change concerns into its development planning.

He said the Assembly was developing a proposal for possible funding by the UNDP in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) to create a buffer zone along the banks of the river where farming activities had resulted in siltation and contributed to the perennial flooding.

Mr Zakaria said under the proposal economic trees would be planted along the river as well as a dam to serve farmers in the catchments area so that they would desist from farming close to the river.

On the internally generated funds, he said the district collected GH¢87,088.56 at the end of October instead of the projected GH¢109,550.

Mr. Zakaria said assembly members, chiefs, area councils and traditional rulers would from 2010 be involved in revenue mobilization.

He said as part of measures to widen the tax net, all donkey carts would be registered and taxed while fees would be collected on sheanut exports and money lending institutions in the district would also be taxed.

Mr Zakaria outlined the development agenda of the Assembly and stressed that infrastructure development in education and health institutions would be improved while roads linking farming communities would be up-grated.

He said evaluation of tenders were ongoing for the award of four road projects namely, the Kparigu/Shelinvoya 9.4-kilometer road, Walewale/Zangum 12-kilometer road, Kubori/Mankarigu 12- kilometer road and the Gbani-Kparigu nine-kilometer road.

Mr. Zakaria said some communities had been earmarked to benefit from Millennium Challenge Accounts protects while others would benefit from boreholes and the provision of small water schemes

Rural Banks should check fraud- Mr. Adamtey

Mr. Reuben Adamtey, Bolgatanga Branch Manager of the ARB Apex Bank has advised rural and community banks to check fraud in the banking industry.

"One serious issue that I want to draw your attention to is fraud, which has reared its ugly head in the banking industry especially in the rural and community banks", Mr. Adamtey said at the Ninth Annual General Meeting of the Bangmarigu Community Bank at Walewale in the West Mamprusi District.

He said it was necessary for managers of rural and community banks to conduct thorough background checks on persons who want to open accounts with their banks to ensure that they were not fraudsters.

He said the situation also called for caution on the part of all stakeholders to help curtail the activities of the fraudsters to bring sanity into the banking industry to enable customers to transact their business in a friendly atmosphere.

Mr. Adamtey said internal control mechanisms also needed to be strengthened to ensure that the various management of the banks did not recruit people with dubious characters to thwart success and also equip the personnel with the tools to work.

He said the E-zwich, E-fass and Cheque Clearing were technological innovations, which should compel all bank employees to update their skills in order to face the challenges ahead.

Mr. John Asabigi, Board Chairman of the Bank, said the 2008 electioneering campaigns impacted negatively on some aspects of operations of the bank since most customers were no more depositing money.

He said despite the abysmal deposit and savings culture in 2008, the bank forged ahead and made some gains in loans recoveries while purchase of treasury bills had also increased tremendously.

He said the outstanding loan portfolio between 2007 and 2008 showed an increase of 47.56 per cent from GH¢448,599.00 to GH¢661,975.00.

Mr. Asabigi said though the bank recorded net profit of GH¢68,554.00, this was 12.64 per cent below the 2007 figure of GH¢ 78,475.00, while total income increased by 33 per cent from GH¢237,026.00 in 2007 to GH¢315,429.00 in 2008.

He said the increase of 55.7 per cent in operating expenses from GH¢158,551.00 to GH¢246,875.00 between the two periods outweighed the gains in total income.

He said during the year 2008, the bank supported the Nalerigu Senior High School with books and the farmers’ day celebration and the Ghana Education Service in the district with funds.

Mr. Asabigi appealed to chiefs and land owners in the district to provide the bank with land to build its own structure so that money used in paying rent on the current building would be channelled in supporting local projects.

Rev. Father Moses Yaboah, Catholic Priest of the Walewale Parish who was the guest of honour appealed to management of rural banks to widen their net to cover deprived communities to ensure that farmers cultivated the habit of saving.

He said it was necessary to open agencies in the overseas areas of the district so that those who were reluctant to travel to Walewale to save or open accounts would so in their localities.

Mr. Gyimah Patrick Attah, Head master of the Walewale Senior High who chaired the function advised management of the bank not focus on competition but should focus on quality service to make more gains.