11 Death Toll On Yeji Disaster So Far

Eleven bodies have been retrieved

Eleven bodies in total have so far been retrieved from the Volta River following Sunday’s boat disaster which initially killed six children.

The bodies of the six children (all under three years old) were retrieved from the river on Sunday by a rescue team.Subsequently five bodies were retrieved on Monday May 30.

Apart from being overloaded with passengers, the boat that sunk also had cows on board, Pru District Chief Executive Emmanuel Kwame Poku revealed in an interview with Prince Minkah on Class91.3fm’s Executive Breakfast Show on Monday May 30.

The boat capsized after hitting a tree stump, a correspondent with Alive FM in the Brong Ahafo Region, Daniel Takyi, reported.

According to the DCE, the cows kept getting the boat off balance in their attempt to get up during the trip, per accounts related to him after the accident. “…I know they were overloaded and somebody even told me there were some cows in the boat, so anytime the cows want to stand up in the [boat], you know what will happen. So, it’s true overloading and the tree stumps are the causes of the numerous accidents we have been getting,” he said.

Mr Poku said the naval officers patrolling both ends of the river have been mandated to check overloading, and, so, wondered why the problem persisted.

 

In an earlier interview with Prince Minkah on the same programme, DSP Abraham Bansah, Yeji District Police Commander, also confirmed that overloading played a major role in the accident.

He has, therefore, suggested that there be naval officers positioned to patrol both ends of the Volta River to ensure that vessel owners do not overload.

The passengers were being ferried from Nantwekope to Yeji in the region when the accident occurred.

A survivor told journalists that he had to struggle to save his wife and mother in the course of the rescue efforts.

The rescue team is still searching for other passengers who could not be accounted for. There have been numerous boat accidents on the Volta River in the past years. Three people died about a week ago on the same river in a similar accident.

As part of measures to curb such accidents, the DCE revealed that a law has been passed banning boat movements on the river after 6pm. He said currently the pontoon used in ferrying loadand passengers across the river, “is out of use, so, we depend on the boats”. He also said despite the availability of life jackets, passengers shun using them due to the heat it attracts.

Source:ghanaweb

Over 90 percent of ECG meters not calibrated

The raging controversy around ECG's faulty billing of some consumers, arising out of a combination of factors, including a supposedly software defect and un-standardised metering, can be blamed on institutional failure on the part of the Ghana Standards Authority and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC); Public Agenda's investigations have revealed.
The Paper's probe into the billing controversy has revealed that over 90 percent of the electricity meters imported into the country by all manner of persons (including people who have no idea about metering equipment), for public distribution are not calibrated to meet international and local standards, as required by law, and in accordance with the requirements of the Ghana Standards Authority.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) is the national standards body established by the Standards Decree of 1967 (NLCD 199) which has been superseded by the Standards Decree of 1973 (NRCD 173). The Authority is also the custodian of the Weights and Measures Decree (NRCD 326, 1975). These legislations together mandate the Authority to undertake the following functions:

• National Standards development and dissemination

• Testing Services

• Inspection Activities

• Product certification scheme

• Calibration, Verification and Inspection of Weights, Measures and Weighing and Measuring Instruments

• Pattern approval of new weighing and measuring instruments

• Destination Inspection of imported High-Risk goods

• Promoting Quality Management Systems in Industry

• Advice the Ministry of Trade and Industry, on standards and related issues

Public Agenda's checks have however established that, in addition to the reported abuse of the meter procurement activities at ECG, the company has also failed to submit meters in its custody for calibration by the Standards Authority. Only a few of the meters have recently been sent to the Standards Authority for calibration.
Calibration is the activity of checking, by comparison with a standard, the accuracy of a measuring instrument of any type. It may also include adjustment of the instrument to bring it into alignment with the standard. It is like buying a watch and setting it to the local time to ensure that its reading aligns with the national reckoning of time.
“If we all refuse to set the time on the clocks we buy, then certainly we shall all have different time readings on our clocks, and one will be unable to tell which clock is giving the correct time” explained an industry expert, who spoke to the Public Agenda on condition of anonymity.
Calibration is very important in all manner of transactions that are based on measured volumes of tradeable, including oil, gas, water, and electricity. This is because even the most precise measuring instrument can be used to cheat if one cannot be sure that it is reading accurately.
This fact explains the practice in the downstream petroleum sector, where the Standards Authority calibrates the fuel vending machines of oil marketing companies every year. The industry regulator, the National Petroleum Authority, then follow-up with routine but unannounced inspections to ensure compliance.
Experts say, in the case of mechanical and electromagnetic meters, wear and tear, arising from continuous use can lead to wrong readings, and so they have to be re-calibrated after a reasonable period of use. The period is established on the basis of the stability of the instrument itself and a review of the calibration records that already exist to determine whether an adjustment is needed.
The internationally renowned, UK-based Optical Test and Calibration (OTC) organisation recommends a starting periodicity of 12 months for most instruments with an increase in calibration frequency (to 6 or 9 months) if adjustment is required, and a reduction in periodicity to 2 years after a sequence of annual calibrations has shown that adjustment has not been needed.
The situation in Ghana departs from the established best practice. Most meters are not calibrated, and even when they are, they are never re-calibrated throughout their lifetime.
The ECG claims it has its own laboratory to calibrate its meters, but that claim could not be verified by Public Agenda as at the time of filing this story. But even if that were the case, it raises the questions of integrity and public confidence which can best be addressed through third party verification – the very reason the Ghana Standards Authority was established by law.
It is indeed a grave failure on the part of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to have allowed the ECG to install meters that have not been independently calibrated. By failing to ensure the independent calibration of the installed meters, the PURC has clearly failed to protect consumers from the risk of being shortchanged through inaccurate meter reading.
Indeed, the inaccurate reading could also mean the ECG being shortchanged if the reading records lower than actual units of electricity consumption. Efforts to get the PURC to respond to these findings proved futile.

Source:ghanaweb

Terrorists are closer to Ghana – Doe Adjaho

 

Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho has observed that terrorists are not far from Ghana.

The speaker’s comments come on the back of the Saturday attack on Burkina Faso which led to the death of 28 and left several others injured in its wake.

There are fears the attacks may be extended to Ghana as it shares border with the French-speaking country. Reports say residents who live on Ghana’s border to Burkina Faso have started fleeing the area out of fear.

Speaking in Ho in the Volta region, the former Keta South MP said terrorism is closer to Ghana but could be averted by prayers.

“The terrorists are not very far from us; 27 people died at a Hotel in Burkina Faso. It has happened in Mali, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Where is the next point? We need to pray for this country. We have to draw closer to our God. This is the time. I have tried and tested my God and He has always worked for me,” he stated.

Meanwhile, there is public outcry in the country following the decision by the Mahama-led administration to provide shelter for two former inmates of Guantanamo Bay who were arrested on suspicion of their association with terrorist groups .


source: ghanaweb

19 MPs including Hanna Tetteh and Fiifi Kwetey sued

 

Foreign Affairs Minister and MP for the Awutu Senya West constituency, Hanna Tetteh, Minister of Agriculture, Fiifi Kwetey and 19 other MPs have been sued for consistently absenting themselves from Parliament.

Odekro, an advocacy platform seeking to promote transparency and accountability which sued the MPs had earlier petitioned the Speaker of Parliament complaining about the conduct of some 125 legislators.

In a letter dated December 2 2015, Odekro listed the names of 125 out of the 275 MPs, who it said are in breach of Article 97(1) (c) of the Constitution which states that an MP shall vacate his or her seat if:

“He is absent, without the permission in writing of the Speaker and he is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges from fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament during any period that Parliament has been summoned to meet and continues to meet.”

The group argues that they resorted to the court because “the Speaker of Parliament failed to acknowledge receipt of our letter and he also failed to honour our request to declare the seats of the defaulting MPs vacant. 

Consequently, we have instructed our lawyers to file a suit at the High Court asking the court to declare the seats of the 21 worst-offending MPs vacant.”

Below is the full list of the MPs sued by Odekro

1. Evans Paul Aidoo (Sefwi-Wiawso) – 188 Sittings

2. Hannah Serwaah Tetteh ( Awutu-Senya West) – 176 Sittings

3. Eric Opoku ( Asunafo South) – 165 Sittings

4. Akwasi Opong-Fosu ( Amenfi East) – 155 Sittings

5. (Dr) Dominic Akuritinga Ayine ( Bolgatanga East) – 150 Sittings

6. (Mrs) Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr,( Agona East ) – 135 Sittings

7. Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo (Kpone-Katamanso) – 132 Sittings

8. Mark Woyongo ( Navrongo Central ) – 126 Sittings

9. Clement Kofi Humado ( Anlo) – 124 Sittings

10. Maj. (Rtd) Mustapha Ahmed ( Ayawaso North) – 118 Sittings

11. Fiifi Fiavi Franklin Kwetey (Ketu South) – 110 Sittings

12. Alhaji Bashir Fuseini Alhassan (Sagnarigu) – 102 Sittings

13. James Agalga ( Builsa North) – 97 Sittings

14. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo (Wa Central)- 94 Sittings

15. Aquinas Tawiah Quansah (Mfantseman West) – 92 Sittings

16. Ken Ohene Agyapong ( Assin Central) – 89 Sittings

17. Collins Dauda ( Asutifi South) – 89 Sittings

18. Ahmed Arthur (Okaikwei South) – 84 Sittings

19. Grace Addo ( Manso Nkwanta) – 83 Sittings

20. Joseph Boakye Adu Danquah (Abuakwa North) – 76 Sittings

21. Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye – 75 Sittings

The group further added that “by this action, Odekro intends to establish a legal precedent with which to sue the remaining defaulting MPs to vacate their seats.” Source:ghanaweb

Ex-Gitmo transfer: OccupyGhana plans court action

 

Pressure group OccupyGhana says it will head to court if government fails to provide answers to some 23 questions it has posed about the decision to shelter two former Guantanamo Bay detainees in Ghana.

The group says government must indicate the full legal status it has granted to the two ex-detainees and also disclose the agreement between Ghana and the USA.

OccupyGhana also wants to know if Parliament or any of its Committees at any point in time was briefed on government’s decision to accept the detainees.

“If Parliament or any of its Committees was involved, kindly furnish the name(s) and the date(s),” the pressure demands.

OccupyGhana’s letter to the Foreign Minister forms part of fierce criticism against the John Mahama-led administration’s decision to accept Mohammed Omar Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby from the United States.
Spokesperson Nana Sarpong Agyeman-Badu believes the pressure group’s action is backed by law.

“We are doing this based on a constitutional article, Article 21 (f) which gives us the right to information. We do not have to wait for a Freedom of Information Bill to be passed which we know is being deliberately delayed, but our Constitution gives us a right to information,” he said.

OccupyGroup is hoping the court will compel government to provide answers to the 23 questions it has asked.

Source:ghanaweb.com

Police transfers 7 suspects with AK 47s to Accra

 

The Ghana Police Service has transferred to Accra the seven people who were arrested in the Northern region with rifles including two AK 47s.

The seven were arrested at Dzanton Daboase near Salaga after residents raised an alarm over their activities.

The Northern regional police spokesperson ASP Ebenezer Tetteh said the suspects have been sent to Accra for further interrogation and prosecution.

They are expected to be arraigned in court on Tuesday.

According to ASP Tetteh, the police is on the heels of one other suspect who is on the run.

“We are still pursuing him,” the public relations officer told Joy FM. “While we have taken the rest to Accra, we’re intensifying our search for him.”

According to Starr News reporter Alhaji Tanko, a laptop found in the room of one of the accused persons has videos of Taliban and other terrorism related sessions.

Tanko who had the opportunity to watch some of the videos said there was a blackboard in the room and with the inscriptions on the board, it is believed that is where the group use as their training sessions.

The Taliban is an Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan.

ASP Tetteh said the suspects are currently in police custody and yet to be charged.


Source:ghanaweb

Pressure mounts on Mahama to declare assets

Intense pressure is being brought to bear on President Mahama to declare his assets, almost four years after taking the oath of office.

Leading the charge is civil society organization, the Progressive Nationalist Forum (PNF) and being given a lot of impetus by the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).

It comes in the wake of a declaration of assets by Nigeria’s current President, Muhammadu Buhari.

During a visit of President Buhari to Ghana early this week, President Mahama was quoted as saying, “The constitutional amendment we are moving is for those declared assets to be made available to the media through possible publication; and that’s being done to make it more transparent,” when they met at the presidential villa, Peduase Lodge, in the Eastern Region.

But in a statement, the PNF asked that the president should as “a matter of urgency and as a show of his commitment to fighting corruption in Ghana, publicly declare all his assets in accordance with the declaration of assets and disqualification Act 1998 (Act 550).”

Reason 

The Act, among other things, states that “A person who holds a public office mentioned in Section 3 of this Act shall submit to the Auditor-General a written declaration of –(a) all properties or assets owned by him; and (b) all liabilities owed by him; whether directly or indirectly.”

It further provides that the declaration be made by the public officer “before taking office” and “at the end of every four years” and “at the end of the term of his office and shall in any event be submitted not later than 6 months of the occurrence of any of the events specified in this subsection.”

This is what prompted spokesman for PNF, Richard Nyamah, to issue a statement demanding as part of good governance practice and the fight against corruption, to “cause all his ministers, MPs and all other high office holders required under the Act to declare their assets without delay.”

Concern

That, he said, was because “corruption and graft are in our view, the leading cause of Ghana’s underdevelopment as public officers take office with the main objective of lining their pockets.”

Members of the PNF have since indicated their preparedness to participate in any and all activities that would lead to all presidential and parliamentary candidates in the 2016 elections to declare their assets upon filing their bids to lead this country, noting, “The fight against corruption started from the top.”

The PPP insists, “The public declaration of assets is not proscribed by any law currently enforceable in Ghana. It is permissible for the president and any other public official to publicly declare their assets to demonstrate commitment to the fight against corruption.”

Even though the president said during his interaction with the Nigerian leader that “Even in this current regime, any person who wants to challenge the assets declared by any public official is allowed to do so with a court order or a petition to CHRAJ to contest those declared assets; and the assets declared will be made available to that particular institution to investigate”, a statement signed by the National Secretary of the PPP, Kofi Asamoah-Siaw wondered, “How can we challenge the assets declared by a public official if we do not know who has filed the declaration or what has been filed?”

Distrust 

For the party, “The comment made by the president is to play the ostrich and seek refuge in the law in an attempt to renege on his commitment to promote good governance.”

That, it said, was because “The president is fully aware that the constitutional amendment process has been frozen and it will not be resurrected until his term expires in January, 2017;” and has therefore asked him to “demonstrate his commitment to public declaration of assets. We invite him to publish the names of all the public officials who have declared their assets and secondly, publish his own assets declaration form.”

Acting on the Constitutional Review Commission’s (CRC’s) recommendation that there should be a public declaration of assets regime with criminal sanctions for false declarations, the PPP said, “The president must take the lead to make this happen.”

source:ghanaweb.com

6 vehicles crash on Tema motorway

About six vehicles have been involved in an accident on the  Accra-Tema  motorway near the abattoir.

It is unclear what might have caused the accident but a motorist, Derek Laryea attributed it to “bad visibility,” as it was raining at the time.

According to him, the injured have been transferred to the hospital, but added that about 40 minutes after the accident, the Police had still not arrived at the scene.

The Accra-Tema Motorway has recorded several similar incidents in the past where victims have in some cases lost their lives.

On December, 25 2014, there was a fatal accident on the same stretch which resulted in the death of about two persons and left many others in a critical condition.

Robbery at Amanfrom again; manhunt for robbers

Residents of Amanfrom in the Ga South Municipality in the Greater Accra region have been attacked by armed robbers again.

The robbery occurred early this morning around 3 am.

Some residents who spoke to Citi News say the robbers attacked them with knives and guns.

The Amanfrom District Police Commander, ASP Quaye confirmed the incident to Citi News and added that the police are currently closing in on the robbers.

“I received calls of the robbery and I am currently moving in to ensure that we arrest them. We hear they are running towards the Great Lamptey Mills area. I understand the youth are also wielding cutlasses and looking for them,” he said.Some young men who are reportedly wielding cutlasses are also on a manhunt for the robbers.

An eyewitness who spoke to Citi News said the robbers physically bruised the hands of one of their victims with a cutlass.The area [Amanfrom] has been noted for robbery for the past few months.

The situation compelled the Accra Regional Police Commander DCOP Christian Tetteh-Yohuno to visit the area two weeks ago.

He mentioned after the visit that the poor nature of the road in the community hampered the work of the police and admonished the members of the community to contribute and construct a police post to facilitate their protection.

Last Friday, a 15 year old girl was stabbed and robbed at gunpoint at 5 in the morning when she was on her way to the market.

The latest robbery has shocked many residents due to the assurances of the police to protect them from the robbers.

source: ghanaweb.com;citifmonline

We're resuming duty with a heavy heart - Doctors

A senior member of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) Dr. Ernest Yorke has said doctors are resuming duty today with a heavy heart.

The doctors called off their three-week-old strike on Friday after pleas from the general public, chiefs and government.

The doctors are demanding codified conditions of service – a package they have been demanding for decades.

Ghana’s Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, is optimistic once negotiations are reopened today, Monday, August 24, per the directive of the National Labour Commission, a deal with the GMA is likely to be clinched by the end of October.

Speaking to Kafui Dey on the Morning Starr on Monday, Dr. Yorke, who is the President of the Greater Accra regional branch of the GMA, said they are returning to work out of the respect and compassion they have for their patients and Ghanaians.

“I must say that it is with a heavy heart that we have had to resume duty. We have listened to the general public and the many prominent institutions that have appealed to us.

“So this is the time for the NLC and the other bodies involved in the negotiation process to show their integrity and to prove to us that they are what they claim they are,” he stated.


source: ghanaweb.com

NADMO officer arrested

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Coordinator for Ga East, David Dramani, has been arrested for allegedly stealing relief items meant for the June 3 disaster victims.

Starr News reported that Dramani was picked up by operatives of national security on Monday at his office.

Staff of NADMO at Ga East have also confirmed the development.

Dramani was picked up for allegedly stealing and selling the relief items. His arrest follows an investigation by the Greater Accra NADMO after Starr News uncovered massive diversion of relief items at the Ga East and Central outfits of the disaster management body last month.

“He was taking some of the relief items to somewhere nobody knows and he was intercepted by the national security people,” a staff of NADMO told Starr News.

The staff alleged that Dramani is known for hoarding relief items and that “after the June 3 disaster he kept the things somewhere and at the Dome office; and he was picking them one after the other. Nobody knows where he sends them and I’m not surprised at all.”

“He claims people are jealous about him and even told us to go and look for such post and get those items. He never gives the items to the disaster victims,” the staff added.

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinator for NADMO, Daniel Mensah, said his outfit has resolved to investigate the issue further.

source: ghanaweb.com / daily guide

Two dead men defrauded

The Zongo District police in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, are holding a 30-year-old man for allegedly defrauding two bereaved Muslim families of 
GHc 9,600 in what the police see as a new modus operandi by criminals to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

Sadat Mohammed, a teacher, who claimed to be a native of Bawku in the Upper East Region but resides at Tafo Nhyiaeso in Kumasi, purportedly defrauded the bereaved families after convincing them that their relatives owed him before they died.

He is being accused of duping the family of one Gariba of GHc 4,900 and the family of Alhaji Halidu Sulemana, 57, who was shot dead by armed robbers in his house at Adiembra TUC, Kumasi, of GHc 4,700.

The Zongo District police commander, Superintendent Rev. Dr. Nyamkeye Adane-Ameyaw, who briefed DAILY GUIDE on the matter, said the suspect’s posthumous debt claims ought to be thoroughly investigated for the law to deal with him.

He said several people might have suffered a similar fate and appealed to members of the public to report any such incident to the police for further investigations.

The police boss said on August 6, 2015, one Annatumi Gariba lodged a complaint at the police station that Sadat Mohammed had defrauded his family of GHc 4,900 while mourning the death of their relative.

According to the family, shortly after the demise of their kinsman, Sadat approached them with a claim that the departed relative owed him that amount of money being the cost of seven Dell laptop computers he (Sadat Mohammed) had supplied him (deceased) for sale.

After paying the money to him, the family became suspicious and started investigating Sadat’s claim which led them to a witness in the case, Adu Poku Ernest, a teacher at Happy International School at Tafo Nhyiaeso in Kumasi.

Police invited Adu Poku Ernest and in his statement, admitted being approached by the suspect to assist him to retrieve the money from the family. The witness said he was initially reluctant to offer his support until the suspect assured him that there was nothing fraudulent in his claim.

Ernest said he had no idea about Sadat Mohammed’s alleged dishonesty until his (Gariba’s) family alerted him that the claim might not be genuine.

In Alhaji Halidu Sulemana’s family’s case, Sadat allegedly deceived the members into believing that he had given GHc 4,700 to their relative to purchase for him unspecified number of tricycles prior to his death.

Superintendent Rev. Dr. Nyamkeye Adane-Ameyaw said Sadat admitted the offence and pleaded with the police for mercy.

source: ghanaweb.com

Retired doctors to replace striking doctors at public hospitals

Retired doctors are likely to replace striking members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) as they prepare to resign as a group on Friday.
One of such retired doctors willing to fill the gap of the agitating GMA members is a former Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Elias Sore.
Dr Sore told Joy News the exigencies of the times at the health front calls for him and other retired doctors to come out of retirement and assist.
“I wouldn’t mind going to a hospital, at all”, he told Joy News.

Health Minister, Alex Segbefia, announced Monday that government has already engaged a number of retired doctors pending the outcome of service conditions negotiations with the GMA.
“The appeal is still open; any of them who are hearing me speak should take up the offer or get in touch with the Director General of the Ghana Health Service. We are willing to use retired doctors to fill in the gaps”, Mr Segbefia had said.Dr Sore said the call by the Health Minister is in the right direction.“I know that what the Ministry is doing is to get people back as soon as possible. But if the Minister has given the go ahead and call people, we have to rally around.“But for me what I am looking at now is to really appeal to my colleagues [striking doctors] that they have gone far enough at this time. Let us pause a little and see how things go,” the retired doctor said.

About 183 network of health facilities that make up the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) are currently struggling to deal with increased patient numbers as the strike by doctors at public hospitals enters week two.

Over 2,000 doctors within the Ghana Medical Association are holding the line to resign masse after Friday August 14, 2015 if demands for their conditions of service are not sorted out by government.
Government and GMA negotiations have broken down at least twice, the recent deadlock happening last Sunday.Government teams are still discussing proposals and counter proposals in respect of the conditions of service document sought by the doctors.


source:myjoyonline

Ayew reveals Gomis talks before Chelsea clash

Ghana ace Andre Ayew has revealed French international ‘talked a lot with him’ before his English Premier League debut at Chelsea on Saturday.

The 25-year-old former Olympique Marseille star marked his Premier League debut with a fabulous stab as he inspired the Swans to hold Chelsea to a 2-2 draw at the Stamford Bridge.

Andre exhibited great composure and tenacity to he applied a scooping stab in a third attempt to beat Courtois in the Chelsea goal to level the scoring for the Welsh side after Brazilian Oscar had struck the opener for the league champions.

The Ghana deputy captain admits it was a tough debut and feels lucky to to have scored on his debut, he reveals the impact of Gomis on his debut.

“This is quite different from the French league. Bafi [Gomis] spoke to me a lot before the game. I will be getting better with few games to come,” he revealed in the post-match interview.

Andre played against Gomis on a number of occasions when the pair were in France with Gomis leading the lines at Olympique Lyon while Andre featured for Marseille.

source:ghanawe.com

Ghana ranked first in Africa for road safety performance

Ghana has been ranked first among 23 countries in Africa by the Economic Commission of Africa (ECA) for implementing most road safety action plans developed within the framework of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety (Decade) initiative.

This ranking means that at the mid-term of the decade-long global initiative, Ghana is recognized as fully implementing most of its commitments or actions within the context of its national blueprint, the National Road Safety Strategy III (2011-2020) and the African Road Safety Action plans
The ECA in a Mid-term review report released in Addis Ababa sought to assess the extent to which African countries have implemented the African Road Safety Action Plan since its adoption in 2011.
Though progress is being made, performance of the Plan based on five pillars (road safety management; mobility; vehicles; road users; and post-crash response) has been varying with some countries performing well in some pillars but failing in others.

Around 40% of countries are in the process of implementing more road safety management activities and yet more than 30% have not taken significant action to harmonise data formats and use international standards in reporting.
The report encourages countries to invest in research and develop road safety audits while introducing incentives for the importation of newer and safer vehicles and improve traffic education at schools.

Ghana was praised for its efforts at developing a national strategy, the strong coordinating profile of its lead agency the National Road Safety Commission that has led to the avoidance of duplication and waste of scarce resources.

President John Mahama and other high-level officials were commended for their exemplary role in road safety advocacy in Ghana and West Africa.
It is instructive to indicate that, Ghana’s road traffic situation continues to improve over the period with the implementation of the agreed action plans within the framework of NRSSIII.
In 2013 for example, 9200 road traffic crashes were recorded resulting into 12,509 casualties, out of which 1,898 were fatalities.

This represents a 15.27% reduction in Fatalities in 2013 from that of 2012.
Again Provisional data for 2014 also indicates a 2.21% reduction in fatalities from the 2013 situation.
Since 2011, Ghana’s fatality rate (deaths per 10,000 vehicles) continue to post declining levels from 17.94 in 2011 to 14.62 in 2012 and 11.11 in 2013.

In April 2012, Ghana was the only African country invited by the United Nations to share its road safety management approach considered as a model in Africa and developing economies by the United Nations.
The Commission remains encouraged by these recognitions but will remain motivated and focused on our national targets of making Ghana, a country with the safest transportation system in Africa.


source: myjoyonline.com

Parts of Kwame Nkrumah Circle interchange opens to traffic

President John Mahama will open a section of the Kwame Nkrumah interchange, which is still under construction, to traffic Friday morning.

The project which started two years ago has forced the contractor, Queiroz Galvao Construction, to create a number of diversions and relocations to ease the traffic that builds up at the busy area.
The project which costs some 74.88 million Euros is being jointly financed by the Ghana government and credit from Brazil.

Urban Roads Director, Raymond Ahwollu, said the opening of parts of the road will be preceded by a short inspection of ongoing works.
Outstanding work

Mr Gatsiko said work on the third interchange, which will link Ring Road Central to Ring Road West, was far advanced.Work on the loop, which would connect to the interchanges, was also near completion, he said.

He said the outstanding major work was the improvement of the other roads around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.Generally, Mr Gatsiko said, the whole project was about 75 per cent complete, and indicated that work would be completed by the end of December, 2015, or the end of January, 2016.
Workers were seen working on the other components of the project, which included the third interchange and culverts.Circle interchange
President Mahama cut the sod for the construction of the three-tier interchange at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra in October, 2013.
The 74.88 million euro project is being jointly financed with credit from the Brazilian Government and the Ghana Government.Aside from the three-tier interchange, other roads around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle will be improved. These include rehabilitation of the Ring Road East to the Feo Oyo Intersection on the Ring Road West.

The roads will be asphaltic concrete surfaced, with pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths.

source: myjoyonline.com

Doctors in Northern Region defy GMA’s strike directive

Some doctors in the Northern Region have defied the Ghana Medical Association’s directive to withdraw services at emergency units in public hospitals, beginning today.

The doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital say they cannot stand by and watch their patients die.

Joy News' Hashmin Mohammed was at the hospital and reports that management of the hospital is currently in a meeting with the doctors to plead with those who have refused to attend to patients to return to work.

The Association has taken the decision to press home their demands for improved conditions of service.
However, in many hospitals across the country, patients in critical conditions are bearing the brunt of the doctors’ action.

Joy News’ Erastus Asare Donkor was at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital from where he reports that a woman whom Erastus describes as “weak, pathetic and dying” has been refused treatment.
Also, the mother of a 30-year-old man brought to the hospital in a taxi begged relentlessly for her son to be attended to but to no avail.

Erastus also reports that a diabetic woman who was almost unconscious was also turned away.
He added that although there were about five doctors at the hospital, they all refused to attend to the patients.

According to Erastus, the doctors say they will only attend to patients in the wards.
But at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital, where Joy News’ Francis Abban visited this morning, the family of an old lady counted themselves lucky as their relative was taken in this dawn.

Doctors told the family that the old lady would not have been admitted if it was past 6am.
Joy News’ Matilda Wemegah was at the hospital this afternoon and reports that doctors are still attending to emergency cases.

Source: ghanawec.com

Doctors withdraw emergency services in public hospitals

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has withdrawn its emergency services from all government hospitals in the country after negotiations between them and government strained further.

The doctors have been on strike for more than a week after talks with the government over the provision of a formal document containing their conditions of service broke down.

The Parliamentary Committee on Health met the officials of the Association in an attempt to persuade the doctors to call off their strike.

However, the doctors remain adamant that they will not go back to work until their demands for conditions of service are met.

The deputy General Secretary of the GMA, Dr. Justice Yankson confirmed that a meeting had been held with the Committee, who acknowledged the concerns of the doctors stating that everything was being done to resolve the situation.

When asked why the GMA refused to call off the strike after the meeting, Dr. Yankson said: “Where we are, there’s nothing like going back to work for now. We have to deal with the issues. We also wouldn’t want things done without a proper resolution of the matter.”

The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has ordered the doctors to call off their ‘illegal strike” and return to work.

President Mahama recently reiterated that he will not be pressured in authorising payments outside the country’s budget.

The GMA is also facing a suit for embarking on the industrial action while negotiations are still ongoing.

However the GMA’s General Secretary rejected any suggestions that the association was under pressure to call off their strike.

“There is no pressure on us to go back to work. What we are asking for is simple. Provide our conditions of service. That is it,” he said.

Source: ghanaweb.com

Two alleged notorious robbers arrested in Ashanti Region

Two men believed to be the kingpins of a criminal gang that attacked and robbed travellers on the Ahenkro-Boamang road, have been nabbed by the police.The suspects, Kwame Isaac, and Adu Boahen, were seized at their Boamang hideout based upon a tip-off.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Edward Oduro-Kwarteng, Offinso Divisional Commander, told newsmen that four mobile phones and cash totalling GH? 877.00 were recovered from them.
The pair, together with four others including a woman on the run – Abdul Razak, Mustapha Amidu, Alhassan lnusah and Memunatu Alhassan, the woman, armed with pump action guns and other deadly weapons, blocked a section of the road on July 21, at about 0100 hours, and robbed drivers and travellers of their money and valuables.ACP Oduro-Kwarteng said the gang severely assaulted some of their victims and shot one person who attempted to flee in the thigh.The injured man was rushed to the Offinso Saint Patrick’s Hospital, where he was kept on admission for three days.

He said in all, travellers in four vehicles – a Mercedes Sprinter Bus, a KIA truck, Nissan Almera and an Opel Astra Taxi, lost money, cell phones and other valuables in the robbery attack.
The Divisional Commander said when the police patrol team received information about the robbery and responded the robbers had melted into the bush but in less than 24 hours after the crime, they made a breakthrough and arrested the two.
He said they would be put before court to answer for the crime as soon as the police completed their investigations and vowed to do everything to track down and arrest their fugitive colleagues.

Separately, the Neighbourhood Watch Committee at Anyinasuso has arrested three men and a woman, caught smoking dried leaves, suspected to be cannabis, and carrying a locally-made pistol.
The suspects alongside the substance and the unregistered weapon have been handed over to the police for investigations.


source:ghanaweb.com