President advocates quality career counseling for students

From Edmund Mingle, Kumasi

President Mahama addressing the students

President John Dramani Mahama has called for quality career guidance to support students in selecting courses, especially at the tertiary level.

That, he said, was necessary in ensuring that students pursued academic programmes that are relevant to the job market, and provides an opportunity for employment.

Pursuing courses that have demand in the current modern job market, he said, would also help to address the problem of graduate unemployment.

President Mahama made the call during an encounter with students and faculty members at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on Tuesday as part of his campaign tour of the Ashanti Region.

He said it was regrettable that some students undertake courses that are not very relevant or those fields no longer provide job opportunities, adding that students need proper guidance in deciding on courses and career path.

The President also urged the universities to align their academic courses with the demands of industry to help address graduate unemployment.

“Ghana needs a new breed of graduates whose field of study put them at an advantageous position to be absorbed by the private sector based on their knowledge and competency on the job market,” he stressed.

He indicated that many of the courses run by the universities were gradually losing their relevance on the job market.

He said they had become saturated and no longer held any prospects for the industrial development of emerging economies.

Speaking frankly, President Mahama told the students that the public sector had become choked, with the government employing about 600,000 people, saying the private sector now holds the key to employment.

In that regard, he said graduates need to possess the knowledge and skills required by the private sector to gain employment, or be proactive and innovate enough to create their own enterprises.

He encouraged the youth to have the courage to set up their own businesses to create job for themselves and others.

The students listening to President Mahama during the
encounter at the Great Hall of KNUSt

Touching on national development in general, he highlighted his government’s achievements over the last four years and said a lot of progress had been made, and therefore urged the students to vote massively for the ruling NDC to enable them government to continue its works.

President launches Braille version of NDC manifesto

By Edmund Mingle
President John Mahama yesterday, launched a Braille version of the ruling National Democratic Congress’ 2016 manifesto with a pledge to continue to cater for the needs of the disabled and ensure their active inclusion in development agenda.

It makes Ghana the second country in Africa, after South Africa, to introduce a Braille manifesto, which the party believes would enable the disabled to hold the government to account.

Three per cent of Ghana’s population are physically challenged, out of which 40 per cent are visually impaired.

President Mahama, who launched the distribution of motorised tricycles for the disabled across the country, in Accra yesterday said the two interventions were indicative of his administration’s commitment to the development and inclusion of the physically challenged in national development.

“Social protection has been and will remain an integral part of the broad development policy of the NDC,” he said.

He enumerated the various interventions undertaken by the government in support of the physically challenged, citing the increased allocation percentage from the District Assemblies Common Fund for the disabled, skills training for the disabled, employment of over 4,000 disabled through the Youth Employment Agency, free registration of the disabled onto the National Health Insurance Scheme, as well as support for special schools, as key successes the government would build on in its next term.

In addition the President said the new Ayalolo rapid transport buses were disability friendly, adding that a new Ghana Accessibility Standard regulation would soon be introduced to ensure that all building structures and public places were disability friendly.

Touching on the performance of the visually impaired Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Dr Henry Seidu Daannaa, the President said he has been efficient and effective as any other cabinet minister, irrespective of his disability.

Dr. Daanaa’s inclusion in his ministerial team, he said, has made Cabinet more disability friendly, and urged Parliament to also get disability friendly in preparation to receive Dr. Daanaa who is also contesting the Wa East Parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NDC.

He assured the physically challenged of more support from the government indicating that, “Although we have done a lot, a lot remain to be done,” he said, adding that “we are clear on what has to be done and be promise to do it”.

As part of the launching copies of the Braille manifesto were handed over to the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisation for distribution to the various disability groups.

Declare cost of redenomination, President Mahama dares NPP

By Edmund Mingle

President John Mahama yesterday challenged the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to disclose the cost of the Cedi redenomination exercise its government conducted in 2007.

According to the President, Ghanaians need to know the cost, wondering why it has been kept secret by the NPP.

“Even I as President do not know how much it cost the nation for the redenomination,” he said.

Addressing a mammoth rally at Darkuman in Accra as part of his second phase of his campaign tour of the Greater Accra Region, President Mahama accused the NPP of corruption in the conduct of the redenomination.

President Mahama addressing supporters at the rally
 at Darkuman in Accra

He particularly challenged NPP’s running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who was the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana at the time of the redenomination, to disclose the cost if they have nothing to hide.

“At least my administration has been transparent and accountable in all projects we have undertaken, but the same cannot be said about the NPP government whose activities were shrouded in secrecy,” he said.

“They have failed to remove the log in their eyes, and rather want Ghanaians to think that we are corrupt by making false corruption allegations about our projects.

“They think Ghanaians have forgotten about their corrupt practices,” he said.

Responding to accusations of economic mismanagement leveled against his administration by the NPP flagbearer at the party’s manifesto launch last Sunday, President Mahama described it as an attempt to deceive Ghanaians.

“The NPP left us with a budget deficit of 19 per cent and we have reduced it to nearly five per cent.

“Who then should be accused of mismanagement?” he asked.

Touching on job creation, President said his administration’s high investment in infrastructure development, education, skills training and enterprise development intervention would result in jobs for the people.

“No President would line up Ghanaians and distribute monies to them,” he said, and cautioned the electorate to be suspicious of parties promising to supply monies.

He said the policy of his party is to provide infrastructure for businesses to thrive and also equip the youth with the requisite education and skills to enable them to secure job to earn incomes.

From Darkuman, the President moved to Fadama where he called on the National Chief Imam and Muslim elders, as well as addressed a large crowd of supporters.

Earlier he visited the Kaneshie Market where he interacted with the traders, promising them of plans to upgrade the market as well as various trade facilitation interventions such as small loans to enhance their work.

He also addressed a rally at Bubuashie where he urged the electorate to have faith in the competence of his administration to propel the rapid development of the country.

Saviour Church commends govt on education

From Edmund Mingle, Osiem

The leadership of the Saviour Church of Ghana has commended the government for the increased investment in the education sector for the benefit of Ghanaian children.

The church believes the increased provision of infrastructure that has expanded access to education, as well as programmes to make education affordable, would help to secure the future of children in the country.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur interacting with
Opanyin Adusei (second from left) and other executives of the church 

Opanyin Abraham Adusei, General Superintendent of the Church, gave the commendation when the Vice President, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, called on him and the church executives, at their headquarters at Osiem in the Eastern Region on Saturday,.

According to him the church continues to witness the good works of the government in the education, health, agriculture and road sectors, and described the revamping of teaching and health education, as well as the provision of more basic, secondary and tertiary school facilities as laudable.

Opanyin Adusei, who is also the President of the World Cocoa Farmers Organisation, also commended the government for supporting the church’s schools, by assisting in the building of three multi-storey senior high school block as well as the provision of classroom facilities for the church’s nursing training college.

He also thanked the government for the assistance in the establishment of a hospital by the church, and expressed optimism that the partnership between the government and the church would continue to flourish.

“No government has done so much for the church than the present administration,” he said, and declared the support of the church for the government.

The church, which thousands of followers and branches across the country, operates basic and secondary schools, vocational and technical institutes, a health training college, farms and housing scheme for its members with the aim of developing both the spiritual, intellectual and physical well-being of people.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur, who visited the church as part of his three-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region, commended the church for efforts at promoting human resource development.
He lauded the establishment of schools by the church saying it would complement the efforts of the government in making education more accessible and affordable.

To reciprocate that contribution, he gave the assurance that the government would continue to advance the needed assistance to enable the church to undertake more projects for community development.

Trust us to deliver more----Veep

From Edmund Mingle, Larteh

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur at the weekend joined the chiefs and people of Larteh Akuapem in the Eastern Region, to celebrate their annual Odwira festival, with a call on Ghanaians to trust the government to deliver development.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur exchanging pleasantries
 with Osabarima Asiedu Okoo Ababio III at the Odwira durbar.

According to him, the government remained committed to developing all areas of the economy, and would continue in that line when retained in power.
“Ghanaians are discerning enough to judge the performance of the government”, he said, adding that the essence of governance was development which the government would continue to pursue when given another mandate.

Touting the performance of the government in building a viable socio-economic foundation for the country, Vice-President Amissah-Arthur believed the good performance of the Mahama administration would convince Ghanaians to renew its mandate.
He urged the electorate to be vigilant against deceit and vain promises by politicians, adding that the ruling National Democratic Congress would remain truthful with Ghanaians.
“Our performance is there for all to see. Ghanaians have seen what we have been able to do, and we have told them what we will do in the next four years.
“We will be sincere and we will not make promises that we cannot fulfill,” he stated.
Touching on development projects in Larteh and the Akuapem area in general, he said in spite of the unfavourable voting pattern against the NDC, the government did not discriminate against the area by way of development.
He cited various projects in the roads, water, education, health and trade sectors which have been executed in the area by the government, and urged the people to massively support the government to retain power to do more for them.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur congratulated the chiefs and people of Larteh on the celebration, and promised them more development projects.
Osabarima Asiedu Okoo Ababio III, chief of Larteh, in his welcome address earlier, commended the government for the various development interventions in the area, but called for more.
He particularly appealed for more senior high school blocks and additional social amenities to support the expansion of the economy of the area.

Trainee nurses urged to accept govt decision

From Edmund Mingle, Osiem

The Vice President, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, has urged trainee nurses to accept government's replacement of their allowances with student loans, in good faith, since the policy is in the national interest.

"The government wants the best for trainee nurses and the nursing profession in general, and will not introduce policies that will harm the trainees.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur addressing the trainee nurses
 at the Saviour Church Nursing Training College

"We are not anti-nurses," he stated adding that the various interventions to boost nursing training and the nursing profession, clearly showed the good intentions of the government.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said this during an interaction with students of the Saviour Church Nursing Training College at Osiem in the Eastern Region, on Saturday, as part of his campaign tour of the region.

Student nurses continue to clamour for the reinstatement of the abolished nurses’ trainee allowance, indicating that it was difficult to access the loans from the Students' Loan Trust.

But the Vice President urged them to bear with the government and sacrifice a little, since the essence of abolishing of the allowance was to create increased access and enrolment into the nursing training colleges.

He said because the allowance payment regime had created an enrolment quota which restricted the colleges to taking in limited numbers, the government deemed it necessary to remove the allowance so as to expand enrolment.

As part of the replacement of the allowance with the student loan, he said the salaries of nurses had been increased to enable them to comfortably pay off the loans.

In addition, the Vice-President said, the government was investing in more health facilities such as hospitals, polyclinics and Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to provide ready jobs for graduating trainee nurses.

"We know that people are opposing it not because we are providing increased access to more people into the colleges, but because they are not getting the allowances," he said.

He commended management of the Saviour Church Nursing Training College for the progress, and gave assurance of government's continued support.

2nd Ghana Three Peak Challenge ends

From Edmund Mingle, Afadjato

This year’s annual Ghana Three Peak Challenge, a mounting climbing exercise to climb the three highest mountains in the country, has been held in the Volta region.

The two-day Challenge, organized by Atuabo Free Port, had 64 participants from seven corporate firms, climbing Mountain Afadjato, Aduadu and Kyabobo mountain, all in the Volta region, within 24 hours.

Afadjato is the highest mountain in Ghana, at an elevation of 885 metres (2,904 ft). The mountain is located in the Agumatsa range near the villages of Liati Wote and Gbledi, in the Volta Region at the border with Togo.

All the participants successfully hit the peaks of Afadjato and its adjoining Aduadu mountain last Friday night, and moved to Nkwanta South at dawn to conquer mount Kyabobo, the second highest peak in Ghana, which is on Ghana’s boundary with Togo, but the climbing was halted due to a misunderstanding among the Shiare community members over the presence of the mountaineers in the area.

Irrespective of that, the team made a substantial climb up Kyabobo, which provides tough experiences for mountain hiking.

The event, which was to promote personal exercising, corporate networking and an appreciation of the countryside, had participating teams from Tullow Ghana, Kosmos Energy, Blue Skies, China Habour, Dun & Bradstreet Credit Bureau, Atuabo Free Port and Bentsi-Enchill law firm.

The strongest team award went to the drivers, in recognition of their professionalism and effort in driving for over 700 kilometers to the base of the mountains to enable the participants to engage in the challenge.

The Best Dressed Team award was clinched by Blue Skies while the Funniest Dressed Team award was presented to Tullow Ghana.

Mr. Steven Gray, Director of Atuabo Free Port, addressing the participants at Shiare at the end of the event, congratulated the participants for the successful climb.

He was happy the second edition of challenge witnessed an increased patronage, and gave the assurance that preparations have already begun for the third edition in November next year.

Nana Obonbo Sewura Lepuwura, Chief of Shiare and Paramount Chief of Akyode Traditional Area, also thanked the organisers for adopting the Kyabobo Mountain as part of the exercise, since he believed that could help in opening up the area for the development.