Day: June 15, 2024

Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister for Roads and Highways has inspected some ongoing road projects in the Northern Region to assess progress of work on them.

They included the 168-kilometre Tamale to Tatali Road, 140-km stretch of roads in the Gushegu Municipality, the 5km Pong Tamale to Kpalung to Larigu Road, and the 13km Savelugu by-pass, which were all at various stages of completion.

Mr Asenso-Boakye, in an interaction with the press at the construction site at Yendi, said the roads, when completed, would boost socio-economic activities, ease traffic congestion and long traveling distances for motorists in the areas.

He said: ‘All these trunk roads are going to enhance agricultural activities, promote trade, tourism and generally promote economic development. These are major projects that are going to change the dynamics of Dagbon and the Northern Region.’

He added that ‘We are doing this because we believe that it is going to take us to the next level of development, and so far, throughout my inspec
tion tour, I am so impressed about the progress of work in the region.’

He was optimistic that the Yendi to Tatale Road would be completed by November, this year.

Mr Asenso-Boakye, as part of his inspection tour, also paid courtesy calls on Paramount Chiefs of Karaga, and Gushegu as well as the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari (II) to brief them about his visit to the region.

Ya-Na Abukari (II) commended the government for initiating the projects in the area.

He appealed to the Minister to take keen interest in the construction of the Kumbungu to Savelugu Road, Jemli to Tidjo to Tampion Road and other strategic roads in some farming communities in the area.

He said, ‘The people of Dagbon are yearning to see these roads constructed to reduce the daily accidents on the roads and increase the socio-economic activities in those areas.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has highlighted the importance of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) as a food, secured with high nutrition and has potential for higher incomes for producers.

These beans are key sources of protein, calories, vitamins, and minerals, mainly iron and zinc.

The nutritional advantages of common beans have been further enhanced through biofortification.

At a workshop involving the major stakeholders on the common beans value chain at Fumesua, near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, Dr Emmanuel Asamoah Adjei, a Seed Scientist, at the CSIR-CRI, said it was critical to engage the stakeholders on the importance of the various varieties of the beans which had already been released by the Institute.

He said the varieties, which included ‘Ennepa,’ ‘Semanhyia,’ ‘Nsroma’ and ‘Adoye’ were not common on the markets and there was the need to engage stakeholders further to expose the product and its benefits in contributing to the nutrition
, health, and socio-economic well-being of the people.

Dr Adjei explained that after the workshop, the stakeholders, made up of seed producers, seed processors, seed growers/farmers, food processors, would be in a better position to disseminate the technology (new bean varieties) for farmers to be aware and maximize the production of the crop.

The Seed Scientist was confident that if Ghanaian farmers adopted these early maturing and high yielding varieties, the cost of the importation of baked beans would reduce drastically.

He pointed out that, common beans were one of the cash crops for Eastern and Southern African countries, adding that, if Ghana could produce in huge quantities to feed its people, it could also consider exporting for foreign exchange.

Common beans, according to Dr Adjei, thrived in most parts of Ghana and it was important the private sector invested in its production and technology to help create jobs.

Dr Stephen Yeboah, Senior Research Scientist at CSIR-CRI, hinted that the Institut
ed had initiated a two-year project to promote sustainable farming through development and dissemination of rice-bean cropping systems.

The Project titled: ‘Developing and Deploying Drought Tolerant High Iron Bean Varieties that fit the Legume-Rice Crop Rotation in Ghana, is being funded by the Alliance for Green Revolution of Africa.

It will be implemented by the CSIR-CRI in collaboration with the Alliance for Biodiversity International and CIAT through the Pan-African Bean Research Alliance.

Dr Yeboah said the Project would release two drought-tolerant bean varieties to smallholder farmers to address climate change associated problems as well as evaluate and release two high iron and zinc bean varieties to reduce malnutrition.

Professor James Yaw Asibuo, a Principal Research Scientist, CSIR-CRI, said Ghana was going to benefit from maximizing bean production.

‘We are not only looking at exports, we also want to see the value chain where a lot of people including processors, seed growers, processors int
o animal feed, consumers and others in the production cycle will benefit.’

The stakeholders after the meeting inspected the common bean seed production fields at CRI.

The Institute used the meeting to sign a memorandum of understanding with the seed companies to project the production of quality and viable seeds for farmers.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Medical Director of the Trauma and Specialist Hospital at Winneba in the Central Region, has been temporarily relieved of his post pending outcome of investigations into alleged abandonment of a patient in a bush at Gomoa Ojobi.

A five-member committee set up by the Ghana Health Service will conduct independent enquiry into the matter for the Service to take appropriate action.

The Committee is made up of the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service; Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon from the Ridge Hospital; Representative from the Ministry of Health; Representative from the Social Welfare Department, and a senior Nurse Manager.

A letter signed by Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General, Ghana Health Service and addressed to Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, the Minister of Health, said the Committee was set up to ensure credibility and unfettered access to all relevant information.

It said an emergency meeting was held on Friday, June 14, 2024, at the Ghana Health Service Headquarters with the Medical
Director of the Hospital who confirmed the occurrence of the event reported in the media except the surrounding facts which appeared different from what was reported.

The letter assured the Minister that appropriate action would be taken at the end of the enquiry to ensure that any persons connected with the unfortunate incident were brought to book.

Terms of reference of the Committee are to establish the identity and background of the patient at the centre of the matter; to look into and report on all relevant events leading to the admission of the patient at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital.

It is also to enquire into the diagnosis and management of the patient at the Hospital; outline and report on all processes leading to the discharge and conveyance of the patient from the Trauma Hospital to Ojobi township.

The Committee would also identify all persons involved in the discharge process and transportation of the patient from the Hospital to Ojobi and their respective roles; outline gaps identified
in the admission, management and discharge of the patient and make appropriate recommendations for their rectification and report on any other issue relevant to the subject matter.

Source: Ghana News Agency

More than ten people narrowly escaped death when a gas filling station at Asufufu, near Sunyani, exploded, burning their story building and properties in the area.

The incident occurred when a truck was offloading gas into the underground tank on Wednesday night at about 1930 hours at Asufufu in the Sunyani East Municipality.

An eyewitness account revealed to the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani in an interview that a private vehicle, with a family on board, was parked at the station to fill a kitchen cylinder when the explosion happened.

The family had to flee for their lives, abandoned the car to be consumed by the flames, witness added.

Most people at the scene, including the victims who lived in the story building adjacent to the gas station expressed disappointment and criticized the delayed response of the fire service, which allowed the fire to spread and cause more destruction.

They stated that the Fire Service was called, but they arrived nearly an hour later when it was too late after damage was al
ready done and that raised concerns about the behaviors of the service which need to be investigated adding that the region’s fire tender was alleged not functioning, and assistance was sought from nearby fire stations at Nsoatre.

The people therefore raised concerns about the safety of gas filling stations in the area and the need for improved emergency response systems.

Assistant Division Officer (ADOI) Kwame Adomako, Deputy Bono Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Fire Service, confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani.

He said he received a call from someone at the scene when the explosion started at AGL Gas Filling Station at Asufufu .

According to him, the fire started when the truck was offloading gas into the underground tank destroying a storey building, a salon car, and a tanker discharging liquefied petroleum gas

He said the occupants including children and about 70-year-old man and wife of the storey building adjacent to the filling station, escaped unhurt but lost
all their personal belongings except for a fridge and two vehicles.

The cause of the fire, he said, was still unknown, and investigations were ongoing, saying fortunately, there were no casualties, but some of the occupants and bystanders sustained minor injuries while trying to escape.

ADO1 Adomako declined to comment on the incident, but appealed to the government, benevolent societies, and individuals to help secure fire tenders and other equipment for the Fire Command to prevent such incidents in the future as the concerns about the response time of the fire service call for the need for better equipment.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Kekeli Muslim Community (KMC) has wished all Muslims in Ghana and the world Eid Mubarak with a call for unity and peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections this year.

‘As we mark this special day, we recognize the value of sacrifice, compassion, and unity that underpin the festival.

‘We believe these values are essential in promoting a better living standard and peaceful coexistence, particularly in this election year. We appeal to all Ghanaians to embrace these values, fostering a culture of tolerance, understanding, and peaceful dialogue,’ the community said.

The KMC made the call in a statement signed by Sheikh Ahmed Zormelo, Director in Charge of Dawaah, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday as the Muslims around the world celebrate this year’s Eidul Adha.

It stated that the Eidul Adha is a significant religious festival commemorating the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), to sacrifice his only son Ismail (Ishmael) at the time.

‘The Eidul Adha holds great importance in Ghan
a, where Muslims constitute an important portion of the population. It is a day of spiritual reflection, forgiveness, and gratitude.

‘As we celebrate this auspicious occasion, we acknowledge the current challenges facing the Ghana Hajj Board including logistical and financial difficulties. We urge the relevant authorities to work towards streamlining the Hajj process, making it more efficient, transparent, affordable, and accessible to all pilgrims,’ the statement indicated.

It said: ‘Let us work together to build a harmonious society, where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential.’

Source: Ghana News Agency