Journalistic Works - News Articles, Features And More of P. ATOGEWE WEDAM

LATE RELEASE OF COMMON FUND NOT HELPING BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM 22/10/2009 ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL The late disbursement of the district assemblies’ common fund is impacting negatively on the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly’s efforts to implement a number of projects. With the month of October ending, the assembly is yet to receive its share of the common fund for the second quarter of the year. The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive [MCE], Honourable Epsona Harry Ayamga made this known at the assembly’s third ordinary meeting held last Thursday. He noted that the assembly had to rely on its internally generated funds [IGF] to execute some of its ongoing projects noting that the IGF itself is also inadequate. The municipal chief executive said the major projects being executed include the phase two the sixth Micro-projects programme and the district wide assistance projects [DWAP]. He said work is almost completed on the European Union projects

UE @ 50 PLANNING COMMITTEE PRESENTS REPORT BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM OCTOBER 23, 2009 I S D – BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL Close to 300,000 Ghana Cedis is needed to build a website, carry out publicity activities on radio, television and other media and also to organise an array of programmes to mark the 50th anniversary of the Upper East Region. The amount excludes expenditure on development, infrastructural improvement and a proposed special golden jubilee project. These came to light when the Upper East Region @ 50 planning committee presented its report to the regional minister. The Chairman of the committee, His Excellency Donald Adabere who is also Ghana’s ambassador to Mali and one time Upper East regional minister said the region’s 50th anniversary celebrations will commence in December 2009 and end in November 2010. Mr. Adabere said the celebrations will be used to highlight the region’s achievements, market its potentials to the world to induce i

ACTION AID INTERACTS WITH PRESS October 22, 2009 BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM ISD- BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL Journalists in the Upper East region have been urged to focus on issues of poverty reduction that will lead the region out of its present state of underdevelopment instead of devoting all their airtime and print space to politics. The Programmes Manager of Action Aid Ghana, a non-governmental organization [NGO], Mr. Michael Lumor said this at a media discussion workshop on climate change and responsible reportage held in Bolgatanga. The programmes manager further asked the journalist to constantly write news stories and feature articles on the root causes of poverty and suggest ways by which possible solutions can be found to remedy the high poverty levels in the region. Mr. Lumor noted that Action Aid places much premium on issues of poverty and injustice in the society and pledged that the NGO will support the press in its efforts to eradicate poverty

NYEP CO-ORDINATORS UNDERGO TRAINING October 19, 2009 BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM ISD – BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL All nine newly employed district co-ordinators of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) in the Upper East Region and the regional co-ordinator, Mr. Kapanamo James Kojo have received a day’s orientation training at Bolgatanga. The orientation was to give new NYEP district heads the needed knowledge and guidelines to be able to execute their mandate efficiently and in conformity with the principles of the NYEP. Hon. Mark Owen Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister. The Upper East Regional Minister, Honourable Mark Owen Woyongo in a word to the co-ordinators observed that the NYEP was established a few years ago to tackle the unemployment situation in the country. He said as the programme worked, the National Democratic Congress then in opposition, observed from afar and noted certain vital concerns. Honourable Woyongo said having been given the mandate

DISASTER REDUCTION DAY MARKED October 14, 2009 BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM ISD – BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL A programmes manager of Action Aid Ghana, Mr. Michael Lumor has stated that even though disasters bring pain and hardships, they also bring along with them opportunities for people affected to think together and take collective decisions to lesson the negative impact of disasters on them. The programmes manager who made the statement at this year’s celebration of international disaster risk reduction day further stated that the celebration affords stakeholders the opportunity to identify the root causes of the negative effects of disasters in order to deal will them effectively. Mr. Lumor noted that the theme for this year’s celebration "Hospital safe from disaster" throws a challenge to government and its institutions to fortify the physical infrastructure of health facilities at the regional and district levels so that victims of disasters will be gi

BOLGATANGA PEER REVIEWED October 13, 2009 BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM ISD BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly has voted 650 Ghana Cedis in support of the National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) in its work to promote democracy, good governance and transparency at the grassroots. The Municipal Chief Executive of the assembly Honourable Epsona Harry Ayamga made this known to the public when he delivered an address to welcome participants at a validation workshop organized by the Bolgatanga Municipal Oversight Committee [MOC] of the NAPRM-GC. Honourable Ayamga also used the opportunity to warn residents in the municipality against trooping to his office with personal matters saying the practice draws back the work of the assembly since valuable office time is often spent dealing with such minor personal issues. The Executive Secretary of the NAPRM-GC, Dr. Francis Appiah in a speech said a total of 20 districts are

TOWN HALL MEETING IN UE October 08 2009 BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM I S D – BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL The Upper East regional minister, Honourable Mark Owen Woyongo has commended the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and the president John Evan Atta Mills for establishing the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority, SADA to tackle the imbalances in development between the north and the south. The regional minister gave the commendation in an address at the maiden town hall meeting held in Bolgatanga, capital of the Upper East Region. He noted that there are many wide disparities between the north and the south. For instance, the first school was established in 1737 in Cape Coast whilst that of the north began in Navrongo in 1907 indicating a gap of about 160 years between the former and the latter. Honourable Woyongo said SADA will therefore address these disparities effectively through massive infrastructural development and focus on economic

CRAFT CENTRE FOR NYARIGA October 01, 2009 BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM I S D – BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL A craft centre for basket weavers has been commissioned at Nyariga in the Upper East Region. The centre constructed at the cost of 30,000.00 Ghanaian Cedis was funded by two American organisations, The Blessing Basket Project, [TBBP] and Whole Foods Market. The Upper East Regional Minister, Honourable Mark Owen Woyongo who commissioned the craft centre observed that the partnership between the Nyariga community and the two American organisations does not only present a fruitful business venture but also an opportunity for Africans in the diaspora to trace their roots and invest in Nyariga and the region as a whole. Honourable Woyongo said apart from basket weaving, the region also produces other handicrafts including leather products, earthen pots, smocks and batik tie and dye which when properly harnessed can eradicate the high poverty levels

300 BIKES FOR GHANA HEALTH SERVICE SEPTEMBER 25, 2009 BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM I.S.D.-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL The Upper East Regional Health Directorate has taken delivery of 300 Nanfang motor bikes at a brief commissioning ceremony at Zuarungu, a suburb of the Bolgatanga Municipality. The Regional Director of health services, Dr. Koku Awoonor-Williams in a welcome address said the package forms part of the district health system strengthening strategy instituted by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to revamp its transport system. Doctor Awoonor-Williams observed that a strengthened transport system will lead to improved health delivery in the country and more especially in deprived regions like the Upper East. The Regional Director revealed that the motor bikes, valued at about 900,000.00 Ghanaian cedis have special features such as Ministry of Health and GHS inscriptions and logos embossed on the engines and alarm systems to deter thieves from stealing them. He hinted that

AIRCRAFT FOR EMERGENCIES SEPT. 23, 2009 By PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM ISD, BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL A military aircraft will soon be stationed at Tamale to help in emergency situations which involve the airlifting of patients and victims to special hospitals in Accra. The Upper East Regional minister, Honourable Mark Owen Woyongo said he personally called the defence minister to make the arrangement because he witnessed the avoidable death of a lecturer of the Bolga Polytechnic who could not be airlifted for immediate medical attention as a result of the absence of a standing aircraft for such cases. The regional minister gave the hint at an emergency press conference at the residency in Bolgatanga. The conference gave the regional health directorate and the regional minister the opportunity to react to a Joy FM news item on Wednesday which alleged that the refusal of doctors and other health professionals to accept postings to the Upper East Region is as result of