PUBLISHED IN THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER IN GHANA
According to statistics from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly AMA, almost 85 percent of households in the metropolis are without toilet. The AMA’s data also showed that the figure in 2010 was 90 percent. The AMA however said the figure could reduce further but not hugely by the end of this month. All households according to officials of the AMA have been served notice to built toilets before September this year. It has insisted it will prosecute all house owners who fail to comply with its directive which was issued last year. The AMA said no household will have an excuse come next month when prosecution begins since they have every opportunity to built toilets. The Mayor of Accra, Alfred Vandepuije during a visit to the GLOBE said the data on homes without toilets is alarming and worrying. “Our public health team has gone and served all homes notices within the metropolis. We have also taken the data, and the good news is that some of them have begun building toilets” Mr. Vanderpuije said. He warned that no household will be speared if they refuse to comply with the directive from the AMA. The mayor said”If they don’t, we will prosecute. Everyone who does not have toilet we will prosecute them”. Meanwhile a former executive secretary of the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), Patrick Apoya has described the AMA’s caution as timely. He told the Globe that it is high time all house owners were punished for refusing to provide their tenants with places of convenience. Mr. Apoya said “enforcement in this case has a very big role to play, because people are running after money. Landlords and ladies must be put on their tours. Some of them are now converting rooms meant for toilet into rental rooms”. A visit to the famous slum developed area, Nima by the Globe revealed that many residents are unhappy with the situation. Currently, Nima’s population is estimated to be more than 69,000, with estimated houses of 2,400. But many less than 10 percent of these households according to officials in the East Ayawaso Sub Metro have toilets. In one household, one resident, Kojo Adusei told the Globe, “I have been staying here for 25 years now and we don’t have a toilet. I and my family use the public one” When as Kojo was asked about the inconvenience it created, he said “ We have no choice, sometimes my children are sick and we have to send them to the public toilet and when it is serious we make them do it in rubber and we send it to the public toilet afterwards”. Hajia Mamuni who is house owner confessed to the Globe not having toilet in the house is worrying but said building one has become difficult. She said “there is no space my brother to build one. I know the AMA said we should build one, I will try”. It is obvious many households will fall victim when the AMA starts prosecuting from next month.
WRITTEN BY ISAAC KALEDZI
Friday, August 26, 2011
FULANIS IN GHANA UNHAPPY
PUBLISHED IN THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER IN GHANA
The Chief of the Fulani Community in Ghana, Chief Alhaji Iddrisu Mohammed Bingle has cautioned any group of persons either within the media fraternity or the police service, interested in giving Fulanis bad publicity to stop. According to him, the Fulani community will not sit down unconcerned while Fulanis are denigrated and portrayed as bad people in Ghana. Chief Alhaji Bingle told the Globe that his people are unhappy with constant publications referring to suspected criminals as Fulanis instead of their actual names. He referred to the attempt by the media and the police to blame the Fulani community for the recent highway and other robberies as an indication that there are some individuals who are bent on painting Fulanis evil. Chief Bingle said “We are fed up with the discrimination and will not sit down to be treated this way”. According to him such discrimination is not good for the unity of the country adding that attempt by the Media to indict Fulanis anytime there is a major criminal activity in the country especially in the three Northern Regions is unacceptable. “In every community or society there are bad elements so if that individual commits any crime we should deal with that individual as a person but if you bring up the tribe then that is where the problem is” Chief Bingle said. He added that “We are not saying the Police shouldn’t deal with Fulanis but it is becoming xenophobic to the point that even if you are walking and you are a Fulani man, your tribe has been painted to be that all of you are negative people. We are not going to sit down and allow this thing to go on”.
WRITTEN BY Isaac Kaledzi
The Chief of the Fulani Community in Ghana, Chief Alhaji Iddrisu Mohammed Bingle has cautioned any group of persons either within the media fraternity or the police service, interested in giving Fulanis bad publicity to stop. According to him, the Fulani community will not sit down unconcerned while Fulanis are denigrated and portrayed as bad people in Ghana. Chief Alhaji Bingle told the Globe that his people are unhappy with constant publications referring to suspected criminals as Fulanis instead of their actual names. He referred to the attempt by the media and the police to blame the Fulani community for the recent highway and other robberies as an indication that there are some individuals who are bent on painting Fulanis evil. Chief Bingle said “We are fed up with the discrimination and will not sit down to be treated this way”. According to him such discrimination is not good for the unity of the country adding that attempt by the Media to indict Fulanis anytime there is a major criminal activity in the country especially in the three Northern Regions is unacceptable. “In every community or society there are bad elements so if that individual commits any crime we should deal with that individual as a person but if you bring up the tribe then that is where the problem is” Chief Bingle said. He added that “We are not saying the Police shouldn’t deal with Fulanis but it is becoming xenophobic to the point that even if you are walking and you are a Fulani man, your tribe has been painted to be that all of you are negative people. We are not going to sit down and allow this thing to go on”.
WRITTEN BY Isaac Kaledzi
CHILD RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
PUBLISHED IN THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER IN GHANA
A Non Governmental Organization which focuses on fighting for the rights of children, Child Rights International has appealed to the social welfare department to intervene and protect the children of the head pastor of the International God’s Way church, Bishop Daniel Obinim who was involved in a vandalistic act last week. Bishop Obinim on the night of Monday August 8, 2011 stormed and vandalized the premises of Hot FM, an Accra-based radio station, with the support of two of his pastors. He injured a staff of the station and destroyed several property belong to the station. Bishop Obinim was reacting to a broadcast implicating him in a sexual affair with the wife of one of his former pastors. He was granted bail in the sum of Gh¢50,000 each with two sureties by an Accra circuit to re-appear on August 30. Obinim, 33, Kingsley Baah, 25, and Kofi Akwetey, 35, all pastors, were charged with conspiracy, causing harm and damage but they pleaded not guilty. Child right international told the Globe that despite the actions of the Bishop, his children deserve protection from possible stigmatization since they could be traumatized and made to suffer for acts they are innocent of. The organization is also calling for protection for the child of the wife of Bishop Obinim’s former junior pastor who he is purported to have been spiritually incapacitated by the Bishop. The executive director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah told the Globe that “ what we are concerned about is that, children are involved in this matter and since it has to do with the spiritual issue we are also looking at inviting other prominent institutions to support them”. He said “when issues like this happen, there is the possibility that stigmatization will also affect the children. Because they attend school and definitely be traumatized by some of the comments their friends will pass” Mr. Appiah said the department of social welfare can do a lot for the children of Bishop Obinim. He however called on the children leaders to also help heal the spiritually incapacitated child of the woman Bishop Obinim had an affair with to also intervene and support the child.
WRITTEN BY Isaac Kaledzi
A Non Governmental Organization which focuses on fighting for the rights of children, Child Rights International has appealed to the social welfare department to intervene and protect the children of the head pastor of the International God’s Way church, Bishop Daniel Obinim who was involved in a vandalistic act last week. Bishop Obinim on the night of Monday August 8, 2011 stormed and vandalized the premises of Hot FM, an Accra-based radio station, with the support of two of his pastors. He injured a staff of the station and destroyed several property belong to the station. Bishop Obinim was reacting to a broadcast implicating him in a sexual affair with the wife of one of his former pastors. He was granted bail in the sum of Gh¢50,000 each with two sureties by an Accra circuit to re-appear on August 30. Obinim, 33, Kingsley Baah, 25, and Kofi Akwetey, 35, all pastors, were charged with conspiracy, causing harm and damage but they pleaded not guilty. Child right international told the Globe that despite the actions of the Bishop, his children deserve protection from possible stigmatization since they could be traumatized and made to suffer for acts they are innocent of. The organization is also calling for protection for the child of the wife of Bishop Obinim’s former junior pastor who he is purported to have been spiritually incapacitated by the Bishop. The executive director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah told the Globe that “ what we are concerned about is that, children are involved in this matter and since it has to do with the spiritual issue we are also looking at inviting other prominent institutions to support them”. He said “when issues like this happen, there is the possibility that stigmatization will also affect the children. Because they attend school and definitely be traumatized by some of the comments their friends will pass” Mr. Appiah said the department of social welfare can do a lot for the children of Bishop Obinim. He however called on the children leaders to also help heal the spiritually incapacitated child of the woman Bishop Obinim had an affair with to also intervene and support the child.
WRITTEN BY Isaac Kaledzi
GHANA ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION
PRESS RELEASE
BEWARE OF ILLEGAL DIAMOND MINING IN AKWATIA
Date: 26th August 2011
The Ghana Environmental Journalists Association (GEJA) will like to commend government and its development partners for reviving the erstwhile Ghana Diamond Company which was closed down in 2007. The Vice president, John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 launched a Ghanaian owned company, The Great Consolidated Diamond Ghana Limited (GCDGL), which is to take over the mining of Diamond at Akwatia and surrounding communities in the Eastern region. GEJA understands the GCDGL intends to establish an integrated diamond mining and processing industry which is to bring on board a management team and consultants with in-depth expertise, knowledge and skills in business, finance and community development. It is also gratifying to note that the Company is to invest about 100 million US Dollars in a five-year multi-phase programme to provide jobs for 2,000 workers and ultimately 50,000 people. While expressing joy over this new development, GEJA would like to caution residents of beneficiary communities to avoid engaging in illegal mining of Diamonds, an activity that can cause serious degradation to the environment. Not long ago hundreds of residents in some parts of the Eastern region suffered from floods, mainly because of the damage caused to the environment by “Galamsey” operations. Lives were lost as a result of the Floods, prompting President Mills to tour some affected areas to commiserate with victims. Efforts have been made by traditional leaders, government officials and other Non-Governmental Organizations to see an end to this illegal mining phenomenon but to no avail. GEJA fears the good intentions of establishing this new company which are to mine Diamond and provide Jobs for the unemployed could be jeopardized if residents continue to adopt bad practices in mining the Diamond, which can destroy the environment. GEJA will like to urge government not to hesitate to arrest and prosecute any individual who engages in “Galamsey” operations in the communities to benefit from this, since that will send a strong signal to all and sundry that the activity is frown upon by the laws of the country. GEJA would however like to urge GCDGL not to renege on its promises to support efforts to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living of the people by employing the youth of the area and investing in developing the communities. GCDGL should also engage in lawful mining practices and be mindful of activities that can endanger the environment since any destruction caused to the environment could have devastating effect on the people of Akwatia and beyond.
For media interviews please contact, the president of GEJA, Mrs. Hannah Awadzi on 0244547980
BEWARE OF ILLEGAL DIAMOND MINING IN AKWATIA
Date: 26th August 2011
The Ghana Environmental Journalists Association (GEJA) will like to commend government and its development partners for reviving the erstwhile Ghana Diamond Company which was closed down in 2007. The Vice president, John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 launched a Ghanaian owned company, The Great Consolidated Diamond Ghana Limited (GCDGL), which is to take over the mining of Diamond at Akwatia and surrounding communities in the Eastern region. GEJA understands the GCDGL intends to establish an integrated diamond mining and processing industry which is to bring on board a management team and consultants with in-depth expertise, knowledge and skills in business, finance and community development. It is also gratifying to note that the Company is to invest about 100 million US Dollars in a five-year multi-phase programme to provide jobs for 2,000 workers and ultimately 50,000 people. While expressing joy over this new development, GEJA would like to caution residents of beneficiary communities to avoid engaging in illegal mining of Diamonds, an activity that can cause serious degradation to the environment. Not long ago hundreds of residents in some parts of the Eastern region suffered from floods, mainly because of the damage caused to the environment by “Galamsey” operations. Lives were lost as a result of the Floods, prompting President Mills to tour some affected areas to commiserate with victims. Efforts have been made by traditional leaders, government officials and other Non-Governmental Organizations to see an end to this illegal mining phenomenon but to no avail. GEJA fears the good intentions of establishing this new company which are to mine Diamond and provide Jobs for the unemployed could be jeopardized if residents continue to adopt bad practices in mining the Diamond, which can destroy the environment. GEJA will like to urge government not to hesitate to arrest and prosecute any individual who engages in “Galamsey” operations in the communities to benefit from this, since that will send a strong signal to all and sundry that the activity is frown upon by the laws of the country. GEJA would however like to urge GCDGL not to renege on its promises to support efforts to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living of the people by employing the youth of the area and investing in developing the communities. GCDGL should also engage in lawful mining practices and be mindful of activities that can endanger the environment since any destruction caused to the environment could have devastating effect on the people of Akwatia and beyond.
For media interviews please contact, the president of GEJA, Mrs. Hannah Awadzi on 0244547980
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