TIG Post

Tag: volta region

  • Northern Region’s Teiya wins 2022 Ghana’s Most Beautiful

    Northern Region representative Teiya Ayisha Dahamani has won the crown, cash and car of 2022 Ghana’s Most Beautiful competition. She was followed closely by Aiko from Oti Region, who took second place, with Central Region’s Asiedua coming in third place.

     

    Teiya took home Ghc10,000 cash, one year’s supply of GTP fabric, Ghc20,000 medical insurance and spa treatment, a new techno phone, all-expense paid international trip and hampers from sponsors.

    Aiko Adade coming in at second place for the Oti region received a Ghc8,000 cash prize, six months’ supply of GTP fabric, Ghc15,000 worth of medical insurance and spa treatment, all-expense paid trip and souvenirs from Airtel-Tigo.

    Third place went to Central Region’s Grace Afanyi Asiedua Arhin who took home Ghc6,000 cash, three months’ supply of GTP fabric, Airtel-Tigo data and hampers from sponsors.

    Eastern Region’s Amoani took fourth place with a Ghc5,000 cash prize, one month’s supply of fabrics from GTP, and one month’s supply of data on Airtel-Tigo mifi and hampers from sponsors.

    Xornam from the Volta Region came in fifth place taking home 3,000 cash price and hampers from sponsors.

    Source:3news.com

     

  • GTA generates more than GHC 300,000 as of August from Volta and Oti tourist sites

    Volta Regional Director, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Alexander Nketia, says data from eight out of 10 tourist sites as of August 2022, generated a revenue of about GHC 315,410,000 in terms of revenue to the various tourist sites and communities.

    He said during the same period, there were about 22,181 domestic and 4,921 foreign or international tourists.

    Mr Nketia, during this year’s United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) World Tourism Day held in Wa, said the Volta region was a microcosm of Ghana that had everything that tourists would want to experience in Ghana and had not been performing badly of late.

    He said tourism was impacting the communities, which would help a lot of people in the communities and was growing since the rollout of the “Visit Volta and Experience Ghana” campaign with the help of all stakeholders.

    He said the number of visits recorded by the end of last year was about 27,000 while in terms of revenue, the sites generated about GHC290,000 which showed that there had been a remarkable improvement in 2022.

    Mr Nketia said road network, lack of telecommunication network and internet connectivity were challenges for sites in the regions, as most tourist sites did not have the requisite level of development or infrastructure to improve the experience of guests.

    Mr Nketia said the government through the Tourism Ministry and Ghana Tourism Authority with support from the World Bank were trying their best to improve some tourist sites including the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary and Cultural Village and Afadjato in Liati Wote and Gbledi.

    He said there was also development taking place at Wli, where they were trying to work on bridges leading to the falls, install CCTV cameras and train staff to enhance the expectations of guests.

    Mr Nketia said there was also work on the improvement of the information centre facility and some enhancement of the waterfront to make it more experiential for guests.

    He said some more sites in the regions would also benefit from the improvement and there would be the provision of customer or guest receptive facilities at sites to improve or ease the comfort of guests as well as interpretation of languages of guests.

    He called on the public, especially those in the regions, to participate in local tourism by making domestic tourism a thing for all and at least visit a site around them once every week.

    The 2022 celebration is themed, “Rethinking Tourism” which focuses on how tourism recovery could be accelerated through a collaborative engagement of all stakeholders around a shared vision to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient sector.

    As part of the celebration, Ghana has developed a sub-theme dubbed; “Promoting Domestic Tourism for Wealth Creation in Communities to grow the interest of Ghanaians in tourism.”

    Source: GNA

  • Jones-Mensah wins award in London

    A citizen of Keta in the Volta Region and a businessman, Emmanuel Kojo Jones-Mensah, has been adjudged “Young Business Leader of the Year” by the African Achievers Awards board in London.

    Mr Jones-Mensah beat off competition from other nominees to receive the coveted prize of the year at a resplendent ceremony hosted by first black woman and longest serving member in the UK Parliament, Hon Diane Julie Abbott.

    Category

    Other category awards also featured on the night of last Tuesday,at a well-attended event at Queens Gate, South Kensington, after the final funeral rites of Queen Elizabeth II.

    Mr Jones-Mensah now joins the alumni of African Achievers Awards which comprises a long list of diplomats, philosophers, politicians, activists, business leaders and tech experts to change the African narrative to that of a serious people desirous of contributing to positive transformation.

    Archbishop Desmond Tutu of blessed memory, former President of Mauritius,Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, former Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete and the current Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament,Sidi Tunis, are some notable awardees of the African Achievers Awards.

    The African Achievers Awards is rated by Forbes Africa as one of the most prestigious award on the continent.

  • Laklevikope residents consider demo after woman drowns in lagoon

    The operations of Seven Seas Salt Mining Limited in Laklevikope and the adjacent towns in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region have reportedly put the lives of the locals in danger, as such, residents in the area have threatened to embark on a protest.

    The locals asserted that since they rely on the lagoon for their fishing, the company’s operations put them in danger.

    In an interview with Citi News the the Assemblyman for the area, Victor Ayaku, said the residents have resolved to protest since efforts to bring such activities to their minimum have proven futile.

    He added that said the company doesn’t care about the lives of the individuals in the area since it failed to erect warning signs as a sign of caution.

    “It is important we demonstrate because this company is taking us for granted, all the activities that are being undertaken by the company within the company are doing more harm than good.

    “The necessary steps we needed to take as assembly members were all exhausted, but still, what is going on is still going on. We are calling on the government to come and investigate. After that, possibly, we will take legal action against this company,” he said.

    A woman and her three children perished on Saturday, September 17, 2022, after falling into a pit near the lagoon operated by Seven Seas Salt Mining Limited.

     

     

  • Give us back our 17,000 hectares of land for commercial farming – Torgorme landowners to gov’t

    The Chiefs and Landowners of Torgorme in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region are calling on the government to return to them the 17,000 hectares of land to enable them to engage in commercial farming.

    According to them, the land was acquired by government under Legislative Instrument (LI) No 162 in 1975 from the chiefs and people of Torgorme and had not been used for the purpose for which it was taken.

    “We wanted to put on record that to date no compensation has been paid for the acquired lands,” Mr Emmanuel Worlanyo Essoh, Chairman and spokesperson for the chiefs and people has disclosed.

    Addressing a press conference on Friday at Torgorme, he said the landowners had not benefited anything even “we the smallholder farmers don’t get a place to farm now.”

    According to him, the land, under the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation Project (KLBIP) was being used by Ghana-Millennium Development Agency (MiDA) and Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project (GCAP) to go into commercial farming.

    Mr Essoh noted that now that the project had come to an end, “the new investors are not willing to offer us the smallholder farmers the land to do farming to improve our livelihoods.”

    “We therefore, took the matter to court and judgment was delivered in favour of the landowners on December 2008 at Koforidua High Court,” he added.

    This, notwithstanding, the Lands Commission continued to exercise authority on all Torgorme lands, allocating the lands to such investors like Vegpro, Goshen Farms without any input from the Torgorme Traditional Area.

    “Since August 2021, all attempts to get allocation for our 1,500 smallholder farmers have proved futile.

    We have also reported the matter to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to intervene but nothing was done.”

    “So all that we are demanding from the government is to give back our lands so that we would do individual farming to improve our living conditions,” Mr Essoh stated.

    The District Chief Executive (DCE) for North Tongu District, Osborne Divine Fenu when contacted said he came to meet the issues but was doing everything possible to ensure it was resolved as soon as possible.

  • Mother, 3 children drown in dyke allegedly created by salt mining company

    A mother and her three children were among the four people that drowned in a dyke that was purportedly built in a lagoon by a salt mining firm in Laklevikope, Ketu South Municipality, Volta Region.

    The family of 5 who went fishing along the lagoon in the enclave got drowned with the man of the family being the only survivor.

    The event, which occurred on September 17, 2022, has left the neighborhood in shock and sadness.

    The victims, a mother in her late 30s and her three children, aged between 9 to 14, died while attempting to save one of the kids who had fallen into a dyke built by the Seven Seas Salt Mining Limited salt mining company.

    The dyke, which is about 12 feet, has now become a danger zone for residents here who are fisherfolks.

    Assembly member for the area, Victor Ayaku said the activities of the salt mining company have put them in danger.

    “Residents who are fisherfolk are now living in fear as they can no longer go fishing.”

    He also noted that, the community is in no way benefiting from the activities of the company.

    Some residents who spoke to Citi News appealed to the authorities to ensure safety measures are followed by the company to prevent future occurrences.

    They also urged the mining company to put safety signposts along the lagoon, to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

    Meanwhile, the Public Relations officer of the Seven Seas Mining Limited, Adams Mensah said, “the company is not to be blamed for the death of the family.”

    He however noted that, the company is putting measures in place to put up signposts warning residents of the dyke.

     

  • Hogbetsotsoza to be launched on September 21

    The Volta Region‘s Hogbetsotso Festival, held annually by the chiefs and residents of Anlo, was postponed for two years because to the COVID-19 pandemic is back.

    In accordance with the COVID-19 regulations, the celebrated festival, also known as Hogbeza, which honors the fabled Ewe-Dogbo people’s escape from Notsie in modern-day neighboring Togo, was suspended to stop its spread.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Silas Aidam, the publicity chair of the 2022 Hogbetsotsoza Planning Committee, stated that preparations were in progress for the launch on September 21 to announce events of the one-month festival.

    “The launch is happening on 21st September after which the rest of activities and ceremonies will follow to climax the festival on Saturday, November 5,” he said.

    These include ‘dodede’ – removal of diseases and expulsion of evil spirits; ‘nugbidodo’ – reconciliation; glimetoto – an enactment of the departure or escape from Notsie, and mini Hogbeza – best described as dress rehearsal for the main festival.

    The others are MTN Hogbetsotsoza health walk, Anlo State dinner dance, congress of chiefs, Mama Hogbe beauty pageant, and musical concerts.

    “The message we want to send to our Anlo citizens home and abroad, local and foreign tourists, is that after the COVID-19 break, Hogbeza bounces back in a special form.”

    Hogbeza is celebrated every first Saturday in November at Anloga, the traditional and ritual capital of the Anlo State.

    It is usually characterised by a display of rich tradition and culture with people treated to a variety of drumming and dancing, including the ever-popular “agbadza”, “atsia” and “misego” or “husego”, the incorporated dance style of the backward movement of the people during their exodus from Notsie.

    The 2022 edition is on the theme: “60 Years of Anlo Hogbetsotsoza: Uniting for development, sustaining our unique cultural commonwealth for future generations.”

     

  • Economic crunch: Is a new wife Akufo-Addo’s top priority? – Sam George mocks

    A member of parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has ridiculed President Akufo-Addo over his jovial plan to wed a new wife, especially one from the Volta region.

    President Akufo-Addo disclosed this in an interview on a local radio station in the Volta region during an official visit.

    The president stated that witnessing the female presenter who granted him interview revived his motivation to keep working toward that goal.

    “You know my basic position that I’ve taken, and seeing you, of course, it’s heightened it: my determination to marry in the Volta Region, and that I’m like a suitor who keeps on knocking on the door, looking forward to the day the door will be open. We’ll keep on till the day the door is open,” he said.

    However, Sam George a social media post has questioned whether the president’s intentions to find a new wife a major priority in the midst of the economic crisis.

    “Hehehehehe! Addo Showboy nunu. I can testify about the Ayigbe Toffee but in this hard times, is a new wife Bossu’s top priority? Ah well,” he tweeted on September 17.

    The economy has suffered a downturn in recent months with inflation rate hovering around 33.9% per data from the Ghana Statistical Service.

    The Cedi has also significantly depreciated with the economy also hard hit by recent downgrades by international rating agencies such as Fitch and S & P.

    Government has partly blamed Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war as cause for the increased cost of living while promising to implement measures to curtail it.

    It is consequently seeking a $3 billion IMF credit facility over a three year as it finds its way out of the economic quagmire.

    Hehehehehe!

    Addo Showboy nunu. I can testify about the Ayigbe Toffee but in this hard times, is a new wife Bossu’s top priority? Ah well! ????????‍♂️https://t.co/6LF4NDfI9n

    — Sam ‘Dzata’ George (@samgeorgegh) September 17, 2022

  • Volta region recorded 35 maternal deaths in 2021

    A campaign against maternal mortality mobility and death has been launched by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Volta region.

    The Zero Tolerance for Maternal Death campaign is one of several initiatives running in the region to raise awareness of maternal health.

    This is in response to the region’s current record of 102 fatalities per 100,000 live births, according to the acting regional director of health, Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto.

    In 2021, some 35 women lost their lives to pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions in hospitals in the Volta region with the region recording 41 deaths in the previous year.

    This, according to Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, is unsatisfactory and falls short of both the regional goal of having no maternal mortality and the international goal of having no more than 70 fatalities per 100,000 live births.

    Dr. Djokoto explains that the record of the region is affected by three factors.

    “In the Volta region, the causes of maternal mortality mainly go along the three delays -first of all, people taking the decision to seek care when they have to seek care, then usually, when there are emergencies, people moving from their homes to the various facilities is another challenge, then the final challenge is the emergency response in our hospitals; I must quickly add that we have made progress, that is why our maternal mortality has declined significantly.”

    “But we have a target as a region that no woman should die out of maternal mortality. Secondly, if you look at the global efforts towards reducing maternal mortality, the target is that not more than 70 women should lose their lives per 100,000 live births from pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions,” Dr. Djokoto stressed.

    The Zero Tolerance for Maternal Death campaign is, therefore, a multi-stakeholder approach to dealing with the issue.

    “There is a whole journey ahead of us -we have to strive hard to be able to reach this point.”

    “So as health service in conjunction with all other governmental agencies, we are looking at a number of strategies; building the appropriate leadership, ensuring that we have the logistics and skilled personnel, ensuring that we put across the appropriate advocacy and also ensuring that everybody else -our religious leaders, our stakeholders are very much involved in our activities and understand it well,” he stated.

    Dr. Djokoto also revealed that 40 out of 100 pregnancies in the region are unplanned -a number that indicates that not many people are making use of the various family planning methods available.

  • Volta Regional Social Welfare receives more child adoption applications

    From the year 2021 till date, 15 applications from couples seeking to adopt children have been forwarded to the department of Social Welfare in Volta Region, however only one has recieved approval.

    Speaking in an interview last wednesday, the Regional Director of Social Welfare, Mrs Stella Mawusi Mawutor, disclosed that people are beginning to understand adoption because only 10 applications were received in 2020.

    “I think people are now beginning to have a better understanding of child adoption and so they are coming forward readily to apply for it,” she added

    She described the trend as phenomenal, saying the applications were not only from married couples without children but also from couples with children.

    On child protection,Mrs Mawutor said the department last year received 1, 471 reports of child protection violations in the region out of which 953 were resolved.

    The figure for 2020,she said, were 1,160 cases out of which 869 were resolved.
    The cases included denial of paternity, child custody dispute, defilement and forced marriage.
    They also involved gender-based violence, child abandonment, stranded children and adolescent pregnancies.

    In some instances, the affected children were taken into foster care, she explained.
    “So far, we have trained 26 individuals in the region as foster parents to cater for and protect such children, the director said.

    She said the department would team up with the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) and other stakeholder organisations to resolve the pending cases.

    Mrs Mawutor said 81 of the pending cases were before the law courts.

     

     

     

  • Continue to bear with us—Private school teachers urged

    Chairman of Ghana Private Schools in the Volta region, Reverend Robert Seddoh, has commended private school teachers and urged them to continue delivering their duties relentlessly.

    He acknowledged that the standard of living has increased hence the demand for teachers in the public sector who have embarked on a strike action.

    He further applauded the private school teachers for their purposefulness in managing the situation.

    Reverend Robert Seddoh, who said this in an interview with Ghana News Agency said Private school teachers also feel the economic hardship but have been able to bear with their leadership since the schools itself were not seen to be making any profit recently.

    “We understand our teachers are less paid, we continue to plead with them not to give up on us because we are all experiencing hardship as well,” he said.

    The Chairman of Ghana private schools in the Volta region added that, despite the food shortage reported in most public schools, private schools are still determined to provide healthy meals to their students adding that, “we don’t make any profit these days, most of the cash goes into feeding and salary payment.”

    He said the government should have extended financial assistance toward private schools because if not for private schools, unemployment would have been on a different scale.

    Some of the teachers also mentioned they are not happy with their salary but “bad job is better than no job” has been the reason for their continued commitment to the teaching field.

    Some staff of the private school mentioned parents are not seeking enrolment for their wards in the private schools during this strike period because of the economic hardship.

    Four teacher unions comprising the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT), have declared an indefinite nationwide strike on Monday, July 4, over demands for the payment of the Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA).

    The unions were demanding 20 per cent of their basic salary.

    They called off their strike action on Thursday, July 14, 2022, after the government agreed to a 15 per cent cost of living allowance (COLA) with Organised Labour.

    A visit to some schools in the South Tongu District saw students in class with school activities ongoing.

    Source: GNA

  • Volta ECG revenue taskforce recoups GHC1.5 million from clients

    The Volta Region Revenue Taskforce of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), in a clampdown exercise has recouped more than GHC1.5 million to the Company.

    The money was accrued from clients in arrears and those engaged in illegal power theft through surcharges.

    The exercise, which begun early this year, in its catchment areas across Volta and Oti Regions took the operation to households, hostels, hotels, cold stores, pubs, restaurants and government institutions, who owed the company to comply with settlement of debts or power terminated.

    The task force has visited customers in Ho, Denu, Sogakope and Kpando Districts and are set to visit about 100 debtors to ensure they settle their debts.

    Mr Emmanuel Lumor, the Volta Regional General Manager of ECG, speaking to the media, said the directorates are replicating “the inauguration of the national taskforce by the Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to help the Company retrieve monies owed it by some customers and to curb the menace of illegal connection.”

    He said the Revenue Taskforce empowered by LI 2413, allows the Company to disconnect clients who refuse to pay their bills within 14 days after receiving the bill.

    He added that the taskforce has also served some institutions disconnection notices in accordance with LI 2413, giving them three days to settle their debt or face disconnection.

    The General Manager said two such tertiary institutions responded with dispatch to settle their indebtedness after receiving notices of disconnection and warned clients who remained adamant would be taken off the national grid, until they do the needful.

    He said the Company has intensified stakeholder engagements including announcements and radio education to sensitise customers on the need to pay their bills promptly to help ECG serve them better.

    Mr Lumor disclosed some illegalities uncovered during the ongoing exercise to include meter bypass, unauthorised and direct connections, and meter tampering.”

    He bemoaned how illegal connections by some customers affected the financial strength of the Company, which hinders it from undertaking capital intensive projects that would inure to the benefit of customers.

    “As a Company, we have to pay power producers when we purchase power from them to distribute to our cherished customers, hence consuming power illegally prevents the Company from generating money to pay these key players on the electricity supply chain,” he said.

    According to Mr Lumor, illegal connection affects the distribution system by overloading transformers, which eventually leads to the breakdown of transformers and causes outages.

    He cautioned the public to do the right thing through prompt payment of bills and desist from illegal acts such as meter bypass since it is a criminal and dangerous act, which could cause fire outbreak and the loss of life through electrocution.

    Mr Lumor announced that the Company has the authority to prosecute persons engaged in such illegal acts within ECG network by an Executive Instrument (EI) 38 of the Appointment of Public Prosecution Instrument (2010).

    He called on the public in general to support the Company in its fight against illegal connection by reporting people who engaged in such acts to the nearest ECG office or call the national taskforce via telephone number 0551444011 and indicated that it comes with a financial reward.

    “There is a six per cent commission of any amount we recoup as an incentive for anyone who gave us reliable information to unearth any illegality,” he said.

    Source: Ghanaweb via GNA

  • ‘Tallest’ man in Volta region appeals for footwear

    Charles Sogli, a 22-year-old man, who is nearly eight feet tall, has appealed for customised footwear and working gear to keep him in his welding and metal fabrication job.

    He also needs a special vehicle to aid his mobility.

    The young man, believed to be the tallest man in the Volta Region, said he dropped out of school because he could not get footwear for the size of his feet and feared the same fate could truncate his apprenticeship as a welder.

    Sogli, comes from Ziope in the Agotime-Ziope District of the Volta Region.

    He is the third of five siblings and the only one with the unique feature.

    The young man told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that he enrolled as a welder and metal fabricator apprentice in Ho about a year ago, with challenges of not getting appropriate footwear and working gear for the job.

    Sogli also said it was difficult for him to use commercial vehicles due to his height, with many commercial drivers denying him their services.

    Micheal DeSouza, Sogli’s Master, described him (Soglo) as very “helpful and hardworking.”

    “He is a good, quiet and peaceful person. All he needs is appropriate footwear and working gear for his size and maybe a special means of transport- a special car,” he said.

    Charles’ foot measures 16 inches.

    He told GNA a shoemaker got him footwear for work but, ” it is not protective.”

    Metal fabrication is the creation of metal structures, which involves cutting, bending and assembling processes.

    Metal fabricators are expected to wear hard hats, goggles, gloves and safety shoes.

    Source: GNA

  • Volta region has UK strain of the Coronavirus – Dr Djokoto

    Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, Deputy Volta Regional Director of Ghana Health Service, in-charge of Public Health, has disclosed that the region has recorded the United Kingdom (UK) COVID-19 variant.

    He said this was known after genetic sequencing of the variant performed by researchers at the University of Health and Allied Sciences coronavirus testing centre in Ho.

    Dr Djokoto, speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the transmissibility of the UK strain was high, resulting in an increasing number of cases in the Region.

    The Deputy Director said the region, as of February 28, recorded a total of 321 active cases with 20 deaths and 1,551 recoveries, bringing the cumulative case count to 1,887.

    He said some schools in the region had recorded the virus, however, the affected students, including three primary pupils, were doing well.

    Touching on the vaccine, Dr Djokoto said the vaccine had been tested and proven to be safe and effective against the COVID-19.

    He said Ho Municipal topped the chart of cases in the region followed by Ketu North and Hohoe, recording 56 and 44 cases, respectively.

    Dr Djokoto urged the populace to ignore the misinformation that the vaccine was produced to wipe out Africans, adding it was just like other vaccines that the country received from the outside world to treat other diseases.

    He said the vaccine would not render people who took it infertile or alter their DNA as was being peddled by conspiracy theorists.

    Source: GNA

  • ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration in Ho not sanctioned – Police

    Sergeant Prince Dogbatse, Public Affairs Officer of the Volta Regional Police Command, says the Command has not sanctioned an intended demonstration against the President’s nominee, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa as the new Regional Minister.

    The demonstration termed, “Enough is Enough”, was aimed to express the disappointment by some “unknown group” calling itself “Volta NPP Grassroot for Justice” in the region on the renomination of Dr Letsa as Volta Regional Minister by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    Sergeant Dogbatse in a press release copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) disclosed that the Command had information on the intended demonstration to be held on Monday, January 25.

    He said although the Police was bound to provide security for “law-abiding citizens” properly organised to engage in legitimate activities including demonstrations, the upsurge of COVID-19 cases in the region could not allow the Group to embark on their intended action.

    The Public Affairs Officer, who said the event could endanger public health and safety, cautioned all citizens to take note of the directive and be warned of the consequences of non-compliance.

    “The Command per any properly organised special event by members of the public is duty-bound to provide security for law-abiding citizens to engage in such legitimate activities like demonstrations and processions.

    He said the Command “in this critical time” was determined to support other key stakeholders in containing the pandemic to guarantee public health and safety.

    Sergeant Dogbatse advised the public to continue to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols such as the proper wearing of the face or nose masks, social distancing, washing of hands regularly and sanitising hands often in order to contain the spread of the deadly pandemic.

    The Volta region currently has 106 active cases and two deaths within two weeks with cases mainly within Ho, Hohoe, North Tongu and Ketu North.

    Source: GNA

  • Well not accept Dr Letsa Volta NPP group hits the streets in protest

    A pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) calling itself the “Volta NPP Grassroots for Justice” will begin demonstrating against the reappointment of Dr. Yao Archibald Letsa as the regional minister of the Volta region.

    The route for the demonstration will start from the Metro Mass yard (Sokode Lokoe) through the Police Regional Headquarters to the Civic Center and to the regional party office to present its petition to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo through the regional executives.

    In a statement, it said it reject the reappointment of the Dr. Letsa though it did not give reasons behind its rejection

    “We wish to state equivocally that we the party base (supporters) in the region will not accept the appointment.”

    “We, therefore, wish to notify the police of our resolve to embark on a series of procession and demonstration to register our demonstration and disappointment as the intended appointment of Dr Yao Archibald Letsa from Monday 25th January, 2021”, it added.

    The Volta region gradually continues to increase in supporter base for the ruling NPP party as it got a little over 10% in the last elections.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday, January 21, 2021, presented a total of 43 persons including 16 Regional Minister Designates through the Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin for approval.

    Source: My News GH

  • Volta Police Command appreciates cooperation from residents during elections

    The Volta Regional Police Command has commended the major stakeholders and the public for a largely successful conduct of the general election on Monday in terms of security.

    Sergeant Prince Dogbatse, Regional Public Relations Officer of the Command speaking to the Ghana News Agency appreciated the largely peaceful nature of the elections across the region without incidents.

    He said prior to the elections, the Command identified some 631 hotspots in the region, which made the inhabitants alarmed about the volatile nature of the upcoming election, which again hiked the tension and insecurity in the population.

    He said this hotspot identification was to inform the Command of deployment strategies, officers and men and what numbers to deal with in a volatile situation.

    Sergeant Dogbatse said the role of the public was unique in the 2020 electioneering period, which he said emanated from the many engagements the Command had with major actors including; seminars, media training, peace concerts and simulation exercises to let the public know of their readiness and responsibilities at the polls.

    “The Command appreciates the cooperation and hopes this relationship would extend and cascade into the future.”

    On the yuletide, he cautioned residents of the region to maintain personal security to avoid attacks from miscreants, who would want to take advantage of the season.

    Sergeant Dogbatse urged the business community to avoid travelling with bulk monies to make them prey to any attacks leading to injuries and deaths.
    He said the Command was ready to protect lives and property even in the yuletide and asked all to take personal responsibility for their security.

    Source: GNA

  • Rain disrupts voting in parts of Volta Region

    Voting in some parts of the Volta Region had to be suspended following a rainfall in the area.

    The rains lasted for more than an hour and affected some polling stations in Hohoe, Dzodze (Ketu North), Dzolokpuita (Ho West), Kpando and Sogakope (South Tongu).

    Jemima Achivors reports that the rain started in Hohoe around 2pm and dispersed both Polling Station Officials and voters for about 15 minutes, bringing the polling procedures to a standstill.

    At Dzolokpuita, Agnes Melissa Yovo reported that the Presiding Officer, Mr. Joseph Odeitey said that the voting exercise was put on hold because of the rain.

    The electoral officers and security personnel had to keep the election materials and ballot boxes from the rain.

    Slow process at Alavanyo

    Earlier, some voters who spoke to Graphic Online at the United Primary sch. polling station at Alavanyo Abehinease, complained that the process was too slow as they had been waiting in queue since 12 noon.

    The presiding officer at the station, Mr. Arnold Agbo however said the process was smoothly progressing as over 300 voters out of 536 had already cast their ballot after midday.

    He however expressed concern that most voters did not follow COVID 19 protocols in wearing their masks.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Dont suppress the voting rights of Voltarians, others Togbe Afede XIV

    The Paramount Chief of the Asogli State in the Volta Region, Togbe Afede XIV is expressing concerns over allegations making rounds about ploys to disenfranchise certain Ghanaians, particularly people from the Volta region and other parts of the country.

    According to a statement issued by the revered Chief, Ghanaians need hope and not fear in the midst of challenges such as the Coronavirus pandemic, joblessness, and generally difficult living conditions, among others.

    “We are very concerned about the allegations making the rounds about all manner of ploys, mayhem and kamikaze tactics being planned to create confusion on voting day December 7, 2020, and make impossible the smooth and fair conduct of voting in certain parts of the country, especially Volta Region,” the statement from the Chief said.

    The statement pointed out that “At this time when unimaginable atrocities are being visited on the black man in various parts of the world, we need to work together to strengthen the peace, and create harmonious living conditions at home so that xenophobic isolation abroad would not be preferred by our people.”

    “So as we prepare to go to the polls on December 7, we ask all Ghanaians to keep in mind our important responsibility to contribute our utmost to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections. We all need, at this crucial time, to remember our “pledge to be faithful and loyal to Ghana, (our) motherland”, it noted.

    Source: My News GH

  • Healthcare services improves significantly under NPP in Volta – Letsa

    Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, has said that the Region had witnessed a significant improvement in healthcare services under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led-administration.

    He said the quality decisions taken by the government in the last four years had impacted positively on the health of the people at all levels of care.

    He disclosed that the region had 519 health facilities, which comprises 321 Community-based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compounds, 119 health centres and 11 district hospitals.

    “In keeping consistent to our vision of attaining Universal Health Coverage in record time, we have worked with our partners to ensure that material and human resources are made more available to assist service delivery,” he said.

    Dr Letsa who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the government had the responsibility of delivering quality, affordable and accessible healthcare to 1,907,608 people in all the 2,752 communities and 18 districts in the Region.

    “The Volta Region has seen significant improvement in the critical health indicators which therefore clearly shows that we are making progress towards attaining our… objectives,” he stated.

    He said as a result of the agenda 111, six districts – Adaklu, Afadjato South, Agotime Ziope, Akatsi North, Anloga and Ho West, which hitherto had no district hospitals would see the construction of well-equipped district hospitals within the next couple of years.

    “The Regional Hospital, which was upgraded to a Teaching Hospital under the tenure of President. Akufo-Addo has attracted specialists from the various medical fields to the region,” he said.

    He said the Hohoe Municipal Hospital was being upgraded to a Regional Hospital status, CHPS compounds and health centres were being retooled and “it is a great relief that together with our health partners a good number of facilities have been operationalised to render healthcare services.

    Dr Letsa said maternal mortality has reduced from 148.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 99.7 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, same period of 2020, adding that though such significant achievement was encouraging, further steps were being taken to further reduce such painful mortalities to the barest minimum.

    He said one of the major achievements of the health sector, which had affected the region immensely was the restoration of allowances and clearing of the backlog of staff to the great relief to both parents and their wards.

    The Minister disclosed that the 2018 batch of nurses were currently being processed for employment and were scheduled to begin work in January, 2021 while the 2019 batch was currently undertaking their national service.

    He said the “canker” of graduate health professional unemployment was near eradication as Allied Health staff who had been at home since 2012 had largely been engaged with the health service and other categories of graduate health professionals had been engaged to improve on the doctor-nurse population ratios in the Volta Region.

    “The strategies to deal with the gaps in the health service exposed by the recent scourge of the COVID 19 pandemic emphasised the need for competent and bold leadership,” he added.

    Dr Letsa said the sterling leadership of the President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo has save uncountable lives and livelihoods, adding that his decisions backed by science and followed through by thorough and deliberate action made Ghana a trailblazer amongst its contemporaries.

    He said during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Public Health Emergency Committee quickly mobilised stakeholders to put in place effective preparedness and response measures, including providing training for all categories of health workers to equip them with the necessary expertise to safely manage COVID 19 cases to safeguard lives of the people.

    “In record time a COVID 19 testing Centre was established in the Volta Region. A 40-bed capacity Regional Training Centre with ICU facilities were quickly operationalised. In addition, treatment centres were established in Hohoe, Adidome and Battor,” he added.

    He said there was an intensified disease surveillance in border communities and health institutions to enable early detection and containment of the Covid-19 cases, with various stakeholders also seriously engaged in a sensitisation campaign to let the public adhere to the safety protocols.

    The Minister said logistics and funding challenges, which were a global phenomenon were largely resolved by the President’s determination to rapidly expand the local capacity to produce Personal Protective Equipment.

    He said the Region currently has no active case, but had a total accumulated case of 685 since the resurgence of the disease with 673 recoveries, 12 deaths, and appealed to all to continue to observe the health safety protocols in this campaign period to help stem the spread of the virus.

    Source: GNA

  • Withdraw security personnel deployed to Volta Region Chiefs to government

    The Volta Regional House of Chiefs is calling for the withdrawal of security personnel deployed to the region following the invasion of members of secessionist group, Western Togoland.

    The House believes the continued presence of security personnel in the area will discourage citizens from casting their ballot in the upcoming general elections.

    “The call from citizens is that the House should demand the withdrawal of this security personnel from the region forthwith so as to reduce the fear of intimidation being exhibited by the security personnel,” the House said in a statement.

    Security personnel were dispatched to the region after members of the secessionist group in the early hours of Friday, September 25, 2020, blocked the JuapongAccra and SogakopeAccra main roads.

    The House pointed out that the personnel had since not been recalled, despite calm returning to the area.

    It said deliberations held with high ranking government officials about insecurity in the Volta Region had not yielded positive results.

    Below is the statement from the Volta Regional House of Chiefs 

    Source: citinewsroom

  • 676 pupils allegedly got pregnant during coronavirus era in Volta Region

    A total of 676 school children in the Volta Region have been impregnated during the Coronavirus period, spanning March to September, a report by the Ghana Education Service (GES) has revealed.

    Of the figure, 176 of the pregnancies were recorded among primary pupils, 325 in Junior High (JHS), and 175 in Senior High School (SHS)

    A total of 285 nursing mothers are also recorded to be in school, the majority in the JHS and SHS.

    Keta recorded the highest pregnancies with 92, Hohoe followed with 86, and Ketu South came third with 82 pregnancies.

    Mr Gideon Tsawodzi, Volta Regional Guide Coordinator of the GES, revealed the data at a meeting of the Volta Regional Child Protection Committee.

    He said the situation was endemic, and that late admission to school had been identified as the primary cause.

    Mr Tsawodzi said gaps in guidance and counseling also remained a key factor.

    He said communities had also become sexually promiscuous, and were not able to safeguard the sexual rights of the girl-child.

    Mrs Millicent Dakeh, Regional Girls Officer with the GES, said the figures could be higher, as schools were not in session and some girls had left their localities during the survey.

    She said some pregnancies might also be placed under covers by parents and guardians.

    Source: GNA

  • Alleged Volta secessionist dies in police custody

    One of the 100 secessionists who were arrested during a ‘freedom’ fight in September in the Volta region, has been reported dead while in Police custody.

    According to a CitiFM report, this news was confirmed by the Counsel for the suspects, Theophilus Donkor.

    Confirming the development in an interview, he said: “As far as I know, I can confirm to you that one of those persons is no more with us.”

    The Counsel for the suspects further averred that the Police is yet to speak on the issue as well as brief the family of the deceased about the rather bizarre situation.

    He explained that “As far as we know in Ghana, which I know they [police] know, that the dead body belongs to the family so the family should have been consulted by this time, but they have decided, or they are deliberately deciding not to communicate that information to the family.”

    Meanwhile, the name of the deceased is still unknown as Mr. Donkor decided to hold on to the identity of the said person.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Use temperate language to reduce political temperature – Togbe Tepre Hodo

    Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, has admonished the leadership of the various parties to use temperate language to help reduce the political temperature ahead of the general elections.

    He said if politics was about development and service to mankind, the election should be a contest of ideas and not a platform for sowing acrimony and violence.

    Togbe Tepre Hodo, who is also the Paramount Chief of Anfoega Traditional Area, was speaking during a visit by Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, the Running mate of Mr John Mahama, Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ho.

    He said politics should not be “a do and die” affair, saying there appeared to be no decorum in the way it was being carried out.

    “Take insults, rancour and vilification out of the campaign,” he said, adding that politics was essentially to serve the people.

    “We need every Ghanaian citizen alive, you don’t rule dead people, so we all expect the peace that we are enjoying will continue before, during and after the elections,” he said and urged all to preach peace, unity and understanding.

    Togbe Tepre Hodo commended Opoku-Agyeman for the visit and her call for a peaceful campaign and wished her a fruitful tour of the Region.

    On her part, Professor Opoku-Agyamang said the nation’s quest for accelerated socio-economic growth and development would be a mirage if there was no peace.

    She said peace was an essential tool in the progress of every nation and must be cherished at all times.

    He called on political actors to ensure that their actions and activities during the electioneering period were carried out in a manner to protect the peace of the country.

    Prof Opoku-Agyamang noted that “development is anchored on peace and tranquillity,” and said the NDC was committed to the peace of the country and would do everything to safeguard it.

    She said the next NDC government would improve on the Free Senior High policy, abolish the double-track system, put more emphasis on basic education as it formed the bedrock, and complete all abandoned infrastructure projects to create a conducive environment for effective academic work.

    Prof Opoku-Agyamang assured the Chiefs that the party would deliver on its promises in the people’s manifesto for the effective socioeconomic transformation of the country to improve the well-being of the citizenry.

    Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Chairman, NDC, said the party would not discriminate when it came to power, promising that the Volta region would get its fair share of the national cake to accelerate the growth and development of the Region.

    He said when the party got the nod on December 7, it would ensure full operationalisation of the Ho aerodrome to boost economic activities in the Region to improve the lives of the people.

    Mr Ampofo said the administration would create avenues for the youth to develop their skills and put them to good use to become responsible citizens as the future success of the country was dependent on them.

    Prof Opoku-Agyamang also met with Educational Workers Connect and had a dialogue with market women, assuring them that the party would do all it could to address their challenges when it was voted into power.

    Source: GNA

  • Akufo-Addo urges Volta Region voters to back him in 2020 polls

    President Akufo-Addo has asked the people of the Volta Region to vote massively for him and the New Patriotic Party in the December polls to consolidate the gains made so far.

    He said policies and programmes introduced by his administration have touched lives and transformed the country.

    Speaking at a mini-rally in Ketu North as part of his tour of the Volta Region, President Akufo-Addo said his government needs to continue with the agenda of building a future of hope for young people.

    “On 7th December, do we want to go on building this house or do we want to go back to the old broken system that we had until the 7th of January 2017? We are going forward, and we are going to build this new house we want to create in Ghana,” he said.

    President Akufo-Addo is currently on a three-day working visit to the Volta and Oti Regions which ends today, Thursday, October 22, 2020.

    On this trip, he has commissioned road projects, hospitals and security installations.

    He has also cut the sod for new projects to begin and met the chiefs and people of the respective traditional areas.

    Later today, President Akufo-Addo will inspect work on the Kete Krachi Town Roads in the Krachi West constituency.

    He will also commission the Nandi Junction-Dordo Kope road and the Krachi-Banda road at Borae Junction in the Krachi Nchumuru constituency.

    President Akufo-Addo will then attend a meeting with the Oti Regional House of Chiefs at Dambai, cut sod for the NYA Youth Resource Centre there, and end the three-day work visit in the two regions with a sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of the Zoomlion Waste Recycling and Compost Plant at Yariga No.1 also in the Krachi East constituency of the Oti Region.

    Source: citinewsroom

  • NDC alarmed at worsening national security situation in Volta Region

    The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it is alarmed by the significant deterioration of the national security situation in the Volta Region, following two separate secessionist attacks on residents and installations last week and earlier this week despite earlier threats and clear warning signals.

    The secessionist groups insist the Volta region is independent Western Togoland.

    Last week, members of HSGF blocked roads leading to the region, hoisted their flags, captured three police officers and exchanged gunfire with security agencies as parts of agitation for their independence.

    In the early hours of Tuesday, 29 September 2020, a sister separatist group attacked the STC yard in Ho and burnt two of their buses.

    The NDC says the attacks by the groups “are a clear indication of the failure of the government under President Nana Akufo-Addo and the National Security Council which he chairs.”

    The party in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo bemoaned the silence of the President on the matter.

    “While property has been destroyed and lives lost, the people of Ghana are yet to hear a comment by the President condemning these acts of treason and lawlessness, let alone consoling the victims, and taking urgent action as appropriate to restore law and order. This is what Ghanaians expect from their President who incidentally is the Chairman of ECOWAS,” the statement said.

    “We do not want to believe that the inaction of the President and National Security Council is deliberate and calculated at achieving a sinister political motive including the suppressing of votes in the NDC strongholds. This is already sufficient apprehension caused by these events that suggest complicity of officialdom to cause fear and human insecurity in that part of the country as a justification for an intimidating security presence the type of which was witnessed during the voter registration exercise only a few months ago,” it added.

    The NDC further noted that this sequence of events cumulatively constitutes a threat to national peace, unity, territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ghana and is, thus, calling for urgent action for the restoration of normalcy.

    The party said it is closely monitoring the security situation along the Eastern corridor and the country as a whole and has called on all Ghanaians to rally together to preserve national unity, peace and stability “particularly at this time of the final preparations towards the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.”

    Source: Class FM

  • Togoland attacks: Group calls for halt in reopening of schools in the Volta region

    The Africa Education Watch has called on the Education Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to halt the reopening of schools in the Volta region amidst security threats in the area.

    The call follows the recent attack on the State Transport Corporation (STC) in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, by a group of people suspected to be members of the separatist group advocating for independence from Ghana for the Western Togoland.

    The members of the group reportedly fired gunshots, set ablaze one of the STC buses before proceeding to beat up some drivers.

    For African Education Watch, reopening of schools in the area could lead to similar situations witnessed in Nigeria and Cameroon where the terrorist group, Boko Haram kidnapped 276 schoolgirls in the town of Chibok in the Borno State of Nigeria.

    Taking to its official twitter page, Africa Education Watch noted that “from the way, things are going, and the apparent lack of any meaningful security, no one should attempt re-opening JHS & SHS in October in that Region….we know how these deadly groups targeted schools in Cameroon, Nigeria, etc. @MatthewOPrempeh”

    President AkufoAddo, in his 16th COVID-19 update to the nation, announced the resumption of school for JHS 2 and SHS 2 students on October 5, 2020.

    The move forms part of efforts to ensure that the students complete their academic work as the government works towards the gradual easing of restrictions in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

    But for Africa Education Watch, the Ministry of Education should hold on with any possible resumption for students in the Volta region, at least for the meantime, due to the heavy security threats that come with the recent rampage that has been reported in parts of the area by members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation, a group demanding independence from Ghana.

    Source: universnewsroom.com

  • Insecurity on the rise at Kpodoi-Dorfor as dad of 6-month-old twins shot dead in Volta Region


    There is a mounting insecurity at Kpodoi-Dorfor in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region as father of a six-month-old twins has been shot to death by assailants over chieftaincy dispute.

    The 34-year-old deceased farmer, Azievu Obeneh, who was shot dead at the premises of the Ananzie Chief’s palace at Kpodoi, left behind a set of twins and a seven-year-old girl as well as an unemployed wife who has been pleading for justice.

    Mother of the twins and wife of the deceased, 27-year-old Xorla Toglo, told GhanaWeb in an interview that, it is difficult to fend for her family and having nowhere else to go and no one to cater for her and the children.

    She appealed to the government to urgently intervene and to as well let justice prevail in her late husband’s matter.
    GhanaWeb gathered that another farmer, Kofitor Ananzie, was also shot but luckily survived the gunshot.

    Another 63-year-old farmer, Amatey Adjawutor suffered machete wounds on his way home from the farm by the same known assailants.
    Amatey is said to have lost his sight and currently half deaf due to the gun shot and the machete inflicted wounds meted on him.

    Residents say they are living in fear as almost every two days, the gun wielding assailants pounce in on them to threaten them.
    Information gathered by GhanaWeb suggests that a chieftaincy dispute between factions of the Ananzie Stool has led to the rising insecurity in the Kpodoi-Dorfor community.

    The information further suggests that the perpetrators seem to be going round the community threatening residents with gun as well as trying to force on the community, a regent who has been alleged to be alien in Kpodoi-Dorfor.

    The perpetrators are, however, said to be walking freely in Kpodoi and continue to subject the residents to fear with impunity even after allegedly shooting and killing one person.
    According to the Assembly Member of Kpodoi-Dorfor, Bright Awuitor who spoke to GhanaWeb, security personnel appear to have been overwhelmed by the situation.

    “The situation at Kpodoi now is becoming on becoming. Me myself I can’t hold meetings in the community now because my life is in danger and we don’t know what else to do.
    “We are appealing to the government to come to our aid. We are begging the government.
    “Kpodoi used to be the life of Dorfor. We use to enjoy peace. But nowadays, I don’t know what to say. We want peace to prevail in Kpodoi so that developmental projects being carried out by the government can come to pass here,” he expressed.

    Information suggests that the Chief of Ananzie, Togbi Sedem Ananzie Kpitriku 11, who in efforts to bring order in the community, spent money to build a police post for the Ghana Police Service to provide personnel for the post but that effort has been crippled.

    The Chief accused the DCE for North Tongue, Richard Collins Arku, of allegedly giving room for the insecurity to fester in Kpodoi.

    “In my reign as chief of this area for the last three to four years, I have tried my best to bring development in this town.

    “Extension of electricity, school, hospital, a lot. In fact, chieftaincy is without issues. But we can allow unity to continue. Misunderstanding will not bring development.

    “I have personally appealed to the police administration to setup a police station here. I have built a temporary structure here to be used as police station but the DCE and a certain soldier have stumped their feet on it,” he told GhanaWeb.

    The chief called on President Akufo-Addo and the Inspector General of Police to come to the aid of Kpodoi.
    Meanwhile, when GhanaWeb contacted the DCE, who is the Chairman of the District Security Committee (DISEC) for his side of the story, he said everything was under control at Kpodoi-Dorfor.

    The DCE, Richard Collins Arku, told GhanaWeb that “that issue came to DISEC and we have taken a decision on it.”

    “That issue has been with us for some time now. The police are on top of their game. They are doing their best. So no cause of alarm. So (be) rest assured ok,” he said.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • President cuts sod for water supply project in the Volta Region

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Tuesday cut the sod for a Water Supply Project for five Districts of the Volta Region.

    The Districts were; Central Tongu, North Tongu, Adaklu-Anyigbe, Agotime-Ziope and Ho West Districts. Some 89,107 people in 183 beneficiary communities in the five districts would have access to potable water when the project is completed.

    At a ceremony at Adaklu-Anfoe, in the Adaklu District, President Akufo-Addo stated that Government would not relent in its efforts to make water accessible for all Ghanaians , a 2016 Manifesto commitment of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which remained a key priority of his administration.

    He said the project, financed by a concessionary credit facility from the Raiffeisenbank International of Vienna, Austria to the tune of €11.5 million, would result in an increase in water coverage for the Volta Region by 5.6 per cent.

    The project, the President said, was also expected to reduce the time spent in search for water by people of the beneficiary communities, especially women and children, minimise the affliction of water-borne diseases and maximise the social and health benefits of clean, safe and reliable drinking water.

    He assured residents of the Region that Government had plans to increase further water coverage, with the next phase of the Project soon to be implemented to benefit communities in the remaining two districts, i.e. North Tongu and Ho West.

    President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that Government would continue to create an enabling environment, through the provision of social infrastructure, to attract investment to rural communities.

    With potable water coming to the area, he urged investors to take advantage of Government’s Flagship Programmes, such as “One- District, One-Factory” to establish small and medium scale factories to exploit the natural resources of the area, create employment for the youth, and stimulate the growth and development of the local economy.

    The President admonished beneficiary communities to own and protect the infrastructure to ensure sustainability of services.

    He urged the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, the implementing Agency of the Project, to ensure its timely completion in accordance with required standards and specifications.

    Key components of the Project, which would see the laying of transmission and distributions lines over 132 kilometers, included installation of booster stations, elevated concrete tanks, health and hygiene education and environmental and social safeguards.

    Source: GNA

  • Small holder farmers train in Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato farming

    Some 400 small holder farmers are undergoing training in Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato farming in Dodze in the Volta region.

    The nine day training programme, under the auspices of Maphlix Trust Farms at Dodze and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) will see the farmers well equipped to grow the Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato among other fruits and vegetables for export.

    The training facilitated by the Adidome Agricultural Institute commenced last Monday will end on August 12, 2020, after which all participants will be duly certified to go into brisk farming of the vegetable among others.

    The farmers, from Konongo, Kentu North and South and surrounding areas are also being taken through the basics.

    Managing Director of Maphlix Trust Farms, Mr Felix Kamassah told Business Finder the objective was to beef up the number of out-growers to be able to produce enough to feed the potato processing factory and ensure they are armed with the relevant and appropriate agricultural methods.

    “Our target is to train 400 smallholder farmers by the end of the nine day workshop so they can meet set targets in terms of yields,” he told this reporter in an interview.

    According to Mr Kamassah, the original plan was to handle 50 participants a day but “we have to do more than that, about 80 farmers are coming each day for the sessions,”

    After the training, Maphlix Farms would supply the farmers with the requisite planting material, as well as extend other services like tractor and equipment services to them. When the crops are due for harvesting the company buys from the farmers for onward export.

    Mr Kamassah has indicated that the plan was to make his farm part of the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative. Even though a project proposal had been submitted to the 1D1F Secretariat and the Ministry of Trade and Industry some two years ago, no feedback had been received.

    When up and running, the factory would give employment to some 200 people and benefit about 500 out-growers in the Ketu North Municipality.

    The agribusiness entrepreneur who is also the president of the Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association of Ghana (VEPEAG) said there was a huge international market for vegetables, especially the OFSP and that given adequate funding there would be a significant expansion of their farming activities.

    Source: thefinderonline.com

  • Mahama donates 36 motorbikes, 18 laptops to NDC offices in Volta Region

    The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region has received campaign support from the flag bearer of the party, former President John Dramani Mahama, as part of measures to canvass support at its grassroots, ahead of the December polls.

    The regional office received some 36 new Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority-registered motorcycles and 18 Lenovo laptops on Friday, 24 July 2020 at the party’s regional office in Ho.

    The Volta Regional Chairman of the NDC, Henry Ametefe, disbursed the donated items on the behalf of the former President to the leadership of the 18 constituencies.

    Each constituency received two motorcycles and a laptop.

    Mr Henry Ametefe asked the people to use the motorbikes to embark on a door-to-door campaign in their various areas, admonishing them to exercise caution so as to prevent accidents.

    The party’s regional secretary, James Gunu told the media that the former President made the gesture to facilitate community campaign across the various constituencies since the COVID-19 pandemic had prevented political rallies from occurring.

    “The motorbikes are supposed to facilitate the party work on the ground. That means that our people (campaigners) have to get closer to the doorsteps of the people. Because of the COVID-19, we are not going to have big rallies in the constituencies, definitely, we need to get our messages closer to the people at the grassroots,” he said.

    He added that the laptops will also facilitate their campaign and election activities since information and technology are crucial in collating election results.

    “We are in an information technology world, so we need to be abreast with the global trend, we need to be able to collate our results and we need to be able to get the information on the ground as far as the results collation is concerned,” he said.

    Mr James Gunu said, winning the December polls is a must for the NDC hence the party will leave no stone unturned as far as measures to win are concerned.

    “This is an election that we need to win. It is a must-win election, so everything that we need as party people to make sure that we win this election must be done,” he noted.

    The party has also formed an information technology (IT) directorate in the region to work with the election committee and also to be in charge of the use of laptops.

    Leadership of the Volta Region NDC thanked John Mahama and promised to ensure that the items are put to good use and geared towards achieving victory in the December polls.

  • Power supply improves in Volta and Oti region amid coronavirus

    Power supply and its reliability in the Volta and Oti regions have improved significantly following intensified maintenance works, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has said.

    The Company said the move was to enable people to stay at home to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The Ghana News Agency (GNA) was told the availability of electricity in the Volta Region stood at 97.52 percent.

    Mr Delali Oklu, the General Manager of ECG, Volta/Oti regions, said as part of efforts to improve on supply, the Company recently commissioned Special Maintenance Teams at the regional and district levels, to identify, detect and submit faults for immediate redress.

    He said as a result of numerous maintenance activities, feeders at Ve-Golokwati, Asiekpe-Waya, Kpetoe and Nkwanta, which used to have frequent power cuts had seen massive improvement.

    A feeder is a high tension line that sends electricity to the transformer for distribution to customers.

    Mr Oklu said the exercise had also improved voltage profile of the supply system, leading to increased quality of power and reduction of outages in the catchment areas.

    He urged prepaid customers to use the ECG Power App to pay bills to minimise physical contacts and congestion at the offices.

    “However, prepaid customers in Ho and Hohoe districts can still visit our offices or any private vendor to purchase prepaid credit for their meters,” he added.

    Mr Jones Makumator, the Regional Engineer, said the Company had replaced old and weak insulators and upgraded undersized electricity conductors (cables) for efficient power supply.

    He said it also carried out many injection projects in areas like Lolito, Dzodze, Ho-Barracks Newtown, Dambai-Kwame Akura, Anyako Kpota and Apedido, at a cost of GH¢ 511,616.36, to relieve overloaded transformers for continuous power supply.

    “The Company did these injection projects because now that a lot of people are home due to this pandemic, we envisaged that domestic demand for electricity was going to increase, hence the need to increase the capacity of some overloaded transformers to ensure that our customers experience stable power supply,” Mr Makumator added.

    He said ECG also started replacing rusted head gears along the coastal areas from Adina to Azizadzi and from Anloga to Anyanui at GH¢153, 229.78.

    “Once this project is completed, it will enhance the reliability of power supply to customers along the coast,” Mr Makumator said.

    He said the Company was also installing a voltage booster station at Hohoe to help improve the voltage profile and ensure uninterrupted power supply in the Municipality.

    Source: GNA

  • EC registers over 500,000 voters within 18 days in Volta Region

    A total of 506,698 applicants in the Volta region were issued with the new voter card after 18 days of a registration exercise by the Election Commission (EC).

    Mr. Dogbey Adukpo Selormey, the Regional Director of the EC, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency on Saturday.

    He said the daily summary statistics of the region showed that the 14th day of the voter registration exercise produced the highest figure of 49,759 with the first day recording the lowest 19,333.

    He said a total of 1,495 applications were challenged in the exercise in the region within the same period of registration activity.

    The Director said the highest aggregation occurred on July 9, recording 171 being the challenged applications per day on the ninth day and the lowest recording of 31 on the first day of the registration exercise.

    Mr Selormey indicated that challenges hinged on applicants citizenship and residential status within the constituencies at the time of the registration exercise.

    He said his expectation about the conduct of the registration exercise was met and appealed to people yet to undertake the exercise within the remaining days to end the exercise.

    Meanwhile, Nana Oduro Numapau, Ho Municipal Director of EC, said total challenges recorded as of July 1, this year, were 78, adding that 25 of the challenges were cleared.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: Volta Region case count reaches 75

    COVID-19 positive case count in the Volta Region has reached 75, checks by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) has revealed.

    The Region also has a total of 32 recoveries, two deaths and 41 active cases.

    Ketu South Municipality leads the chart with 26 number of cases followed by Ho, the regional capital, 22 and Hohoe, 11 cases.

    Central Tongu has seven cases, South Tongu, three cases, Kpando, two cases, Anloga, two cases with Akatsi South and Agotime-Ziope recording a case each.

    Following the recording of new cases in Central Tongu, the Assembly has closed the Adidome, Mafi Kumasi and Mafi Avedo markets temporarily.

    The Regional Security Council (REGSEC) in a press release on May 27, 2020, lamented the increase in the communal spread of the virus and directed all Assemblies to strictly ensure that all markets and public places had the “No mask, no entry” sign and enforced.

    The release, signed by Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, also charged the Assemblies to intensify public education and ensure that commercial drivers and motorcycle operators observed all the protocols, especially wearing of nose masks.

    Some people the GNA spoke to, said they were not surprised by the increase in communal spread of the virus because people were not wearing nose masks.

    They, therefore, appealed to the police to enforce the wearing of nose masks in the streets and public places.

    Meanwhile, a section of the public has cautioned against the ‘stampeding’ of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to lift restrictions meant to contain the pandemic.

    Mr Christopher Kudzo Galenkui, Assemblyman for Wumenu Electoral Area in the Adaklu District said there was no need to rush in lifting the restrictions when positive cases were on the increase.

    Source: GNA

  • One body retrieved after Volta Lake disaster claims 10 lives

    The body of one of at least a dozen people feared dead in a boat disaster on the Volta Lake in the Afram Plains area of the Eastern Region has been retrieved.

    The fatal incident occurred last Thursday, May 28, 2020 when the boat, which was carrying an unspecified number of persons, capsized.

    The death toll has been estimated to be about 20, according to state-owned newspaper, Daily Graphic.

    “Rescuers, mainly the locals, worked frantically to rescue 17 persons. As of press time yesterday [Friday, May 29, 2020], one body had been recovered and emergency teams, including local divers, were continuing the search for nine others,” Daily Graphic reports Saturday.

    According to the report, the body of 60-year-old Adjoa Alihele has since been deposited at the Presbyterian Hospital morgue at Donkorkrom.

    The boat was carrying mostly traders from Dzemeni in the Volta Region to Donkorkrom in the Afram Plains area of the Eastern Region when it capsized midway through the journey near Anivizi, a village along the Volta Lake.

    “Overcrowding and poor safety checks have often been the cause of boat accidents on the lake,” the report said.

    The Volta Lake is notorious for fatal boat accidents.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Volta Region records 7 storms in first quarter of 2020

    The Volta Region has recorded seven wind and rainstorms in the first quarter of 2020.

    Mr Divine Bosson, Volta Regional Director, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), said the storms affected seven communities in five Municipal and Districts.

    He said a total of 139 houses were affected by the storms, and 456 people, made up of 122 male adults, 122 female adults, 103 boys and 109 girls involved.

    Mr Bosson said three female adults out of the 456 affected persons sustained varying degrees of injuries.

    The Regional Director said a municipality recorded one flood situation, which affected a community with 19 houses.

    He said a total of 46 people, made up of ten male adults, 20 female adults, ten boys and six girls were affected by that flood.

    Mr Bosson said the Region recorded a total of 17 bushfires in eight municipal and districts, involving 21 communities and 300.5 acres of farm lands.

    He said a total of 458 people, made up of 123 male adults, 131 female adults, 107 boys, and 97 girls were affected by the fire.

    The Regional Director said 12 municipal and districts also recorded 38 domestic fires, which affected 38 communities and 42 houses.

    He said a total of 249 people, made up of 53 male adults, 76 female adults, 56 boys and 64 girls were affected by the fire, but with no death recorded.

    Mr Bosson said one industrial fire was also recorded in a district, which affected one community and 189 boys, and a school.

    The Regional Director said the estimated cost of damage by the disasters was GHC1,407,436.00

    He said his outfit would continue to educate the people on the need to avoid acts that could lead to disasters and called for support from all.

    Mr Bosson also called for stiffer punishment for people who set fire to bushes and also engaged in indiscriminate felling of trees to deter others from such acts.

    Source: GNA

  • Volta Region records second coronavirus death

    Volta Region has recorded its second COVID-19 death, a highly placed source confirmed to the Ghana News Agency on Saturday.

    The source said the deceased, a 55-year old man had an underlying health condition and died at the Margaret Marquart Hospital at Kpando.

    The Region recorded its first COVID-19 death on Thursday, May 14 at the Ho treatment centre after the patient visited the Ho Teaching Hospital with difficulty in breathing, fever for three days and reduced level of consciousness.

    The sexagenarian was also said to be battling an underlying health condition.

    GNA was told, “the patient was clinically managed in conformity with the established clinical protocols for the various disease conditions, psychosocial support given to the family of the confirmed case and all contacts and appropriate burial procedures currently underway.”

    The source said 39 staff including ten doctors, 28 nurses and an orderly were immediately quarantined as a precautionary measure after varying levels of exposure while contact identification, listing, tracing and testing was ongoing.

    It said the Emergency Unit of the Ho Teaching Hospital was evacuated and shut down for 24 hours for fumigation.

    Meanwhile, 28 persons are said to have recovered from the Coronavirus disease out of 34 cases in the region as of May 16, 2020.

    Source: GNA

  • Volta Region records first coronavirus death

    The Volta Region Friday recorded its first COVID-19 death at the local Treatment Centre in Ho.

    The deceased, a 60-year-old woman who returned from Accra two weeks ago, visited the Ho Teaching Hospital with difficulty in breathing, fever for three days and reduced level of consciousness.

    She was noticed to have been progressively getting weak prior to her presentation at the Teaching Hospital and passed on after five days on admission at the Regional COVID -19 Centre on May 14, 2020 at 1815 hours.

    Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the deceased was a known diabetic who had suffered a Cerebro-Vascular Accident (CVA) a few years ago.

    The sexagenarian, the statement said, also had a pacemaker in situ for an unspecified cardiac condition.

    It said she had been previously reviewed at the National Cardio-Thoracic Centre where she was told the pacemaker was no longer effective.

    “On examination, she was febrile (40.0 °C), not pale and anicteric with a Glasgow Coma Score of 11/15. She had a respiratory rate of 28cpm with Bronchial Breath Sounds and coarse crepitations bilaterally.

    Source: GNA

  • Ketu South Municipality records more coronavirus cases in the Volta Region

    The Ketu South Municipality in the Volta region is topping confirmed cases of the coronavirus outbreak in the Volta region with a total number of twenty-one cases.

    On April 12, 2020, some twenty-seven travellers from the neighbouring country Nigeria, who unlawfully entered Ghana through Aflao were intercepted by the security officials and quarantined accordingly and out of which six of them were tested positive of COVID -19, after which seventy-six persons were discovered in contact tracing.

    On April 30, 2020, five new positive COVID-19 cases were recorded from the seventy-six contact persons, this brings to the total number of eleven cases within the Municipality only.

    On May 1, 2020, the additional seventy-two test result was released with ten being new positive COVID-19 cases recorded in the area, this brings the total to twenty-one cases of Covid-19 recorded in the Ketu South, this making the Municipality becoming a hotspot of the coronavirus pandemic in the Volta region.

    However, out of this number, twelve are foreign nationals who are in quarantine and nine are Ghanaians who are contacts to the original six positive cases.

    According to the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Municipality, Hon. Elliott Agbenorwu, the affected persons are “all the people are in stable condition”, he urged residents in the Municipality to be vigilant and obey the various protocols saying “I continue to urge all of us to remain calm and let’s continue to observe the protocols and follow the other measures instituted by the President and the Ketu South Municipal Assembly” he noted in a press release dated Friday 1 May, 2020.

    What are the Municipal Authority and individuals doing to contain the virus?

    The Municipal Health Directorate led by the MCE, Elliott Agbenorwu has since the outbreak of the virus in the Municipality donated thousands of nose masks to residents, intensified education in remote and urban areas, benefited from both nationwide and regional fumigation exercise, partial lockdown of markets and encouraging residents to adhere to protective measures.

    On Thursday, April 30, the Assembly led by the MCE distributed some 5,000 pieces of nose masks and 3,000 bottles of hand sanitizers to market centres, commercial motorbike riders, lorry stations, public and private institutions within the municipality in order to curb the spread of the pandemic.

    The MCE has appealed to hotel managers and owners within the Municipality to co-operate with the Assembly and allow their facilities to be used as quarantine centers, which is yet to yield a result.

    The Municipal Security Taskforce and the Ghana Immigration Service in the Municipality have successfully intercepted over seventy foreign nationals who have tried to illegally enter the country. Some residents in the area, especially in Aflao and Denu are swiftly adhering to the various protective measures, many commuters and market women now uses at least a nose mask or hand sanitizer, whilst fear and uncertainty has forced more people to stay at home, streets of Aflao which looks very crowded with all sort of human activities now looks dead.

    The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s Parliamentary Candidate for the Ketu South constituency, David Tiano has on Wednesday 22 April 2020 donated food and some assorted items worth Gh¢40,000 to the aged in the constituency.

    The items included bags of corn, 1500 packs of mosquito coil, 750 boxes of matches among the rest were distributed to 30 persons in each of the 39 electoral areas in the Ketu South constituency.

    What are challenges in the Municipality?

    Despite the interventions to discourage the spreading of coronavirus in the area, residents, especially the less privileged people and petty traders have since been struggling to survive.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has ordered the closure of the country’s entry points, which affected Aflao the main entry point to Togo and other West Africa countries within the Municipality.

    Residents, hawkers and petty traders have no business to do, few traders who goes out to toil amidst the border closure are commonly returning home with low sales. Transport services have increased lorry fares while one can barely find a transit for domestic travels.

    Aflao to Accra transport fare was initially GHS 27.00 but the transport unions now charge between GHS 40.00 and GHS 45.00 meanwhile the State Transport Company (STC) has not changed its lorry fare.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Volta’s COVID-19 cases jump to 30 within a week

    The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, has stressed the need for strict adherence to preventive measures against COVID-19 in order to mitigate its spread.

    This follows a 200 per cent jump in figures of positive COVID-19 cases recorded in the region, from 10 to 30 in a week, as of May 1, 2020.

    The minister in a statement copied to the Daily Graphic indicated that all the 30 cases were in isolation and responding to treatment.

    Case details

    In a comprehensive detail of the 20 new cases, the statement said 19 of the cases were from the enhanced contact tracing exercise as  May 1, 2020 and one also recorded from routine surveillance.

    Fifteen of the cases were contacts of the six quarantined travellers at Aflao in the Ketu South Municipality who were confirmed positive on April 12, 2020, while the 16th contact to test positive is a 71-year-old woman who is closely associated with a case confirmed earlier in Ho.

    The statement added that the “remaining three contacts that tested positive are contacts of cases confirmed positive in Hohoe on April 12, 2020.”

    “The one additional case detected from routine surveillance is a 45-year-old man who returned to Kpando from Accra on April 20 to seek medical treatment after he started experiencing worsening respiratory symptoms whilst in Accra,” the statement added.

    Enhanced testing

    The Public Health Emergency Management Committee, based on technical advice has, therefore, sanctioned the mass testing of groups with relatively higher risks in order for the region to get a firmer grasp of the transmission of the virus in emerging hot spots.

    The University of Health and Allied Sciences was recently certified and has commenced testing for COVID-19 to boost the region’s response activities.

    Dr Letsa stated that further steps have been taken in collaboration with other stakeholders to rapidly expand the capacity of the laboratory.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

     

     

  • Decomposing body of man found hanging on a tree in Volta Region

    Residents of Amaglo Kope, a small village in Akpatoe in the Ketu North Municipal Assembly of Volta Region are gripped with fear as a lifeless body of a man believed to be in his early 30s has been found in a farm.

    The deceased man was found hanging on a tree branch in a farm, far away from the community by tractor operators who went to the farm to clear weeds.

    Residents believed the body of the deceased had been on the tree for more than a month as it had almost wholly decomposed and barely emitted any odour.

    However, no villager was able to identify the lifeless body. Many said it may be that the man came from afar to hang himself or was killed and hanged on the tree so it could be believed that he committed suicide by hanging himself.

    The police transported the body to the morgue on April 30, 2020, and have begun their investigations.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus screening centres to be set up at entry points into Volta Region

    The Juapong market in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region has been closed down to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

    Screening centres will also be set up at entry points into the region from the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions to prevent importation of the virus.

    The screening centres would be in the South Dayi, North and South Tongu districts.

    market

    These measures were contained in a press release signed by the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa.

    The Minister said the measures were instituted by the Volta Regional Public Health Emergency Management Committee, following a sharp increase in confirmed cases in neighbouring Eastern Region from 1 to 16 as of April 10, 2020.

    Dr Letsa stated that there were ongoing discussions with Municipal and District Chief Executives to adopt practical solutions to prevent overcrowding on market days in their respective areas.

    Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa.

    He also stated that a multidisciplinary task force has been set up to ensure private and commercial vehicles adhere to the social distancing directive by the Transport Ministry, which includes a reduction in the number of passengers aboard a vehicle.

    “It is strongly recommended that the general public adhere to social distancing in all endeavours especially when they are boarding vehicles,” he added.

    Dr Letsa also urged the public to observe the safety protocols outlined by the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, adding that “people who have hypertension and diabetes should kindly ensure that they take their medications as prescribed by their doctors.”

    Ho Central Market to be closed to public

    In a related development, the Ho Central Market in the Ho Municipality would be closed to business on market days, starting from Monday, April 12, 2020.

    This follows the failure of the traders to comply with the social distancing directive to prevent overcrowding in the market, to keep the spread of the virus at bay.

    Speaking at a media orientation on Covid-19, Dr Letsa explained that market days in Ho would automatically become clean-up days at the market and its immediate surroundings.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • 75 major markets in Volta Region to be closed for fumigation exercise

    In line with the Mass Disinfection Exercise being carried out across the country under the auspices of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa announced at a press conference held at the conference room of the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council, the simultaneous Mass Disinfection Exercise in seventy five markets across all the Municipalities and Districts in the region.

    According to the minister, the exercise shall take place on Saturday, April 4, 2020 from 5 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon. The exercise will be carried out by Zoomlion Group of Companies and will be assisted by other sprayers who would be mobilized by the respective assemblies.

    Lorry parks, shops, stores, restaurants, chop bars and other businesses operating adjacent or close to the various markets shall suspend operations during the time of the exercise.

    Dr. Letsa also revealed that to ensure safety and a smooth exercise on the 4th, security agencies in the region, NADMO and the National Ambulance Service shall play complementary roles.

    The minister further seized the opportunity to commend members of the media for their continuous support for efforts in ensuring a safe region in this COVID-19 period. He however, entreated the media to let citizens of the region to know about the fumigation exercise.

    Present at the conference were the Hon. Deputy Regional Minister, Members of the Regional Security Council, the Chief Director of the Co- ordinating Council, some Municipal and District Chief Executives, the Deputy Regional Director of Health, the Regional Director of NADMO and some workers of the Zoomlion Group of Companies.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: Health Minister pays working visit to health facilities in Ho

    Minister for Health and Member of Parliament for Dormaa Central Municipal Assembly in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr. Kweku Agyeman-Manu yesterday, Monday March 30, led a team of some officials from the health ministry to pay a surprise visit to Ho, the Volta Regional capital to ascertain the preparedness of the Ho Teaching Hospital and Ghana Health Service for the isolation or treatment of any suspected or confirmed cases of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic in the region.

    The Minister reassured officials of the Ho Directorate of the Ghana Health Service that in the next few days to come, testing for coronavirus will begin in the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) Laboratory.

    Hon. Agyeman Manu however showered praises on the front line health workers in the region for the level of preparedness they have shown and also encouraged them to continue the good work they are doing for the love of humanity.

    Dr. Archibald Letsa who is the Volta Regional minister thanked the minister for the visit and also assured him of nothing but excellence in the handling of any confirmed or suspected cases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Volta Region has so far two COVID-19 task forces. One of the task forces was set up by the University of Health and Allied Sciences in collaboration with Ho Teaching Hospital while the other task force was set up by the regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service which is led by Dr. Timothy Letsa, a brother to the regional minister.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • All returnees to Volta Region must self-quarantine – Letsa

    Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister has charged Municipal and District Chief Executives to ensure all returnees to the Region self-quarantined.

    He said the returnees, as much as practicable, be counselled on the need to self-quarantine for the good of society.

    Dr. Letsa in a news statement said the directive had become necessary following the influx of people from COVID 19-hit cities into the Region after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo declared a partial lockdown of those cities.

    He asked the local Assemblies to engage relevant institutions to sustain education on the virus to ensure the Region recorded no case.

    Dr. Letsa also charged the Ghana Health Service in the Region to enhance surveillance for early detection and containment of suspected cases and asked them to boost the readiness of all health facilities by supplying them Personal Protective Equipment for use by frontline healthcare givers.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana News Agency has gathered that the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) laboratory in Ho would soon be given approval to test for COVID-19.

    Dr. Kwesi Senanu Dzokoto, Deputy Regional Director, Ghana Health Services, Public Health, told the media earlier that a total of 15 suspected COVID-19 cases in Volta and Oti regions tested negative at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

    Source: GNA

  • NHIA owes no health facility a year’s arrears in Volta Region

    Joseph Homenya, Volta Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has said the Authority was working to ensure that all accredited health facilities were paid their claims on time.

    He said the Authority consistently paid claims, and that with the Government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo paying the over GH¢ 1.2 billion arears it inherited, the past two or three years could be described as the “best times” of the NHIS.

    Mr Homenya was reacting to a statement by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Region, accusing government of “peddling untruth about NHIS payments”.

    Mr Homenya said most facilities had been paid up to July 2019, and that none had claims accumulated for a year.

    “If we owe any facility, it should be in the range of four months. We even made some payments last week”, he said.

    The Director said the Authority remained committed to effective health delivery in the Region, and called on all to exercise restraint as Government worked round the clock to resource health facilities.

    The NDC in their statement said, the majority of NHIS accredited facilities in the Region had since January 2019, not been paid their claims, leaving them under resourced to deliver crucial services especially during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

    “We can say on authority that upon our investigations, the President and the Finance Minister peddled serious untruth to Ghanaians, because majority of accredited NHIS facilities in the Volta Region have not been paid by the Government since January 2019 to date as claimed”, the statement signed by Kafui Agleze, Regional Communications Officer and copied to the Ghana News Agency said.

    Source: businessghana.com

  • Volta Regional Minister tours some offices of state institutions in the region

    Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa today March 10, 2020 toured some offices state institutions and a radio station all located in the regional capital, Ho.

    The minister took time out of his busy daily schedules to visit the office of the National Communication Authority (NCA) and interacted with Staff of the Authority. He later, together with his entourage visited the office of the Coastal Development Authority and interacted with Staff as well.

    Kingdom FM, a subsidiary of Kingdom Group of Companies is the only private institution the minister visited. He interacted with Management and Staff of the radio station just as he did when he visited the state institutions.

    Dr. Letsa commended the Management of Kingdom Group of Companies, operators of Kingdom FM in Ho for the good work they are doing. He also used the opportunity to assure listeners of the Kingdom FM morning show program that as the leader of government business in the region, he would ensure total is maintained in the region.

    The minister further called upon the citizens to be concerned and also be part of the process in ensuring that they all live in peace before, during and after the 2020 general elections.

    However, the regional minister did not make any comments on the secessionist activities the region is currently dealing with and also, the recent removal of the Ghana flag and subsequent hoisting of the flag of the so called ‘Western Togoland’ at the entrance of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) where his office is located.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Volta Region needs development projects, not empty frequent visits – NDC

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region says the Region needs projects that would enhance its socio-economic development, “not empty frequent visits from the President.”

    The Party said the President had demonstrated in his recent visits to the Region that he had nothing to show in terms of development for the people of the Region.

    Mr Sorkpa Kafui Agbleze Volta Regional Communications Officer of the Party, in a press release signed and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on several platforms promised to develop the Region, “however, there are no concrete indications pointing to the fulfillment of those promises.”

    He said during the State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) in 2019, the President said a consortium of local banks had raised 51 million dollars to fund the completion of the housing units started by former President Kuffour’s administration in 2006 at Koforidua, Tamale and in Ho.

    Mr Agbleze said, however, there were no housing projects “anywhere in and around Ho” and not even a “dime” of the 51 million dollars raised by the consortium of banks as stated by the President, came to Volta Region for any housing project.

    He said the President in 2018 signed an Executive Instrument to commence the construction of a seaport in Keta, and subsequently appointed Dr Alexander Adusei as Director of, “the yet-to-be constructed Keta Port, a situation that has caused many to express misgivings about the project.”

    Mr Agbleze alleged that though the project had not started, Dr Alexander Adusei Junior continued to draw salary for 10 months since his appointment for no work done, asking, “why should the nation continue to pay Dr. Adusei when all he could show of the port project is a small bill board with the inscription, ‘Site for the Keta Port’.”

    He said the President himself had not shown much commitment on his part towards the project as there was no financial commitment on the side of the government in the 2019 Budget towards it, and “interesting too, there was no mention of the Keta Port in 2020 Budget either.”

    Mr Agbleze said many young people in the region also lost their jobs as a result of government’s approach to the banking sector clean up and the closure of nine radio stations and said, “we want to also assure the President that he is at liberty to frequently visit the region as he so wishes, however, those visits will be meaningless if it does not translate into tangible development of the region.”

    The Communications Director, said the Volta Region under former President John Dramani Mahama’s Administration witnessed several development projects in health, education, infrastructure, road, water among others.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Akufo-Addo travels with about 50 vehicles to the Volta Region

    The convoy of the President has been a major talking point in recent times, especially whenever he is embarking on a nation-wide tour.

    At his recent visit to Tsito in the Volta Region, the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had about 50 vehicles in his convoy.

    The vehicles comprised V8 Landcruisers and Pickup trucks.

    Volta Region roads will be improved before end of year Minister assures

    Meanwhile, there was a directive sometime in August 2018 that President Akufo-Addo had put a stop to his rather long convoys.

    The directive which was issued when he [President] was about visiting the Ashanti Region on a five day working tour stated that all Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, Municipal and District Chief Executives who are mandated or wish to accompany the President on his 5-day tour of the Ashanti Region will have to make themselves comfortable in an STC bus provided by the state.

    With this new directive, government appointees willing to follow the President on tours were no longer to get the pleasure of using their V8 Landcruisers and Pickup trucks.

    It also emerged in July that the President visited the Jomoro District in the Western Region with about 75 vehicles in his convoy, but the ruling party was quick to debunk the media reports.

    Volta Region residents give government two-week ultimatum to fix their roads

    In a video that is circulating on social media, it appears that the directive which was issued in August 2018 is not being adhered to.

    Long convoys are milking the state of its little resources in terms of fueling and vehicle maintenance.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Over 200 to contest Assembly and Unit Committee elections in South Dayi

    A total of 206 aspirants have filed their nominations to contest the upcoming District Assembly and Unit Committee elections slated for December 17 in the South Dayi District, in the Volta Region.

    Madam Barbara Lartey Nyarko, South Dayi District Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission, said 64 people made up 57 males and 7 females have filed to contest the Assembly elections, with 142 persons made up 104 males and 38 females filing to contest the Unit Committee elections.

    Meet Hon. Aponkye; aspiring Assembly Member for Adukrom Nima Electoral Area

    She said there would not be Assembly elections at Toh-Kpalime and Tsiyinu electoral areas because the aspirants would be going unopposed.

    Madam Nyarko also revealed that Unit Committee elections would not be conducted at Peki-Wudome, Tongor-Tsanakpe, Tsiyinu and Peki-Avetile West electoral areas because those areas, either have five or less than five people filling for the positions.

    She, however, said the referendum, would take place in all the 21 electoral areas in the District.

    The Electoral Officer said the voter transfer exercise was also going on smoothly, adding that 60 people had so far transferred their votes.

    Madam Nyarko said her outfit had put all the necessary measures in place for a successful conduct of the elections.

    EC sensitizes women and PWDs on upcoming district assembly elections

    Mr Setriakor Gaga Kumah, South Dayi District Director for National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) bemoaned the low number of women participating in the elections.

    He said though the NCCE had done a lot in sensitizing women to aspire for the positions, the mind-set and culture of Ghanaians, which gave too much prominence to men was a major factor militating against their efforts.

    Source: Ghananewsagency.org