Canteen Electoral Area welcomes HE John Dramani Mahama, a dignified senior Canteen Yaaro home

Canteen Electoral Area welcomes HE John Dramani Mahama, a dignified senior Canteen Yaaro home 

Recall that at the 2018 Homecoming Event of the Canteen Yaara Development Association held at the Canteen Central Park of which Canteen had the rare privilege of receiving former President John Dramani Mahama as the Special Guest of Honor, the former president made a stunning revelation. 

The charismatic statesman disclosed to the admiration and cheers of the enthusiastic crowd that he was also a "Canteen Yaaro" and a proud one at that"... "Canteen Yaaro, is a special colloquial phrase for anyone who hails from and associates dearly with the Canteen community and its developmental exploits. This is rightly so, since the West Gonja Catholic Hospital located in Canteen is birth place for most prominent figures hailing from Gonjaland and the former president has made significant contributions to the social and economic transformation of the area.

See link to story I filed six years ago as first comment: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/I-am-also-a-Canteen-Yaaro-Mahama-reveals-711858.

The Canteen area, situated in the West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region is primarily an agrarian community, with more than six out of ten of the population of households in the area engaged in Agriculture, whilst the remaining are into petty trading and formal sector employment.

On the face of incontrovertible records, it is right to say that the area has had its fair share of development from the reign of HE John Mahama as Vice President of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012, and as substantive president on July 24, 2012 to January 7, 2017.

This ranges from rural electrification, access to portable drinking water, major infrastructure boost (Schools, roads, hospitals) and this cuts across all the spheres of local development.

As an agrarian community, the Block Farming Programme introduced into the Ghana Agriculture Extension Services as a special presidential initiative of the late president John Evans Atta Mills and HE John Dramani Mahama as vice president has been hailed and still remains very memorable to residents of the Canteen enclave because of the unparalleled benefits it offered. It provided wide solutions to unemployment in the area and increased substantially farm yields.

The revival of Cotton farming in the Northern Ghana and the establishment of mechanization centres among other important interventions by the Mahama administration played major roles in boosting agriculture in the area. 

Several communities, including Agric Settlement in the Canteen Electoral Area got connected to the National Grid under the watch of HE John Dramani Mahama as president and honorable Adam Mutawakilu as Member of Parliament. Today, the said community has opened up wide enough to accommodate the new prison's service edifice being put up by the Church of Pentecost. 

Agric offices got its fair share of a befitting six unit class room block under the reign of HE John Dramani Mahama as president and hon. Ali Bakari Kassim as DCE. The school till date remains the only existing school in that vicinity serving communities such as Agric, Kpiri, Tari, Frafra Number 4 and Frafra Number 5 and beyond. 

Infact, the West Gonja Catholic Hospital got a major facelift under the reign of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama as president - the Accident and emergency center, Doctors and Nurses Bungalows, the Mortuary, modern Ambulances are among other major infrastructure boost the hospital received. Today, it remains one of the well equipped district hospitals in entire Northern Ghana thanks to the visionary leadership of HE John Dramani Mahama with funding support from the Agriculture Development Bank.

The emergency road linking the Catholic Guest House to the hospital was equally asphalted under the project.

The late father of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, E. A Mahama equally opened up several dams of which Canteen Electoral Area was not left out. 

The list is just unending....

Tracing the track record of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, we are convinced as a people that when given the opportunity to lead Ghana again, Canteen area will see consolidated transformation.

Under the NDC's 2024 resetting Ghana manifesto: Jobs, accountability and prosperity, the Canteen area will benefit significantly in jobs creation through the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy: one job, three persons, three shifts.

The Women Development Bank, which is a special- purpose bank is sure to empower our women with low-interest loans and other tailored financial services on flexible terms to boost their local businesses. 

The teaming unemployed youth of Canteen who are reeling under excruciating hardship under the current NPP administration will be absorbed under the coders programme and the $50 million FinTech Growth Fund aimed at promoting the growth of digital entrepreneurs and support indigenous FinTech companies.

The area which is historically dominated by farming communities will benefit significantly from Farmer Service Centres and Farm Banks to be created within Agricultural zones to ease access to land and irrigation.

There are a lot more of useful interventions under the resetting Ghana manifesto that will benefit the Canteen area as a whole.

I am very optimistic that the hope revival journey being pursued by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama will see light of the day and benefit the future towards posterity.

I encourage the entire electorates of the Canteen area to firmly support the great vision of HE John Dramani Mahama for a better community and country.

May the good Lord bless our homeland Canteen and make her people bold and strong to defend the course of development and rescue our country from nation wreckers!

ANANPANSAH BARTHOLOMEW ABRAHAM (AB)

(ASSEMBLYMAN)

0241129910/0200704844

We need to engender police - community relations to fight crime, prevent violent extremism - NCCE to residents of Canteen

We need to engender police - community relations to fight crime, prevent violent extremism - NCCE to residents of Canteen

As mandated under article 233c of the 1992 constitution,the West Gonja Municipal office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has held a sensitization forum with residents of Canteen Electoral Area, suburb of West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region on violent extremism, counter terrorism, corruption and crime prevention.

Addressing a large gathering of community members at the Sunflash Hall in Canteen, the West Gonja Municipal Director of NCCE, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, in a welcome address emphasized the importance of the community engagements in fostering closer ties between civilians and the police, adding that, crime fighting is a shared and collaborative responsibility. 

He urged citizens to take keen interest in understanding the laws of the country and be active participants in the fight against violent extremism, counter terrorism, corruption, nepotism and crime in general in our communities.

The seeming lack of trust, figure pointing between citizens and the security agencies in his estimation, must be cemented to help address the gap in the maintenance of law and order for economic activities.

Mr. Issahaku Zitor, the Savannah Regional Director of NCCE said community members must put aside their political, religious, ideological and tribal differences and work together to counter violent extremism.

According to him, community members must appreciate the enormity of the problem at hand and come to a common understanding that our biggest enemy in society today is the fight against poverty, protracted chieftaincy disputes, farmer - cattle herder impass, excruciating hardship among others.

He said violence is never the answer, exhorting community folks to see violent extremism as something that is more closer to us than it's far, citing Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria as classical examples. 

The West Gonja Municipal Commander of police, ASP Mr. Charles Aniagyei said the integrity of the police will always dictate community trust and help reduce tension, conflict and counter violent extremism. 

He said there is the need to come to a mutual understanding of the challenges, build partnership, open and honest communication to build a police service where everyone feel respected, valued and accepted. 

ACP Aniagyei regrets the actions of some unethical officers which is fast obliterating the trust between the police and citizens.

He called for effective community support towards crime combating in the form of vigilantism and community watchdogs.

AEMT Gideon Antwi, West Gonja Municipal Manager of the National Ambulance Service assured of the availability of security officers to partner communities in the fight against violent extremism.

Chiefs and opinion leaders of Canteen lauded NCCE for the lovely and timely engagement, using the opportunity to ask relevant questions, and seek clarifications on some matters of community concerns.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

Laribanga Imam donates mathematical sets, offers special prayers for 2024 final year BECE candidates

Laribanga Imam donates mathematical sets, offers special prayers for 2024 final year BECE candidates

The Chief Imam for the Laribanga Community in the West Gonja Municipal, Alhaji Mumuni Zanakawa has donated complete Mathematical sets and offered special prayers for all the final year students in the Laribanga Electoral Area.

This he said was his little contribution towards supporting the students to write their exams well and produce better results for the community.

At a short ceremony to hand over the items, the religious leader admonished the students to imbibe the spirit of hardwork, respect for their teachers and discipline, adding that, “discipline and the fear of God are key ingredients to success in life”.

Whilst encouraging parents to invest heavily in the education of their wards, he ask the school pupils to hasten slowly in life, be patient and take their studies very seriously since, the future belongs to them.

He offered special prayers for all the candidates and expressed confidence in the ability of the students to make the Laribanga community very proud in the impending Examination.

The Assemblyman for the Laribanga Electoral Area, honourable Karim Amidu, thanked the Imam for his continuous support to the Laribanga Community, noting that this was not the first time he was rolling out such an intervention.

He requested for special prayers for the students and the teachers, cautioning the children against indulging in any exam malpractices.

He said the only sure-way to the future is hardwork, diligence and the support of God, urging the students not to relax but continue to work hard towards achieving their ultimate goal.

The Assemblyman who spoke to this writer used the moment to wish the students the very best of luck in their exams , pledging the full support of the community.

On behalf of the students and various schools,the headmasters expressed gratitude to the Iman for the kind gesture and encouraged the pupil to put the materials into good use.

This is the third time the Chief Imam was making such donations after assuming the office of Chief Imamship of Laribanga in July 2021.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

7th December, John Dramani Mahama, in the year and rescue of our country

7th December, John Dramani Mahama, in the year and rescue of our country

As an avowed optimist, I awoke to a sudden exclesiastic reflection of the date in caption. Coming events says Thomas Campbell, cast their shadows before, but as the days of reckoning fast approach,let past events guide our steps therefore.

Need i say, our democracy is in total insolvency and a state of avoidable ugliness. The captivity and traction of God's people invites a rescue for national reconstruction.

In my forlorn dismay,nay, in my unending imagination, someone whispered to my ears, "the regime which is breaking at 8 is simply wicked, and insensitive". Suddenly, my mind's eye fell into a deep trance reminiscing on the  book of proverbs which says, The truth is, “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices” (Prov 11:10a), and “when the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan” (Prov 29:2). We are groaning! We are at the crossroads bewailing!Our nation is weeping and bleeding!

It is well to say it is our chosen path, we chose to suffer, the very day we chose this path for ourselves, since  we are the only one's that choose our way and not God. Voices of reason were silent when the nation needed them most.

Now, we are here alone in the wilderness, wailing unheard for a driver whose mate has since abondoned him midway. A sinking nation to rescue.

It is sunset and I'm still here memorizing the rescue date solemnly, whereupon it dawned on me that we will awake to a chance to make amends for the past error of the thumb in our national struggle for reconstruction. Silent voices of reason must awake from slumber.

For It's fast approaching the day of reckoning. Where the sovereign God will hold our leaders accountable through his chosen vessels.A will that will be too strong to be subverted. 

Where corruption and ungodly leadership have begotten our nation like never before, we will make amends. For it is God Who “changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings” (Dan 2:21a).

On that day, I have high hopes that posterity will endure and be rebirthed in the eyes of righteousness. And the blood of the innocent spilled will be upon their heads like a cursed legacy.

God's people will be liberated from the shackles of untold suffering, blistering poverty, unbridled corruption, tectonic prebendalism and the misrule of somewhat deities.

The wind of change shall blow like whirlwind. And at the chirpings of the birds, the agony of God's forgotten servants shall be brought to light. The silent righteous shall bow in shame. The nation shall rise again!

Over taxation, unbearable national debt, general insecurity, immorality and rape of the public purse will saccumb to the power of God's people.

When all is said and done, we shall gather at the fireside to construct our own paths, to redefine our own aspirations and destinies and to build the Ghana we all want and desire.

And i will still be here as your humble servant from the woodlots, defending the course of freedom and justice.

Laughter shall fill our hearts again and progress shall not be discriminatory.

We shall awake do this for mother Ghana for that is what our forbears demand of us.

Here i come, in peace, and in one accord.

Shalom!

Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

(Village writer/blogger/political watcher)

0241129910/0200704844

Canteen Assemblyman Unveils Volleyball Court and Donates Sports kits to schools & team

Canteen Assemblyman Unveils Volleyball Court and Donates Sports Equipment

Read more on👇👇👇 https://padfm.com.gh/canteen-assemblyman-unveils-volleyball-court-and-donates-sports-equipment/

Canteen Electoral Area Gets New Volleyball Court And  Equipment From Assembly Man 

 https://spearfm.com/canteen-electoral-area-gets-new-volleyball-court-and-equipment-from-assembly-man/

Canteen Assemblyman outdoors & hands over Volleyball court, donates grass mower, standard footballs, other sports kits 

The honorable Assemblyman for the Canteen Electoral Area, Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham (AB),  has officially outdoored and handed over a newly constructed standard Volleyball oval to the Canteen Volleyball team at a colorful ceremony held on Friday, June 21, 2024.

The eventful ceremony was climaxed with Volleyball games between St. Anne's Schools and Canteen Schools at the newly constructed Volleyball court located directly opposite the Canteen Central Park. 

St. Anne's Schools beat Canteen Schools in the men Volleyball game by 2 goals to 1(2:1), whilst in the girls category, Canteen School girls toppled St. Anne's School girls by 2:1.

In a short address to the charged crowd of enthusiastic supporters and community members, the compassionate Assemblyman commended all the teams for the excellent display of sportsmanship.

He thanked the Almighty God for seeing the project through to reality, and ask community members to join him in expressing deep gratitude to World Vision for believing in the initiative and funding it from start to finish, encouraging the volleyball team to take their training very serious.

According to him, it took three years of dedication, vision, commitment, hardwork, resilience, selfless love for community and pure sacrifice and foresight to bring the Volleyball project to reality today, amidst what he and the entire working team went through. "Without vision, pure sacrifice and passion for growth of our community and sports in general, this project wouldn't have been a reality today," he said.

The untiring and results oriented Assemblyman commended the effort of his dedicated working team, Unit Committee Members, community volunteers (CWS) for standing firm by him in the midst of the storms to see the project through from scratch to finish, calling for unity of purpose moving into the future. He thanked the Municipal Chief Executive for the West Gonja Municipal,hon. Musah Karim Kusubari, who at a point supported the project with 30 bags of cement.

The Assemblyman pledged his continuous commitment towards developing sports in the electoral area and beyond, disclosing that plans are far advanced to complete the process for a registered division three team in Canteen.

He said, his records in local sports development remain unmatched in the electoral area and beyond, recounting the Annual Assemblyman Gala Games, numerous donations of sports kits to the Canteen team and schools in the area and the effort at raising a female team.

All participating teams took home prizes, including, standard footballs, assorted drinks and exercise books. 

In the spirit of dedication to the newly inaugurated volleyball team, the Assemblyman donated a Volleyball net and Volleyball to the team and further handed a standard football to the Canteen team to aid their training towards the upcoming Juvenile games. To ensure regular mowing of the Canteen park, he handed over a grass mowing machine his office secured from a Canteen born, Accra based businessman, Alhaji Sulemana Alancash to the team.

The representative of the Chief of Canteen and former Assemblyman for the area, hon. Adam Mohammed Gadafi Kramonday conveyed the gratitude of the Canteen Wura to the Assemblyman for all the wonderful development initiatives, urging the Assemblyman to keep up the good works and development momentum.

He used the opportunity to call on community members to keep the spirit of togetherness and unity for the wholistic development of Canteen.

The District Football Association (DFA) Chairman, Mr. Saaka Iddrisu was full of praises for the initiative, describing it as worth emulating.

He thanked World Vision and the Assemblyman for completing such a legacy project for the people of Canteen, calling for discipline and support for sports in the municipality.

Source: Office of the Assemblyman

Bole-Bamboi MP supports education directorate with 10k for Inter-District sports competition

Bole-Bamboi MP supports education directorate with 10k for Inter-District sports competition

The Member of Parliament for the Bole-Bamboi constituency and Ranking Member on the Trade and Industry Committee,hon. Yusif Sulemana-Ori, has supported the Bole District Education Directorate with a whopping sum of Ghc10,000.00.

This is to facilitate the district's participation in this year's Inter-District Sports competition scheduled to take place in Salaga.

In presenting the cash amount to the District Education Directorate, the NDC constituency chairman for Bole-Bamboi, Alhaji Alhassan Kassim pledged the MP's resolve to continuously support activities aimed at improving educational standards in the district.

He said the doors of the MP are widely opened to work closely and collaborate with the directorate to ensure improved Learning outcomes and the welfare of teachers in the constituency.

The District Director of education, Richard Achinani, who received the donation on behalf of the directorate expressed profound gratitude to the Member of Parliament for the support.

He described the donation as timely, assuring that the money will be used for the intended purpose.

The District Director urged the team to put up their best in order not to let the Member of Parliament down in his expectations and genuine intentions.

The Bole team is expected to leave the shores of Bole today, Thursday, 30th May, 2024, to Salaga where the competition is expected to take place.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

Ghana's parliamentary friendship association - Iran commiserates with people of Iran on demise of president, other top officials

Ghana's parliamentary friendship association - Iran commiserates with people of Iran on demise of president, other top officials

The Parliamentary Friendship Association - Iran of the Parliament of Ghana has shared official message of condolence with the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran following Sunday's tragic plane crash.

The helicopter wreckage left the 63 years old president of Iran, Seyed Dr. Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Amirabdollahian, and other top officials dead after an hourslong search through a foggy, mountainous region in the country’s northwest.

Though the cause of the plane crush is not immediately known, Turkish authorities early Monday released what they described as drone footage showing what appeared to be fire in the wilderness that they suspected could have caused the crash. 

In a signed message of condolence on behalf of the people of Ghana, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Friendship Association-Iran and Member of Parliament for the Bole-Bamboi Constituency, hon Yussif Sulemana (Ori) described the turn of events as tragic and regrettable, expressing grief to the people of Iran, Ambassador Bijan Gerami and the members of the Iranian Embassy in Accra as they mourn this great loss.

He was confident that the people of Iran will muster all the strength and through the help of almighty Allah, overcome the current trying times sooner than later, assuring of the fullest support of the Parliament and people of Ghana for victims and families of the tragedy.

The Member of Parliament used the occasion to call on all international bodies and all well meaning individuals to come to the aid of the people of Iran with assistance in this trying times of the country's democracy.

He urged the acting president, Mohammed Mokhber to work within the constitution of Iran to ensure peaceful elections and subsequent transfer of power.

According to the state-run IRNA news agency reports,the acting president and other leaders, including the head of the judiciary and parliament speaker agreed to hold presidential election on 28th June, 2024.

The decision is however, yet to be approved by the Guardian Council, according to Iran's constitution, which says a new election should be called within 50 days.

Meanwhile, Iran state television says all government offices and private businesses in the country will be closed on Wednesday to coincide with funerals of crash victims. 

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will pray for the dead on Wednesday.

The burial of the President Ebrahim Raisi will take place on Thursday in Mashhad, where he was born. 

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham