Gonjaland Youth Association calls on stakeholders to arrest falling educational standards

Gonjaland Youth Association calls on stakeholders to arrest falling educational standards

The Gonjaland youth Association ( GLYA ) has on Friday 4th March, 2022 organised  a stakeholders consultative forum on education at Damongo in the savannah regional capital to discuss and to find solutions to the  falling  standards of education in the savannah region. 

The vice president of the savannah regional house of chiefs and paramount of the Build traditional area, Buipewura Abdulai  jinapor II in an address explained that it was overwhelming and brain cracking in the history of the savannah region to have such a timely stakeholder consultative forum engagements to discuss and to find lasting solutions to the falling standards of education in the region as the region is highly sick in the educational sector considering it's educational  performance  in the past years. 

The paramount chief for the Buipe traditional  area further explained that, it is important as son's and daughters of Gonjaland to have a collective interest in brainstorming to prescribe an antidote in other to bring to speed and to improve on the educational  standards in the region. 

He added that, several scholars have made statements  that education remains as the developmental machinery of every society and that, the savannah region is not an exception of this statements as it is said that, "education is a human right with immense power to transform" on whose foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy, and sustainable human development. 

Buipewura Jinapor II indicated  that, education in the savannah region remains as an invaluable asset  to propel and to enhance the general well-being of the region and Ghana at large and therefore urged the sons  and daughters of Gonjaland not to put the education of the region on a silver platter. 

He urged the young ones in the region to adopt  the culture of choosing mentors through whom the can imulate as a guide for directions and that, it's apparently reasonable to take advantage of positive technology by focusing on modern learning  processes and disassociate themselves from social vices  such as unprescribed  drug usages among others. 

The vice president of the savannah regional  House of chiefs also used the forum to charge the Regional minister to with immediate effect put up a consultative and research committee to research  into the causes and reasons for the abysmal  performance of students in the region and assured  him of the backing  of the traditional  authorities. 

The Savannah regional minister,  Hon. Saeed  Muhazu  Jibriel also in an address said, the bedrock upon which the development  of nations is built is based on education and that, there is the need for the son's and daughters of Gonjaland to be worried about the abysmal and regrettable decline  in the standards of education in the region. 

He noted that, on the 25th of August, 2021, he initiated discussions on how to quickly  address  the poor performance of students in second cycle institutions. 

Hon. Saeed added that, all is not well in the educational sector in the region considering  the performance of students which is sliding  down hill and the earlier the stemmed the declension for the better.

The minister disclosed that, he has charged all Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to dedicate 60% of their internally generated funds on education with the initiation of an annual teachers awards scheme which will begin this year and called on the traditional authorities in the region to support teachers in their traditional areas to  able them discharge their duties effectively.

The Ag. Savannah regional education Director, Hajia Katumi Natogmah Attah in a presentation gave an overview and statistics of the performance of students in the region and explained that, the regional and district education offices are responsible to cordinate, support and  supervise all teaching and learning activities to ensure effective and efficient education delivery that should gear towards achieving access and quality educational system in the region.

Hajia Katumi also outlined a number of challenges faced by the service that is affecting teaching and learning including inadequate teachers and logistics in the region which is having effects on teacher - pupil ratio, poor attendance and punctuality. 

The acting Director used the forum to advocated for the need for all stakeholders to come onboard to support the mandate of the Ghana Education Service to be able to deliver effectively the learning outcomes of all learners in the region.

The President of the Gonjaland Youth Association, Lawyer Mohammad Amin expressed gratitude to the various stakeholders and speakers at the forum and explained that the abysmal performance and fallen standards of education in the region is worrying to the Gonjaland Youth Association and that, the association is hopeful that the forum will help bring a lasting solution problem.

The president of the Gonjaland youth Association added that many more of such engagements will be held in the coming weeks to help find solutions to the situation of the abysmal performance of students and the  fallen standards of education in the Savannah Region.

Kumatey Gorden

0243531604

NCCE holds symposium with tertiary Students on violent extremism & youth radicalism

NCCE holds symposium with tertiary Students on violent extremism & youth radicalism

The National commission for Civic Education ( NCCE ) has held a symposium with tertiary education students at the Damongo nurses Training college at Damongo in the savannah region on Thursday, 17th February, 2022.

In a welcome address, the Ag. Savannah regional NCCE Director, Mr Issaka Zitor explained that, the NCCE as part of it's planned activities under the preventing electoral violence and providing security to the Northern boarder regions of Ghana project, is implementing symposias with tertiary institutions in the five (5) northern regions of Ghana through out in the month of February, 2022.

Mr. Zitor added that, the boarder goal of NORPREVSEC is to fight against transnational organized crime while promoting respect for human rights and the rule of Law.

The Ag. Director said the symposium seeks to equip participants with the relevant information on violent extremists and youth radicalism to guard them against being recruited to perpetuate violence in the savannah region and Ghana at large and to also create the platform for dialogue among Stakeholders on the responsibility of addressing the tensions being created by activities of violent extremists or terrorist groups in the Sahel region and preventing likely spill over in Ghana.

Mr. Zitor further explained that, by adopting the the 1992 Constitution, the people of Ghana have subscribed to the tenets and practice of democratic governance.

Mr. Zitor also indicated that, all citizens have the power to exercise political control through their involvement in the governance processes especially where there is democracy.

He adviced the tertiary students by the words " words are like bullets, and your mouth is like a gun. when you shoot a gun, the bullet is going to come out, is there any way for you to take that bullet back, No" .

Deputy Director for the NCCE in charge of operations, Mr. Samuel Asare Akuamoah on his side explained that, the symposium was meant to create the awareness among the citizenry on the potential risks faced by the country saying, the recent incidents of political instability in countries that share border with Ghana are of a major threat to the country’s peace and security, Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah said.

He added by saying “The current security situation in Ghana’s neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and others are worrying and that it is the responsibility of  everyone to prevent the disruption of our democracy,” he said.

Mr Akuamoah said this at a symposium on violent extremism at the Damongo nurses training school in the west Gonja Municipality in the Savannah region which was attended by the students of the school, unemployed graduates and National Service personnels who were taken through a presentation on violent extremists activities.

Mr. Akuamoah also explained that, the event forms part of a national campaign against violent extremism which is being carried out by the NCCE, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Security with funding from the European Union (EU).

National Security Coordinator for the Savannah region, Mr. Bismark Seidu in a presentation cautioned the youth to use the groups to fight violent extremism and not to allow themselves to used to perpetrate crimes by jihadist movements groups and violent extremist groups.

He further urged Ghanaians to be security-conscious at all times and  to notify security agencies of any suspicious individuals living among them.

He bemoaned the participants to stay vigilant on strange happenings around them and also urged them to form groups to create jobs for themselves and not to be used for violent extremists activities.

He added that, violent extremism activities such as radicalism, terrorism etc poses a lot of threats on the lives of the people and on our way of life and that, it is the responsibility of the Ghanaian government to put measures in place to preserve the safety and security of the citizenry by implementing a national frame work on preventing violent extremism and terrorism in the country and in the Sahel regions.

Mr. Bismark further explained that the ministry of National security is a national institution that works for the nation and for the society.

The symposium was financed by the european union in collaboration with the ministry of National security and the NCCE.

Present at symposium were the Ag. Municipal NCCE director, Chief Abdallah Ahmed who chaired the occasion, the principal of the Damongo Nurses training college and other heads of departments.

Kumatey Gorden

0243531604

Savannah Regional Youth Network engage stakeholders on falling educational standards

Savannah Regional Youth Network engage stakeholders on falling educational standards

A pro youth group,the Savannah Regional Youth Network has held several engagements with stakeholders in the Savannah region over the falling standards of education at the pre tertiary level.

The youth believes the poor performance of students in the Basic Education Certificate Examination(BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination(WASSCE) can be arrested with close stakeholder collaboration working in consonance with the youth.

Led by Haruna Muntala,the convernor/president, the youth group held formal engagements with the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council,the Regional Education Directorate and got the opportunity to review the Educational Review Committee document.

At the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council,the Assistant Coordinating Directors, Yidana Latif and Addisah Bukari received the team on behalf of the regional minister and Region Coordinating Director, who were all out of town on official assignments.

The Savannah Regional Coordinating Council bemoaned the poor performance of students in the region at the pre tertiary level and expressed joy that the youth had taken keen interest in working with stakeholders to find lasting solution to the challenge.

In response to an inquiry about the Educational Committee Review Meeting Document, Mr. Haruna Muntala said everything about the document has been completed with an action plan that will soon be rolled out as a working document.

The youth also meet with a team from the Savannah Regional Education Directorate led by the Human Resource Manager, Iddisah Seidu to gather more information about the Educational Action Plan Document and to appreciate the extent of the situation.

The Regional Education Directorate said they had completed and presented an action plan document to the Savannah Regional Minister for further action.

Mr. Iddisah Seidu said they were genuine logistical challenges affecting the work of the directorate,adding that,the issue of improving standards of education is a shared responsibility among parents, teachers and the students.

The youth network at the end of the engagement outlined among other things the following as the causes of the poor performance of students at the BECE and WASSCE in the region:

The lack of leaching and learning materials, shortfall of teachers in the region,lack of motivation for teachers, political interference in education,teachers leaving schools to engage in political activities,teacher absenteeism,policy of allowing students who are pregnant to be in school,lack of fair distribution of teachers, lackadaisical attitude of parents towards the education of their wards,lack of commitment on the part of students, inadequate supervision....

The youth network intends to engage more with duty bearers,organize educational forums and sensitisation programs(quiz and debate competitions and extra classes for students) and work with Civil Society Organizations in a bid to improving the falling standards of education in the region.

They recommended among others:

•Bye laws on how to control movement of students in the night.

•Motivation of teachers who will accept postings to the remote areas of the region.

•Provision of enough TLMS.

•Enough teachers deployed to the region. 

•Zero Interference of politicians in educational matters and the application of the rules of the GES. 

•Paying much attention to the lower primary level with qualified teachers engaged at that level to help build a strong foundation.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

AYOF embarks on clean up campaign

AYOF embarks on clean up campaign

The Damongo Chapter of All Youth Foundation Africa - (AYOF), a Non-Governmental Organization based in Ghana with its Chapters across country and other African countries has organized a cleanup exercise as part of its social responsibilities.

The flagship program dubbed "the AYOF Clean Campaign" is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 and was launched in January, 2022, by the president of AYOF, Mr. Anthony Young T-Blefono aided by the National  Director of AYOF, Ghana Chapter, Ms Antoinette Attah and the entire leadership of the foundation.

The clean up campaign is aimed at creating sanitation awareness in the citizens and educate the public on the need to maintain clean environment always.

The Damongo Chapter of the foundation, led by Ms.Faizatu Jakpa, the Chapter president and the Acting National Programs Coordinator, Inusah Karim mobilized the youth to embark on the clean exercise along the principal streets of Damongo.

In a speech, Mr.Inusah Karim, the Acting National Projects Coordinator said the essence of the cleanup campaign was to create awareness among the youth and promote good sanitation as a way of curbing diarrheal diseases.

He added that, "this clean up exercise will be a culture, which will form part of our daily lives and routines".

According to him, ALL YOUTH FOUNDATION OF AFRICA - (AYOF), is an organization with its Chapters across other African countries, stressing that, _"today is a day set aside for the inauguration and that is done through clean-up campaign which we have embarked on".

He said the foundation aims at forming reading clubs across all schools in Ghana and the the entire African continent,  and also help nurture the youth who are the future leaders.

All Youth Foundation of Africa was formed in 2003, with the mission of helping the youth to identify and develop their inborn potentials to the fullest so as to be contributive and responsible adults who will be useful to society.

The main goals of AYOF is to Train, Educate and Empower the African Youth to be useful to society in order to impact generations.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

Canteen Electoral Area gets market complex

Canteen Electoral Area gets market complex

The Member of Parliament for the Damongo Constituency  and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has handed over a newly constructed market complex and a refurbished slaughter house to the chiefs and people of the Canteen Electoral Area in the West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony,the MP said the construction of the market was to facilitate the economic activities of the area and to help open the community to more investment opportunities.

He said he was particular about women empowerment, and the market provides a golden opportunity for the women of the area to expand their businesses and take advantage of the many opportunities in the newly created Savannah Region.

The legislator disclosed that he financed the construction of the market from his personal resources, adding that,he was poised to fulfilling all the pledged he made to the people of the Damongo constituency.

Whilst appealing to the Assemblyman, Chiefs and people of Canteen to make good use of the market,he said he will soon commission the construction of an ultra modern library facility for the Canteen Community and that the Damongo-Canteen-Kotito road will soon be awarded for construction.

The Municipal Chief Executive for West Gonja,Musah Kusubari commended the MP for augmenting the efforts of the assembly to making life comfortable for the people of Canteen Electoral Area.

He appealed to the Assemblyman, Chiefs and people of Canteen Electoral Area to take good care of the market and set a day aside as a market day for Canteen.

The Assemblyman for the Canteen Electoral Area, Ananpansah Abraham thanked the MP for the kind gesture.

According to him,the newly commissioned market complex will go a long way to boost the trading activities of the area and open up the vast agricultural potentials of the community.

He disclosed that his office partnered with the Savannah Regional Wing of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) sometime ago to conduct a social audit of the needs of the Canteen community and to prioritize them for stakeholder attention.

According to him,after the Community Social Audit durbur,it emerged from the responses of the people that getting a market complex for Canteen was the topmost priority of the community, followed by a library complex to an ultra modern school complex and then youth and women empowerment among others.

He expressed delight that the first of the priority needs has been achieved, praying stakeholders to give attention to the rest of the needs of community.

Rockson Bukari Diwura, who spoke on behalf of the youth Chief of the community expressed gratitude to the Member of Parliament for giving Canteen a facelift with the provision of the market complex.

He disclosed that the chiefs and people of Canteen since 1965 designated the said location for the construction of a market complex and have since prayed and longed to see a day like this.

He said the gesture by the MP was unprecedented and pledged that the community was going to make good use of the facility so that it leaves to serve its intended purpose.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

Apologize to Ghanaians for economic mess and go back to IMF - PhD student to Akuffo-Addo

Apologize to Ghanaians for economic mess and go back to IMF - PhD student to Akuffo-Addo

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student with the department of economics (International Trade) at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing,China, Zankawah Sanusi Mumuni is calling on the Akuffo-Addo led NPP government to eat the humble pie and apologize to Ghanaians for plunging the country into a hopeless path of economic chaos.

Commenting on the controversial Electronic Levy (E-Levy) before Parliament,the Ghanaian based Chinese student believes the way to go is not to overburden Ghanaians with additional taxes on savings,but rather government should take full responsibility for the economic mess and go back to the International Monetary Fund(IMF) for possible financial amnesty.

At this point,three things are eminent,

"Government should eat the humble pie, apologize to Ghanaians and start to make some sacrifices. Let the Ghanaian have the feel of your repentance and that we are all going to bite the bullet even though your mismanagement led us all here. In that case, we shall all see the need to relax our stands on this E-LEVY and other adjoining taxes to raise the needed revenue to keep our country running.

Again apologize to Ghanaians and go back to the IMF. 

Whiles making those sacrifices, immediate steps must be taken to make the Komenda Sugar factory operational, prioritise rice and poultry farming. If we can downsize the imports of sugar, rice and frozen meat, we would be creating a lot of sustainable jobs and wouldn't have to overburden the citizenry with nuisance taxes," he said in a post copied exclusively to blogger, Ananpansah Abraham.

The PhD economics student maintained that, it was an insolence on our sovereignty to place the health of our economy in the hands of just two multinational telecommunication companies wondering what will happen should those companies fold up or leave the shores of Ghana.

"Isn't this an insult to our sovereignty? The health of our economy now depends on the telecos? How sustainable is this arrangement, a whole country's economy relying on just about two MNC's?Assuming these telecos decides to fold up and leave the shores of Ghana, how is the government going to mobilize revenue to finance its projects? 

At least if we had not privatized our only telecommunication giant i.e Ghana Telecom we could be confident of the sustainability of this source of revenue even if their competitors decided to exit. 

Amidst all this back and forth, the man who misled us here, the economics messiah ( Alhaji Bawumia) is tight-lipped,"he queried.

According to him,the Akuffo-Addo- Bawumiah led NPP government was simply afraid of going to the IMF because of its opulence and extravagant lifestyle,adding that, the IMF will ensure that every penny you take and spend from them made economic sense.

He said former president John Dramani Mahama without any economic background has been vindicated when he predicted last year that going to the IMF was inevitable,and that is exactly where we are today as a country.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

Canteen Electoral Area: second batch of Assemblyman free uniforms distribution

Canteen Electoral Area: second batch of Assemblyman free uniforms distribution

To the glory of God, I together with my committed team distributed the second batch of free school uniforms to our pool of brilliant but needy students.

The second batch distribution falls in line with the free School Uniforms, School bags and Sandals intervention I launched somewhere April last year with a target of supporting over 200 brilliant but needy students in the Canteen Electoral Area with the necessary learning aids to help them realise their God given potentials.

A total of 25 students made up of 16 girls and nine (9) boys from Canteen Primary Schools- Block A and Block B respectively, benefited from the second batch of the intervention.

I wish to commend the hardworking headmasters and staff of the two schools for their kind words of appreciation, encouragement and acknowledgment of the continuous support my office has been giving to the schools in the electoral area in the areas of furniture and TLMs support in a collective bid to improve upon the standard of education. 

Glad to say that,we secured the second batch of school uniforms from Africa Nyornu,a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) operated by my very good friend, Madam Maloe Nartey. 

Interesting enough,I got to know madam Nartey through a Facebook post made by Musician-now-turned-politician Kwame A-Plus on a dilapidated school structure and furniture situation in a community at Bimbila. 

The compassionate young lady commented on the post expressing interest in intervening to arrest the situation. I quickly took her details and started establishing contacts with her about the development challenges of the Canteen Electoral Area and since then,It has been nothing but proposals-upon-proposals (I don't mean the proposals you're thinking about,I mean development proposals and discussions. Lol) on how to make the world a better place for all.

Infact,a total of 200 students based purely on needs assessment have been captured to benefit from this package through the support of Africa Nyornu NGO. We are also discussing issues having to do with rural Agric and women empowerment in the Canteen Electoral Area.

Madam Maloe has been a very nice and receptive person and one of a kind and I wish to convey the gratitude of the entire Canteen Electoral Area to her and the entire crew at Africa Nyornu NGO for adopting to support our community. We the good Lord richly bless and replenish all those who donated to the worthy course via Africa Nyornu NGO. We are looking forward for more support,like Oliver Twist, from her outfit and other well meaning organizations.

It is important to state that,the first batch of free school uniforms, school sandals and bags intervention was funded by World Vision Ghana with students from Frafra Resettlement School at Kpiri benefiting.

I wish to reaffirm my resolve and commitment to working dilligently with the necessary stakeholders, philanthropist,NGOs and the Assembly in realising the vision of reforming our Electoral Area and making it a shining example to the world.

We are opened to working with you for the growth of humanity and our electoral area. Kindly get in touch with us with any development assistance or ideas and the good Lord will richly bless you.

May the good Lord bless our homeland Canteen and make her people bold and strong.

Kind regards!

.....................................................

Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham (AB)

(Assemblyman, Canteen E/A)

0241129910/0200704844