The District Chief Executive for Bole, Veronica Alele Hemming, has admonished the youth of the Savannah Region to remain firm and not to serve as the conduit for unscrupulous politicians to forment chaos in the upcoming general elections.

She made this clarion call on Spear FM’s personality profile on Friday, 30th August, 2024.

According to her, the aspirations and ambitions of the youth in the region may be curtailed if the peace and stability in the region is disrupted.

Hon. Veronica asserted that it is senseless for any young person to engage in violence, die or get injured for a politician when the politician’s children are not part of it.

She urged the youth in the region that should any politician trigger an idea of causing violence, they should tell the politician to use his/her children to accomplish the agenda instead of using them.

The Bole DCE added that politicians in the country have enough resources to fly their families out of the country in the event of violence and maintained strongly, that same cannot be said about the youth who are always lured by selfish politicians to cause mayhem.

“For example, my children and grandchildren are all in the United Kingdom. Do you think they will be affected if there should be chaos and unrest in this country. So the youth of our region and the country should be reminded about this”.

She reminded them of the need to vote for candidates who campaign on issues, not insults and unprintable pronouncements hinged on desperation, unrest and chaos.

“It is about time the youth identify the roles they could play to sustain the peace and harmony of our country and the development of their communities. They should resist pressure to engage in election related conflicts before, during and after the elections”, she admonishes.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Ambulance Service, Prof. Ahmed Nuhu Zakariah was on the occasion of the 8th Edition of the Corporate Ghana Hall of Fame awards, recognised for his immense contribution to the Emergency Medical Service of Ghana.

The Corporate Ghana Hall Of Fame is  conceptualised as a grouping of selected current and former Chairmen and Chairpersons and overall Top CEOs in Ghana’s Bussiness sector  whose accomplishments deserve to be recognised and celebrated for posterity to commemorate and emulate.

The purpose of the Hall is to recognise and celebrate professional accomplishments and to provide a forum to collectively contribute to the growth and development of Corporate Ghana by providing knowledge, skills, expertise and experience to both successors at the helm of the Corporate sector and public policymakers or implementers.

This award is unique in the sense that membership is derived from a competitive selection process that identifies exemplary professional and personal capacities, accomplishments experience and conduct that set members apart from and above their peers.

Members are accepted based on their skills and achievements in the areas of entrepreneurial vision, corporate governance, and strategic management.

The Hall serves as a public policy advocacy group and business strategy think tank in addition to a business leadership networking platform and a management capacity.

The corporate  Ghana Hall of fame, in recognition of his leading role in building a robust Emergency Medical System for Ghana, using the National Ambulance Service as conduit, the venerable Professor Ahmed Nuhu Zakariah, was appreciated for contributing significantly to the growth of the National Ambulance Service for the past two decades.

As the Chief Executive Officer for the National Ambulance Service, Prof. Zakariah’s leadership prowess has led the Service to a grow from a staff strength of sixty-four to over three thousand-four hundred, all of whom are contributing significantly towards quality emergency medical service delivery in Ghana.

The number of stations has equally seen a hike from seven to 297 with all 275 constituencies in Ghana having established operational offices.

Owing to his hardwork and dedication to the growth of mother Ghana in the area of Emergency Medical Services, Professor Zakariah, over the years has received several awards, some being; the National Honours award 2023, Northern Excellence Award 2023, and the Ghana Development Award 2024.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ceremony, Prof Ahmed Zakariah expressed his gratitude to the organizers and indicated that the recognition was timely, given that the National Ambulance Service is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

The Hall of Fame award was held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, in Accra, on Friday, the 30th of  August,2024.

Gracing the ceremony were Emeritus Professor Kwesi Yankah, a former Minister of state in charge of Tertiary education, Ing. Dr. Kwesi Abeasi, and Hon. Austin Gamey, a renowned Ghanaian labour consultant.

The MCE for West Gonja Hon Karim Musah Kusubari has charged the Honourable Assembly Members of West Gonja Municipal Assembly to be examples to their constituents in the municipality’s efforts to achieving an open defecation free status.

The MCE made this call when he was presenting his coordinated report during the 1st ordinary general assembly meeting of the 1st session of the 9th assembly of the West Gonja Municipal Assembly held on Thursday, 29th August, 2024 at the Municipal Assembly Conference Hall.

According to Hon. Musah Kusubari, development partners of the West Gonja Municipality such as Global Communities are working closely with the Environmental Health Unit in 15 communities in the municipality to help make them open defecation free, however, the response from the teams on the ground is not encouraging as most of the community members are not ready to change.

Hon Kusubari added that World Vision through the Vision Fund in partnership with the Environmental Health Unit have so far provided 157 household toilets to 10 communities including Mempeasem, Tailorpe, Jonokponto, and Mognori and that efforts are still ongoing to complete that of Bonyanto, Kpiri No.2, Abukarikura, Bawakura and Mole communities.

The MCE lamented that the West Gonja Municipality can only boast of 34 out of 78 communities attaining open defecation free status and that the hazards of open defecation to health, education and productivity cannot be overemphasized.

Hon. Musah Kusubari said this calls for concerted efforts from Hon. Assembly Members, Unit Committee members, Heads of Departments, Traditional Authorities, the Media and all and sundry to support the ODF campaign to free Damongo, the Savannah Regional Capital and its surrounding communities from open defecation.

Listen to an Audio Recording of the full presentation of the MCE at the General Assembly Meeting

Savannah Region has recorded the highest number of children out of school in Ghana with Greater Accra Region recording the lowest.

This was made known at the Regional Child Protection Committee 1st and 2nd quarter meeting which was held at the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council mini conference hall on Tuesday 20th August, 2024.

In a presentation by the Savannah Regional Girl Child Officer of the Ghana Education Service, Savannah Region performed on the table with 56.1% of children between ages of 4 to 5 years, 43.9% of children between the ages of 6 to 11, 41% of children between 12 and 14 years and 45.7% of children between 15 and 17 not in school. 

Next to Savannah Region is the North East Region which also had poor records with 42.4% of children between 4 to 5 years, 30.7% of children between 6 to 11 years, 32% of children between 12 to 14 years and 38.9 of children between 15 to 17 years not in school.

Meanwhile, Greater Accra Region recorded the lowest number of children out of school in Ghana with 5.9% of children between the ages of 4 to 5 years, 2.9% of children between 6 to 11 years, 3.4% of children between 12 to 14 years and 10.8% of children between 15 to 17 years not in school.

Greater Accra Region was followed by Central, Ashanti and Bono Regions respectively.

Spear FM spoke to Mr. Sunday Azabu Regional Director of Department of Child after the meeting and he said Savannah Region has a lot of challenges as far as child protection is concerned which is evident in the statistics presented.

According to him, almost half of children between the ages of 4 and 17 in the Savannah Region are not in school

Mr Sunday called for a collective effort in ensuring that these children are enrolled.

Mr Sunday added that the committee met to brainstorm strategies to mitigate the situation

(Cue Audio of Mr. Sunday Azabu)

The Savannah Regional Early Childhood Care Development Committee has resolved to Intensify monitoring by visiting both public and private schools in Savannah Region to ensure that children are properly catered for in their early stages of their education.

The decision was taken at the Savannah Regional Early Childhood Care Development Committee first quarter 2024 meeting which was held at the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council Committee Room on Monday 26th August, 2024.

The meeting was funded by Children Believe an NGO which seeks to provide children with tools and training they need to access education, overcome barriers and be a voice for change.

At the meeting, the community resolved to liase up with the traditional authority to champion early childhood education in the Savannah Region.

In order to strengthen and intensify monitoring, the committee also resolved to form sub committees at the district level to help in monitoring the activities of early childhood education.

The committee also prepared an action plan for the year where they agreed to embark on monitoring to the various municipal and district assemblies across the region in the following order.

1. Sawla-Tuna-Kalba and Bole Districts
2. East Gonja Municipal and North East Gonja District
3. North Gonja District
4. Cnetral Gonja and West Gonja Municipal

Spear FM spoke to the chairman the committee Mr. Ambrose Owusu Boateng after the meeting and this is what he said

(Cue Audio Mr. Ambrose Owusu Boateng)

The West Gonja Municipal Assembly as part of its efforts to improve education in the municipality has presented dual desks to nineteen (19) private schools in the Municipality.

This move according to the Honourable MCE for West Gonja Karim Musah Kusubari will enhance teaching and learning in the private schools.

Speaking to Spear FM at the forecourt of the office of the West Gonja Municipal Assembly where the presentation and the distribution of the dual desks was done, Hon Musah Kusubari said the West Gonja Municipal Assembly earlier recieved about 1,500 dual desks from the National Development Authority (NDA) through the office of the Member of Parliament for Damongo constituency which they distributed to public schools in the municipality.

The MCE added that even though private schools are owned by private individuals, they serve the general public therefore there is the need for government help improve education at the private sector.

(Cue Audio MCE Kusubari Dual Desks)

Privata Schools that benefited include Hope for life school complex, Newlife Preparatory School, Bambaninye School Larabanga, ECG school complex, Mohammed Ameen School, Ewuntomah Excellency Academy, Redemption Academy, Holistic Mission School, Light House Phronesis School, Excell Academy, My-Gate School, Sir Martin’s memorial school, Happy Kids school, Smart Kids school, Larabanga Islamic school, Halal vision school, progressive ECE centre, Ayusuga Academy and Amazing Grace School.

Heads of these schools expressed gratitude to the West Gonja Municipal Assembly and promised to put the furniture to good use.

(Cue Audio Teachers of Private Schools)

In a heartwarming display of civic responsibility, the Damongo Motoking Riders Association has embarked on a non-partisan voluntary mission to clean up our environment in Damongo.

This selfless initiative, undertaken  without any political affiliation or motivation, is a shining example of community spirit and dedication to the greater good.

The association’s latest effort saw them extend their kindness to the Damongo Health Centre, clearing surrounding bushes and desilting clogged gutters. This voluntary activity not only improves the aesthetic appeal of the area but also contributes to a healthier environment for patients, staff, and the community at large.

The Assemblyman for the Zongo/Langbanto electoral area Hon Nuhu Kantama Abdul Ganiyu who was impressed by their good works, made a passionate appeal to individuals, groups, and corporate agencies to support them with cleaning item and training needs.

According to the Hon Assembly person for Zongo-Langbonto, supporting this noble cause will promote a healthier environment for our community.