Unlike schools in most developed areas where the first batch beneficiary students of the free Senior High School Policy have inundated their premises yearning to be enrolled, Adaklu Senior High School seems to have recorded low turnout in admissions.

[contextly_sidebar id=”MOc6gyhWxZNzy705gzPJ1hsJiOlWWz3P”]Citi News has gathered that, out of about 300 students that were posted, only 100 of them formalized their postings as at Wednesday 20^th September, a situation the District Director of Education,Madam Cynthia Gbadago, expressed concern about. 

The District Director, who could not immediately tell the factors that account for the low turnout, discounted poor infrastructure as a reason for the low patronage. She explained that the school is well-equipped and meets requirements for any standard second cycle institution.

However, further checks by Citi News, revealed that most parents are unwilling to accept postings to the school due to the bad road network in the area.

Some parents who spoke to Citi News said although the school is in the District Capital, Waya, its inaccessibility is the major reason why they are adamant in sending their wards there.

“Some communities are far from Waya, but our roads are very bad here. So we don’t have vehicles plying on these roads. Our wards cannot attend this school without a reliable transport system” a parent told Citi News.

The school is the oldest second cycle institution in the area, serving all 26 communities in the district, as well as students across the country. It has a current enrollment of about 400 students.

The district was also allocated the E-Block Community Senior High School under the erstwhile Mahama administration; a project which has since the inception of the new government stopped.

The state of the roads, the Member of Parliament for the Area, Kwame Agbodza, admitted was deplorable. He said although most of the roads were awarded for construction under the feeder roads in the previous government, a directive from the new government has asked that those projects be suspended till further notice.

He is therefore entreating the new government to show commitment towards the completion of the roads.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Poor roads affecting enrollment at Adaklu SHS appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

His approval on Friday was the fourth in series of attempts to get President’s nominee approved by the assembly after two nominees were rejected.

The first nominee, Josephine Ohene-Boateng was outrightly rejected by assembly members. The second, Kate Ametepe also a female couldn’t meet the percentage requirement.

Hon Donkor after a failed attempt was granted a second chance to secure his nomination.

At the end of the election conducted in the District Assembly Hall today, Mr Kadey Donkoh polled 14 out of the 18 valid votes cast representing a 77.7 percent approval.

The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr Maxwell Blagoggie who was accompanied by the Deputy Interior Minister, Henry Kotei has expressed his appreciation to the people for finally approving the President’s representative.

Phanuel Kadey Donkoh is a teacher by profession and 33 years of age. He is said to be one of the youngest Chief Executives to have been appointed. Until his approval, the Regional Coordination Council was playing an oversight responsibility for the administration of the area.

In his acceptance speech, the District Chief Executive has promised to work closely with stakeholders in the area to enhance the government’s development agenda.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Adaklu finally gets DCE appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The explosion which was followed by spouting water from the mountains occurred on Sunday, destroyed about 70 acres of farm lands according to officials of National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).

About five communities along the mountain including Kodiabe, Helekpe and Abuadi were affected. Residents say, they heard a loud noise from the heights on Sunday night and woke up later to meet the destruction on their farms.

The Assembly member for Adaklu-Helekpe told Citi News farm crops such as maize, palm oil, plantain, cocoa yam and cassava were destroyed by the fallen rocks and the erosion.

Located at the hips of Ho, the Volta Regional Capital, Adaklu Mountain is one of the highest mountains in Ghana with height of about 600 meters above sea level.  The mountain is used for tourism activities and serves as farming area for residents.

Terraced crops of farmers are often seen at the base of the mountain.

The recent disaster renewed speculations from residents about the effects of quarry activities along the mountains.  

The regional Coordinator of NADMO, Mr Devine Bosson who was on assessment tour today [Thursday], told Citi News although no causalities were recorded, he is engaging experts to survey and examine the cause of the explosion.

Residents who now live in fears are calling for government’s intervention.

“We are pleading with government to come to our aide. Our crops have been destroyed and our livelihood is under threat. Government should also find out what accounted for the explosion and protect our lives against danger” a resident pleaded in the local Ewe language.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Landslides destroy farms in Adaklu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Bernice Ekpeh, developed the hunchback at age 6 and had since been suffering pains in her spine.

[contextly_sidebar id=”jKdT2zpJuRMMN9jFxmhs76A9QQ5RB25h”]Although the condition has delayed the education, the 20-year-old pupil’s zeal to become a Nurse in future has helped her not to give up as she partook in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). 

She has as a result of her condition endured pains; lying prostrate in class for studies and examinations.

Citi News’ attention was drawn to Bernice during the BECE when she was seen writing her papers on a bench in the prostrate posture.

According to the headmaster of Adaklu Anfoe D/A JHS, Bernice is a brilliant child and was the only girl among the boys to have qualified to write this year’s BECE in the school despite her condition.

Following Citi News‘ report on the young lady’s condition, a philanthropist at FOCOS Orthopedic hospital volunteered to foot the bill for Bernice’s diagnosis and other preliminary tests at a cost of about GHC2500.

Togbe Lablulu through his Educational Trust Fund also supported Bernice with a cash of GHC 500 and has pledged to support the child through his widow’s mite towards the treatment.

A final bill of almost GHC 94000 has been prepared by FOCOS Orthopedic Hospital in Accra for her treatment. 

Bernice whose fate now hangs in a balance has expressed fears of not being able to continue her education.

“If we are not able to get this amount, it means I cannot go to secondary school. Because I cannot continue lying on benches in secondary school and also be feeling these pains. I may not be the nurse I want to be,” she said amidst tears in an interview with Citi News. 

Bernice and her mother; a single parent who is into petty trading have since been appealing to the general public for support.

Togbe Lablulu is also appealing to the general public and citizens of Adaklu to help donate towards Bernice’s treatment.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Adaklu chief supports ‘hunchback’ JHS graduate appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The children, mostly of Fulani descent, are from over 10 satellite communities in Avelebe; a farming area whose indigenes were hardly noticed.

The community shares close boundaries with the Akatsi South District, and its inhabitants are farmers who are mostly into cattle rearing and arable farming.

The children’s first exposure to literacy was when three local savings and loans personnel decided to start a school under a shed, and periodically gather them for lessons. The children, mostly Fulanis, had since been under their tutelage, until the MP on one of his tours in the district, came across the pupils in the deserted land.

Moved by the situation, Hon. Kwame Agbodza prompted the Ghana Education Service (GES), and later started partnering with NGOs to as a matter of urgency regularize the activities of the school to match with the GES curricular and provide the infrastructural needs of the school.

Four years on, the school can now boast of a befitting classroom block with ancillary facilities through the support of two NGO’s in education; Pencils of Promise and Adanu.

The over-4 km footpath which leads to the under served community has also been graded and opened up for vehicular movement through the efforts of the MP.

Speaking to Citi News, Kwame Agbodza hinted of the extension of electricity to the area which was earmarked to benefit from the second phase of the rural electrification project. This he said would aid teachers and pupils in their ICT lessons. He, however expressed worry about the poor network coverage of the area which he said cuts residents from the entire world in terms of telecommunication.

At the commissioning of their newest 3-unit classroom block by Pencils of Promise, one of the pioneer teachers, who gave his name as Mawuli, told Citi News it was heartwarming to see the school grow to this level with professional teachers being posted to the area.

Another teacher, Lambert Dzakumah, also told Citi News the interventions by Pencil of Promise and the MP, has brought a great relief to them. He asked for a JHS block so that the pupils after primary school would not have to trek several kilometres to attend JHS at nearby towns.

The CEO of Pencils of Promise, Michael Dougherty, was outwardly thrilled by the story of the school, and pledged his organization’s commitment to improving education in rural Africa.

He encouraged the pupils to put in enough efforts in their lessons, and take advantage of the opportunities available to enhance their lives and that of the community.

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By: King Nobert Akpabli/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Adaklu MP, NGOs rescue pupils from makeshift structure appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The project, according to Richard Yinkah, Founder and Executive Director of Adanu, is to mark the organisation’s 15 years of existence.

The project, which would be ready for use in the next academic year according to the Founder, would comprise of a collection of digital learning and teaching materials stored on electronic readers. It would also be stocked with hard copies of books and readers for pupils and teachers to use for academic work.

The project is estimated to cost about $45.000, and would be executed through local funding. Unlike their previous projects which were mostly funded through foreign aid, the organisation hinted that, the fund for the library project would be locally generated.

The decision according to Richard Yinkah, is to inculcate the spirit of giving back to society among Ghanaians as seen in foreign nations.

He told Citi News that, some contributions would be taken from the beneficiary community and other benevolent organisations and individuals within Ghana. The organisation was stunned by the gesture from pupils of class six who contributed a bag of cement towards the project.

“What we plan doing is that, after the building is completed, a plaque would be erected on the building to display names of all donors as a way of appreciating their contributions and to keep memories. We are calling on all and sundry to support this initiative to improve learning in our schools” he stated.

Adanu over the 15 years of its operations, has built classroom blocks for pupils in under served communities in Ghana, and supported community members by providing jobs for the women and men.

The Ghana Education District Director of Adaklu, Miss Cynthia Gbadago, commended the NGO for their support, and described the project as an eye opener which would be useful to schools in the districts.

The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Maxwell Blagodzi, who was present at the ceremony, pledged government’s support for the project, and encouraged the organizations to extend its support to the northern part of the Volta Region.

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By: King Nobert/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NGO breaks ground for construction of E-Library in Adaklu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.