To this end, I am going to highlight the frustrations of those managing health systems and other key sectors of the economy in this part of the country in their quest to acquire land in order to fix health and other infrastructural deficits.

Whilst you read down, ask yourself, is it not this same region that complains about not getting their fair share of the national cake despite the resources it produces?

Let me start with the ultra-modern Sekondi District Hospital that never saw the light of day.

The Sekondi District Hospital Project

There is this imaginary Sekondi District Hospital that is painfully lost. It was supposed to be a 120-bed capacity hospital “that will have 21st century equipment and facilities”, according to the Ministry of Health. It was supposed to be constructed by Messrs NMS Infrastructure after they had “fought” to assist in securing the $175,000,000 funds from Barclays Plc in London for this important project and six others in 2013.

Hospital facilities lost

This hospital was going to have Intensive Care Unit, 2 Operating Theatres, Dental Unit, Medical and surgical wards for both men and women, Accident and Emergency Unit, Maternity, not forgetting the integrated ICT systems and a host of other exciting services. Look, the project was unique by all standards. The greenery scenes, “was aimed at providing a therapeutic environment to aid patient’s recovery”, and more importantly the services which are only available in Accra that were going to be provided right at our doorsteps were relieving enough!

If anyone has seen the Dodowa Hospital, that ultra-modern health facility with the state of the art machinery for quality health delivery, you will understand me better.

The beginning of the end

So it occurred that day, August 29th 2013 that, the then Minister for Health under former President John Mahama, Sherry Aryetey, amidst drumming and dancing under the watch of the one-year Western Regional Minister Ebenezer Teye Addo, including some health directors at the local and national level, went to a piece of land at Kansaworado, a suburb of Sekondi, to cut a sod for the construction of the Sekondi District Hospital.

After this funfair, the over 50 percent projected out-patient increase which was going to put extra pressure on the already distressed health facilities in the year 2015; was going to be contained with this hospital.

The money for the project came, Sherry Aryeetey and all those who were with her at the sod cutting ceremony went away. Engineers of Messrs NMS Infrastructure went to site to begin the project, and then there was a snag.

How we lost it!

Few weeks into some ground works, the over 559,000 people in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis were told a shocking joke that the Atuabo Gas Pipeline, which had been laid beneath the ground years before they chose that piece of land for the project, passes nearby so project cannot go on. It was shocking news!

We were then pampered with vague soothing assurances of securing a new land for the project by the then City mayor Captain Rtd Anthony Cudjoe and others. Whilst they were on this hopeless campaign from one radio station to another, work had commenced on the Dodowa one and others.

The end

The Sekondi project stopped, weeds took over, the marks of the sod cutting faded, Messrs NMS Infrastructure packed its machinery out of site. The promise of a new site at Essippong was as bogus as the first gas pipeline excuse.

Did Pipeline swallow the Hospital?

Considering the information available, the gas pipeline excuse was a nice ploy by the landowners to take back their land for whatever reason best known to them. This is because, that piece of land, according directors of Messrs NMS Infrastructure Limited, had been acquired because “it suits the unique topography and geographical conditions [perfect] for the hospital’s location”. They arrived at this conclusion after “a team of experts from the UK and Ghana” had examined the site.

Question: From the time of conceiving the idea to use that particular land for the project by the “international experts” to the point of cutting the sod and even to the point where some construction works begun, are we saying that no one knew there was a gas pipeline passing through that area? Who said owners of the land were not consulted when the gas pipeline was laid down there, to warrant perhaps a so-called revelation later about the gas pipeline’s presence? In any case, the pipeline has a buffer zone around it so which technical persons said the facility cannot be built after the zone?

Another evidence that shows that the issue wasn’t about the gas pipeline is that, from 2013 that the project was halted, some shadow negotiations appeared to have been ongoing, because the contractor, NMS Infrastructure, went back to the same site sometime in May 2016 to begin works on the same piece of land which was allegedly not suitable. The work was again stopped.  It’s been five years and counting, and the hospital still remains a dream in the minds of the people in the metropolis.

The dilemma of a proposed New Western Regional Hospital

Picture this: A pregnant woman is in labor at the present day Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi. She cannot deliver naturally and thus requires surgical intervention. Doctors take her to the theater. Whilst operating on her, the ceiling of the theatre room caves in on them. Blood splashes around.

Medical equipment dangles. The situation calls for a transfer of the woman to another theater. Frustrated doctors take pictures of the incident and send them to journalists. Journalists talk about it in the news for less than a week, and then everything goes back to square one!

This is a real story that happened on June 24th, 2016 at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, the main referral centre for the over 2.34 million people in the region.

Whilst this was happening, a 50-acre land acquired along the Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta road for a proposed new regional hospital had been sold to private investors for cold hard cash.

Effia Nkwanta today

Effia Nkwanta is old. It was built in the 1930s to offer healthcare services to Sekondi and the then small town Takoradi. The landscape on which the facility was built makes it difficult for expansion works. No “major” renovation works have been done there in view of its status as a regional referral center. I remember how they had to struggle to repair a single elevator at the hospital when it broke down. It became topical in the news for months, if not years before it was fixed.

That aside, persons whose relatives go to the labour ward of the hospital have to sleep on the floor in front of the maternity ward entrance. In fact, the labour unit itself cries for serious renovation works.

That said, I also know of people who have vowed never to send their relatives to the facility after harrowing experiences and the seeming “holiday” of the facility on weekends.

They sold the regional hospital land to private investors

All these and more were reasons health managers asked for a new regional hospital. As usual, it has to begin with acquiring a land for the proposed new Western Regional Hospital. This is where the region’s notorious attitude comes to play.

50 acres of land were secured for the new regional hospital at Ewusiejoe in the Ahanta West District. The District Chief Executive for Ahanta Westat the time was Joseph Dofoyena. I caught up with him in a telephone conversation.

Me: Hon. What is the present state of that land?

Hon: The family members sold it later to private investors.

Me: Why will they sell it to private investors when it was going to be used for a regional hospital?

Hon: It was purely for money. They said if they give it to the government, they will not get that much compared to what each of the four family members who sold it got.

Me: But were they aware you were going to use that piece of land for a regional hospital?

Hon: That was the reason we secured that piece of land, so they knew what we were going to use the land for, but they simply needed to sell it for money. Nonetheless, we have acquired another one around Apimanim also in the Ahanta West District. Conversation continued..

This reveals the core problem facing some government agencies that need land for the general good of the citizenry.  As we speak, Effia Nkwanta is suffering in many facets, but managers, doctors and nurses of the facility have had to endure it. Even accommodation for resident staff of the hospital is in shambles, requiring a complete renovation. When workers of the facility are frustrated, they tend to vent their spleen on “annoying” patients.

Proposed fertilizer plant and the threat of relocation

The NPP government proposed to build a fertilizer producing factory in the Western Region. This is to add value to the gas produced from the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant in the Ellembelle District.

President Nana Addo in August 2017 reiterated this commitment when he visited the chiefs and people of Jomoro at Half Assini. He said during his tour that “through Ghana Gas and GNPC, a fertilizer plant will be established here in Jomoro. I will ensure that this project is done as soon as possible. If it is done, then I will be fulfilling my campaign promise of One District one Factory”.

Five months after Nana Addo made this statement, the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, in responding to questions from the press at the Flagstaff House in January 2018, expressed his disappointment about how land acquisition is crippling this project.

He complained that “the fertilizer plant that we want to put in the Western Region, we have identified all plans. Now there is a lawsuit in the Western Region amongst chiefs over that land. Will it delay that project, of course it will delay. It may even mean moving the project out of the Western Region as initially planned”.

Similar stories were said of other projects like the affordable housing project. Western Region couldn’t get a land for the people to benefit from those initiatives.

As the Western Region is still struggling to get land for a new regional hospital, the new regional hospital for Ashanti Region is progressing steadily.

I think Nana Addo should be summoning the President of the Western Region House of Chiefs Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, and the Regional head of the Lands Commission to explain why they cannot provide land for the project?

The money for the Sekondi District hospital we are told is still sitting at the Ministry of Finance, even though a portion of what was to be given to the Sekondi District hospital was sent to complete the Dodowa Hospital.

How long will the people who cry for their fair share of the national cake be “quenching” the fire that is preparing the cake?

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Email: [email protected]

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The Corporate Communications Specialist of Karpowership Ghana, Miss Sandra Amarquaye, said the engagement was in line with the Company’s principle of having transparent, trustworthy and sustainable relationship with its stakeholders.

[contextly_sidebar id=”VFKMRqH0LguHYG3jEFNA99xktPGiag9m”]”The engagement is to ensure our new stakeholders understand our business and how we operate. At Karpowership, we value our relationship with our local stakeholders,” she said.

The stakeholder engagement sessions saw Karpowership Ghana interacting with the Sekondi and Essikado Traditional Councils, the Inshore Fishing Association, the Fish Traders and Processors Association, Fishmongers and the media.

Miss Amarquaye said Karpowership would deploy its 470MW Karadeniz Powership Osman Khan to the Sekondi Naval Base by the second half of this year, in line with government plans to ensure full utilisation of gas resources from the Western enclave of Ghana.

As a strategic partner, Karpowership is committed to Ghana’s development and would continue to provide all Ghanaians reliable, sustainable, and affordable electricity, she said.

Nana Kwesi Badu II, the Acting President of the Sekondi House of Chiefs, lauded Karpowership for the engagement.

He said: “Karpowership’s efforts at contributing to sustainable power supply in the country is well appreciated. In fact, Karpowership has done well by coming to our home to tell us about the Powership.

“We will tell the members of the community about the Powership and hope that you will keep us informed about all you do.”

Mr. Francis Eshuw, the Chairman of the Inshore Fishing Association, said they are happy that such an innovative project was being undertaken in their community, adding that the Association had been well informed of the operations of the Powership.

Since it began operations in Ghana, the company has engaged in some major projects that include providing bursary for brilliant but needy students, and providing storage water tanks to schools, hospitals, police stations and the fisher folk within the Tema Manhean Community.

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Source: GNA

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He insists the exercise is only to ensure that the city’s traffic situation improves.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JpF8DkJ3kUeqnatQqeIkCK74DNmbQXUU”]Mr. K.K Sam described as an eyesore the sight of drivers loading and offloading passengers right in the middle of the road, while others also use the frontage of stores as loading points.

“Driving in town these days is not pleasant. Shops within the Takoradi business centre are not functioning well all because some transport operators on their own have decided to convert the roads in front of stores into lorry parks and are creating undue vehicular traffic. This you will agree is preventing brisk business”.

He says as a proactive administration they will not allow the situation to worsen before they act.

“The Assembly does not have any intention to destroy anybody’s business, but only for decency to prevail at city centers and for the city to become the neatest and the most pleasant to drive in… so we are pleading with transport operators to move to Apremdo.”

Mr. K.K Sam maintained that the Assembly will prefer to take bold but unpopular decisions to avert any future disaster than to take decisions which are popular now but can lead to bring about negative repercussions later.

“Some transport operators at the Accra station have been using the shoulders of the road as car parks. And my fear is that school children crossing the road can be knocked down, and l am not going to sit down for some mishap to happen before we come to proffer an explanation.”

The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has recently come under heavy criticisms from some transport operators on its decision to relocate them.

They accused the Mayor, K.K Sam, of receiving GHc300.000 from the GPRTU, to influence its decision to relocate other transport operators apart from them.

But addressing a press conference on Friday December 8, 2017, the MCE refuted the bribery allegation, and explained that all the affected transport operators were in the meeting that agreed on the said relocation.

“I can say unequivocally that such allegations are false and it is just to tarnish my reputation and the good project the Assembly is doing. And l challenge them that within 24 hours they should produce evidence, showing where and when l took monies from GPRTU and the drivers.”

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By: Kojo Ennimil Arthur/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Relocation of bus terminals only to decongest Sekondi-Takoradi – MCE appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Western Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Police Service, ASP Olivia Adiku, confirmed that the suspect is in custody.

All items belonging to the suspect’s mother and that of a neighbour were lost in the fire.

The young man, who has been identified only as Mawutorpe, committed the act after a misunderstanding with his mother, a retiree.

According to neighbours, the young man, who is suspected to be mentally unstable, has reportedly been terrorizing his mother and neighbours for a long time.

The neighbours have claimed that the suspect is a drug addict.

According to them, he normally exhibits wild behaviour after smoking, and in one case, he allegedly made nasty demands from the mother.

One neighbour recalled that on Monday, November, 20, 2017, he overheard Mawutorpe ask his mother to give him money to patronize the services of a commercial sex worker in the area.

The mother refused after which he went berserk and threatened to set the house on fire.

It took the timely intervention of fire personnel to prevent the fire from spreading to other houses close by.

Regina Baah, the occupant of the adjourning room narrated to Takoradi-based Skyypower FM, that she has reported the suspect to the Takoradi Police station on several occasions.

According to her, anytime the young man is picked up by the police, his mother ensures his release with the excuse that he is mentally unstable.

She also corroborated pronouncements that Mawutorpe is on hard drugs, but indicated Mawutorpe is very calm on days he doesn’t smoke, and is often seen having hearty conversations with his mother and neighbours.

Unfortunately for Mrs. Baah, as she was escaping the fire, she had only a cloth wrapped around her.

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By: Obrempon Yaw Ampofo/citifmonine.com/Ghana

The post Takoradi: Man arrested for burning mother’s house appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has begun a metro-wide operation on the practice.

The 21 were arrested in two separate operations at Amanful, the center of Takoradi and Ekuase in Sekondi.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8h4ickDiokggHMyXUYZVX0QmDYhxqB2m”]While some have been charged and fined, others escaped arrest and have been declared wanted by the police.

In the first operation at Takoradi Amanful, 9 persons, made up of 8 males and a female were arrested. “Seven of them were charged and fined Gh 288 each which they paid before they were freed. One was given a spot fine during the arrest which he paid, but the other absconded, and a bench warrant is issued for his arrest. ”

John Laste, Public Relations Officer of the STMA told Citi News in an interview.

The Wednesday’s operation was carried out in the Sekondi Sub Metro where 13 persons were arrested.

“The process is still ongoing but most of them were given a spot fine. My information is that few of them are finding it difficult to pay. But if they fail to pay, we will let the law courts determine their fate”.

Mr. Laste further explained to Citi News that the STMA is determined to tackle the menace in all the three Sub Metros to ensure sanity and cleanliness.

He reminded landlords and landladies in the metro that “it is their responsibility to provide places of convenience in their homes to their tenants. The assembly is only responsible to provide places of convenience for travelers, visitors, market places and other public gatherings. So the landlords must comply.”

Even though he said Global Communities, a non-governmental organization is voluntarily offering support for landlords to have toilets, “compliance levels are still not the best. We still have challenges with open defecation especially along the sea shores. One of such area at Ekuase is where we arrested the 13 today. Nonetheless, we will continue to do our best to ensure sanity in our environment.”

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Sekondi-Takoradi: 21 persons arrested for open defecation appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This was after the 79 elected assembly members had sworn the oath of secrecy, oath of allegiance and oath of office.

[contextly_sidebar id=”mgf4UBufLrk3x2NKruvpsIYy9zkMemBD”]The 79 is made of 20 assembly members each from the Sekondi, Takoradi, Essikadu/Ketan and the Effia Kwesimintsim Sub metros.

Tanokrom West Electoral Area in the Takoradi Sub-Metro, is yet to elect its assembly member following a court case.

At the inauguration of the council members, Mayor of the Sekondi Takoradi, Anthony Kobina Kurentsir Sam, admonished the members to be creative and development oriented.

He said “I urge you to collaborate with other stakeholders and development partners to undertake self-help projects in your electoral areas by soliciting sponsorship from key establishments, businesses, institutions and individuals within your communities. Be creative in discharging your role in order to win the admiration of residents of your communities.”

Mr. Kurentsir also implored the councilors to mobilize members in their communities and assist with sanitary tools to facilitate environmental cleanliness which is a challenge in some parts of the metropolis.

On the matter unauthorized structures that are in the metropolis, Mr. Kurentsir urged the newly sworn in councilors “to team up with the assembly to identify such developments in order to curb the construction of houses on water ways and the erection of temporary structures within some communities without required permission.”

He concluded that, the confusion that usually surrounds the ownership and control of public toilets and urinals, are been considered by the Assembly with steps to end such issues.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofocitifmonline.com/Ghana

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This will be the first major cleanup exercise supervised by the new Mayor, Mr. Kobina Kurentsir Sam, since he assumed the reigns of leadership of the STMA.

Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis some 6 years back topped the list of the cleanest city in the country, but has since lost its glory.

“The population growth also accounts for the sanitation situation we have now. Filth has engulfed some parts of the city that we need to get rid of it in the upcoming clean-up exercise”, Special Aide to the Sekondi-Takoradi Mayor, Kwaku Twum Barima told Citi News.

The Assembly’s decision to embark on the May 6 clean-up exercise was first made known by the Mayor of STMA when he was confirmed on March 24, 2017.

However, the exercise was canceled due to logistical constraints.

The exercise, according to Mr. Barima, is special because, “it is going to be the first exercise the new Mayor for this administration is going to supervise. Besides, the first Saturday monthly exercise instituted by the previous administration has not been done for the past two months, so we will combine all that and do it in the upcoming exercise.”

Mr. Kwaku Twum Barima expressed satisfaction at the logistical support the Assembly has received so far.

He told Citi News that “we have had Amandi Ghana Limited donating backhoe for dredging, we have others donating wheelbarrows, Shop N Save has donated enough drinking water that will be enough throughout the exercise whilst some oil service companies have donated other useful equipment for this exercise”.

Mr. Barima admonished residents of the Twin City to “get involved in the exercise and clean their surroundings. Those who have shops around the Takoradi Market Circle will not be allowed to open their shops to the public because, all those areas will clean”.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Sekondi-Takoradi Assembly to embark on cleanup exercise on May 6 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the House of Chiefs, the development of the rail sector is non-negotiable considering its contribution to economic development in the region.

As part of efforts to improve rail transport, President Akufo-Addo has created a Railway Development Ministry headed by Joe Ghartey, MP for Essikado-Ketan in the Western Region.

The President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, told Citi News they are highly optimistic about the prospects of the sector under the NPP government.

“If this government in its manifesto is unable to develop the railway line by the end of the four years, it will be a very big blow to the Minister of Railways development who happens to come from the very hub of the railway sector…It will affect the fortune of the party.

“Sekondi-Takoradi has always been the strong hold of the NPP, so if they promised Railway Development and they appoint someone from the same area and they are unable to deliver the next four years of course, it will affect their political fortunes”

He said the chiefs in the region are hopeful that the development of the railway sector in the region will kick off as soon as possible.

The chiefs’ concerns come a day after the Minister for Railway Development, Joe Ghartey, said his ministry, in collaboration with stakeholders in the country will help make the railway sector vibrant again.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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