This, according to him, will help bridge the yawning developmental gaps among districts in the region and render responsive social services to citizens.

Mr. Bukari said priority should be given to infrastructure, education, health, agriculture, water and sanitation, as well as enterprise development.

[contextly_sidebar id=”WrNaTv6pPCPUP7oR36gVUte48rdAWsDr”]He noted that assemblies could initiate and execute game-changing projects that meet the needs of citizen without depending greatly on central government through strategic revenue mobilization at the local level.

Mr. Bukari urged Municipal and District Assemblies to initiate innovative strategies to generate local revenue by reviving their revenue departments to generate data on sub-district structures for revenue mobilization.

“We need to get data on buildings, banks, filling stations, billboards, and anybody doing business in the districts must pay rates to the assembly to propel its development,” he said.

As assemblies, we have so many responsibilities to perform and if we don’t do them, the public will blame us and we can only do that by improving revenue mobilization. So I urge all chief executives and coordinating directors to equip their revenue mobilization departments to realize this target.”

Mr. Bukari added that the Regional Coordinating Council will soon organize a forum to share experiences and best strategies that, when adopted, could increase the revenue of assemblies.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Prioritize 3 key projects annually – U/E Minister to MDAs appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The stakeholders, who included; health workers, Assembly Members, Opinion leaders, Prayer Camp Managers and Traditional Leaders, would contribute to the fight against issues confronting persons with Mental Illness and Epilepsy.

[contextly_sidebar id=”seYPA9rWtE2ENyX6gSl0YDfvt4pQjcjH”]They were given training on how to pay critical attention and offer help to persons with Mental Health disorders and Epilepsy.

The training was aimed at making the them abreast with issues confronting persons with Mental Health Illness and Epilepsy and how they could assist them to seek health care.

Sponsored by UKAID, the training formed part of the numerous initiatives undertaken by Basic Needs-Ghana to promote partnership with the Private Non- Formal Health Services to ensure the quality delivery of Mental Health Services in region.

Basic Needs-Ghana is a mental health and development advocacy organisation that implements and promotes initiatives to transform the lives of people with mental illness or epilepsy by providing access to integrated mental health care, social and economic services in the communities.

Speaking at the programme, Mr Bernard Azuure, the Project Officer of Basic Needs-Ghana, said the rights, issues and wellbeing of Persons with Mental Health and Epilepsy needed a collective effort to tackle and his outfit had organised stakeholders engagement with Municipal and District Assembly staff and Heads of Department in the region.

He explained that the training was to build the capacity of the stakeholders on Basic Psychiatry and Human Rights of Mentally Ill and Epilepsy people adding that with support from the Upper East Regional Health Directorate of the GHS it would promote and improve the practices and behaviours for persons with Mental Health disorder and Epilepsy to exist comfortably.

Mr Azuure said stigmatisation and maltreatment of persons with Mental Illness and Epilepsy was against their rights and entreated stakeholders to collaborate effectively with them and other authorities to deal with the menace.

Taking the stakeholders through the causes, symptoms and how to deal with Mental Health issues, Mr Philip Aboagye, a Psychiatrist Nurse of the Upper East Regional Directorate of the GHS, underscored alcohol and drugs as major causes of mental illness adding, Divorce and stress, were other causes of mental illness and called on all the stakeholders to deal with the problem and help victims of Mental Health disorder and Epilepsy to access health care at health facilities.

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Source: GNA

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He said the contractors working on the roads can only finish the work on time to bring relief to drivers and commuters who ply the stretches if the government makes prompt payment of the monies owed them.

Responding to questions from Journalists at a press soiree to address the slow pace of work on the roads in the region, Mr. Samini said the work on the routes can be fast-tracked once payment is made to the contractors.

“The issue is all about money. The contractors working on the Bolgatanga-Bawku-Pulmakom road – Queiroz Galvao – and the one working on the Navrongo-Sandema road – MYTURN Construction Limited – have slowed down the pace of works on the roads because they have not being paid,” he said.

“So we are hoping that monies will be released to them and they will go back to the site. But if money is not released to the contractors, they will have to manage the project, thus the slow pace of work on the roads”.

Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari admitted that the delay in paying contractors is affecting the progress of work on the roads but insisted that the government was working assiduously to settle the arrears soon.

He accused the previous government of not managing the project efficiently leaving the current administration to deal with the fallout of their actions.

“The Bolga-Bawku-Pulmakom road awarded by the previous NDC government was neither put on the Road Fund nor Government of Ghana (GoG) budget but on a different source, which the NPP government is paying dearly for it,” he said

“But as a government, we are committed to completing the roads. The President, Nana Akufo Add has tasked the Minister of Finance Ken Ofori Atta to make some payments to Queiroz Galvao to expedite works and to complete the construction of the road on time.”

However, the Former Minister for Roads and Highways Inusah Fuseini told Citi News, that the government’s inability to pay contractors can be attributed to the slashing of statutory funds.

He could not understand why the government was struggling to pay the contractor on time when the project was put on the road fund by the previous administration.

“The cost of the Bolga-Bawku road construction awarded to Queiroz Galvao is about GHC600m and was put on the road fund which yielded between GHC100m and GHC120m monthly and we paid GHC100m to the contractor before exiting office,” he said.

“However, the slow pace of works on the road can only be attributed to the cut on statutory funds making it difficult to service the contractor.”

Mr. Rockson also said the government was working on reviving the defunct Pwalugu tomato factory, the Zuarungu meat factory and the Bolgataga rice mill.

He tasked Municipal and District Assemblies to embark on regular clean-up exercises to ensure good sanitation in the region.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post U/E: Non-payment of contractors affecting road projects – Engineer appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, though some farms are still being affected by the fall armyworm, huge acres of infested farms have been recovered through government’s swift intervention of spraying the armyworms.

[contextly_sidebar id=”VIJFBrdKUXwk5y2H8IUB5UGfr0eEA7BI”]Dr. Bambangi disclosed this after visiting 114 acres of maize farms in the Bongo district of the Upper East Region.

He noted that, though records from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture indicated that, since the first case of fall army worm in April 2016, enough measures were not taken to curtail its negative impact on farms.

Nonetheless, the ongoing spraying exercise has led to the recovery of lots of the infested farms, he stated.

“So far, I am impressed by the performance of our spraying programme and that of the farmers. I have been to the Upper West Region and here in the Upper East Region, and have seen the signs of the fall armyworms in the past in a lot of these farms; but I can also see how these farms have recovered.”

Dr. Bambangi intimated further that, projection of a bumper harvest was proof the armyworms have been defeated.

“…we have conquered the fall armyworm because the essence is for us to ensure that the crops recover so if the armyworms have not been able to deprive us of the bumper harvest we are expecting, then we will say we have conquered the armyworms. But we know that there are still remnants of the worms in the system and so we are putting in place medium to long-term measures to avert any future occurrence of the invasion of our farms by fall armyworm.”

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post U/E: We’ve ‘conquered’ armyworms – Dept. Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

On the 4th of May 2017, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources John Peter Amewu suspended the operations of  Shaanxi Mining company to allow for investigations into the death of some illegal miners alleged to have been trapped within the mine.

[contextly_sidebar id=”1Bjzb3nUx8gQ65VxT3VJAcI3NyRSHVao”]Mr. John Amewu paid a working visit to Shaanxi mine on the 9th of August 2017 after an investigative team constituted to investigate circumstance leading to the death of seven illegal miners submitted its report to him.

In a letter signed by Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Sulemana Mahama dated August 22, 2017 and cited by citifmonline.com, has directed Shaanxi mining company to commence work.

Find below the full statement

RE: APPEAL TO REOPEN MINE

Reference our letter dated July 18, 2017 approving your request for approval to carry out general maintenance of the Shaanxi Mine and for the mine to reopen.

I have been instructed by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu to inform you that following his visit to the mine on 9th August 2017, he noted the progress you have made so far to ensure Health, Safety and Environment within the mine in compliance with his earlier directivities and therefore approves your request to reopen the mine.

You are to conduct the mining operations in a sustainable manner , bearing in mind human safety and environmental sustainability.

You are also to strictly adhere to the tenets of the mining law and the regulations on mining in the country.

The Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission shall continue to monitor your operations and report to the Minister as stipulated in the mining lease with which you are operating.

Yours faithfully,

SULEMANA MAHAMA

1. CHIF DIRECTOR

FOR: MINISTER

Speaking to CitiNews, the Public Relations Officer of Shaanxi Mining Limited Maxwell Wooma expressed satisfaction at the timely intervention of the ministry, adding that, the company will start full operations by Monday.

“Management has just received the information and we are convening  an emergency meeting immediately  so that, we can recall the over 500 workers who are at home, get them through proper induction again and we are hoping that, by Monday 28th August 2017 we shall be back to full business”. Mr. Wooma stated.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Suspended Shaanxi Mining Company to resume work appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The five were arrested and arraigned before court on Wednesday 5th July 2017 after rioting and damaging school properties over postponement of an entertainment program on Saturday  July 1, 2017.

The five are; Atule Emmanuel, Victor Ibrahim, and Neina Emmanuel.

The rest are Akurugu Enock and Awuni Peter.

The accused students were alleged to have fired gun shots and destroyed school properties during a riot on July 1, over postponement of an entertainment program for students.

The irate students upon seeing police and military patrol team pelted them with stones but the situation was brought under control and subsequently the arrest of the five by the police after school authorities identified them as ring leaders of the riot.

They were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, rioting with offensive weapons and causing unlawful damage to school property.

The accused students pleaded not guilty of the charges leveled against them.

The Bolgatanga magistrate court judge His Worship Osman Abdul-Hakin remanded them into police custody and adjourned the case to the 12th of July 2017.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Five Zuarungu high school students remanded for rioting appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the families, On June 22, 2017, Mr. James Akuntubego Nsobire was knocked and killed by a car driven by a senior mortuary attendant of the Bolgatanga regional hospital, Daniel Alhassan Azaah on the Bolga-Bongo road.

The families said, the accident was reported to the Bolgatanga police after Daniel Azaah fled the scene leaving the deceased on the road resulting in the burning of his vehicle.

On 23rd June when relatives of the deceased went to the Bolgatanga Regional morgue for his remains for burial, they spotted the alleged killer of the deceased Daniel Azaah , the mortuary attendant with a bottle of beer.

Angered by the posture of Daniel Azaah, an argument ensued between him and relatives of the deceased, during which Mr. Azaah allegedly pulled out a gun threatening to shoot at the people around, but police intervened and arrested four persons including the assembly member for Yorogo, Peter Adongo.

The youth besieged the Bolgatanga municipal police station to inquire about the arrest of the four, but police in an attempt to disperse the crowd shot at the crowd hitting Thomas Ameseya and Peter Anaba who were on a motor bike.

Mr. Thomas Ameseya and Peter Anaba both died on Saturday June 24, while receiving medical treatment at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, and were buried on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th June 2017 respectively.

But the bereaved families and people of Yorogo, in a press release signed by Adongo Isaac, expressed lack of trust in the Bolgatanga Municipal police command to investigate and unravel the mystery surrounding the unfortunate death of the three.

“We wish to appeal to the Minister of Interior Ambrose Dery, Inspector General of Police Asante Appeatu and for that matter the government through the regional police commander DCOP Vincent Redeemer and the Upper East Regional Minister Rockson Bukari, to set an independent committee to investigate the matter thoroughly since we have lost complete trust that, the Bolgatanga Municipal Police command can conduct investigation into the death of our three brothers on neutral grounds.”

Meanwhile, the Bolgatanga Municipal police commander, Superintendent Samuel Punobyin, has declined commenting on the matter, but indicated that, his outfit has commenced investigations into it.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Family of 3 brothers killed by mortuary man, police want justice appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Bolgatanga Police Command is currently investigating the circumstances under which the widow was lynched, and has five suspects in its custody.

[contextly_sidebar id=”36PLVlFIHcrFAiWFlIoXOR40z9FHJTU0″]While police say investigations to unravel the mystery is ongoing,  five suspects are standing trial at the Bolgatanga Magistrate court for their alleged roles in the incident.

According to the Nabdam legislator, any undue influence on the Police will compromise justice for the deceased.

Speaking to Citi News after a visit to the family of late Yenboka Kenna , Dr. Nawaane intimated that, the Police should resist any form of external influence from the public in seeking justice for the deceased.

“My sincere condolences to the bereaved family and that this should be the last time this calamity should happen in Nabdam. I will categorically deny my involvement  in trying to influence the ongoing  investigations by the Police. This is a murder case and we wish the Police work independently without any external influence, like the MP and any other person or group of persons trying to influence the Police to carry out their investigations.”

Dr. Nawaane however appealed to the justice delivery institutions to expedite action quickly.

“We wish that the Police will expedite action to bring the perpetrators to book; but at the same time no innocent person should suffer and we should be very careful in trying to get her killers not to have other Nabdams’ who are innocent to suffer” he stated.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Killers of alleged ‘witch’ must not escape prosecution – Nabdam MP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The suspects will be screened at an identification parade later today [Sunday], to ascertain the actual killers.

The 63 were picked up in a swoop on Saturday at Pelungu and Tindongo, and are currently in the custody of the police.

Yenboka Kenna, age 67, was accused of witchcraft by some residents of the area, and was sent to the Chief of Pelungu Naab Sobil Sore (IV) who later discharged her of not being guilty.

But she was subsequently lynched on the night of Sunday, 28th May 2017, at the Pelungu market by some irate persons in the area.

Speaking to Citi News, Bolgatanga Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Samuel Punobyin, said, ”We conducted a swoop in Pelungu market where the deceased was lynched and the surrounding houses and have arrested 63 male suspects including a lady who are being held for investigations. We conducted this swoop based on intelligence because we were told the lynching of the deceased was done by people living in the area.”

“…So the suspects will be screened on Sunday morning and so we are hoping that the witnesses who were also at the chief’s palace  before the killing of the deceased will identify those who brought the deceased to the palace, those who demanded she should be released to them; and those who lynched the deceased for prosecution. But for suspects who will not be fingered by the witnesses will be released on bail.”

Mr. Punobyin reiterated the commitment of the police to get all perpetrators involved in the lynching to face the law.

He also denied allegations by the Member of Parliament for Nabdam Dr. Mark Nawaane, that a postmortem was never conducted on the deceased before her burial.

“When police went to the scene at Pelungu market to pick the body of the deceased, she was sent to the Bolga regional hospital mortuary for postmortem before the body was handed over to the deceased family for burial,” Mr. Punobyin stated.

Meanwhile, sources at the Pelungu chief palace have indicated that, the Chief of Pelungu Naab Sierig Sore Sobil (IV), is currently in Geneva attending the International Labour Organization (ILO) conference and will report himself to the police upon arrival to his community.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 63 suspects rounded up over lynching of alleged ‘witch’ appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Bawku West Constituency legislator, the region has lagged behind in terms of development resulting from arbitrary and discriminatory systems of governance at the local level, hence there would be a paradigm shift to salvage the region from all forms of vulnerabilities.

Mr. Frank Adongo was addressing party members and residents upon his arrival in the region to assume official duties.

“We are not going to discriminate, we are going to bring everybody on board because we know how our region is lacking behind in certain areas. We are not going to operate a government of discrimination, we are going to run an open administration to allow everybody irrespective of their political affiliation to contribute in bringing the needed resources to the Upper East Region to deliver our people from vulnerability, sickness and poverty”

Mr. Adongo pledged his unflinching support to the regional minister, Rockson Bukari Ayine, to work assiduously to achieve the transformational agenda of the NPP government.

He also appealed to the youth in the region, to eschew all forms of violent acts that will bring the name of the region into disrepute, and thwart development efforts in the region.

For his part, the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari, pledged to work with his deputy minister Frank Adongo, to transform the region through  effective implementation of sound pro-poor policies of the NPP.

He appealed to party supporters to dispel all negative acts by being law abiding and work as a team and “show to the people of Ghana that, they have made a good choice for voting for the NPP and President Nana Addo.”

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’ll work with everyone – Deputy U/East Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.