Teacher And Nursing Training Allowances To Be Scrapped
The payment of the teacher and nursing trainee’s allowances has remained a big headache to the government considering the current financial conditions of the country. Many Civil society organizations including Africa Education Watch have urged the Government to stop the payment of the teacher and nursing training allowances. Some even asked the government to use COE feeding grants to recruit more teachers in 2022. The information gathered has indicated that Government increases Student Loan set to Scrap Teacher and Nursing Training Allowance Because student teachers and nurses will be enrolled in the 2022 academic year, funds for student loan repayment have been raised. The government has been straining to pay Nursing and Teacher Training Allowance, and for the past six months, student teachers and nurses have not received their monthly stipends as promised. The payment of the teacher and nurse training allowances was purely political, with no plan in place for how the money would be spent. Introduction Of Quota Systems In Colleges of Education and Health Training Institutions The introduction of the nursing and teacher training allowances has brought about the quota system in colleges of education and nursing training institutions. With the quota systems, the government determines the number of students it can afford to pay allowance to, and admissions into nursing training schools and colleges of education are based on the quota. Mynewsgh Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Dr. Bawumia launches E-Pharmacy, says is expected to transform access to pharmaceutical care in the country
The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said the E-Pharmacy programme is expected to transform access to pharmaceutical care in the country. Speaking during the launch of E-Pharmacy on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, he said: The policy and guidelines for the National E-Pharmacy programme as part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to improve access to and delivery of health care to Ghanaians was launched by me this morning. “When fully operational in 2022, the E-Pharmacy programme is expected to transform access to pharmaceutical care in the country and make Ghana one of a handful of countries with a national scale e-pharmacy in the world. “The introduction of this cutting-edge health technology should help tackle at least 4 critical concerns in the healthcare system including reducing the unacceptably high Pharmacist to Patient ratio, improving confidentiality and privacy of patient medical records; minimizing wrong self-diagnosis and self-medication, and reducing counterfeit and substandard medication”. “This innovation in improving pharmacy access to our people through E-Pharmacy can be a game-changer in safeguarding the future of our youth and ensuring rational and responsible access to medicines on a scale we have not yet been able to achieve”. He pointed Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
UER: Corpses of murdered policemen in Zuarungu airlifted to Accra
Corpses of the two policemen murdered in Zuarungu of the Bolgatanga East District in the Upper East Region by suspected criminals on Wednesday night have been airlifted to Accra. The two Constables Emmanuel Akowuah and Adams Suley were shot by some unknown robbers at Zuarungu. According to the Police Public Relation Officer, they were shot while they were on their routine motorbike police patrols in the Zuarungu Township on December 15, 2021, when they coincidentally run into the robbery scene where three suspected robbers were seriously robbing a shop. One of them was partially burnt after the robbers shot into the fuel tank of the motorbike he was riding on. The Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare supervised a parade in honor of the departed policemen at the Police Public Safety Training School (PPSTS) at Pwalugu on Friday, December 17, 2021, before the bodies were airlifted to Accra. Ahead of the parade, the bodies of the two victims were conveyed from the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital Morgue to the PPSTS at about 10 am. After some police rites and a street lining ceremony of Police personnel biding their departed colleague’s farewell, the Military helicopter landed at the Training School at about 12:30 pm. After the brief ceremony, the helicopter departed with the bodies to Tamale en route to Accra at about 1:50 pm. Corpse The IGP and his entourage also departed to Accra. While the helicopter carrying the bodies of the two policemen was en route to the Tamale Airport, the personnel who participated in the parade at the PPSTS were debriefed by the Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Dr. Sayibu Pabi Gariba and the Commanding Officer (CO) of the 11 Mechanized Battalion of the Ghana Army, Lt Colonel Mintah Agyemang. The personnel were urged not to be down-spirited and that the military will collaborate with the police to bring the perpetrators to book. Conveying a message to the personnel on behalf of the IGP, Dr. Gariba expressed the gratitude of the IGP and the Police Administration to all the personnel of the Ghana Police and Security Agencies that participated in the parade. He also assured the personnel of the command’s unflinching support for them. The helicopter later landed at the Airforce base in Accra where Dr. Dampare on behalf of the Ghana Police Service received the bodies together with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Frank Hanson and the Accra Airforce Base Commander, Air Commodore Joshua Mensah Larkai. Another parade was held in honor of the two deceased policemen at the Airforce base where their colleagues and senior officers bid them farewell. The bodies were subsequently conveyed for preservation. The Police Administration thanked the Ghana Armed Forces particularly the Chief of Defense Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Frank Hanson for their collaborative efforts in airlifting the bodies of the police officers. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Akufo-Addo’s full 27th COVID address to the nation
Address By The President Of The Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, On Updates To Ghana’s Enhanced Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic, On Wednesday, 15th December 2021. Fellow Ghanaians, good evening. It has been some time since I last came into your homes on a matter that has grabbed not only our attention but that of every country in the world. However, as Christmas approaches, with its attendant, charged activities and with an expected influx of visitors, it is important that I come back into your homes to provide an update on what the government is doing to combat the pandemic, and what is expected of you, the Ghanaian people, in this season. When I delivered the last update, I indicated that, in spite of the efforts to rid the nation of COVID-19, the fight was far from over, as we had begun to experience a third wave of COVID-19 infections, driven largely by the delta variant. The data tells us that the months of August and September, in particular, were the most devastating. Some three hundred and ten (310) lives were lost to the virus in those two months alone, representing a quarter of the cumulative deaths from the virus since we recorded our first case in March 2020. In the months of October and November, a consistent decline in infection rates occurred, and, mercifully and by the Grace of God, this has continued right into early December. As of Sunday, 12th December, some two million and forty-two thousand, thousand, seven hundred and seventy-eight (2,042,778) tests have been conducted, out of which one hundred and thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and eleven (131,911) positive cases have been recorded. One hundred and twenty-nine thousand, six hundred and eighty-three (129,683) persons have recovered, meaning that, presently, the number of active cases, that is the number of people with the virus, stands at nine hundred and seventy-three (973) persons. In as much as this represents some degree of good news, we have, sadly, had one thousand, two hundred and fifty-five (1,255) persons dying from COVID-19. The current data suggests quite a favourable COVID situation prevailing in Ghana, and I say this only to encourage each one of us to continue to be vigilant, and adhere to the enhanced hygiene protocols which have served us so well so far. Three regions, i.e., Ashanti, Greater Accra and Volta, have the bulk of infections. Seven (7) regions have single-digit infections, and six (6) regions, that is Ahafo, North East, Oti, Savannah, Upper West and Western North, at the moment, have zero (0) active cases. We must do everything possible, at the very least, to maintain this situation, especially as the festive season approaches. Whilst these numbers should normally provide us with some comfort, as far as this virus is concerned, I am a firm believer in the oft-cited adage that “it is better to be safe than sorry”. We are expecting, in this month of Christmas, a large number of visitors, overseas Ghanaians and foreigners, into the country. With the Immigration Service doing a yeoman’s job by intercepting many foreign nationals trying to enter the country through unapproved routes, Government’s concern has been to limit the importation of the virus through the Kotoka International Airport. As things stand, international passengers arriving at Kotoka constitute the highest source of infections in the country, leading us to take drastic measures recently to prevent the importation of the virus from increasing the numbers of infections in the country. The Ghana Health Service tells us that an overwhelming majority, that is seventy-five per cent (75%), of the positive cases recorded at Kotoka have come from passengers who are not vaccinated. Beginning yesterday, Tuesday, 14th December, Government has decided that all visitors coming to Ghana have to be fully vaccinated. Furthermore, all persons seeking to travel outside the country must also be fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated passengers coming to Ghana must, in addition, be in possession of a negative PCR test of not more than seventy-two (72) hours, and also take a mandatory COVID test upon arrival at the airport. Children aged five (5) to twelve (12) will not pay for the test. Any passenger, testing positive at the airport, will be kept in isolation, at a designated isolation facility, and a non-Ghanaian will receive treatment at his or her own cost. Communications have been duly sent to all airlines flying into Ghana of the imposition of a three-thousand-five-hundred dollar (US$3,500) fine for each unvaccinated passenger that is allowed to board a flight into the country. Unvaccinated Ghanaians and residents in Ghana, who departed the country before 14th December, and who return by 28th December, will be offered vaccination on arrival at the airport. Further details will be provided by the Ghana Health Service. These are stringent measures, I know, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives. As your President, it is my duty to protect lives and livelihoods. The ravages of COVID-19 have been devastating on our economy, and I am determined to return us to our normal way of life as quickly as possible, by helping to defeat the pandemic. Fellow Ghanaians, as I indicated at the outset, the month of December elicits, naturally, an increase in the number of social gatherings in the country. I know many of you have planned either to host or attend a number of gatherings such as religious events and activities, funerals, weddings, concerts, musical shows, festivals, anniversaries, sporting events, family gatherings and parties. Nonetheless, we should be guided by what transpired last Christmas, where there was a sharp spike in the number of COVID infection cases and deaths in the immediate months of January and February 2021. We should avoid the repetition of such a scenario after this year’s Christmas celebration. We do so by: ensuring that social events are held in open spaces; ensuring that attendees wear masks; ensuring that social distancing is observed; observing enhanced hygiene protocols, such as hand washing and the use of sanitisers; and encouraging attendees, as much as possible, to come vaccinated. In as much as our active cases are now relatively low,
JUST IN: Bolgatanga Regional Hospital concessional loan facility of $20 million canceled govt looking for new sponsor–Regional Minister
The Upper East Region Minister Stephen Yakubu has revealed, that the signing of a concessional loan facility of $20 million between the governments of Ghana and Saudi Arabia in 2019 for the completion of Bolgatanga Regional Hospital has been truncated. Apexnewsgh.com report The Regional Minister made the revelation on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, during a press soiree organized by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC). BACKGROUND In September 2019, the Minister of Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, at a press briefing in Techiman in the Bono East Region disclosed that the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital is expected to be completed in October 2020 following the signing of a concessional loan facility of $20 million between the governments of Ghana and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also added that the repayment of the loan would start after 10 years of signing, and indicated it would take the government 20 years to defray the loan. He said 49 percent of the loan was a grant from the people of Saudi Arabia. He, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah further pointed that the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Vice Chairman of the Saudi Fund for Development, Mr. Khalid Alkhudairy, signed the agreement in Accra on behalf of their respective governments. However, since after the October 2020 deadline for the completion of the project per the agreement, it appears the people of the Upper East Region are not getting any vital information regarding the concessional loan facility of $20 million between the governments of Ghana and Saudi Arabia. However, addressing journalists at the annual press soiree when the question was the question was asked to the Regional Minister, He said: “Concerning the hospital, i have also been following it, but the Health Minister keeps telling me that the problem is that, the Saudi people are not interested in these logistic anymore. So, that USD 20 million that was secured in 2019, you know monies are secured sometime it takes certain processes and that process somewhere can be truncated and I think, that is what has happened”. “So, my understanding is that the Ministry is trying very hard to get another sponsor so that they can then go through the procurement processes very quickly to get our logistic here so that we can open our hospital. Any time I go to Accra, I find time to go to the Ministry of Health just to fight for this hospital. So hopefully, very soon we will get money to do that. “And sometimes, when we are taxing, when we are bringing in the E-Levy and when we are trying to bring taxes for all of us to contribute….Maybe, if you have our money we should have gone to buy our thing and put it there. But when the government is trying to raise revenue up again and you are saying you cannot do this and that and now we are the same people who are crying for the roads, who are crying for the hospital, who are crying for everything. So, where do we get the money to do all these nice things we all want to enjoy? The Regional Minister concluded Meanwhile, Works are expected to be completed in October 2020, paving the way for the full operation of the hospital for affordable and quality health care to the people in the Upper East Region and beyond, especially towns and communities in and around Bolgatanga. However, somewhere in April 2020, the Deputy Regional Communication Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sunday Casper Kampoli posted this question to the President on his Facebook wall following the then announcement of building 88 hospitals across the country within a period of 8 months. Below was Sunday Casper Kampoli full post: Nana Addo where is the $20million Saudi loan approved for the Phase II of Upper East regional hospital? So Nana Addo was at his Waterloo moment once again. In his 8th Covid 19 address he promised to build 88 district hospitals, 6 Regional Hospitals in the next 8 months, 7 of the district hospitals will be in the Upper East Region. Whilst it is welcoming and good to know that Nana Addo and Bawumia have suddenly woken up from their slumber to appreciate the importance of good health facilities and are trying to take steps to fulfill one of their numerous highfalutin 2016 campaign promises, we must remind them of the state of health care facilities in the Upper East Region and what we need at this point in time to fight Covid 19. Apparently, the erstwhile NDC in its resolve to provide every region with a state of the art Hospital started the expansion of the Upper East Regional Hospital to equip it with state of the art equipment to provide health care for the people of Upper East and its environs. When the expansion works are completed the Hospital will provide Dental, Pharmacy, accident and emergency care, E&T, Eye and Mental health, Public Health and Herbal medicine, Mortuary, Blood bank, X-Ray department, etc. The expansion works was to cost the nation $48 million- 85% to be funded by the Saudi Fund and GOG to fund the 15%. Before the NDC left power in January 2017, 85% of the infrastructural works were completed. Before the NDC led by H.E. John Dramani Mahama: the regime that secured the $12 million for the first phase, left government in January 2017, 85% of the Phase I works were completed. However, after Nana Addo and Bawumia took over the governance of the country they have not prioritize the project up till today. But on the 1st of March 2019, Parliament unanimously approved $20million loan from the Saudi Fund for the second phase of the Upper East Regional Hospital but a year on, the phase II of the expansion works which is the equipping of regional hospital has not started and the whereabouts of the $20million is not known. Is it true that the money has been diverted? If it
UER: 19 year old boy with Osteoarthritis appeals for help
19yrs old Demian Konoseh from Nayagenia in Navrongo Municipality of the Upper East Region is appealing for the intervention of the general public to come to his aide. Demian has been battling with Osteoarthritis for over 8 years now. However, for his life to be saved, specialists said he needs Thirty-Five Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 35,000.00) to undergo surgery. Demian is a student of Kanton Senior High School. Meanwhile, his current situation has become a very massive setback on his education. Please for any assistance, kindly contact 0555568093. or Apexnewsgh@gmail.com
Nalerigu: Elderly woman beaten to death over witchcraft accusations
An elderly woman has been lynched in Nalerigu in the North East Region over suspicions of witchcraft. The deceased, identified as Mma Rukaya, moved to the area from Janga, in the same region, because of similar accusations. Speaking to Citi News on the matter, a resident of Nalerigu, Jonathan Nabila, said, “those who beat up the woman claimed she was a witch from Janga.” “They beat her there [at Janga] then she came to Nalerigu and settled here two years ago. The youth followed up and came here to Nalierigu and beat her to death,” he added. According to him, her assailants beat her with sticks and canes. “After they beat her, she collapsed. She wasn’t even taken to the hospital when she passed away,” Mr. Nabila added. The victim’s family came for the body and buried her on Sunday. Police are yet to comment on this incident. Parts of Northern Ghana have witnessed violence related to witchcraft accusations over the years. In April this year, some residents of Nakpali in the Zabzugu District of the Northern Region burned the property of a 68-year-old woman they accused of being a witch. The witchcraft accusations dominated news cycles in August 2020 after 90-year-old Akua Denteh at Kafaba in the Savannah Region was lynched on camera because of claims she was a witch. At the time, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, was criticised for not doing enough to protect elderly women from violence associated with witchcraft allegations. —Citinewsroom Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.