A well-known farmer and founder and Vice-Chancellor of the Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies (MITDS), Professor David Millar has revealed that the Chinese in charge of Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam are leaving the site for a different location. Apexnewsgh.com report. Speaking to Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh.com on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in an exclusive interview, Professor David Miller said: “The whole thing is becoming negative. The Chinese who were there when we went, some of them have moved out. So, we don’t know what is happening”. He lamented. He said, from the way things are going, it is clear that there is no money to fund the project. You know some monies were allocated for the project in this year’s budget, but finances have thrown the budget out of gear. There is no money to finance the project”. He, however, advised the government to suspend the mouthwatering multi-purpose dam for a while since a little over $10milion will bring back the Vea dam to shape. “Vea is there, is not totally collapse, it will place at 30 or 40 percent and with just a little bit of investment, Vea could be brought to 60 to 80 performance. The problem with Vea is the canals”. “If the government can say let’s suspend the Pwalugu for a while and let’s develop Vea first, it will make development sense. “In any case, the Vea has a direct benefit for the Upper East Region than Pwalugu. Pawlugu benefit is indirect, s more in North East Region but Vea is sitting in the Upper East Region. We have evidence to show that Upper East Region will be losing land and any other opportunities while North East will be gaining. In less than one year, Vea Dam could be fixed. Professor Miller stressed Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Yagzore: The school still needs furniture, assembly only reduced the school burden
Yes, Talensi District Assembly has responded to the Yagzore Primary school furniture predicament by donating 115 pieces of furniture out of 209 dual desks needed. Apexnewsgh.com report However, the fact still remains that the school still needs 94 dual desks to settle the furniture deficit. Below are the authentic details regarding the school furniture issues, causing them to write whiles lying on the belle. Class 1 needed 28 furniture Class 2 needed 34 furniture Class 3 needed 38 furniture Class 4 needed 32 and out of the 32, only 6 are useful in the class remaining 26 Class 5 needed 42 and out of the 42, only 6 are useful in the class remaining 36 Class 6 needed 51 and out of the 51, only 4 are useful in the class remaining 47 So ideally, out of 209 dual desks needed to improve the learning standard of the pupils of Yagzore Primary of Talensi District in the Upper East Region, the assembly was able to only reduce the burden of the school by donating 115 dual desks. This simply means that the school furniture has only been reduced but not solved as some media platforms reported. Meanwhile, the predicament of these innocent pupils received some level of attention after the pictures were shared on various social media platforms seeking help from well-meaning Ghanaians and the people of Talensi. Please kindly contact this platform for any form of assistance on behalf of Yagzore Primary school and many more other schools in the Talensi district facing a similar challenge. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Talensi: A district swimming in gold but can’t afford furniture for innocent school children
Yagzore Primary School is one good example of schools in the Talensi District of Upper East Region battling for furniture to improve good quality learning. Apexnewsgh report The picture you see above is a fact, these are our futures of tomorrow. Talensi District is noted as one of the rich and blessed districts not only in Ghana but in West Africa due to their God-given resources. But the question is, whether these blessed resources reflect on the ordinary residents themselves, especially by way of having good drinking water, good hospital, good schools equipped with furniture and even good road? How do we, as responsible parents and leaders expect children lying down on their stomachs to understand their teachers? Unfortunately, well-to-do residents of the district who lived in both home and abroad seem comfortable with the trend of underdevelopment in the area. Sadly, Talensi a mineral resources hub for Upper East, Ghana and West Africa has become a place where the rich become richer while the poor continue to wallow in abject poverty. Somewhere last year November 2021, Apexnewsgh.com carried out an investigation on the state of Talensi district only to realize that: Talensi District Hospital is battling an infrastructure crisis, the District Hospital sadly operates from separate locations, female and male wards were together and the ward can only take 8 beds, Children Ward can take only 9 beds, especially with 5 beds and 4 cots when patients are 10, Talensi district hospital will be forced to discharge a patient on admission to pave way for others, The road leading to the hospital is bad, causing staff, patients to fall including pregnant women. These and more are still the regretful predicament of Talensi District as i write. As a District whose district hospital isn’t standard, one would have thought that the self-acclaimed big men in the area would have used their links to fight for the inclusion of Talensi to benefit from the government policy of the Agenda 111 hospital project in the region. But, the question is, do they even care about the welfare of the ordinary? Your guess is just as good as mine. Indeed, if things are done well, Talensi should have been a heaven on earth and but unfortunately, the evidence available in the public space shows the opposite in the area. If things are done well, furniture shouldn’t be a barrier to quality education for innocent children of Taleteng a good producing community. If things are done well, the youth of Taleteng must not travel to the South for unnecessary jobs such as plate and cloth washing down south. The innocent children captured lying on their stomachs writing have not committed any crime to merit such punishment from the leadership in charge of the area. The non-availability of furniture to innocent wards in a rich mining community can have several negative effects on their well-being, development, and overall quality of life. Some of the consequences include: 1 Poor living conditions: Without proper furniture, innocent wards may have to sleep on the floor or makeshift beds, leading to discomfort, sleep disturbances, and increased vulnerability to physical health problems. This lack of basic amenities significantly degrades their living conditions and can contribute to a sense of neglect and deprivation. 2 Impaired physical health: Inadequate furniture can adversely affect the physical health of innocent wards. Sitting or sleeping on hard surfaces for prolonged periods can lead to musculoskeletal pain, poor posture, and increased risk of injuries. In the long term, these conditions can impact their overall physical development and well-being. 3 Psychological impact: The absence of furniture can have substantial psychological consequences on innocent wards. It can generate feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and a sense of being marginalized or forgotten. Living in environments with minimal or no furniture can also contribute to a lack of personal space and privacy, potentially affecting their mental and emotional health. 4 Educational setbacks: Without proper furniture, innocent wards may lack suitable spaces for studying or completing their schoolwork. Inadequate support for learning environments can hinder their educational progress and impede their ability to focus and concentrate. This, in turn, can limit their academic achievement and future opportunities. 5 Social isolation: The lack of furniture could inhibit social interactions and activities among innocent wards. Inadequate seating or communal spaces may discourage gatherings and limit opportunities for socialization. As a result, they may feel isolated, lonely, and unable to engage in a meaningful community life. 6 Economic disadvantages: In rich mining communities, the non-availability of furniture may reflect an underlying socioeconomic disparity. The absence of basic amenities further perpetuates the disparity and creates an uneven playing field for innocent wards. It can exacerbate existing inequalities and hinder their ability to escape the cycle of poverty. In conclusion, the non-availability of furniture in a rich mining community negatively impacts innocent wards in various aspects of their lives, including physical health, mental well-being, educational opportunities, social interactions, and economic prospects. Efforts should be made to address this issue and ensure that all members of the community, especially the most vulnerable, have access to basic necessities and a dignified living environment. However, it is prudent to note that government cannot do everything for us as a people. We equally have a responsibility of making our district, constituency, region and country a comfortable place by contributing our quota. Mining companies, as part of their cooperate social responsibility must collaborate to assist government, community leaderships, Ghana Education Service (GES) in these areas to better the education of these innocent children in area. Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen
Talensi District: A land of gold without good functioning district hospital and roads
*Talensi District Hospital is battling an infrastructure crisis *Talensi District Hospital operates from separate locations *Female and male wards were together and the ward could only take 8 beds *Children Ward could take only 9 beds especially with 5 beds and 4 cots *When patients are 10, Talensi district hospital will be forced to discharge a patient on admission to pave way for others. *The road leading to the hospital is bad, causing staff, patient to fall including pregnant women. An investigation done by Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh.com about the plight of the Talensi District Hospital revealed that the hospital operates from two different locations with improper health standard operating systems. Apexnewsgh.com report A facility that was upgraded from a health center to a district hospital in 2014 can only boast of eight (8) beds for adults male and female wards which is combined due to lack of infrastructure. The kids too are not left out. At the Talensi District Hospital, Kids are paired in one bed and the reason is that the hospital can boast of just nine beds comprising of 5 beds and 4 cots in the small space made available as a kids ward and that also serves as an office for the nurses on duty. Regrettably, Talensi a district with a human population of 101,132 and one of the best in West Africa blessed with God-given natural resources such as gold, cannot boast of a modern district hospital for the entire district. They cannot boast of good roads and even good drinking water. Isn’t that pathetic? Officials at the facility who narrated their plights and predicaments about the hospital tells me they wished they were part of the government agenda 111 which is about to benefit 8 districts in the Upper East Region. However, below is an interaction I had with some of the hospital officials during my visit to the hospital. For the sake of this investigation, I chose to call the official who spoke to me as AKOS According to AKOS, “Talensi District Hospital is a very young hospital about 7 years of age and our challenge here is infrastructure and actually, we have two sites. It was a health center that was upgraded into a hospital and since the upgrade, we have not had any major infrastructure here. The assembly built one for us to use for emergencies as an emergency ward, and we have maternity and nicu at a different site. This is to secure land that was given for the facility to build a district hospital. So, this has created a lot of challenges for us. That place is only the maternity, the theater and nicu that is there, every other service is rendered at this site and so, the patient will come and take folder here walk to that place and if they need a drug, they have to walk from 4 or 5 kilometers and come here, if they need to do a lab, they have to walk from there and come here, is a very big challenge for us. We wish we could have all activities in one place so that it will be convenient for us and the patient as well. “We don’t have the infrastructure, the male and female wards were together, and we have to separate the male and the female and where we are using could only take 8 beds. So, if we have more than 8 patients we have to either move them to the emergency or have to discharge some of our patients so that we make way for others. If we could get a big ward that could help with about 30 because we do surgery and when we do surgery, the patient has to stay but, because of the limited number, we can’t do more surgery”. She narrated “Our Kids Ward, can take only 9 beds especially with 5 beds and 4 cots and around this season we get a lot of admission for children because of malaria and anemia, in a day we could admit up to 10 patients. Where do we keep them? So, sometimes, we are forced to pair two kids on one bed which is not the best. So, we wish we could get a big ward for the children as well as the adult that is the main problem we are facing here currently. And this is a referral center for the district and so if patients come and because of the situation we have to refer further, not because we can’t render the service but because we have a limited place, we have to refer further”. She said “Our hospital isn’t far from the main town and actually when it rained, the whole place is so bad. Is just this year that fortunately someone came and pour gravel on the road so that is why is a bit better now. When it rained, we record about three or four staff falling and that place is for maternity and so, pregnant women going there and falling. If they could tar the whole road for us, so that the patient, client, and staff falling will stop we will be grateful”. However, the Talensi District Health Director Madam Estella Abazesi confirmed the plight of the hospital when Apexnewsgh.com called on her for more clarifications. She said, …in terms of logistics to build it up to the capacity of a district hospital we are lacking. We do not run all the compliment of a district hospital, is not all the services that we render. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Thomas Duanab DCEship confirmation hits 100% confirmation at once
Assembly Members at the Talensi District have given massive endorsement to Thomas Duanab the President’s nominee for the area. Apexnewsgh.com reports Mr. Duanab secured 100 percent approval from all the 30 Assembly Members/ government appointees who were qualified to go through the process. Before now, Mr. Duanab was the 2016 and 2020 Parliamentary Candidate for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the Talensi Constituency. However, he expressed excitement after the confirmation, as he pledged to operate an open door administration to the people of Talensi. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Talensi: President Akufo-Addo Nominates Thomas Duanab Wuni
President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has nominated Thomas Duanab as the next District Chief Executive (DCE) for the people of Talensi District of the Upper East Region. Before now, President nominee Mr. Duanab has contested the Parliamentary seat twice under the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP). He contested the 2016 and 2020 parliamentary election in the Talensi District and unfortunately lost the two elections. However, the 2020 election saw a marginal increase in the vote cast in his favor during the last elections as far as Talensi election history is concerned. Mr. Duanab is one of the new faces nominated by President Akufo-Addo to make his second administration work better at the district level. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Be wary of violent extremists in neighbouring countries – Talensi District Police Commander warns
The Talensi District Police Commander in the Upper East Region, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Raymond Gai, has cautioned Ghanaians to be wary of the activities of violent extremists in neighbouring countries and take personal steps to safeguard the security of their respective communities. The Commander made the call at Tongo, the district capital in Talensi District of the Upper East Region during a community engagement organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for youth leaders in the district aimed at curbing violent extremism and its related activities on Wednesday here. DSP Gai said the spate of violent extremisms which were recorded in the neighbouring countries was a threat to the peace and stability the country and, therefore, underscored the urgent need for all Ghanaians to be concerned in order to help maintain the peace of the country. The event themed, “Preventing electoral violence and providing security to the Northern border Regions of Ghana,” had funding support from the European Union (EU). The Police Commander decried the reluctance of some Ghanaians to question the presence of strangers in their various communities and report suspicious characters to the appropriate authorities for investigation. “People do see strange people in their communities and yet they do not try to find out who they are, where they come from and what they do. Sometimes they even offer them accommodation without doing any background checks,” he stressed. The Upper East Regional Director of NCCE, Mr Pontius Pilate Baba Apaabey, noted that the youth especially the elite were the most vulnerable and most of the time fell victim to the temptations of the influence of the violence extremists and the youth must be wary about it. The Regional Director who called on Ghanaians to value the culture diversity that existed in the country to ensure peaceful coexistence and sustainable development added that “the diversity among Ghanaians should be as a tool that could be harnessed for accelerated development and peaceful coexistence.” Mr Frederick Amenga-Etego, a Member of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocesan Mediation Network, urged the youth not to allow conflict to divide them but rather work collectively for the sustainable development of their respective communities. The Talensi District Director of the NCCE, Ms Dorcas Atia, explained that the engagement was part of activities being undertaken to create awareness among youth to be able to identify warning signals of violenT extremism and actions to be taken to curb such activities. She said the project was working towards fighting against transnational organiSed crime, whiles promoting respect for human rights and the rule of law and also to equip the youth on the relevant information on violent extremism and radicalism so that they guard against being recruited to cause violence. “The youth are our future leaders and there is the need for them to exhibit spirit of patriotism, civic responsibility and social cohesion in their communities that they find themselves and also improve their knowledge and attitude on the culture of tolerance and non-violence to become ambassadors for peace,” she said. —ghanaiantimes Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Talensi: One out of the Best 4 to lead Talensi as District Chief Executive
When Apexnewsgh.com visited Talensi residents of the Upper East Region at their various locations on February 23, 2021, to seek their views about the quality and kind of personality they want in the district as their District Chief Executive (DCE), 3 names were repeatedly mentioned as follows: Thomas Duanab, Alhaji Issah Bukari and Nicholas Atograh. During that engagement, the 2020 Talensi Parliamentary candidate for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mr. Thomas Duanab was receiving more endorsement from those who spoke to Apexnewsgh.com. According to residents, Mr. Duanab has contributed to the party and as well contested in 2016 and 2020 elections on behalf of the party even though unsuccessful, he was poised to serve the party in any capacity. Alhaji Isaah Bukari according to the people was also described as a very kind and approachable type of personality who in his own capacity has contributed his quota to the party progress in the district. Nicholas Atograh, according to these residents is also another good material suitable for the DCEship position in the district. Just like others, he has contributed his quota for the party too. Meanwhile, the report did not say the other 13 candidates didn’t qualify of getting the position but, the specified 3 candidates per Apexnewsgh.com engagement with the people, their chances were massive. These final 4, Thomas Pearson D. Wuni, Edward Naabi PHD, Atograh Nicholas, Isaah Bilal Bukari indeed confirmed the choice of the people after going through the regional vetting process However, some of these residents as a way of pouring their frustration on the leadership of the assembly said, they want someone who will regard them as human beings even with their little education than someone who is always proud of his qualification. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
UER: School furniture in Talensi St. Thomas Aquinas pathetic, needs urgent attention
The furniture problem in most schools is becoming too problematic for most schools in the Upper East Region. A school is known as a place of teaching and learning. But one would ask, what are the role of our district assemblies when it comes to making furniture available to schools? In Talensi District of the Upper East Region, the story of St. Thomas Aquinas Primary School Gdeogo is becoming more popular than the normal Nigerian Mr. Ibu comedy’s we watch on television screen each day. It is becoming so common these days to see school buildings easily putting up by MMDCEs through their Internal Generated Fund/ Common Fund across the region without making provisions for furniture, to enhance a better learning conducive atmosphere for our innocent children. In Talensi District St. Thomas Aquinas Primary 1 classroom, the table above was capture and I have been wondering if the pupils found in this classroom will be able to described ‘Table’ accurately when given the opportunity because it is obvious this classroom table is very exceptional. Apexnewsgh.com, is however using its platform to appeal for the assistance of well-meaning personalities within and outside the region to come to their aid. However, the school is generally having a furniture problem. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093.
Talensi District Assembly denied having knowledge of any ripped off classrooms in Baapelug
Talensi District Assembly has denied having knowledge of the ripped off classrooms at Baapelug JHS which occurred since May 2020. The incident which has become an eye saw has put the lives of Pupils of Baapelug JHS in very serious danger, especially as the region waits to receive its first share of the 2021 rainfall. Apexnewsgh.com can report that teaching and learning aren’t conducive to the current situation. According to a leading member of ‘Narrative Change,’ a recognized organization formed to foster development by some patriotic citizens of Upper East Region Solomon Gbenga, a little over Five Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 5,000.00) will be able to save the lives of these pupils by way of fixing the long-awaited looming danger. However, he is calling on authorities, chiefs, and well-meaning personalities of Talensi living in both home and abroad to come to the aid of the innocent children before any harm is caused. The Assemblyman of the area Osman Abubakar Abengo (Hon) when contacted said, he cannot dispute in 2018 the incident did not happen but, emphasizing that with the current situation happened in 2020. “I learned that wasn’t the first time that school was ripped off. It has happened and happened again. So, when it happened, immediately the headmaster called me and I immediately went there and we sent a report to the assembly and the engineer followed up immediately to the site and then we assessed it, and it came out that the wood that was used is all rotten. So, the previous job they did was to just put on some new wood on top and put new zinc. But, the bonding between the new and the old wood could not happen because the down one was rotten and it was only the top one was strong hence what happens in April -May 2020” He explained According to the Assemblymember, after the costing with the assembly, the assembly concluded to do what he described as ‘total roofing’ before the arrival of COVID-19 and a directive was given for all schools to closed down. However, he is confident that the school will receive some attention before the rain set in, especially as the district waits for the presidential appointment of the new District Chief Executive. He further reiterated that since the reopening of schools in January, he has been following the issue up with the district assembly. Mr. Yin Jacob, the headteacher at the Baapelug JHS when contacted expressed dissatisfaction with the current situation. According to him, he came and met the incident in September 2020 when he resumed post as the headteacher, stressing that the lives of teachers and pupils are in danger and they can no longer study with their peace of mind. “Putting the roof back in shape is what we are asking for”. He told Apexnewsgh.com Most of the aggrieved parents who were not satisfied with the assembly delay in fixing up the ripped off classrooms have questioned, what the assembly is doing since the re-opening of schools in January till April 14, 2021, as at the time of filing this story, the school is still managing with their teaching and learning with such bad environmental condition. Meanwhile, when Apexnewsgh.com contacted the caretaker District Chief Executive (DCE) Dr. Christopher Boatbil on the said issue, he said the issue hasn’t come to his attention for the first time and his position contradicted the position of the assemblyman of the area whose position clearly pointed out district assembly next of action after taking the cost of the full damage. “To the best of my knowledge, i don’t know that a school is ripped off there, you are even telling me. So maybe tomorrow, I would ask the engineer to know the report they brought am aware of only Tola, am not aware of Baapelug JHS” Dr. Boatbil explained. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093.









