Bongo: Paramount Chief describes the high rate of alcohol and drugs consumption by Bongo youth as “very pathetic”
Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area Naaba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, has described the growing norm of youth engagement in alcoholism and hard drugs in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region as ‘very pathetic’. As he blamed the District Assembly for not supporting his earlier initiative to clamp it down. Apexnewsgh.com reports In 2020, out of 769 mental health cases recorded, 47 of them were due to alcohol and 36 were as a result of psychoactive substance use. The Paramount Chief in an Exclusive interview with Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnews Gh said, he has observed that the youth who are supposed to take over from them in terms of leadership, a lot of them have gone wayward, what he described as ‘very pathetic’ “I have been looking at the whole thing, I don’t just know what to do. Because, a lot of the youth have gone wayward and it is very pathetic because if you have a community and the youth are wayward then, which means we are leading to disaster. We are expecting that they will be the future leaders, we want them to take over from us. So, if they are not able to take over from us, then the community is just heading towards disaster”. He said Meanwhile, when Ngamegbulam Chidozie asked what the chief think could be the solution to the trending canker? Baba Lemyaarum said, the remedy for it, is a collective effort. Stressing that he alone cannot bring to end the worrying situation. “Looking at it, the remedy for it, is a collective effort, because me alone I don’t know what to say. Now, there is a high rate of the intake of drugs and now you can’t even talk because we are even advocating it on the media. A TV is always talking about legalizing marijuana and the youth are always watching TV, are we not promoting it? So, how do we clamp it down? Now as for the alcohol is a different issue but apart from the alcohol, they take this tramadol. Why should the government even allow this tramadol to even exist within our market, when we know is a dangerous drug? If you want to talk about the need for security to clamp down wee smokers, the security themselves smoke it. So, that is a big problem, all that we need is to do education, we need to sensitize, those who will take they will take, those who won’t take can go. Because at the end of the day, we may be able to save some souls”. He expressed However, responding to a suggestion by one of the Bongo District Assembly Member Nyaaba Mbabila Joseph who was thinking that assembly passing a bye-law banning minors from drinking sport will curb the growing canker. The paramount chief insisted that such a suggestion isn’t a good one. He believes that will infringe on their rights. He blamed the assembly for not showing any atom of support when he approached them with his personal initiative on how the problem will be solved. A suggestion the paramount chief believes will not solve the canker. “If they cannot pass a bye-law to stop playing of electronic jams at funeral grounds, I took the initiative to stop the intake of some of these hard drugs among youth, I followed the assembly didn’t help me on that and they couldn’t support me. I wanted them to pass a bye-law and they couldn’t. How can you pass a bye-law stopping minors from entering drinking bars? Are you not infringing on their human rights”. He questioned Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
NPP must rule for 60 years – Boakye Agyarko
Former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko has said the ruling New Patriotic Party must rule Ghana for about 60 years to position the country well for economic prosperity and development. According to him, the NPP has demonstrated over the past five years since gaining power that it is capable of transforming Ghana if stays in government for a longer period. “…so after breaking the 8, then we hand over power to NDC? absolutely not. My intention for this party is to become the dominant political force on the political space. So that there would be no challenger to the NPP in any election that we go. So that every election, election after election we will continue rule. The Japanese Liberal Party has been in power for 54 years, the PRI of Maxico has ruled for 71 years so NPP ours must be 60 years”. Mr.Boakye Agyarko said this Sunday, October 17,2021 while addressing the party at Eastern Regional Annual Delegates Conference held at Kyebi. The comment by Boakye Agyarko comes less than 48 hours after the Director of Operations at the Presidency Lord Commey was criticized for stating that he was committed to ensuring that the NPP will continue to reign for a longer period dismissing the ‘breaking the eight’ mantra. Boakye Agyarko however stated that this could be possible only when the party remains united ahead of 2024 and the party supporters are motivated enough to work harder. The General Secretary John Boadu who delivered the keynote address said, “breaking the 8” will not be on a silver platter. According to him, the party has learned enough lessons from the era of former President John Agyekum Kuffuor who introduced great pro-poor policy interventions such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, Free maternal care in addition to improved economic indicators yet the NPP was voted out in 2008. Mr. Boadu, therefore, indicated that the NPP is investing more in strengthening communication and publicity of major government achievements for the Ghanaian populace to buy into the vision of the party and how it intends to improve their living standards and position Ghana on the world map. The regional delegate Conference was flooded by banners and posters of aspirants who have declared to contest Regional and National Positions. The biggest and high quality banner which radiated tremendous charisma and attracted much attention was that of Frederick Opare Ansah, a former Member of Parliament for Suhum Constituency who has declared his intention to contest John Boadu as General Secretary. Meanwhile, Micheal Oteng Adu a former New Juaben South Constituency Chairman of the NPP also shook grounds with his intention to contest the 1st Regional Vice Chairmanship position in Eastern Region. The former Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Samuel Annor bused hundreds of supporters of Alan Kwadwo Kyeremateng from New Juaben North Constituency to conference grounds to cheer and dance. —Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Government payroll is full, 60% of revenue paying 650,000 people – Ofori-Atta
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has informed the 2021 graduating class of the University of Professional Studies-Accra (UPSA) that the government’s payroll is full – making it unsustainable to keep adding to employment figures in the public sector, hence the need to create their own jobs. According to him, the government’s role is to create the needed enabling environment, establish micro-stability and ensure that citizens have the right skill set – and that is what the government is going to do: focus on the youth and budget for their demands. “The future for you in regard to jobs is the most important thing for you at this stage, and we have gone through a period when most people look for a job from government or state institutions, but that payroll is full. “I can tell you that because we are spending about 60 percent of our revenue on renumerating some 650,000 people, and that is not sustainable,” he said. The finance minister further indicated that entrepreneurship, skillset and credit are the important things needed in the mix to ensure sustainability for the youth and offer them an opportunity to create their own path to wealth. According to the minister, education is a ladder to social mobility as well as economic and social prosperity, offering beneficiaries the opportunity to help society – adding that it is important for the graduates to acknowledge the privilege of accessing four years of tertiary education and do their best to impact society through the transformation and renewal of their minds. Chief Executive-Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Dr. K.K. Sarpong, in his address at the graduation ceremony, emphasized that it is important for the graduates to acquire 21st-century skills and core competencies which will enhance their employability and advancement in career. He emphasised that, currently, industries search for graduates who have more than a university degree, as they consider life-skills such as creativity, innovation, critical-thinking, collaboration, teamwork, communication, empathy and digital literacy, among others, as essential skills for effective individual performance. “These life-skills underpin the abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that aids in dealing effectively with the challenges of everyday life, particularly work. It is therefore important that graduates acquire life-skills as mentioned,” he said. Dr. K.K. Sarpong further singled-out digital literacy and indicated that this is an era of digitisation wherein automation, artificial intelligence and the use of software has dominated the delivery of accounting and financial services, hence the need for them to equip themselves with these skills to stay relevant on the job market. He further stated that outsourcing of functions such as procurement, payroll, taxation, pensions and benefits, recruitment and training has become a new normal under COVID-19, hence the need for them to respond swiftly to that trend. “I encourage you to set up your own firms to tap into the growing outsourced financial and business services. Be entrepreneurial, for your training here has given you what it takes to do that,” he said. The Vice-Chancellor of UPSA, Prof. Abednego F.O. Amartey, indicated that for the 2020/2021 cohort UPSA is graduating a total of 3,640 students – comprising 793 postgraduates, 2,054 undergraduates and 793 diploma students. He entreated them to be worthy ambassadors of the school, exhibiting the values and tenets imbibed in them. “As a marketer, my parting words to you are remember these four Ps – be positive, principled, proactive and productive,” he said. —thebftonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Tempane: President Akufo-Addo shun rejected Paul Azumah Abugri, as he nominates Anabida Issaka
In a letter signed by the Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development Daniel Botwe and sighted by Apexnewsgh.com, His Excellency the President in accordance with Article 234(1) of the Constitution and Section 20(1) of the Local Government Act, Act 936 (as amended), has nominated Anabida Issaka as the District Chief Executive for Tempane District Assembly in the Upper East Region. This nomination clearly disqualifies the former District Chief Executive (DCE) Paul Abugri who was earlier nominated by the President but shamefully rejected by the Tempane Assembly members. The committee recommends Mr. Anabida Issaka for nomination as DCE The committee also recommends Dr. David A. Ayaaba in the event Mr. Anabida Issaka is not preferred. Mr. Anabida Issaka is a strong party person and has served as constituency secretary, 2020 general elections campaign team member 2020, 2016, and 2012 campaign coordinator in charge of logistics and transport. The committee reports say, he is passionate about the party’s performance in his community and says he will work to grow the party. However, our source confirmed the authenticity of the nomination letter. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093