Jonathan Abdallah Salifu declares his intention to contest as Regional Communication Officer
Jonathan Abdallah Salifu a member of the National Democratic Congress Regional Communication Team in the Upper East Region has declared his intention to contest the position of ‘Upper East Regional Communication Officer’ in the upcoming party Regional internal elections. According to Mr. Salifu, “the 2024 general election for the parliamentary and presidential is largely going to depend on how effective we communicate our ideas as a political party to the ordinary Ghanaian. Based on this, we need someone with the spirit of loyalty, dedication, experience, and dynamism. It is therefore the reason I part myself forward to you for your kind consideration as Upper East Regional Communication Officer”. He said: “I come into this contest with huge experience gathered over the years right from the polling station level as a branch Chairman, Deputy Constituency Youth Organizer, Constituency Secretary, Member of the Regional Working Committee, and with 18 years experience working as a communicator for my great party the NDC”. Pointing out his target as an aspiring candidate, he revealed that his aim is to help build a more formidable Communication Bureau from the Constituency to the Regional level and beyond. Extending some message to delegates Mr. Salifu said, “I entreat each and every one of you to let us work together in unison in order to rescue the people of Ghana from the bad situation we find ourselves in the hands of this NPP Government” Source: Apexnewsgh.com/ Ghana For publication please kindly contact us at 0256336062 or Email: Apexnewsgh@gmail.com
UER: M-CODe leadership familiarized themselves with Minister, as he confirmed the issue of OD needs attitudinal change
The Upper East Regional Minister Hon. Stephen Yakubu has described Open Defecation (OD) in the Upper East Region as a big issue that needs to be corrected by themselves through attitudinal change. The Minister pointed this out when the Upper East Regional Branch leadership of the Media Coalition against Open Defecation (M-CODe) led by Madam Fatima Astanga the Regional Convener and Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen the Regional Organizer paid him a courtesy visit at his office on Tuesday, October 10, 2022. Even though, the M-CODe leadership visit was planned to officially introduce themselves to the Regional Minister and as well explained their motive and objective as M-CODe representatives in the region, the visit also allowed leadership to interact with the Regional Minister, especially on the performance of the region with regards to Open Defecation. During the engagement, the Regional Minister described Open Defecation (OD) as a big issue. “I think our main way of overcoming this, is to change people’s attitudes. Because the toilet facility may even be there and they will not use it because of that cultural thing. If somebody sees you there and everybody is passing, the name it’s gives to the region. If you moved from this lane, there is a small forest on the right-hand side, people normally go there with their motors to do Open Defecation as if is okay and you won’t even see someone cautioning them to stop such acts, because of those things, are accepted in the society”. According to Minister Yakubu, “Some even believe that it is some kind of fertilizing the land. That’s why the attitude thing is the most important in this fight. I know a lot of people who died in this country as a result of the cholera outbreak in this region” he stressed He appreciated the efforts and ideas brought on board by members of M-CODe in the Upper East Region as he confirmed it as a good call’ However, also seeking some support from the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to enable M-CODe members to perform their function accordingly in the region, the Minister said: “If we have money we can put in to support but we don’t generate any income. Is the district that generates income and I would encourage you to speak to the private companies, shops, and also the telecoms and any person who wants to contribute. But is something we all know and we all agree that we need to do something about it. I think you can find time to talk about it and am sure some of these radio stations if you talk to them they will be ready to give you some air time to talk about it and that will help educate the people. I think we are together in this, the problem is that we can’t help financially”. The Minister told the Regional leadership of M-CODe. He acknowledged that a lot of NGOs are also doing their best in the area of Open Defecation. Adding that “Government is also building toilets facilities for all the schools because some of the schools don’t even have toilet facilities therefore what do expect if the school is not walled, people come inside the school and do free range”. In the Upper East Region, over 60% of its population or citizens are defecating in the open, and Upper East is 68.4% in terms of Population and housing census. it must be a matter of great concern. It is revealing that 92% of the population of the people of the Upper East Region don’t use toilet facilities at their homes. However, M-CODe, was first introduced in 2018 to help develop the capacity of the media as advocates for improved sanitation, especially with the agenda to eliminate Open Defecation (OD) across the country. Source: Apexnewsgh.com|Ghana For publication please kindly contact us on 0256336062 or Email: apexnewsgh@gmail.com
Bolgatanga MCE response to Ghana First Company Limited
The Bolgatanga Municipal District Chief Executive Mr. Rex Asanga has responded to the Ghana First Company Limited saying he was [misunderstood] by his pronouncement. Mr. Asanga on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, during an interview on Yem Fm monitored by Apexnewsgh.com was responding to issues regarding sanitation in the Bolagatanga Municipality and the effort by the assembly is making to eliminate the Canker of Open Defecation (OD) Meanwhile, responding to the Sanitation Issue, he mentioned that the assembly is initiating a dialogue with the contractors of Ghana First Company Limited to see how they can complete the toilet and put it to use because the company has since disappeared “We also want to increase the number of toilets we have. I don’t know if you have heard about Ghana First toilets. There was some… I don’t know whether is an NGO or an Organization that came around and got people to start building toilets and the people started building the toilet almost to completion and they disappeared up till now. So, we are initiating some dialogue with the contractors of those toilets to see if we can bring the toilets on board to add. I agree with the one who sent in the message that we need many more toilets in the system”. He maintained However, the MCE also maintained: “Ghana First is not a project of the assembly, is an organization that awarded contracts across the country to individual contractors to construct toilets and they disappeared and left the contractors and some of them have spent all their investment in the construction of the toilets and they can’t find the employer”. Following the pronouncement by the MCE, Ghana First Company Limited issued written a letter requesting a retraction from the MCE for what they claim is a false statement he made against them. ”The letter says: We have intercepted a publication to the effect that, you cannot find Ghana First Company Limited anywhere for discussions on the toilet facilities. You further stated that you were going to mobilize the contractors for them to continue to complete the projects and run the projects with the Assembly”“We disagree with your statement that, we are nowhere to be found. We are still operating from our office and we have not relocated”. “We, therefore, wish to advise you to retract your statement in order to avoid any legal action to be instituted against you”. “We are by this letter, advising you to retract the statement within 14 days upon receipt of this letter, in order to avoid any legal action being instituted against you. We count on your usual cooperation”. The letter as sighted by Apexnewsgh.com was copied to the Office of the President, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Department. However, in responding to the letter issued by Ghana First Company Limited which was demanding the MCE retractions, Mr. Asanga has responded. Speaking on A1 radio a local radio station in the Bolgatanga Municipality on Monday October 10, 2022 monitored by Apexnewsgh.com, Mr. Asanga said he was completely misunderstood. According to him, “When I say they are nowhere to be found, i didn’t mean that they are not there, all I meant was that, the work is at a standstill” He said “I went to Yem radio and the same question was asked to me about sanitation situation issues in the Bolgatanga Municipality and what the Assembly was doing and in my response, I spoke about the fact that Ghana First has awarded contracts for contractors to put up toilets and somewhere along the line, the toilets are not completed”. “And, I think I made a statement that ‘they are nowhere to be found. I think they heard it and they are not very happy. They have written to me expressing their dissatisfaction over the matter. I want to use this platform to say that I was completely misunderstood. When I say they are nowhere to be found, i didn’t mean that they are not there, all I meant was that, the work is at a standstill, the work has stalled. In fact, the contractors have even been in our office to see if the Assembly can partner with them”. Mr. Asanga explained Source: Apexnewsgh.com|Ghana For publication please kindly contact us on 0256336062 or Email: apexnewsgh@gmail.com