Nigerian High Commissioner Battered Me – Wife

News Ghana
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NIGERIAN HIGN COMMISSIONER TO KENYA AND THE SEYCHELLES, CHIEF DR CHIJIOKE WILCOX.

THE wife of the Nigerian High Commissioner has written the Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere asking him to arrest the diplomat for assaulting her. Mrs Tess Iyi Wigwe accuses her husband Chief Dr Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe of  causing her serious bodily harm.

Wigwe is the High Commissioner to Kenya and the Seychelles. He is also the permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations Environmental Programme and the UN Habitat in Nairobi.

In a short biography Wigwe is described as a devoted lover of music of all kinds and genre ranging from Classical to New Age. “He enjoys singing and dancing, is an avid reader, writer of short poems, an art and opera lover with other interests including bird and aircraft- watching”.

Yesterday Wigwe denied battering his wife. He expressed shock that the police had been asked to arrest him. “I am shocked about her actions. They have not notified me of any plot against me. I have just arrived from a foreign trip,” he told the Star.
A letter from lawyer Judy Thongori to Iteere dated Monday (May 23) says Tess sustained injuries on the face, neck, fingers and spine after a quarrel which resulted in the beating on May 11.

In an exclusive interview with the Star yesterday, Tess said she was rescued by her 20-year-old son and 23-year-old daughter who rushed her to hospital while bleeding profusely.

The diplomat’s wife said she was admitted to the Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi, on May 11, operated on and discharged on Sunday, May 15. “I am still living in the ambassador’s residence. I still feel a lot of pain from the injuries despite the ongoing medications,” she said, adding that she had been advised by her doctors to be careful as the injuries to her lower back might lead to paralysis.

Tess, herself a lawyer with dual British and Nigerian citizenships, said she had suffered previous beatings by her husband during their long marriage. The couple has five children — four boys and a girl aged between 32 and 20 years. They have five grandchildren.

Tess said she had in 1999 left her husband due to his womanising and frequent beatings and went to live in the UK where she got a job. She claimed that he had two traditional marriages with two women during their separation.
Tess said he pleaded with her to join him when he got his posting to Nairobi in 2008. “I thought he had changed his ways and l was prevailed upon by the community to join him,” she told the Star.

Wigwe reported to his new station in May 2008 but Tess only joined him months later because she had to get a leave of absence from her employer in the UK. Tess said he beat up her in October that year when she questioned him about bringing strange women to their matrimonial home.

She said she kept the matter quiet but the relationship has become so bad that they have reached a point where he communicates with her by writing and leaving her notes. “This time, he left a note about his dinner. I told him his dinner was ready and asked him not to be asking for dinner to be prepared if he was not going to eat it. He grabbed me by the hand and when l tried to pull away, he hurled me against the wall before he started punching me,” she said.

Tess said she has opted to come out and explain her situation to show that domestic violence cuts across cultures, education and social standing. “I cannot keep quiet. I have kept quiet long enough,” Tess said.

From today Wigwe is expected to play host to a four-day Nollywood roadshow and fair organised by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Nigerian Guild of Actors and the Nigerian High Commission which is expected to culminate in a gala dinner at the Safari Park Hotel on Sunday night.

Yesterday lawyer Thongori who is acting on behalf of Tess said they would demand that Wigwe’s diplomatic immunity be lifted so that he could be prosecuted. “Though Dr Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe is a diplomat, we are of the considered view that any diplomatic immunity that he enjoys is subject to him upholding and respecting the fundamental rights of others as enshrined in the Constitution,” Thongori said in her letter to Iteere citing the rights which include freedom from torture, freedom from cruel and inhuman treatment.

Thongori told the Commissioner that her client wants her husband prosecuted. “We have instructions to demand the immediate prosecution of the husband in accordance with the law,” lawyer Thongori says in the letter.

No arrest can be made at the High Commission residence or offices of the embassy as they are considered the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Nairobi Star.

GIS Unmasks Airport Security Gang

News Ghana
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Ghanaer34fffffw434An American businessman by name David K who arrived in Ghana in 2010 in the hope of retrieving a quantity of gold he had invested tens of thousands of dollars into, is at his wits’ end as to how he fell prey to a 419 gang and compelling him to lose the fortune in deliberations with the group.

However the emerging revelation at the Headquarters of Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) points to the fact that David’s entry documents processed by Sohin Security Checks Ltd Director Solomon Adelequaye’s Charges John Mensah, and Aaron Tetteh were fake.

When the U.S. businessman arrived, in Ghana in early part of 2010, he was met at the Kotoka International Airport by Adelaquaye’s boys, Messrs. John Mensah and Aaron Tetteh who offered to process and legitimize his stay in Ghana. However it turned out that the documents processed by Adelaquaye’s charges were faked, whose discovery David soon found out when he went to GIS to regularize his stay in Ghana.

THE SUN gathered that upon investigations by GIS, a report was forwarded to the Police CID to alert them on the outcome of their investigations. What raised further eyebrows was where exactly Adelaquaye’s boys obtained the fake immigration documents to do David in.

All efforts to speak to Adelaquaye over this and other related issues which are the subject of THE SUN’S SPOTLIGHT TEAM’s investigation, including a visit to Sohin Security Offices proved futile.

At New Achimota, The Spotlight Team was directed to Big Mama Restaurant near Jesus & Mary School, but none of the staff would want to link the paper to their boss after initially failing to acknowledge that he was the Managing director of the Company.

The story so hot on the stove is that the American’s tribulation started in May 2010, when through the internet he hooked onto the website of All Star Associates Ltd for the special reason that the company claimed it was into gold business.

Mr. David K then developed interest and therefore made contact with the official of the said All Star Associates Ltd. His enquiry uncovered the fact that a certain Solomon Adelaquaye of Sohin Security Checks Ltd sat at the head of the company as CEO.

Having showed much interest in the deal, David approached a friend in the USA who has average knowledge about the Ghanaian business terrain. During the discussion, David’s friend contacted one of his local Ghanaian friends to dig into the background of All Star Associates Ltd.

While due diligence was on-going, Adelaquaye and his charges, namely John Mensah and Aaron Tetteh agreed to send samples of the gold product to David in the USA. Somehow, the deliberations reached a crescendo requiring a follow up by the American.

However THE SUN’s spotlight team investigations into the whole brouhaha indicates that, it was a strategy adopted by Adelaquaye and his two charges of Mensah and Tetteh in a desperate attempt to get David bundled out of Ghana, a situation that could have led to the ‘killing’ of his case against the CEO of Sohin Security Checks Ltd.

Having stood his grounds, THE SUN can now report that all efforts are being made by the CID to prosecute the Sohin Security chief or get him to come clean on the misgivings raised by the distraught American.

Another contentious issue is, how on earth did even the National Security come to be dribbled as regards the detailing of Sohin to do security works at the Kotoka International Airport, when the company is stewed deep in controversy, raising questions if background checks were left to the dogs. THE SUN’s investigations still continue. 

Source: The Sun

Kosmos Energy to list on Ghana Stock Exchange

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Kosmos Energy says it will list its common shares on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE).

Tullow Oil, another major oil producer in Ghana has also expressed its intentions to list on the GSE.

“We intend to apply to list our common shares on the Ghana Stock Exchange”, Kosmos said in a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission to sell some of its shares on the world market adding “Shortly after the closing of this offering.”

However, the company says it does not know when the listing will be done or whether it would list at all.

“….although there can be no assurance that this listing will be completed in a timely manner, or at all”, Kosmos indicated.
By Ekow Quandzie/ghanabusinessnews.com

Foot-Soldiers seize Ashaiman lorry park

Daily Guide Africa
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A group of young men were reported to have seized the Ashaiman Lorry Park and allegedly taken away revenue tickets from operators of the facility on Tuesday morning April 7.

News of their action spread so fast in the municipality, compelling most residents who were on their way to the main lorry park to either board vehicles to Accra or Tema to discontinue their journey for fear of being caught in the crossfire.

The group, according to some residents around the lorry park, comprised members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who had embarked on a similar venture some time back, demanding the release of the facility to them when the NDC was voted into power.

They were alleged to have taken away some unspecified amount of money believed to be revenue from traders.

Even though DAILY GUIDE arrived at the park late, by which time the said foot-soldiers had left the scene, some of the residents narrated that the irate group stormed the park and demanded from revenue collectors, tickets and revenue for the morning.

The residents alleged that the refusal of the revenue collectors to yield to the demands of the foot-soldiers nearly created chaos, compelling some of them to call in the area?s police.

A revenue collector who refused to obey the orders of the group was said to have received serious beatings.

They were reported to have forcibly taken away the money and fled the scene in their numbers.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted Superintendent Peter Cobbina of the Ashaiman District Police over the issue, he said he was not aware of the situation, stressing that nothing of a sort was reported to his outfit.

He said his checks later revealed that the problem at the park was resolved, indicating that there was no arrest since no report was made to the police.

The same lorry park came under attack by some group of young men who identified themselves as members of the NDC in the area.

GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC POLICIES BREEDING CORRUPTION AND POVERTY IN GHANA

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Ghanaians Abroad Against Corruption is appealling to President Mills and his government to review economic decisions and policies that are creating extreme hardship and desperate poverty. There is more work to do as people and families struggle with their finances, struggle to get loans from banks and also not being able to save any money from their wages .

We believe that the hardship being faced by most Ghanaians is forcing individuals to live beyond their means and causing the kind of corruption going on at our market places, offices, ports, schools and in government departments.

We believe it is time the President and Ministers work to

1. Address serious gas and electricity shortages plaguing the capital, Accra and several towns in the outlying areas.

2. Reduce high taxes and tariffs which are weakening small businesses.

3.Stop the excessive harassment of our traders and market women by our metropolitan council authorities and exempt them from paying the basic rate of tax to boost business.

4. The price of food is also rising steadily on essential commodities such as rice, sugar, flour, yams, meat and fish. The President must reduce tariffs on inputs to make it easy for importers to support farmers and traders in these commodities.

450 billon Ghana cedis has been lost through our main ports, Tema and Takoradi and our inland ports in 2 years through the collusion of some government ministers ,officials at the office of the presidency and some corrupt customs officers. These corrupt acts are destabilising to the nation’s security and prosperity and heads must roll for this poor state of affairs.

We also call on the President to support the work The Commission of Human rights and Administrative justice to pursue corrupt public officials and address wrongdoing in our society to promote accountability.

Professor Mills must be careful in underestimating the intelligence of the Ghanaian people in not confronting these challenges and dealing with them. There is also a perception that he has yet to show any willingness to condemn or crack down on indiscipline within his government, He must stamp his authority and get them to refocus on rebuilding trust with the public and delivering the government agenda.

Mr President please its time to act now.

Dennis Doe- Vormavor Interim Chairman Ghanaians Abroad Against Corruption. Glasgow, Scotland

Kwaku Frimpong (Dr)

News Ghana
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“I’m a lovely guy. I love people and I love to chat with people”, are not quite what you will expect as the ideal phrases to describe the founder of one of Ghana’s most successful herbal-based medical facilities. Dr Kwaku Frimpong maintains that it is his love and empathy for others that have driven him this far in life.
Decisive, religious and philanthropic are the preeminent words that best describe Dr Kwaku Frimpong, Chief Executive Officer of Champion Divine Clinic. His rather huge sense of humour adds to his persona, a fascinating character on any ordinary day.
It’s intriguing to know however that, but for his one year training at a pharmaceutical facility in Pakistan, the founder of the multimillion herbal-based health delivery centre has had no formal education in medicine or health care delivery.
Born to a family of 6, this “suborn yet reasonably sympathetic” son of a Missionary father and clothes trading mother, left the country after his Secondary School education at Kumasi High for greener pastures in Switzerland then in Germany, plying his trade as a footballer.
After years of unsuccessful attempts at securing himself a team contract, Dr Kwaku Frimpong returned to Ghana to start a retail business in auto-mechanical spear parts. All this while, he had not taken particular interest in herbal medicine or any item involving medical treatments;  until he and his wife where diagnosed of medical complications which resulted in conception difficulties.
Already a father of two with his first wife whom he had divorced, Dr Kwaku Frimpong said he and his new wife, Mrs Esther Frimpong became disturbed by what appeared a hopeless situation. In their desperate period they tried various treatments till they achieved success, aided by a herbal fertility drug introduced to him by a Pakistani business partner and friend.
“I saw the potential in it, when I witnessed what the medicine could do,” Dr Kwaku Frimpong said. Months after confirmed conception, he made arrangements with his Pakistani friend to visit his country and the production source of the drug. Business minded as he is, he took even keener interest in the drugs and quickly made plans to train at the facility in herbal medicine for fertility while keeping tabs on his auto-mechanic spare parts business back home.
Dr Kwaku Frimpong, returned home to soon become the major supplier of Pakistani herbal drugs – mostly for fertility – to a number of pharmacies. This he did for not less than two years before conceiving the idea of converting some rooms in his house into a health facility specialised in infertility.
After engaging the services of some medical personnel, he registered the Champion Homeopathic Clinic in 2002. The clinic was devoted to the treatment of conceptual complications and general fertility problems in both sexes.
Two years of operation brought to light the need to expand to cater for the increasing numbers who were coming to seek medical attention at the facility. Dr Kwaku Frimpong also realised the need to diversify into areas which were not directly related to the fertility of a person as had been the practice at the clinic.
The name of the health post was changed to Champion Divine Clinic to better reflect the new direction taken, which was to be the most preferred health facility in the world; providing quality health care at the most affordable price with guarantee.
Champion Divine Clinic is well on its way to achieving its target, opening brunches in other parts of the country. “We want to build an ultramodern clinic, first of its kind in the world. In ten years from now, quality health delivery should be truly accessible to all in Ghana. No one has to die from a disease that can easily be cured or even prevented.”
Champion, as he is affectionately called by friends and family, gave a rather religious tale as to why he chose the name champion saying it stems from a church sermon, ‘raising the champions’, by Pastor Salifo Amoako at Suame back in the year 2002. “He was preaching and all of a sudden he called me out of the congregation and said this man is going to be one of the champions in Ghana.” Memories of this day serve as an inspiration to Dr Kwaku Frimpong.
Besides running the Champion Divine Clinic, Dr Kwaku Frimpong has listed among his assets the Champion Estate, the Champion Hotel and the Star Plush mineral water. He is also the majority shareholder of the Phoenix Insurance Company.
Dr Kwaku Frimpong is hopeful that this life story will serve as an inspiration to the youth to do something for themselves and not to depend on others to provide them a source of livelihood. “My family did not support me; it’s God who supported me,” he said.
“The youth want quick money. They don’t want to serve but they want to be Kings, it’s impossible. You have to serve to learn from others, the art of leadership.”
Dr Kwaku Frimpong takes delight in prayer and football.

Where are today’s genuine soul-winners of God’s Kingdom?

Chris Bapuohyele
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• Continued from Wednesday March 23 edition

They dared not. In fact, woes and condemnations awaited them, if they did. So why do we do this today? Where are the genuine soul-winners of God today? Where are they? Why are genuine soul-winners so hard to come by today? Please wait a minute, and let me see how I may help you appreciate why genuine soul-winners are so hard to come-by tod a y.

You see, many of the so-called Christian teachings, supposedly meant for the salvation of mankind, which evolved through the politico-Christian power-players of the erstwhile Roman Empire, in the immediate post-apostolic times, did not have the power associated with the faith. The glaring potency and unique character of the Christian faith, seen at the start of the church in Jerusalem, on the Day of Pentecost and in the days following it, got lost completely, by the time Rome took upper-hand, in the selection and coronation of bishops for the church.

Once Rome became a force to reckon with, in the selection of leader-teachers for the church, weird non-Jesus teachings, started to rear their ugly heads in the church’s character and administration. What-with, all that history, about the cash-sales of indulgencies by bishops, as the fulfillment of their roles in the Great Commission of the Master, to win souls into his Kingdom?

How about the influx of high-office politicians, idol-worshippers indeed by their religion, who were wrongly considered as followers of Christ, and were thus admitted into the church, without obeying the prescribed rites for membership? These, and many others, are the root causes for the high level of corrupt doctrines to the Christian faith, which we find today.

Also, the persecutions to death, of the followers of Jesus Christ, a horrible notoriety of the history of the Romano-Christian tradition under Rome, in the immediate post-apostolic days, were aimed not at their persons, per se, but at getting people to accept, believe and act on corrupted and distorted versions of the teachings of Christ. Satan knew from the very beginning of Christianity that, if he could bring into the teachings of Christ, the minutest pollutants, he would succeed in rendering these teachings impotent, in fact useless, for the salvation of mankind.

And so he calculated his plans very well – waiting till the passing away into glory, all the saints of God, who talked, walked, and ate with the Messiah, before orchestrating his intrigues of deception, lies, and introduction of contaminants into God’s Word, to achieve his aims.

How much of the teachings of the Messiah, and of the apostles, do we find among people who profess to be Christians today? Many are comfortable with a system of codes and practices which are in every way, the doctrines of men. They blindly believe them, whole-heartedly, to be the doctrines of Christ.

Even the most serious-minded people, who claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ today, have been misled to imbibe as the truth, many adulterated versions of the Word of God. In ignorance of this, they are so zealous in their beliefs in these impure versions, as to defend them with their lives, intolerant of, and hostile to the truth, whenever they are confronted with it.

If today we have so-called Men of God, presenting the salvation message of God in doctrines different from those of Jesus Christ and his apostles, then Rome, of the Second Century or thereabout, must take the blame. The entire leadership of present-day Christianity must also share in this, in being so gullible as to accept the falsehood and deception of that past, when the Bible is readily available for study and correction to these distortions to the teachings of Christ. I cannot help, but be very sad in this.

The genuine stewards of God are those who know how to truly function as soul-winners. They are those who know how to rightly divide the Word of God, discerning forgiveness from remission.

They are those with a thorough knowledge of the New Testament doctrines of God for the salvation of sinners. They are those who win souls in the waters of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ – using the skills and talents of fishermen, who are transformed into fishers of men.

Such are those Men of God who are indeed called, taught, and imputed with the wisdom of God on how to win souls, and sent out under the anointing of the Holy Spirit of God. These are those sent to do a job that the Son of God himself should have been doing, and therefore cannot afford to do it in their way, but in the Master’s; displaying his wisdom in their service to God’s Kingdom.

It is only such workers who are sure to gain commendation by the Master, as his Wise and Faithful Stewards, at his Second Coming. It is only such workers who qualify to be ushered into the gold-plated royal residences in Heaven, to live in ease and comfort throughout Eternity.

My dear one, are you truly a soul-winner? You who call yourselves Men of God, or are happy with such appellations by men: look to your ways and works closely, and in humility, change them for God’s ways.

Do this, so you do not get disappointed at the Gates of Heaven, on the Day of Judgment, when you and your many ignorant followers, are gathered as tares of no use to the Kingdom of God, but for fuel in the fires of Hell. I hope I have warned you enough. Shalom.

Chris Bapuohyele is an Evangelist of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the author of the book: BEWARE OF THIS FALSE DOCTRINE of reciting the Sinners’ Prayer for salvation. His E-mail address is: [email protected]

Sylvester A. Mensah

News Ghana
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Before our encounter, I could only sense that a person with such a mammoth socio-political responsibility will have but little time to entertain my presence. “You are welcome, how may I help you?” said the tall dark smiling figure with his hand stretched out for a hand shake.
There, the impression was that it must be a delight to work with such a thoughtful, enthusiastic and motivated personality; traits which he did not fail to uphold, but rather reinforced during my half hour long interaction with him.
Sylvester A. Mensah is the Chief Executive of Ghana’s National Health Insurance Authority with oversight responsibility over the Mutual Health Insurance Schemes nationwide, a position he has occupied for almost two years.
The son of the late Mr Lovelace P. C. Mensah – a career diplomat and Mrs Christiana P. E. Mensah, Sylvester was born into a family of 9. Among his resourceful siblings is Gayheart E. Mensah, formerly of Ghanaian Times Corporation, Graphic Communications Group, Barclays Bank – Ghana Limited, Unilever Ghana Limited and now Corporate Affairs Manager of Tullow Oil Ghana.
Mr. Sylvester Mensah believes life becomes fulfilling when one avails himself to the service of society by taking on challenging social, economic and political ventures, and delivering without losing focus on followership, companionship and family.  His goal has been to leave a pleasantly indelible mark wherever he found himself.
His early ambition to become a medical doctor led him to read science at the GCE ‘O’level at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Boys Secondary School in Accra, before a change of heart led him into business studies at the GCE ‘A’ level at the Labone Secondary School in Accra.
After obtaining a Diploma in Political Economy at the Cottbus Political College in Germany, he returned to Ghana to successfully complete a Diploma in Public Administration and a BSc Degree in Administration at the University of Ghana Business School. He then served as a Member of Parliament for his local constituency before proceeding to the United Kingdom where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Leicester.  Mr. Mensah has also pursued a number of short certificate courses at the Harvard School of Public Health and the World Bank Institute in the USA.
Sylvester A. Mensah has made contributions to academia, lecturing at the Institute of Professional Studies and the Graduate School of the Central University, Ghana.  He admits that it still gives him joy when former students call to express gratitude for his contribution into their lives, as well as seek professional advice and guidance for their occupations.
In banking, Mr Mensah found himself heading Public Sector Banking at the Intercontinental Bank – Ghana Limited.  Prior to that, he was a pioneering member and played a key role in the National Mobilisation Programme, where he began as District Liaison Officer and rose to the Regional Director in the capital region – Accra. Sylvester’s active political career came to lime light when he became the first Regional Youth Organiser for the Greater Accra Region of his political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 1992.
For over three terms, stretching seven years, he was the Greater Accra Regional Secretary for the NDC political party, until he resigned his position in September 2001 to pursue post graduate studies.  Mr. Mensah’s political life assumed greater heights when he was voted Member of Parliament for the Dede-Kotopon Constituency from 1996 to 2001. Though he hasn’t been on the political front-line for a while as he leads the NHIA as a technocrat, he leaves the door open for future active and front-line political engagements.
Mr Mensah who predictably worked indefatigably for his Constituency, trusts that his contribution to the unity of the people he represented as well as the level of development during his time is unprecedented; “I’m sure that the Constituency today will count me as one of the successful MPs of the constituency.”
In all his political strive he hasn’t lost faith in his Maker. He worships at the Word Miracle Church International and functions as a Member of the Board of Trustees of this international church.
Under his watch, the National Health Insurance Scheme has seen massive improvement in its operations, leading to a relatively more efficient management and cordial relationship with its subscribers and many stakeholders, warranting international recognition. Personally, he has been credited for his innovation, creativity and leadership while the scheme has been adjudged one of the leading on the African continent and one of the most viable and promising social health service interventions within the South-South Region of the world at large.
“As the CEO of the NHIA, I believe together with my colleagues we have brought life into the health system of Ghana”, he said. “I consider this as a modest achievement which I don’t ascribe to myself but to the team with which I’ve been able to work to achieve this.”
The national health insurance is the most important social protection policy that any country can ever have, he eulogised. “Any social intervention policy that embraces more than 50 per cent of the population is significantly huge.” Ghana’s NHIS is estimated to cover over 65 per cent of the populace.
Sly as he is affectionately called, wants more than 90 per cent of the population to be beneficiaries of the NHIS, ten years from now, with improved quality care and relatively high subscriber satisfaction. “The one-time premium for subscribers of the NHIS is feasible, and the implementation plan is almost ready” he revealed.
“What keeps me going is the ability to develop new ideas, implement them and achieve the expected outcome. What really motivates me is the fear of failure; it drives me to perform because I never want to be associated with failure. What keeps me alive and maintains my sanity is my ability to make myself useful to others.”
A believer in destiny, who shares in the saying that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28). He maintains that “the whole concept of life is foundered on principled and informed competition and struggle that never ends” and enrols largely in the concept of destiny as defined by the choices and decisions that one makes, and adds that he also believes in divine influence in achieving a perceived future.
“I’ve not had major regrets in my life except that changes in direction and opinion have been inevitable as this comes with insight and maturity. When you are a child you behave like a child, as you grow insight, experience and incremental maturity informs your actions and utterances.”
Sylvester Mensah is poised to leave a legacy at the National Health Insurance Authority as he did for his former constituency. Reminiscent of the President’s dream big proclamation in his address to Parliament, he believes Ghana would achieve greater heights than it currently finds itself.
“We have always had what we bargain for as a people”, he said, explaining that the level of development of any country is a reflection of their collective input informed by the times and the manners, and available talents and capacities which drive policy options and decisions. We need to continue investing greater effort, time and thinking to all our endeavours to maintain the trust reposed on us.
Besides watching football, Mr Mensah is also a country and gospel music lover. He might make visits to his kitchen in all likelihood to prepare Banku and Okra Stew, his favourite.

Vaccination for over 200,000 persons in UWR against yellow fever to cost GH¢110,000

News Ghana
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Health workers in the Upper West Region are preparing to embark on a yellow fever vaccination campaign in three of its nine districts that had recorded six cases of the disease.

About 214, 494 persons, especially one-year old children, would be vaccinated with 248,000 doses of yellow fever vaccines allocated to the region within one week, Dr. Kofi Issah, Deputy Director of Public Health, has said.

Dr. Issah was briefing members of the Upper West Regional Epidemic Preparedness Committee on the yellow fever situation in region at a meeting in Wa on Monday.

He said Wa East District has been the worst hit, recording four cases with one death, while Jirapa and Nadowli Districts also recorded a case each.

It is expected that 61,127 persons would vaccinated in Jirapa District, 61,219 persons in Wa East District and 92,598 persons in the Nadowli District.

The campaign would involve 276 health staff and 32 supervisors and would cost the Health Directorate GH¢110,106.00, Dr. Issah said.

He said about 90 per cent of the targeted population would be vaccinated against the disease and that district and sub-district teams had been trained in vaccination and other aspects of the exercise to be carried out on November 22.

Dr. Issah said the region would receive 340,000 mosquito nets in February next year under the Malaria Control Programme and would be distributed in the nine districts of the region  to help reduce malaria.

Three districts, namely Wa Muncipal, Wa East and Wa WestdDistricts would however benefit from Ashanti Gold  five-year sustained indoor residual spraying programme to reduce the population of mosquitoes.

The Upper West Regional Directorate of Ghana Health Service in collaboration with the Ashanti Gold would implement the programme.

Source: GNA

From seedlings to trees – the challenges and considerations for all tree planting initiatives

Guuroh Reginald Tang
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As a follow up to the previous article on deforestation, I like to now look at how to plant and cater for trees. This is intended for individuals or institutions that wish to plant trees but have little or no expertise. Before I progress, I like to state that even though everyone can plant a tree, it is not every one that can raise a tree. Trees are just like children in my view. Just like how every man may father a child but may not be able to raise that child so is the situation with tree planting. It is one thing planting a tree and a completely different thing raising that tree. To raise a tree is to cater for the tree by protecting it and providing all that it needs to grow.

Most times we hear about tree planting activities by one organization or the other usually on some special days (anniversaries and the like) but we never get to know what happens to those trees after such activities. Tree planting can be done on special days, but tree nursing should be done every day. During the Ghana at 50 celebrations, trees were planted in many places across the country, but how many of these trees have been able to survive? I do not have an exact answer to this question however newspaper reports of 30th May 2007 (published on myjoyonline.com) indicated that some of these trees were dying, using some 1000 trees planted in Ho Municipality as a case in point. As we all know, trees are unable to move from one place to another and so they are more prone to a wide range of problems than animals which can simply move away if the environment is not favourable.
Choosing the right species and transplanting seedlings
Before embarking on tree planting, one must first make some considerations to ensure that the right species is selected for the site of planting (site-species matching). For example, the water requirement of the species should be assessed against the site of planting. Seedlings that require a high amount of water are likely to die in drought prone areas if irrigation is not done and so drought tolerant species should be preferred.
Also, the species must be desirable and provide the kind of benefits that the owner anticipates; e.g. shade, timber, fodder, fuel wood. Such decisions are necessary to avoid problems that may arise later after the tree has already grown. If the institution or individual initiating the planting lacks expertise in tree planting, then it is advisable to consult experts for advice. It is advisable to transplant seedlings at the beginning of the rainy season. The perfect time of day to move the seedling is during morning hours when the humidity is high. Seedlings should be transplanted once they have developed 3 to 4 true leaves.
The hole for planting must be deep enough to accommodate roots without twisting and breaking either the roots or the soil ball. The hole should also be large enough to provide enough aeration and enough loose soil for the young roots to be able to penetrate. The plant should not be put too deep in the soil and should not also be too exposed. As a rule of thumb, it should be ensured that the roots are totally buried in the soil to prevent them from drying out. After transplanting seedlings, they must be provided with enough water to ensure that the roots are well established in the new growing environment.
We must also ensure that the soil is right for the species. Seedlings are delicate and so we may have to use humus soil. In this regard, we may dig out the soil from the hole and refill the hole with humus to a certain height before putting in the seedling.
During dry season, it is also necessary to provide mulch and to water the transplanted seedling. It is extremely important that the newly planted tree has adequate initial moisture. It is however, not advisable to fertilize the seedling during the first year of transplanting.
Protecting trees
After planting seedlings, there is the need to constantly monitor the progress of growth. By observing seedlings regularly, we are able to notice any negative signs early enough to take action. Seedlings are very tender and prone to all sorts of damage threats. They should therefore be fenced to prevent animals from eating shoots or breaking them especially if planting is in cities. Fences should be spacious enough to allow enough aeration and light in for the use of the seedling. Also, fences used must be solid to ensure that they do not easily fall over otherwise the fence will rather destroy the seedling when it falls.
Maintaining trees
In choosing a particular tree species or combination of species for planting, thought should be given to the need for future management. Factors that should be borne in mind include:
water requirements: need for irrigation should be considered right from the beginning and drought-tolerant species should be selected if irrigation is difficult to arrange)
growth rate: need for weeding and other care will be less for fast-growing species
susceptibility to disease: maintenance costs of disease-resistant species/varieties or cultivars are likely to be lower
growth habit: some trees may require pruning to maintain the desired form or foliage; this may also increase maintenance costs
Trees should be pruned regularly to maintain good health and longevity. An effective pruning program helps trees resist wind and help reduce tree hazards. If the planner knows that trees will not receive any pruning once they are in the landscape, then a tree with a naturally good structure (e.g. excurrent growth habit) is preferred.
In conclusion, let us keep in mind that raising trees can be quite an expensive venture. There are many considerations to make and the points discussed in this article are by no means exhaustive. We should at least provide fencing to protect seedlings against damage by animals. We should also consider watering seedlings especially during the dry season.
For those individuals and institutions or organizations who wish to plant trees, you can send an email to [email protected] for any inquires you might have about tree planting. We are ready and willing to share experiences with you and to go through with you step by step to raise a tree.
Remember when the last tree dies, the last man dies!
Reginald Tang Guuroh, Germany
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