Day for Safety and Health at Work Places Marked

Kofi Asamoah, TUC Secretary

The world today marked day for safety and health at work places. The day is set aside to sensitize workers and employers on the need to adhere to safety at work places.

As part of the observation of the day, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) is demanding enforcement of safety laws at workplaces.

The secretary of TUC, Mr. Kofi Asamoah said it is time the safety of workers is taken seriously at the various workplaces.

He advised employers to be much concerned about their occupational health and safety as much as they are concerned about their incomes and other service conditions.

He also advised them especially those at the textile industries among others to always put on protective clothing to ensure safety.

On behalf of the congress, Mr. Kofi Asamoah expressed his sympathy to all workers who through various injuries have lost their lives.

Chieftaincy Dispute, an Impediment to Growth and Development

Chiefs have been cautioned against engaging in any form of behavior and activity that will lead to chieftaincy dispute.

The appeal was made by Nana Nkwefi VIII, Gyasehen of Abura Traditional Area and Odikro of Abakrampa at the swearing of Nana Apredontwe XIV at Abakrampa.

Nana Nkwefi VIII noted that development thrives at communities where there is peace and tranquility. He warned that communities where there are chieftaincy power struggle will see no improvement in the lives of one people. He advised chiefs to promoters of peace and agents of development.

In an exclusive interview with Yes News soon after his swearing-in, Nana Apredontwe said his priority is to seek quality education for the people of Abura.

In the wake of the country experiencing an upsurge in cholera cases, Nana Apredontwe advised that chiefs should enact by laws that will ensure that his people keep clean environment

Youth urged to be time conscious

The President of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Kasoa, Mr. George York, has cautioned the youth to develop their awareness of the importance of their time and how they use it.

He said they should ensure that their priorities get the time they need while being pleasant and helpful to others, and added that they recognize what and who steals their time and deal with them pleasantly but effectively.

Mr. York was speaking on the topic: “Time management, a tool for wealth creation in Nation Building”, during a youth conference as part of this year’s World youth Day Celebration at the St. Martha’s Parish in Kasoa in the Archdiocese of Cape Coast over the weekend under the theme: “Sustained by the faith of the church, in order to be witnesses”.

According to Mr. York, gossiping, traveling on long hours, perfectionism and procrastination are some of the time robbers in our society and advised the youth to schedule their activities for the day and allow space for time to react to unexpected events and crises.

He also urged them to schedule tasks to specific months sequential, adding that they write a new to-do list each day or week from the month list and to start a new day with three (3) minutes planning.

On the topic: “Women Empowerment, the way to poverty alleviation and social justice”, Mrs. Veronica Ayikwei Kofie said, women play a major role in traditional activities such as subsistence food production, food processing, home crafts, trading and domestic work, stressing that there was much scope for improvement of family incomes by the provision of better skills and equipment to women so that they may perform their tasks more effectively.

She said one cannot deal with the situation of women without touching on the struggle for gender parity which requires that men and women should be given equal opportunity in education, training and retraining, employment opportunities, representation in the decision making process including local governance and parliament and all other levels where decisions made impact on the lives of everybody.

She therefore called for an urgent address to girls and women education and training, learning and income-earning opportunities in order to improve their social status and living conditions.

“Report all environmental Malpractices to the EPA” – Mr. Boateng Addae

The Senior Programmes Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in CapeCoast has called on the effective collaboration from the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), Ghana Police Service, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Traditional Councils and the general public, to bring to the attention of the Agency issues that bothers the environment.

Mr. John Boateng Addae said this will help in dealing with environmental malpractices in the region, since the office of the EPA is not in all the districts of the region.

Briefing Yes News in an interview at his office, Mr. Boateng Addae said the EPA undertakes various activities in the Cape Coast metropolis such as, educating the general public on the environment, registering and issuing licenses to pesticides dealers, hoteliers and those who want to undertake sand winning.

He said that the EPA works hand-in-hand the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) to see to issues concerning the environment in the metropolis.

According to the Senior Programmes Officer noise, littering of the environment and sand winning at the various beaches in the region are the problems faced by the EPA in the regions and called on them to put a stop to those acts.

He also made known the internal problems faced by the EPA such as low staff strength and financial challenges.

Mr. Boateng Addae commented on achievements made so far in the over 17 districts of the Central Region

“New Grading System not favouring Students” – Mr. Essibu

The Director of Ideal College in Accra, Mr. Joseph Kwabena Essibu has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to take re-look at the New Grading system of students who write the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) since it is not favouring them especially in the mathematics and science subjects.

He said every year, less than 20% of students make it to the tertiary level, while 70 – 80% of students remain in the house for an examination re-sit.

According to Mr. Essibu, in 2007, 2008 and 2009, students who had D7 to F9 or failed in their examination were 86.6%, 85.5% and 76.5 respectively.

Mr. Essibu said this in react to issues raised by some Senior High Schools about students not making good grades that will guarantee them into the university

Mr. Essibu said the lack of synchronization of policies of the GES has also contributed to students not passing their examination and added that some topics treated in the schools are not necessary citing the Integrated Science subject as being too loaded for students to be able to learn.

 He therefore charged the stakeholders, GES and the West African Examination Council to go back to the A – F system of grading instead of the A1 – F9 system of grading.

According to Mr. Kyei Baffour, a Member of the school’s research team, statistics reveal that 70 – 80% of students fail in the compulsory core subjects, thus English, Mathematics and Integrated science.

He called on WAEC to come out with their own grading system to enable all student enter into the universities.

Take Science and Mathematics Education Seriously – Hon. Mahama Ayariga

Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister of Education

The Deputy Minister of Education, Hon. Mahama Ayariga has called on Ghanaians to take science and mathematics seriously especially in the tertiary levels no matter the financial implication.

He said there is ample evidence all over the world that science and mathematics education has propelled countries with limited natural resources to very dizzying height in their socio-economic development, citing Japan and Malaysia as example of countries that are able to use their scientific knowledge to develop their countries.

Hon. Mahama Ayariga made these statements in a speech read on his behalf by the Acting Director of Tertiary Education at the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Beatrice Obro during the 4^th congregation of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) College of Education in Cape Coast over the weekend under the theme: “Promoting Science and Mathematics Education for Socio-Economic Development”.

According to the Deputy minister of Education, when science and mathematics education is not given priority, the result turns out to be very devastating.

Speaking on the theme for the ceremony, Hon. Mahama Ayariga said the them fits well in the Better Ghana Agenda of the ruling National democratic Congress (NDC) and added that, the Better Ghana Agenda will be vigorous pursued to give the people of Ghana a new lease of life and to improve their standard of living to an acceptable level comparable to any middle-income country anywhere in the world.

The Deputy Minister said that lack of scientific knowledge had led both farmers and fishermen to do the wrong things thereby disturbing foodstuffs and water bodies, adding that with the help of scientific research, the country would be able to avoid certain mistakes.

On his part, Hon. Dr. Ato Essuman, Member of the council of state and the Guest of Honour for the occasion said that quality of education cannot be achieved without a well-trained and motivated teaching force and the commitment of both teachers and parents to the delivery of education.

He commended the Ministry of Education and the teacher education division of the Ghana Education Service (GES) for initiating a programme to institutionalize In-service Training (INSET) into the education system together with a new teacher development and management policy which focus on specific competencies that teachers at all levels are expected to achieve in relation to their classroom practice and contribute to school improvement.

The Principal of OLA college of Education, Rev. Sr. Elizabeth Amoako Arhin, advised the graduants to be faithful to all the ideals, principles, morals and ethics that they had been imbued with and added that they should not shy away from accepting posting to the rural areas.

She appealed to the Government to assist the college complete its projects with an ultra modern library complex, a science laboratory, staff accommodation, resource centre and a new lecture theatre.

Minister Cuts Sod at Speech Day

Central Regional Minister, Mad. Ama Benyiwa Doe

The Central Regional Minister, Madam Ama Benyiwa-Doe last Saturday, performed a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of two (2) storey building dormitory block for Abakrampa Senior High School at its 20th Anniversary Celebration and 2^nd Speech and Prize giving day.

According to Madam Doe, the construction of the dormitory is in fulfillment of president Mills Pledge to eliminate all schools under trees and to bring secondary school education to the door steps of all Ghanaians.

Madam Doe who doubles as the DCE for Abura Aseibu Kwamaa District due to the dismissal of former DCE, Mrs. Aba Edusah by the President also announced that a 12 unit classroom block would soon be constructed to ease congestion in classrooms.

She challenged the girls to strive to achieve academic laurels.

The Member of Parliament for AAK, Hon. Christian A. Dadzie donated 3 street lamps, a board new computer with printer accessories for administrative use, 2 sets of jerseys and 2 footballs to the school team.

Hon. Dadzie added he is in dialogue with the GETFUND secretariat about assistance to improve the infrastructure status of the school.

In his report, the Headmaster, Mr. Andrew B. Indome noted that despite the numerous infrastructural challenges, the school beat the famous Mfantsipim on its own backyard to emerge champions of Kwame Nkrumah Centenary celebration (KCC) quiz last year.

He enumerated lack of computer laboratory, school library, science laboratory and assembly as some problems confronting the school.

Mr. Indome called for aid from government, NGOs and Old students.