World Water Day marked across the country

Water is life

Today, March 22, is World Water Day and the focus for this year's celebration is "Water and Urbanization." 

The objective of World Water Day 2011 (WWD 2011) is to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialization and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems.

The focus of this year's celebration, underscores the severity of the impacts of urbanization on urban water management. Statistics collated by the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication indicate that: Half of humanity now live in cities and, within two decades, nearly 60% of the world's population will be urban dwellers.

Urban growth is most rapid in the developing world, where cities gain an average of 5 million residents every month.

A lack of safe drinking water and sanitation results in faecal-oral diseases such as diarrhea and outbreaks of malaria and cholera.

According to the compiled data, based on findings of research undertaken by focal persons of the Sustainable Water management, Improved Cities, Tomorrow's City Health (SWITCH) programme, being implemented in 33 countries including Ghana, currently about: 141 million urban dwellers worldwide do not have access to improved drinking-water, and One out of four city residents, 794 million in total, live without access to improved sanitation facilities.

The question then is should the day be celebrated in the country?

The Policy Manager of Water Aid Ghana, Mr. Ibrahim Musah has said that the day should not be celebrated and that, the focus should rather be on how water problems will be solved in the country.

He called on Government to provide the required financial investment for the water sector.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Vida Afum-Dutie from the Tripple-S Ghana, said the country should celebrate the little achievement it has obtained and added that in order to celebrate it stock should be taken to know what had been done and the way forward.

She appealed to the Government to increase sector financing.

Don’t Sweep Human Right Abuse Cases Under the Carpet

Ghanaians have been urged to report any case of human right abuse to the appropriate

The appeal was made by the Mfantsiman Municipal Director of CHRAJ at Saltpond today when interacting with Yes News.

According to Madam Patience Essieny, at least two people report cases of human right abuse to her office each day.

She added that the most reported form of human right abuse is child maintenance which got to do with couples trying to shirk each others responsibilities.

Madam Essieny noted that most Ghanaians are afraid or hesitant to report to the CHRAJ when their rights are trampled upon.

She explained that her outfit is trying hard to educate Ghanaians on their rights. Madam Essieny said, it is unfortunate whenever they organize public education, the youth who are the most vulnerable, fail to turn up leaving the old ones.

She advised Ghanaians to respect each others human right for growth and development of the nation.

Oxfam still stands by its dummy report

The UK based International Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Oxfam, says it still stands by its report on Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The report says, the scheme is poorly managed and gives just a limited number of people access to health care, adding that the majority of registered beneficiaries still pay for the services under the NHIS.

The Deputy Head of Corporate Communications of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Ametor Kwame says the scheme covers 68% of the population much more than what Oxfam report claims.

Meanwhile, Government officials have dismissed the report describing it as misleading.

Fishermen in Elmina Complain Over the Ban of Light Fishing

Some fishermen at Elmina

The Secretary to the Chief Fisherman in Elmina, Mr. Robert Mensah, has expressed worry over the ban of the use of light for fishing.

He said the ban on the light fishing is affecting their businesses and appealed to the Government to give them an alternative, since the use of the light during fishing is not the only item that is prohibited in fishing.

Report says patrols have been intensified over the last few weeks over light fishing and that officers chased fishermen who were using lights to fish on the high seas.

Meanwhile, the Central Regional Police Commander, DCOP Andoh Kwofie, says police will continue to be present at the various beaches to ensure that fishermen will not use ban equipments during fishing.

CAPE COAST HOLDS 2010 CENTRAL REGION HEALTH SERVICES PERFORMANCE REVIEW CONFERENCE

By Augustina Brown

Central Region has recorded 243 case4s of outbreak of Cholera from September 2010 with 13 deaths and 167 death cases of children under five years affected with malaria.

The region, in 2010 also recorded its first set of 12 confirmed cases of the Pandemic influenza H1N1 from the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Municipality and the Cape Coast Metropolis with 249 cases by the end of the year with no death.

The Regional Director of Health Services in the Central Region, Dr. Samuel T. Kwahie made this known in a welcome address during the 2010 Central Region Health Services Performance Review Conference in Cape Coast on the theme: “Strengthening Human Resource for Health towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals”.

According to the Regional Director, the region also recorded 77 maternal deaths in 2010 as compared to the 72 maternal deaths recorded in 2009, adding that neonatal mortality rate had declined from 2.4/1000 Live Birth (LB) in 2009 to 3.1/1000 LB in 2010.

He noted that neonatal deaths have become a significant proportion of deaths among children under five years in Ghana.

On the issue of teenage pregnancy, the Regional Director said it has reduced slightly in the year under review from 14.9% in 2009 to 14.1% in 2010 and added that early teen pregnancy rate remained stable at 0.2% for the past four years.

Speaking on the way forward, Dr. Samuel T. Kwashie said the transport services delivery in the region has improved in 2010 with 13 districts, 5 hospitals and 7 health centres producing a total of 35 Great wall double cabin pick-ups through the Ghana Health Service hire purchase scheme.

He said 195 motorcycles were received by the Regional Health Directorate from the Ghana Health Service Headquarters and distributed them to the various district including the Health Training Institutions. Also, 268 bicycles were distributed to eight districts to facilitate the work of the community based Health volunteers.

Dr. Kwashie stated that a number of development projects including a 3-bedroom districts bungalow at Breman Asikuma, a health centre at Gomoa Dego and the rehabilitation of the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital Out-Patient-Department (OPD) had been completed.

He explained that clearing of the site land had begun and work is expected to be completed in 18 months, adding that work on the new Trauma and specialist Hospital at Winneba is almost completed and the facility is expected to be functional.

He congratulated Health staffs in the region for their outstanding performance and urged them to remain focus and resolute in their determination to turn things round in the region.

He also advised Health Personnel not to allow any issue to destruct them from the goals and objectives they have set for themselves and to provide good services to their clients in this New Year.

The function was attended by the Central Regional Minister, Hon. Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Senior Colleges from the Ministry of Health and GHS Headquarters, Health Development Partners, Health Workers, Stakeholders in Health and the Media.

SENSITIZATION PROGRAMME HELD IN CAPE COAST FOR OPINION LEADERS

By Augustina Brown

The Central Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Stephen Andoh- Kwofie has expressed concern over the increase in cases of violence from 2002 to 2010 in the region and has described it as awful.

He said there was the need to seek support from stakeholders to reduce the problem, adding that though the police was mandated to combat crime and other menace in the country, they cannot tackle cases of assault, defilement, unlawful rejection, neglect of parental duties among others that led to the establishment of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) to take care of such cases.

DCOP Andoh-Kwofie made this statement during a one day sensitization programme for opinion leaders in the Cape Coast Metropolis on Friday to enlighten them on Act 72 of 2007 which established the DOVVSU.

According to him, there was the need for the Police Service to strengthen its crime combating network in order for the service to reduce crime and other offences in the region hence the involvement of the opinion leaders in their strategy.

The Central Regional Coordinator of DOVVSU, ASP George Appiah-Sekyi told newsmen that there has been over 20,000 cases of domestic violence recorded in the rgion since the name was changed from WAJU to DOVVSU in 2002.

He said the sensitization programme was held by DOVVSU because opinion leaders play major role in the socio-economic lives of the people they represent.

He urged opinion leader not to settle cases of domestic violence on their own, adding that it’s unlawful for anyone to take the law into his / her own hands.

He warned all parents to desist from engaging opinion leaders in the settlement of domestic violence issues. 

He also warned that anyone found in such acts will be arrested and prosecuted before the law court.

ASP Appiah-Sekyi therefore advised the general public to report cases of domestic violence to DOVVSU as early as possible for action.

The programme was attended by Chiefs, Queen Mothers, family heads, Assembly Members and women among others who have a stake in the development of the society and the nation as a whole.

AMA warns of massive demolition



Dr. Alfred Vandapuije, AMA Boss

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Ghana Railways Authority has warned of a massive demolition exercise covering 100 feet along all rail tracks in the city.
A final sensitization exercise was carried out on Friday, January 21 by the Accra mayor Alfred Vanderpuije in the company of the Board Chairman of the Ghana Railways Development Authority, Daniel Markin after close to two years of the expiry of the scheduled date for demolition.

The move is in preparation for government’s planned introduction of new trains to help ease the traffic situation in the capital.

Board Chairman of the Ghana Railways Development Authority Daniel Markin told Newsmen that encroachers will not be spared during the exercise.

“AMA has been authorized to go ahead with the demolition so we are giving them the last notice, if they don’t move nobody can blame us. The demolition will come like a thief in the night, it will come very soon”.

Meanwhile, some of the squatters who spoke to Newsmen said they have nowhere to go in the event of a demolition.

They are calling on the authorities to provide them with alternate accommodation.

source: citifmonline.com