FADAMA RESIDENTS DONATE BLOOD

THE RESIDENTS GOING THROUGH A MEDICAL SCREENING

A NUMBER of residents of Fadama, a suburb of Accra, on Saturday donated blood to the Korle Bu Blood Bank in response to an emergency call made by the hospital for more blood for patients in and outside the hospital.

Most of the residents who donated blood at the residence of the National Chief Imam expressed their commitment to give as much blood as they could to support the hospital.

DRAWING OF BLOOD FROM THE RESIDENTS

The exercise was organised by the Islamic Peace and Security Council (IPASEC) under the auspices of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osumanu Nuhu Sharubutu.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Head of the medical team of the Accra Area Blood Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Alhaji Gambo Iddris Wangabi, lauded the residents for their desire to support the hospital to save lives.

He said the hospital urgently needed more blood to be able to cater for emergency cases.
He further called on individuals and organisations to donate blood to the hospital in order for it to meet the demands of other hospitals in the country.

Speaking on behalf of the National Chief Imam, the Executive Secretary of IPASEC, Alhaji Khuzaima Osumanu Mohammed, said another blood donation exercise would be held in other Zongo communities to show the support of the Muslim communities to the hospital.

He, therefore, called on Muslims to be willing to give out to support the hospital in fulfillment of the five pillars of Islam.

NPP SUPPORTERS STORM COMPANY

STORY: ZAINABU ISSAH

HUNDREDS of supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) massed up at the premises of  the Superlock Technologies Limited (STL), a private company, at Dzorwulu in Accra on Saturday over claims that the company had facilities to doctor elections results.

The situation compelled security personnel to cordon off the building.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Observer Mission, went to the building where he was told that it provided back-up IT facilities for the Electoral Commission (EC) but the NPP supporters would not budge.

 Led by Mr Sammy Awuku, the NPP Deputy Director of Communications, the supporters said the alleged use of the IT company by the EC was not known to the leadership of the party.

 The NPP supporters insisted that the “doctoring” was being done with the connivance of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

 The NDC officials dismissed the allegation, saying the NPP had called its supporters to the building to foment trouble because of fears of losing the election.

The former Minister of State, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, blamed the Electoral Commission (EC) for the suspicion of some NPP functionaries about the operations of STL located  in the Ayawaso West Wugon Constituency.

He said the EC did not do well by not informing the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) about its said arrangements with STL, to help put together a data for the election results.

That, he said, therefore, created suspicions among party members, a situation which was unhealthy for the country’s democracy.

He, therefore, called on the EC to take responsibility for its actions and correct the misunderstanding that it had created.

Addressing the crowd, Mr Marfo  gave the assurance that the premises of STL had been checked, adding that polling station agents could always refer to their results in order to make sure that the final  results were authentic

Mr Nii Quaynor, Board Chairman at  the National Information Technology (NITA), who was brought in to inspect the facility,said  the organisation was using its satellite information systems to provide information to the EC.

Some supporters of the NPP, however, told the Daily Graphic that they could not confirm the allegations because they received the information from a radio station.

CHINA SUPPORTS GHANA'S SECURITY

Story: Zainabu Issah & Salomey Appiah

THE Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has received 41 vehicles worth #$ 3.2 million dollars from the Chinese Government to compliment its fleet of vehicles and enhance its operational capacity.

The vehicles comprise 15 Yutong buses and 26 Steyr Troop carrying trucks with accompanying spare parts.

The presentation was intended to ensure that the GFA undertook what was most relevant during peacetime and also improve on the combat readiness of the GAF.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony in Accra, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Gong Jianzhong, said the donation was in fulfilment of an agreement signed between Ghana and China to provide the military with equipment.

He said Ghana was one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to establish diplomatic relations with China and the friendship had lasted for over 52 years.

Mr Jianzshong said that the two countries had forged a deep relationship by supporting and helping each other in their respective pursuits of national independence and development. 

He said China was committed to building a stronger bilateral relationship with Ghana and other developing countries as well as work with them to uphold their legitimate rights and interests.

 “We will continue to support efforts to increase their representation and choice in international affairs and will remain a reliable friend and sincere partner of other developing countries,” he said.

Receiving the donation, the Minister of Defence, Lt General Joseph Henry Smith, said the vehicles would help reinforce the second line transport resources which had drastically diminished due to wear and tear over the years.

He said the vehicles would also enhance training programmes which were relevant during peacetime.
Lt Gen Smith said the arrival of the vehicles was significant to the military since  they were preparing for today’s general election.

“It is significant to note that these vehicles are coming at a time the GAF is gearing itself to support the Electoral Commission in organising the December 7 elections” he said.

He lauded the Chinese Government for fulfilling its promise, and encouraged the staff of the GAF to judiciously use the vehicles to further enhance their capacity to perform their roles in national development.

CHIEF IMAM COMMENDS MUSLIM COMMUNITES

Story: Zainabu Issah

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osumanu Nuhu Sharubutu, has expressed his profound gratitude to Muslim communities in the country for keeping calm and maintaining law and order during the elections.

He said their attitude was proof to the entire nation that Islam was a peaceful religion with peace-loving people who were committed to the development of the nation.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Sheikh Sharubutu lauded Ghanaians for successfully going through the polls which served to prove that Ghana was indeed a pacesetter and beacon of democracy in Africa. 

He further praised the efforts of chiefs and local and district Imams for their tireless efforts at preaching peace in their various communities.

He, however, appealed to the general public to keep calm pending and after the declaration of the winner of the presidential polls.

Sheikh Sharubutu also reminded leaders of the political parties to accept the final declaration of results and work together for the benefit of the nation.

FARMERS IN DOMEABRA APPEAL TO MP's

STORY: ZAINABU ISSAH

Small holder women farmers in the Domeabra Obom Constituency have called on the aspiring Members of Parliament (MP) in the constituency to improve farming activities in the area when voted into power.

They said even though the community had fertile lands for sustained agricultural development, certain activities such as sand winning which led to the removal of the topmost and fertile layer of the soil, was slowly affecting farming activities in the area.

They also spoke about bad roads, lack of modern farming equipment and loans to farmers, as some of the challenges hindering farming activities in the area.

A member of the women farmers groups in the Domeabra Obom Constituency putting forward her concerns to the aspiring parliamentarians.

The farmers made the call during an interaction with parliamentary aspirants in the area to make their concerns known and also get to know what the aspirants have planned for the constituency if voted into power.

It was organised by Green Earth Organisation (GEO, in collaboration with ActionAid Ghana as part of its advocacy programme to increase food production.

The interaction was on the theme; “Smallholder Agriculture Sensitive Manifestos and Party Pledges to Reduce Poverty.”

Those who attended the gathering were the National Democratic Congress Parliamentary aspirant and incumbent MP, Mr Daoud Anum Yemoah, Mr Sylvanus Tettey Martey, New Patriotic Party (NPP), parliamentary candidate for the area, Mr Issac Awuku Libor, an Independent candidate, chiefs, farmers and the people of the constituency.

Add caThe aspiring members of Parliament from left, Mr Issac Awuku Libor (Independent), Mr Sylvanus Tettey Martey (NPP) and Mr Daoud Anum Yemoah (NDC) listening to the concerns of the people of Domeabra during the interactions.ption

Each of the aspirants spoke on five key issues they intended to tackle when voted into power. These were youth employment, education, agriculture, local governance, and health.

On the issue of agriculture, the Mr Yemoah of the NDC expressed concern about the increasing sand winning activities in the area and said even though sand was needed for construction works in the area there was the need to have a rapid intervention to stop it.

He, therefore, pledged to put up measures that would reduce the sand winning activities in the area in order to save the lands for agricultural use and also improve upon the roads in the area.

The NPP Parliamentary aspirant, Mr  Martey said even though the major activities in the constituency was farming, there was no extension officers to help check what they produced.



He, therefore, pledged to introduce extension officers to the farmers, curb the sale of land in the constituency and also do all in his power to solve the problems of farmers when voted into power.

Mr Awuku Libor, the independent candidate for the constituency, said there was the need to have an association of the smallholder farmers so that resources would be shared amicably.

He also pledged to improve the transportation section of the area and also lobby for the construction of factories in the constituency to provide ready market for the fruits cultivated in the area.

The Chief Executive Officer of GEO, Mr George Ahadzie, in his remarks said even though agriculture was one of the major contributions to the nation’s economy, little investment was given to the sector.

He, therefore, urged the MP’s to heed to their pledge in order to make the agricultural sector better.
Picture: The aspiring members of Parliament from left, Mr Issac Awuku Libor (Independent), Mr Sylvanus Tettey Martey (NPP) and Mr Daoud Anum Yemoah (NDC) listening to the concerns of the people of Domeabra during the interactions.
 

MUSLIM WOMEN URGED TO BE ADVOCATES OF PEACE

Story &Picture: Zainabu Issah
AN Executive Member of the Islamic Peace and Security Council (IPASEC) Hajia Barikisu Shardow has advised Muslim women to be advocates of peace wherever they found themselves by starting with their children at home and instilling discipline in them.

She said the basic principle of Islam was about peace hence it was unfair for Muslim children to be perceived as violent.

She made the call during a sensitisation seminar for Muslim women in Accra on Friday. The seminar, organised in collaboration with the Danish Embassy formed part of IPASEC peace project dubbed, “Ensuring Violence Free 2012 Election in Zongo Communities in Greater Accra Region.”

 Hajia Shardow pointed out that elections were only conducted to choose a leader for the country but not to wage war, adding that everyone in the country was entitled to be affiliated to a political party of his or her choice and also agree and disagree on issues but that should not constitute the basis for election violence.

“It is time that we as Muslim women and mothers decide what our children would be used for rather than see them as tools for election violence,” she said.

The Executive Secretary of IPASEC, Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osaman also called on Muslim women to effectively play their role of ensuring a violent free election especially in the Zongo communities.

Participants at the seminar in a pose with the Executive Secretary of IPASEC, Alhaji Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osaman (In white hat), in Accra.

He recalled that in countries such as Liberia, Serra Leone, and Rwanda, women were raped, killed, and sometimes made cooks for soldiers because of the violence that erupted after election.

He said some women were left to cater for their children alone without the support of their husbands because they were either killed or forced to pick up arms to fight in civil wars.

Alhaji Osaman, therefore said it was important that women advised their children about the need to avoid being used as “weapons of mass destruction”, adding that women and children were the most vulnerable during violence hence the need to protect them in any way possible.

In attendance to were the Ansarudeen Tinjaniyya Muslim Women Movement, Imams, Chiefs and some leaders of youth groups.

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