Ghana-Togo border to be opened for 24 hours
Three Ex-DCEs embezzled millions of cedis - Deputy Minister
Lack of Vitamin A kills 5,000 children annually in Ashanti
Excessive alcohol could lead to sterility - Nutrition Officer
Chancellor Brown advocates support for poor countries
New Jersey to support Ghana's agriculture
Army deployed at Zaare as hostilities resume
Papa Ankomah in UK for 51st Commonwealth session
Investigations into Beckley case in early stage - CID
Commonwealth Secretary-General visits Otumfuo
War Against Armed Robbery in Ghana
Suspect jumps to his death in police-military operation
Sub-chief of Bechem elected B.A. Deputy Chief Farmer
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 May 2002- The Ghana-Togo border is to be opened for 24 hours soon, following a decision taken by President John Agyekum Kufuor and President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo at a meeting in Kara, Togo at the weekend. A statement from the Office of the President said the day's official visit was at the invitation of the President of Togo.
It said the visit, which was in the framework of the periodic consultations between the two Heads of State, was a mark of the excellent quality of friendship, brotherliness, co-operation and good neighbourliness between the Ghana and Togo.
The statement said Presidents Kufuor and Eyadema agreed that the Permanent Joint Commission for Co-operation should be convened as early as possible. It said they discussed issues of mutual interest relating to the strengthening of the bilateral co-operation between the two countries.
They also exchanged views on matters of sub-regional and regional interest when they briefed each other on the evolution of the socio-political situation in their respective countries. On relations between the two countries, they agreed to work relentlessly to explore further ways of consolidating growth and development.
President Eyadema expressed the condolences of the government and people to Togo to Ghana and the bereaved families over the recent incidents in the Dagbon Traditional Area, which resulted in the loss of lives and property.
The statement said Presidents Kufuor and Eyadema commended the traditional co-operation between them on energy and re-affirmed their determination to harness their common efforts in order to increase the energy and hydraulic production capacities of countries in the sub-region.
On security, the statement said they reiterated their conviction that no viable development could be achieved within the sub-region without peace, security and stability. The two Presidents, therefore, re-affirmed their total adherence to the quadripartite agreement between Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria and their attachment to the ECOWAS Mechanism on Conflict Prevention and Resolution.
President Kufuor and President Eyadema called for the immediate convening of a summit of member countries, which were signatories to the agreement in order to evaluate their implementation. On ECOWAS, they underscored the necessity to accelerate the integration of the sub-region through effective implementation of measures relating to the free movement of persons and goods, exchange liberalisation scheme and the infrastructure inter-connection programme.
The two Presidents further renewed their commitment to support all African initiatives and actions aimed at the consolidation of all economic and monetary groups such as UEMOA and ECOWAS, which constitute the main basis of the African Union.
The statement said the two Presidents reiterated their firm condemnation of terrorism and stressed the need for a collective organisation and mobilisation in order to combat the canker at all levels, national, sub-regional or international. President Kufuor commended President Eyadema for his firm commitment to peace, security and stability in Africa.
President Eyadema said President Kufuor was a statesman always ready to work for the consolidation of the fraternal, friendly links of co-operation and good neighbourliness among the countries and peoples of the sub-region, especially between Ghana and Togo. He accepted an invitation for a reciprocal visit to Ghana.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 13 May 2002- Three former District Chief Executives (DCEs) alone under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government embezzled more than 2.8 billion cedis, Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (rtd), Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development said on Saturday. He said the ex-DCEs were for Jaman in the Brong Ahafo, Saboba-Chereponi in the Northern Region and New Juaben in the Eastern Region.
Captain Effah-Dartey said a report by the Auditor-General about the accounts of district assemblies between 1999 and 2000 revealed that, the ex-DCE for Jaman DCE one Mr Gyasi squandered 900 million cedis, the one for New Juaben, 900 million cedis while that for Saboba-Chereponi "chopped" more than one billion cedis.
The Deputy Minister who was addressing a forum organised by the Brong-Ahafo regional secretariat of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Sunyani said these were only instances since a lot of the former DCEs were involved in economic crimes against the state. The forum, attended by executives and functionaries of the party and the public was aimed at explaining the achievements and policies of the government.
He said that former DCEs who indulged in acts of financial malfeasance, impropriety and embezzlement would soon be arraigned before court for prosecution, adding that, the issue had been referred to the Attorney General's Department for study.
Capt. Effah-Dartey who is also the MP for Berekum expressed regret that despite Ghana's abundant natural and human resources, it was still struggling to make economic headway and blamed the situation on corruption, mismanagement, misrule and bad governance of the previous government.
The Deputy Minister said "Ghana has no reason to be poor because the situation is our own making," adding that, "if we remain poor, it is just an ungratefulness to God". He said for instance that, the Boti falls in the Yilo Krobo District of the Eastern Region attracted a lot of tourists and holidaymakers on festive occasions yet revenue "was nothing to write home about".
During the NDC era, only 200,000 cedis was being accounted for on every first July, a national holiday, the Deputy Minister said, but since the NPP assumed the reins of government the Assembly generated eight million cedis on the same occasion last year.
Captain Effah-Dartey said Ghana required dedicated, honest and highly principled leaders to lead it but not "those who take advantage of their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of the nation's general progress". Lord Commey, national organiser and Kwame Twumasi Awuah, acting national youth organiser of the NPP respectively and Mr Ignatius Baffuor-Awuah, Sunyani District Chief Executive also addressed the forum.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 13 May 2002- Five Thousand children under five years die from vitamin A deficiency related diseases every year in the Ashanti region. The most common diseases are measles, diarrhoea and respiratory infections. The Ashanti Regional Nutrition Officer, Mrs Abenaa Akuamoah-Boateng, announced this at a Media Review Seminar on Vitamin A supplementation in Kumasi on Friday.
She said vitamin A deficiency also led to blindness, especially among male children and increased risk of sickness and death. Mrs Akuamoah-Boateng said this year's Vitamin A dosing programme, which would be held in 24-25 May and November, would involve 700,000 children and 250,000 lactating mothers in the region.
She said the media had a crucial role to play in the dissemination of information on the programme and urged media practitioners to support the Ministry of Health in the effort to get more children dosed with the supplement.
The Chief Executive Officer of Kapital Radio, a Kumasi based FM station, Mrs Judith Agyeman, said the media had an important role to play in promoting the health of the people. She advised them to give prominence to health issues in their coverage.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 13 May 2002 - Men who consume alcohol in excess run the risk of reduced capacity to produce active sperms and eventual sterility, Nana Abenaa Akuamoah-Boateng, Ashanti Regional Nutrition Officer has said.
She said alcohol taken in large quantities become poisonous to the body and could drastically reduce the level of Vitamin A which was vital for the production of active and matured sperms.
Nana Abenaa was speaking on "Current Information on Vitamin A programme in Ghana an update on 2001 supplementation, with emphasis on the Ashanti Region," at a workshop in Kumasi for Media practitioners. The workshop, which was the second to be organised by the Ministry of Health, was to among things equip them with the requisite knowledge about Vitamin A supplementation.
"For any sperm to be able to fertilise an egg, it needs Vitamin A and this explains why men who drink excessively need to eat more of papaw, mangoes, palm oil and dark green leafy vegetables to increase the level of Vitamin A in their sperms," Nana Abenaa stressed. She observed that vitamin A in alcoholics who helps to neutralise the alcohol and paves the way for the formation of more matured and pro-active sperms, which could easily fertilise any egg it gets in contact with.
Mrs Judith Agyeman, Chief Executive Officer of Kapital Radio, an FM radio station in Kumasi stressed the need for the media to educate communities on health issues since it was only a healthy people who could contribute to national development.
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From Kofi Tay and Beatrice Asamani
New York (USA) 13 May 2002- Mr. Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, on Friday urged rich countries to back the World Bank's initiative on education to fast track the commitment to meeting the goal of primary education for all by 2015.
He said the current level of international support for education was inadequate with less than 5 per cent of total Overseas Development Aid going to basic education. Mr Brown was speaking on "Financing a World Fit for Children" at a breakfast meeting with world leaders, including Vice President Aliu Mahama, and representatives of donor communities as part of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Children.
The United States and the European Union recently pledged at the UN Financing for Development Conference at Monterrey that they would from 2006, raise $12 billion a year for education, health and anti-poverty programmes.
Mr. Brown said to finance universal primary education in 47 poor countries, which were failing to progress would require a minimum of $2.5 billion more per year from donor countries, on top of substantially increased domestic efforts.
He said the rhetoric on education should be matched by resources for developing country pursuing pro-stability, pro-investment policies so that they were not hindered by debt and the lack of resources in achieving their education goals, adding it should be able to offer schooling free of charge.
Mr. Brown noted that "education is the very best anti-poverty strategy, the best economic development programme," adding, "there is simply no better means to empower the powerless, and to put their future directly in their hands."
Almost half of African children and one quarter of those in South and West Asia still do not go to school and the recent World Bank report set out the need for urgent action. Out of a total of 88 countries in danger of missing the goal of primary education for all by 2015, 34 of these are in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Mr. Brown also reminded developed countries that they had signed up to the goal of reducing by half the proportion of hungry people in the world by 2015 but progress towards this target had been far too slow and in many areas - Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Britain, he said, was ready to respond to likely food shortages in Southern Africa as the year progressed, "but all rich nations must coordinate our response internationally."
Mr. Brown urged affected countries to take urgent action to root out corruption and ensure that available food got to the people who needed it stressing that food aid was expensive and not a sustainable solution. Trade liberalization must also be coupled with pro-stability, anti-corruption policies in the developing countries.
"For many children from poor households, primary education is the one chance they will have to acquire basic literacy, numeracy and the essential life skills to enhance their changes of a sustainable livelihood".
Countries must draw up their own education plans, undertake necessary reforms, channelling resources to education through their Poverty Reduction Strategies, abolishing user fees and ensuring that children don't just start school but actually finish their education.
Mr. Brown further proposed to richer countries to step up their commitment to the HIPC initiative by contributing a further one billion dollars for debt relief, poverty reduction and sustainable development for poor countries. He urged rich countries to do more to support HIPC and other low-income countries, which face legal challenges from creditors - both commercial and official - which are unwilling to give debt relief.
He however, particularly condemned the perversity where Vulture Funds purchase debt at a reduced price and make a profit from suing the debtor country to recover the full amount owed - a morally outrageous outcome".
Mr. Brown called on the international community to consider giving technical assistance to any HIPC country being sued by a Vulture Fund and provides them with expert financial advice on debt restructuring to prevent future legal claims.
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From Kofi Tay & Beatrice Asamani
New York (USA) 13 May 2002- Mr James McGreevey, Governor of New Jersey, United Sates, on Thursday said the Rutgers University in his state would collaborate with universities in Ghana to find lasting solutions to the problems that impede the agricultural growth in the country.
Governor McGreevey, who announced this when he paid a courtesy call on Vice President Mahama at the Marriott Hotel in New York, said he would soon lead a trade and investments mission to Ghana to explore opportunities in the agriculture, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and information technology sectors.
The Mayor's visit, which focused on establishing cultural, economic and Social relations between Ghana and his State, was facilitated by Mr George Ntim, a Senior Manager of the Marriot Hotel, who is resident in New Jersey.
Mayor McGreevey said the state of the Art Technology in Rutgers University. New Jersey, would be made available to researchers, farmers and agriculturists in both Ghana and New Jersey to generate research and create data for the benefit of agricultural growth in Ghana.
New Jersey, nick-named the "Garden City," has a booming agricultural sector, with major industries in chemicals, oil refinery, pharmaceuticals, tourism, electrical goods and machinery. Johnson and Johnson and AT and T are two large corporations in the pharmaceuticals and telecommunications, respectively.
With 9,600 large commercial farms, its major agricultural exports are fruits and vegetables, green house products, dairy and poultry products, some of which are processed or canned for exports. About a third of farmers earn more than 10,000 dollars annually.
Mayor Mc Greevey said there was a great deal of goodwill in his State, which has a large population of Ghanaians, towards the country, and this had to be harnessed for the mutual benefit of the people, adding that many citizens of New Jersey trace their ancestry to Ghana.
"We are working towards the trade mission and I would like to sign an agreement with the universities when we come to Ghana to make sure than things happen fast," said the enthusiastic Mayor. Vice President Mahama lauded the opportunity and pledged Ghana's willingness to form such fruitful partnerships to foster socio-economic growth. He said Ghana had embarked on Foreign Direct Investment Drive, which was critical for achieving economic growth and would, therefore, welcome investors from New Jersey.
Vice President Mahama briefed the Governor about Ghana's Golden Age of Business programme, which seeks to create wealth and jobs for citizens through the government's support for the private sector.
He also talked about the policy of "Zero Tolerance for Corruption" and good governance, which he said would create investor confidence and satisfaction. "This is going to be a win-win situation for both of us because Ghana is the Gateway to the sub-region and you can access other markets in West Africa," he said.
Vice President Mahama tasked Ghana's Ambassador to the United Nations, Nana Effah Appenteng and Mr Ntim to collaborate with Mayor Mc Greevey to facilitate the trade mission. New Jersey, with a population of more than 8.4 million people, has 21 counties.
In another development, Mr Bob Watson, Vice President for On-Field Operations of the US Baseball League, called on the Vice President to hold discussions on promoting baseball and other lesser-known sports in secondary schools and other youth institutions in Ghana. Mr Watson, who was a star player for the Yankees, is responsible for ensuring discipline among players of baseball in the United States. He expressed interest in establishing an institution in Ghana to promote sports, friendship and the physical and intellectual development of the youth in Ghana.
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Zaare (Upper East) 13 May 2002- Armed soldiers from Bawku were on Sunday deployed at Zaare, near Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, to reinforce security, after two factions fighting over rights to farmlands clashed again around mid-day, burning down houses, food banks and inflicting cutlass wounds on one another.
The quarrel was sparked off by an attack on a 22-year old man from the Ayoore Gate by persons suspected to be from the opposing Anokobisi Gate, while he was returning home from church. Eyewitnesses said when information reached members of the Ayoore Gate, they turned out in their numbers to retaliate.
The Regional Minister, Mr Mahami Salifu, accompanied by the Regional Police Commander, Mr Bernard Dery, Regional Fire Officer, Mr Joseph Kandue, and the Bolgatanga District Chief Executive, Mr Rockson Bukari, visited the scene of the fight to ascertain the extent of damage.
In an address to both gates, Mr Salifu expressed regret at the incident and said it was unfortunate, considering the remarkable achievements chalked in bringing peace to other areas in the district. He said the country needed peace in order to develop and warned that people who took the law into their own hands would be made to face the law.
Mr Salifu said chieftaincy and land issues were delicate, adding that such matters could only be resolved through dialogue and consensus building. He urged both sides to exercise restraint and live together "as you have done for centuries."
As part of measures to enforce security, residents have been ordered to remain indoors from 1900 hours till dawn. Members of the Red Cross Society were at hand to offer emergency first-aid to the wounded.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 13 May 2002- The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Papa Owusu Ankomah, on Sunday left Accra for the United Kingdom (UK), to attend the 51st session of the Commonwealth Association. The session is being organised by the U K branch of the association for the leadership of parliament of member countries.
Papa Ankomah who is also Majority Leader in Parliament told newsmen before departure that the session would afford delegates the opportunity to exchange ideas and share experiences and also get introduced to parliamentary practices in the British House of Commons.
He said it was important for the leadership of Parliament to respond to such invitations, which he said would enrich their knowledge on the work of parliament, adding that Ghana failed to attend last year's session.
The Minister would visit the local government offices in the UK and meet the Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Speaker of the British Parliament at the No 10 Downing Street. Papa Ankomah would also meet a cross-section of the Ghanaian community. He would be away for ten days.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 13 May 2002- The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police on Sunday, stated that, investigations into the alleged kidnapping of two teenage girls by Dr Ram Beckley, an Occultist and Medical Practitioner was still in the early stage and cautioned the media to be circumspect in their reportage.
Chief Superintendent David Asante-Apeatu, Officer in Charge of Operations briefing newsmen in Accra on the case said "Whilst the police appreciates the effort of the media to keep the public informed, we wish to caution against 'sentimental reportage' that may raise passions to the detriment of peace and order".
He said, "Conclusions on investigations cannot be based on speculations and innuendoes, but on concrete and palpable evidence, especially as regards scientific analysis". Mr Asante-Apeatu noted that it was the duty of the CID to use all available techniques to determine whether or not any crime was committed, who the perpetrators are and to assembly credible evidence, which would help the courts to convict offenders.
He said, "emphasis needs to be made here that, the success or failure of any investigation is highly dependent on the action and inaction of the people who immediately rush to the scenes of crime. Hence crime scenes need to be preserved for clues to be collected to ensure quality investigations at all times".
The Operations Officer declared that, the police would not falter in its investigations into the case and said that even though reliable physical evidence, which could have assisted in the investigations were destroyed by the mob, the police would strive to get to the logical scientific conclusion of the matter.
Chief Superintendent Asante-Apeatu said "under the circumstances prevailing in this part of our world where basic scientific equipment for such specialised forensic analysis is unavailable to the police service, the tendency is to recourse to local scientific research institutions for assistance. This assistance is sometimes not easy to come by".
He cited an example of an official at the Noguchi Research Institute who after assurances later informed the police that "they were not in the position to help in the forensic analysis". "We are however undaunted by this development. We are pursuing contacts with other agencies locally and foreign for assistance with the forensic analysis," he said.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 13 May 2002- The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mr Don McKinnon, on Saturday paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, at the Manhyia palace in Kumasi.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Edward Osei Kwaku, the Commanding Officer of the Northern Command of the Ghana Army, Brigadier George Ayiku and other service commanders accompanied him.
The meeting, which was held behind closed doors, was believed to have centred on bilateral, economic and socio-cultural issues. Mr. Don McKinnon has since left Accra for London after a 3-day goodwill visit to the country.
In an interview with newsmen before departure, he said the visit was successful and mentioned that discussions with President John Agyekum Kufuor were fruitful and productive. Mr. McKinnon said he held deliberations with civil society and non- governmental organisations on their changing roles in society and their relations with government on its decisions and policymaking.
He said discussions were also centred on the Highly Indebted and Poor Countries (HIPIC) initiative and how developing countries could get access to trade with the developed countries. Developing countries he said were not "well served after the Uruguay talks and were now sceptical about going into the next round of talks on how Africa could get access to the world market."
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By Caesar Abagali
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 May 2002- Armed robbery has become the number one menace confronting the Ghanaian society today. Though crime in itself has always been with society for a very long time, it has assumed a very dangerous dimension in recent times, inflicting a lot of harm, pain and deprivation on innocent people.
Armed robbery as a crime assumed an alarming rate in countries such as Nigeria and South Africa in the recent past, compelling their governments to pay critical attention to its causes and effects and adopting measures to clamp down on the perpetrators.
In Nigeria, for example, those caught were tied to the stake and shot. The canker in Ghana has assumed ponderous dimensions, making it necessary for the government to declare war against it as has always been done in other countries.
Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence, with additional responsibility for the Interior, launched an exercise in Accra recently to clampdown on armed robbery. The declaration is a laudable idea and should be made a permanent feature in the security system and not to be a nine days' wonder.
However, it should be within a framework of a well-fashioned policy that would include evolving a multi-faceted approach that would take into account the immigration requirements of the ECOWAS laws of free movement of people in the sub-Region.
The long-term measures should include solving the unemployment situation and generally improving the economic situation in the country. Such a policy must be realistic, simple and captured under the national budget.
Armed robbery can be very expensive to society if not dealt with at the appropriate time because it entails the loss of human life and property and affects the psyche of society. The additional measures such as raiding shops that deal in stolen goods as carried out by the Sunyani Police should be factored into the game plan.
Patience, tolerance and painstaking investigation should be the cornerstone of the exercise to avoid individuals taking advantage to settle scores. It is imperative that measures are instituted to ensure that the military-cum-police raids do not turn out to unleash unjustifiable terror on innocent Ghanaians.
One cannot rule out the fact that innocent people might be caught in the net after every operation. It is, therefore, necessary that measures are instituted to free such persons soonest with the necessary apologies and if possible compensation.
The criminal justice system must be made to respond to the changing situation. The rule of law must be followed to the letter but it must not be seen to be working at cross-purposes against the fight with the robbers.
The courts must ensure the speedy trial of robbers caught right in the act while ensuring detailed and painstaking investigations of suspects caught in swoops to ensure that the innocent ones among them are not unduly detained or harassed.
This would give more impetus to the military and police personnel engaged in the exercise. It would also build the confidence of the people in the judicial system so that they would stop the practice of meting out instance justice to suspected robbers.
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Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 13 May 2002- A suspected criminal jumped to his death at Techiman last Friday in a bid to avoid arrest during a special operation mounted by a combined team of the police and military to clamp down on criminals.
The suspect, named only as Opoku, 25, was said to have attempted to scale over a wall at Agyeiwaa Memorial Hotel during the operation in which 49 suspected criminals were arrested. Opoku, however, fell over the wall and was rushed to the Techiman Holy Family Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp wrapped in papers were found on him. The operation, code-named "Raging Hawk", which involved 11 officers and 184 men, formed part of the national exercise to clamp down on the activities of criminals in the country.
Briefing the Ghana News Agency, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ephraim Oko Brakatu, Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander and leader of the operation, said the exercise was in response to persistent harassment of the people in the region, especially traders, by hardened criminals in the Techiman Market.
Mr Brakatu said the exercise was the first in a series to be mounted by the military and police to flush out criminals in the region. He appealed to the general public to provide the needed information to the police and other security agencies to enable them to flush out criminals from the society.
Major Richard Doku, Acting Garrison Commander of the Third Battalion of Infantry, Sunyani, said the security services were determined to make like unpleasant for criminals. Major Doku, who described the exercise as successful, said the operation would soon be extended to other districts in the region.
He therefore appealed to the district assemblies and traditional rulers to co-operate the security agencies during such exercises. He expressed appreciation to the people of Techiman for their co-operation through the provision of information and food for the team.
Items such as bags of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, whitish substance believe to be cocaine, refrigerators and travelling bags were found on the suspected criminals. The suspects would be screened to identify the criminals among them to be prosecuted but the innocent ones among them would be released.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 13 May 2002- Odiasempa Kwame Bediako 11, Adontenhene of Bechem Traditional Area and Chief Farmer of the Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Farmers Association for the area, was on Friday elected unopposed as the Brong-Ahafo Deputy Chief Farmer of the Association at a meeting held in Sunyani.
Until his new post, Odiasempa Beniako was the Regional Cashier of the Association. At the same meeting, Nana Mensa Dabi, newly elected District Chief Farmer for Sankore "A", was formally introduced to the Regional Chief Farmer, Nana Agyei Damoah.
The post of Deputy Regional Chief Farmer had been vacant for sometime now since Nana Damoah was unanimously selected to his present position of the association after the death of the former Regional Chief Farmer, Nana Boakye. Similarly, Nana Dabi also took over from Nana Boakye who until his death was also the District Chief Farmer for Sankore "A".
Swearing the oath of allegiance to the Regional Chief Farmer, Nana Beniako and Nana Dabi promised to give of their best to assist in the smooth running of the association to ensure better living conditions for farmers in the region.
Nana Kofi Bediako, Chief Farmer of Kukuom, appealed to the government to provide adequate silos for farmers to store their produce for the lean season and to protect them from damage. A representative of the Brong-Ahafo regional office of the Electoral Commission supervised the election.
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