JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PUPIL OF TANO SOUTH DISTRICT FETES WITH PRESIDENT

A Pupil of the Bechem Methodist Junior High School Master Aliu Iddrisu was among a number of school children selected country wide to attend this years (2009) Head of State children party at the Castle Osu Accra.

Master Aliu who according to his headteacher Mr. Anthony Yeboah is in Junior High School form two (2) pupil was chosen on merit raging from academic, character and neatness.

Mr. Yeboah hinted that Master Aliu though walks 14 mites, to and from Bechem to his village daily to attend school, he has never been seen absenting himself from classes and has always taken his studies seriously. Mr. Yeboah described Master Aliu as very disciplined and obedient.

All these remarks on Master Aliu came to light when the District Director of Education for Tano South Mr. Marcus Sarpong led Master Aliu and his headteacher to the Tano South District Assembly to introduce him to the Chief Executive Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba.

The District Chief Executive commended Master Aliu for having been selected to be part of this years Head of State Children Party at the Castle and adviced him to keep up the criteria which made him to be selected to represent the Tano South District.

The Chief Executive again adviced Master Aliu to learn hard to reach greater heights and cautioned him to be careful during the X’mas festivities and not to over enjoy but use the holidays to study.

Master Aliu on his part expressed great joy for having been part of the chosen few who attended the Head of State Children’s Party. He said his selection afforded him the opportunity to visit Accra and the Castle for the first time and more also to have had the chance to interact with the President of Ghana.

He thanked the almighty God, the Tano South District Assembly and the District Directorate of Education for their support and promised he would use that opportunity to further study hard to become a future leader.

DISTRICT INFO OFFICER

PRESIDENT MILLS DONATES FOOD ITEMS TO BECHEM LOCAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

The Tano South District Chief Executive Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba has on behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana H.E. Prof J.E.A. Mills and the Tano South District Assembly donated food items worth GH¢ 3,000.00 to the Bechem Local Council of Churches at a short but impressive Ceremony at the Bechem Presby Church Grounds at Bechem.

Speaking at the handing over Ceremony of the food items which comprised of bags of Rice and Cartons of Edible Oil, the District Chief Executive noted that he was happy that though all those gathered at the ceremony was Christians he has come with officials from the Assembly and felt God was in their presence since the day was not meant for Christians alone but marked the birth of Christ which is Christmas with all manner of people celebrating it.

The District Chief Executive said the token gift from the President and the Assembly was their windows mite to the Council of Churches, though it might not be sufficient since this is the first of it’s kind, it must appreciated. He said his outfit has for some days deliberated on as to how to distribute the items since there was no data on the categories of churches in Bechem and which he said calls for an immediate data collection.

The District Chief Executive said the Tano South District Assembly is in the process of collecting data in all forms in the District since the last data collected on property rate in the District was 20 years ago.

He said a data collecting team would be visiting the people very soon to value property and other data collection and called for co-operation from the people since they would be required to volunteer more information to the team.

The District Chief Executive called on the Churches to help preach peace in the District to help maintain the relatively peace being enjoyed by the people of the Tano South District and hinted that the Assembly would soon form a Peace Council in the district and called for the involvement of the Local Council of Churches.

Speaking at the ceremony, Rev. S. o. Asare, the Bechem District Minister of the Presbyterian Church thanked the District Chief Executive for having had time to meet representatives of the local council of churches and suggested frequent visit to the leaders of the Council to brief them on government policies and programmes so that they could also impart it to the congregation. Rev. Asare said the leaders would come to the District Chief Executive and the Assembly when the need arises and build relationship and also pray for whoever rules the country.

In a remark before receiving the items, the Secretary of the Bechem Local Council of churches Mr. C. O. Amanfo called for unity amongst the churches and refrain from dividing their ranks, this he said would help build a strong council which would be able to seek the welfare of all the churches.

Mr. Amanfo thanked the government of President Mills and the Tano South District Assembly for the kind gesture and said the items would be distributed evenly to all who are to benefit from it.

BOAMPONG BOATENG

FOR DISTRICT INFO OFFICER

FIRE VOLUNTEERS SQUAD LAUNCHED AT MAWANINSO

As part of efforts to help curb the outbreaks of bush fires during this year’s harmattan season, the Social Development and Improvement Agency (SODIA) a Non Governmental Organization in the Tano South District in collaboration with Concern Universal also an Accra based NGO, the District Fire Service and the Tano South District Assembly have Launched a Fire Volunteer Squad at Mawaninso a community in the Tano South District of the Brong Ahafo Region.

Speaking at the function, the District Director of the Non-Formal Education Division Mr. NNN Acheampong who stood in for the District Chief Executive for Tano South Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba commended SODIA and Concern Universal for such a good initiative. He said bush fires if not checked can lead to the loss of properties, unemployment and most importantly kill nutrients in farm lands thereby leading to poverty and famine in the community and the nation as a whole. Mr. Acheampong revealed that the government has plans of providing basic amenities like construction of school buildings, feeder roads and provision of portable water to the Mawaninso community and that it therefore behooves on the people to rally behind the government to bring this dream into reality. He entreated the people to give the needed support to the Fire Volunteer Squad so that bush fires would be prevented in the community. He also hinted that the District Chief Executive on behalf of the Tano South District Assembly have donated Ten (10) Wellington boots and cutlasses to the Fire Volunteers to enhance their work.

The Programmes Officer of SODIA, Mr. Prince Gyamfi outlined some programmes being undertaken by the NGO to help reduce disasters such as rainstorms, erosion, bush fires and deforestation. He therefore stated that a Fire Disaster Committee made up of the National Commission for Civic Education, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the District Fire Service have been set up to help find ways to prevent disasters in the Tano South District. Mr. Gyamfi also revealed that the NGO’s thematic areas for the year included HIV/AIDS Education, Women Empowerment, Rainstorm and Bush Fire prevention. He said three communities made up of Breme, Ohianinguase and Mawaninso were chosen to commence the programme whiles some patriotic volunteers were therefore trained and educated on how to use basic fire fighting equipments to curb fires in case of any eventuality.

On his part the District Fire Officer for Tano South and North Districts Mr. Tekyi Kyereme enumerated some causes of bush fires such as burning of charcoal, hunting, tapping of palm wine and indiscriminate throwing of lighted cigarettes into bushes. He made it known that to protect our river bodies, farms should be three hundred (300) yards away from river banks. Mr. Tekyi Kyereme also noted that it was illegal to use plumbing machines in rivers to irrigate crops and entreated farmers not to burn their bushes from November 2009 to the end of March 2010. He further urged the volunteers to indulge in other gainful venture so as to generate revenue to support themselves.

Speaking at the function, the District National Disaster Management Organization Director Mr. Christian Tetteh commended the volunteers for offering to

serve their community. He therefore entreated them to be of good behavior and approach the task given them with all seriousness. He said the identity cards given them attest to their membership of the squad and must not be used for any fraudulent act. He therefore entreated all hunters, palm wine tappers and ch

arcoal burners to seek permission from the Fire Volunteers Squad before going about their various activities and further revealed that recalcitrant who disobey this directive and cause bush fire would be imprisoned for three (3) years or attracts a penalty not less than Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500).

In a speech, the Odikro of Mawaninso who chaired the occasion Nana Kwadwo Boahene comm

ended SODIA and the other partners for selecting Mawininso for such a good initiative. He therefore pleaded for support and sustenance of the Fire Volunteers Squad so that they can work harder to help curb bush fi

res in the area and the Tano South District as a whole.