SENIOR CITIZEN’S DAY CELEBRATED AT BECHEM

The 57^th edition of the Senior Citizen’s Day celebration has been held at the DCE’s residency at Bechem. The day which  saw past MPs and DCEs of the two major political parties, retired civil servants, opinion leaders, elderly persons and some sectional heads of the Assembly including the DCE for Tano South District, Hon. Collins Offinam Takyi.

 PICTURE above shows a cross section of invited guest and dignitaries at the function.

In a short opening address, the former presiding members of the Assembly, Hon. Anthony Opoku thanked God for given us the strength and energy to celebrate the 57^th Republic Day and humbly informed the older generation to advise the youth to play their expected roles and responsibilities to ensure that peace prevails in the district and also urged all to support the new DCE to ensure the development of the district.

The former presiding member of the Assembly addressing the gathering

A former DCE for the district during the Ex – President John Agyekum Kuffour’s  administration, Hon. Sekyere Bota thanked the DCE for the Tano South District and the Management of the Assembly for the initiative taking to invite  prominent political leaders in the district to the occasion and hinted that since Ghana is declared as an industrialized country, there is the need for all to rally behind the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo – Addo to implement the one district, one factory policy to  improve the livelihood  of many Ghanaians. He used the occasion to inform all present to collaborate and unite to ensure that the district develops and also reduce rural- urban migration.                       

A former DCE for T ano South District and currently the Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the NDC Hon, Opoku Atuahene thanked the DCE  and all present for allowing him to address the gathering. He said that there is the need for the older generation to play their role to ensure that the younger generation becomes law- abiding citizens. He said the democratic nature of Ghana makes Ghanaians go for polls every four (4) years and said since government is a continuous process, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo- Addo will continue projects started by the previous governments to ensure the country is developed and urged all and sundry to support government to deliver its mandates.

Former DCEs and MP speaking at the function

Speaking to the gathering, a former MP for the constituency during Ex- President John Agyekum Kuffour’s administration, Hon Adjei Yeboah said since Ghana is celebrating the 57^th Republic Day, it is imperative for the older generation to teach the younger generation the right thing and also to remember our forefathers who toiled to achieve Ghana’s independence. He informed the senior citizens and other civil society to play their role to support government to implement its policies and programmes and informed them to preach peace in the district and the country as a whole.                    

On behalf of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo – Addo, and the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, the DCE for Tano South District, Hon. Collins Offinam Takyi thanked all gathered for honouring the invitation. He said some years ago Ghana was under a Colonial Rule but due the efforts of some eminent Ghanaians our independence was attained and which later led to the country attaining a Republican Status and urged all to respect each other to ensure peace continue to prevail in the country.

He said since Ghana has limited resources to finance its projects, there is the need for government to secure financial assistance from the International partners to undertake   projects and complete those initiated by previous governments and commended the former DCEs, MPs, Nananom, and DISEC for the efforts put in place to ensure peace still exist in the district.

                        

The Tano South DCE addressing the gathering

Hon. Offinam said, since the development of the district is a shared responsibility, government through the Assembly will do extensive consultation to take decisions concerning the development of the district and appealed to Nananom to also do all it takes to address land disputes pertaining in some part of the district. He said chain saw operational activities deplete our forest and informed all present to educate the younger generation to eschew from deforestation and said that, the government is putting measures in place to ensure the youth acquire jobs.

Hon. Offinam said the outbreak of fire sometimes endangers the life of people and others’ properties and informed all to put an end to the activities which led to fire outbreaks during the dry season and hinted that government through the Assembly is working assiduously to ensure that, all on – going projects are completed before new projects are initiated by the Assembly.

He said the Assembly’s internally generated funds are not being paid as expected by the tax payers and informed all gathered  and various bodies to educate all tax payers to honour their tax obligations so that, the Assembly can get enough money to undertake its core functions to ensure the district is developed.

Nana Awuah- Boadi , the Bechem Nifahene who chaired the occasion advised the parents to send their children to school for them to learn and become  our future leaders and also be law- abiding citizens and said that this occasion also gives an opportunity to the older generation to add their voice to the decision making processes of the Assembly.

                        

Nana Awuah- Boadi who chaired the occasion

ROYAL LADIES ASSOCIATION DONATES ITEMS TO THE BECHEM SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND

Items worth GH¢ 10,000 and amount of GH¢ 2,000 have been given to the Bechem School for the deaf and blind by the Royal ladies Association of Ghana, Kumasi branch.

A line up of Royal Ladies and the items donated

The President of the Association, Nana Adwobi said the Association which was established to cater for brilliant but needy students received a request  from Nana Nkwantabisa  to come to the aid of the Bechem School for the deaf and blind and it is upon this request that  the Royal  Ladies Association has come to Bechem to donate assorted  items such as cooking oil, toilet rolls, bags of maize and rice, soaps, pomade etc to the School to ensure that the management of the school is able to feed the students as expected so that the students can stay and learn.

                        

The president of the Association, Nana Adwobi speaking at the function

She said, even though the school is benefiting from the government’s school feeding programme and that ,the effort of the government alone cannot solve the problems confronting the school and said  the support of the Association will go a long way to help the students.

The headmistress of the School, Madam Alice Oppong Adobea on behalf of the management, staff and students thanked the Association for their kind gesture and said the Bechem School for the deaf and blind which was established in 1969 started with thirty (30) students but currently, the School has more than (450) students’ population covering the KG department to the technical division and called for the blessings of the Lord for the Association.

                       

The headmistress of the school speaking at the function

The Presiding Member for Tano South District Assembly, Hon. John Dadzie who delivered a speech on behalf of the Tano South District Chief Executive said, it is a great honour for him to be part on the occasion as the relief items to be presented to the School by the Royal Ladies Association and said, since education plays a key role in the development of human, there is the need the government to support the school the with necessary logistics. He called on the philanthropist and benevolent organization to support the educational sector so that the teachers will acquire the necessary teaching and learning materials to teach the students.

He used the occasion to appeal to other spirited organizations and individuals both home and abroad to emulate the example of Royal Ladies Association and come to the aid of the school and urged the Association not to let their benevolence be nine day wonder but continue to support the Bechem School for the deaf and blind by providing the school with workshop tools and equipment, means of transport and the rehabilitation of the school’s roads.

                     

The presiding of the Assembly addressing the gathering

He thanked Nana Opoku Nkwantabisa, the Ex – Krontihene of Bechem through whose efforts and linkage has facilitated the donation of the items by the Royal Ladies and called for God’s blessings for him and assured that the Assembly and management of the school will ensure that the items donated are put to good use.

Mr. Richard Oppong who represented the Tano South District Director of Education informed the teachers to do all it takes to teach the students as and when necessary. He said if the students are properly taught by teachers the students will be able to pass all exams and further their education.

In a short closing remark, Nana Awuah Boadi , the chairman of the programme thanked the Association and urged them to consider constructing a one unit building for the school so that the legacy of the Association will be remembered.

                       

Nana Awuah -Boadi, the chairman of the occasion