YILO KROBO DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE TOURS SOME COMMUNITIES IN HIS DISTRICT

Hon. Andrews Sodah, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Yilo Krobo on the 18th of November 2009 paid a one day working visit to some communities in his district to interact with the people and also assess for himself developments on the ground.

Some of the communities he visited included Aboa Besease and Aboa Osoboninya.

At Aboa Besease Catholic Basic School, Mr. Stephen Amu, the headmaster of the school appealed to the DCE to complete the building of the only school in the community which the previous administration started but could not complete.

Mr. Stephen explained that the buildings that accommodate basic one to six pupils had now become a death trap as the buildings developed deep cracks and could easily go down whenever there is a storm. Snakes also hide in between the cracks posing as a threat to learning activities, added the headmaster.

Mr. Stephen Amu also stated that Aboa Besease with a population of 900 lacks social amenities like electricity and portable drinking water. Women and children travel long distances before getting water. This makes pupils go to school late. He however appealed to the DCE to drill a borehole to serve as source of water and also provide electricity to the community.

The Yilo Krob District chief Executive honorable Andrews Sodah in his response said, rural development is paramount on the NDC government agenda to building a better Ghana. He therefore assured them that all their requests shall be granted in due cause.

On the school building, the DCE disclosed that because the previous administration failed to pay the contractor, he also left the project uncompleted. According to the DCE plans were underway to settle the contractor’s bills so he can complete building.

DCE however challenged parents to invest in their children education especially to the highest level since education does not only end at the basic level. He also entreated them to participate fully in the upcoming population and housing census especially within the district.

In a related development the DCE also paid a working visit to the chief and people of Aboa Osoboninya.

At Aboa Osoboninya, the people appealed to the DCE to provide school desks to the basic school which was built out of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) funds some few years ago. The pupils usually sit on the floor to write during school hours. The people also appealed to the DCE to build teachers bungalow to accommodate teachers who are posted to the community.

The people of Aboa Osoboninya who are basically farmers also appealed to the DCE to establish a cocoa depot where they can market their cocoa.

The DCE however assured the people that their requests shall be granted in due course and urged them to live in love and unity as one people.

In all the communities visited, the DCE thanked the people for the confidence they reposed in the NDC government and reassured them of His Excellency President John E.A Mills’ promise for a better Ghana.

                                                                                              BY: Doris N. Sodjah (ISD, Somanya)

YILO KROBO HOLDS FARMERS DAY

A 45 year old man, Richard Martey has been adjudged the 2009 Yilo krobo District overall best farmer at a farmers’ day celebration held at Opersika.

Richard Martey who is a married man with four children has fourteen acres mango farm, maize seven acres, cassava two acres, pepper one and half acres. For animals he has forty (40) cattle, twenty-three (23) goats, fourteen (14) sheeps among others.

He took home a 20 inches television set, radio, wall clock, 2 bags of fertilizers, spraying machine, 1 full piece wax print, 5 cutlasses, washing bowls, a pair of Wellington booths and a certificate.

Delivering his keynote address under the theme ‘Accelerated Agriculture modernization for food security and economic transformation’, the District Chief Executive Hon. Andrews Sodah, stated that it is government's policy to ensure sustainable increase in agriculture productivity and output to support industries and provide stable income for farmers.

This he said is being achieved through capacity building for farmers, adopting good agricultural practices by farmers, investing of capital into the farming system and the development of rural markets.

He re-emphasized government plan to accelerate modern agriculture to ensure food security and transformation of rural economy.

Hon. Andrews Sodah however said, Government is therefore promoting a value chain development concept where all the various structures in production, processing and marketing are monitored to ensure sustainability. He applauded hard working farmers for providing food for Ghanaians all year round.

The District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Mr. Kofi Larbi in his welcome address said the nation cannot achieve food security and rural economic transformation if banks continue to deny farmers loan facilities.

Mr. Larbi therefore appealed to banks in the district to grant loan facilities to farmers to enhance their productions.

The district overall beast farmer, Mr. Richard Martey expressed his profound gratitude to (MOFA) and the agric extension officers for their assistance and challenged his fellow farmers not to limit themselves to the cultivation of one crop but rather practice horticulture.

By Doris N. Sodjah (ISD, Somanya)



Inspection of farm products by the DCE, Presiding Member, heads of departments and MOFA officials.

 
 
 
 

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION HOLDS WORKSHOP

The Ministry of Information in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) has organized a four day capacity building workshop (from 3rd Nov. – 6th Nov. 09) for twenty District Information Officers and Journalists of the Information Services Department at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

Participants were drawn from Districts which have functioning Community Information Centers (CIC).

The workshop was aimed at equipping participants with the skills of writing news reports, feature articles; news editing and publishing news on human centered developmental issues in their respective districts which would then be posted on the district’s blog to enhance effective access of information through the internet from within and outside the district.

Participants were urged to make use of the little resources available to them to market the various tourist attractions in their districts to the outside world via the internet.

As part of the workshop participants were also taking through practicals on News reporting. This they did by visiting some selected UNDP sponsored projects and reporting on such projects accordingly.

                                                                                                  By Doris N. Sodjah (ISD, Somanya)

IMPACT OF UNDP AND MANYA KROBO RURAL BANK SUPPORT PROJECT

Upper Manya Krobo Rural Bank has been ranked 23rd in the 2008 Ghana Club 100 chart from the initial position of 43rd in 2006.
It was also adjudged the best among other financial institutions in the Eastern Region. This was revealed by Mr. Eric Kwame Tetteh, the Project Manager of the bank.
The bank which currently has a clientele base of about 7,500 achieved this success through its partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Project (MSME) which was initiated in 2006/2007.

Apart from financial support, staff and management of the bank have also undergone UNDP sponsored capacity building programmes within and outside Ghana.

The project which seeks to building human capacity, supporting economic growth, improving and enhancing sustainable livelihoods has been lauded by its beneficiaries.

According to Mr. Emmanuel Padi, a beneficiary of the loan facility, his company, Zidaco Ventures has recorded tremendous growth since he started benefiting from the project.

From a humble beginning of one deep freezer, Zidaco ventures can now boast of two additional stores and a twenty–footer Cargo Van with six employees.

Another beneficiary, Madam Gloria Osei Yeboah a provision store operator, has expanded her business and acquired a three and half pieces of land through the loan facility with flexible terms of payment.

To the beneficiaries, UNDP intervention to the bank was indeed a lifeline in their lifetime.


ISD, Somanya: Gp 1, UNDP sponsored workshop, 5th Nov. 2009

YILO KROBO HOLDS BEST TEACHER AWARDS DAY

The Yilo Krobo District in the Eastern Region of Ghana today the 13th of November 2009 has held its 2008/2009 best teacher awards ceremony at Somanya, the District Capital to motivate hard working teachers.

In all eight winners were selected from both teaching and non teaching staff from various Junior and Senior High Schools in the district.

Delivering his keynote address, the guest speaker who is also the immediate past Director of Education in the District, Mr. David C.O. Sotti, stated that even though teaching is an interesting and noble profession, the challenges and difficulties associated with it are enormous. These challenges and difficulties according to him make the teaching profession unattractive to the youth.

Mr. Sotti further explained that for any professional to give out his best, he needs the basic necessity in life which is accommodation. Teachers nationwide lack this basic necessity which makes it difficult for them to deliver. He therefore pleaded with landlords who are hostile and intentionally increase rent to teachers in their communities to desist from it.

Mr. Sotti advised newly trained teachers not to see the profession as a stepping stone but rather remain committed to their duties.

He also touched on poor remuneration and retirement packages for teachers and appealed to government to give teachers their fair share of the national cake to enable them deliver their best.

The Yilo Krobo District Chief Executive (DCE) Hon. Andrews Soda in his speech disclosed that schools with poor infrastructural facilities will be given a facelift in the first quarter of 2010.

The DCE assured teachers in the District that the Assembly is doing its best to solve their accommodation problems. He however challenged them to reciprocate the assembly’s effort by bringing out their best to improve upon the level of education in the district.

The District Director of Education Mr. Raphael Frimpong Agyei commended the DCE for his initiative of organizing this year’s District awards ahead of the regional awards.

Mr. Raphael Frimpong Agyei however said the District Assembly alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of organizing the award scheme and appealed to corporate institutions to sponsor the scheme.

The award winners took home prizes ranging from table top refrigerators, color TV’s and mattresses.

                                                                                                                   By Doris N. Sodjah (ISD)

PRESIDENT JOHN E.A. MILLS' VISIT TO KROBOLAND

The President John Evans Atta Mills had assured traditional rulers of their inclusion in the execution of developmental projects.

He reiterated that his government will deliver on its promise to provide jobs, investing in people and build a better Ghana for all and added that the assistance of the traditional rulers will be paramount to achieve this goal.

President Mills gave this assurance at a durbar held in his honour by the chiefs and people of kroboland at Somanya on the 15th of October 2009.

He however explained that as part of the agenda to build a better Ghana his administration will very soon introduce new policies to improve the living standard of Ghanaians.

The president also use the occasion to express his gratitude to the kroboland which comprises upper and lower Manya and Yilo krobo districts for the confidence reposed in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government by making the three constituencies in the Kroboland the party’s safe seats for all these years.

The president stated that his government had reciprocated their kind gesture by appointing sons of kroboland to high offices in his administration; he was quick to add that all the appointees in administration from kroboland are performing well.

President Mills also promised the people of kroboland of good drinking water and electricity supply to enhance development.

Delivering his speech, the Eastern Regional Minister Hon. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo hinted that plans were underway to establish mango processing center in the Yilo krobo district. He added that due to this impending project, all major roads in Somanya Township and its environs will be given a facelift befitting a district capital.

In his acceptance address the chairman for the occasion who is also the Konor of Manya krobo Nene Sakitey II said Kroboland provides all the natural resources like water and electricity that are used to develop the big cities, but ironically they are sidelined when it comes to development.

He therefore appealed to government to bring the people of kroboland good infrastructural facilities to improve their living standards.

By: Doris N. Sodjah (ISD, Somanya)

YILO KROBO DISTRICT ASSEMBLY HOLDS ITS EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING

Distirct Chief Executive for Yilo Krobo Hon. Andrews Sodah

The Yilo Krobo district assembly has held the eight ordinary meeting of the fourth session of the Assembly on the 6th and 7th of October 2009.

Delivering his key note address the District Chief Executive (DCE) Hon. Andrews Sodah suggested to the assembly to pass a resolution to enable management acquire all the land around the Boti falls in the Yilo Krobo District of the Eastern Region compulsorily to attract investors for better development.

The DCE said this had become the last resort because all efforts by the assembly to resolve the misunderstanding between the land owners and the assembly had proved futile.

According to him (DCE), in spite of the successful organization of this year’s 1st July celebrations through the collaboration of the assembly and landowners, over six thousand Ghana cedi being revenue generated is yet to be retrieved from the landowners.

On education, the DCE Hon. Andrews Sodah also expressed his concern about the fallen standard of education in the Yilo Krobo District.

He explained that although the district recorded 41.3% at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for 2008/2009 academic year as against 39.9% for 2007/2008 academic year it was still not the best. To this effect the District Director of education has constituted a committee to investigate the fallen standard of education in the district, said by the DCE.

The DCE therefore encouraged the assembly members to assist the committee in its work and participate fully in the process to bring out a lasting solution to the problem.

The DCE also charged the Assembly members to make sure that decision taken at Assembly meetings were carried to citizens of their communities as their communities are also stakeholders of the assembly.

The DCE again challenged the assembly members to make use of the few opportunities available at the assembly to upgrade themselves academically as they are role models in their various communities. He also touched on the state of insecurity in the district and urged members to report people with questionable characters to the police for investigation to be conducted, adding that some of the armed robbers had relocated from the big cities to the district levels.

The DCE then pledged the assembly’s support to the police urging them to do their best to combat crime in the district.

Presiding Member for Yilo Krobo District Assembly - Hon.Nii Addy

                                          By: Doris N. Sodjah (ISD, Somanya)

MY FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

As part of activities to mark this year’s ‘my first day at school’ in the Yilo Krobo District, the DCE Hon. Andrew Sodah paid a working visit to some schools in the district and donated learning materials to pupils in KG and basic one.

Delivering his address, the DCE challenged teachers not to focus on the problems they encounter in their communities but rather put up their best to help improve the fallen standard of education in the district.

He however disclosed that an annual best teacher’s award ceremony will be organized in the district to serve as motivation to selfless and hard working teachers. He said the Assembly will do it’s best to provide all the necessary logistics to enable them enjoy their stay and bring out their best.

Mr. David Sotti the district director of education also called on the teachers to desist from all forms of unacceptable behaviors and respect the teaching profession as they serve as role models to the pupils.

Some of the schools they visited include Odortorm L/A Primary, Klo-Agogo Anglican Primary, Klo-Agogo Presby Primary, Klo-Akwapim KG Primary Nsutapong Methodist Primary, Djeopleminya L /A Primary School, and Ahenkwa L /A Primary School.

COMMISIONING OF A HEALTH FACILITY

The Government of Ghana in collaboration with the European Union has commissioned a health facility at Oterkpolu in the Yilo Krobo District of the Eastern Region of Ghana.

1n 1990 the European Union came into partnership with the government of Ghana to assist rural communities in Ghana by providing social amenities to improve the living standards of the people. The beneficiary communities include Sikabeng, Opersika, Sutawa, Samlesi-Amanga, Trom, Klo Agogo, Aboabo, Oterkpolu, Obenyemi, Somanya and others.

The DCE Hon. Andrew Sodah pledged the support of the Assembly to make the facilities beneficial to all.

The Assemblyman of the area expressed his gratitude to the European Union and government of Ghana for providing the facility to the community.

HELP THESE SCHOOLS - IN THE YILO KROBO DISTRICT 2

                

HELP THESE SCHOOLS - IN THE YILO KROBO DISTRICT

Dedication Of Comptuters - Klo Agogo Senior High School

It was history at the Klo Agogo Senior High School on the 26th of  June 2009, as Krobo Hill Resort Limited, Community Information Centre and the Yilo Krobo District Assembly incollaboration with Planting Teachnology donated 20 destop computers to the school.

In attendance was The Eastern Regional Minister Hon. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the DCE, District Director of Education Head of departments Chiefs and people of Yilo Krobo Tradional Area.


 Tape Cutting by the Regional Minister

Yilo Krobo District

The Yilo Krobo District is one of the twenty one districts in the Eastern Region. It lies approximately between latitude 60 .00’N and 00 .30’N and between longitude 00. 30’ and 10 .00’W. It covers an estimated area of 805sq.km, constituting 4.2 percent of the total area of the Eastern Region with Somanya as its capital.

The district is bounded in the north and east by Lower Manya Krobo District, in the South by Akwapim North and Dangme District and on the West by New Juaben Municipal, East Akim Municipal and Fanteakwa District. There are however, conflicts over some resources among Manya, Yilo and Akwapim North Districts due to unclear demarcation of boundaries.

WELCOME TO THE SOMANYA CIC

The vision of the Community Information Centre is to create rural access centres and use the medium of ICT to promote community-based ICT applications that will promote operational efficiencies delivered through effective and timely availability of information.