Akufo-Addo promises to establish Forward Operating Base in Jomoro Municipality
The President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pledged his commitment to establish a Forward Operating Base (FOB) for the country’s military at Ezinlibo in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region for the protection of the country’s oil resources. President Akufo-Addo who is also the Commander in chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) made the above utterance on Friday, October 19, 2018 at the graduation parade of the Ghana Military Academy (GMA), Teshie, near Accra, where he commissioned 138 cadet officers into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). Forward Operating Base (FOB) is any secured forward operational level military position commonly a military base that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. An FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, machine shop or other logistical facilities while the base may be used for an extended period of time. They are traditionally supported by Main Operating Bases that are required to provide backup support to them while a FOB also improves reaction time to local areas as opposed to having all troops on the main operating base. Ghana, a few months ago, emerged victorious in a three-year maritime boundary dispute with neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire at the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Germany. The Chamber, in a unanimous decision on Saturday, 23 September 2017, ruled that there had not been any violation on the part of Ghana on Côte d’Ivoire’s maritime boundary. The Chamber rejected Côte d’Ivoire’s argument that Ghana’s coastal lines were unstable. Accordingly, the two countries have signed agreements on the implementation of the ruling by the tribunal. Speaking at the graduation ceremony, President Akufo-Addo revealed that a contract has been signed for the establishment of a Forward Operating Base at Ezinlibo in the Jomoro Municipality to protect Ghana’s oil resources. “A contract has also been signed for the construction of a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Ezinlibo in the Western Region to protect our oil resources, he assured. He said the government had signed a contract with a firm for work to begin on the project while the Ministry of Defence and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) had also ordered six patrol boats to augment the fleet of the Navy as part of moves to protect the nation’s maritime resources and oil fields. “In conjunction with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, the Ministry of Defence has ordered six patrol boats for the Ghana Navy to help in the protection of our maritime resources and our oil fields. We have increased, since February 2017, the UN peacekeeping daily earned amount from $30 to $35, and consistently ensured that troops are paid at their operational areas, rather than being paid here at home,” he added. Whilst acknowledging that there are still some issues to be addressed, President Akufo-Addo assured that “other accommodation and equipment needs of the Ghana Armed Forces will be duly resolved to enhance efficiency and morale.” With the Ghana Military Academy not witnessing any significant development in its infrastructure, since its establishment in 1960, the President told the gathering that he has directed the Minister for Defence to take steps to wall off the remaining lands. “Plans have also been put in place for the building of new, state-of-the-art infrastructure to meet the requirements of a 21st century training institution. This is a legacy I would want to bequeath to the Ghana Armed Forces,” he added. Maintain good relations with civilians. To the graduating officer cadets, President Akufo-Addo stated that they are joining a profession whose members have not only upheld its image, but also continue to ensure that the territorial integrity of our nation is preserved, thereby making Ghana peaceful and stable. “In order to execute your onerous obligations, the motto of the Academy, ‘Service, Devotion and Sacrifice’, must always be your guiding principles. You must bear in mind that the Ghana Armed Forces, over the years, has striven to maintain a healthy relationship with the civilian population, in line with the tenets of national integration and cohesion,” the President said. After the President’s announcement, some media houses have reported that the military base would be established in Ellembelle District of Western Region and the town where the base is going to be established has also been wrongly spelled. But a visit to the actual place by the GhanaWeb’s Western Regional Correspondent on Sunday, October 21, 2018, has revealed that the military base (Forward Operating Base) will be established at Ezinlibo in the Jomoro Municipality not Ellembelle District. The visit to the community has also helped GhanaWeb to cite a site plan of the proposed military base in the area. Interacting with some folks in the community, they thanked President Akufo-Addo for recognizing their area for this such an important project. The Assembly Member for the area, Hon. Emmanuel Assuah-Achie popularly known as Emmaseco said if project is established it will improve the economic activities of the area. He also thanked President Akufo-Addo for bringing such project to his electoral area. He confirmed the proposed site plan for the project cited by GhanaWeb as authentic and added the community is ever ready to cooperate with the contractor to establish it. He, therefore, used the opportunity and appealed to the youth in the area to support the contractor to establish it on time and also advised them to be disciplined before, during and after the project. He added “Mr. Reporter you have done well to visit here to ascertain the fact because I became worried when some media houses were saying that the establishment of the military base to protect our oil resources was going to be established in Ellembelle, God bless you for coming here. I urge the government to honour his promise and let me assure the government that we the people of Ezinlibo support this project and we will cooperate with the contractor to finish the project on time”. In all, 138 cadet
Jomoro MP cuts sod to build teachers quarters
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro Constituency of the Western Region, Mr. Paul Essien has reaffirmed his commitment to the provision of good quality and affordable education delivery by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration. Mr. Essien who is also a Deputy Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs noted that education continues to remain a vital tool to personal and national development especially with the depletion of the land through oil, gas and mining explorations. To this end the MP pronounced that “my term will witness an unprecedented and massive infrastructural and human resource development in the arena of education”. Mr. Essien, who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, made this known during a ground-breaking ceremony at Mangyea and Bonyere near Half-Assini to kick start the construction of seven quarters for Circuit Supervisors in the Jomoro Constituency. According to the MP,four(4) of the quarters which is a-three-bedroom and a hall plus kitchen,toilet and a bath self-contained, is to be built by the end of 2018 at Mangyea, Bonyere,Twenene and New Nzulezo with the additional three (3) to be cited and built next year under the MP Education Project Fund. The MP was accompanied by the District Director of Education for Jomoro, Mr. Peter Blay Ackah, the District Chief Executive for Jomoro, Mr. Ernest Kofie and an Assistant Director of Education in charge of Supervision, Madam Agnes Arthur. Mr. Essien noted that supervision and monitoring was at the heart of good quality education delivery hence it was imperative to accommodate each Circuit Supervisor in his circuit to deal with the problem of operating from far away their circuits. He charged the Circuit Supervisors to discharge their oversight responsibilities with diligence for the schools to produce better results in academics and extra-curricula activities to change the fortunes of the District. As part of the MP”s avowed commitment towards the pursuit of education, he has organized free classes for 437 remedial students and quiz competitions on FM stations for the Junior High Schools. Mr. Essien said computer laboratories would be set up in the schools which emerge first to fourth and an additional computer laptop would be given to each school child who excels in the six month competition. The MP announced that nine (9) schools in the District would benefit from the School Feeding Program this year. He advised parents to monitor their children to stay away from the Kunkum Bagyea romantic program and tune in to the FM stations during the quiz competition. The MP said it is the intention of the NPP government to to offer prudent economic policies that is why the free Senior High School policy had started with free exercise and textbooks, footwear, free meals which has indirectly put monies in the pockets of Ghanaians. He promised to refurbish the Half-Assini Senior High School Girl’s dormitory and asked the people to initiate Self-Help developmental projects for government to assist them. The District Director of Education Mr. Blay Ackah said accommodation was a major problem facing Circuit Supervisors posted to the District. He stressed the need for teachers to insulate themselves from politics and support government projects. Mr. Blay Ackah appealed to Nzemas to pursue higher education before they could be absorbed in the oil and gas industry. The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Jomoro, Mr. Ernest Kofie pledged the Assembly”s resolve to assist the MP”s project. He said the Assembly had signed a contract to procure furniture for the schools and promised to assist the Bonyere community to upgrade its Kindergarte. Source : ghanamps.com
MCE for Jomoro worried over security threats
The Jomoro District Assembly in the Western Region has held its second Ordinary General Meeting for the year 2017 to address challenges facing the District and find solutions to them. The meeting brought together the District Chief Executive (DCE), Jomoro Magistrate, Assemblymen and women, Government appointees, Chiefs and Queen mother, Heads of Department, Political Party Executives, Non-Governmental Organizations and the media. Addressing the meeting, the DCE Hon. Ernest Kofie, expressed profound gratitude to President Akufo-Addo for the opportunity granted him to represent him in the Jomoro District. He also thanked the Paramount Chief of Western Nzema Traditional Council, Awulea Annor Adjaye III, Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie and his Deputy, Hon Eugenia Kusi, the Member of Parliament of the area, Hon. Paul Essien, Assembly Members, Heads of Department, among others,s for their unflinching support given to him. The District Chief Executive took over the administration of the Jomoro District on 1st November 2017 and assumed work officially on Monday, November 6, 2017. Security Situation In The District The Members were briefed on the security situation in the area. Hon. Ernest Kofie expressed his worries over the security threats in the District and called on the Members of the Assembly to play their roles in sustaining peace in the area. “There is a relatively calm security situation in the District. However, stealing of coconut, chieftaincy disputes in areas such as Bonyere, Ellenda, Tikobo No. 2, Nvellenu, Bawia and the use of motorbikes for commercial purpose popularly known as ‘Okada’, are, however, threats to security in the District. There was also a murder case at Takinta four months ago and an armed robbery at Elubo, which resulted in the death of one person about two months ago. The DISEC and other agencies are working assiduously to maintain peace in the District. Hon. PM, most of the security agencies are operating under very challenging conditions. Office and residential accommodations woefully inadequate. The current Police- Citizen ratio of one police officer to about two thousand (1:2,000) people puts a lot of pressure on the police. Let us all be involved in the maintenance of peace in the District by volunteering the needed security information to the police for the necessary urgent action. I want to also plead with Hon. Members to remain neutral in all disputes, especially chieftaincy and land-related disputes”, he highlighted. Revenue Performance Hon. Presiding Member, this year has been very challenging. The Internally Generated Fund (IGF) is not doing well as expected. The Assembly estimated to collect an amount of GHc. 712,732.00 in 2017. The total collection as at 30th September, 2017, stood at GHc. 350,554.84, representing 49 per cent of the budgeted figure. Management has put in place a revenue task force to augment the effort of the revenue staff. A revenue Committee involving the various revenue departments have also been put in place to compile data and do regular assessments of the revenue performance. Public education on revenue has also been organised. We are also going to vigorously embark on the collection of property rates. This, combined with the operations of the task force, would enable us to raise enough funds for developments. Most of the statutory funds are still in arrears. The fourth quarter of 2016 and the first and second quarters of 2017 of the District Assemblies Common Fund totaling GHc. 900,615.89 has been received. The first and second quarters’ allocations of the MP’s Common Fund have also been received. The Assembly is still waiting for the third and fourth quarters’ allocations. Nothing had been received yet for DDF. Planting for Food and Investment Programme The planting for food, jobs and investment programme by the government is ongoing in the District. Pepper and rice production is being promoted under the food and jobs programme. 20 bags of rice seed, 595 sachets of pepper seed, 100 bags of ammonium fertiliser, and 100 bags of NPK have been supplied to farmers under the programme. One Female Agric Extension Officer has been posted to beef up the staff strength of the Agric Department. Fifty-one (51) Farmers have cultivated a total of 51.0 hectares of land for pepper production in 12 communities. The Agric District Department will soon embark on a sensitisation exercise to encourage groups and individuals to engage in the cultivation of these crops. Various credits and support facilities are available under the programme. One District, One Factory Hon. PM, frantic efforts are being made for the establishment of industries in the District under the 1D-1F policy. The industries are to be established from the coconut oil and gas raw materials. I call on Honourable Members and the traditional authorities to effectively collaborate to play their respective roles well to provide the congenital environment for these industries to thrive. Ghana School Feeding Programme According to him, “This initiative by the government is on course in the District. New caterers who applied for the programme were interviewed in July 2017 and have subsequently been appointed to work on the programme” He also revealed that fourteen new caterers have been appointed to start cooking for the beneficiary schools in the District. He also added that payment for the first term of the 2016/2017 academic year has been paid. “The second and third terms’ payments are in arrears”. Major Development Projects Hon. PM, not many physical projects were witnessed in the District during the period. Most of the projects executed were roll-on projects from 2016. Prominent among the projects are; 1. Part payment for the industrial site at Elubo 2. Construction of No. 1 Semi-detached Staff accommodation at Half Assini – 82% completion 3. Construction of CHPs compound at Nuba and Mpataba – 100% completed 4. Construction of CHPs compound at Adusuazo – 95% completion 5. Construction of 6-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities at Anwiafutu – 90% completion 6. Re-roofing of DCD’s bungalow – 100 completed 7. Rehabilitation of market sheds at Tikobo No. 1 – 100% completed 8. Rehabilitation of borehole at Ahobre – 100% completed. Key Development
MCE appeal to investors – Help revive coconut factory
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Jomoro in the Western Region, Ernest Kwofie, is calling for the revival of the coconut processing factory in the district. According to him, it appears investors and corporate entities in the country had lost sight of the economic value in the processing and sale of coconut related products. He made this revelation on the sidelines of a day’s conference organised by Ghana Export Promotion Authority. It was aimed at helping the MMDCEs in the Western Region to identify one exportable product in their district. He intimated that the coconut factory when revived would contribute immensely to the country’s export earnings and create jobs for the teeming youth within the district. Mr Kwofie recounted how the defunct coconut factory used to process coconut fiber into fertilisers for exportation had to collapse due to the cost of production and unfair trade practices. “The coconut factory in its prime time did process coconut fiber into fertilisers and they were exporting it to the Caribbean which was fetching the country much foreign exchange and also created lot of jobs for the local people…but owing to cost of production and unfair trade practices the factory had to collapse. The nation is losing revenues,” he indicated. He added that Jomoro Municipality was noted for its production of coconut oil for the local market. In this regard, Mr Kwofie said he was positive that that factory when revived will produce processed coconut oil in larger quantities, which will be exported to other countries. He therefore, called on investors and corporate entities to take advantage of the one district one factory policy and set up factories to fully utilise the resources which were in abundance in the district. Mr Kwofie reiterated that “Jomoro Municipality is expecting more than one factory, because aside from coconut which is in abundance in the district, Jomoro also has oil and other cash crops… therefore, investors should take advantage of the policy of one district one factory and troop into the district and set up factories to leverage on these resources.” He however, asserted that his office was opened to welcome investors, and assured providing a business friendly environment for businesses to strive. Source : todaygh.com | Story: Simon Ahensah, ATV, Takoradi, Western Region
Jomoro Municipal assembly confirms MCE
Half Assini (WR) Nov. 8, GNA – Members of the Jomoro District assembly have finally endorsed Mr Ernest Kwofie as the District chief executive for Jomoro. This is the fourth time the Assembly members had to vote to confirm the nomination of Mr Kwofie. He polled 47 out of the 49 votes cast with two rejected ballots. Mr Kwofie 43, years old and a native of Tikobo number one holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Cape Coast. The Western Regional Minister Dr Kwaku Afriyie who swore Mr Kwofie into office, thanked the Assembly members for confirming the MCE and asked them to give him the needed support to perform his duties. The MCE in a brief address, thanked the President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo for nominating him as the District Chief Executive for the Jomoro area. He commended the Assembly members for the confidence reposed in him after having to appear before them four times to seek their mandate Mr Kwofie promised to give of his best to ensure the development of the district and urged the members to give him the needed assistance and support to enable him perform his duties effectively. He also pledged to always consult them before any action was taken.
Jomoro District finally gets MCE
Has a Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr. Ernest Kwofie, who was approved by 47 out of 49 Assembly Members, signifying an overwhelming endorsement. The approval process, which involved an election, was officiated by the Deputy Western Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Godwin Mensah Tawiah. His approval on Wednesday was the fourth in a series of attempts to get the President’s nominee approved by the Assembly after one nominee was rejected three times. The first nominee, Mr. Eric Muah, was outrightly rejected by Assembly Members. The Jomoro district had been without a DCE after Mr. Eric Muah was rejected on three different occasions. Hon. Ernest Kwofie, during his inauguration, commended President Akufo-Addo, the Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Paul Essien, and other stakeholders for trusting him to lead the members in Jomoro District. He said the District, which is in its formative stage, required a very aggressive and tactical approach to ensure the development of the area. He promised to address the falling standard of education, improve the quality of healthcare delivery and improve sanitation. “The development agenda of the District is delaying and we have to start the works immediately to catch up with other Districts,” he noted. He called on the people in the District to support him regardless of their political standing and asked for unity to facilitate progressiveness in the district. He also called for peaceful co-existence to ensure the smooth implementation of pro-poor programmes, including the planting for food and jobs, one-district-one factory, among others. The Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, congratulated the DCE on his confirmation and charged him to work with all the people in the District. He promised to work hard with the new DCE to ensure smooth administration of the District. Present at the confirmation were the Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Deputy Western Regional Minister, Hon.Eugunia Kusi, NPP Western Regional Acting Chairman, Mr. Francis Ndede Siah, Member of Parliament for Jomoro Constituency, Hon. Paul Essien, NPP Western Regional Secretary, who is also a Presidential Staffer, Mr. Charles Bisiw and others. Source: ghanaweb.com
Jomoro Assembly elects a new presiding member
The Jomoro District Assembly of the Western Region on Tuesday November 21, 2017 at Half Assini elected Mr. John Yankey, a Government Appointee and a banker as its new Presiding Member. Forty-two (42) out of the fifty-one (51) members of the Assembly who were present voted and Mr. John Yankey polled 37 votes as against 4 votes and 1 rejected. He was a sole candidate who contested. The election was officiated by the Western Regional Director of Electoral Commission (EC), Mr. Opoku Mensah during the 2nd Ordinary Meeting of the Assembly. Mr. Abdul Majid Illiasu, a District Magistrate, administrated the oaths of office, allegiance and secrecy to Mr. John Yankey. In his acceptance speech, Mr. Yankey thanked God for bringing him this far and thanked his colleagues for giving him the mandate to serve the District. He also thanked the security men in the District for maintenance of peace and order before, during and after the confirmation of DCE nominee. He called for their support and cooperation to enable him execute the mandate given him, adding “you cannot put me here and decide to leave me alone, we need to collaborate and forge ahead with the development of the District”. He pledged to conduct himself in line with the laid down rules of the Assembly in other for the house to take best decision that would bring change to the inhabitants of the District. Mr. Nyame urged the assembly members not to lose sight of the fact that development was inclusive; hence, the need to bring all on board in the fight against poverty, hunger and diseases. “Development is a shared responsibility, so all must be committed to the development agenda and poverty reduction strategy,” he said. Mr. Yankey also called on the Assembly Members to help mobilise enough internally generated revenue for development projects. “Now that the District has a new DCE, the development of the District will be rapidly and I’m a happy man to have a DCE, District Coordinating Director of the District “, he excited. Present at the meeting were, the District Chief Executive for Jomoro, Hon Ernest Kofie, Jomoro Magistrate, Mr. Abdul Majid Illiasu, Jomoro District Coordinating Director (DCD) Mr. Baffour Ahmed Harunah, Heads of Department, Chiefs, NGOs among others. Source: ghanapoliticsonline.com | Daniel Kaku