OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT…invitation to 2014 Ngmayem festival

The Prez., John Dramani Mahama delivering his speech at the 2012 Ngmayem durbar

Hi Mr. President,

I bring you warm felicitation from the home of quality & original beads and rich culture, Odumase-Krobo. It has become necessary that I check on you and make a few observations known to you as we the Krobos wrap up and start a new year this October.

The whole of this week, the town has been bubbling with rich cultural activities to mark the annual Ngmayem festival of the Chiefs and people of my Manya Krobo (my homeland).

We have a few more days and activities to go but tomorrow (Friday October 30, 2014) is the d-day for the grand durbar which will see lots of dignitaries in attendance.

I vividly remember that you graced the durbar in October 2012 but some of us were under the impression that you came that year because you needed us (our votes) even more than we needed you to add to the beauty of the durbar.

I was personally not convinced that you would have come that year looking at how tight you were on the day but you surprisingly came (though late) because it was an election year and your presence must be felt to pull you some more floating votes.

I still remember that you hurried through your schedule and your “equally important national assignments” (as is often the excuse) one of which was that year’s National Ed….. gathering/celebration in the capital city of Accra which ended around mid-day.

Ordinarily, our durbar ends just around mid-day or 1pm latest, but that year, we had to “WASTE” time in wait for you because you wanted to come at all cost. And true to your words (and promise to come) you drove at “top speed” from Accra and arrived at Odumase-Krobo within the blinking of an eye and hey, you, characteristic of you, wowed and sparked the crowd on your arrival. Whether or not your coming resulted in the massive votes you garnered in the presidential election is something I can’t really prove with figures, but I shudder to think that it did.

I also know that because it often rains on the durbar day every year, the practice has been to swerve the rain by closing the durbar early, say by noon. That year was an exception, we waited and waited for you, drummed and danced to while away time. We literally had to pause the main activities of the programme with a LOOOOOOONNNGGGG musical interlude from the Police band.

One of the chiefs being beaten by the rain

Before we could say jack, it started raining and you even had to deliver your speech under the cover of an umbrella. That was the first day I saw chief literally swimming in palanquins. We were heavily beaten by the rain on our return from the durbar and that was because we delayed.

Why would I conclude that you came in 2012 mainly to pick your badly needed vote? President Kuffour did same in 2008 (also an election year) and that was the last time I saw a sitting president at the durbar (at least in recent times) until you also came in 2012 (also an election year). I know you can’t be jumping from one festival to the other throughout the year, neither can you be at our Ngmayem durbar annually but when you time your coming to coincide only with an election year, then you push us into arriving at the conclusion that you come only when YOU NEED US and not really when we do

I am watching with rapt attention and in an attention position if you will prove me wrong.

Sources have told me you have been invited and you are coming godo godo; please do ok to clear that baseless perception of mine (only formed through observation)

I welcome you I advance

Mo heeeeeeee Mr. President !!!!

Traditional priests, known in Krobo as Jemeli rushing off the durbar ground

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The Police Band performing to while away time as we waited for the President

Published: Friday 31, October 2014, on my Facebook wall

PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED TEACHER ACCUSES GES OFFICIAL OF EXTORTION

Mr. Patamia busy at post

A physically challenged teacher of the Agormanya Methodist Junior High School has leveled an allegation of extortion against the immediate past administrator of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service.

Forty three (43) year old Michael Godsway Kosi Patamia, a product of the Accra College of Education and subsequently the University of Cape Coast who has been teaching since September 2009 without salary indicated that between the periods of November 2009 and June 2010, he was made to pay a total of GHC 280.00 by one Mr. Kwesi Akuffo, then the Administrator of the Lower Manya Krobo District Office to facilitate the processing of his document and the release of his salary which he is yet to received almost three years after his re-engagement.

The accused, Mr. Akuffo has since been transferred and is said to be working with the New Juabeng Municipal Directorate in a similar capacity.

In his two paged petition dated June 27, 2012 addressed to the New Juabeng Municipal Director of Education through and the Director of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Office of the GES, Mr. Patamia categorically stated the venue and time the various installments of the stated amount were paid, citing witness in all the instances.

He said on all such occasions, he has had to borrow money from people including his aged mother and one Mrs. Anelia Godzo, the Assistant headmistress of the Ayikuma Methodist Basic School to satisfy the demand put forth by the accused.

According to him, the first major installments, an amount of GHC 50 out of the GHC 200.00 which was demanded by the accused on May 7, 2012 to facilitate the release of the salary within six months was paid to him (the accused) a day after his request (May 8, 2010) at Abeka in Accra in the presence of his (Mr. Patamia's) wife, mother and children.

He said another amount of GHC 50.00 was paid to the wife of the accused as was the directive from the latter. Still not satisfied, Mr. Akuffo advanced for the remaining GHC 100.00 in June 2010 which was paid to him in the presence of his wife at their then new residence at Somanya in the Eastern Region. He indicated that there were other minor payments supposed to have been used as transportation by Mr. Akuffo to the Regional Directorate to undergo the needed formalities.

Not too long after the alledged extortions, Mr. Akuffo was transferred to his current post, handing Mr. Patamia over to one Mr. Joseph Nuertey in charge of at the Integrated Persona Payroll Database (IPPD) of the Municipal Office, who had to start the process all over again.

Mr. Patamia, as yet has not received his salary compelling him, his 5 children and new-born wife to, among many other difficulties, live on charity amidst threat of ejection out of his single room apartment by his landlord whom he currently owes rent.

In an interview, Mr. Patamia said “It is painful to see an able-bodied person drain me even in my current condition. He did not only fail to process my document but he ignored me after and has refused picking my calls since his transfer, giving me the impression that he was conscious of what he did” adding, “He must be cautioned before he extend this to another innocent person at his new post”.

When contacted, Mr. Akuffo neither denied nor confirmed the allegation but pleaded for some time to enable him address grievances raised.

Published: July 20, 2012, Mordernghana.com, myjoyonline.com, Daily Graphic

http://www.modernghana.com/news/407208/1/physically-challenged-teacher-accuses-ges-official.html

Mr. Patamia's students

Class in session

Mr. Patamia doing what he does best

Mr. Patamia interacting with Romeo Adoglah, a journalist ( and a friend of the writer)

PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED TEACHER TURNS A BEGGAR DUE TO DELAYED SALARY

Mr. Patamia, the physically challenged teacher who was denied his salary for years

Mr. Patamia displaying his worn-out prosthetic leg

Thirty two months after his appointment into the Ghana Education Service, a degree-holding physically challenged teacher of the Agormanya Methodist Junior High School in the Lower Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region is yet to receive the first of his monthly salary, compelling him, his four teenage children and expectant wife to live on charity.

Forty three (43) year old, Godsway Michael Kosi Patamia who doubles as the assistant headmaster of the school has been teaching since September 2009 but all efforts to get his documents processed to facilitate his payment have yielded no result. He has since managed to survive- together with his dependants- on the benevolence of his colleague teachers and friends.

At present not only is he unable to provide the daily needs of his families but he faces ejection from his single bedroom apartment which was hired for him by the Agormanya Methodist Church where he worships. Since the expiration of his rent in October last year, he has been unable to renew it necessitating threats of ejection from the landlord.

As a result of his predicament, two of his children have been relocated and are currently putting up with his 60- year-old mother at Keta in the Volta Region with the remaining two living with another relative at Ayikuma in the Greater Accra Region.

Additionally, he still uses his worn-out prosthetic leg which he has been using since 1988 when it was first fitted on him two years after the accident which left him an amputee. He has since not been able to do any effective maintenance or replace it because of his unending financial difficulties and still experiences great pain –anytime he stood for long ours- in the scar-ridden left leg which miraculously survived the accident.

Although he has been teaching since September 2009 as detailed in his appointment letter from the Lower Manya Krobo District Directorate of Education with reference number A.15B/Vol.1/59 dated October 8, 2010 and signed by the then Ag. District Director of Education, Mr. Augustus Nii-Lantei Cleland, another supposed to be his re-engagement letter from the Regional Directorate, Koforidua with reference number PG484/VI29/96 dated April 20, 2010 and signed by Rene O. Boakye-Boaten, the Regional Director, sharply contradicts the earlier one.

The letter, copies of which have been served the Director General (GES), The Controller and Accountant General, The Head of IPPD Unit all in Accra and the District Director, (GES, Odumase-Krobo) however indicated that Mr. Patamia's appointment took effect from March 1, 2010 instead of September 1, 2009.

Narrating his experience to the Daily Graphic at his residence at Agormanya Mr. Patamia said he cumulative taught for three years at Apowa Methodist Junior High School in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region and at the Ayikuma Methodist Primary School in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region after his graduation from the Accra Teachers Training College in 2002.

According to him, as per the rules of engagement of the Ghana Education Service, his 3 year teaching service after the training college qualified him for further studies but he was refused study leave with pay when he approached his employers (GES) in 2005 for the offer.

Mr. Patamia in his UCC shirt

He indicated that despite the refusal, he proceeded to school same year having already gained admission into the University of Cape Coast and returned after his graduation in May 2009. He was subsequently re-engaged at the rank of Principal Superintendent and posted to his current post where he has since been teaching.

He said after the re-engagement, he went through all the needed processes and submitted to the district directorate all relevant documents required for the processing of the salary due him, but has not receive any payment close to 3 years after his re-engagement.

He said “Now I have virtually resigned to fate after the series of futile attempts to access my salary”, adding “It still beats my imagination how I have managed to survive the hardship with my family till now in my current condition as an amputee. I have lost my prestige because I have had to virtually turn a beggar, soliciting financial support from my church and individuals to supplement the occasional donations from my colleague teachers and friends”.

Although she didn't deny knowledge of the man's plight, Mrs. Irene Ayernor, the District Director of Education said, there were similar cases she has had to work on since assuming office barely a year ago.

She said “I have personally taken interest in the case and would investigate the cause of the delay and personally work with the relevant officials to rectify the anomaly”. She however could not give an idea when the man was likely to be paid to relieve him of his current predicament.

Published: July 16, 2012, Modernghana.com, Myjoyonline.com, and Daily Graphic

http://www.modernghana.com/news/406323/1/physically-challenged-teacher-turns-a-beggar-due-t.html

The surviving leg

This is what has become of the remaining (surviving) left leg

The writer and his colleague journalist from Citi FM, Umaru Sanda Amdu at Mr. Patamia's residence

A pose with Mr. Patamia

PRESIDENT ORDERS IMMEDIATE REPAIR OF KROBO ROADS

The terrible state of the Krobo roads

The part of the road just before the Ponpong river/bridge

The President has directed the immediate reconstruction of the major roads in the Krobo area to bring relief the people who have over the past months raised concerns over the state of the roads.

The reconstruction work, to be done under a “certificate of emergency”, takes effect from October this year and would run for eighteen (18) months covering the main Odumase-Oterkperlu and the Kpong-Somanya-Akuse roads among others.

This was disclosed by Mr. A. B. R Nuhu, Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) at a meeting held at the Roads and Highways Ministry last week to fashion out the roads map for the construction work.

He said the roads in question formed part of three “Critical Roads” identified in the Eastern Region to receive urgent attention before the end of the year. He indicated that the entire stretch of the roads would be resurfaced and upgraded to take care of the current traffic in the area.

A committee comprising representatives of the Ministry, GHA, the Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly & Traditional Council, Ghana Cement (GHACEM) among others has since been constituted to drive the agenda.

Hot on the heels of agitations by the people over the deplorable state of the road and the attendant negative effects, Nene Kwesitsu Azago, Mahefalor of the Manya Krobo state conveyed the misgiving of the chiefs and people of the area to the president and the other relevant authorities in a letter dated August 24, 2012 prompting the directives from the presidency.

At the meeting 

Nene Azago said, “We want to see an end to the suffering our people have had to go through. We welcome the good news and the quick response by the authorities but we expect them to give practical effect to the promise as agreed to save the loss of lives especially as the Ngmayem Festival of the chiefs and people approaches which would expectedly increase traffic on the roads.

The Director of Administration of the Ministry, Mr. Kwadwo O. Adu, who chaired the meeting said, “The state of the roads is critical hence the ministry would work even within its constrained budget to put the road back in shape”.

In an interview, the Strategy & Corporate Affairs Director of GHACEM, Dr. George Dawson-Amoah promised his outfit's full support, as a stakeholder, in repairing the roads, adding “Not only would it address the needs of the indigene but it would facilitate our operations as a business entity”.

Last week, drivers in area said that they were going to embark on a mass boycott of the payment of Road Worthy Toll and other such payments to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) because their vehicles were worthier than the roads in addition to the withdrawal their services as a way of conveying their displeasure to the authorities over the terrible state of roads in the area which have been left unattended to for years despite their persistent complains.

Published: September 24, 2012, Modernghana.com

http://www.modernghana.com/news/419642/69/president-orders-immediate-repair-of-krobo-roads.html

Some of the limestone-carting heavy duty tipper tracks that caused the sharp destruction of the roads

The bad state of the roads at Oterpkolu

WATER FINALLY FLOWS IN KROBO AREA AFTER THREAT OF DEMONSTRATION BY THE YOUTH

Water finally flows to the relief of these old folks

Following the threat by Kloma Gbi, a Krobo Youth group to embark on a demonstration in protest against the acute water shortage in the Krobo areas and the subsequent intervention by the Water Resources, Works and Housing Minister, Hon. E. T. Mensah, the Kpong Water Works has restored water supply in strict adherence to a directive issued by the minister.

The minister issued the directive after an emergency meeting with the leadership of Kloma Gbi in his office last Thursday.

The old PUBLIC taps have all started flowing 

Currently, treated water is running in the hitherto de-activated domestic taps in the Lower Manya Krobo area to be followed later in the day with the restoration of supply to the Yilo Krobo areas. Taps that last run between six months and one year are all actively flowing with treated water from the facility.

The leadership of the group is meeting officials of the Treatment Facility to negotiate the regularity of supply early Monday morning after which feedback would be given to the Regional Manager of the facility and the minister as directed.

The Director of Communication of Kloma Gbi, Henking Adjase-Kodjo said “It is not enough for water supply to be restored today only to cease flowing a day after, we are demanding an uninterrupted supply as the host of the Kpong and Bukunor Treatment Plants in the Lower and Upper Manya Krobo Districts respectively”.

He said “We are going to the negotiation table on Monday for further discussions; we are however grateful to the minister and his deputy for their sw

ift intervention”.

Published: May 27, 2012

http://www.modernghana.com/news/397994/1/water-finally-flows-in-krobo-area-after-threat-of-.html

What a relief !!!

Everything that could hold water was filled to capacity

Plumber busy at work to restore connection to some homes

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Water flowing a long drought

KROBO YOUTH TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST WATER SHORTAGE ON FRIDAY MAY 25

Residents struggling over water from one of the boreholes (wells) in town 

The Krobo youth group, Kloma Gbi, (Voice of the Krobo States) agitating for water supply to the three Krobo Districts has said that it would carry through its planned demonstration on Friday May 25, 2012 with or without the escort of the Police since the demonstration is intended to be peaceful.

The group's action was prompted by the acute water shortage in the Krobo States particularly in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area which hosts two of the country's main water treatment facilities at Kpong and Bukunor in the Lower and Upper Manya Krobo Districts respectively.

Students were not left out of the struggle

Although water has been a problem over the years in the three (3) districts, the situation worsened over the past few weeks almost forcing boarding schools to close down and hospitals to turn off patients. While students are all over town with their buckets in search of water, the hospitals in the area have had to resort to the use of sachet water to handle emergency cases including surgeries.

The group said, it was surprised the Police and officials of the Lower Manya Krobo District Assembly were refusing to see the need for the protest and were determined to frustrate the youth. While the Police said there were no personnel to provide escort and would also not disclose when the personnel would be available to aid the demonstration, officials of the District Assembly insisted they would not take delivery of the petition for onward relay to the Water Resources Minister without a demonstration permit from the Police.

We deem it illogical the fact that Lower Manya Krobo District hosts the Kpong Water Treatment plants yet treated water bypasses the indigenes of the district to regularly serve others in places like Tema, Dodowa, Afienya and several parts of Accra. As if that is not enough of deprivation, water is also treated and pumped from the newly established Bukunor Water plant in the Upper Manya Krobo District to serve people in Koforidua, Tafo, Akim Oda and the mountainous areas but not the surrounding Krobo communities like Asesewa, Otrokper and Oterkpolu; not even the Bukunor community in which the treatment facility is sited is served potable water.

The Director of Communication of the group, Henking A. Adjase-Kodjo said “We are not the least deterred by these impediments; water is one of life's essentials which, as mortals, we cannot do without; we have already set sail and will deploy all our strategies and continue to agitate until our voice is heard”.

“If they won't give us preferential treatment by virtue of us hosting the facilities, we expect that we should be treated equally as the others in the cities who are regularly served.
Published: May 23, 2012
http://www.modernghana.com/news/397329/106/krobo-youth-to-demonstrate-against-water-shortage-.html

The search for water is on

Water, a scarce commodity in the Krobo area?

Even students abandoned class in search of water as shown in this picture

ENSIGN COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH READY TO TAKE OFF

Construction work nears completion

The Ensign University College, a state-of-the-art edifice, would in September this year take off at Kpong in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region.

Equip with modern facilities the college will train professionals in various fields in Public Health.

Starting off with post graduate courses in Environmental/Occupational Health, Health Policy, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Behavioural Science & Health Management, the college is expected to open with two hundred (200) students.

The new facility which is designed with the environment and the physically challenged in mind, comes with a biogas system with four (4) cubic meter digesters and treatment centers to manage and turn all degradable waste into biogas to power gadgets in the school.

The flagship administration bock

The two storey flagship administration block with built-in lecture halls is also being fitted with an elevator while the compound is being landscaped to enhance access to persons with disabilities.

At the time of the visit by this reporter, all the major buildings including students’ dormitory, apartments for faculties and staff, infirmary, conference/ICT centers, an apartment for the dean, cafeteria were all in their advanced stages of construction awaiting final touches and furnishing to pave way for admission which is expected to start in August.

An additional 50 capacity hostel is also at the foundation stage with plans far advanced to commence the construction of recreational centers including swimming pool, tennis, volleyball and baseball courts with paved driveways and car parks.

Prof. Agyemang Akosa touring the site of the construction

Touring the construction site last Thursday together with other members of the Board of Trustees, Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, a Pathology Professor at the University of Ghana Medical School and a former Director General of the Ghana Health Service said “It is a standard facility conducive for effective academic exercise. Everything here is pleasing to the eye,” he said.

“It has a strategic location outside of the city with a good ambiance provided by the Volta River, the mountains and the vast area of greenery”.

Published: 12 march 2013

http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/education/201303/102620.php

The sick bay

Some dignitaries touring the facility

Back view of the administration block

Residence of the Dean

A long short of the compound

Prof Agyemang Akosa (2nd left) and Prof Emeritus Ofosu Amaah (2nd from right) touring the site

The writer with Prof Akosa

The team on the tour

Construction of the digesters (Bio-gas) in progress

The writer walking toward the admi block

A close shot of the writer at the site

Some of the officials at at the site

Shot of  part of the compound taken from a distance