No Press Corsps For Mahama

IT APPEARS President John Dramani Mahama may not be travelling over long distances with his press corps for a while, a source at the presidency has hinted.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that the decision follows the resent road accident that claimed the life of one of the skillful and industrious presidential reporters.

The source, who could not confirm how long this decision would last, noted that the temporary suspension of the services of the press corps was to make way for some restructuring and also allow journalists and the country to mourn Samuel Nuamah, the deceased journalist.

The assertion of the source seemed to have been confirmed when the president visited the Volta Region last weekend – 10 days after his last visit – which led to the unfortunate road accident involving his press corp.

President Mahama traveled without his press corps as he flew into the region with a military helicopter to grace this year's Agbleza (farming festival) of the chiefs and people of Ziope Traditional Area in the Agotime Ziope District.

Youth In Agric
President Mahama announced the relaunch of the Youth in Agriculture programme, under the new Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in order to boost interest in agriculture.

He said the relaunch was part of the restructuring of the then Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) into YEA which is backed by an Act of Parliament. He was hopeful the initiative would equip the youth with the requisite skills, inputs and machinery to engage in large-scale farming to meet the high market demand for agricultural produce.

Community SHS
The president also disclosed that work was progressing on 123 out of the 200 community Day Senior High Schools promised by the government. He said they include the initial 50 schools, most of which were nearing completion, additional 23 being executed under the World Bank Schools’ Improvement Project and the recent awarding of another 50 schools to contractors. He therefore assured Ghanaians, particularly beneficiary communities, which include Ziope, that his government was committed to delivering the 200 SHSs by the December 2016 deadline.

Plea
The paramount chief of the area, Torgbui Binnah Lawluvi VI, who is also the Volta Region representative on the Council of State, commended the government for the numerous developmental projects ongoing in the area, including the rehabilitation of an irrigation dam to boost agricultural production. He appealed to the president to expedite work on the extension of portable water from Sogakope through Adidiome and Adaklu to the area. The Agbleza festival was instituted to celebrate the unique contribution of the people of Ziope towards the socio-economic development of the country and also raise funds to support developmental projects.

By Fred Duodu, Ho ([email protected])