Ashanti Today

Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe has been named as chairman of the African Union.  The 90-year-old was elected by his fellow heads of state to replace Mauritania's Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz in the role, which rotates between the the continent's five regions. "By electing me to preside over this august body, with full knowledge of the onerous responsibility that lies ahead, I humbly accept your collective decision," Mugabe said as he was appointed at the AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Africa's longest-serving leader is viewed with respect by many of the continent after he led Zimbabwe to independence, however he is subject to travel bans in the European Union and US. Credit: LBC

Samuel Tettey, Director of Elections of Ghana's EC The Electoral Commission, EC has disqualified one of the candidates contesting for the Maakro electoral area in the Kumasi Metropolis in the upcoming District Level Election.  The candidate, whose identity is yet to be made known, was caught dabbling in party politics, contrary to provisions in Act 473, the law that regulates the conduct of District Level elections in Ghana. The Director of Elections of the EC, Samuel Tettey, made this known at a day’s capacity training workshop for selected media practitioners in the Ashanti region empower them with the laws governing the  conduct of the elections scheduled for early March. Mr. Tettey said, the candidate “had mounted a campaign billboard that displayed his membership Card, symbol and presidential candidate of the NPP”. According to the Elections Director, a formal complaint was made to the EC about the conduct of the candidate that caused an investigation

George Sarpong, Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission The Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, George Sarpong, has vouched for the integrity and professional competence of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, EC, in the performance of its mandate as the body responsible for the conduct of public and intra- party elections in the country.   He has described the EC as a model of election management body in the world and has been the standard bearer in the organization of public elections across the globe.  It is therefore unthinkable for any person or group of persons to impugn wrong doing on the part of the EC.  Mr. Sarpong made the point at a day’s capacity building workshop for selected media practitioners in the Ashanti region.  The event, organized by the EC, with funds by the USAID, was to empower the participants with enough information about the laws that regulate the conduct of District Level elections in Ghana involving District

Dr. Kwasi Yeboah-Awudzi, Ksi Metro Health Dir. The Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Health, Dr. Kwasi Yeboah-Awudzi has appealed to government to avail more funds for the national health insurance scheme in order to ensure a sustained quality health care delivery.  According to him, about 70 percent of clients who frequent health facilities are on the national health insurance but for six months now, both private and health facilities in the Kumasi metropolis have not been paid monies owed them under the national health insurance scheme.  This has led to clients footing the bills for their drugs. Dr. Yeboah-Awudzi said these during the Kumasi Metropolitan Health Directorate’s Review meeting to evaluate its performance in 2014. During the meeting, it was revealed that the national health insurance scheme owes the ten government health facilities in the metropolis over two billion Ghana Cedis.  He therefore called on government to make more funds available to

Nana Akuamoa- Boateng , Coord. of the Millennium Cities Initiative Although Ghana will not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goal Four and Five which mandate UN member countries to reduce child and maternal mortality by this year’s deadline, proper and adequate supervision could fast-track their achievement within the next five years. T his is because supervision plays an important role in the health sector especially for mothers and children.  The West and Central Africa Regional Millennium Cities Initiative Coordinator, Nana Abenaa Akuamoa-Boateng, made the observation in an interview with Ashanti Today , on the sidelines of the Kumasi Metropolitan Health Directorate’s Review meeting to evaluate its performance in 2014. According to Nana Akuamoa-Boateng, a lot of resources have been channeled into training health personnel to enable them to help provide the needed service.  However the nation is yet to enjoy the full benefits of the training and a