Effective rail network is my wish

 

 

The train cruise from Cambridge to Kings Cross station  in London, United Kingdom was a breath taking experience just like that of Aarhus to Copenhagen, in Denmark. The distance from Cambridge to Kings Cross, London is 96 kilometers and it takes only 55 minutes to travel.

I wish the situation could be similar to a journey from Accra to Tamale or Tamale to my home town in the central region of Ghana.

Aside it being a nice and convenience, the trains in Denmark has a Wi-Fi on board. I am told most of the cross country trains in UK also offer Wi-Fi service.

I started thinking and imagining the economic, social, political and cultural benefits if Ghana had a similar effective rail network from the capital Accra to Northern, Upper East, West, Brong Ahafo, Western, Eastern and Volta Regions.

The traveling time of more than 10 hours by road to any of the three Northern Regions from Accra for instance is not ‘sweet’ and ‘comfortable’ for students, workers and traders especially, however a train service could shorten it.

Ironically these regions produce most of the foodstuff and livestock, which are transported to Accra.

A journey during the day is hustle free but those who decide to travel in the evening hoping to catch up some business appointment early morning in Tamale or Accra go through lots of quite unnecessary ordeals.

As a rudiment for the past two or more years, commuters, particularly women and children go through by waiting for arduous long hours for security escort because of frequent armed robbery attacks and this is why I wished traveling to Tamale from Accra vice-verse was close to if not exactly like my recent experiences.

I recall the frustration of Mr. Isaac Tetteh, a 35-year-old  civil servant, who sat next to me from Accra-Tamale bound bus expressed.  He commutes from Tamale to Accra every fortnight to see his family.

“My brother traveling from Tamale to Accra is not easy. For instance, if I calculate the monetary cost and the time involved in traveling to Tamale, it is so unbearable, the burden would have been less if the journey was by train”, he said.

A bird even whispered into my ears that the congestion in Accra could have been significantly reduced if there was an effective rail system because workers may not necessarily had to relocate to Accra but could travel by train from some towns in the Central, Volta, Eastern and Ashanti regions to work in Accra and return.

Just like the case of Manday Cooper, who lives in Cambridge, but works in London told me during a conversation on-board the Kings Cross bound train, she only travels to London to work and other important functions and return.

Similarly, a good train service could lessened the stress traders go through conveying their produce from Accra often travel through Tamale and Bolgatanga to Burkina Faso to buy onions and tomatoes while traders from that neighboring country also buy other commodities from Ghana.

I think Ama Ghana can rebuild and expand the rail network. It is not late …oppsss! This my ‘big mouth’, let’s talk next week folks.

 

Thinking among thinkers in Cambridge

 

It was half past seven, on Tuesday evening, when I set off from Wolfson College, on my bike heading to the market center to buy a top up. I met Esinam and Richmond, who are both Master of Philosophy candidates here in Cambridge, University and are my compatriots from Ghana coming from the direction of the Queens College side of the road.

I was in dire need of the top-up because, I had booked a telephone interview with one of my respondents in Ghana at exactly eight forty-five pm as part of my current task of developing an environmental reporting guide for journalists.

The product of my project will serve as a guide to prospective and practicing journalist interested in reporting on environment and other science related issues. It is also one of my intentions to first organize an intensive training with other follow up activities for a group of journalist in Tamale, capital of Northern Region of Ghana, dedicated to reporting on environment to sharpen their reportage in the subject area.

With warmth smiles from the two, we exchange greetings in our local dialects “Menua na wo hu tesen”, which literally means, my brother, how are you? I responded and they asked where I was going, so I told them. They laughed at me small, which is accepted in our Ghanaian setting and said I could have just bought some from the co-operative shop, where they were heading to. We journeyed together and I took advantage to ask them about Cambridge.

I asked so Esinam, “how different is the studies here? Well it’s very interesting, for this university you have to think, learn hard, read more to understand and justify to the latter whatever you write or say. It is called critical engagement.

Her speech confirms partially what a gentleman said about learning to another lady, when I happened to be at the Jack Kings Hall wiring the introduction of my project. I heard the guy ask the lady why she was learning like there is no tomorrow.

It also reminds me of a line in the speech of Vice President of Wolfson College, John Naughton, when he welcomed us (Press Fellows) during our induction. He said the school offered a serene atmosphere for serious thinking and everyone here is taking advantage to ‘think’ and come out with something productive.

Like a wise saying in Ghana, “don’t just pass through an educational institution but let the good values and the knowledge be part you”. The actions of most students I speak with on daily basics suggests that most of them are developing their intellectual and also acquiring new skills to enable them contribute to the development of their respective societies and world at large.

Indeed, I have been thinking more than I use to since I arrived. Frankly, I am in the processing ‘reshuffling’ certain things.

Well, folks let’s talk more about what am thinking next week. See you when I see you!

At Wolfson College, ever one is somebody

 

 

It’s amazing how most people at Wolfson are nice to everyone they meet even though they know little about that person. From the entrance through the porters lodge, offices, dining hall to the residence everyone is ready to serve and offer a helping hand.

For me the smiles alone from both young and old at the college, made me feel welcomed.

I made this observation when I arrived on the evening of 19^th April, 2014 and after I alighted from a taxi cab at the entrance of Wolfson. I asked two gentlemen who were passing-by. Hello Sirs, please is this place Wolfson College?

One of them responded and said ‘Yes, I supposed you are looking for the porters lodge’. They then helped me to carry my luggage to the porter’s lodge where I met another gentleman who introduced himself and welcomed me.

He asked how he could help me. He took me through the formalities when I mentioned my name and my mission, he led me to my room and asked me to contact him if I needed any help.

I was not surprised when Vice President John Naughton during the first day’s briefing said Wolfson College was one of the colleges at Cambridge University with the highest international students and that as an informal rule everyone is indoctrinated to relate to one another as co-equals.

He said the college had different category of students, undergraduates, post graduates, visiting scholars, press fellows among others but everyone relates to each other as peers.

It was evidential when I joined the college’s first formal dining. I was privileged to have sat close to the President. Next to my seat was another an astute legal luminary, followed by Professors.

The story is no different from dining hall and other social events.

Lest I forget, I observed that Wolfson everyone is ready to help by way of linking to appropriate authority or persons, department.

Why all this plenty talk?  My observation kept me thinking and imaging how the world would be if we shun racism, selfishness, corruption and replicated the informal principle existing at Wolfson.

Service, tolerance, love for one another, mutual respect, co-existence naturally invites peace.

END

Achieving MDGs 4&5: When men also rock the cradle

A GNA feature by Albert Oppong-Ansah

Tamale, Dec 30, GNA – From a distressing figure of an average of thirty-six under age five deaths recorded since 2009, officials and community members of Aowin-Suaman District of the Western Region battled to record zero child mortality in the first half of 2012.

Infant death dropped from 22 in 2009 to none in 2012 while no maternal death case had been recorded this year. Besides, the general health condition of people in the district improved significantly, thanks to a local initiative called Men on Board for Healthier Families started by the local district health authorities in 2009.

A working visit and fact finding mission from Tamale in the Northern Region to Enchi in the Aowin-Suaman District reinforced the old adage ‘travel and see’.

I was at the Hospital for a briefing on the health status of the district early morning and to my surprise and admiration I saw some men with wrapped babies at their backs whiles others were holding their babies hands and cuddling expectant mothers.

With a warm smile, I chanced upon Johnifred Kwesi Amoako Balinsford, 40, and father of three, who had brought his nine months old son for a routine check-up in the hospital.

He told me: “I love my children and my wife so I make it a priority to ensure that they are always healthy…I save a lot of money by getting myself involved in their healthcare”.

Mr Balinsford disclosed that since he recognized the importance of the involvement of men in the healthcare of their families, he had helped other communities in the district to form men associations to benefit from the initiative.

Mr Thomas Adansi, 29, father of an eight month old Beatrice Abena Adansi said he became a laughing stock when he started accompanying his wife to antenatal but now seen as a role model in the Enchi township.

“The bond between my daughter and I continue to grow daily as I take her to the hospital for weighing”, he said.

He explained that “The education the nurses give the men group has helped me to understand the conditions of a pregnant woman and how to assist her in times of difficulty. I make sure she follows her diet and help her to do regular exercise like walking with her for short distances and encouraging her to practice exclusive breastfeeding.”

Pieces of information gathered by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) from some districts in the Central and Western Regions indicated that many lives of mothers and babies have been saved with the involvement of men in health promotion, especially in maternal and child care.

Mr Emmanuel Kofi Tamakloe, District Director of Health Service, Aowin Suaman District in the Western Region, said before the initiative, people preferred home delivery to delivering at the health facility but the phenomenon had changed.

“We were also battling with issues relating to non-attendance of Antenatal Clinic (ANC), excessive use of herbal preparations, malaria and malnutrition but all these challenges have subsided,” he said.

Madam Helen Tabiri, Disease Control Officer of the Mfantsiman district, also confirmed that due to the involvement of men in health issues and other initiatives, the area had not recorded any maternal death as at October, 2012.

Maternal mortality continues to be a global challenge as statistics from the United Nations indicates that each year, more than 350,000 women in the developing world aged 15-49 die of pregnancy and child-birth related complications. About 2.6 million children are stillborn, and a further 8.1 million die before their fifth birthday, including 3.3 million babies in the first month of life.

Asia and sub-saharan Africa accounts for 87% (313,000) of global maternal deaths. A woman’s lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy is 1 in 3700 in North America as compared to 1 in 16 in Africa according to World Health Organisation.

Ghana is lagging behind in attaining the Millennium Development Goals four and five. This target is aimed at reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.

A recent Ghana Health Service (GHS) report shows that the country recorded 1,022 maternal deaths in 2011, representing 173 deaths per 100,000 live births which is an increase from 166 per 100,000 live births in 2010.

Despite the drop from 540 per 100 000 live births in 2000 to 173 per 100 000 live births in 2011, Ghana is unlikely to attain MDG 5 by three quarters by 2015.

Hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and complications of unsafe abortions were among the causes of the deaths, and still births, which accounted for two per cent of all births, were also recorded in 2011.

The report also indicated that while antenatal care was nearing universal coverage, skilled attendance at delivery, post-natal care, nutrition services, including breastfeeding, appropriate complimentary feeding for infants and young children, appropriate nutrition, particularly for pregnant women and children needed to be addressed.

Dr Mrs Gloria Quansah Asare, Director, Family Health Division, disclosed to Journalists in Koforidua that in tackling the challenges, an MDG Accelerated Framework, Country Action Plan and a Nationwide Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care assessment had been carried out to identify priority areas and gaps that needed to be addressed in skilled attendance at delivery, emergency obstetric and newborn care as well as other cross cutting issues.

She noted that despite intensified efforts in many areas, maternal mortality remained a challenge due to several factors such as poor health status indicators, utilization and coverage services, inadequate human resources and infrastructure and referral systems.

At the last regional media encounter, Dr Akwesi Twumasi, Northern Regional Health Director, disclosed that maternal mortality in Northern Region might linger due to the bad nature of roads in the region, inadequate health care facilities, equipment, personnel, poverty and most especially, socio-cultural beliefs and practices.

He said the region recorded 112, 111, 97 and 131 maternal deaths in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 in that order, adding that the figure might increase in 2012 if the two key challenges of socio-cultural practice and the road network were not addressed.

“Majority of the deaths are due to excessive bleeding as a result of late arrival of patients…the roads are bad, cars do not ply on these routes and the ambulances also spend long hours struggling on the difficult terrain to get to referral health facilities.

“It is culturally acceptable for most men to ask their wives to go to their mothers in the village to give birth without thinking about the woman’s inability to access quality health care and may risk losing her life in case of complications.”

Again, Dr Twumasi reminded men to give special attention to women who are pregnant “because they are the same people you lust for when they are not pregnant and are in short skirts”.

Mr Kofi Tamakloe the Aowin Suaman District Health Director believed that men would assist in the health care of their families if their attitudes are changed and were better educated on how their support could save money and ensure the good health of their families.

“The male involvement in maternal and child health towards healthier families is a simple and cost-free initiative for quick attainment of the MDGs in Ghana…the initiative is on-going and we are enrolling more men,” he added.

Mr Tamakloe was confident that the nation could achieve the MDG target on maternal and infant health if the challenge of lack of skilled staff, logistics, good roads and the involvement of men in health issues were addressed.

“As we began the formation of father support groups in the cities, towns and villages to enable these groups to receive guidance and education on how to support their wives, it will be enough to achieve the MDG goals four and five”, he said.

Perhaps, health authorities, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives as well as civil societies working toward reducing maternal deaths in Ashanti and especially the three Northern Regions that record high maternal deaths should adopt and localise the initiative of Aowin-Suaman.

Just as the former First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills made a call on stakeholders at the launch of the Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) to pursue more innovative ideas so that “together we can save our women from dying while giving life”.

No person giving life should die, every pregnancy counts: We need all hands on deck.

Old beliefs turn twins, triplets and their mothers into beggars

A GNA feature by Albert Oppong-Ansah

Tamale, Dec. 13, GNA – At exactly 0700GMT in Tamale, capital of the Northern Region, mothers with twin and triplets babies follow a long held belief by locating at the central market to do the business they know how to do best- begging for alms.

It may be a strange belief but people still practice it. In some communities in Northern Ghana, especially Bomahe community, Tolon and Tamale metropolis twins, triplets and quadruplets are considered as lesser gods so in order to ensure their survival, soothsayers asked their mothers to engage in begging. Mothers with such babies believe that if they do not turn into beggars, their children will die.

Most of these babies sit with their mothers in tattered clothes and most often houseflies hover around their mouths.

The kids are also identified by their unkempt hair and pale looks and are likely to be spotted at insanitary places.

Amina Salifu, 28 with one- year old twins, Abiba and Sakina, was approached by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) for an interview.

Initially Amina turned down the request to explain why she and her children were on the streets begging but later agreed to talk.

“My children fell sick soon after birth. They would not recover after administering medication from the hospital. We then decided to send them to a native doctor who could not help. My husband’s relatives therefore directed that I take to begging to save the lives of my children.

“Initially I refused but after a while a spiritualist told me that I have no choice but to go out there and comply with the instructions of my in-laws; I did so and after some time, my children got well,” she said.

Twins in the Region have become victims of traditional belief when UNICEF says exploiting a child for economic gain by way of begging constitutes child exploitation.

Whilst the global body is against the exploitation and abuse of any child yet millions of children worldwide from all socio-economic backgrounds, across all ages, religions and cultures suffer exploitation with countries like Nigeria, Niger, India, Senegal and Sudan found to be very culpable of the offence.

The number of women using their children as an excuse to beg is alarming as currently 3,500 twins and their mothers have been registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme by Savanna Twins, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

“Begging is just a subset of using children to beg in many developing countries,” says Mr Alhassan Kpabia, Director of the NGO.

He told the GNA that his outfit records a maximum of 100 mothers and children from Tamale and its environs daily with most of them identified as orphans.

Zangbalum- Bomahe Naa Alhassan Issahaku Amadu, Regional Director of National Population Council described the traditional belief that allows mothers of twins to beg as fake.

He explained that soothsayers often gave such instructions to enable them gain popularity and wealth through the consultation fees and items they often took from their clients seeking spiritual favour for employment, visa, and prosperity among other requests.

Such people are often directed by the soothsayers to give alms to mothers of twins and other beggars before their wish would be fulfilled.

The practice has its toll on the children as explained by Dr Anthony Amankwah Amponsem, a Paediatric Consultant at Tamale Teaching Hospital, who said the exposure of babies to all forms of weather conditions could result in the contraction of diseases such as meningitis, malaria, hepatitis and typhoid fever.

Zangbalum- Bomahe Naa Amadu agreed to Dr Amponsem assertion, adding that when children were not fed well they regularly fell sick and became malnourished.

“Husbands are supposed to work extra to feed the extra mouth but most of them shy away from their responsibilities,” he said.

He questioned why only women are asked to beg with the children while their husbands idle about.

The practice is also against the law, Chief Inspector Lawrence Adombire, Tamale Metro Coordinator of Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of Ghana Police Service said, warning that the act of begging constitute a criminal act, according to the Beggars and Destitute Act 1969 (NLCD 392).

He said Section 87 (a) and (b) of the Children’s Act of 1998 (Act 560) confirmed the prohibition of the use of children for any exploitative labour, which deprives them of their rights to basic health, education and social development.

Chief Inspector Adombire said the Unit was not aware of the growing numbers of babies and their mother on the streets but his outfit could not enforce the law due to lack of logistics.

On the religious perspective, Sheikh Abubakar Tanko Issahaq told GNA that the Islamic Religion preaches against the use of children for begging adding that it was a sign of laziness on the part of their parents.

He said the religion only encourage members to give alms to individuals who were weak and sick as mandated by the Holy Quran and called on the police to flush out the beggars off the streets.

Mr John Ankrah, Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare also told the GNA that the Department had not been able to deal with the issue due to logistics and other challenges.

“Before we can solve the problem we need a facility to keep the rescued children as well foster parents to adopt them as it is done in some countries,” he clarified.
Way forward

Last year the then Vice President John Dramani Mahama, now the Head of State said the poorest woman in the country was likely to come from the Northern Region.

The 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey also confirmed that 74.1 per cent of female students in the Region could not read at all, with only 0.7 per cent able to read a whole sentence, while 1.4 per cent could partially read a sentence.

Clearly there are more women in the Region who have little or no education so there is the urgent need to develop women empowerment programmes to equip them with employable skills to help reverse the practice.

It could also be entrepreneurial skills that would enable them to be self reliant and generate income to cater for their children as requested by Ms Madhirima 24, a resident of Hyderabad, India who also begs with her one year- old baby.

The security agencies should be resourced and empowered to arrest and prosecute fathers who neglect their paternal responsibilities. After all let us not forget that Ghana is a signatory to many international treaties to protect children.

GNA

What future for young girls in Northern Ghana?

By Albert Oppong-Ansah

It may sound simplistic and over-generalised, but current trends in the Northern Region show that it does not take much in money terms for a young man to persuade a young girl to have an affair with him. The deal is sealed with a pack of fried rice and few ‘con words’. This cold but shocking revelation is a summary of the snare that lured16-year-old beautiful Sadia, (Pseudo name) a final year Junior High School student, into becoming a victim of sexual exploitation.

The vulnerability of Sadia for such a low package is not because she is naturally a morally loose girl- no! Due to polygamous marriage she lives with her grandparents who have very little or no control over her at all. There is little or no form checks about where Saudia sleeps or eats. Walking me through her life, Sadia said she had her first sexual intercourse as early as 13 years with a 30-year-old man who lured her with money.

The unfortunate situation of Sadia is also a dilemma of most young girls residing in the Tamale Metropolis and the other 20 districts in the region. Achieving Universal Reproductive Health is target five ‘B’ of the Millennium Development Goal Five. A flip through the 2008 Ghana Millennium Development Goals Report launched in 2010 indicates that Ghana has no record of the progress on this target. Besides, the country has no national targets to enable her develop firm strategies towards addressing reproductive health. Surprisingly the 2010 Ghana Housing and Population census pegs the youth population at 40 per cent.

Figures on antenatal service risk obtained from the Northern Regional office of the Ghana Health Service indicate that in 2010, around 52 girls aged 10 to 14 registered as young mothers. The figure jumped to 87 in 2011. Young girls in the category of 15 to 19 years were not spared as the records of pregnancies rose from 12, 853 in 2010 to 13,204 in 2011. Last year, about 10 girls from the ages of 10 to14 died in the process of trying to get rid of unwanted pregnancies, Dr Akwasi Twumasi, Regional Director of the Ghana Health Services revealed to the GNA.“Naturally these girls are supposed to be at school. This is a very worrying trend,” he added.

At the district level, Madam Catharine Mwine, Publich Health Officer told GNA that in Saboba half year statistics indicated that the area recorded nine deaths in 2011. She expressed fears that the figure may shoot-up if pragmatic steps were not taken to halt the situation. Madam Janet Ackon, a Senor Public Health Officer at the Tamale Central, Reproductive Child Health Unit said she counsels about 10 girls with different reproductive health challenges daily. “I realise that most girls in the Metropolis are sexually abused and impregnated at early ages by adults and the victims are threatened to remain mute.”

According to her, many girls in school and out of school are prevented from having access to reproductive health education, which makes them vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases, criminal abortion and teenage pregnancy. She said the main challenge is the traditional misconception that when young girls are educated on reproductive health they will become promiscuous. “Another problem is that some parents also shy away from their responsibility of taking care of their children because they have given birth to too many kids. Children in such families are left to fend for themselves and this situation makes them vulnerable.

Rukaya (Pseudo name), a victim of sexual abuse told GNA that she was raped by an uncle one afternoon. “I got pregnant and I was forced to abort the fetus….I was also threatened not to say a word to anyone. He used to have sex with me after that incident but he has stopped now,” she recounted. She is one of the young girls who have benefited from Adolescents Corner, a centre established by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the region some years ago, to enable young boys and girls to have access to comprehensive reproductive health education.

A survey conducted among young people aed between 13 and 25 years in six districts of the region revealed that most of the youth in Northern Ghana had their first sexual experience either out of curiosity or pressure from peers. It was jointly undertaken by the Northern Sector Action Awareness Centre and AXIS, a Danish non-governmental organisation, under the Innovative Sexuality Project in 2011. It disclosed that their knowledge about contraceptives, pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections was low.

“The majority of young people who participated in the focus group interviews, both boys and girls, indicated the lack of communication on the topic with their family. If anything is discussed at home it is typically abstinence”, said the report. “When the girl has her first period, the discussions typically evolve around the fear of pregnancy, thus she must stay far away from the opposite sex. Seen from the outside, this can appear more as scare tactics than an attempt to guide and inform,” it said.

Schools and peer influence were mainly the sources that provided the most and best information about sex, while most girls obtained sex information from their boyfriends and husbands. About 78 per cent of the people interviewed said sex life was important in relations, whether one felt comfortable or not.

Chief Alhassan Issahaku Amadu, Regional Population Officer also disclosed to GNA that the area had the highest population of young females between the ages of 15-19 years who are either mothers or pregnant.

On what should be done to help young girls, Mr Peter Dakurah, Regional Zonal Manager of Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana, recommended that there was the need for more nurses, especially community nurses to be trained to take up the responsibility of educating the girl child. He also implored the Ghana Education Service to introduce reproductive health as a subject to be taught in the basic and junior high schools since the issue formed the basics of human existence. “Traditional leaders, development partners and civil societies should come together and support as well as secure the future of young girls”, he said.

Parental responsibility has broken down in the region mainly due to harsh economic realities and it has resulted in the increase of cases of teenage pregnancy and abortion, Madam Miriam Iddrisu, UNFPA Official told the GNA. Madam Iddrisu feels that government needs to invest in establishing and resourcing adolescent friendly corners to enable young people to gain access to reproductive health information.

The future of young girls is gloomy in the region due to abject poverty and other socio-cultural challenges. Many of these girls have dropped out of school. Girls are compelled to consent to ridiculous offers from sex maniacs just because of their daily bread without knowing the implications of their actions. How else would one explain why 16-year-old Memuna who hails from Tolon district has had two abortions due to lack of access to reproductive health education? GNA

Posters and billboards in Ghana’s Electioneering campaigns: How relevant are they?

(A GNA feature by Albert Oppong-Ansah)

My first visit to the State of Georgia, in the United States of America (USA), coincided with the peak of the 2012 US General Election.

I was part of a delegation, consisting of staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and Ghanaian journalists on an educational tour of that part of the USA.

We lodged at Atlanta, the capital city of the State, and visited exciting and historical sites, including the Coca Cola headquarters, the Cable News Network (CNN) and the Georgia Aquarium as part of the tour.

Three days to the polls that took place on November 6, some members of the delegation including myself decided to leisure about some principal streets of the city to acclimatize ourselves to the new environment.

As we strolled along the streets of Atlanta from Hyatt Place junction, where we resided, I kept wondering if residents of the area were part of the US electoral process. I hardly found billboards and posters of aspirants of the US elections.

I was surprised that USA, one of the most vociferous proponents of Western democracy, was preparing for election in a seemingly simple way though it had attracted the attention of the whole world.

As we travelled to another part of Atlanta I asked my colleagues if they had seen billboards and posters of Mr Barrack Obama, presidential candidate of the Democrats, and Mr Mitt Romney, presidential candidate for the Republicans, the main heavy weights, who were battling for the White House, and the US presidency. My question provoked a debate on the use of billboards and posters in electioneering campaigns.

I later spoke with Dr Mark Lobstein, Director of Technical Service at the US Poultry and Egg Export Council, who conducted the delegation round important sites in Atlanta, on the US electioneering.

He explained that various candidates vying for political positions channelled their messages in the form of debates through the newspapers, television and other media networks.

Mr Lobstein said: “The use of paper and billboards is not too popular during our political campaigns. One can only find small plastic poster of favourite political candidates on the lawns in front of people’s residence”.

Asked what informs the decision of the electorate during voting, Mr Michael Mathew Green, Manager of Mathew Cafeteria, said most people in the USA did not depend on political party posters and billboards to make a decision on who to vote for.

The Manger of the Cafeterias said that personally he was not bordered by whoever wins election in the US.

He said ‘’I need to work hard to meet the taste of my customers to help boost business. It is our belief that our future and success largely depends on us and not politicians”.

On the eve of November 6, the day for the US polls, I joined the Ghanaian group to visit some shops in the northern part of Georgia, and driving through the high streets, to my surprise, I only saw the message “Please remember to vote tomorrow” on an electronic billboard.

This is entirely different from what is happening in Ghana where political parties are gearing up for the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

Since the inception of multi-party democracy in Ghana in 1992, the use of billboards, posters, flyers and souvenirs depicting presidential and parliamentary candidates has become a common electioneering feature in Ghana. This is not limited to Ghana as it is a common phenomenon in other African countries.

When I returned to Ghana, I asked some people about their views on the use of billboards and posters for political campaign.

Ibrahim Mahama, 27, resident of Tamale, said he wondered why political parties should invest in the production of posters and billboards to market their candidates, and suggested that resources should be channeled into development.

Mrs Hannah Awadzi, a journalist at the GNA, commenting on the issue, said “while people in the US will vote based on views and policies, in Ghana some people vote based on looks, personality and ethnic affiliations hence the use of posters and billboards.

Dr Mark Hanson, Director of Veterinary at the MOFA, suggested that money spent on billboards and posters could be lodged into a special account for the improvement of sanitation in Ghana.

He also said resources for such electioneering method could be channeled into the agriculture sector to improve productivity.

Notwithstanding the fact that the US electioneering might be more expensive than that of any developing country, the cost of billboards and posters would have added to the expenditure.

Political parties in Ghana should emulate the US for using the media to sell their political candidates instead of billboards and posters to reduce the cost of campaigning.

GNA

Understanding the COP on biodiversity convention

Albert Oppong-Ansah, GNA Special Correspondent, from Hyderabad, India

(Courtesy, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, Global Environmental Facility and Internews).

Hyderabad (India), Oct. 22 GNA-The Earth’s biological resources are vital to humanity’s economic and social development.

Human’s survival depends largely on these natural resources. Biological diversity could be described as the livings or species that found in oceans, forest, rivers and the sea which depends on each other for survival.

Professor Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, Chairman of the Biodiversity Committee explained that with urbanization and increased in population there was an extensive pressure from humanity that had resulted in the degradation of about 50 percent of the world’s biodiversity.

“Again due to the crave for wealth and good living people are exploiting these natural resource through activities like mining activities, tree felling and sand wining,” he said.

The result of these activities received a growing recognition that biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and future generations.

Not only has that but, the threat to species and ecosystems in the world has never been as great as it is today. Species extinction caused by human activities continues at an alarming rate.

Background to the establishment of COP Meetings

In response, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) convened the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts on Biological Diversity in November 1988 to explore the need for an. international convention on biological diversity.

Soon after, in May 1989, it established the Ad Hoc Working Group of Technical and Legal Experts to prepare an international legal instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

The experts were to take into account “the need to share costs and benefits between developed and developing countries” as well as “ways and means to support innovation by local people”.

By February 1991, the Ad Hoc Working Group had become known as the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee.

Its work culminated on 22 May 1992 with the Nairobi Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Convention was opened for signature on 5 June 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio “Earth Summit”).

It remained open for signature until 4 June 1993, by which time it had received 168 signatures.

The Convention entered into force on 29 December 1993, which was 90 days after the 30th ratification.

The first session of the Conference of the Parties was scheduled for 28 November – 9 December 1994 in the Bahamas.

The Convention on Biological Diversity was inspired by the world community’s growing commitment to sustainable development.

It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

Current Agreements at COP 11

Attended by about 1400, 400 participants made up of civil societies and parties to the convention the world’s governments have agreed to increase funding in support of actions to halt the rate of loss of biodiversity at the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

Developed countries agreed to double funding to support efforts in developing states towards meeting the internationally-agreed Biodiversity Targets, and the main goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

The Saragasso Sea, the Tonga archipelago and key corals sites off the coast of Brazil are among a range of marine areas to receive special attention by governments as part of renewed efforts to sustainably manage the world’s oceans agreed in Hyderabad.

Many of the areas are beyond national jurisdictions and, as such, receive little or no protection at present.

Other key decisions taken at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 11) include new measures to factor biodiversity into environmental impact assessments linked to infrastructure and other development projects in marine and coastal areas.

Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity said: “These results, coming in a period of economic crisis, demonstrate that the world is committed to implementing the CBD.

We see that governments are moving forward in implementation and seeing biodiversity as an opportunity to be realized more than a problem to be solved.”

“We now need to move forward in the next two years, under the able leadership of India, the COP 11 president, to consolidate this work and to advance further.

I look forward to other pledges in support of the Hyderabad call for Biodiversity Champions that will allow us to realize our goals” he said.

Madam Jayanthi Natarajan, minister of Environment and Forests for India, and president of the COP said the present economic crisis should not deter parties but on the contrary encourage parties to invest more towards amelioration of the natural capital for ensuring uninterrupted ecosystem services, on which all life on earth depends.

Mr Achim Steiner Director UN Environment Programme Executive said the UN biodiversity conference in Hyderabad had taken forward the renewed momentum, forged two years ago in Nagoya.

He added that countries had sent a clear signal and delivered additional commitments underlining the fact that biodiversity and ecosystems were development priority and central to a transition to an inclusive Green Economy.

“Mobilizing the necessary financial resources from the public and private sector needed to ensure achievement of the 2020 targets remains a challenge – but here in India, many nations including developing economies have signaled their determination and sense of urgency to seize the opportunities by providing much needed additional support,” Mr. Steiner said.

Funding for Developing countries

On the on funding Developed countries agreed at the conference to increase funding to support efforts in developing states towards meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Using a baseline figure of the average annual national spending on biodiversity between 2006 and 2010, developed countries said they would double biodiversity-related international financial flows by 2015.

The COP also set targets to increase the number of countries that have included biodiversity in their national development plans, and prepared national financial plans for biodiversity, by 2015.

All Parties agreed to substantially increase domestic expenditures for biodiversity protection over the same period.

These targets, and progress towards them, will be reviewed in 2014.

For the first time, developing countries at COP 11, including India and several African states, pledged additional funds above and beyond their core funding towards the work of the CBD.

The conference also saw the launch of the Hyderabad Call for Biodiversity Champions. The programme will accept pledges from governments and organizations in support of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity.

The government of India this week committed over 50 million US dollars as part of the programme.

The Global Environment Facility, the financial mechanism of the Convention, for the first time, was provided with an assessment of the financial resources required to meet the needs of developing countries for implementing the Convention.

Decision on Marine Biodiversity.

The 193 Parties to the CBD agreed to classify a diverse list of marine areas, some renowned for containing ‘hidden treasures’ of the plant and animal world, as ecologically or biologically significant.

The COP agreed to transmit the results of this classification work to the United Nations General Assembly so that they can be considered by relevant UN processes linked to the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, in particular the United Nations General Assembly Working Group which is considering the development of an international agreement for biodiversity conservation in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Parties to the Convention also called for more research into the potential adverse effects of underwater noise from ships on marine and coastal biodiversity, and highlighted the growing concern on the adverse effects of marine litter.

It also recognized the growing challenge of climate change impacts on coral reefs, which, Parties agreed, will require significant investment to overcome.

There was also a call to fisheries management bodies to play a stronger role in addressing the impacts of fisheries on biodiversity.

The series of agreements at COP 11 on oceans and coasts builds on the commitment of countries made at the United Nations Rio+20 summit in June to protect and restore marine ecosystems and to maintain their biodiversity.

Various National Biodiversity Plan.

With regards to National Biodiversity Plans much of the COP 11 negotiations revolved around practical and financial support for countries in implementing national biodiversity plans to meet the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

In reviewing global progress in implementing such measures, the COP reaffirmed the need for enhanced technical and scientific cooperation among countries, while underlining the potential for enhanced cooperation among developing countries.

To support such efforts, a new National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans Forum (NBSAP Forum) was launch at COP11 by UNEP, CBD, The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

The online forum provides easy-to-access, targeted information such as best practices, guidelines and learning tools for countries.

UNEP’s Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Initiative also presented a series of practical guides for governments at COP 11 for integrating the economic, social and cultural value of ecosystems into national biodiversity plans.

COP 11 also agreed to a number of measures to engage the main economic sectors, such as business and development organizations, to integrate biodiversity objectives in their plans and programmes.

COP 11 developed new work in support of achieving Aichi Target 15 which calls for the restoration of 15% of degraded lands.

This work was supported by a call, in the margins of the meeting, by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and other bodies for concerted action in support of the decision.

A decision on climate change and biodiversity called for enhanced collaboration between the CBD and UN climate change initiatives including Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)

Given that forests are home to more than half of all terrestrial species, initiatives such as REDD+, where developing countries can receive payments for carbon offsets for their standing forests, can potentially help achieve international biodiversity targets, as well as those concerned with cutting carbon emissions.

The decision covers technical advice on the conservation of forests, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

However the COP also noted discussions around the need for biodiversity safeguards relating to REDD+ and similar incentives. Actions such as afforestation in areas of high biodiversity value, or the conversion of natural forests to plantations, for example, may have adverse impacts on biodiversity.

The COP adopted recommendations for improving the sustainable use and management of species hunted for ‘bushmeat’ in tropical and sub-tropical regions, where large-scale hunting and trade of animals has led to ’empty forest syndrome’, and is increasingly threatens food security, and the ecological stability of forests and other ecosystems.

Together with FAO and other organizations, the CBD Secretariat will establish a global ‘Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management’ to support developing countries in the implementation of relevant CBD provisions.

COP 11 adopted a decision on protected areas that provides a framework for achieving Aichi target 11.

It calls for integration of national action plans for Protected Areas into revised National Biodiversity Strategies and action Plans.

Participants adopted the Hyderabad Declaration on Subnational Governments, Cities and other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, which supports the work of cities to achieve the Global Strategy for Biodiversity and calls for greater coordination between levels of government.

Developed countries agree to double resource for biodiversity protection by 2015

From Albert Oppong-Ansah, GNA Special Correspondent, Hyderabad, India

(Courtesy, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, Global Environmental Facility and Internews).

Hyderabad (India), Oct. 22, GNA –The world’s governments have agreed to increase funding in support of actions to halt the rate of loss of biodiversity at the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

Developed countries agreed to double their funding to support efforts in developing states towards meeting the internationally-agreed Biodiversity Targets, and the main goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

The Saragasso Sea, the Tonga archipelago and key corals sites off the coast of Brazil are among a range of marine areas to receive special attention by governments as part of renewed efforts to sustainably manage the world’s oceans agreed in Hyderabad.

Many of the areas are beyond national jurisdictions and, as such, receive little or no protection at present.

Other key decisions taken at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 11) include new measures to factor biodiversity into environmental impact assessments linked to infrastructure and other development projects in marine and coastal areas.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the conference Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity said: “These results, coming in a period of economic crisis, demonstrate that the world is committed to implementing the CBD. We see that governments are moving forward in implementation and seeing biodiversity as an opportunity to be realized more than a problem to be solved.”

“We now need to move forward in the next two years, under the able leadership of India, the COP 11 president, to consolidate this work and to advance further.

I look forward to other pledges in support of the Hyderabad call for Biodiversity Champions that will allow us to realize our goals” he said.

Madam Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of Environment and Forests for India, and President of the COP, said the present economic crisis should not deter parties but on the contrary encourage them to invest more towards the amelioration of the natural capital for ensuring uninterrupted ecosystem services, on which all life on earth depended.

Mr Achim Steiner Director UN Environment Programme Executive, said the UN biodiversity conference in Hyderabad had taken forward the renewed momentum, forged two years ago in Nagoya.

He added that countries had sent a clear signal and delivered additional commitments underlining the fact that biodiversity and ecosystems were development priority and central to a transition to an inclusive Green Economy.

“Mobilizing the necessary financial resources from the public and private sector needed to ensure achievement of the 2020 targets remains a challenge – but here in India, many nations including developing economies have signaled their determination and sense of urgency to seize the opportunities by providing much needed additional support,” Mr. Steiner said.

On the funding Developed countries agreed at the conference to increase funding to support efforts in developing states towards meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Using a baseline figure of the average annual national spending on biodiversity between 2006 and 2010, developed countries said they would double biodiversity-related international financial flows by 2015.

The COP also set targets to increase the number of countries that have included biodiversity in their national development plans, and prepared national financial plans for biodiversity, by 2015.

All Parties agreed to substantially increase domestic expenditures for biodiversity protection over the same period.

These targets, and progress towards them, will be reviewed in 2014.

For the first time, developing countries at COP 11, including India and several African states, pledged additional funds above and beyond their core funding towards the work of the CBD.

The conference also saw the launch of the Hyderabad Call for Biodiversity Champions. The programme will accept pledges from governments and organizations in support of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity.

The government of India this week committed over US$ 50 million as part of the programme.

The Global Environment Facility, the financial mechanism of the Convention, for the first time, was provided with an assessment of the financial resources required to meet the needs of developing countries for implementing the Convention.

On the issue of Marine Biodiversity the 193 Parties to the CBD agreed to classify a diverse list of marine areas, some renowned for containing ‘hidden treasures’ of the plant and animal world, as ecologically or biologically significant.

The COP agreed to transmit the results of this classification work to the United Nations General Assembly so that they can be considered by relevant UN processes linked to the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, in particular the United Nations General Assembly Working Group which is considering the development of an international agreement for biodiversity conservation in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Parties to the Convention also called for more research into the potential adverse effects of underwater noise from ships on marine and coastal biodiversity, and highlighted the growing concern on the adverse effects of marine litter.

It also recognized the growing challenge of climate change impacts on coral reefs, which, Parties agreed, will require significant investment to overcome.

There was also a call to fisheries management bodies to play a stronger role in addressing the impacts of fisheries on biodiversity.

The series of agreements at COP 11 on oceans and coasts builds on the commitment of countries made at the United Nations Rio+20 summit in June to protect and restore marine ecosystems and to maintain their biodiversity.

With regards to National Biodiversity Plans much of the COP 11 negotiations revolved around practical and financial support for countries in implementing national biodiversity plans to meet the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

In reviewing global progress in implementing such measures, the COP reaffirmed the need for enhanced technical and scientific cooperation among countries, while underlining the potential for enhanced cooperation among developing countries. To support such efforts, a new National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans Forum (NBSAP Forum) was launch at COP11 by UNEP, CBD, The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

The online forum provides easy-to-access, targeted information such as best practices, guidelines and learning tools for countries.

UNEP’s Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Initiative also presented a series of practical guides for governments at COP 11 for integrating the economic, social and cultural value of ecosystems into national biodiversity plans.

COP 11 also agreed to a number of measures to engage the main economic sectors, such as business and development organizations, to integrate biodiversity objectives in their plans and programmes.

COP 11 developed new work in support of achieving Aichi Target 15 which calls for the restoration of 15% of degraded lands.

This work was supported by a call, in the margins of the meeting, by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and other bodies for concerted action in support of the decision.

A decision on climate change and biodiversity called for enhanced collaboration between the CBD and UN climate change initiatives including Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)

Given that forests are home to more than half of all terrestrial species, initiatives such as REDD+, where developing countries can receive payments for carbon offsets for their standing forests, can potentially help achieve international biodiversity targets, as well as those concerned with cutting carbon emissions.

The decision covers technical advice on the conservation of forests, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

However the COP also noted discussions around the need for biodiversity safeguards relating to REDD+ and similar incentives.

Actions such as afforestation in areas of high biodiversity value, or the conversion of natural forests to plantations, for example, may have adverse impacts on biodiversity.

The COP adopted recommendations for improving the sustainable use and management of species hunted for ‘bushmeat’ in tropical and sub-tropical regions, where large-scale hunting and trade of animals has led to ’empty forest syndrome’,and is increasingly threatens food security, and the ecological stability of forests and other ecosystems.

Together with FAO and other organizations, the CBD Secretariat will establish a global ‘Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management’ to support developing countries in the implementation of relevant CBD provisions.

COP 11 adopted a decision on protected areas that provides a framework for achieving Aichi target 11 . It calls for integration of national action plans for Protected Areas into revised National Biodiversity Strategies and action Plans.

Participants adopted the Hyderabad Declaration on Subnational Governments, Cities and other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, which supports the work of cities to achieve the Global Strategy for Biodiversity and calls for greater coordination between levels of government.

AU members asked to integrate biodiversity preservation into national programs

From Albert Oppong-Ansah, GNA Special Correspondent, Hyderabad, India

(Courtesy, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, Global Environmental Facility and Internews).

Hyderabad (India), Oct. 18, GNA – Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, has called on members of the African Union to integrate biodiversity preservation into their national developmental programmes.

Such a system, she said, would be a medium and long term approach towards reducing destruction of biodiversity resource, should the developed countries refuse to commit funds.

“It will be a plus for the continent if the Western countries finally honour their financial obligation for developing countries,” she said.

Ms Ayittey was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the sidelines of the second day of the High level Segment (HLS) of the on-going COP 11 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Hyderabad, India.

The HLS brought together environmental ministerial delegations of about 174 countries and parties to the CBD to discuss and make critical decisions regarding the protection of the world’s biodiversity which is being depleted on daily basis.

Currently, four projects namely; Resource Mobilization, Implementation of the Strategic Plan on Biological Diversity 2011 to 2020, Coastal Marine Biodiversity, and Biological Diversity for Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction are being discussed.

The developed countries are saying that due to the Euro crisis and minimal budget they would not be able to provide new and additional finances for developing countries.

At COP 10, in Nagoya Japan, the developed countries proposed to support developing countries with a financial package to enable them to protect biodiversity, but a firm decision was not taken due to the disagreement by the developing countries.

It was, however, agreed that the issue would be revisited in COP 11 which is on-going.

Ms Ayettey said of the four projects, Resource Mobilization had been the key issue which had created a dead-lock because the implementation of the other three projects hinged on it.

“We need such a support to implement all the national strategic programmes which will include education, capacity building and strengthening of institutions,” she said.

The minister said it would also help the nations to resort to alternative livelihoods such as adapting to the use of solar energy instead of charcoal.

Ms Ayittey suggested that developing nation’s made it a priority to set aside funds to conserve biodiversity adding that, “we are surviving because of the kindness of nature”.

She urged nations to be committed to the COP decisions stressing that many countries had not rectified the Nagoya Protocol which chartered a pathway for global biodiversity conservation.

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits of using genetic resources in a fair and equitable manner.

This includes appropriate access to genetic resources and appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and technologies, and by appropriate funding, thereby contributing to the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components.

GNA