FAO Head commends Ghana

Dr Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), on Tuesday commended the Government for the appreciable strides made in meeting the food requirements of Ghanaians.He said Ghana was among the first to reach and surpass the World Food Summit goal of reducing by half the number of undernourished people by 2015.Between 1990-92 and 2001-03, the number of hungry people fell from 5.8 million to 2.4 million.Dr Diouf, who was briefing the press in Accra, however, said more attention was required in the area of nutrition for children less than five years of age.He lauded the School Feeding Programme launched by the Government under which millions of school children are provided with one hot meal a day, and expressed optimism that it would help to address the nutrition needs of children.Dr Diouf and his two counterparts, Dr Lennart Bage, President of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Mr James Morris, Executive Director of World Food Programme (WFP), are in the country to assess the impact of their interventions.Dr Diouf said he and his counterparts were in Ghana not by chance but in acknowledgement of the strides the country was making on all fronts, including socio-economic development and good governance. Mr Lennart Bage, President of IFAD, called for increased investment in agriculture and rural development to boost the standard of living for poor rural women; children and men.So far IFAD has invested about 950 million dollars in its programme in the development of root crops and tubers and to improve value addition.Dr Bage said all agencies were determined to work as a coherent system to get synergies to work. He expressed satisfaction with how funds provided by IFAD for its programmes were being utilized in the rural areas, especially in the three northern regions.The three Rome-based organizations are collaborating to provide support to the Ghana School Feeding Programme to improve nutrition and education using food produced locally from school and family gardens and smallholder farmers.The Director General said 290,000 children were being targeted under the WHO/NEPAD feeding programme.Other areas of assistance include policy initiatives in medium-term investment programme, aquaculture and food security. Mr Enerst Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said the Government was rehabilitating old dams while new ones were being built to facilitate improved agricultural performance. Besides more agriculture equipment such as tractors; slashers; power tillers had been imported to reduce the drudgery the farmers go through while tilling the land, he said.
Source:GNA

shoked

It was another successful and busy athletics weekend at home and abroad.

In Nigeria, Solomon Busiendich won the richest mountain race in Africa which earned him Sh3.6 million as Selina Kosgei and Amos Mutai won the Singapore leg of the Greatest Race on Earth on Sunday.

Standard Chartered’s Greatest Race on Earth (GROE) athletes Mutai and Kosgei, both Kenyan, ran course record times of 2:15:01 and 2:31:55 respectively to win the men’s and women’s Singapore Marathon.

The victory for Kosgei, who was accompanied to Singapore and supported by her family, maintains her team Cyclone’s position as leaders of the GROE Women’s Team Challenge.

They now have a cumulative time of 5:04:41, putting them over nine minutes ahead of their nearest rivals, the Grazy Girls, with both the first leg in Nairobi and now the second leg in Singapore completed.

Mutai’s spirited run for Marathon Centre Kericho has lifted his team’s position from 14th in the GROE Main Team Challenge to lead position.

Favourite

Previous leaders Run for Fun team dropped to 20th position, despite being represented by one of the pre-marathon favourites Joseph Ngolepus.

The Standard Chartered GROE, with a total prize pool of US$1.5 million, is a team relay of four challenging marathons in Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong. The field of elite athletes and emerging talent sped away from the start-line at 6am along the Esplanade Drive.

The 2006/07 GROE Series sees participation from over 30 countries, the focus of which is the Nations Challenge.

Zimbabwe’s Oliver Kandiero shone in Singapore, as he stormed through the course to finish with a time of 2:21:23. This puts them in third place in the Nations Challenge, closing the gap to Kenya in second to just half a minute.

kapo jua

Ahadi za JK zaanza kutekelezwa


Wakati wa kampeni za urais mwaka 2005, JK alisema: "Tanzania Yenye Neema Inawezekana." Aliahidi "kushamirisha demokrasia." Na zaidi ya yote, aliahidi "maisha bora kwa kila Mtanzania" kwa ari mpya, kasi mpya na nguvu mpya. Mwaka mmoja umepua tangu aingie madarakani. Haya ndiyo matokeo ya ahadi hizo?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 0 Maoni Yako

Friday, December 01, 2006
Mbowe na Obasanjo warejea darasani


Wanasiasa hawa wawili, Rais wa Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, na aliyekuwa mgombea urais wa Tanzania mwaka 2005, Freeman Mbowe, wamefanana katika jambo moja mwaka huu - kurejea shule, kunoa ubongo. Tusisahau Waziri Mkuu, Frederick Sumaye, naye alijiunga na Chuo Kikuu cha Havard mapema mwaka huu.

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 0 Maoni Yako

Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Kura Za Mzee Wa Kombati Zilikwenda Wapi?


CCM walidai kwamba Mbowe alipata watu wengi kwenye kampeni kwa sababu watu walikwenda kushangaa helikopta. Nikiitazama picha hii naona jambo tofauti. Helikopta ipo uwanjani lakini hawaitazami. Wameiacha nyuma, wanamkodolea macho Mbowe (hayupo pichani). Tazama nyuso zao. Waliofuatilia kampeni zake wanajua hali ilikuwa hivyo kila mkutano wake wa kampeni Oktoba - Desemba 2005. Tazama mmoja wa washindani wake. Nimesikia watu wakijiuliza. Nami najiuliza. Na sasa nawauliza nyie wasomaji. Tuulizane. Hivi kura za Mbowe zilikwenda wapi?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 0 Maoni Yako

Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Tazama Ubunifu


Rafiki yangu mmoja aitwaye Alex Kaija amenitumia picha hii. Nimemuuliza alikoipata akasema naye ametumiwa. Hamjui aliyeitengeneza. Nimevutiwa na ubunifu wake; nikaona vema niwashirikishe wasomaji wa blogu hii. Mnasemaje?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 5 Maoni Yako

Sunday, November 19, 2006
Unasemaje juu ya vitisho vya Lowassa?


Waziri Mkuu, Edward Lowassa, amekuwa akitumia mabavu kukabiliana na wananchi wanaomkosoa, hasa magazetini. Makala HII imemuonya na kumtahadharisha juu ya athari za ubabe huo; hasa kwa mtu ambaye tayari ameshaonyesha nia ya kuwania urais baada ya Jakaya Kikwete. Una maoni gani?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 3 Maoni Yako

Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Mbunge Huyu Ana Hoja, Asikilizwe


HII ni sehemu tu ya upungufu wa katiba ya nchi yetu ambayo tunaendelea kusisitiza kuwa iandikwe upya ili iendane na matakwa ya sasa. Kwa nini tulazimishane kuongozana kwa matakwa ya miaka 50 iliyopita? Kwa nini hatuoni kwamba na kizazi hiki kina mchango wake katika kukua kwa taifa?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 0 Maoni Yako

Monday, November 06, 2006
Kifo cha Saddam Hussein


Hajafa, lakini mazingira yanaonyesha kuwa atakufa. Unasemaje kuhusu hukumu dhidi yake? Soma maoni ya "dunia," sifa zake na historia yake.

Work hard to retain power in 2008 elections- Commey

Mr. Lord Commey, the National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has reiterated the call on party members to work hard to clinch victory in the 2008 elections. He said members, especially polling station chairmen, should bury their political differences and work together as one family to enhance chances of the party in the election. Mr. Commey said this at the Central Regional Delegates' Conference at Agona Swedru. He said the government had made significant achievements and mentioned the School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grant, Youth Employment Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme as examples. Mr. Commey said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Democratic Freedom Party have no ability to defeat the NPP in the 2008 elections. Mr. Dan Botwe, a former Information Minister, commended members of the party in Central Region for their hard work and dedication that enabled the party to win 16 out of the 19 seats. Mr. Botwe, the Director of Communications and Research of the party, said in every human institution there was bound to be misunderstandings and appealed to supporters of the party to bury their difference and work as a team to retain power in 2008. Representatives of the National Democratic Congress and Democratic Freedom Party gave fraternal messages.GNA

Spio urges NDC delegates to give him the nod

Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, an NDC Presidential aspirant, has said he had the capacity to run the presidency if the delegates gave him the nod at the party's primaries on 21st December. He said if he should be given the nod he could turn the fortune of the party in the next elections. Dr Spio Garbrah was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Agona Swedru on Saturday after he had addressed the Central Region delegates of the party. He said there should be a massive change in the party and that the NDC needed to get somebody marketable who should be in a position to provide adequate resources and logistics to run the party. Dr Spio-Garbrah said his chances of becoming the flag bearer were brighter than other contestants because he started from the scratch as constituency executive of NDC in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency in early 90s. He said a former Director of Communications of the party and an experienced and marketable person he would be able to lead the NDC to re-capture power.GNA

Ike and Clottey fails to Shine in US

... Quartey no match for Wright ... Clottey Fails to win title

Ike Quartey and Joshua Clottey lost their boxing fights last night in the United States. Quartey lost by a unanimous decision to Winky Wright at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. While, Antonio Margarito of Mexico won a unanimous decision over Clottey to successfully defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Quartey no match for Wright A determined Winky Wright felt he had something to prove.
"They say I can't punch," the former world junior-middleweight champion said Saturday night at Tampa, Fla. "I wanted to show that I can."
One of the best defensive fighters in the business, Wright went on the offensive and knocked down Ike Quartey late in the second round and won the 12-round middleweight fight between two old friends with a unanimous decision.
Wright threw 1,011 punches to Quartey's 642. He was still going strong in the last round, but couldn't finish off his game opponent.
"I dropped him. I hurt him. But he kept coming back," Wright said. "I wish I could have knocked him out, but Ike's a durable guy."
Wright landed a right to the head to drop Quartey with about 20 seconds left in the second round. He rocked his opponent again with a hard left to the head midway through the eighth.
The 35-year-old Wright, a St. Petersburg resident fighting on his home turf for the first time since 1992, improved to 51-3-1 with 25 knockouts.
Quartey (37-4-1) fell to 3-2 since resuming his career in 2005 after taking more than four years off following a pair of disappointing losses in 1999 and 2000.Friends since the early 1990s when they were young boxers competing in France, Wright and the 37-year-old Quartey had no problem putting their friendship on hold for a night in hopes of positioning themselves for a big-money fight in the near future.
The judges scored the fight 117-110, 117-110 and 117-109.
"He's a good fighter. It was tougher than I thought fighting a southpaw," Quartey said. "He didn't hurt me. I thought I did enough to win the fight."
Both fighters were coming off controversial decisions that left them feeling slighted in their most recent fights.Wright, who landed 269 punches to Quartey's 174, felt he won a middleweight title bout that ended in a draw with champion Jermain Taylor in June.Quartey, who quit boxing six years ago after losing consecutive fights to Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas, dropped a close 10-round decision to Vernon Forrest in August.
Clottey LoseAgainst Clottey (30-2), Margarito trailed early but gradually wore down the Ghanaian, who was appearing in his first title fight.Clottey outboxed Margarito for most of the first four rounds but appeared to injure his left hand in the fifth round, and pointed to the hand as he went to his corner after the bell.Clottey later said he broke the knuckle on the index finger of his left hand when he landed a jab to Margarito's head in the fourth round. He said he also hurt his right hand in the seventh round, though he did not specify what type of injury it was."I thought I was in control of the fight until I hurt my hand," Clottey said.Margarito did not leave the ring unscathed, and said he injured his right wrist in the sixth round.Margarito had not fought since knocking out Manuel Gomez in the first round in mid-February in Las Vegas, and he said the layoff hindered him against Clottey."The ten months off really didn't help me tonight," he said. "I couldn't get a rhythm going early in the fight."Judge Eugene Grant scored the fight 118-109 and judges John Stewart and Paul Venti had it 116-112.Margarito took control in the middle rounds and pummelled Clottey in the eighth and the ninth, cornering him along the ropes in the latter round for a long stretch and landing numerous combinations.Clottey's answer in the 10th round was to dance away from Margarito for most of the round, a tactic that drew boos from the crowd at Boardwalk Hall.
Source:Associated Press

Former Attorney-General urges the youth to creat wealth genuinely

Mr J. Ayikoi Otoo, Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice on Saturday urged the youth to desist from amassing wealth through criminal activities. He said people who indulged in criminal activities to amass wealth, often ended up in prison. Addressing the 31st Annual Certification Day of Opportunities Industrialization Centre (OIC) in Accra, Mr Otoo urged the graduates to have confidence in themselves and work hard in their chosen vocations to succeed in life. A total of 335 trainees made up of 193 boys and 142 girls graduated in Carpentry and Joinery, Auto Mechanics, Electrical Installation, Plumbing, Masonry, Catering, Ceramics, Graphic Arts, Textiles, Office and Computer Skills.

“The certificates you receive today are for you personally and never to be shared, transferred or assigned to others. Your graduation today, should not be the end of your training whether academically or practically,” he added. Mr Otoo urged the graduates to undergo apprenticeship with master craftsmen in their chosen vocation to sharpen their skills. He said every vocation or profession required experience and more exposure to develop and progress. Mr Otoo said “There is no blessing in cheating or being dishonest, corrupt and morally deprived. Do not inflate prices for you clients to make quick money. You would lose clients to others and become jobless.” Mrs Akosua Frema Osei Opare, Deputy Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, said Government would support all forms of youth education, because human resource development was crucial for the country in her quest to become a middle income economy by 2015.

General Emmanuel Erskine (Rtd), Member of the Board of OIC said it was founded by the late Baptist Minister, Dr Leon H. Sullivan to provide a life line to young boys and girls who experienced difficulties in making academic progress in the formal education system. He said through OIC many boys and girls had been given the opportunity to acquire marketable skills which make them employable in the society. Gen. Erskine urged parents of the graduates who could afford to send their children to tertiary institutions should endeavour to do so, “Because life is becoming highly competitive and admission to other higher professional institutions could be beneficial.” Mr K.A. Asante, Programme Manager of OIC, said OIC International in collaboration with USAID had instituted a scholarship scheme for orphans and vulnerable children who were not able to make any bearing in life. “The scheme is free because the trainee’s contribution to training, examination fees, transport fares to school and back and are catered for,” he said. Mr Asante said 69 orphans and vulnerable youth were among the graduates. GNA