N/R GJA to Award Practitioners, Build Media Resource Centre

Mr. Caesar Abagali, GJA Chairman

The Northern Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has taken a bold decision to recognise the efforts and invaluable contributions of practicing journalists and other media personnel in the region by the end of this year.

The Regional GJA Chairman Caesar Abagali who made the announcement amidst resounding applause from a cross-section of journalists and other media practitioners at an event to mark World Press Freedom Day said, “….the Regional GJA is planning a Northern Region Journalists Awards, to reward hard working media personnel whose work had projected the region and effected change.

“We are thinking of the first week in November, either after or before the National GJA Awards. In this regard, we are counting on the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, the various District Assemblies, NGOs and corporate bodies to assist the GJA to organise the event. We are planning to launch the event in first week of June”, he disclosed.

Mr. Abagali also announced that, the Regional GJA is in the process of acquiring land from the Lands Commission to construct a Media Resource Centre. “The centre would among other things serve as a “Regional Journalism Library” for research, a conference centre for formal and informal meetings”, he stated.

The Media Resource Centre according to Mr. Abagali will have a gym and a restaurant attached to ensure that funds are generated to run the place. He again appealed to the Northern Regional Coordinating Council particularly the Regional Minister Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna and his Deputy Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini to help the association realise this noble and cherished dream.

He further appealed to the government to ensure equitable utilization and distribution of the Media Fund to benefit the Rural Reporter. “The Fund should not be left in the corridors of Accra where the Information Ministry and editors of some media organisations decide who benefits. The Fund should benefit deserving journalists irrespective of geographical location who want to improve or upgrade themselves and this should be done devoid of one’s political affiliation”, he stressed.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day is on the theme: “Development Journalism, Media Safety and Integrity”. The day is marked each year on May 3^rd and seeks to celebrate the achievements and remind each other of the code and ethics that guides the media profession.

It is also a day to assess the level of freedom journalists are enjoying as well as the dangers that are likely to sequester such freedom either from or within governments or private individuals who feel threatened by the existence of a powerful, accountable media, and take action to safeguard this freedom since freedom and independence of the press is the lifeline of every practicing journalist. According to the 2013 World Press Freedom Index released recently by Reporters Without Borders, Ghana placed 30^th out of 179 countries. In Africa, Ghana placed 3^rd, behind Namibia (19^th of 179) and Cape Verde (25^th).

Mr. Abagali charged media practitioners to guard jealously the media freedom in the country, because over exercise of the freedom, he said, might infringe on others rights. “The Regional Chapter of the GJA would not condone any wrongdoing on the part of any journalists and whoever thinks the pen is mightier than the sword and would wail it unprofessionally. Equally, we will not also allow any entity or a group of people to manhandle media personnel who are on their legitimate duties”, he cautioned.

Meanwhile, the Regional Minister Alhaji Limuna who was Guest of Honour pledged his support to the GJA and other media organisations in the region, and encouraged journalists to aspire to be development and peace crusaders and not troublemakers.     

Catholic Priest Expresses Concern Over Catholics Marrying Non-Catholics

Rev. Fr. Boniface Maasoayele

Reverend Father Boniface Maasoayele of the OLA Roman Catholic Cathedral Parish in Tamale has expressed serious concern over increasing number of Catholics marrying non-Catholics and doubt whether there will be a “Catholic Church” in the future.

He emphasised that, the Church is not against Catholics marrying non-Catholics per se, but noted that in the situation whereby a Catholic is marrying for instance a Muslim, it becomes a source for concern. “….the Church agrees to mixed marriages. But when it becomes that all the marriages we’re having in our Church are mixed marriages, that is a worry for us. Tomorrow what is the Catholic family? 

Speaking to Savannahnews last Sunday in an interview after a sermon he delivered, Rev. Fr. Maasoayele said, “…..when you come to a Catholic marrying let’s say a Muslim….the insistence that we don’t know is that everyone is fighting for a right..…. Islam insists on you as a Christian having your children converted when you marry a Muslim. That’s their right. The Catholic also teaches that the one marrying outside of the Church should have his children converted. Who wins in this case? He asked.

“And then they become the norm today that all our marriages are becoming mixed marriages, and nobody is bothered about that. This one is going this way and this one is going that way. That is the tradition I am worried about.

“We have statistics in our parish here …they’ve just printed out the next set of marriages within the second quarter of the year and all of them, not a single completely baptized Catholic is among the list. Some of them are catechumen and so we assume that they are on their way to becoming full Catholics. But a catechumen is already marrying a Muslim, what is the strength of your faith that you will be able to live with another faith that you don’t know? You see… so this is the crux of the matter” he explained.

Archbishop of Tamale, Most Rev. Philip Naameh

Rev. Fr. Maasoayele further emphasised: “It’s not a sin and neither is it wrong for a Catholic to marry a non-Catholic. The Church allows it and that is supposed to be on exceptional cases. But my worry is that what is supposed to become abnormal is becoming the norm. It is rather difficult to get a Catholic marrying a Catholic. That’s my problem. Why is it that we cannot get a Catholic marrying a Catholic?” he queried again. 

He however, attributed the phenomenon to perhaps the desire by people to run after something that is more comfortable, adding that it is also because “we’re not actually faith-based society any more….we’re worldly……well, in some case you could see that it’s purely love and that is the exception that the Church gives. But it doesn’t become exception again, it becomes the norm and that’s my worry”, he bemoaned.

He also noted that, it is not as if the Church is not emphasizing on the importance or benefits of members marrying non-Catholics, but that is because it is not frequent, adding that the Church preaches on the word of God and not themes, and a priest only chips in some of the life experiences when it comes coincidentally.

He indicated that, leadership at the diocesan, parish, laity and youth councils among others will look at it and if the issues are genuine as he sees it, they will be discussed thoroughly and solutions prescribed for them.

Institute Measures To Check Fleecing Of SADA’s Resources–Prez Urged

President John Mahama

An Environmentalist with the Zasilari Ecological Farms Project (ZEFP) in the Northern Region Issifu Sulemana Jobila, is urging government to immediately institute robust measures to preempt any attempt by any individual or a syndicate to fleece resources allocated to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).

According to him, recent exposé by Investigative Journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni breaks the heart of many northerners and environmentalists like himself, considering the fact that a lot of those appointed to manage resources and programmes of SADA are “our kith and kin who should never have disappointed us or think of letting us down.”

The three regions of the north –Upper West, Upper East and Northern, according to Mr. Jobila in an interview with Savannahnews, are the most environmentally degraded and poverty stricken as compared to any part of Ghana. “Every right thinking Ghanaian at this point of our nation’s history actually believes that, this is the opportune time for northerners to be lifted up from protracted poverty and all other negativities associated with environmental degradation.

“About 90 percent of the population in Upper West Region is poor; in the Upper East the figure is 80 percent and in the Northern Region, 70 percent. Presidents Mills and Mahama saw the vision to bring accelerated development to us even in the face of unnecessary criticisms by some Ghanaians. And I believe by now some of those early critics are saying they have been vindicated”, he remarked.

Mr. Jobila cautioned that, failure by President John Dramani Mahama to purge the current system created at SADA especially ways in which contracts are being signed or partnerships are entered into by SADA and private institutions, many northerners will never forget about the huge mistakes that have already been committed since he is the appointing authority.

“People have been appointed and given set targets to meet. What a lot of citizens of the SADA zone are hearing is that, some if not all of them, are yet to meet a single target set for them. Yet they are receiving salary at the end of every month. How then do you expect citizens to believe that the nation is going through economic crisis when there is such wanton dissipation of resources allocated to an infant organisation such as SADA”, Mr. Jobila lamented.

He said his own checks on the afforestation project in the West Mamprusi District shows that it was a complete failure. “Aside Asongtaba’s failure to pay labourers they engaged, thus their refusal to cater for the trees, land tenure system is another issue that wasn’t taken seriously. In one of the beneficiary communities there was confusion over ownership of land and so, no one saw the need to take care of the trees and they died”, he observed.

Dr. Charles Jebuni, Ag. CEO, SADA

He also attributed poor supervision and wrong timing of the tree planting to the failure of the project in the area and perhaps other locations in the SADA zone including parts of Northern Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions.

In January this year, President Mahama instructed the Board of SADA to in consultation with the Attorney-General, terminate a 47 million cedis guinea fowl and afforestation contracts it entered into with Asongtaba Cottage Industries. 

An amount of GH¢32 million out of the overall total was allocated for the afforestation project. Several years after the contract was signed and the amount disbursed, nothing concrete according to government was achieved. It emerged through media investigations that all the seedlings bought and planted had withered. 

According to a statement issued and signed by the President’s Spokesperson Ben Dotse Malor, the presidency acknowledged the necessary systems had not been put in place before the contracts were signed. The statement thus requested the "SADA Board to hold consultations with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Local Government to work out a strategy for the proper implementation of the afforestation and tree growing project, on a decentralized basis."

On the way forward, he urged government and for that matter the incoming SADA Board to award any new contract under the afforestation programme to an institution that is tried and tested or has a track record that is there for everyone to see. “For instance, what at all is wrong with SADA giving such a job to the various District Offices of the Forestry Commission, NGOs with track records in tree planting and the Department of Parks and Garden to execute?”, he asked.

He also stressed on the need to effectively involve communities to understand why there is the need to have trees planted in their farms or deserted lands so as to ensure that the people fully embrace the idea and own it. 

SADA, a government policy initiative established by an Act of Parliament (Act 805, 2010) is aimed at addressing the development gap that exists between Northern and Southern Ghana. SADA’s mandate is to accelerate the socio-economic development of the Savannah belt through strategic investment in resource development. It envisions a “Forested North” by 2030, where agricultural production is modernised and oriented towards a larger market.

Agric Engineering Backbone To Africa’s Food Sovereignty – Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic

Prof. Gordana

A Senior Lecturer of the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Irrigation Technology at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala, Professor Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic, has recommended agric engineering as the backbone to Africa’s quest for food sovereignty and economic expansion.

According to her, engineering today is more important than ever in all aspects of the food supply chain such as production, transport, logistics, processing, manufacturing, storage, packaging, retail, consumption and waste disposal. 

Delivering the second inaugural lecture of the UDS in Tamale on the theme: “Revolution of Food Production: Agricultural Engineering Options for Ghana’s Inclusive Growth”, Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic observed that, Africa’s economic growth is occurring simultaneously with a declining per capita food production, which remains the continent’s structural paradox.

She suggested engineering as a critical component for helping to meet the challenges facing increased food production, citing for instance in the early years of the Green Revolution where engineering made many technical contributions to reduce drudgery and help increase productivity, and thus should never be underestimated.

Self-reliance on food and nutritional security, she said, is a great continental challenge; with imports for crops having increased from about 12 percent in 2000 to about 18 percent in 2010 and meat from about 4 percent to 8 percent in the same period. Quoting from the Engineering News report of 2013, she added that, Africa spends between US$40 billion and US$50 billion yearly on imported agricultural products, resulting in a loss of foreign exchange and jobs. This, she attributed to the continents low patronage in agricultural engineering tools to help enhance both commercial and smallholder farming to enable farmers match their counterparts in Europe and America.

Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic who is also the Director of UDS International further observed that, agricultural engineering programmes in Ghana’s tertiary institutions have agricultural machinery, soil and water resources engineering, and food engineering as the core areas in the curriculum.

“They need to place more emphasis on the areas like bioprocess engineering that can make the graduates more marketable. We need to accept constant changes and developments in science and engineering in the modern world, even though it is increasingly becoming multidisciplinary”, she urged.

Besides these public awareness efforts, she however, advocated that significant focus should also be given to realise engineering role in sustainable rural development as ‘engineers of agriculture’.  

Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic also charged Ghana to unequivocally state and promote the idea of sustainable food production, which can only be achieved by country-led (designed and implemented) programmes reinforcing innovations in science, engineering and technology.

“…..agriculture, both in Africa and in Ghana requires structural and technological changes to improve productivity of both labour and inputs, as well as to enhance the resilience and adaptive capacity of the farmer. 

“To achieve these changes, agriculture requires continuous and targeted investments in education, research and development, and extension services to promote and facilitate development of new knowledge, adaptation and refinement of existing knowledge, and adoption and dissemination of new and improved technologies in agricultural science and engineering, food science and technology”, she adviced.

Inaugural lectures have been an essential feature of university life for centuries. It is a significant event in an academic staff member’s career at the university to mark his/her promotion or appointment to full professorship. For the university, it is an occasion to celebrate and showcase the academic achievements of its staff. It therefore provides newly promoted/appointed professors with the opportunity to inform colleagues, the campus community and the general public of their work to date.

Thus, the second inaugural lecture of the UDS was intended to celebrate the elevation of Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic of the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Irrigation Technology of the Faculty of Agriculture of the UDS to full professorship in 2013.

Born in May 1960, Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic had her early education in the Belgrade High School, Yugoslavia. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1983 from the University of Belgrade, and obtained a Master of Science degree in Irrigation from the ‘Instituto Agronomico Mediterraneo’, Bari, Italy in 1987. She also has a Post-Graduate Certificate in Computer Application/Data Analysis in Biological Research from the Nuclear Research Institute, Belgrade 1987. In addition to this, is a Certificate in ICT from the United States Graduate School in 2002.

A distinguished researcher and lecturer, outstanding team leader, seasoned academic investigator and promoter of positive image, Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic in 2005 obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Ghana. Between 1985 and 1988, she served as Research Assistant in the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, and between 1988 and 1989, she became a Research Officer at the International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement at Wageningen, The Netherlands.

From 1991 to 1995, Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic was a Research Officer at the Agricultural Research Station and Lecturer at the Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Ghana. From 1996 to 2006, she was appointed lecturer in, and Head of Department of the Agricultural Mechanisation and Irrigation Technology, UDS. In 2007, she became Associate Professor and from 2007 to 2009 was appointed Dean of Students, UDS.

Prof. Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic who has since her stay in Ghana renounced her Yugoslavia citizenship and became a Ghanaian citizen, was in 2010 appointed Director of UDS International and held that position till date. She is an active member of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, Ghana Association of Consultants and the Soil Science Society of Ghana.