Category: Events

 A major highlight was a presentation from the Department of Children’s Head Office on the Framework for Action to strengthen child protection systems in Ghana. Stakeholders also engaged in a session on the Government of Ghana’s commitment to ending violence against children, alongside the introduction of the Child Protection Maturity Scale.

The meeting also created space for questions, answers, and interactive dialogue between participants and facilitators. According to organizers, this platform was vital for enhancing collaboration among agencies and ensuring that child abuse cases are reported promptly and handled appropriately.

 The Acting Regional Director for Department of Children in Oti Region, Ella Faith Ashong emphasized that strengthening child protection systems requires a multi-sectoral approach, and called on all stakeholders to commit to Concrete actions.

Mr. Franklin Asante, National Representation of LOGPPAG, highlighted the critical role of procurement professionals in ensuring efficient and effective use of public funds, stressing the need for high standards of integrity, ethics and competence.

He challenged procurement professionals to remain committed to the principles of professionalism, integrity and excellence in their work and encouraged them to work together to promote the interest of their association and contribute to the development of the region and nation.

He expressed gratitude to the Oti Regional Coordinating Council (ORCC) for their support and efforts in making the inauguration a reality.

Mr. Prince Latif Oyekunle, an Assistant Director, emphasized the importance of active participation and commitment within the association, encouraging members to recognize their roles and responsibilities and work together as a team.

He stressed the need for members to recognize their roles and responsibilities, contribute to the association’s growth, success and work together as a team.

Rev. Harry Nii Kwartei Owoo, Chief Director of ORCC urged procurement officers to be strategic and forward-thinking, adding value at every stage of the procurement process to ensure efficient and effective delivery of public services.

Under the leadership of Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Parkie-Davis Magyigbe, the Assembly has made significant progress in IGF collection, which will enable it to fund essential services and projects in the Municipality. The Assembly’s revenue mobilization efforts have been robust, and its financial management practices have been prudent.

The Chief Executive’s support and commitment to maximizing revenue mobilization have been instrumental in the Assembly’s success. The Assembly’s achievement is a demonstration of its dedication to improving service delivery and promoting socio-economic development in the Municipality.

As the Assembly continues to work towards achieving its development goals, this milestone is expected to serve as a motivation to maintain its momentum and strive for even greater heights The Jasikan Municipal Assembly’s achievement is a shining example of effective governance and financial management, and it is expected to have a positive impact on the lives of residents in the Municipality.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Prince Latif Oyekunle, Assistant Director I and focal person for UNFPA  at the Oti Regional Coordinating Council, urged the participants to take the training seriously in order to fully benefit from the knowledge and interventions being shared. He emphasized that the initiative forms part of broader efforts by stakeholders to improve the well-being of young women in the region.

Speaking to the media, Madam Veronica Kakah, a public health nurse and facilitator from the Oti Regional Health Directorate, explained that the sensitization was motivated by the increasing number of teenage pregnancies among young girls in the region. “We discovered that many of these girls become sexually active early, and teenage pregnancy has been a major reason why they drop out of school. This training is part of our commitment to ensuring they are not only aware of the risks but are also empowered to make informed choices,” she said.

Madam Veronica Kakah added that the Health Directorate aims to ensure that girls stay in school, complete their education, and become responsible citizens who can contribute meaningfully to their communities and to the development of Ghana. She further noted that the trainees, who are already learning trades to secure their futures, also need support to complete their training and ultimately care for themselves and their families.

The sensitization is part of ongoing efforts by the Oti Regional Health Directorate to expand family planning coverage and reduce the region’s alarmingly high rate of teenage pregnancies.

The initiative was lauded by participants, who expressed gratitude for the knowledge shared and called for more of such engagements to reach girls in remote communities.

Rev. Owoo noted that the Client Service Unit is now a recognized professional class within the Local Government Service structure, and individuals within the unit can rise through the ranks up to the position of Chief Director. He encouraged participants to remain proactive, professional, and committed to their roles, emphasizing that they serve as the first point of contact for the public and, therefore, play a vital role in shaping the image of their institutions.

The workshop was structured into 11 modules. Mr. Prince Latif Oyekunle, Assistant Director I and Head of the Central Administrative Unit, facilitated Modules 1 through to 6, which covered the Introduction, Decentralization, Client Service Management, Operational Structure & Job Description, Electronic Complaint Handling, and Compliance Monitoring. Madam Janet Sambo, Head of the Human Resource Management Unit, led participants through Modules 7 to 11. These included Procedures for Handling Visitors, Enquiries, Complaints, and Feedback, and concluded with a Wrap-Up session. Together, the facilitators delivered a comprehensive training session that addressed both policy frameworks and practical procedures to enhance client service delivery across the Local Government Service.

he day concluded with closing remarks from Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo, who expressed his appreciation for the active participation of attendees and the efforts of the facilitators. He challenged all officers to return to their respective institutions as agents of change, fully equipped to make a meaningful impact. He reminded them that positive transformation begins with individual commitment and excellence at the point of service.

The workshop reaffirmed the Oti RCC’s commitment to strengthening service delivery, with a strong focus on the quality of interactions between public institutions and citizens. It is expected that the trained officers will return better equipped to serve with excellence, professionalism, and efficiency.

               “𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎 𝒘𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒈𝒆. 𝑨 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔—𝒊𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚, 𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅, 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚.”

Quoting an excerpt from the Minister’s written speech, Rev. Owoo emphasized, “𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍-𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔.”

Another dignitary who graced the occasion was the newly confirmed District Chief Executive of the Biakoye District Assembly. In his seasonal greetings, he encouraged workers to align with President John Dramani Mahama’s renewed vision to reset the nation, calling for shared commitment and discipline across departments:

“As we embark on this national reset, let us position ourselves not just as employees but as enablers of transformation. The President’s vision requires our full engagement.”

In a passionate speech, Mr. Francis Apawu, Chairman of the Oti Regional Chapter of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), emphasized the urgent need to reevaluate pay structures and improve working conditions. He said:

               “Inflation, high cost of living, and poor retention of skilled workers call for a complete reset. We urge government to act swiftly, ensuring fair salaries, safer workplaces, and better career growth opportunities.”

He also called on MDAs to settle outstanding transfer grants and reset regional promotion processes, urging all stakeholders to collaborate in building a motivated and productive workforce.

A major highlight of the day was the Best Staff Awards, which recognized exceptional workers from each of the nine districts of the region. The 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 was presented to none other than 𝐑𝐞𝐯. 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐢 𝐊𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐢 𝐎𝐰𝐨𝐨, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐢 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥, for his outstanding contributions and exemplary leadership throughout the year under review.

The awards, which visibly boosted morale among workers, were made possible through the generous sponsorship of various Assemblies, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs), and Members of Parliament (MPs) in the region.

Closing the celebration, Mr. John Mensin Mframah, District Coordinating Director for Krachi Nchumuru District Assembly and Chairman of the occasion, lauded the enthusiasm of the participants and encouraged all staff to give their utmost to reset the Oti Region.

“Let’s embrace every district posting as an opportunity. Oti is rich in potential, peaceful, and welcoming. Let’s build it together.”

The 2025 May Day Celebration in Chinderi will be remembered not just for its festivities, but for its unifying message: that Oti’s progress is tied to the dignity and empowerment of its workforce.

The engagement brought together representatives from various departments within the region and municipal assembly. It served as a platform to pre-test data collection tools for the terminal evaluation. The meeting was held at the conference room of the Oti Regional Coordinating Council on April 29, 2025.

During the engagement, the management of the ORCC indicated that the issues of inadequate staff in the region is a challenge adding that some of the staff were been posted as punishment which is hindering service delivery.

They explained that healthcare is a serious concern hence the region has not enough health facilities, Poor transport and bad transportation network hence staff within the region are compelled to move from one place to another to get access to transportation to their destination, according to the management.

For sanitation and waste management, the heads of departments recommended that the contract between the MMDAs and the Zoomlion, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of companies be reviewed to allow the assemblies to manage its waste.

According to them, prior to the contract with ZoomLion, MMDAS were employing laborer’s to ensure sanitation in their catchment areas. They bemoaned the prevalence of typhoid in the region due to the consumption of contaminated water and environmental pollution in the region.

He explained that although the targets and development goals are set up by the central government to the local assemblies with different characteristics, the Jasikan Municipality has been a to implement a smart governance system for a sustainable development in the area.

The management bemoaned political interference for underpinning development for their lack of tolerance to work with some civil servants but rather prefer to gag or transfer them to where their services are not needed.

He continued that untimely release of district assembly common fund to champion development is also another challenge that affect Municipality from achieving its goals. Team leader of the group, Commodore Ben Abdul mentioned that the team was conducting a research study as part of academic work and the motive was not to interrogate or audit the activities of the assembly.

The team is made up of the Commandant of the college, supporting staff and the participants referred to as students, he said.

According to him, the college was established somewhere 2024 with the aim to train or provide strategic leadership training for the participants. He continued that first batch of the college had graduated and the participants are not only for the military but also sister security agencies across the country and Africa and the World at large.

He indicated that the idea of the research was to engage the stakeholders contributing to sustainable development and the role they play in ensuring smooth growth in SMART governance. He admonished the staff of the Jasikan Municipal Assembly not to hesitate to share with the team their experience and expertise to the participants in their cause of eliciting information on how smart governance is been implemented in the municipality.

The group leader alluded that the programme is deared to the heart of government hence will provide a policy framework to government with the recommendations on how to implement smart governance to ensure sustainable development.

The college, according to the team is seated at the strategic place and does not liaise with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) directly but the ministry it falls under, adding that their recommendations will be presented to the supervisory ministry to tackle the issues of power outages in the region.

The research team commended the management of the ORCC for their steadfast and the resource persons designated to provide data for their  research project.

Present at the engagement were various heads of departments of the Oti Regional Coordinating Council,  staff and participants of the National College of Defence Studies.

The sub-theme of the ERST-GHANA is “Linkages between SMART Governance and Sustainable Development in the Greater Accra, Western and Oti Regions.”

In his welcome address, the Chief Director of ORCC, Rev Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo explained that soldiers are responsible to protect and defend the country from external aggression as well as maintain peace and security. He mentioned that the main vision is to gather information to help build strong Intel to improve the implementation of smart systems to ensure peace and security in the region.

He reiterated the commitment of the ORCC to facilitate the data collection of the participants aimed at helping government to implement sufficient policies in the right direction to aimed smart governance.

During a presentation, the team was informed the region is partly covered with water and there are some specific areas in the region that can not be accessed without crossing water bodies. He continued that the region’s topography is made of high and low lands with numerous water bodies and hard to reach communities in the region.

He added that Agriculture plays a vital role in the socio-economic development of the region comprising 80% of the economic activities in the region with food crops as major crops cultivated in the region.

The first leg was to pick three regions in Ghana and go round to gather information, pick out Africa to explore same and go out of Africa to acquire similar information to bring them together to conclude the research work. He said the regions are been picked with different characteristics to see how they use the smart governance to help address the issues.

During a courtesy call on the the Tradional Leadership in Dambai, the Commandant of the National College of Defence Studies, Major General Irvine Nii-Ayitey Aryeetey, expressed appreciation for the overwhelming welcome to the team adding that the team was on a research mission.

According to him, the military has a lot of schools and training programmes for students and the National College of Defence Studies is the highest in Ghana. This, he said most people in the school are of age and are been trained to take leadership mantle in the near future.

He continued that the group is made of one-third of the students population and other groups are at some other regions conducting similar research works.

This group, he said focuses on how government can improve governance through smart systems to enhance development and accountability in the country.

After this research, he explained participants will in three months embark on a trip to three African countries understudy their governance compared to Ghana and will also be visiting some other countries outside African continent before concluding the research activities to make recommendations for government to implement good governance principles.

For their part, the traditional leaders urged the research team to feel free to conduct their research without fear and reiterated commitment to support in the course of the data collection.

They called on the research team to prioritise their personal security and underscored the need for a military camp in the area to ensure peace and security in the area.

The chiefs bemoaned the lack of military presence in the region, stating that some lands were given to government for the siting of military depot and some 100 soldiers were posted in the region.

According to the Chief, although the region was colonised by the Germans who knows the rightful owner, but land ownerships have become a problem causing tribal conflict or land disputes in the area.

They therefore admonished the team to expand their scope of study to do detailed research on land ownership to recommend to government measures to put in place to end the menace of land ownership.

The chiefs stated that they play a crucial role in the implementation and enforcement of by-laws to bring peace and security in the region.

To promote governance and cooperation, the chiefs said clan chiefs had been enskinned to ensure delegation of powers in the local and traditional governance.

In his welcome address, Mr. Gustav Kudzo Brempong, Principal of Yabram Community Senior High School, urged the students to fully engage in all activities of the program. He emphasized that as youth leaders, they would face various challenges, including climate change, social inequality and injustice, economic uncertainty and unemployment, technological disruption and cybersecurity threats, and global health pandemics and crises. He encouraged them to develop the skills, knowledge, and character required to lead and make a positive impact.

The program was enriched by the contributions of various collaborators, including:
Mr Adams Braimah and Mad. Mercy Yaa of The Ghana Health Service through the Krachi East Directorate, engaged the students in both mental health education and reproductive health. They were encouraged to prioritise their health and social well-being, enabling them to make sound decisions as leaders and seek help when necessary.
Mr Gagakumah Kwame Setrakor, Regional Deputy Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) enlightened the youth on the kind of leaders they aspire to be and the type of citizens they should aim to become as part of the developmental process.
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection led by Mrs Esther Hammond Doe, Ag Regional Director accompanied by Mr Samuel Edem Kpeli of the Regional MIS Unit stressed the importance of seeking guidance and utilizing available resources and their contributions as essential to national development, she noted. She further on educated the youth on their roles as youth leaders and encouraged them to seek assistance from local and governmental institution when needed.

Edward Marfo of The Youth Empowerment Consortium and Mr Henry Dodzi Gakpe, Office of Public Labour and Employment, inspired the participants to take active roles in protecting the environment and to become ambassadors of climate change advocacy.
Officer Destiny Selormey of The Ghana Police Service through the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), educated participants on harassment, abuse, and defilement. The youth were encouraged to know their bodies and rights, say no to sexual harassment, speak up against defilement, and report abuse. They were also charged to protect their future by making informed choices and seeking help when necessary.
The Ghana Education Service through the regional directorate: Representatives of the Regional Director were present to observe the program and affirm their continuing support for the program and the advancement of education and the holistic development of the students.

A major highlight of the program centred on tolerance and peace-building, career guidance, and leadership development. Mrs. Cecilia Fiaka, Principal of the Nneka Youth Foundation, addressed the gathering when representatives of the Regional Director of Education were present. She noted that the Foundation’s largest collaborator is the Ghana Education Service, but in recent times, challenges have arisen in getting teachers and heads of schools to fully understand the Foundation’s role in advancing education. She called on educational authorities to advocate for the Foundation and emphasized that the Oti Region, being one of the youngest regions among the sixteen regions in Ghana, would greatly benefit from educating and guiding its youth toward accelerated progress and development.

Although the program aimed to host a bigger number of participants, 63 participants were recorded due to limited preparation time on the part of the students and the organizer. However, the summit was considered highly successful, having made a significant impact on those who were present. The event organizers agreed to make it an annual event moving forward.
Certificates of participation were awarded to the youth leaders, who pledged to become change-makers, beginning with their schools and communities. The best youth leaders were rewarded with books and other items following their presentations on behalf of their groups. Additionally, the career workshop clinics provided valuable guidance, enlightening the participants about their aspirations and encouraging them to set attainable goals.

The organizers and collaborators expressed their satisfaction with the program’s outcome. The Nneka Youth Foundation also extended its gratitude to all supporters, the host school, volunteers, and benevolent donors for their dedication and commitment throughout the event.

The theme adopted globally for the sensitization is, “A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles,”. This was locally adapted by the National Communication Authority (NCA) under the theme “Masts, Towers, and the Consumer: Myths, Benefits & Challenges. ” The initiative focused on dispelling misconceptions about radiation emissions from telecommunication masts, addressing consumer concerns, and reinforcing the importance of these structures in ensuring reliable connectivity.

The NCA reassured consumers that telecommunication masts and towers pose no health risks, as they comply with International safety standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Scientific research confirms that electromagnetic radiation levels emitted by these structures remain far below harmful thresholds.

The Authority emphasized that masts and towers are essential for improving network coverage and ensuring reliable communication services. It also reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing strict regulations to protect public health and safety.

Earlier today, Hon Agbodza inspected the project and reiterated government’s commitment to completing strategic road projects. He further assured the contractors that their payment will be prioritized.

According to Hon. Agbodza, when completed, Nkwanta-Oti-Damanko road will facilitate economic growth through improved access to markets, reduce travel time and improve road safety as well as boost agricultural production and trade.

The key issues raised were:

1. The negative aspect of the young girls traveling to the Gulf countries leading to deaths, deportation and evacuation.
2. The financial lost that Ghana incur during evacuations
3. The proposed solutions to the indiscriminate travels to the Gulf countries.

The Oti Regional Coordinating Director (Chief Director), Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo in his welcome address thanked the regional and national Passport Office for the initiative and urged the participants to contribute good and feasible ways of curbing this pressing challenge in Oti.

Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo in his closing remarks tasked the stakeholders to collaborate and educate the people of Oti on the dangers involve in our young girls travel to the Gulf for greener pasture.

Stakeholders present were Department of Gender, Information Services Department, Department of Social Welfare, National Commission for Civic Education, Local Council of Churches, Ghana Immigration Service, ORCC Public Relations Unit, ORCC Central Administration, Rep of Regional Chief Imam, officers from Passport Office and the Oti Regional Coordinating Director as the chairperson for the meeting.

The directive signed and issued by the Chief Director of ORCC, Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo on behalf of the Regional Minister, said the sanctions are applicable to staff like Municipal and District Coordinating Directors, Heads of Department and Staff in the Local Government Service.

The statement opined that the move was in line with resolutions of council which stipulates that members of the Service listed in the (Section 50 of the Local Governance Act 936) ought to be given a hearing to explain the reasons for their failure in performance.

This, he said due process would be followed in meting out sanctions to officers to ensure fairness to allow members of the Service to strictly apply sanctions at all levels and to exhibit effective leadership in managing performance and notify the Head of Service

He acknowledged that the resolutions of council adopted the measures to compel management to ensure effective supervision of staff; RCC/MMDAs to be oriented on environmental cleanliness.

The statement further directs the Regional Coordinating Directors and Municipal District Coordinating Directors to strictly enforce and apply the disciplinary procedures of the Service

It went on to direct the management of the Office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS) to provide a comprehensive document of the Sanctions identified from the Retreat as part of their discussion on the performance of indicators by council.

He added that the sanctions to be meted out to non-performing staff and officers are reformative towards enhancing performance.

Municipal District Coordinating Directors are charged to report non-performing MMDCEs to their respective Regional Ministers and officers within less endowed communities require adequate support to enhance their performance as well as nonperforming Officers within well-resourced districts should be sanctioned

Rev. Owoo however entreated staff of MDAs and the Local Government Service to scale up their performance and not to fall victim to the sanctions enumerated hence all sanctions would be applied to the letter devoid of fear or favor.

A Total of 150 adolescent participants were engaged and sensitized on the effects of teenage pregnancy and child marriage, as well as the importance of embracing STEM education. Solidarity messages from queen mothers, Regional Directors and representatives from CSOs encouraged and empowered participants to stay focused and pursue careers in skill development for global competitiveness.

Resource persons and dignitaries included representatives from the Municipal Health Directorate, Department of Gender, Regional STEM Department, Ghana Standard Authority, Ghana Education Service, TVET and the Traditional Council.