AFA appeals to EC to intensify education on registration exercise

Accra, March 26, GNA - AFA Foundation International, a Christian non -governmental organization (NGO) has appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) to intensify public education on the on-going voters registration exercise to enable people appreciate its relevance. A statement signed by Mr Kofi Lucas, Founder of AFA, said the EC had failed to provide the public with the requisite information on the exercise.

He said though prospective voters were required to provide their age, house number, hometown and district, names of father and mother they were not given prior information.

The statement said the EC should have educated the public on the benefits of processing a voters identity Card during their awareness and sensitisation programmes.

Mr Lucas expressed worry that some people did not want to vote; hence they did not attach seriousness to the registration exercise. The Foundation suggested to government through the EC and Parliament to consider requesting Foreign missions and embassies in Ghana to demand from visa applicants their Voter Identification Cards (ID) when applying for visas.

"Voter's ID should be demanded at financial banks before transacting businesses with customers, adding students who are 18 years and above, should also be made to provide the Voters' ID card as a condition to secure admissions into educational institutions."

The statement advised the EC to ask voters who would not be available to take the photographs for ID cards in June, to provide their own pictures for the exercise to reduce cost.

AFA appealed to NGO's, civil society, traditional rulers and religious bodies to encourage their members and people in the community in which they operate to register.

30 billion cedis scholarship for Tertiary institutions

Takoradi, March 26, GNA- The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) has approved 30 billion cedis to be awarded as scholarship package for students in Tertiary institutions in the country.

The amount has been credited to the scholarship secretariat for disbursement to students this academic year.

Mr. Fosuaba A. Mensah-Banahene, Administrator of the Fund disclosed this on Friday at the inauguration of a 58-seater bus for the Takoradi Polytechnic, valued at 470 million cedis.

He said the scholarship scheme, is the first of its kind to be established for tertiary education students in the country. Mr. Mensah-Banahene said the fund had also approved seven billion cedis for the completion of ongoing projects at the Takoradi Polytechnic. He said the fund has in addition allocated 200 billion cedis for tertiary institutions nationwide and urged students to use laid down procedures in settling their grievances.

Mr. Mensah-Banahene said Parliament had approved 700 million cedis for second cycle institutions in the country to develop the existing facilities and expand others to meet the increasing needs of students. Professor Daniel Mireku-Gyimah, Takoradi polytechnic Council Chairman received the keys to the bus and expressed his appreciation to the GETFUND for the donation and assured that the bus would be used for educational purposes only.

Dr. Samuel Obeng Apori, Principal of the school said the bus would ease the acute transportation problem facing some departments of the school.