GHANA PICKED OUT OF THE MOST CORRUPT SUB SAHARAN AFRICA STATES

 An anti-corruption watchdog says Corruption is a "serious problem" in 40 of sub-Saharan Africa's 46 states. Transparency International (TI) says it has seen no improvement in powerhouses Nigeria and South Africa.

Its corruption index puts Somalia at the top of the list of the world's most corrupt countries.
The annual index looks at factors such as the prevalence of bribery and the perception that government officials go unpunished for corruption.

The watchdog said the countries perceived to be the most corrupt tend to be in conflict; have weak institutions such as the police and the courts and lack independent media.

Somalia has not had an effective central government since its long-serving ruler, Siad Barre, was overthrown in 1991.

North Korea, which has been one of the world's most secretive societies, shared the spot of most corrupt with Somalia.

The "cleanest" countries, such as Denmark, Finland and Sweden, tend to show the public how money is spent and have judges that don't differentiate between rich and poor, the report says.

TI picked out Ghana - which has been rocked by an undercover film showing judges allegedly taking bribes - as a pocket of hope where activists "worked hard to drive out the corrupt".

Senegal, where the government has introduced a series of anti-corruptions laws, was one of the biggest improvers this year, TI said.

The countries where public sector corruption is perceived highest 1. Somalia and North Korea
2. Afghanistan
3. Sudan
4. South Sudan
5. Angola
6. Libya
7. Iraq
8. Venezuela
9. Guinea-Bissau
10. Haiti

The countries where public sector corruption is perceived lowest 1. Denmark
2. Finland
3. Sweden
4. New Zealand
5. Netherlands
6. Norway
7. Switzerland
8. Singapore
9. Canada
10. Luxembourg and UK

DEADLY SUICIDE BLASTS HIT NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIAN TOWN

Suicide bombers have hit the north-eastern Nigerian town of Chibok during market day, killing at least 10 people.

 Reports say three attackers detonated their explosives and another two remain at large, citing a former town resident.

Details are scant and it is not yet known who was behind the attack.

Militants from the Boko Haram Islamist group abducted more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014.

"The casualty toll is not conclusive but so far at least 10 people have been confirmed dead and over 30 injured," Ayuba Chibok told the AFP news agency.

KARACHI DISTRICT RECORDS ITS FIRST CASE OF CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS

 The Karachi District in the Volta Region has recorded its first case of cerebrospinal meningitis. 

 According to the Volta Regional Health Director, Dr. Hilarious,the first case, recorded at the Krachi West Hospital is being carefully monitored by health officials who have also intensified education to avoid a spread. 

He however appealed to government for vaccines.

Meanwhile, six people have been confirmed to have died of Pneumococcal and Meningococcal meningitis in the Ashanti region. Four of the deaths were attributed to Pneumococcal meningitis while the other two deaths resulted from Meningococcal meningitis. There is also two reported cases of Pneumococal Meningitis in the Western Region.

The outbreak of a variant of meningitis in the Brong Ahafo, Northern and Ashanti regions is causing public health concern among residents there but the Ministry of Health says its is on top of the issues and is still putting in place measures to curb the outbreak. It however advised the general Public to be alert of the symptoms of the disease and report to the hospital.

GOV'T LAUNCHES NATIONAL DATA CENTRE

A National Data Centre to facilitate the efficient delivery of government services and serve the private sector has been launched in Accra.The primary national data centre is situated in Accra, while a secondary centre is sited at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus in Kumasi.

The centres are being managed by the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) and its Partners-Alcatel Lucent and Huawei Technologies, Ghana (HTG), on behalf of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Lauching the data centre, Minister of Communication, Dr Edward Omane Boamah said by managing the centres, the NITA and its partners will relieve the MDAs of the burden of hosting their own applications and allow them to concentrate on their core businesses, also the MDAs will be provided with email, antivirus, document management systems initially from the data centre and given more of such utility applications over time, to ensure structured and simplified work flow between and among them.

Dr Omane Boaman noted that the centre will house several racks of computing equipment, including high performance servers, fibre channel disk strorage, backup storage systems and sufficient power conditioning and resources to keep the data centre running.

LETS ERADICATE PNEUMOCOCAL MENINGITIS

The number of Pneumococal Meningitis cases keep increasing since it outbreak in the Brong Ahafo Region in January 7, 2016.  As at January 25, the recorded cases have crossed 100 cases mark and are currently pegged at 139 cases with death arising from 28 to 33. So what is accounting to these increases in the number Pneumococal Meningitis cases even though the Health Ministry says it has the outbreak of the disease under control.

For the start, let us educate ourselves about Pneumococal Meningitis. It is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Causes of the disease include bacterial, viral, parasites and even chemicals.

Transmission or spread of meningitis is by direct contact including respiratory droplets from nose and throat of infected persons or carriers.

One may ask how may I get to know I have Pneumococal Meningitis? Well look out for the following signs and symptoms;

·         Onset of severe headache

·         Fever

·         Vomiting

·         Neck stiffness

·         Photophobia(dislike for light)

Others symptoms include lethargy, coma and convulsions. In babies there may be bulging of the anterior fontanelle (soft part of the bread).

The Ministry of Health in effort to control the outbreak of the disease has taken some measures including dispatching logistics such as laboratory test kits, gloves etc to affected areas, public education is ongoing  and adequate stock of antibiotics has been taken to affected districts.

In as much as the Health and other stakeholders in the health sector are doing their best to bring the outbreak of the disease under control, we the general public has a role to play.

·         People with symptoms and signs suggestive of meningitis (fever, headache, neck stiffers) should report immediately to the hospital.

·         Avoid overcrowding, prevent dryness of the throat by drinking, and prevent cough and sneezing etiquettes.

·         Other preventive measures include avoiding mosquito bite, sleeping insecticide treated bed nets, environmental cleanliness and preventing stagnation of water in tins and tyres.

Together with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders in the health sector, the outbreak of Pneumococal meningitis can be controlled and even eradicated.

PURC ORDERS ECG TO REFUND EXCESS BILLS TO CUSTOMERS

The Utility Regulatory Commission, PURC has ordered the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to correct the metering and anomalies resulting from the implementation of last year major tariff increase for the billing and metering platforms. The ECG has also been directed to develop and implement detailed communication plan for engaging the public on the impact of the tariffs  and measures put in place to resolve implementation challenges arising from the  tariff. Since the PURC announced the 59.2 percent increase electricity tariffs, so users of prepaid electricity meters over the past two weeks have been complaining about how their credit runs out abnormally. The PURC in a statement reassured consumers that their monies will be refund to them accordingly. 

The utilities regulator has given ECG and the Ghana Water Company a February 5 ultimatum to refund excess bills to customers following tariff increases last year.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has threatened to impose sanctions if the order is not strictly enforced.
PURC says it has come to its attention that Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) begun charging 59.2 and 67.2 percent respectively from December 1, 2015 instead of a December 14, 2015 timeline.
The PURC says if the utility providers fail to comply with the order by February 5 the ECG and the GWCL would automatically pay a surcharge of 5 percent of the excess amount over billed to each affected customer in addition to the refund
- See more at: http://myjoyonline.com/news/2016/January-26th/purc-orders-ecg-gwcl-to-refund-excess-charges-to-customers.php#sthash.dqoxvi7Z.dpuf

The utilities regulator has given ECG and the Ghana Water Company a February 5 ultimatum to refund excess bills to customers following tariff increases last year.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has threatened to impose sanctions if the order is not strictly enforced.

PURC says it has come to its attention that Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) begun charging 59.2 and 67.2 percent respectively from December 1, 2015 instead of a December 14, 2015 timeline.

The PURC says if the utility providers fail to comply with the order by February 5 the ECG and the GWCL would automatically pay a surcharge of 5 percent of the excess amount over billed to each affected customer in addition to the refund.

The utilities regulator has given ECG and the Ghana Water Company a February 5 ultimatum to refund excess bills to customers following tariff increases last year.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has threatened to impose sanctions if the order is not strictly enforced.
PURC says it has come to its attention that Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) begun charging 59.2 and 67.2 percent respectively from December 1, 2015 instead of a December 14, 2015 timeline.
The PURC says if the utility providers fail to comply with the order by February 5 the ECG and the GWCL would automatically pay a surcharge of 5 percent of the excess amount over billed to each affected customer in addition to the refund.
These were contained in a letter Monday to the providers.
Commentators believe the letter is a face-saving move following revelation that the 59.2% electricity tariff imposed last year will shoot up to 75% due to the Energy Sector Levy.
The PURC ordered the utility service providers to charge additional costs to consumers as part of the levy.
The additional costs include a 5% rate for street light levy and another 5% levy for the national electrification charge, charged on consumers.
In addition, consumers pay a regular monthly service fee ranging from GHc6.33 to about GHc60 depending on the quantum of consumption and user classification.
The charges the PURC insists are in accordance with the recently introduced Energy Sector Levies Act 2015 (Act 899).

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- See more at: http://myjoyonline.com/news/2016/January-26th/purc-orders-ecg-gwcl-to-refund-excess-charges-to-customers.php#sthash.dqoxvi7Z.dpuf