thesavannaonline - thesavannaonline

Rainforest Builder Launches Africa’s Largest Tree Nursery in Bassengele

Rainforest Builder Ghana has unveiled a massive native tree nursery in Bassengele, Bibiani. The facility can produce up to 5 million seedlings annually. It is now the largest of its kind in Africa. The nursery is part of efforts to restore 100,000 hectares of degraded forest land in Ghana. The project supports the country’s reforestation and climate goals.

More than 600 workers—most from nearby communities—are employed at the nursery. It uses advanced irrigation systems and is central to the company’s restoration strategy.

“This nursery is not just about trees,” said Enver Mapanda, General Manager of Rainforest Builder Ghana. “It reflects our long-term commitment to restoring Ghana’s forest landscapes.”

She said the work aligns with national goals on climate resilience, biodiversity, green jobs, and carbon removal.

Project Akwaaba and Reforestation Impact

Rainforest Builder Ghana was set up in 2023. Its main programme, Project Akwaaba, has already restored over 1,500 hectares in the Upper Wassa, Anhwiaso South, and Anhwiaso East reserves.

In 2025, the company aims to restore an additional 2,000 hectares, doubling the amount achieved the previous year.

“At the heart of our operations is a fully integrated value chain,” Ms Mapanda said. This includes seed collection, nursery work, planting, forest protection, financial planning, and access to the carbon market.

She noted that restoring forests also removes carbon dioxide from the air, generating carbon credits that can be invested in nature-based solutions.

Local Jobs and National Partnership

Ms Mapanda said the company plans to employ more than 900 workers this year. Local communities, she said, will be direct beneficiaries of the forest economy.

The company will also donate 10,000 seedlings to the Forestry Commission. This will support the government’s national tree-planting drive.

“We’re building inclusive and sustainable rainforest economies,” she added. “The people who live with and care for these forests must also be the ones who benefit.”

Government Support and 50-Year Lease

Dr. Hugh Clement Adokwei Brown, CEO of the Forestry Commission, attended the launch. He welcomed the project and said it came at the right time.

The government, he said, is targeting 30 million trees nationwide, with 40% expected to come from private firms.

“This ‘Akwaaba Project’ is evidence to show the world that Ghana is serious about deforestation,” Dr Brown said. He added that the project demonstrates Ghana’s commitment to restoring degraded land and combating climate change.

The company has a 50-year lease to operate and is currently focused on the Western North Region. Dr Brown praised Rainforest Builder Ghana for creating jobs and promoting sustainable growth.

Mahama Unveils 2025 Development Plan for Savannah Region

President John Mahama has outlined a new development plan for the Savannah Region. The plan includes a university, a hospital, a water supply system, and major road projects. These interventions are set to begin in 2025.

He made the announcement on Saturday, June 14, 2025, during a stop at the Yagbonwura’s Palace in Damongo. The visit was part of his ‘Thank You’ tour.

“This is more than a thank you,” Mahama told the gathering. “It is a renewal of trust, a renewal of shared purpose.”

He said the projects aim to close the development gap in education, water, healthcare, and transportation.

New University to Focus on Agriculture

One of the major projects is a public university with a focus on agriculture and related sciences. Mahama said it will support the Feed Ghana programme and train young people in agri-business.

Funding has been included in the 2025 budget. “This university will not just be symbolic,” he said. “It will be grounded in our national plan for skills and education.”

Water for Damongo

Mahama confirmed that the long-delayed Damongo water project will go ahead this year. It will draw water from the White Volta at Yapei and serve over 8,000 residents.

He stated that the European Union is financing the project and that all designs are now ready.

Regional Hospital and Stadium

A regional hospital will also be built in Damongo. This is part of a national plan to build hospitals in all six new regions.

A sports stadium will also be constructed in Damongo to promote youth development.

Major Roads to be Repaired

Mahama promised road improvements across the region. The Damongo-Fufulso-Sawla road will see repairs, especially the Damongo-Sawla stretch.

The Tinga-Busunu road is also in the works, with procurement underway.

He also mentioned the Bole-Chache road, Bole town roads, and feeder roads in Daboya, Busunu, Yapei, and Bipe.

New roads will link Central Gonja to Salaga North and South. He listed more routes, including Yapei-Salaga, Kusawgu-Pingjipe, and roads from Kpembe and Adape.

Teacher and Skills Training to Expand

A STEM high school will be built in Tinga. A vocational training centre will open in Salaga. It will focus on ICT, construction, green jobs, and agribusiness.

Mahama also announced that the Savannah College of Education in Daboya has been absorbed into the public system. The GETFund and the Tertiary Education Commission have been instructed to expedite staffing and development.

Construction at the abandoned teacher training college in Doli will also resume.

“We are here to work for the farmer in Daboya, the teacher in Bole, the nurse in Salaga, and the student in Damongo,” Mahama said.

Stronger Local Representation

Mahama praised the number of Savannah Region natives now serving in public roles—ministers, heads of agencies, and ambassadors.

“No region, no district, no community will be left behind,” he said.

BECE Accident Victims Will Still Get SHS Placement – Education Ministry

The Ministry of Education says BECE candidates who missed papers due to an accident will not be denied placement into Senior High School. Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Apaak said the students’ futures remain intact. He explained that special measures have been implemented to protect them.

On Tuesday, June 12, 2025, eight pupils from Nangbagu Yapala M/A JHS were involved in an accident. They were on their way to write the English and Creative Arts and Design exams at the Tamale SHS centre. They arrived just ten minutes before the paper ended. None of them was able to write.

The situation caused worry among parents. Many feared their children would miss the chance to continue their education.

However, the Northern Regional Director of Education, Alhassan Alidu Junior, assured the public that the students would not be penalised. He said, “The students have two options available: self-placement and automatic placement.”

Dr. Apaak made the remarks during a monitoring tour of BECE centres in the Northern Region. On Monday, June 16, he visited Tamale Senior High School, Islamic Senior High School, and the Sakasaka Cluster of Schools.

He is expected to continue the tour on Tuesday with stops in the Eastern Corridor, including Yendi.

Bee Attack Disrupts BECE Exams in Wa; One Girl Misses Paper

Wild bees swarmed a BECE exam centre at the Wa School for the Deaf on Thursday, June 12, 2025. Two candidates were injured. Both were rushed to the Wa Municipal Hospital. The male student was treated and returned in time for the second paper. The girl, however, missed her Career Technology exam due to her injuries.

The incident happened after the English Language paper. According to WAEC’s Upper West Regional Controller, Mr Donald Tuor, the attack occurred when the staff of the Northern Electricity Company (NEDCo) pruned a tree near the school, disturbing a beehive.

“We are considering pursuing a clemency case for her (the female candidate who could not write the exam) because it was not her fault for not writing the exam,” Mr Tuor said.

“That paper is a compulsory subject, not a core, so even without it, she can still be graded,” he explained.

Mr Tuor also said the council was handling several cases of malpractice across the region. One invigilator in Wa has already been dismissed. Another is on the run.

“All reported cases of malpractice in the region would be investigated, and the perpetrators brought to book,” he added.

Teachers found aiding malpractice will be reported to the Director General of the Ghana Education Service for punishment.

A total of 14,733 candidates are taking the exam in the Upper West Region. That includes 7,928 girls, 6,805 boys, and 169 private candidates. The exams are being held at 51 centres, with nine depots supporting the process.

Addressing shortage of healthcare professionals in Upper East

Donatus Atanga Akamugri, Upper East Regional Minister, is determined to create a medical school in the region. He highlights that staffing difficulties, caused by security issues and limited professional prospects, discourage health professionals from accepting assignments.

As you correctly mentioned, there are various reasons why people are hesitant to post in this area. Primarily, it is due to economic factors and other concerns. Additionally, upbringing and preconceived notions about the region also play a role in shaping people’s attitudes towards the area.

“So if we address this issue by making sure that we provide a training centre, like the medical school, that is going to take off in the region, and people brought up here are trained, one thing is that they will disabuse their minds,” he said.

During a recent visit to the Upper East Regional Hospital, the Minister revealed that he had also held discussions with the Vice Chancellor of CKT-UTAS regarding the establishment of a medical school at the university. He is optimistic that this initiative will effectively address the ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals in the region.

Furthermore, once medical doctors and health professionals arrive in the Upper East region, what options do they have for advancing their careers? Without access to educational opportunities, being a medical professional in this area may become less appealing, discouraging individuals from accepting job placements here.

“And apart from that, when they (medical doctors and health professionals) come to the Upper East, what are the opportunities for them to further? People will come to this place, and then if you come here as a medical person and you have no institution where you can upgrade your knowledge, it also goes a long way to serve as a disincentive, and it will discourage the people from accepting postings to this area.”

The Minister emphasised the region’s susceptibility, as demonstrated during the recent nurses’ strike. They emphasised that a medical school would not only educate local individuals but also attract healthcare investments and enhance conditions for the development of the healthcare sector.

“We are worst hit by the nurses strike because we do not have many of the private sector players in this sector. If we were to have many of such private sector players, at least it would be minimal because people would have the alternative. If the central government one is not working, I would go to the other area. But they are countable, and it is even in the regional capital you are talking about,” he stressed.

Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, the Upper East Regional Health Director, praised the Minister for this initiative and expressed that he is currently coordinating with the university’s administration to ensure a successful launch of the medical programs at the institution.

Mahama transforms Daboya College into a public Teacher Training Institution and renews the Doli project.

President John Dramani Mahama has restated his administration’s dedication to enhancing teacher education in Ghana by announcing the official incorporation of the Savannah College of Education in Daboya into the public education system.

Speaking at a gathering during his regional “Thank You” tour, President Mahama emphasized his administration’s aim to improve teacher training and increase access to quality education in both new and historically underserved areas. This is part of their overarching strategy.

“To support teacher development, I’m pleased to announce that the Savannah College of Education in Daboya, which was previously a private-community initiative, has now been officially absorbed as a public teacher training institution,” he stated.

The speaker mentioned that he had instructed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to expedite the hiring of educators and support staff, as well as place a focus on building infrastructure at the college.

Additionally, the President assured that construction on the deserted College of Education in Doli, near Bole, will recommence later this year. The project was initiated initially during his previous administration, but due to changes in government, it stalled.

“Furthermore, work on the abandoned college of education at Doli near Bole, which was begun under my previous administration, will resume this year,” Mahama declared.

Walewale to get a Trauma and Emergency Centre

The expansion of Walewale Government Hospital in the Northeast Region will include a new Trauma and Emergency Centre, according to President John Mahama’s recent announcement.

The President’s recent healthcare agenda, revealed at a community engagement in Nalerigu, focuses on improving infrastructure in underserved regions as part of his commitment to prioritise healthcare.

However, there has also been controversy surrounding its apparent disregard for a significant hospital venture established by former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

“We are seeking funding for the expansion of the Walewale Municipal Hospital,” President Mahama said.

“We want to add a trauma and emergency centre to take responsibility for any accidents that happen on the Tamale–Bolga road corridor.”

In addition, he announced initiatives to enhance the current infrastructure at Walewale Hospital, including improving staff housing and upgrading the water system to support the new emergency centre.

The revelation has provoked worries about the future of a previous, comparable endeavour spearheaded by Dr Bawumia.

The development in question was a 100-bed specialised hospital located near Loagri along the Tamale-Walewale-Bolgatanga road. The funding for this project was provided by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), and it was initiated in 2019.

Initially scheduled for completion in 2020, the project was unfortunately put on hold, resulting in its current state of abandonment.

The hospital, spearheaded by Bawumia, was furnished with contemporary facilities, including a pharmacy, physiotherapy department, general laboratory, radiology lab, eye and dental clinics, Clinical Specialists Unit, operating theatre, ICU, obstetrics and gynaecology unit, medical wards, mortuary services, central sterilisation unit, laundry room, dining hall and state-of-the-art medical equipment.

Meet the First Female MCE for Kasena-Nankana

In a surprising shift in politics, Faustina Abulu, selected by President John Dramani Mahama, has been approved as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Assembly. This confirmation occurred on June 16, 2025, with a majority vote of 37 out of 50.

Abulu’s confirmation comes after being previously rejected on April 29, 2025, with 72% of assembly members voting against her nomination due to concerns regarding her qualifications, leadership style, and alleged political bias. Despite this rejection, President Mahama remained confident in Abulu’s abilities and decided to re-nominate her on June 11, 2025, through Minister Ahmed Ibrahim of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.

During the previous vote, some assembly members opposed Faustina Abulu’s candidacy, citing alleged misconduct, including disrespectful interactions and poor collaboration with colleagues. They also questioned her focus on political favouritism instead of consensus-building, which raised concerns about her ability to lead a municipality in need of inclusive and progressive leadership.

A sudden change of heart from a majority of assembly members has resulted in her approval, marking a significant shift. Some political analysts view this confirmation as a strategic win for the ruling government, highlighting President Mahama’s remarkable sway and determination.

As the recently appointed MCE, Faustina Abulu is responsible for steering development efforts in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality. This includes addressing crucial issues such as infrastructure improvement, youth employment opportunities, sanitation, and ensuring local governance accountability.

The confirmation of the individual has elicited a range of responses within the municipality. While some view it as a triumph for capable leadership, others are more hesitant and encourage her to demonstrate inclusivity, rebuild trust, and prioritise public service over political loyalties.