MEDIA PLAN ON OPEN DEFECATION ASSIGNMENT

This is a media plan on open defecation of Kosamba Village in the Volta Region. The plan considers the key strategies and tactics that could be used to address the challenges to open defecation in in the village, and by extension in Ghana.

This plan contains:-

SITUATION ANALYSIS

Open defecation (OD) is defined as defecating in fields, forests, bushes, water bodies or other open spaces (UN Water Sanitation drive 2015.org) Globally, 1.1 billion people openly defecate daily because they do not have access to any form of toilet facility. In Ghana, 4.8 million have no latrines and regularly engage in the practice.

According to statistics from the Water and Sanitation Monitoring Platform (WSMP) about 5 million Ghanaians defecate openly daily with the Upper East Region topping with 81.9 percent followed by Upper West Region with 78.7 percent. The Northern Region of the country is listed as having the third open defecation rate in Ghana at 72.9 percent. The central Region is fourth highest on the table with 18.1 percent while Volta Region placed fifth with 13.8 percent. The water and sanitation program indicate that ,Ghana economy loses GH420 million, 1.6 percent on Gross Domestic Products (GDP). Additionally, Water aid Ghana emphasize out of the over 25million people in Ghana, nearly 21 million representing 28 percent are without access to safe and improved toilet.  For the purpose this project, our focus will be on Kosamba Village in the Volta Region. The target audience is Kosamba.

BACKGROUND

Kosamba is a small community in the Kadjebi District in the Volta Region of Ghana. It has a population of about 115 people in the community. The native of Kosamba are Ewe speaking people with farming as their main occupation.

The total number of household in the area is only 22 with the number of houses that one can count in the community are 14.

PROBLEM  STATEMENT

The problem pertaining in the community is that out of the 22 household in the community, none if the household could boast of a single latrine.

Zero percent of each member of the household practice hygienic  hand washing measures after visiting the toilet. Already existing latrine in the community which has been improved is only three.

SENSITIZATION OBJECTIVES

The sensitization objective is about what the community would be sensitized on in relation to the subject matter of open defecation.

The general sensitization objective of the project is to reduce the rate of open defecation in Kosamba, and by extension the Volta Region.

Specifically, the project or campaign is:

1. To educate the residence on dangers of open defecation.
2. To sensitize the people of Kosamba village to put up make shift latrines devoid of financial burdens to help check the practice.
3. To sensitize the residence on how to prevent sanitation related diseases.

ADVERTISING OBJECTIVE

To create awareness of about 75% of the people of Kosamba on the need to adopt make shift latrines instead of defecating in the open by the end of 2017.

MEDIA OBJECTIVE

To create awareness among children (5-12 years) and the elderly on the dangers of open defecation and the need to desist from the practice.

MEDIA STATEGIES

With regards to the people of Kosamba, the media strategy that would best communicate to the people is broadcast and the print. For print, we will use a lot of posters which would communicate to the people in Ewe language. The reason is that, the area is typical Ewe community.

For that of broadcasting, we selected radio (FM stations) with emphasis on three major radio stations in the area, namely Heritage FM, Lorlornyo FM (all in hohoe) and Spkpple FM (in Jasikan).

These radio stations usually communicate in Ewe language. As a result of this, the information that would be broadcast to the people through such FM stations would be done in the Ewe language which would be easily understood by the people in the area.

To achieve this, a minute documentary on open defecation would be recorded and played on the selected FM stations during their 6:00am and 6:00pm news bulletins.

EVALUATION, SUMMARY/ASSESSMENT

The entire media plan will be successful due to the target audience and the media strategy adopted. It is important to mention that having identified the kind of media  which can be used to reach the people, the key messages on open defecation will be communicated in Ewe language to the people. Knowing what we seek to achieve, adequate finances have been provided to cover the entire project.

Indeed, the project will be pretested on a small scale before the final project will be rolled out in its entirety.

CHECKLIST

Due to the nature of the project, we went to embark upon, a thorough research which was conducted about the people and the challenges they are facing currently.

Essentially the appropriate time for the message have also been adequately implemented in the plan. By this, the message will be a continuous process all year round to ensure the objectives are achieved.

 ¨CHARLES EHUN ANDOH ---- BACS 17784

 LEVEL 400 PUBLIC RELATIONS WEEKEND

 

Some of the articulated trucks occupying a portion of the road at Busia Junction on the Odorkor-Mallam Highway.

20 November 2014 | Written by  Charles Andoh |

Danger on Odorkor-Mallam Highway; • As articulated trucks take over lane

Statistics on the number of accidents caused as a result of  the indiscriminate parking of articulated trucks on the shoulders of our roads are unavailable. However, the police and road safety officers do not rule out the contribution of such parking to road accidents.

It is becoming a practice for drivers of trucks or articulated vehicles to park on the shoulders of streets in Accra; a situation which poses risks to other road users.
Along the Odorkor-Mallam Highway and some roads in Accra, it is a common sight to find vehicles parked at different locations.
In the last two months, at least one accident occurred at the Busia Junction of the highway. From June to date, a public company was reported to have lost three vehicles partly because there were trucks that had parked along the road.

Public displeasure

The parking of the trucks on the roads has incurred the displeasure of some residents and road users of Odorkor-Busia and its environs.
According to them, the practice, which has existed for the past three years, posed serious danger to them and the children in the area.
Apart from almost taking over a lane of the highway, the articulated trucks have also taken over the pedestrian walkway along the Odorkor-Busia stretch of the highway.
“Now crossing the road from either Busia Junction or at any point where the trucks have parked to the opposite side is not safe since you would have to struggle to look out for oncoming vehicles before crossing the road,” a resident who looked visibly angry told the Daily Graphic in an interview.
Another resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, recounted a recent incident where a child was injured by a broken part of one of the trucks after it had been parked right in front of a house.
The driver never offered any help to the child, neither did he admit that the truck had caused the injury to the child.

Traders and shop owners worried  

“The worrying aspect is that the  drivers are very aggressive and the least they could do to you if you dare ask why they have parked in front of your shop is to insult and humiliate you,” the Head of Marketing at the Odorkor branch of the Anointed Electrical Engineering Services, Mrs Ama Ayeh-Danso said.
She added that “For us in this area, if there is something we can do, we will find a way to stop the situation.”
Audrey Bonsu, a shop attendant at the Odorkor branch of Ernest Chemists, also said “Our customers are complaining about the phenomenon since they usually find it difficult to cross the road to the other side after patronising our services.”
She stated that there had been instances when vehicles had knocked down children who made attempts to cross the road to the opposite side due to the difficulties they had to go through to look out for oncoming vehicles because of the wrong parking of the trucks.
An owner of a printing press in the area, Ms Melinda Serwaa Pokuaa, also indicated that the situation was affecting her business and that of others dearly since customers usually turned away because articulated vehicles had parked in front of their shops.
To deter drivers from parking there, Ms Pokuaa said some shop owners had erected “No Parking” signs, but the truck owners had defied them. They usually attack the shop owners verbally if they (shop owners) ask them (truck owners) not to park in front of their shops.
One company in the area which outsources trucks for its operations is the Sunda Ghana Investment Company Limited (SGICL).
Ms Pokuaa, therefore, called on the management of the company to call the truck owners to order.

Odorkor MTTD’s efforts

Despite efforts and various attempts by the Odorkor Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service to stop the activities of these drivers, the situation  persists.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Commander of the Odorkor MTTD, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Abdullai Mumuni, said some drivers had been arrested on some occasions and charged with various offences, but they had not desisted from parking their vehicles on the road.
In 2012, for instance, ASP Mumuni said, since the trucks worked in the interest of SGICL, the Managing Director of the company, Mr Isaac Hu, was charged with various offences of allowing articulated trucks to park on the shoulders of the road and at the Busia Junction Bus Stop causing danger to road users.
Last two months, some drivers of the articulated trucks were also arrested for wrongful parking after an accident had occurred at the Busia Junction Bus Stop, when a driver of a vehicle ran into one of the trucks.
Those, according to him, were only a few instances when trucks had caused accidents in which other road users and residents had suffered incalculable losses.

Sunda management’s response 

In an interview, Mr Hu indicated that although the trucks worked in the interest of the company, they were outsourced, and  therefore, the company could not be blamed for the negligence of the drivers.
He, however, stated that management was doing its best to resolve the situation as soon as possible, adding that “in the interim, the company has secured a parking lot in the area for the trucks to reduce the incidents.”
“The situation is worrying since these drivers have refused to use the parking lot with the view that it is far from the company, and makes it inconvenient for them,” he stressed.
Mr Hu said  the company received a lot of imports or consignment of goods every week.
He assured residents of the company’s determination to reduce the effect of its operations on them.
“It is not in the interest of the company to allow drivers to park wrongly at the inconvenience of residents and pedestrians,” he said.
Mr Hu recounted some instances when some drivers had defied the company’s orders and advice and gone ahead to park wrongly in spite of several warnings and agitations by the police and residents.
“Residents and pedestrians have the right to take legal action against drivers who park at unapproved places,” he said.
As the yuletide approaches, what are the MTTD and the National Road Safety Commission doing to ensure that the articulated trucks parked along the Odorkor-Busia Junction stretch of the Odorkor Highway and any part of the country are halted before something untoward happens?  

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Gomoa: The real story behind the fascinating names By: Charles Andoh / Daily Graphic / Ghana | Wednesday, 19 February 2014 06:01 | Published in features

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• A sign post indicating one of the Gomoa towns.

Have you ever wondered why the people of Gomoa in the Central Region have a duplicate of some major towns, villages and cities within and outside the country? Could it be a copycat attitude or, perhaps, they have peculiar reasons for such interesting names such as Gomoa Kumasi?

Your guess may be as good as mine. I’ve always thought that the people of Gomoa had no peculiar reason for naming their towns and villages, simply put, a copycat behaviour of a sort!
However, an intercourse with Nana Amoh Mensah, the Oman baatan of Gomoa Gyaaman proved otherwise. With wrinkles drawn on his forehead like a map, he screamed at me when I asked him why the people of Gomoa had similar names of towns and villages in the country and even beyond.
The 60-year-old said, with one of his fingers pointed at me, “We have no duplicate of any town or city, be it within or outside the country”.
Where were those towns when we started naming ours? Our towns are indigenous, and their names are very symbolic.
All these arguments are just to ridicule our rich culture, but they have no bases and lack factual evidence which cannot stand the test of time,” he argued.
Fear then took hold of me because I realised I had shaken the bile of the old man. In an attempt to escape his anger, I decided to vanish into thin air but he held firmly to my right wrist.
He then told me to sit down for him to walk me through the rich culture of the people of Gomoa. Before he began,he demanded a bottle of schnapp from me to offer libation to the gods of the land, but I could only offer some money in lieu of the schnapp.
Realising that I had gained enough confidence to punch the old man with questions, I sat comfortably.
Even though I wasn’t in a television studio directing a presenter or an anchor on what to do, I raised my hand to signal the old man to tell me the history behind some of the towns and villages in Gomoa.
• Main road to Gomoa Benso.• Main road to Gomoa Benso.

History

As early as 1942, Nana Amoh Mensah said Gomoa Lome was founded by Nana Kum. Due to lack of water at Gomoa Gyaaman, he (Nana Kum) decided to move and settle at the place where he could get enough water. He finally chanced upon a water body and decided to live nearby. He subsequently invited his loved ones to join him in his newly found place of abode.
The town, therefore, earned the name, “se edome bra,” to wit, ‘join me if you love me’. The name, was, therefore, translated as “Dome” . However, recent developments have brought a twist to the name and it has been corrupted into ‘Lome,’ just like the capital of Togo. I beamed and nodded my head like a lizard on a tree. “You’re happy heh?” he asked. But i wouldn’t talk for a while.
Gomoa Dahomey shared boundaries with Gomoa Kyebi, Sraha and Mankessim in the 17th century, according to the Oman baatan of Gomoa Gyaaman. This time, I noticed the old man was happy. With a lot of questions running through my mind, I decided to stay cool for a while in order not to arouse his anger again. He said that when the current settlers came, they saw a big tree which proved difficult to uproot. With unity, tenacity of purpose and one vision, they managed to uproot the tree with their bare hands and settled there. It was then called ‘Da-ho-mey’ (a fantse expression), which literally means “let us rest and settle here.”
Just when my lecturer, as I called him since the start of the conversation, was about rounding up, a man in his mid-forties bumped into us. He was introduced to me by my ‘lecturer’ as Mr Aspect Kobina Donkoh (an elder of Gomoa Gyaaman).
Mr Donkoh took the baton from my ‘lecturer’ quickly and started the narration with much more vigour.

Gomoa Gyaaman

According to the Gomoa Gyaaman elder, that small town is almost 200 years old. He said six forests and villages were put together to become one village at the time. These villages were led by six elders: Nana Kum, Nana Amo Mensah, Nana Bondam Entsie, Nana Otabil, Nana Akuaku and Nana Kwaafo. These friends agreed to come together to form a town with one chief in order to be protected against their enemies.
However, when they came to their permanent place of settlement, they were expected to pay 64 pounds to the owner of the land. Unfortunately, they couldn’t pay the amount after they had settled. Realising that the pressure being mounted on them by the owner of the land was unbearable, Nana Kum told his colleagues to leave everything for him to handle. Subsequently, his friends started calling him, “Nana Gyaamam,” to wit “Nana leave it for to me”. Hence, the name Gomoa Gyaaman, which is the corrupt form of “Gyaamam.” This means the small farming community’s name is entirely different from that of Germany in Europe. With excitement written all over my face, I shouted and applauded my newly-found tutor.

Gomoa Ngyeresi

Regarding Gomoa Ngyeresi (England or Great Britain), Mr Donkoh said the first person who came to settle on the land was a Ga, from Chorkor, a suburb of Accra, in the early 17th Century, who could only express himself in English. As a result, those who came to settle there with him began calling him Nana “Ngyeresi” meaning one who comes from England and could only speak English, hence the name Gomoa Ngyeresi.

Gomoa Nkoransa

Gomoa Nkoransa, he added, was carved out of three cottages with Asamanfom as the ‘head’ town. These three cottages were later joined to form one village and was named ‘Nkoransa’ (the merger of three cottages or villages). It is an entirely different town from Nkoranza in the Brong-Ahafo Region.
What about Gomoa Kumasi?, I quickly enquired. I don’t have much knowledge about it, he replied with a smiling face.

Gomoa Kumasi

Gomoa Kumasi is also another controversial name given to a small town by the people of Gomoa. Nana Esabotwey II, ‘Mankrado’ of Gomoa Kumasi, agrees that even though it is a duplicate of the Garden City (Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti Region), the name is symbolic. History has it that four friends agreed to join four cottages, namely; Kwaaman, Abowinmu, Entumbir and Abodo to form the current Gomoa Kumasi in 1886. The four friends usually met under a Kum tree to play draft in order not to be attacked by any enemy. As a result, they agreed to call the village “Kum ase,” to wit, “Under the Kum tree.” The small town has since been called Gomoa Kumasi.

Gomoa Ajumako

After the people of Gomoa left their traditional home, Gomoa Maim, they decided to settle at a place called Gomoa Ajumako. Due to wars in the olden days, Gomoa Ajumako was discovered as the war zone for the Gomoa people to fight their enemies. The village was, therefore, called “Ajumako” which means a war zone.
• A sign post indicating one of the Gomoa towns.• A sign post indicating one of the Gomoa towns.

Gomoa Brofoyedur

According to Nana Esuon Abonyi Kwata II, the chief of Gomoa Brofoyedur (English is heavy), that small town was discovered as a result of the huge rocks that were found in the area by the first settlers. He said the inhabitants could not clear the rocks and hills when they attempted to construct a road. Some white men decided to offer a helping hand. In the end, they successfully cleared the rocks and hills and constructed a road in between. Excited as they were, the populace started praising the whitemen as being mighty, which is interpreted in Fantse as “Aborofo ye dur” (the whites are mighty). It, therefore, earned the name, Gomoa Brofoyedur.

Gomoa Obuasi

Incidentally, the only town I discovered without a distinct history was Gomoa Obuasi. It is believed that the small town, with its numerous recreational facilities, was carved out of Gomoa Gyaaman, and named directly after Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, the harbour of gold in Ghana.
It is clear that in spite of the rich culture and symbolic names of most of the Gomoa towns, there are similar ones in Ghana and beyond.

A Letter to the Christendom

                                       By Charles Andoh

Do you remember your childhood days in the Sunday school? My Sunday school teacher usually gave me biscuit and toffee after church. Madam, as we usually called her, was very nice and accommodating. Not forgetting the poetry recitals, the numerous songs we learnt, the sword drill, just name them.

The interesting aspect was the annual Easter conventions; when we travelled to different towns in the country as a church to pray and spread the word of God to people. As Sunday school children, we usually made merries, made a lot of friends from the various branches of the church and participated in quiz competitions. We really enjoyed ourselves as children. I enjoyed the company of Madam Joyce because she showed me places. Ah! I have really missed my childhood days. “Abi you dey kae den times?”

Even in my adulthood, Easter celebration has become more known by Christians than the annual spillage of the Bagri Dam. So this year too, the occasion was waiting for me at my doorstep like my slippers.

It is said that “Curiosity kills the cat”. However, the curious cat can only die when he does not play tactfully in his maneuvers. I decided to explore other churches during this year’s Easter convention to have a feeling of being in other churches and really had fun.

Before my double-edged sword starts to cut, I wish to state categorically that I’m a proud Christian and has accepted and confessed Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal saviour. I believe in the Trinity, the Bible, and Pastors and attend church meetings regularly. I believe in Heaven and Hell and love church so much.

I know you can’t wait as I dissect the issues. “Charlie, you for no rush” since our elders say “If you take your time to dissect the ant, you’ll see it rib.”

So on that fateful Friday evening, I was in the … church for my Easter convention and these were the words of the pastor, “I need three people to give me GHc 5.00 so that I’ll give them this” pure water.” You can guess what happened. Within a twinkling of an eye, an overwhelming majority of the congregants poured “unto” the pastor to buy one “pure water” each from him with the aim of drinking to solve their spiritual problems. This makes me remember the issue at the Spintex Road in Ghana where thongs of people were rushing for “anointing water” to solve their spiritual problems. Hmm! “3y3 asem ooh!”

I stayed glued to my seat because I couldn’t find any biblical underpinnings to what he was saying. In fact, a lot happened but will be unethical like what Julius a classmate will put it, “onethical” to state everything.

This personal experience I had is what is actually going on in Christendom in recent times. Just switch on your television or radio or perhaps visit some few churches and this piece will not be far from the truth. A lot are parading themselves as pastors and establishing churches simply because they know the bible. However, pastoral and the calling of God go beyond that. Some have dug wells and call them “ebura mu nsuo” and sell them to people who need miracles. Talk about the consultation fees people pay before seeing or speaking to some pastors. I guess some of these pastors want to compete with medical doctors in that regard. Bam!  I’ve said it!

What saddens my heart is the biblical bases for these acts. About a month or two ago, I encountered a gentleman in a different church who thinks he has been called by God as a pastor. By the same “pure water” business, he asked people to buy and smash it on the ground to curse their enemies. Ah bah! “Fetish Priest in the church?” like a swarm of bees on a march past, the whole congregation rushed to buy the water and did accordingly. When interrogated after the service, he said by so doing, loads of people will throng the church every day. How sad! The fact that some churches have continued with some of these unbiblical acts does not make it right. In effect, such pastors are making merchandise of the brethren. Instead of teaching the true and undiluted word of God, some want to be called all sorts of names. Christians need to know how to maintain a good attitude even after accepting and confessing Jesus Christ in order to reflect the attitude of Christ.

I am not against miracles; but to the point people must buy is what I’m worried about.

Should any Christian or the Ghana Pentecostal Council, the  Christian Council of Ghana, the Charismatic Churches Association of Ghana and the Catholic Bishops Conference chances upon this piece, be reminded that I am not at war with Christendom; which is impossible anyway. But rather a way of pricking your attention to the fact that some wolves have been sent to mix with the sheep and they are tainting and soiling the image of pastors and the entire Christendom. And the earlier measures are put in place to stop the activities of these charlatans, the better.

To my cherished readers, be reminded that Jesus Christ professed that in the end, there shall be “false prophets” who will claim they have the calling of God on their lives, but all are blatant liars. The best way is to compare their acts with what the bible says and then make your own judgements afterwards. Long live true pastors of God, long live Christendom, and long live Ghana. God bless us all!             

The writer is a student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism;

Email: charlesandoh28@yahoo.com

Encounter with sachets and cans

By Charles Andoh

“Let us do what is right by all Standards; right by human Standards and right by God’s Standard and we shall overcome.” – Prof. John Evans Atta Mills

Somewhere last year, 1^st November 2011, I stepped my feet fully onto the campus of the prestigious Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ); precisely the Upper Lecture Hall for my first lecture. Certainly, I was glad after the first lecture and the subsequent ones.

You wouldn’t believe what happened after some few days.  My eyes and mind started fighting each other for a particular reason.  My mind asked my eyes that “haven’t you been seeing litters in the various lecture halls always?”  But my eyes were very adamant and told my mind also to act.

My body, soul and spirit then came to terms with them after sometime and understood why they always fought on GIJ Campus.

So they all came together and met at the Seminar Room to find out from the Various Litters Association on GIJ Campus such as Sachet Water Litters Association, Empty Fruit Juice Cans Association, Banana Peels Association as to why they don’t want to stay or live in their abode, litter bins; but prefer GIJ lecture halls to study with students.  For my mouth, he was very furious and chastised these Associations.  And guess what Mr. Reader?  During the meeting they said, “Sir, it is not our fault to be living in your lecture halls; after all, we don’t have legs to walk in there.  Rather, it is some of your colleagues who normally buy us from food vendours and after consuming our contents, they leave us there.  Therefore we had no choice than to stay, though, we find that uncomfortable.”

I immediately became sober and fell on my knees as I broke into tears.  But thanks be to my mind and mouth – they consoled my eyes and quickly told my hand to put something on paper to advice my colleagues.  But he always resisted and said they will change.

However, the situation seems to be escalating this semester.  Now, my eyes have also observed that the various litters Association have started sitting on top of walls and the worse of all, lecturers’ tables in the various lecture halls before and even sometimes after lectures.

Mr. Reader, I know it may sound a bit weird but an excursion to the various lecture halls on campus after lectures will confirm this piece.  How many times haven’t you seen empty sachet water, banana peels, toffee and biscuit packs in the various lecture halls?

Yes, I’ve got it! I know the next question you want to ask is, can such students eat and leave the litters in their living rooms?  Hmm, I guess you’re thinking like myself and will say, “They can’t do that”, so why GIJ lecture halls and walls?  What wrong have these lecture halls committed by allowing students to sit in and study?

The funny aspect is that these are the same people receiving training to become responsible Journalists “m’ano yi oo”, in this country one day to talk and write about the misdeeds of people in society in order to transform them.  What an Irony!

“Charity they say begins at home”, so if you continue this way, what then do you write about one day?  Perhaps, your own attitude I guess. 

Wait Mr. Reader, my mind wants to communicate to you and my colleagues that the next time you buy any food make sure you put the litter into the rubbish bins around and not the lecture halls; they’ve done nothing wrong to be humiliated.

Tell a friend to tell others that, it is wrong to litter GIJ lecture halls with rubbish.

Always be mindful that rubbish do not litter by themselves, people do.  So let’s stop.

Together we can make GIJ lecture halls and even the campus very clean and conducive to live in.  Remember, no one will come from outside to keep the school clean, but rather our individual responsibility.

Thanks to my hand for settling the dispute between my mind and eyes by writing to reveal this act by students.  And thanks to you Mr. Reader for telling a friend to change his attitude.

Until we meet another time, I leave you with this, let us do what is right and surely, we shall overcome.  Over to you, the bosom friend of litters.

Please drop it in wae!

Writers Email: Charlesandoh28@yahoo.com