Yendi (N/R) April 11, GNA The Yendi Government Hospital Matron, Madam Amina Mumuni, has said sand winning close to the nurses' quarters was creating problems for the hospital.

She said sand winning within the premises of the hospital had been going on for sometime now despite warnings from the management of the hospital and that the winners had left huge pits that have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Madam Amina told newsmen that pipe lines had also been damaged and warned that henceforth anyone caught would be prosecuted. She said the hospital's management, the Information services Department, churches and the mosques have embarked on public education on the dangers of sand winning and for the people to desist from destroying the land that has been reserved for the future expansion of the Hospital.

She appealed to the Assembly members to educate the people in their electoral areas about the damages of sand winning.

A visit by the Ghana News Agency to some schools showed that some of them could not start the examination at the scheduled time. Mr Franklin Fenuku, Supervisor at the Mamprobi R.C. Centre, where the examinations started at 0930 hours, said although examination materials arrived a few weeks ago and invigilators were at post, the question papers arrived late due to transport problems.

He said 515 pupils from 10 schools were expected to take the examinations at the Centre. They are Top Class School, Sempe 1 JHS, Rising Star JHS, Extra 91O' JHS, Market 2 JHS, New Hope of Glory, Mamprobi 1, Nankan Bruce, Raim JHS, R.C. 5 and 2 JHS. Mr Fenuku said the turnout by pupils was impressive adding that security at the centre was tight to prevent pupils from engaging in examination malpractices.

At the AME Zion Church School, Mr Edward Barnor, Supervisor at the Centre, said 11 schools with 480 pupils were registered for the examination.

The schools are Dirus Preparatory School, Mamprobi AME Zion 91A' and 91B', Odjo JHS, Mamprobi Sempe 12 and 10, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Institute, St Mary's JHS, St Jude Preparatory School, St Charles Preparatory School and Darsco Preparatory School. The situation there was not different as the examination began 30 minutes after the scheduled time due to the late arrival of the question papers.

Mr Barnor said over the years students at the centre had comported themselves and expressed the hope that the trend would continue for them to have a peaceful examination. At the St Mary's Senior High School Centre where 11 schools with a total of 463 students were expected to write their final exams, the examination began at 1015 hours.

Speaking to the GNA, Mr Benjamin Amu, Supervisor in charge of the Centre, said the examination was delayed due to the absence of some invigilators and the late arrival of the question papers. The schools included Hijaz Preparatory School, Korle Gonno Methodist A and B, RC Boys JHS, New Dawn JHS, New Baps School, Korle Gonno Ebenezer 5, St Michael's and All Angels School. The 2011 BECE candidates are expected to write papers in English Language, Social Studies, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Basic Design and Technology, Religious and Moral Education, Ghanaian Language, French (optional) and Information and Communication Technology.