Day: September 2, 2023

The main opposition party in Senegal says its leader, Ousmane Sonko, has ended a hunger strike he began following his arrest in late July.

Mr Sonko, a fierce critic of President Macky Sall, had been charged with insurrection, undermining state security and terrorist activity.

He had already been banned from standing in next year’s presidential election after a court sentenced him to two years in prison for morally corrupting a young woman.

Muslim leaders had urged him to end his hunger strike.

He was admitted to intensive care unit last month after his health deteriorated.

Source: BBC

The Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM), an advocacy non-governmental organisation, has held a career day symposium for pupils and students in the Talensi and Nabdam districts of the Upper East Region to inspire them to achieve their goals through hard work.

The participants interacted with professionals on their future ambitions to seek their counsel and guidance, while the experts also shared their struggles and successes with them to aid their life’s journey.

Professionals from the legal, health, education, and security sectors interacted with the pupils and students and provided valuable insights into different career paths.

The event, held in partnership with ActionAid Ghana, had the Yagzore and Tongo-Beo Primary/ Junior High schools in the Talensi District, as well as the Sakote and Nangodi Primary/ Junior High schools in the Nabdam District participating.

A total of 600 needy pupils and students from the four schools were supported with exercise books to enhance their education.

Ms Nancy Awinbisa Amiziah, a Project Officer at WOM, said the career day symposia formed part of the Movement’s education project to help address challenges affecting children’s education in those districts.

‘We have realised that many children from these districts drop out of school at very young ages and although some interventions had been made, the lack of motivation and inspiration from successful people in society had been identified as a major factor,’ she said.

‘So, this year, we wanted to do something exciting, so we brought professionals in different fields to interact and inspire them.’

When children constantly had people who became successful through education to interact with and inspire them, they were motivated to stay in school and learn, Ms Amiziah said.

She advocated the urgent need for career day activities to be included in the school curriculum, especially at the basic level, to ensure discipline, hard work and responsible upbringing of children.

‘We are hoping that the Ghana Education Service will work with major stakeholders to ensure programmes like these are ran in all public schools.’

Dr Bertha Volenatome Gibil, a Pediatrician at the Upper East Regional Hospital, told participants that life was full of struggles, but it would be easier if they were determined to make things work.

Sharing her story of becoming a medical doctor, Dr Gibil said she did not become a doctor through a smooth journey or without disappointments.

‘I have failed a number of times in my life before, but I have been able to make it, so you can also make it, just study hard.’

She advised the children to practice personal hygiene such as bathing, cleaning, and changing of sanitary pads regularly to help reduce infections and other diseases.

Madam Edna Ivy Adabayeri, a Legal Practitioner, advised the young ones on the need to work hard and prioritise their education to become successful in life.

She asked them to set goals and focus on achieving them.

Ms Naomi Wepia, the Headteacher of Tongo-Beo Junior High School, commended the WOM and ActionAid Ghana for the initiative and urged them to organise the career day each term.

‘The more they see and interact with these successful people the more inspired they become,’ she said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Anto-Aboso community in the Shama District of the Western Region has been provided with a standard Kindergarten (KG) facility to promote early childhood education.

The three-unit classroom has an office, pantry and WASH facilities to ensure that teaching and learning were conducted in a peaceful environment.

Mr Erickson Abakah, the Member of Parliament for the area, who opened the facility, acknowledged the importance of giving the Ghanaian child a sound footing in education.

He said, ‘if the foundation is destroyed…then what’s the future of the country?’

The Member of Parliament said strengthening the foundation from the base through quality school infrastructure, teachers and learning materials, was key to raising quality human capital not only for the district, but for the entire nation.

The opening of the KG facility was done together with Mr Raphael Arthur, the District Education Director and Mr Ebenezer Dadzie the District Chief Executive.

Mr Abakah paid glowing tributes to Nana Wienu and the chiefs of the area and the laudable sacrifices of teachers to project quality education in the district.

The Education Director, Mr Raphael Arthur noted how stakeholder collaboration was important to making sure that no child in the district was left behind in the field of formal education.

Mr Dadzie called for the proper maintenance of the facility to help train more people who would in future take advantage of the free SHS model to change their fortunes.

Mrs Grace Dugbenu , the Headmistress of the school, noted how the 1985 KG in the Community could no longer accommodate the 165 children yearning to be educated.

She expressed gratitude to the authorities for fixing such a deficit and prayed for other infrastructure.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has honoured Mrs Gifty Kafui Kamassah, the Executive Director of Maphlix Trust Ghana Limited, as the 2023 Volta Regional Woman Icon.

Maphlix Trust Ghana Limited is an agribusiness company that is into the cultivation and exportation of fresh vegetables to the European market and beyond.

The Authority, in a citation presented to Mrs Kamassah, said the honour was in recognition of her extraordinary efforts in the world of agribusiness and international trade.

The citation was presented by Dr Afua Asabea Asare, the Chief Executive Officer of GEPA in Ho, during the opening ceremony of the Women Icon Regional Exhibition programme.

The citation said Mrs Kamassah’s diverse contributions to Ghana’s entrepreneurship push, social responsibility and women empowerment, culminated into her being christened as the agribusiness trailblazer in the Volta region.

It said as one of the driving forces behind Maphlix Trust Ghana Limited, Mrs Kamassah led the production and export of fresh vegetables to Europe and beyond, redefining the possibilities of agribusiness on a global scale.

‘Beyond your business acumen, you empower women with essential agricultural skills, including innovative cassava processing techniques, effective agricultural practices, income generation skills and adherence to health and safety standards on and off the field.

‘The Board and Management of Ghana Export Promotion Authority is privileged to honor you as ‘GEPAs Woman Icon’ of the Volta Region for 2023,’ it said.

Mrs Kamassah, receiving the citation, expressed appreciation to the Authority for the honour and recognition of her work as well as contribution in the export sector.

She said her current position placed more responsibilities on her to work harder in contributing to the export industry and promoting made-in-Ghana products.

Mrs Kamassah said women played key role in enhancing the socio-economic development of the country and that the women icon regional exhibition was a good initiative for businesswomen to market their products.

GEPA, in November last year, launched an initiative dubbed ‘Women Icon Regional Exhibition,’ promoted by female iconic figures across the country, to showcase made-in-Ghana products and services, produced by women-owned enterprises.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Alex George Mensah, a Commissioner of Police and a witness in the ongoing probe of an alleged secret recording plot to remove Dr George Akuffo Dampare, IGP from office, says he regretted his secret conversation with Mr Daniel Bugri Naanu, a former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party.

When asked during a public hearing if the Commissioner of Police (COP) Mensah had any regrets following the leaked audio, he responded in the affirmative.

He said: ‘Honestly, yes, because I thought I was speaking to a well-respected confidential friend. I didn’t know that I was just speaking to such a person who would record our conversation,’ he told Parliament’s bi-partisan Committee on Friday.

On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, a leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dampare from office came into public.

Consequently, the Minority Caucus in Parliament called for a probe into the leaked tape.

Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, constituted a seven-member bi-partisan Committee to probe the secret recording of an alleged plot to remove Dr Dampare, IGP from office ahead of the 2024 general election.

The Committee, which has up to September 10 2023 to report back to the House, is made up of three members each from the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, and a technical person.

Mr Naabu also the Paramount Chief of Namong in the North East Region in the Mamprugu Kingdom during his appearance at the public hearing by the Committee cited three Police officers as engaging in the conversation.

Three Police officers, Commissioner of Police, George Alex Mensah, Superintendent George L. Asare and Superintendent Emmanuel Eric Gyebi were cited by Mr Naabu, a former Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, as the ones he engaged in the conversation with at his office in Osu.

Meanwhile, COP Mensah, also a former Director General in charge of Technical, Ghana Police Service, in his Thursday, August 31 and Friday, September 1, 2023 appearances before the Committee denied the authenticity of the audio.

He alleged that IGP Dampare leaked the tape and as such had the original copy.

The committee is chaired by Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South with Mr James Agalga, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Builsa North as the Vice-Chairman.

It has Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, NPP MP for Okaikwei Central; Madam Ophelia Mensah, NPP MP for Mfantseman; Mr Eric Opoku, NDC MP for Asunafo South and Mr Peter Lanchene Tuobu, NDC MP for Wa West as members of the Committee.

While Dr Isaac Lartey Annang, a lawyer and a human rights activist, is a technical person appointed by Mr Bagbin.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Parliament’s seven-member bi-partisan Committee probing the secret recording of an alleged plot to remove Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector General of Police, says there is a potential for cross-examination.

Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, the Chairman of the Committee, said, ‘This process will allow people at the centre of the issue to cross-examine each other.’

‘When we evaluate the evidence and realise that there is a need to bring Bugri Naabu back, we will do so. Even now, we have a situation where someone is talking about an original tape. If there is an original tape, and it will enlarge the scope of the interrogation, we will get it, give it to everyone, and enlarge the scope of the interrogation. We don’t want to do a shoddy job. Cross-examination is possible,’ he said.

Mr Atta Akyea, also a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South, noted in cases of controversies all parties involved needed to be given a fair hearing.

‘When we have controversial issues, I am of the view that we have to call the parties back, and they need to talk to each other. And then we will listen to what X said and what Y said, and then we will come to our conclusion and recommendations,’ he said.

On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, a leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove Inspector Genereal of Police (IGP) Dampare from office came into the public domain.

Consequently, the Minority Caucus in Parliament called for a probe into the leaked tape.

Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, therefore on July 25, 2023, constituted a seven-member bi-partisan Committee to probe into the secret recording of an alleged plot to remove Dr Dampare, IGP from office ahead of the 2024 general election.

The Committee, which has up to September 10, 2023 to report back to the House, is made up of three members each from the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, and a technical person.

Meanwhile, the Committee continued its public hearing on Friday, September 1, 2023 with Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah.

It is expected that Superintendent George L. Asare also a witness cited by Mr Daniel Bugri Naabu, the first witness would also be heard.

Mr Naabu also the Paramount Chief of Namong in the North East Region in the Mamprugu Kingdom on Monday during his public hearing cited three Police officers as engaging in the plot.

Three Police officers, Commissioner of Police, George Alex Mensah, and Superintendent Emmanuel Eric Gyebi were cited by Mr Naabu, a former Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP as the trio he engaged in the conversation with at his office in Osu on Monday when he appeared before the Committee.

However, Suprintendent Gyebi making his appearance before the Committee on Thurdsay August 31 2023 denied knowing or meeting with Mr Naabu.

The committee is chaired by Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, NPP MP for Abuakwa South with Mr James Agalga, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Builsa North as the Vice-Chairman.

It has Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, NPP MP for Okaikwei Central; Madam Ophelia Mensah Hayford, NPP MP for Mfantseman; Mr Eric Opoku, NDC MP for Asunafo South and Mr Peter Lanchene Tuobu, NDC MP for Wa West as members of the Committee.

While Dr Isaac Lartey Annang, a lawyer and a human rights activist, is a technical person appointed by Mr Bagbin.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Beth Offei-Awuku, the President of Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), has disclosed that only about 10 per cent of all University graduates gain employment in the public service annually.

She said this had left many graduates to wallow in a mental frame of hopelessness.

Dr Offei-Awuku who made the disclosure at the national launch of Raising Next Professionals Initiative (RNPI) said, ‘it is disheartening we even have an association for unemployed graduates.’

RNPI is a programme by GAUA to expose public school children to various professional areas in a creative and interactive way.

It also aimed at providing access to seasoned professionals to facilitate career counseling activities within the catchment areas of the various Member Universities.

‘This narrative is unfortunate and bad for a country whose focus among others is to bring secondary education to every single Ghanaian,’ Dr Offei-Awuku said.

She said by the RNPI, GAUA would restore hope and vision to average public-school pupils and groom them to become future leaders with critical thinking skills and abilities.

‘This will help break this crippling mentality of graduate unemployment,’ she asserted.

She said education was to give people skills needed to innovate, create and start any trade or enterprise of their choice and to excel in their professions.

The President said it was unfortunate that public school children who were educated and groomed for the various careers were disengaged from professionals of their dream occupations.

She said GAUA as a unique mix of senior University Administrators and professionals including specialists and consultants, would act as role models by building the needed mentoring relationships with public school children, with the rolling out of the Initiative.

Dr Offei-Awuku stated that GAUA would put at the disposal of every public-school senior administrator and professionals from public Universities to assist with career day activities, counselling, modelling and mentoring, among others.

On the decline of professional ethics and integrity, she said the Ghana Integrity and public survey statistics, showed that the country lost a whooping amount of GHC5 billion to bribes and various forms of corrupt cash practices in 2021.

The President noted that GAUA through the Initiative would partner the Ghana Education Service to help raise ethical professionals who would help reduce bribery and corruption in the country.

She intimated that GAUA through the RNPI was in a strategic position to provide expertise, experience and research-based consultations on career, cognitive and conceptual gaps of Senior High School students to the Ghana Education Service.

Mr Charles Kugbeadzor, the Head Teacher of the Adaklu Kodzobi District Assembly Basic School, which was adopted by the UHAS chapter of GAUA, said the focus of the institution was to ensure the holistic development of the pupils.

He was hopeful that through the Initiative the pupils would not only be equipped with knowledge and skills but also gain the confidence and clarity to pursue their dreams.

Togbe Dzegblade IV, the Chief of the community, was full of praise for GAUA, especially the UHAS chapter, for selecting his community’s school and assured that he and his subjects would collaborate with the Association to achieve their aim.

GAUA is made up of administrators from about 16 public Universities in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency