Day: November 21, 2023

The international world has been asked by the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODE) to reflect on, and step-up efforts to realise Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Six at the commemoration of World Toilet Day in 2023.

According to M-CODe, there is not much time left for the world to accomplish the SDGs, especially Goal 6, Target 2, which calls for ending open defecation and ensuring that everyone has access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene, with a focus on the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.

In a statement signed by Mr. Francis Ameyibor, M-CODe National Convenor, in honour of November 19, 2023, as World Toilet Day, the coalition noted that the world community had less than seven years to meet the set goals in 2015.

To fulfil the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve the world by 2030, ‘we need accelerated action concerted by state and non-state actors to achieve the objectives,’ Mr. Ameyibor reminded world leaders of their commitment i
n 2015.

He expressed worry that, far too often, the international community spent more money organising fanfare to mark international events for the political elite class while excluding the plight of the masses.

‘Let’s rewrite the history and use such funds to create worthwhile community projects that serve as examples for such incidents in the future. The monies towards organising another public show event to mark 2023 World Toilet Day should go towards building toilets,’ he suggested.

According to a United Nations estimate, 3.5 billion people lack access to adequate toilets, and 419 million people still ‘open defecate.’

Under these circumstances, diseases spread widely, killing 1,000 children under the age of five every day. This global catastrophe puts everyone’s health and the environment at risk, but it especially affects women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.

‘To change the narratives, we need action, not flowery ceremonies,’ he said.

He added: ‘We are currently in the final countdown to 2030
.

‘We need to move quickly with development if we want to ensure that everyone has access to clean water and toilets by 2030. Human rights include the freedom to use clean water and proper sanitation, both of which are necessary to protect the environment and public health.

‘We now want far faster responses, and everyone is accountable for keeping their commitments.

‘Let’s talk about the significant connection that exists between toilets, water, and menstruation. Fix leaky waste and water pipelines, file complaints for sludge dumping, empty full septic tanks, and refrain from flushing food waste, oils, chemicals, and prescription drugs down the toilet or drain.

‘By doing whatever you can, World Toilet Day 2023 aims to expedite progress. Find out about the issues, act right away, and inform your networks about the campaign.’

The topic ‘Accelerate Change’ aims to remind everyone that the world is not on track to achieve SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation for everyone by 2030.

Mr. Ameyibor exhorted all co
ncerned parties to unite and demand rapid reform.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Asokore Mampong Rural Bank (AMRB), will continue to develop innovative products and strategies to stay on top as the preferred rural bank in the Ashanti region.

Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah, Asokore-Mamponghene and Board Chairman of the bank, who stated this said the bank was poised to lead the competition in the rural banking sector with attractive and innovative products for its customers.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Kumasi, he said the bank which was started five years ago was growing due to the prudent financial management, innovative products and hard work of the management and staff of the bank.

He said despite the economic challenges in the financial sector, the bank was able to make a profit of GH?349,310 to close the year 2022.

This significant figure, according to him, was achieved through prudent management and hard work by stakeholders of the bank.

Nana Ansah Debrah said the economic environment had been challenging to financial institutions in the country as the cou
ntry’s macroeconomic performance worsened.

This was more crucial when the government announced Domestic Debt Exchange programme (DDEP).

Additionally, the astronomical rise of inflation levels increased the cost of borrowing making it difficult for individuals to access credit facilities.

‘The Ghana Cedi also saw its worse depreciation in decades, compelling businesses to purchase other currencies at a store of value’, he said.

He said that total asset of the bank increased by 22.2 per cent on the previous figure of GH?17.5million to GH?21.4 million by the end of 2022.

He added that the total deposits of the bank also grew by 18.68 percent reaching GH?19.88 million.

The Board Chairman said the bank had a mission to promote the socioeconomic growth of the communities and had thus, spent an amount of GH?5, 080 on corporate social responsibilities.

The Board Chairman urged stakeholders and customers to continue to have faith in the bank for better prospects and services.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr. Obed Quaye, the Assemblyman for the Ashiboi Electoral Area, has organised a clean-up exercise at Community One Site Five to help rid the community of filth.

Mr. Quaye, who is a two-term assemblyman, together with personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and residents weeded the area, and desilted and washed all drains in the area.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, he said the exercise was an annual affair that also created awareness on sanitation-related issues.

He said it was also in line with the Greater Accra Regional Minister’s ‘Clean Your Frontage’ initiative, which mandated residents to clean their immediate surroundings.

He encouraged residents to join in such exercises instead of politicising them, as diseases emanating from poor sanitation do not discriminate based on political, religious, or ethnic affiliations.

On his achievements, the assemblyman who is seeking a third term told the GNA that apart from discharging his core assembly duties, he had three things he wanted to do
for the community before becoming an assemblyman.

According to him, to promote quality education among learners in his area, he lobbied the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the GHANAL to put up a library building for the Twedaase Primary School.

He added that he was instrumental in getting the Assembly to construct one unit three-classroom block for TMA Day Care 2, located at Site 7/10.

According to him, he pushed for that when there were reports of a lack of ventilation due to crowding of pupils in the existing classroom blocks at the school.

Mr. Quaye added that over his two terms in service, he annually provided mathematical sets to Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in the four schools in his area to motivate them in their exams.

He said the second thing he had tackled was to personally and with the support of the assembly enhanced visibility in his area, noting that he became an assemblyman when the area could boast of only four street- lights but currently had 120 of them
.

He said this had led to a reduction in thefts and attacks on residents in the evening as it used to be, adding however that he was considering forming a watchdog committee in the area to ensure that miscreants don’t take advantage of the absence of residents in the morning to break into their homes.

On health, he said he had facilitated and paid for the registration of children in the area onto the National Health Insurance Scheme, as well as organised a series of sporting activities to aid residents’ health.

He said he provided skilled training and lobbied for a number of youth to gain employment in some institutions in Tema to help boost their livelihoods.

Mr. Quaye appealed to the electorates in Ashiboi to fully participate in the December 19, 2023, district-level elections to re-elect him as their representative at the assembly to champion the needed development.

The Ashiboi electoral district comprises Tema Community sites three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and 10, as well as the Mankoadz
e enclave, and has an estimated 20,000 residents.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The sixth edition of the Volta Trade and Investment Fair would be attended by one of Africa’s youngest Minster’s of State.

Ms Emma Inamutila Theofelus, Member of Parliament (MP), who is the Deputy Minister of ICT of the Republic of Namibia would be addressing a youth entrepreneurial summit that forms part of the two-week fair as keynote speaker.

A release by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), organisers of the event, said ‘Ms Theofelus is participating in this year’s fair at the invitation of the organisers.

The release announced that, ‘during her visit to Volta, she will deliver the keynote address at the 2nd Volta Young Entrepreneurs Summit on Sunday, December 02, 2023, in Ho.

‘Additionally, she will pay courtesy calls on some traditional rulers in the Region and visit various tourism sites’.

This year’s fair is on the theme: ‘Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area for Local Economic Development’.

Among the organisers of the fair is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
(AfCFTA) Secretariat and Ghana’s tourism authority.

More than 400 exhibitors are expected from including Kenya, Namibia, and countries surrounding Ghana, and patronage is expected to run into tens of thousands.

Mr Dela Gadzanku, Chairman of the AGI in the Eastern Volta and Oti Regions, shared appreciation for the State official’s inclination, and said ‘Honourable Emma’s visit to the Region will not only deepen the exiting cordial relationship between the two Commonwealth nation’s but also serve as an inspiration to the young people of Volta, especially the girl child.

Several other forums, conferences and business promotion initiatives line the fair, coming off at the Ho Sports Stadium from November 26 to December 10.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ministry of Railway Development and the National Coordinating Office of the AfCFTA are among key supporters of the fair.

The rest are the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, the Ghana Free Zones Authority, the Kenyan Export promotion
and Branding Agency, and the Volta Development Forum.

Sponsors include the Ghana Exim Bank, Bank of Ghana, Absa Bank, GOIL, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Stanbic Bank, ADB and Kenya Airways.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Public and private institutions focusing on child welfare issues have been reminded not to relent in the support they offer to victims of child abuse and related problems.

This is because, the support they offer was one of the ways to give hope and help to children who fall prey to such treatments to see themselves as part of the society.

Mr Stephen Ofosu, Ashanti Regional Director, Department of Children under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, said although institutions were doing their best for children, more actions were required to promote the rights of children and reduce the menace of child abuse in society.

He was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the 2023 World Children’s Day celebrations in Kumasi.

The Day is celebrated on 20th of November every year to mark the adoption of Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC) by members of the United Nation-a document on the rights and welfare of children.

This year’s celebration was held on the theme: ‘For Every Child, Eve
ry Right’.

Member states use the Day to reflect on issues concerning children and take decisions on the way forward to improve the life of children.

In Ghana, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is collaborating with the Department of Children with support from the Ghana Education Service and the Department of Social Welfare to mark the day.

Mr Ofosu said the Ashanti Regional Department of Children had as part of the celebration organised media programmes to spell out the responsibilities of parents, children and society members in tackling delicate children challenges.

The team also visited schools including the Kuntunase DA, Agric Nzema SDA, Amankwatia JHS, and New Asafo J.H.S to educate the pupils on their rights and responsibilities.

Again, there were community engagements at Bantama Market, Ahodwo, Kuntunase, Moshie Zongo, and Kordie.

Mr Ofosu indicated that Ghana Against Child Abuse (GACA) tool kits were used to educate the people on how to protect and promote child rights.

He urged child
ren not to hesitate in reporting all forms of abuse to the police, traditional leaders and all child related agencies for perpetrators to be dealt with.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Eight persons have been confirmed dead, while others, including a police officer, have been injured in Monday’s reported shootings at the NkwantaCentral Market, in the Nkwanta South Municipality.

The Oti Regional Minister, Mr Joshua Makubu, gave the update in a media interview on Tuesday evening.

To restore security to the area, the Minister of the Interior has imposed a curfew in the Nkwanta Town, effective Tuesday,November 21, to run from 1700 hours to 0600 hours.

This was on the advice of the Oti Regional Security Council, a press release, signed by Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister, has announced.

‘Government wishes to appeal to all to exercise restraint and to use the established mechanisms for the resolution of all their conflicts and disputes,’ the release said.

‘Meanwhile, Government will like to reiterate that, there is a ban on all persons in Nkwanta Township and its environs from carrying arms, ammunition or any offensive weapons and any persons found with any arms or ammunition will be arrested
and prosecuted.’

It is unclear what triggered the bloody clash on Monday morning, but the victims are currently receiving treatment at St Joseph’s Catholic Hospital and the Municipal Hospital.

The Catholic Hospital is currently treating five persons, who sustained gunshot wounds.

Dr. Ebenezer Forson, a Medical Officer at the Hospital, disclosed to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that two other persons, both males, were brought to the hospital dead fromgunshots.

However, efforts to speak with the Medical Superintendent of Nkwanta South Municipal Hospital proved unsuccessful.

Information gathered by the GNA revealed that some houses were raided and torched, with some occupants shot on Mondaynight.

The GNA’s source, however, indicated that it may be a reprisal attack following the long standing conflicts involving the Adeles, Challahs and Akyodes tribes over land ownership.

A recent attempt by the Akyodes to celebrate the traditional festival at the Nkwanta Junior High School kickstart the conflict.

Some per
sons who were shot during the incident sustained serious injuries.

A journalist, with name withheld, told GNA that many residents had fled their homes, while others were indoors for fear of being killed.

Mr Bright Lenwah, Municipal Chief Executive and Head of the Security Council, said there was an uneasy calm and appealed to the people to give peace a chance.

He said such issues were best resolved through the criminaljustice system or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms that would allow development to thrive.

The expected socio-economic development would be hampered when there was insecurity and violence, he explained.

The GNA’s source revealed that security had since been beefed up with a 24-hour joint military police patrols and the visibility of security presence at vantage points in the Municipality.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Kadjebi-Akan Diaspora Association (KADA), Chiefs and the Kadjebi District Assembly in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Ghana Tourism Authority will on Saturday, December 9 launch Kadjebi-Akan Homecoming 2023.

The event will be held at Accra Tourist Information Centre on the theme: ‘Your Contribution and Support for Development and Progress’.

It aims to raise funds to construct an ultramodern Community Centre for Kadjebi.

Mr. Stephen Nimo, Secretary, Kadjebi Homecoming 2023, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in an interview at Kadjebi in the Oti Region said Kadjebi natives living in the diaspora conceived the idea and sold it to those of them back home and they embraced it as it was a good thought.

Mr. Nimo said such an edifice would beautify Kadjebi as District capital and thus, appealed to indigenes of Kadjebi, both home and abroad to support a worthy cause by contribution both in kind and cash to achieve their goals.

He said development of every
community rest on the shoulders of everyone as government could not do everything for them.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The paramount chief Obore Yankosor has launched the 2024 Basaare Yam Festival with a call on Bassares living outside the traditional area to patronize the festival in the coming years.

He said it was celebrated by their forefathers hundreds of years ago and it was unfortunate that their generation was observing a truncation of most of their cultural rites.

He reminded them that cultural heritage was important to them because it bridged the gap between generations and gave them a sense of direction and purpose.

He said they could not underestimate the importance of festivals like the Bassare communities within and outside the country and gave them the opportunity to come home as a reunion with the families left behind for proffer development agenda for the area.

He said the home coming also exposed a lot to the indigenous town and other crucial rites of the Bassare in Ghana, Tatale.

He said besides, it was also observed as the period of closing a farming season, which during the period preparations were
made to usher them into a new season of cultivation of their staple crops, the Yam, and added that through the celebration of the festival, the gods of the land were appeased and pacified for a successful season, with other sacrifices performed on individual and clans for sanctification and protection.

According to the paramount chief they intended to continue and revitalize the celebration of the festival next year 14th September, 2024 as the scheduled date for a durbar of chiefs which would be done in the second week of 14th September annually.

Obore Yankosor said they were positioned to reflect together deeply on their journey for development unity and peace, their weakness that needed improvement and strength that ought to be sustained.

He said the period would be used to demonstrate their victory over famine which was known as ‘likpaasil’.

He said a committee will be put in place for preparation towards the festival in his closing remarks.

Mr. Henry Mbini who chaired the occasion said the Yam festiv
al could bring development by inviting investors, politicians, NGOS among others to celebrate with them.

He said Tatale was a Yam farming community where people bought yams to celebrate their festivals and called on the farmers in the area to seek advice from the Agricultural officers on the modern system to promote large production of yams and other crops.

He warned them to desist from indiscriminate bush burning which could destroy farms during the dry season.

Some of the chiefs who were present at the launching include Obore Kwawai simon -Lakpale, obore Kojo Magalo Sheini, Queen Mother of Tatale Yaa Mbola, Ali Jimba Bekanbanbi, Obore Poku Ngariba Bebubagbu Sogloo -Bore Kpante Batube amongst others

Source: Ghana News Agency

Some Concerned youth group at Akatsi in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta region have planned to stage a protest the deplorable nature of roads within the Municipality.

This, according to them, would draw the attention of stakeholders responsible for fixing the situation.

Mr Sitsofe Vuvor, popularly known as ‘Kawawa GH’ and convener of the group, told the Ghana News Agency, several roads in the Municipality needed to be fixed to save lives.

He said all the attempts to get authorities to solve the issues of bad roads in the area have proven futile.

‘We tried as much as we could to get the MCE, MP and other authorities responsible for fixing the roads, but nothing has been done,’ he said.

Mr Vuvor noted that their outfit would embark on a peaceful demonstration in December through the principal streets of the Akatsi township to express their grievances.

He said authorities and stakeholders had failed to address the numerous challenges of the area ‘so we are clearly convinced that it was a delibe
rate intention to ignore our plights.’

Mr Vuvor explained to the GNA that residents from nearby communities faced several challenges in accessing Akatsi during market days due to the deplorable nature of the roads.

He also appealed to individuals, corporate organisations, and philanthropic groups to help solve other challenges facing them such as water, electricity, and others.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Lands Commission has debunked suggestions by the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, that his official residence at Cantonments in Accra is being sold to a private developer.

The Speaker, on Monday, November 20, while speaking at the Speaker’s breakfast forum to mark 30 years of Parliamentary democracy in Accra, alleged that his official residence in Cantonment was almost sold to a private developer.

However, in a statement issued by Mr Benjamin Arthur, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission in response to the Speaker’s allegation, said at no point in time was the said property sold to a private developer by the Lands Commission and that it was unaware of any purported sale of the residence.

According to the Commission, the land in question was acquired in 1920 by a Certificate of Title, dated 7th June, 1920 for Government services and that since 2003, the land had been used as the official residence of the Speaker of Parliament.

It said by an application dated 15
th November, 2022, and numbered PS/LS/002/12/22, Parliamentary Service applied for a Certificate of Allocation to regularise the occupation of the land, which measured approximately 1.66 acres.

At its sixty-fourth (64th) Regular Meeting held on 22nd December, 2022, the Regional Lands Commission approved the application, after all statutory processes, including planning approval from the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly.

The Commission said on 14th February, 2023, it made an offer of allocation to the Parliamentary Service.

It said the Service accepted the offer, and after paying the requisite fees, a Certificate of Allocation, dated 28th April, 2023, was issued to it, stressing it was unaware of any purported sale of same.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to the prudent and efficient management of public lands in the national interest.

It said it would continue to promote effective land administration anchored on the highest standards of integrity, transparency and candour.

Source: Ghana News
Agency