Day: May 10, 2024

The U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria has unveiled 56 distinguished young Nigerians selected for the 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Mandela Washington Fellowship is a programme of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by global education and development group, IREX.

The prospective fellows will travel to the U.S. as part of the 10th Anniversary of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, the U.S. embassy spokesperson, Aishah Gambari, said on Friday.

They will travel to 28 U.S. cities from June 19 to Aug.1, and engage with U.S. leaders in the business, government, and nonprofit sectors at a summit in Washington D.C.

Gambari added that, after the summit, three of the fellows would participate in a four-week Professional Development Experience programme at a U.S. organisation before returning to Nigeria.

According to her, the fellowship offers a comprehensive programme that includes academic coursework, lea
dership training, and networking opportunities, and is a testament to the U.S. enduring commitment to invest in Africa’s future.

She said the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, David Greene, had welcomed the beneficiaries and emphasised the rigorous selection process and their ability to lead and inspire others.

He highlighted the fellows’ diverse achievements and encouraged them to share their culture in the United States and use the fellowship to expand their influence in Nigeria.

‘The Chargé d’Affaires expressed appreciation to the Public Diplomacy team and the State Department for their efforts in identifying future leaders and reminded the fellows of the importance of sharing their knowledge upon return to their communities.

‘He said that since the fellowship’s inception 10 years ago in 2014, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria has had the privilege of supporting 569 young Nigerian leaders through the programme.

‘The envoy said the U.S. Mission in Nigeria eagerly anticipates the Ma
ndela Washington Fellowship’s continued success and its positive impact in shaping Africa’s future, as the cornerstone of the U.S. Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), she added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Maritime stakeholders from Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Niger have participated in the eighth module of the Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security (SWAIMS) Project at the Regional Maritime University.

Module eight of the project sought to address the complexities of safety and security in marine space.

The participants were drawn from the Navy, Maritime Administration, Port Authority, Marine Police, and judges.

The SWAIMS project, funded by the European Union, has nine modules, comprising an introduction to the maritime security environment, the maritime security functional areas, legal and policy frameworks for advancing maritime security, the blue economy and maritime environment, and maritime crisis management.

Mr. Augustus Addy-Lamptey, an engineer and the coordinator of the SWAIMS Project, stated that the modules were to help maritime industry actors understand the consequences of maritime crimes.

He said that because shipping carries about 90 per cent of international trade, there
would be a challenge when anything untoward happened in the sector, stating that during the COVID-19 crisis, the world depended on the shipping industry to let the wheels of industry run.

He added that the programme was therefore formulated to ensure that the actors in the maritime industry appreciated the main effect of maritime crime, especially kidnapping for ransom.

He said the module promotes collaboration and cooperation among inter-agency sector players along the value chain.

Mr Jewel Ahiable, an electrical engineer and a former piracy captive sharing his experience with participants, said he was a captive for 1000 days after their vessel was hijacked by Somalian pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.

Mr. Ahiable recalled that ‘we realised that our captain tried to do defensive manoeuvring, and within about 15 minutes, everything subsided, and our bosun came shouting, colleagues come out, come out, your ship has been hijacked by Somali pirates, and we came out from our hideout.’

He added that they climbed
to the officers’ deck, and on their way to the bridge, they saw one of the pirates wielding an AK-47, and he instructed them to put their hands on their heads.

‘So, after two years, nine months-that is, 1,000 days-for the first time we stepped foot on land on December 23, 2012,’ he narrated. 

He stressed that the need to enhance security and safety in maritime space cannot be overemphasized. 

The former captive stated that some dangers that were likely to happen in the maritime space were fire, ship grounding, sinking, explosion, collision, armed robbery, and piracy.

‘In marine space, there are a lot of happenings: there is an amputation, electrocution, corrosion, and man falling overboard. Some of the major happenings are fire, grounding of the ship, sinking of the ship, and collision,’ he said.

He therefore urged vessel crew members to always adhere to security measures while on board.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ministry of National Security, as part of its ‘See Something, Say Something’ Campaign, has called for heightened vigilance from citizens to use the toll-free number 999 to report suspicious individuals or incidents in their surroundings.

Mrs Akosua Danquah Ntim Sekyere, Team Lead for the Campaign, said considering the events in neighbouring countries, it was imperative for the country to build upon her successful security measures while also addressing any vulnerabilities to prevent violent extremism.

She said Ghana, experiencing an influx of refugees from the sub-region, had some genuinely seeking assistance while others might pose security risks and stressed the need to exercise caution in daily interactions with individuals to promote national security.

She was speaking during a sensitisation engagement with schools and communities in the Northern Region to widen security consciousness among the citizenries.

The sensitisation was a component of the ‘See Something, Say Something’ Campaign, which wa
s launched in 2022 to protect the country against terrorist attacks and violent extremists.

The team visited Senior High Schools (SHS), traditional and religious authorities, District Assemblies as well as political leaders of communities in Nanton, Gushegu, Karaga and Saboba in the Northern Region.

The region’s engagement was the 10th of the nationwide sensitisation campaign on ‘See Something, Say Something’.

Mr Kester Osei, a member of the team, educated the students and community members on key features to describe suspicious acts using the acronym SALUTE, clarifying what each letter stood for.

In the SALUTE acronym, he said S stood for the specific object or size, A for the activity undertaken by the suspect, L for the location, U for the uniform worn, T for the time of the action and E for the equipment used.

Mr Osei said the acronym was to help give a vivid description of a suspect or incident to aid the investigation.

He warned against disclosing reported suspicions adding it endangered individua
l safety.

Naa Abdulai Nantongmah, Paramount Chief of Karaga Traditional Area, during the team’s visit, commended the efforts of the National Security, saying the ‘See Something, Say Something’ Campaign was a good initiative in promoting peace.

He said, ‘There’s the need to educate the youth to pay careful attention to strangers, particularly in areas where there is an influx of refugees.’

He urged the National Security to maintain neutrality, advocate increased funding, and enhance community engagement efforts to address lawlessness in the country.

District Chief Executives (DCEs) engaged by the team, shared their thoughts on the campaign and expressed their commitment to ensuring that the message reached all members within their jurisdictions.

Mr Abdulai Murtada, DCE for Nanton, said the initiative was a timely reminder for Ghanaians to remain vigilant against actions that could threaten the country’s peace.

He said, ‘This year being an election year, it is good to remind citizens to be watchdogs and i
dentify anything that will destroy the peace of Ghana.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Achimota District Court has remanded five suspects arrested by police for their alleged involvement in the murder of two police officers at Block Factory, a suburb of East Trasacco in Accra.

The deceased police officers, Lance Corporal Tasiga Ngapun aka Isaac and Constable Benjamin Tindam, were off duty and were sitting in front of their home when the tragic incident happened.

The accused are Mohammed Alhassan, a 46-year-old public servant, Ginkor Abdulai Alhassan, a 54-year-old foreman, Alex Apoh, a 36-year-old gardener, Bright Nana Kwame Owusu, a 27-year-old factory worker, and Ganu Iddirsu, a 25-year-old footballer.

They have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, namely murder and two counts of murder.

The court presided over by Mr Prince Osei Owusu did not take their pleas.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Margaret Ofori Boadi, asked the court to put them in lawful custody because they could interfere with police investigations.

According to the prosecution, because of the natu
re of the crime and punishment, if granted bail, the accused would not appear to stand trial.

Noble Adedawonu, the defence counsel, asked the court to grant his client bail because the charge sheet did not reflect the facts.

The counsel said that his clients were ready to stand trial and prove their innocence when granted bail.

The court, after hearing arguments of the prosecution and the defence counsel, adjourned the matter to May 20, 2024.

The prosecution alleged that on May 2, 2024, at around 1830 hours, the accused planned with others at large to murder the two officers who were off duty and seated in front of their private residence at HAKSE Block Factory in East Trassaco, East Legon, Accra.

The prosecution told the court that investigations were ongoing.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing will next week, summon the Volta River Authority (VRA) to the House to answer questions regarding its failure to dredge the Volta estuary.

Mr Isaac Asiamah, Chairman of the Committee said it had become important for the Authority to appear before Parliament to give reasons for neglecting their responsibility to dredge the Lower Volta Basin, particularly the estuary at Ada for years.

His announcement, made during the Committee’s tour of communities in Volta Region’s three coastal constituencies of Ketu South, Keta and Anlo suffering the impacts of coastal flooding was in response to concerns raised by Mr Richard Kwami Sefe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Anlo that for about eight years, no dredging of the estuary had taken place.

Mr Sefe suggested for example that, the severe flooding along the eastern estuarine shoreline and the coastline occasioned by the recent controlled spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams was a result of several factors includ
ing the silting of the Volta River and underscored the need for the VRA to dredge the Volta estuary and the adjoining waters to create a receptacle for containing flood waters.

The Committee’s visit on Thursday to communities including Abutiakope, Agavedzi and Atiteti was at the instance of the Speaker of Parliament following several pleas from all three MPs from these areas for government intervention to secure the coastline as the menace was threatening the existence of the affected communities.

Mr Asiamah said the management of VRA, the state utility responsible for the maintenance of the hydropower plant deserved to be hauled before Parliament as the neglect of their responsibilities had caused so much harm.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Kumasi Airport now known as Prempeh I International Airport was established in 1943.

In 1959, key developments in the areas of runway and taxiway construction, navigational facilities and the deployment of the necessary human resources were rolled out to enhance operations.

The building of a new terminal in 1993 marked the beginning of the modernization process.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Online gambling offers easy and fast access to casino games, which many people are eager to try. However, people inexperienced with gambling can fall into many traps set by online casinos. These places use tactics and little tricks to keep you playing and betting.

On top of that, players should build solid habits and playing patterns to withstand the challenges, master each game, and play for pleasure without the danger of addiction.

This guide will help players approach online gambling with a healthy perspective and winning strategies in mind.

So, let’s explore some psychological tricks casinos use and valuable lessons on maximizing responsible online gambling (perhaps more importantly, knowing when to walk away).

How Casinos Keep You Playing

Whether you play a brick-and-mortar casino or a Nine Casino South Africa online, these platforms all have similar tricks up their sleeves. Here are the most common of them.

The Illusion of Control: Slots with near-misses (symbols almost lining up for a win) and f
lashing lights enhance your hope for the win and create a false sense of control. Such close ‘near winnings’ make you feel you almost got it. Such an illusion prompts you to try again and again, believing in the big win.

Chasing Losses: Imagine pouring money into a game with the only belief that you have to win all that money back. The false reasoning here is that the game should turn in your favor, given how much you’ve spent on it. However, this is rarely the case. You can’t win the game because you’ve already invested.

The Gambler’s Logic: Random events have no logic. They just happen. Yet, many gamblers develop false logic to justify or explain certain events. For instance, it’s common to believe that if a number hasn’t appeared on roulette in a while, it becomes ‘hot’ and more likely to appear next. Such reasoning has no foundation and can lead to illogical betting patterns.

Time Distortion: Traditional casinos often lack windows and clocks. This disrupts your sense of time, making you lose track of h
ow long you’ve been playing and potentially spending more than intended.

Variable Reinforcement: Wins, even small ones, trigger the release of dopamine, which makes you feel good on a chemical level. It’s a power that’s hard to resist. You want to have it again once you’ve felt this adrenaline and dopamine rush. This desire encourages further play.

Strategies for Responsible Gambling

Now that you know some of the casino’s tricks, you should also learn strategies to resist them. See these simple but efficient tips on engaging in responsible gambling.

Set Limits and Stick to Them

Decide on a budget before you start playing, and never chase losses. Set time limits and stick to them. Use a timer on your phone, or consider casino platforms that limit the length of your gambling session. Some offer tools to track your spending and playtime or even let you set deposit limits right there on the site.

Play for Fun, Not Fortune

Consider online gambling as entertainment, not a way to make money. Focus on the enjo
yment and take potential winnings as a fun little bonus.

Choose Games with Lower House Edges

Strategy games like blackjack or poker offer better odds than games of chances of chances like slots or roulette. You can play against real people to enhance your chances. Plus, always research the house edge of each casino before depositing your money.

Slow Down and Take Breaks

Take regular breaks to clear your head and avoid impulsive decisions. Step away when you’re losing or feeling frustrated. Stop playing once you feel more aggravated than happy.

Recognize the Signs of Problems

Be honest with yourself when playing. Notice when you are not yourself during the game. That’s the first call to stop and reevaluate your gambling approach. Answer these questions:

Are you neglecting responsibilities to gamble?

Are you hiding your gambling habits?

Has gambling caused financial or relationship problems?

Talk to a trusted friend or family member about your online gambling habits. Their support can greatly help, es
pecially if you feel tempted to go overboard.

Challenge the Glamorization

Gambling is often highly glamorized in the media. Numerous TV shows and movies portray casinos as big powerhouses of fashion, glamor, money, and luxury. Such a portrayal creates a false narrative in viewers’ heads, associating casinos only with pretty pictures of easy money, expensive dresses, and fast cars at the entrance.

Don’t be fooled by such a one-sided image! Focus on the reality of gambling – losing money, getting hooked, and the stress it can cause. Remember, the casino always has an advantage. They’re designed to make money, not hand it out. Challenge the romanticized image and gamble with a clear head.

Bottom Line

Online gambling can be a fun activity, but it’s crucial to be aware of the psychological tactics employed and approach it with a responsible mindset. Set limits, prioritize enjoyment, and remember, walking away a winner is a victory in itself.

If you feel the urge to gamble for more than entertainment, there’s
no shame in seeking help. There are organizations dedicated to supporting those struggling with gambling addiction.

Source: Ghana News Agency