Day: May 14, 2024

The third African Media Convention (AMC), will open in Accra on Wednesday, May 15.

About 2,000 participants drawn across the continent, including policymakers, Ministers of State, researchers, academics and media practitioners are attending the Convention.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Special Guest for the event, will officially open the three-day Convention on Thursday, May 16, at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Speaking at a media briefing in Accra, on Tuesday, to update the public on the preparations, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, said 1,000 people had registered as of 1700 hours on Tuesday, May 14, with 600 foreign participants expected to join the Convention on Wednesday, May 15.

The Convention is on the theme: ‘The African Media We Want: Enhancing Freedom, Innovation, and Sustainability in a Dynamic Media Landscape’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Drama unfolded at Benue-Nkwanta, a farming community in the Sunyani Municipality when some irate youth nearly lynched the chief of the town last Saturday for allegedly attempting to ‘sleep’ with a married woman.

However, some indigenes of the area timely intervened and rescued Nana Nkrumah Boahen, also married, who had since fled the community.

During a visit to the area on Tuesday, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered from residents the unfortunate incident happened around 1500 hours.

Nana Boahen was said to have allegedly visited Abenaa Mavis, a 29-year-old married woman and mango seller, and tried to have sexual intercourse with the woman in her matrimonial home.

Luck, however, eluded Nana Boahen, when Baba Seidu, a 37-year-old farmer, and the husband, who had then gone out with some friends, arrived in the house and caught them half-naked in the room, GNA learnt.

Seidu raised an alarm which attracted the attention of some youths in the town and assaulted the chief, but some people intervened quickly
and rescued the chief from his attackers.

The woman confirmed to the GNA that Nana Boahen had been harassing her for years, though he knew that she was a married woman.

Abenaa Mavis added that in all the instances, she failed to give in to the demands, until last Saturday, May 11, 2024, when Nana Boahen approached her and attempted to sleep with her in her room, while her husband had gone out.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Pupils of the Azorebisi Junior High School in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region continue to learn under trees due to lack of a classroom block.

The 55 pupils and their tutors take their lessons under trees despite the heat produced by the changing climate and are compelled to close anytime it is threatening to rain.

In 2020, the pupils and teachers thought they had seen a sigh of relief when a sod was cut for construction of a three-unit classroom block for the school as part of the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) under the auspices of the then Ministry of Special Development Initiatives.

However, after the construction of the foundation, work on the project stalled, compelling the pupils and teachers at the school to continue to learn under distress conditions and particularly under trees.

Mr Elias Ayinbila Apasiya, Assemblyman for Azorebisi Electoral Area told the GNA that the community was disappointed that the government started the construction of the Junior
High School and abandoned it at foundation level for close to five years now.

‘This is an emergency situation because the rains are in and they don’t have a place to sit, so we appeal to the relevant authorities to step in and look into the contract so that the contractor can return to site,’ he appealed.

He said the situation had contributed to low enrollment of students as parents preferred to withdraw their children to better endowed schools.

Apart from that, the block housing the primary pupil of the school is also in a dilapidated state posing danger to schoolchildren and their teachers.

He therefore appealed to the government and other organisations to come to the aid of the school by constructing a classroom block for the school to help improve teaching and learning.

Apart from cracked walls and floors, broken windows and doors and rotten wood, three classrooms of the block housing class four, five and six have also been ripped off by windstorm for close to two years without rehabilitation.

The s
ituation had not only exposed the pupils and their teachers to health hazards but had also affected teaching and learning and if nothing is done to address the challenge, the situation could get worse when the rainy season sets in.

Mr Rex Asanga, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, told the GNA that the project was part of projects taken over by the Northern Development Authority (NDA), however, there was no funding currently to complete them.

He said the Assembly had been in contact with the leadership of the NDA particularly about the Azorebisi JHS and two other Community based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds, adding ‘they have assured me that when they get funding, they will prioritise these projects’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Amid growing tensions between Lebanese and Syrians in Lebanon, Lebanese authorities organized what they called the ‘voluntary return’ of around 300 Syrian refugees to their home country on Tuesday, security sources said.

Refugees living in Lebanon were able to register for convoys to Syria coordinated with the Syrian authorities before departure.

Syrian refugees departing from Lebanon showed mixed feelings as they left the country.

‘It’s a nightmare. I’m afraid of what will happen to my son and myself. He will definitely be drafted into military service,’ said one of the departing Syrian women.

Another woman, who had lived in the refugee camp in Arsal near the border with Syria for 14 years, set out with her two daughters and granddaughters.

‘I’m looking forward to returning to my house in my village. It’s better to sleep in a house with a roof than in a tent,’ she told dpa.

Human rights activists have been criticizing the discriminatory practices used by Lebanese officials to force refugees to return t
o Syria for years.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported, among other things, that Lebanese authorities have arbitrarily arrested, tortured and sent Syrians, including opposition activists and army defectors, back to Syria in recent months.

Earlier this month the European Union promised Lebanon around pound 1 billion ($1.08 billion). In return, the Lebanese authorities were to stop the flow of refugees currently living in the country in the direction of Cyprus.

Lebanon is home to more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees, making it one of the countries to have taken in the most refugees per capita in the world.

The Mediterranean state itself is in the worst economic crisis in its history, which can be traced back to decades of deeply entrenched corruption in politics and business.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Alex Apau Dadey, Executive Chairman of the KGL Group, has praised Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his extraordinary leadership and global effect.

He noted that the Asantehene’s exceptional leadership had transformed the Asante Kingdom into an extremely lucrative investment destination for global businesses.

Speaking at a royal banquet hosted by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for diplomats and industry leaders, Mr Dadey remarked that the King’s 25-year reign had been particularly successful and impactful both locally and internationally.

He praised the Asantehene for being a stabilizing influence and mentor to many businesses, stating, ‘Corporate Ghana wants to say a big thank you and congratulations.’

‘If the Asante Kingdom was trading on the international stock markets, it would have been one of the most profitable stocks to buy,’ he noted.

Mr. Dadey, who also serves as the Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), highlighted the KGL Group’s partnership with the Asante Kingdom on ini
tiatives such as the Otumfuo’s Commemorative Gold Coin and other corporate social responsibility projects.

Harriet Thompson, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, lauded Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s dedication to the people of the Asante Kingdom and Ghana, as well as his efforts in education and resource conservation.

‘Otumfuo has genuinely held the people of the Ashanti Kingdom and Ghana at heart, and this is seen in how much you have invested in education, protecting Ghana resources and the love that you show your people every day, ‘ she stated.

The ceremony commemorated Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s 25th anniversary on the throne, a watershed moment in his extraordinary reign.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Taliban’s Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday the destruction of 148 hectares of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan’s north-eastern province of Badakhshan.

The move came amid ongoing efforts by the Taliban government to eradicate opium production in the country.

A local source in Badakhshan told dpa that farmers in a village within the Argu district protested against the destruction, which led to the arrest of several individuals described as ‘inciters.’ The source added that the situation was now calm, with eradication efforts resuming.

However, local broadcaster Salam Watandar reported that the protest in Argu district turned violent, resulting in three deaths and 10 injuries among protesters.

Dpa could not independently verify the reports of violence.

The incident follows a similar protest earlier this month in the Darayim district of the same province. That protest, which also erupted in response to poppy destruction efforts, resulted in at least one death.

The Taliban government responded by s
ending a high-ranking official to negotiate a peaceful resolution with local farmers, though the specific solutions remain undisclosed.

The eradication of poppy cultivation decreed by the Taliban’s supreme leader remains a core principle of their counter-narcotics strategy. Afghanistan has been one of the world’s leading producers of opium, a key ingredient in heroin.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported in November that opium cultivation in Afghanistan had declined by an estimated 95% following the Taliban’s ban.

UN officials warned that this sharp reduction has had immediate humanitarian consequences, as many farmers relied on income from cultivating opium, which can also be used to make legitimate drugs.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr. Manasseh Ofusuhene Asante, the Tema Metropolitan Electoral Commission (EC) Officer, has said that about 1,318 people have been registered in the ongoing limited voter registration exercise.

Mr. Ofusuhene told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the figure comprised 581 men and 737 women.

He explained that 619 people registered with Ghana cards, while 17 people used their passports.

He added that 682 persons registered through the guarantor system, while 32 persons had some challenges?during the registration.

Mr. Ofosuhene stated that 510 of the men were aged 18 to 21, and 20 were aged 22 to 35 years.

He added that 648 of the women were aged 18 to 21, and 35 of them were aged 22 to 35 years.

He added that while 24 men were aged 36 to 45, six women in the same age bracket also got registered in the first week of the limited voter registration, noting that 11 men were between the ages of 46 and 55, while six women of the same age also got registered.

The EC Officer further disclosed that seven men and tw
o women were aged 56 to 65, as well as seven men and three women aged 66 to 75, with two men and one woman registering at the age of 76 years and above.

Mr. Edwin Parker, a registrant, described the registration exercise as fruitful and expressed the hope that it would end successfully, devoid of any problems.

The GNA observed that security personnel were positioned at various points at the registration centre to make sure the exercise progressed without any challenges.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Almost 450,000 people left the city of Rafah in Gaza in the space of one week as hordes of displaced people try to escape from heavy fighting in the south of the coastal strip, the UN said on Tuesday.

‘Empty streets in Rafah as families continue to flee in search of safety,’ the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) wrote on X.

‘People face constant exhaustion, hunger and fear. Nowhere is safe. An immediate ceasefire is the only hope.’

The Israeli army advanced on Gaza’s southernmost city from the east just over a week ago and has since also taken control of the Palestinian part of the Rafah border crossing to Egypt.

Israel is exerting military pressure on the Palestinian militant organization Hamas to secure the release of hostages taken at the start of the Gaza war last October.

It also wants to dismantle any remaining Hamas battalions in Gaza.

Israeli attacks and fighting in the Gaza Strip continued on Tuesday, with Palestinian eyewitnesses reporting continuous shelling in the north, south a
nd centre of the coastal strip.

The military wing of Hamas reported that it had repeatedly attacked Israeli troops at the Rafah crossing and hit a troop carrier near the city.

The Hamas-controlled health authority in Gaza reported that 35,173 Palestinians had been killed and more than 79,000 others injured in the Gaza Strip since the war began.

The figure, which is impossible to verify independently, does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated Washington’s opposition to a major ground offensive in Rafah. Until last week, more than 1 million people had sought refuge there from fighting in the rest of Gaza.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, says Ghana and Rwanda are leading the way in developing a favourable environment for fintech start-ups in Africa.

He noted that start-ups and investors were mindful to commit resources to African markets since the regulatory framework is unfavourable for businesses in the financial ecosystem to thrive.

‘Countries such as Ghana and Rwanda have made significant strides by implementing a proactive regulatory framework to help start-ups in the fintech space to evaluate their services before rolling out,’ he said.?

The Vice President said this on the second day of the 3i Africa Summit 2024 in Accra, where more than 6,000 attendees from 95 countries have converged to unlock Africa’s FinTech and digital economic potential.

He explained that Ghana and Rwanda are creating an ideal environment for fintech start-ups through the introduction of regulatory sign boxes, which has allowed fintech companies to experiment with their businesses without fear of regulatory consequences.

Ac
cording to Dr. Bawumia, the adoption of regulatory sign boxes in these two countries has helped start-ups get significant insights into their respective countries’ requirements.

He said that sign boxes provided regulators with insight into modern technology and innovation, while fintech start-ups used sign boxes to analyze their concepts, refine their offers, and demonstrate their value propositions to potential investors.

Dr. Bawumia emphasised the importance of collaboration between fintech companies and telecommunications providers in promoting financial inclusion and driving growth across Africa.

‘How many African countries have an individualised credit scoring system? Credit scoring does not exist in over 90 per cent of African countries. How do we do credit scoring in the absence of a unique identity for the populations?

‘How do we have a credit score where most of the population is excluded from the financial system? For us, the role of fintech in credit scoring will be key because traditional cred
it scoring fails that basic model,’ he noted.

The Vice President observed that most of Africa’s population had mobile money accounts rather than bank accounts, which has served as a firm foundation for the continent’s credit rating system.

He said the fintech industry?had also created access to financial services in the rural parts of the continent.

‘In Ghana, the Central Bank will leverage mobile money accounts, Ghana Card, and other data bases to provide credit scores to the population,’ he said.?

Source: Ghana News Agency

Employees of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) and the Centre for National Culture (CNC) have asked the Commission’s management to step aside until investigations into allegations against them are conducted.

‘We demand the Acting Executive Director, Nana Otuo Owoahene Acheampong, the Deputy Acting Director, Richardson Commey Fio, the Acting Human Resource Director, Harriet Kumi-Boateng and the Bono Region Centre for National Culture Internal Auditor Jerry John Tachie to step aside and away from the premises of the Commission and CNC so that an urgent and impartial investigation into all the allegations can be done,’ they said.

Employees say transparency and accountability were essential for restoring trust in the NCC and its CNCs across the country.

Addressing a press conference in Accra, Mr Solomon Amoh-Mensah, Convenor of the Concerned Employees, stated that while the Commission played a key role in preserving and promoting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, recent developments have raised serious co
ncerns about its leadership and management.

He said some of the issues of concern include unjust salary deductions, needless staff transfers, unauthorized conference fees, unlawful staff promotions, and accusations of harassment and abuse.

According to Amoh-Mensah, new employees who had worked diligently for over a year were forced to give up seven months’ pay, while the Acting Executive Director, Nana Otuo Owoahene Acheampong, ordered the unnecessary transfer of over 90 employees across the country.

‘These transfers strain the Commission’s budget and create financial burdens for affected employees.

‘Employees are pressured to pay exorbitant amounts up to GH?2800.00 to participate in essential training sessions. These payments are collected via a private mobile money line (0553848401), flouting the Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921).

‘Staff members are burdened, paying such a huge amount of money to participate in a three-day conference,’ he said.

Mr Amoh-Mensah also alleged that the Acting Executi
ve Director promoted favourites without adhering to the official procedures established in the Public Service Workers Regulation Manual, which he said undermined transparency and equity.

‘There have also been allegations of sexual harassment and verbal abuse within the Commission and its Centre’s for National Culture by the Acting Executive Director, and such behaviour is unacceptable and tarnishes the Commission’s reputation.

‘The concerned employees are therefore calling for the reinstatement of extorted salaries, review of transfers, an end to the collection of unlawful conference fees and zero tolerance for harassment,’ he said.

The Convenor of the group stated that Ghana’s cultural heritage deserved better, and that as citizens, they would work together to achieve justice, transparency, and fairness within the NCC and its CNCs.

‘Let this press conference serve as a clarion call for positive change,’ he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency