Day: June 10, 2024

The ECOWAS Court of Justice, on 10th June 2024, inaugurated its sensitisation and training programme for lawyers from member states on the new Electronic Case Management System (ECMS).

This event is taking place in Lomé, Togo, from June 10 – 13, 2024.

The main objective of this programme is the sensitisation and training of lawyers and government agents from ECOWAS member states on the use of the new electronic filing and case management system.

In his opening address, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, expressed his sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Togo for their warm welcome.

He also acknowledged the participation of distinguished guests and participants attending in-person and online.

Justice Asante highlighted the importance of this programme, recalling that the ECOWAS Court of Justice was established under the Lagos Treaty of 1975 and became operational in 2001.

He emphasised the Court’s central role in interpreting and applying Community legal
texts and protecting human rights since 2005.

He noted that in response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Court accelerated its transition towards digitalisation of judicial procedures by adopting practical guidelines for electronic case management and virtual hearings.

Among the notable innovations are electronic filing of documents, electronic service of notices of registration and the holding of virtual hearings.

President Asante stated that the ECMS, currently being deployed, represented a significant advancement in the modernisation of the Court’s judicial processes.

Furthermore, it aims to make the Court more accessible and efficient by allowing lawyers to file documents, receive notifications, and attend virtual hearings via a secure web interface, he added.

Justice Asante observed that the Lomé programme is the first step in a series of three sensitisation and training events, with sessions planned to hold in Accra, Ghana, for anglophone lawyers, and Praia, Cape Verde, for lus
ophone lawyers.

He noted that these initiatives aim to equip legal practitioners with the necessary knowledge to use the ECMS effectively.

The President of the Court encouraged all participants to fully engage in this programme, stressing that the adoption of the ECMS marks a crucial step in improving access to justice and efficiency of judicial procedures within the ECOWAS region.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Stakeholders at a forum have called for the implementation of an enhanced regulatory and legal framework to address challenges in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector.

They said regulatory and monitoring in the sector was low, resulting in the poor delivery of services in the sector, especially at the local levels.

The forum, dubbed ‘WASH Systems Watch’ was organised by Agenda 4 Change, a coalition of non-governmental organisations in Water and Sanitation.

The forum brought together members of the coalition comprising Water Aid, IRC, World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, PATH, and CONIWAS to deliberate on the WASH sector.

Madam Vida Duti, Country Director of IRC Ghana, said as the WASH sector was growing, it was important to ensure  corresponding improved regulation and accountability.

‘We are looking at how as a sector we can ensure proper regulation, because if we ensure proper regulation, there is proper accountability, everybody is doing what is supposed to be done,’ she said.

Madam Duti said
the sector was, however, seeing some progress in meeting targets and the goal of universal water services for everyone, and attributed it to increased stakeholder participation in the sector.

‘But we believe that if we improve on the systems for delivery and align our efforts better, we will even make greater progress because there will be more efficiency in how we do things in the sector,’ she added.

Dr Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission, said although targets of WASH were being achieved, there was a need to effectively coordinate the activities.

He said the sector was fundamental to the nation’s middle to long-term developmental objectives due to the role water and sanitation played in the lives of people.

Madam Suzzy Abaidoo, Senior WASH Programme Officer, Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, said current issues in the WASH sector required some reorganisation to deliver services more efficiently and effectively.

She said the Ministry ha
d commenced a reform process through the revision of the National Water Policy and the development of the WASH Development Programme.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Sunyani Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission exceeded its target, distributing and cultivating 966,394 tree seedlings in 2024 Green Ghana Day.

The target for the district, according to Mr Francis Brobbey, the District Manager of the FSD was to plant 400,000 seedlings and attributed the achievement to intensify media publicity, massive public participation and commercial private plantation.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the aftermath of the Green Ghana Day in Sunyani, Mr Brobbey expressed appreciation to the Bono Regional Minister, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahane, the Bono Regional Office of the FC and the private sector.

During a visit to the FSD office on Monday, the GNA noticed the Division was still distributing the tree seedlings to individuals and groups for plantation.

Describing this year’s participation in the tree planting exercise as massive and exceptional, the District Manager called on individuals, groups, institutions and everybody to help protect
and nurture the tree seedlings for the nation to derive the optimum benefits.

 ‘We must all endeavour to ensure that the trees planted are protected and nurtured for the country to derive socio-economic benefits’, Mr Brobbey advised.

He said the Green Ghana initiative was not only meant for environmental benefits, but also a means of job and wealth creation and poverty intervention.

Mr Brobbey called on entrepreneurs, businesses and the private sector to show more interest and engage in commercial tree plantation to create job opportunities and help tackle youth unemployment.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mrs Samira Bawumia, the Second Lady, has advised students to serve as a driving force behind sustainable practices and policies to combat climate change and ensure a healthier planet for future generations.

‘My dear students and pupils, as advocates, you have a unique role to play in changing the discourse and shaping policies and actions that will redefine the trajectory of our planet.

‘I encourage you to embrace this opportunity to learn, innovate, and advocate for our environment. Your voices are powerful, and your actions are crucial for a sustainable future,’ she said.

Mrs Bawumia gave the advice as Chairperson of The Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC), at the launch of its initiative, ‘Africa Students for Climate Action’ (ASCA) and the commemoration of Green Ghana Day in Accra.

ASCA aims at empowering students across the continent to be at the forefront of climate action.

Participating schools were the Labone Senior High, Accra Girls Senior High, Accra Academy, Achimota Basic School, S
t. Thomas Aquinas Senior High, Kotobabi Basic Schools, St Mary SHS and some Islamic schools.

She said the planet faced an unprecedented climate crisis, one that posed a particular threat to Africa and recent data revealed that Africa was disproportionately affected by climate change, despite contributing the least to global emissions.

The continent, she said, was experiencing increased droughts, floods, and heat waves, severely impacting agriculture, economy, livelihoods and well-being.

Mrs Bawumia noted that according to a survey conducted by UNESCO, 95 per cent of primary and secondary teachers recognised the importance of teaching climate change, yet only 30 per cent felt prepared to do so.

Also, 70 per cent of young people felt unprepared to tackle climate change based on their current knowledge.

That gap, she said, highlighted the urgent need for initiatives like ASCA that aimed to equip students with the necessary skills, knowledge, and values to advocate for and implement climate action within the
ir communities.

Dr Eric Nkansah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, said Climate Change and deforestation posed a great challenge for the future generation.

Climate change also affected every aspect of life on the planet, he said, and called on all to take bold action to protect the environment and save future generations.

‘We at the Ghana Education Service believe that education is not only about acquiring knowledge but also about empowering individuals to transform their lives to contribute to the development of the nation,’ he noted.

Madam Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, underscored the need to address the impact of climate change on women and the youth through targeted exclusive voices that recognised their unique opportunity and contribution.

She said it was, therefore, important to empower the public through education, economic opportunities and promoting their participation in the decision-making process.

‘This is crucial for buil
ding community and ensuring sustainable development in the face of climate change. As we launch ASCA, we are empowering the youth to be at the forefront of this fight. Our young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are also the change-makers of today,’ she added.

Mrs Rejoice Akua Acorlor, Headmistress of Labone Senior High School, expressed her profound gratitude to AFRIWOCC for selecting her school for this year’s event.

She said the world was experiencing global warming and that the current situation in the country caused by the burning of natural plants and improper waste management contributed to that.

With the Green Ghana Day, she said the afforestation and re-afforestation agenda would restore degraded forest landscapes and combat climate change.

Dignitaries at the event were Mr Charles Abaani, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, Executive Director, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Ms Roselyn Fosuah Agyei, Director, Climate Change Directorate, Forestr
y Commission.

The dignitaries joined the students to plant trees to commemorate the Day and help to combat climate change.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Joseph Amewuda, Area Deacon of the House of Power Ministry branch at Dambai in the Krachi East Municipality, has called on Christians to demonstrate their love and compassion towards one another to ensure unity.

He said for a society to develop, there was a need for Christians to love each other, unite and fight for a common goal.

Deacon Amewuda made the call at church service on Sunday and said Christ stood for peace, unity and love and Christians must show such attitude to their neighbours.

He urged the congregation to cultivate the spirit of love for peace, harmonious living, national tolerance and sustainable development.

He explained that it was only when Christians longed and desired for peace that they would respect each other’s views and work together for the well-being of all the citizenry.

He advised the congregation to see God’s word as a period of reaching out to people, who did not know Jesus Christ and preparing them for His second coming.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The strike by staff of the National Identification Authority (NIA) has left hundreds of prospective Ghana Card applicants in limbo at the offices of the Authority in Kumasi and other districts in the Ashanti region.

The action, which was announced by the leadership of the staff union on Sunday June 09, 2024, bit hard on prospective applicants who went to the various NIA offices on Monday morning to work on their Ghana card.

A visit to Ashanti regional office and some district offices in Kumasi by the Ghana News Agency, saw scores of prospective applicants stranded and not knowing what to do.

The strike is in protest of alleged poor working conditions at the Authority and the failure of the management to sit down with the aggrieved workers to negotiate and resolve the issue.

The union stated earlier this year that it had deferred the strike notice, which was scheduled to take place in March 2024, following the intervention of the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations.

However, the Ministry and the g
overnment have since then failed to address their concerns, hence the need to embark on industrial action to press home their demands.

Some of the devastated applicants, who spoke to the GNA at the Ashanti regional office of the NIA, said they had travelled long distances to work on their application and the strike action would affect them since they needed the card urgently.

Some of them criticized the government for putting a deaf ear to the demands of the workers, knowing that the national identification card was a crucial document needed by the people for various transactions in the country.

They called on the government and relevant stakeholders to promptly address the concerns of the staff for them to return to work.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Daniel McKorley, the Chairman of the McDan Group of Companies, has advised the youth in the northern part of Ghana to focus on their aspirations and envision their future with patience and determination.

This, according to him, can make them wealthy while residing in the North, and they do not necessarily have to travel to the South to seek wealth and livelihood.

 Dr McKorley was speaking at the McDan Youth Connect held at the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Wa, in the Upper West Region, on the theme: ‘Impacting Youth Development with Entrepreneurship.’

He noted that the youth must have patience and focus on their visions to get the stamina to build a great future.

‘Let’s assume that you are 22 years old and in level 400. You buy a thousand teak tree seedlings, of which one is sold for GHC 1 to plant. It takes seven years for a teak tree to mature, and now the tree is going for 600 dollars.

‘In seven years, it may be selling for 900 dollars, so if you multiply 900 do
llars by a thousand, you will be $900,000 richer in seven years, and by then, you’ll be 29 years old. It’s almost a million dollars richer, sitting here in the north,’ he asserted.

According to him, youth entrepreneurs are the future of the country’s greatness, hence the need to impact them for a bright future.

‘The reason we are organising this youth connect is to impact youth entrepreneurs. We have students and youths who need to be nurtured, mentored, and empowered. Some have passion but don’t know how to turn their visions into reality.

‘It is not about money, but about showing them the way because I grew up on the street. I was raised by an illiterate mother, but she gave me the right attitude, and that keeps me going.’

He urged the youth to have the right attitude towards work and services as those are some virtues that would push them up.

Winners of businesses that pitched during the programme were presented with GHs 10,000 each, while a physically challenged entrepreneur who is into the productio
n of nylon and metal camp beds and chairs was also presented with GHs 50,000 to help boost his business.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Drobonso Methodist Junior High School (JHS) in the Sekyere Afram Plains District has won a quiz competition organised for junior high schools in the community in commemoration of the 2024 World Environment Day.

The competition, which formed part of activities to mark the day, was put together by the Konongo Area Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with Miro Forestry and Timber Products and Ghana Education Service (GES).

It sought to test the knowledge of contestants on human practices, contributing to environmental degradation and measures required to combat the menace as Ghana joined the rest of the world to mark the day.

After three rounds of answering questions on climate change, land degradation, deforestation, and drought, among others, Methodist JHS emerged winners followed by Islamic JHS, Presbyterian JHS, SDA JHS in that order.

They walked away with various prizes, including textbooks, dustbins, veronica buckets, brooms, and set of drums.

Mr. Dawood Abass, the
Konongo Area Head of EPA, said restoring degraded lands helped to improve food security, build resilience to climate change, and provide economic opportunities through sustainable agriculture, forestry, and ecotourism.

He said aside from playing key role in various landscape restoration, the EPA also played crucial role in protecting and conserving the country’s environment and natural resources.

‘Let us be reminded that protecting our environment and restoring our degraded lands are not just the responsibility of the government.

All of us including citizens, communities, businesses, NGOs must play a role in restoring our lands,’ he noted.

He underlined the need for all stakeholders to be part of the solution by working together to restore degraded lands, combat desertification and drought, and build a more resilient Ghana.

Mr. Abass applauded the contestants for exhibiting impressive knowledge on environmental issues beyond the expectation of the organisers.

‘It is refreshing to see how the environment
al clubs in the schools are taking environmental issues seriously considering the way they answered the questions,’ he stated.

Mr. Michael Aryeh, Environmental Manager, Miro Forestry and Timber Products, said the company had formed environmental clubs in basics schools as part of efforts to inculcate environmental protection in pupils.

He said due to the tree planting activities of the company in the Sekyere Afram Plains area and climatic conditions had improved tremendously over the years.

According to him, the presence of the company was also improving livelihoods with a lot of their workforce working in their plantations and factory being natives of Drobonso and its environs.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A committee of seven lay judges of the Apostles Revelation Society (ARS) chaired by Togbi Dukli Attipo V, Chief of Anyako, has been inaugurated to resolve the feud that has engulfed the church for the past 23 years.

Other members are Nana Tabiri Ampem Kyeremeh II, Sanaahene of Sunyani Traditional Area; Torgbe Israel I, Ekyem Amanfrom, Afram Plains South; and Lawyer Samuel Kenneth Agbenu, Member, Ghana Bar Association Accra.

The rest are Elder Holy Kwesi Agbolosoo, Member, Institute of Internal Auditors Global; Madam Salomey Avornyo and Elder Charles Nutorntsi of the Sogakope and Tadzewu branches respectively.

The committee members were appointed by the Executive Committee of the Governing Body of the ARS to serve a one-year term of office, effective Monday, June 10, 2024.

They were sworn into office by Brigadier-General Tehn Addy (Rtd) at a ceremony held at the premises of the Abelemkpe branch of the church in Accra on Sunday.

Brigadier Tehn-Addy urged the members of the committee to be steadfast in thei
r dealings with issues to unite the congregation.

In an acceptance speech on behalf of the committee members, Togbi Attipo said they were committed to the task given them and that they would ensure that peace prevailed in the church for the progress of the people.

Torgbi Awli, the Executive Chairman of the Governing Body of the ARS, told the Ghana News Agency that at a general conference held on May 18, 2024, all the participants unanimously tasked the Governing Body Executives to find all legitimate means possible to address the impasse among the leaders of the various breakaway groups.

‘Subsequent to that, an Accra High Court has directed the Executive Committee of the ARS Church to take steps necessary to list the Committee of Lay Judges and have the dispute resolved within the shortest possible time hence the inauguration,’ he stated.

He said the appointment of the members was in accordance with Article 7 of the constitution of the church.

Torgbi Awli appealed to the church members to accord the comm
ittee of the lay judges the necessary support for them to discharge their mandate diligently without fear or favour but in the interest of unity, peace and progress of the ARS.

The Apostle Revelation Society was founded by the late Mawufeame Prophet CKN Wovenu.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr. Samuel Ayeh Paye, former Member of Parliament for Ayensuano in the Eastern Region has appealed to Ghanaians to vote Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the December polls to ‘continue the good works of President Akufo-Addo.’

He said a vote for Dr Bawumia would ensure that all uncompleted projects including school structures, hospitals and roads in the rural areas, under the current NPP Government would be completed to help in the development of the country.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Paye said the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government had many ongoing developmental projects for Ghanaians which might not be completed before December, hence the need to vote for Dr Bawumia to be able to complete them, in the next four years.

‘Dr Bawumia, will, for instance continue the Free SHS Policy which has given many poor but brilliant children the opportunity to further their education; education is key to the development of every country.’

He urged parents and guardians to en
rol their wards in school so that they would grow to become good future leaders.

Mr Paye earlier addressed members of the NPP, polling station executives and Unit Committee members.

Source: Ghana News Agency