Day: June 21, 2024

Mr Guggisberg Fiagbenu, the Assembly Member of Adidome Electoral Area, has appealed to the government to expedite compensation for residents affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.

Mr Fiagbenu’s appeal comes as a reminder of the urgent need for government intervention in Tongu to restore the affected communities.

The flood, which occurred several months ago, left numerous homes, businesses, and farms destroyed, leaving many residents in debt and without necessities like food, shelter, and capital to rerun their collapsed businesses.

Mr Fiagbenu lamented the government’s slow response in supporting the flood victims, emphasizing the need for a swift establishment of a compensation fund.

He also urged the government to also extend support to indirectly affected residents and recognize the efforts of benevolent individuals, who helped during the crisis.

The Assembly Member highlighted the ongoing socio-economic challenges in Siame-Kome, one of the affected communities in the Central Tongu District and stres
sed the need for psychosocial support and expedited resettlement for the victims.

He also called for subsidized utility tariffs to alleviate the burden on the affected residents.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Jaap Boss, leader of the Blue Deal Water Project, has urged environmental chiefs at Bongo in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region, to champion activities that will help improve quality of water systems and save the environment from pollution.

He said traditional Authorities played a key role in the sustainable management of land and natural resources especially at the community level and therefore sensitizing their constituents on tree planting and protection of water resources was crucial.

Mr Boss made the call at the inauguration of Traditional Authorities, known in the local parlance as ‘Environmental chiefs,’ earmarked for roles in protection of the environment.

It was attended by the Blue Deal Water Project Team from Holland, the White Volta Basin Secretariat, The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Representatives from the Regional House of Chiefs, and the Bongo Municipal Assembly among.

The enskinment of environmental chiefs was initiated by the Paramount Chief of the Bongo Tr
aditional area, Naba Salifu Alemyaarum, and all sub chiefs in the area were inaugurated as environment chiefs, to promote good environmental practices.

The Water Resources Commission (WRC) and its partner, Blue Deal Project, have since 2019 implemented Integrated Water Resources Management interventions along the White Volta Basin as part of efforts to protect the water bodies and facilitated capacity building, water governance and community sensitization programmes in the Bongo District.

Other areas engaged include Nabdam, Talensi, Bolgatanga East and Kassena Nankana, within the Kpasenkpe Sub basin, which was activated among other Basins, to initiate activities to improve the water resources.

In the Kpasenkpe Sub-basin, interventions such as reforestation activities in the Vea Dam Catchment, spearheaded by Tree Aid and facilitated by Blue Deal Project, is ongoing while a sanitation project at Gowrie senior high technical school is being implemented.

The engagement over years and with commitment of Tradit
ional Authority, has seen commitment to providing a range of recommendations and interventions to support the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management in the White Volta Basin.

Mr Jesse Kasapoe, the Principal Basin Officer of the WRC charged the environmental chiefs to be stewards and act as custodians of trees in their various communities which would contribute a lot to a healthy environment.

Mr Kasapoe indicated that the basin office would guide the organisation towards a sustainable future of the environment and charged it, ‘to let us all work together combining traditional knowledge with modern practices to achieve a shared vision of a resilient and prosperous White Volta Basin.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Service Scheme (NSS) has dismissed media reports that suggest the Scheme is extorting monies from prospective national service personnel with the GHc40 being charged for PIN codes activation.

It said the GHS40 charge for PIN codes is not a recent development.

In a release issued by Mr Armstrong Esaah, the Corporate Affairs Director, NSS, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, the Scheme explained that since the NSS introduced the online registration system in 2006, all perspective service personnel had been paying the fee for essential ICT infrastructure and other services to ensure operational efficiency.

The Scheme, therefore, provided the breakdown of the GHS40 fee as follows – It uses GHS10.00 for electronic NSS ID cards, GHS10.00 for National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) dues and GHS20.00 for online (Internet) services, paid to the service providers.

‘This covers the cost of NSS certificates awarded upon service completion, facilitates the monthly upload of assessment fo
rms and supports the ongoing maintenance and upgrades to the NSS online registration system,’ the statement added.

The statement said it also covered hosting of the NSS ICT infrastructure and the management of the central ICT system for optimal performance.

‘The online system further streamlines the registration process, reducing waiting times and minimising errors, thus ensuring a hassle-free experience for all applicants,’ it added.

‘We reiterate that the GHS40 charge is a well-established practice that supports the essential ICT infrastructure and services necessary for the efficient operation of NSS,’ the statement emphasised.

‘It is important to note that despite the rise in the cost of delivering these ICT services since 2015, Management has chosen not to pass this additional cost onto the service personnel. Instead, they have maintained the fee at GHS40.

‘Management wishes to state that the NSS remains dedicated to the continuous improvement of our processes and services.’

The Scheme expressed it
s commitment to enhancing transparency, adding that it was always open to constructive feedback from the public and stakeholders.

‘We believe that together, we can uphold the values and objectives of the National Service Scheme, fostering a seamless and supportive national service experience for national development,’ the statement read.

Source: Ghana News Agency

More than 500 headporters (Kayayei) under the Youth Employment Agency programme have received smart grants and start-up packs to commence their entrepreneurial journey. 

The start-up pack and smart grant will pave the way for the beneficiaries to venture into a variety of trade areas. 

Mr  Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, announced this during a graduation ceremony for the beneficiaries in Accra under the Kayayei Empowerment Programme. 

Mr Nkansah commended the graduates for their resilience and perseverance during the course of the one-month intensive training in various vocational skills. 

‘It is inspiring to see these young women’s devotion and tenacity in learning such essential practical skills as they go on a journey of self-discovery and progress to overcome their personal obstacles.

‘A journey to restore their dignity and escape the dangers of the streets. They have exceeded our expectations with their performance during t
he training,’ he said. 

The skills, he stressed, would empower the beneficiaries to shape their destiny and inspire others with their stories of resilience and success. 

Ms Lydia Atiemo, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Youth Employment Agency, urged the graduates to build on their knowledge by continuously practising what they learned to enhance efficiency.

She said the programme would play a considerable role in addressing the current challenge of rural-urban migration. 

Ms Atiemo noted that the bakery, make-up, and decor industries were rapidly expanding and growing in Ghana and urged the graduates to take advantage of the opportunities for their livelihoods.

Ms Jennifer Dede Afagbedzi, the Municipal Chief Executive Officer for La Nkwantanang Madina, urged the graduates to set the best example by utilising the skills they had acquired to earn a good income.

That, she noted, would encourage other head potters to enrol in the programme.

  

A total of 600 cohorts graduated from the programme
with various vocational skills, including soap making, bead making, decorating, baking, make-up, pedicure, and manicure. 

The Kayayei Empowerment Programme aims to empower female head porters, or kayayei, across the country through the transformational potential of technical and vocational education and training. 

Source: Ghana News Agency

A new cowpea (beans) variety developed by the Crop Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is awaiting approval for commercial use, researchers have said.

The new variety known as ‘Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea’ is expected to help farmers reduce losses incurred during cultivation of the crop and boost the availability of cowpea locally.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Dr Daniel Osei Ofosu, a Research Scientist, explained that pest infestation had been a major setback for farmers who grew cowpea in the country.

He mentioned ‘Maruca’ as one of the ‘biggest insect pest’ of cowpea, which made farmers lose about 80 percent of the crop on the field before harvest.

To that end, he said, the new cowpea variety had been engineered to be resistant to the insect ‘Maruca’.

‘The newly engineered cowpea variety produces a natural toxin that kills Maruca but is harmless to us humans…The research has gone on for the last 12 years and we are close to commercialisation.

‘Ou
r hope is that when it comes onto the market, it will reduce the cost of cowpea (beans) and help us to be able to export to other countries,’ the Scientist stated.

Inadequate production of cowpea in Ghana compels farmers and consumers to rely on imports from Mali, Niger, and Nigeria – a situation, Dr. Ofosu said, did not ‘auger well for food sovereignty’ in the country.

He, therefore, expressed confidence that the new cowpea variety would help to improve import and farming challenges when commercialised.

The Research Scientist said the new variety had approval from the Biosafety Authority pending that of the Seed Council.

‘…Until the Seed Council gives that approval, we cannot tell when it [the Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea] will get into the hands of farmers.

‘We were hoping that [the approval] will come early enough for us to be able to multiply for our farmers to grow but unfortunately the cowpea season will start in July…and even if we get approval today, it will be impossible to produce enough for the
farmers.

‘We are hoping that from the next season, farmers will be able to grow this transformational cowpea and consumers will ultimately see the change in the prices of cowpea,’ Dr Ofosu noted.

The Scientist debunked some myth about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Agriculture, stressing the need for more public education on the benefits of the technology.

‘We know that the bad news has gone out ahead of the good news, but GMOs are safe once they have gone through all the regulatory processes.

‘In Ghana we have a robust regulatory process that is going to allow us to be able to harness this technology for the benefit of not only the scientist or the farmer, but the consumers who eat these foods. It will reduce the cost of food and ensure that we do not rely on others for our food,’ he stated.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Madam Deborah Ampofo, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Ga East Municipal Assembly (GEMA), has urged the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates to look beyond the exam and prepare sufficiently for the future.

She gave the advice when she visited some schools in the Municipality as candidates began the Municipal Mock Exam ahead of the BECE in July.

The mock exam, which is being funded by the Assembly, is a vital component of the Assembly’s efforts to improve the quality of education offered in the Municipality and is intended as a preparatory exercise for the candidates.

Madam Ampofo, who was accompanied by the Municipal Director of Education (MDE), Mr. Eric Sey, visited the Abokobi Presby and Akporman Model Basic Schools to observe and evaluate how the mock exams were being conducted.

She also used the opportunity to encourage the candidates to aim high and make the most of the preparatory period.

The MCE also urged the candidates to put in a lot of effort and end the r
ace strong, emphasizing that there was still work to be accomplished after the BECE.

‘I’m expecting many distinctions from you in this mock exam and expect that you will do even better in the BECE come July.

‘I want you to work towards excellence and ensure that you take advantage of the Free Senior High School Educational policy by the government to attain a brighter future’, she advised.

Mr Sey also asked for the candidates to do well on the mock exam and let their results translate into better grades in the upcoming BECE so that the Assembly’s efforts to support the Education Directorate in the process would not be in vain.

He thanked the Assembly and the MCE for helping them to conduct the exams, promising that their efforts would not go unappreciated and expressed hope that the final exam would go well.

Mr Sey also appealed to the teachers to mark the exam papers promptly and to provide timely feedback.

‘Your prompt feedback is essential in helping the candidates to understand their strengths and a
reas for improvement before the BECE,’ he emphasized.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Research scientists in meteorology, hydrology, climate change and flooding situations, are meeting in Kumasi to present and discuss new findings which could be used to curb flooding situations in urban communities.

The meeting, which is under theme, ‘Current and Future Risks of Urban and Rural Flooding in West Africa (FURIFLOOD)’ Project, aims to generate scientific knowledge regarding climate drivers of current and future extreme events related to flooding in West Africa and integrate this with case studies to better understand risks and impacts.

The West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is executing the four-year project, which started in August 2021 and expected to end in July 2024.

In Ghana, the College of Science of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is the host.

Professor Dr Andreas Fink, of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, who is a Principal Investigator, detailing the progress made, said with the flood extent mapping
for the urban catchment in Kumasi, researchers have developed a two-dimensional hydrodynamic modelling with a river analysis system to stimulate flood scenarios.

Large efforts had been undertaken to gain information on parameters such as flood depths recorded by inhabitants to calibrate and validate models.

These analyses, according to Prof. Dr. Fink, would help identify which magnitudes of hazard were prone to become a severe risk for the population around streams in Kumasi.

Again, there had been a successful replacement of outdated rain gauge instrumentation at 10 stations in the Ashanti Region.

To overcome major challenges in faulty original data loggers, the KNUST technicians have also designed a new logger.

The Professor of Meteorology said the project had drafted a guidebook on ecosystem-based flood risk-reduction measures in West Africa.

The book highlights detailed description and explanation of flood risk and its components, comprehensive analysis of how ecosystem-based disaster risk management
could reduce flood, among others.

Prof. Dr. Fink indicated that these early warnings and emergency management strategies were needed to help provide basic information to stakeholders such as the meteorological agencies and National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).

Prof. Leonard Amekudzi, Provost, College of Science, KNUST, who is also the Principal Investigator for Ghana, observed that the flash flooding in Kumasi had to get a remedy.

The KNUST, he indicated, was tasked to investigate the extreme rainfall, attempt to reduce floods, and begin to think about developing a revised intensive duration curve for not only the Ashanti Region, but Ghana and the entire West Africa.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The President of the Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, Hon. Justice Edward Amoako Asante, on Friday officially opened the sensitisation and training programme for lawyers on the Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) of the Court in Praia, Cape Verde.

The programme, holding from June 20 to 25, 2024, aims to enhance the digital proficiency of legal practitioners from Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau, the Lusophone member states of ECOWAS.

In his opening remarks, Justice Asante extended warm greetings from Abuja, Nigeria, and highlighted the Court’s recent sensitisation missions in Lomé and Accra.

He expressed his gratitude to the President of the Supreme Court, the Minister of Justice of Cape Verde, and the Cape Verdean government for their hospitality and support.

Reflecting on the history and mandate of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Justice Asante noted its establishment under the Lagos Treaty of 1975 and its operational commencement in 2001.

He emphasised the Court’s expanded jurisdiction to adjudicate
human rights cases since 2005, underscoring its role in upholding fundamental rights, the rule of law, and good governance in the region.

Justice Asante discussed the Court’s digitalisation initiatives, which were expedited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the adoption of 2020 Practice Directions on Electronic Case Management and Virtual Court Sessions.

These measures have significantly reduced litigation costs and enhanced access to justice, he noted.

The new ECMS, he explained, supports electronic filing, service, and management of cases, streamlining judicial processes and making the Court more accessible.

The ECMS features an external user portal for litigants and lawyers, and an internal interface for judges and judicial staff, accessible 24/7 in English, French, and Portuguese.

This system facilitates real-time access to case information, court notifications, and virtual hearings, enhancing transparency and accountability.

The training in Praia marks the final phase of a comprehensive progr
amme to equip lawyers

from all ECOWAS member states with the skills needed to navigate the ECMS.

Previous training sessions were held in Lomé and Accra for Francophone and Anglophone lawyers

respectively.

Justice Asante concluded by sincerely thanking all participants and organisers, urging everyone to actively participate in the training programme to create a more accessible and efficient justice system for the ECOWAS community.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National House of Chiefs has implored the Ghanaian youth to desist from getting involved in any activity that could spark violence ahead of the 2024 general elections.

They should be civil and play to the electoral rules rather than allowing their youthful exuberance to lead them into trouble as electioneering campaigns gather momentum.

Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, President of the House, who gave the advice at its meeting in Kumasi, reminded the youth and all other stakeholders that they only had one vote, which they could exercise on the day of the election.

He said nothing prevented anyone from campaigning for their preferred parliamentary and presidential candidates, but no one had the right to take the law into their hands by molesting and preventing others from doing the same.

Any such act he said, amounted to the violation of rights of citizens to exercise their franchise as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.

He counselled Ghanaians to embrace peace to consolidate the gains made under the Fourth
Republic, which had been the longest period of democratic rule in the history of Ghana.

The President also entreated chiefs to be circumspect with their utterances when politicians call on them during this political season to protect the image of the chieftaincy institution.

They should not be seen openly endorsing candidates as traditional leaders whose subjects belong to different political parties.

Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II also announced that elections at the Regional Houses of Chiefs would be held between August and September, with the National one scheduled for either October or November.

Source: Ghana News Agency