Day: April 12, 2024

Muslims at Kasoa Millennium City and its surrounding areas joined other Muslims worldwide to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, with a call on them to eschew hate, and live in peace with their neighbours.

Sariki Father Salisu Inusah, who is the Chief of Staff of Sariki Tahiru Zagi, Gomoa Akyempim Zongo Chief, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said as Muslims marked the end of the 30-day Ramadan, it was expected that everyone would continue to live in peace and harmony with their compatriots.

He said the tenets of Islam was against hatred among Muslims and people of other beliefs, but there should be love for all.

He expressed gratitude to Allah for the guidance and protection throughout the month to the final prayers.

Chief Imam of Gomoa Akyempim Tajudeen Gyaragari pointed that fasting, coupled with prayers, was also very important.

‘Ramadan is very important than the day of prayers and every Muslim if only you are fit per the prescription of Islam must participate.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) says the lack of access routes affected effective fighting of the James Town and Madina Market fires.

It said extreme congestion at the two places made it difficult for the GNFS to put out the fires.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after yesterday’s fire incident at the Madina Market that razed hundreds of stores, shops and containers, Assistant Divisional Officer I (ADO1) Alex King Nartey, said firemen faced difficulty in putting out the fires because they could not move the tenders.

He said apart from the unavailability of access routes, the Market, which was not properly mapped out, also did not have any available fire hydrant.

‘The lack of access routes and poor mapping of the market made the fire spread faster,’ he said.

ADO1 Nartey said despite the extent of damage caused by the nearly nine hours fire, the GNFS managed to prevent it from spreading, thus salvaging about 1000 stores, shops and adjoining properties.

He said the cause of the fire, which
started at about 21:00 hours on Wednesday, was not readily known, and added that about 200 stores, shops, and containers were affected.

Mr Abdul-Jalil Yakubu, the Assembly Member for the area, who was there to assess the situation bemoaned the extent of the damage.

He said he would liaise with the appropriate authorities and stakeholders to map out modalities going forward.

The April 10 inferno at the market ravaged goods and properties until it was brought under control at about 5:30am Thursday morning.

Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, despite the initial challenges faced in breaking into the shops, were able to douse the fire.

In a related development, fire gutted over 500 wood­en structures at a slum at Jamestown in Accra on Tuesday leaving hundreds of people homeless.

Items destroyed included per­sonal effects, fridges and fish.

Like the Madina Market fire, there were no access routes for fire tenders to fight it.

‘Accessibility to the site of fire was difficult as structures had be
en built too close to each other,’ ADO1 Nartey said.

‘Most of the fire outbreaks would be avoidable if best practices on fire safety are adhered to,’ he added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has trained visually impaired persons on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to complement the Digital Inclusion Project in the Techiman Municipality of the Bono East Region.

More than 450 people in 13 regions across the country, including 20 visually impaired, have benefited from the GIFEC project, which aimed to involve everyone in the digitization drive.

Mr Prince Ofosu Sefa, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GIFEC, said this at the climax of the Computer Basics training for the visually impaired through the Digital Transformation Centres at Techiman in the Bono East Region.

Among the 20 beneficiaries were teachers, students, and artisans who found it difficult in applying the ICT skills due to their physical conditions.

The participants were trained to use features for the visually impaired on the computer to send and receive emails, type, and use mobile phones to make and receive calls among other things.

Mr Sefa noted th
at ICT played a significant role in the development of society by facilitating communications, education, access to information, improved healthcare, social connectivity and community building, hence acquiring fundamental digital knowledge was a necessity.

Since the inception of GIFEC in 2014, about 1,010 sites have been built with 625 activated, he said, and that the remaining 1,006 sites would be completed this year to bring the total number of rural sites to 2,600.

Mr Kwasi Adu-Gyan, Bono East Regional Minister, said the government valued the use of ICT for community building and thus working to extend such services to the various communities to benefit all citizens.

Ms Diana Adjorlolo, tutor at the Akumfi Ameyaw Senior High School, and Mr Jeremiah Issahaku, teacher at the Techiman Senior High School, both vissualy impaired, commended GIFEC for the knowledge imparted and promised to apply it to their own benefits and that of others in their association.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Career Services Centre of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in collaboration with the German Embassy organised a seminar dubbed ”Time with the CEOs” for some selected students’ groups.

A statement issued by KNUST, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Mrs Selina Angmor, the Director of the Centre, stated that the purpose of the seminar was to provide KNUST students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the construction industry.

She said the Centre’s mandate was to bridge the skills gap between academia and industry and serve as a hub of career advancement opportunities for students and alumni.

She underscored the pivotal role of the Centre in nurturing professional competencies and shaping career trajectories.

She urged the students to take all the opportunities during the conversation to learn.

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, in his remarks, emphasised KNUST’s mandate to train and prepare students to become fit for the industry.

He
encouraged students to learn from the programme on how to transition to become graduate-ready for the world of work.

Initiating the conversation, Mr Daniel Krull, the German Ambassador to Ghana, expressed his excitement about the healthy working relationship that existed between KNUST and the Embassy.

During the discussion, Mr Noble Bediako, the Managing Director of MC-Bauchemie, who was the guest for the seminar, shared his expertise in the construction industry and the opportunities available at MC-Bauchemie for KNUST students.

He reiterated the importance of the right mindset and attitude towards work in the growth of every business and advised graduates to be efficient, meticulous, and have a wider level of emotional intelligence.

The seminar provided a Question-and-Answer session followed by a cocktail session that allowed participants to engage with the guests, network and share their concerns about the world of work.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The burden of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Ghana is increasing due to high consumption of antibiotics with less appropriate prescription.

Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor, a Professor of Bacteriology and Global Health, University of Ghana Medical School, said although AMR was a natural phenomenon caused in bacteria, it had been hastened by self-medication and wrong usage among the public

‘As doctors prescribed antibiotics anyhow and people take them in large amounts, the burden keeps increasing,’ he said.

Prof. Sampane- Donkor said this in Accra when he delivered a lecture on ‘Prioritising Antimicrobial Resistance Needs in Ghana, a National Choice between life and Death’.

He said findings from research on ARM conducted in some tertiary schools in Ghana showed that long waiting hours in the hospitals also contributed to the high levels of AMR.

He said the high use of antibiotics in animal husbandry had also triggered AMR in Ghana.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over tim
e and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

The World Health Organisation estimates that AMR contributed to 4.95 million deaths.

It said ‘misuse and overuse’ of antimicrobials in humans, animals and plants were the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens.

Prof Sampane-Donkor said AMR was an ongoing silent pandemic, the third cause of global deaths in 2019 and one of the top 10 global health threats, with the highest burden in West Africa.

In Ghana, a National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Use and Resistance 2017-2021 was launched in 2018 to be a guide, which would help the country realise her aspirations at combating the AMR phenomenon.

The various components of the NAP, in line with global objectives, include steps to improve awareness and understanding of AMR, strengthen knowledge and evidence base for AMR policy and related actions, and reducing the incidence of infection.

It further ai
ms to optimise the use of antimicrobials as well as develop the economic case for sustainable investments in antimicrobials with specific components of the health system.

Prof Sampane- Donkor called for the strengthening of the national action plan to help implement the targets and monitor the use of antibiotics among the public using the one health approach.

He said Ghana needed to raise awareness on antimicrobial resistance and improve the health and welfare of food- producing animals to decrease the spread of infections in farm animals.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Women In Need (WIN), a local non-governmental organisation with focus on supporting females with disability, has trained some vulnerable women and girls in livelihood skills to assist their growth.

They were empowered to break the myriad of barriers that hinder their growth and serve as a lifelong saving opportunity.

The training will also help the women and girls fend for themselves and improve on their standards of living, rather than becoming a burden on society.

This forms part of a three-year project by WIN, dubbed: ‘Promotion of Equal Rights for Women and Girls with Disabilities,’ with the aim of increasing women’s capacity through entrepreneurship, financial literacy and life skills training to ensure their independence.

Beneficiaries were trained on snail, palm weevil and mushroom farming techniques for economic empowerment.

WIN has already trained the first batch in beads, fascinator and soap making among other things. All participants would be given financial literacy training to enhance profi
t.

Ms Susie Ama Korakoma Arkuh, the Executive Director, WIN, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview after the training that women and girls were the most vulnerable, hence the project was to empower them to become self-reliant and help in their development process.

She said though the government was doing its best to provide security for the vulnerable, WIN found some loopholes, hence the idea of supporting them to bridge the inequality gap.

Ms Abena Opare, the Mfantseman Municipal Director, Social Welfare Department, applauded WIN for its continuous support to persons with disability within the area.

She called on all stakeholders to join hands in pushing forward the welfare of women and children and bridging the stereotypes against persons with disability.

The Department would monitor and support the beneficiaries to ensure the intended outcomes were achieved, she said.

Madam Grace Amoah, a beneficiary, expressed gratitude to the organisers for the opportunity to make money.

She said her family l
ost a snail farming business due to less knowledge about it and that with the training she would revive the business.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The flyover on the Motorway Interchange at Flowerpot will be opened to traffic by the end of October this year.

When opened, it would improve traffic connectivity between the north and south of the Motorway.

It would ease movement from areas, including Cantonments and Burma Camp to East Legon, Spintex and Tema and improve the general life of the people who ply these areas.

Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Roads and Highways, disclosed this on Friday during an inspection tour of the project.

Accompanied by Officials from the Ministry of Roads and Highways and others from Urban Roads, Mr Asenso-Boakye went round to see the progress of the project.

‘So far, I am very impressed about the schedule of work. Since I assumed office, I have had the opportunity to meet with the contractors and urged them that it is important that they complete as soon as possible,’ he said.

He assured of Government’s readiness to fullfil it’s part of the contract, including payments as well as every other thing the contract
ors would need to complete the work in time.

The Roads Minister also inspected roads in the Ledzokuku Municipality.

He was accompanied by Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2024 Parliamentary Candidate for Ledzokuku Constituency.

The road network within the Municipality had deteriorated rapidly in recent years because of the reconstruction of the Beach Road, which led to use of the inner roads to divert the traffic.

These roads include Tsui Bleoo, Fertilizer, King Kotey, A Street, 3rd Avenue, Ford, and Nuumo Maashie Roads.

The works, comprising drainage repairs and asphalt concrete overlay works, were estimated to be 45 per cent complete and would be fully completed by the end of 2024.

Touching on the state of the construction of the Beach Road stretching from Osu to Nungua, which was 80 per cent complete, Mr Asenso-Boakye noted that the project stalled for some time due to Government’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

He assured, however, that Government had advanced
in the negotiations and that work would resume soon to complete the remaining 20 per cent.

He acknowledged Dr Okoe Boye for constantly bringing the road challenges of the people to the attention of Government.

In the Krowor Municipality, the Roads Minister inspected the rehabilitation of the Okpoi Gonno Highway, connecting Ledzokuku to Krowor.

It also connects the Beach Road to the Spintex Road and to the Motorway, making it a very important link to very strategic communities.

‘It forms part of Government’s agenda to deal with the transportation issues in heavily populated communities such as Krowor and Ledzokuku,’ Mr Asenso-Boakye said, concerning the rehabilitation of the highway.

He was impressed about the work so far and assured of Government’s commitment to ensuring the successful completion of the project.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Rabiu Awal, the Akan Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Oti Region, has expressed interest in contesting the upcoming Parliamentary Candidate (PC) slot.

The election has become necessary following the demise of Alhaji Rashid Bawa, a former Diplomat and Akan NPP Parliamentary candidate for the 2024 polls.

Mr Awal told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that after the demise of the former PC, he received countless calls from Party faithful to contest and that he could not afford to disappoint them.

He said he was born and bred in the Constituency and knew the challenges confronting the constituents.

Chairman Awal said he was elected as Chairman in 2018 and re-elected unopposed in May 2022 due to his hard work and commitment to the Party.

He said his election as PC and eventual election as Member of Parliament (MP) in the December 7 polls would see unprecedented development projects in the Akan Constituency as he had worked closely with the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa and learnt how to l
obby for projects.

He said he was a ‘ true grassroots soldier’ and would not disappoint.’

Lawyer Tapha Tassah, an Accra-based private Legal Practitioner will be challenging Chairman Awal in the primary fixed for Saturday, April 27, 2024.

In the December 2, 2023 PC election, the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa won with 492 votes as against 103 votes secured by the younger brother of lawyer Tassah, Abubakar Safiwu Tassah and 17 votes by Alhaji Tanko Issifu Yakubu.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Emmanuel Kofi Mbiah, a Maritime Law Consultant and Legal Practitioner, has called for continued collaboration among the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) regional partners to remain vigilant against piracy in the sub-region.

Dr Mbiah said this required a collective approach by these countries to reduce the rate of piracy in the region.

He was speaking at the opening of a six-week operational training course at the Regional Maritime University (RMU) under the European Union-sponsored Support to the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy (SWAIMS) project.

The training is the fourth and final edition of the programme that commenced in 2016 for sea actors, naval officers, and law enforcement officers across West Africa.

Dr Mbiah said that even though there had been some reduction in piracy attacks, the region was not out of the woods, as the pirates still hovered around its waters.

He explained that due to the poor economic conditions in these countries, they consequently acted as fertile gr
ounds for engaging and recruiting people who wanted to get involved in the nefarious activities.

Dr Mbiah said the challenges were still there and there was a need to be vigilant, keep an open mind, and ensure that there was collaboration between the various partners.

He expressed optimism that once the knowledge and information sharing went on, ECOWAS could deal with it in large proportions and measures.

Dr Baboucarr Njie, the RMU’s Registrar, representing the Acting Vice Chancellor, Dr Jethro Brooks Jr. reminded participants at the opening ceremony about the severity of maritime insecurities in the region in recent years.

Dr Njie said, ‘According to the ECOWAS Multi-National Maritime Coronation Centre (EMMCC) Zone F 2020 annual report, 136 crew members were abducted in 27 kidnapping incidents for the year.

‘This accounted for about 95 per cent of global kidnappings for ransom.

‘Comparatively, the Indian Ocean recorded only 36 incidents, of which none were classified as piracy,’ he said.

He said this
made the Gulf of Guinea the most dangerous waters for seafarers worldwide, adding that the growing maritime insecurity had affected the legitimate uses of the sea, impaired the exploitation of coastal resources, and continued to undermine regional security as well as the realisation of the blue economy potential of the region.

Engineer Augustus Addy-Lamptey, the SWAIMS Project Coordinator, said the importance of continuous maritime domain awareness and training could not be overemphasised, as recent events demonstrated the persistence of the enemy at hand.

He said the main objectives for the SWAIMS project cover governance and law enforcement frameworks, prosecution and adjudication of maritime crimes, law enforcement and operational capacities and responses, and others.

He disclosed that this year’s training edition would have an interaction session with a survivor of a maritime kidnapping incident.

The project coordinator said maritime incidents were now reducing.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Anloga in the Volta region has stated that children’s ‘better protection and better future’ must be a collective responsibility of all.

The call, according to them, would also involve the active participation of the entire society for a better coexistence.

Madam Emmanuella Woelikplim Afetorgbor, Assistant NCCE Director at Anloga, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency during a worship for some Basic schools in the area, stated that the public should get involved in nurturing children.

She revealed that to secure a better future for younger generations, children should be allowed to have proper and quality education regardless of their family background to equip them with the requisite knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

‘These things did not only include academic education but also to inculcate into the children important values such as empathy, tolerance, and resilience,’ she said.

Madam Afetorgbor said that society must also prioritise acce
ss to quality healthcare service, good nutrition, clean water, and safe living environments for all children.

This, she said, would address issues of child malnutrition, inadequate healthcare infrastructures, as well as the eradication of preventable diseases.

‘We must empower children to voice out their opinions, participate in decision making, and take actions on issues that affect their lives.’

Madam Afetorgbor further indicated that climate changes, pollution, and environmental degradation posed serious threats to the well-being of future generations that must be addressed with all urgency.

She also explained that children should be encouraged to be agents of change ‘since they are not only passive recipients of our efforts, but they can be capable of driving change in the various communities.’

Madam Afetorgbor also encouraged pupils to work hard with determination, and perseverance, and above all, abide by the rules and regulations of the nation to avoid any punishment by law.

The exercise was on t
he theme: ‘Creating an Enabling Environment for Future Generations.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Memorial Ceremony to Ancestor Huang Di in His Native Place was held in Huang Di’s Hometown on April 11. The celebration takes place every year on the third day of the third month in the Chinese lunar calendar in Xinzheng City of Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan province. And this year is specially called the Jiachen Year (2024).

Themed ‘Peace, Concord and Harmony with One Same Root, Ancestor and Origin’, the ceremony was jointly sponsored by the People’s Government of Henan Province, the Henan Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots and the Association for Yan Huang Culture of China.

Chinese from around the world worshiped the legendary ancestor Huang Di, or the Yellow Emperor, praying for the prosperity of Chinese civilization and wishing the world peace and harmony.

The ceremony started at 9:40 a.m. with a gun salute. It
was followed by a series of sections, including flower basket offering, incense burning, bow worshiping, prayers reading, carol singing, worship through song and dance, prayers for China, and prayers for harmony between nature and humans.

In the process of singing carols, singers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao and Chinese mainland and children from 56 ethnic groups across the country performed ‘Ode to Yellow Emperor.’ As prayers were being read out for China, the Yellow River painting was rolled out, and 30 representatives from different walks of life stamped their blessings on it.

At 10:40 a.m., Kong Changsheng, chairman of the Henan Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, announced the conclusion of the Memorial Ceremony, which was witnessed by about 5,000 attendees, including representatives from all walks of life and reporters from nearly 100 media organizations.

The grand Memorial is not only a cultural event, but also a platform for cooperation and exchanges aimed at promo
ting mutually beneficial development. This year’s ceremony was held alongside an event for business negotiation and investment promotion, through which a number of project agreements were signed.

It has been a tradition in China since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (770-221 BC) to worship the Yellow Emperor. In 2008, the Memorial Ceremony was inscribed onto the national list of intangible cultural heritage of China.

Each year, Chinese all over the world, including those in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan of China and those in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia hold activities to worship the Yellow Emperor, paying tribute to the respected ancestor.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Fire on Thursday night destroyed vital documents and properties at the office of the late Krachi East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) in Dambai.

The cause of the fire outbreak is unknown but the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has started investigating the cause of the fire.

Mr Bernard Aborkugya Mensah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Krachi East Municipality passed on April 5, this year, after just a year in office.

The deceased was nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to replace late MCE, Francis Kofi Okesu who died in September 2022.

Assistant Divisional Officer 1 (ADO1), Mr Stephen Agortor, of the Dambai Fire Command has confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

He told GNA that about 2200 hours, last night, a good Samaritan, who was passing by prompted the Service.

ADO1 Agortor said they were able to bring the fire under control but everything in the office got burnt.

He said his office is working assiduously to ascertain the cause of fire.

Meanwhile, public
view on the disaster is split with some suspecting arson and others alleging power outage incident.

Source: Ghana News Agency