Day: September 11, 2024

Ghana’s all-time goal scorer Asamoah Gyan has emphasised the crucial role sports has played in his life and will contribute to ensuring the youth realise their dreams.

According to Asamoah Gyan, he wants to use his foundations to build sports academies, training centres, and mentorship programs to help nurture talent in sports.

The former Ghana International revealed his vision for the youth in a statement titled ‘A Vision for Youth Development through Sports and Philanthropy’.

‘Sports saved me and gave me purpose. Its power goes beyond winning or losing; it’s about overcoming setbacks, pushing through challenges, and believing in dreams.

‘I want every young person, no matter their background, to have that same opportunity to realise their greatness,’ he said.

The former Sunderland striker also renounced belonging to any political party, saying that he hasn’t been fair to the youth and people of Ghana.

‘This is not about politics; I am fully independent from political influence. This is about children,
our communities, and our continent.

‘Together, with the support of international organisations, royal families, and philanthropic partners, we can create lasting change that empowers our youth to build the future they deserve,’ he said.

The Ghanaian football legend also stressed how sports could be used as a tool to unite and inspire the youth for a brighter future.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Total Life Enhancement Centre-Ghana (TOLEC-GH), a psychology-focused organisation advocating mental health and providing psychological services, has launched a six-month project to provide mental health and psychosocial support services for prison inmates and officers in the country.

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Prisons (MH-PSP) project is being implemented in seven Prisons across the Northern and Middle Belts of the country including Tamale, Navrongo, Sunyani, Wa, Yendi, Damongo and Gambaga Prisons, with a focus on capacity building of inmates and officers, (Peer Counselors) as well as providing them with psychosocial support.

The project, which will benefit 500 inmates and 80 officers, would prioritise the incorporation of art therapy, underscoring the importance of the Nelson Mandela Rules, which served as the benchmark for Prisons reforms worldwide, and promoting a more humane and just approach to incarceration.

The project would also be training 40 inmates and 40 officers as peer cou
nselors.

It is being supported by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime and funded by United States Department – Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement in collaboration with the Ghana Prisons Service.

Mr Peter Mintir Amadu, Executive Director of TOLEC-GH, speaking during the launch in Tamale, said it was to address the pressing need for improved mental health care and psychosocial support for inmates in the country.

He said the mental health conditions and psychosocial needs of the Ghanaian Prisons required more partnerships between government and NGOs.

He called for the support of all to ensure success of the project to transform lives, build resilience, and aid in humane reintegration processes.

Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Mr Thompson Otsyokpo, Northern Regional Commander of Prisons, said the project would restore dignity and resilience and create a pathway and greater future for the inmates and officers, who were often marginalised and forgotten by society.

He commended TOL
EC-GH and partners for complementing the efforts of the Ghana Prisons Service in making the prisons not just a place for confinement but an avenue of learning, growth and transformation.

Mr Issah Mahmudu, Northern Regional Director, Legal Aid Commission, urged policymakers to ensure that persons charged with criminal offences were granted bail to reduce the number of inmates in the Prisons.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Apostle Dr. Kadmiel E.H. Agbalenyo, the Founder and Leader of the Seventh Day Theocracy World Congregation has called on church leaders to preach against homosexualism and lesbianism to save the youth from such vices.

He said such abominable acts had spiritually destroyed and continued to create havoc to nations.

‘This must not be tolerated in Ghana; let the younger generation know the negative effects of homosexualism and lesbianism,’ the cleric urged.

Apostle Dr Agbalenyo made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency when the church held its Atonement Day celebration at Otiakrom-Shallom, near Aburi, in the Eastern Region.

He advised the youth to be God-fearing and shun evil habits.

They should rather focus seriously on becoming well educated to lead a better life in future, to support the development of the country.

The Apostle said education was key to development and urged parents and guardians to do their best to enroll their children in school to leave them a legacy.

Delivering a serm
on, he said, God replaced Christ Jesus as the sacrificial lamb of Yahweh for the atonement of sins committed by mankind.

He quoted John 1:29, 35 and Matthew 26: 26-28 to support the celebration of the Atonement Day by the church.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr. Kwaku Onwona-Hwesofour, Project Lead of the Agroecology and Circular Economy Services (ACE4ES) project at the Crops Research Institute, says there is an urgent need for investment in clean air solutions.

He said prioritising investment in clean air solutions was a pathway to improving public health and mitigating climate change.

‘Air pollution not only affects our health but also fuels climate change,’ he said. adding, ‘the young generation has a key role to play in driving the change needed, but governments, businesses, and international bodies must lead by investing in clean air technologies and stronger policies, he explained.’

Dr. Onwona-Hwesofour was speaking at a community outreach on the occasion of the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies at the Adventist Girls’ School in Kumasi.

More than 2000 students participated in the event and activities including peer-sensitisation sessions, brainstorming discussions on the causes of air pollution, and a strong call for action to address air q
uality issues in Ghana.

Air pollution is a leading cause of early death, with over eight million people, including 700,000 children under five, dying annually from exposure to dirty air.

Dr. Onwona-Hwesofour said, investments in clean energy, sustainable transportation, waste management, and emissions reduction technologies could not only improve public health, but also drive economic prosperity and contribute to climate resilience.

He pledged that the ACE4ES project, which is being implemented by CRI of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), with the support of partners and students, would continue to advocate stronger investment in clean air measures to foster a healthier, more sustainable future.

‘Air pollution is preventable, and we have a responsibility to invest in solutions that protect both human health and the planet,’ he indicated.

The students voiced their concerns about air pollution in Ghanaian communities, identifying key issues such as black carbon emissions from ineffi
cient biomass cook stoves, the harmful practice of burning household waste rather than adopting recycling measures and inefficient combustion engines in vehicles and other machinery.

Again, the students identified weak enforcement of local pollution bylaws as a factor fueling air pollution in Ghana.

After the event, over 500 students signed up to become Clean Air Ambassadors, pledging to advocate and promote cleaner air practices in their homes and communities.

The ACE4ES is a two-year project being financed by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The project currently premised in Ghana, Nigeria, Benin and Tanzania has the aim of assessing the effectiveness of agroecology and circular economy technologies in reducing short-lived climate pollutants emission from agricultural activities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghanaian playwright Latif Abubakar is set to stage an adaptation of the Spanish novelist Miguel Delibes’ Five Hours with Mario at the Centro Cultural, Casa de Vacas in the Spanish Capital Madrid.

The performance, scheduled for September 11 at 6:00p.m. local time would feature celebrated Ghanaian Actress, Naa Ashorkor.

‘The show is 90 per cent sold out’, Abubakar said in an interview with Ghana News Agency.

Five Hours with Mario portrays death as the ultimate and definitive milestone in human life.

Latif Abubakar’s Afrocentric adaptation tells the story of Dzidzor, who after the death of her husband Mario, recounts the story of their marriage, shedding light on their respective personalities and their conflicts, as she watches over his body.

The play, fused with music, comedy and drama also combines traditional and contemporary arts to explore the authenticity of rural life compared to life in the city.

The production, by Globe Productions Ltd, is in partnership with the Spanish Embassy in Accra, the Em
bassy of Ghana in Spain, and The African Festival, with support from Graphic Communication Group Ltd.

The Five Hours with Mario play was staged at the Accra International Conference Center in September 2022, and subsequently at the Red Clay Studios in Tamale, and on the MV Dodi Princess on the Volta Lake.

Abubakar said his play would contribute to efforts aimed at deepening cooperation between Spain and Ghana beyond trade, to arts and culture.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Residents of Atadeka Community near Ashaiman in the Kpone-Katamansu Municipality have appealed to public institutions and companies to support in the construction of a drainage system for the community.

The residents, comprising landlords and tenants, have held several meetings to gather resources for a self-help drainage project.

Madam Asantewaa Sakyi, a landlady, said the lack of drains resulted in wastewater running though the community, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes with resultant health issues.

‘The contaminated water could lead to the spread of water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid,’ she said.

‘The accumulation of stagnant water on the roads produced an unpleasant odour and made life uncomfortable for residents.’

Madam Sakyi said the situation was also unappealing to prospective tenants, leading to a decline in the value of their properties over the past decade.

Madam Adamu Abdulai, another landlady, said some households had constructed small gutters in front of their homes,
directing waste water to neighbouring properties, making them to bear the stench.

‘This has led to some environmental challenges, including the contamination of the soil and reducing the land fertility for planting in the area,’ she said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mrs. Mary A. Addah, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), stressed the importance of climate change literacy among citizens.

This will ensure that the public adopts environmentally beneficial activities to help end the climate problem.

Mrs. Addah was speaking at the launch and inception meeting on climate change governance and initiatives in Accra.

The meeting was organized by the Ghana Integrity Initiative, with support from the African Centre for Energy Policy.

Sustaining climate governance through social accountability and citizens’ oversight of local climate initiatives seeks to enhance climate governance, transparency, and citizen participation.

Mrs. Addah stated that a lack of climate literacy initiatives had serious consequences for communities, endangering public health and environmental safety.

She stated that climate change literacy could be attained if the gap between stakeholders in that ecosystem and citizens was bridged, emphasizing the importance of making climate c
hange information readily available to citizens.

However, relevant stakeholders, particularly the media, should lead the county’s climate change awareness and education efforts.

‘Let us bring this information to the doorstep of the citizens. Let’s make them understand again.

‘We need a partnership-a very close partnership-with the media who is at the doorstep of the citizen to be able to engage; otherwise, we will speak our English, and they will not understand,’ she said.

Mrs. Addah called for a coordinated and comprehensive climate change communication strategy, stating that such policies would result in a better comprehension of climate change challenges.

She said local climate initiatives would address the gap that had prevented people from participating in climate change discussions.

Mr. Michael Okine, Programme Coordinator of the GII, stated that climate change debate should not be limited to policymakers and civil society organisations, but should also include citizen involvement.

He emphasized
that the GII-created climate change platform would be multi-stakeholder, bringing together policymakers, civil society, the commercial sector, traditional authorities, and academics.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The first global dialogue on the economic, social, and environmental effects of national climate response initiatives began today in Accra.

About 40 participants from different countries will discuss ways to effectively implement climate initiatives that would reduce emissions, enhance welfare and prosperity, and support communities.

The dialogue which is organised in conjunction with the?11th?Meeting of?Katowice Committee on Impacts (KCI), will focus on ‘evidence-based approaches and holistic strategies to maximize co-benefits and minimize negative impacts of implementing NDCs.’

In a speech read for her during the opening ceremony, Second Lady Hajia Samira Bawumia said the effects of climate change presented an existential threat and were worsening by the day.

‘Our people continue to face the harsh realities of climate change in their daily lives, from the challenges of farming to simple tasks like fetching water. The future remains unknown, bleak, and uncertain.

‘Today, our nation is experiencing dela
yed rains and the worst drought in the northern parts in decades. The government has allocated GHS8 billion ($500 million) from the national emergency fund to finance an agriculture support scheme to alleviate the plight of farmers affected by dry weather and ensure food security,’ she said.

Hajia Samira observed that, although women and children were among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, their voices were frequently drowned out in larger discussions to find solutions.

She said that conscious efforts to prevent climate change could worsen social inequality, necessitating the need to adopt actions to maximize the positives while reducing the drawbacks.

‘For instance, the global effort to transition away from fossil fuels can adversely impact the extractive industries that power the economies and the livelihoods that depend on them. The shift in energy policies toward a low-carbon future could lead to job losses in traditional energy sectors while creating new opportunities in renewable
energy sectors,’ she said.

Mr. Harry Vreuls, Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), explained that the implementation of response measures transcended climate change and involved determining the future of our society, economies, and ecosystems.

He said the decisions and actions taken by countries had far-reaching and long-term consequences, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.

‘It is vital that we consider not only the immediate benefits but also the long-term impacts, ensuring that our actions promote sustainability, equity, growth and resilience.

‘By thoroughly evaluating these impacts, we can create solutions that are both effective and inclusive, leaving no one behind in our fight against climate change,’ he said

Source: Ghana News Agency

The first global dialogue on the economic, social, and environmental effects of national climate response initiatives began today in Accra.

About 40 participants from different countries will discuss ways to effectively implement climate initiatives that would reduce emissions, enhance welfare and prosperity, and support communities.

The dialogue which is organised in conjunction with the?11th?Meeting of?Katowice Committee on Impacts (KCI), will focus on ‘evidence-based approaches and holistic strategies to maximize co-benefits and minimize negative impacts of implementing NDCs.’

In a speech read for her during the opening ceremony, Second Lady Hajia Samira Bawumia said the effects of climate change presented an existential threat and were worsening by the day.

‘Our people continue to face the harsh realities of climate change in their daily lives, from the challenges of farming to simple tasks like fetching water. The future remains unknown, bleak, and uncertain.

‘Today, our nation is experiencing dela
yed rains and the worst drought in the northern parts in decades. The government has allocated GHS8 billion ($500 million) from the national emergency fund to finance an agriculture support scheme to alleviate the plight of farmers affected by dry weather and ensure food security,’ she said.

Hajia Samira observed that, although women and children were among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, their voices were frequently drowned out in larger discussions to find solutions.

She said that conscious efforts to prevent climate change could worsen social inequality, necessitating the need to adopt actions to maximize the positives while reducing the drawbacks.

‘For instance, the global effort to transition away from fossil fuels can adversely impact the extractive industries that power the economies and the livelihoods that depend on them. The shift in energy policies toward a low-carbon future could lead to job losses in traditional energy sectors while creating new opportunities in renewable
energy sectors,’ she said.

Mr. Harry Vreuls, Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), explained that the implementation of response measures transcended climate change and involved determining the future of our society, economies, and ecosystems.

He said the decisions and actions taken by countries had far-reaching and long-term consequences, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.

‘It is vital that we consider not only the immediate benefits but also the long-term impacts, ensuring that our actions promote sustainability, equity, growth and resilience.

‘By thoroughly evaluating these impacts, we can create solutions that are both effective and inclusive, leaving no one behind in our fight against climate change,’ he said

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has launched the 13th Ghana Industry and Quality Awards to create resilience in the Ghanaian business landscape.

Dr Nora Bannerman-Abbot, the AGI Awards Planning Committee Chairperson, said the Awards would reward companies that had distinguished themselves in navigating through uncharted waters and emerged stronger and more innovative.

The categories for this year’s awards include the Major Awards, the Sector Awards and the Regional Awards. However, a few honorary Awards would also be given to deserving firms and personalities.

She said the planning committee had made deliberate efforts to distinguish the Awards from the several awards schemes by partnering with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for best quality standards.

The launch was on the theme: ‘Navigating The Uncertainties Of Our Business Landscape To Sustain Productivity.’

Dr Bannerman-Abott encouraged businesses to adopt science, technology and innovation, artificial intelligence and other digital t
ools to drive businesses for development.

Mr Michael Okyere Baafi, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, said the government was implementing several initiatives such as the ‘SME Goal’ to propel growth among businesses, especially small businesses to thrive to meet international demand.

He said the government was giving out very low interest rates and tax incentives to foreign companies to enhance industrial growth.

The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry said the Ghana Revenue Authority was also developing flexible arrangements for businesses for a more collaborative approach to ensure market sustainability.

He said quality was key in the business sector, saying: ‘if your product is quality, it will be able to compete at the international market and that will drive more customers and investors into the country’.

He commended the AGI for such awards to enable businesses strive for the best since it served as a competitive measurement among companies and ensured companies work according to standards.

Mr Seth Twum-Akwaboah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), speaking to the media, said sustainability was crucial in the business sector to enable businesses to overcome risk and shocks.

He called on the government to ensure there was improvement in the industrial sector by engaging the AGI to analyze government’s policies to impact and protect the interests of the sector.

He said government must also ensure that policies were being implemented to ensure manufacturing growth through sustainable policies.

The CEO congratulated businesses which doing well amid challenging macroeconomic conditions, adding that more exports than imports would improve national development.

Source: Ghana News Agency