Day: September 14, 2021

Accra,- Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, ECOWAS Commissioner for Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research, has hailed the ECOWAS Vision 2050 draft document.

He noted that the document, which is a successor to the ECOWAS Vision 2020, outlined a very clear vision, hope and aspirations for the people of the West Africa sub region.

He reiterated that the ECOWAS Vision 2050 document provided a very good beginning for the Community to move on to become what the people wished for themselves.

Dr Apraku gave the commendation at the closing session of a three-day meeting of the National Experts to validate the Draft ECOWAS Vision 2050.

The ECOWAS Vision 2020, which has the ambition of transforming ECOWAS from an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of peoples, expired last year (2020).

In view of this, the ECOWAS Vision 2050 is needed to provide the Region, for the coming years, with a new and a medium-term strategic plan that takes into account the new development dynamics of the moment.

The ECOWAS Vision 2050 will be adopted by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in December 2021; however, its implementation will begin in January 2023.

The vision statement of the ECOWAS Vision 2050 states: “A fully integrated Community of peoples, living in a peaceful and prosperous region, with strong institutions and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, striving for inclusive and sustainable development”.

Dr Apraku said destiny was not a matter of chance but it was a matter of choice, saying “It is when you have made the decisions and implemented them that you will get your ultimate reward”.

“So, we have done a good job by giving a vision to ourselves, vision that will help us rise out of our poverty, the challenges of development and become a prosperous community.

“It is our responsibility to actualize the vision in our actions programmes and our activities.”

He urged the participants to ensure that in their own small way the ECOWAS Vision 2050 document came to fruition, declaring that, “all of you here, particularly those coming from the planning divisions of our respective ministries, we have to be able to look back some day and say that, not only did we dream but we took the actions that were necessary to realize the dream”.

Dr Alhassan Iddrissu of the ECOWAS National Office in Accra, commended the ECOWAS Commission for leading the process in coming out with the ECOWAS Vision 2050 document.

He also urged the participants to support the ECOWAS Commission in ensuring that the relevant stakeholders at the political and technical level of ECOWAS Member States took ownership of the Vision and drove its popularisation in mainstreaming it into their respective national agenda.

Source: Ghana News Agency

In what can only be considered as the coming together of two kings, the smartphone for everyone brand, itel Mobile has unveiled Afro-pop star, Kuami Eugene for the third time as its official brand ambassador.

The Smartphone brand noted that the signing of the famous Afro-pop star was informed by the brand’s desire to enhance consumer engagement and endear more fans to its community.

According to itel Mobile, the choice to maintain Kuami Eugene as the face of the brand brings to bear connecting similarities between their target audience and acceptance, with both brands serving mass markets.

No doubt, itel Mobile is a leader in the affordable and durable smartphone mass market in Ghana offering reliable smartphones for everyone, while Kuami Eugene makes popular music for the streets, rolling out frequent hits they can relate with.

Kuami Eugene and itel complement each other, hence the collaboration. Both brands are Real Kings, blessed with a community of hardworking and aspirational individuals. We should expect an admirable partnership which will birth greatness.” said Michael Tuekpe, Digital Marketing and Communications Manager for itel Ghana, on the partnership.

Kuami also expressed his profound joy to still continue the journey with itel. He stated that this is more than a mere partnership; it is a relationship that would bring satisfaction and happiness to our audiences. I look forward to the great things we will do together in the days ahead.”

Source: Ghana Web

Duayaw-Nkwanta (A/R),– The construction of affordable housing by the government has commenced at Duayaw-Nkwanta in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo region, with a total of 20 houses expected to be completed by the close of the year.

Duayaw-Nkwanta (A/R),– The construction of affordable housing by the government has commenced at Duayaw-Nkwanta in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo region, with a total of 20 houses expected to be completed by the close of the year.

Work on the project was progressing steadily when Dr Freda Prempeh, a Minister of State in charge of Works and Housing visited the project site on Monday.

The project is a gated community, located along the Duayaw-Nkwanta-Kumasi highway, and each house contains two bedrooms, a hall, kitchen, store, toilets, and baths.

Three of the houses were almost completed, while construction work on others were progressing.

Dr Prempeh, also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North constituency told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that work on the project started about two months ago, and expressed satisfaction about the progress of work.

She explained the government had prioritised the affordable housing project nationwide to provide accommodation for public and civil servants, saying the project was still open to investors.

Meanwhile, Sky Bridge West Africa, a United States Investment company in the housing sector has expressed interest to invest in the nation’s affordable housing project.

Dr Joseph Yaw Mensah, a Consultant working for the Sky Bridge West Africa who accompanied Dr Prempeh, explained the company was ready to pre-finance and construct modern, but affordable houses which Ghanaian workers could afford.

He told the GNA in an interview that the company through its local partners, the Motoroo Ventures was working out modalities, and prayed a contract would be awarded for it to commence work by the close of the year.

Dr Mensah, a United States Ghanaian-based investor said his company could build thousands of houses within a year and expressed the hope Dr Prempeh would facilitate for the government to award the contract for work to begin.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Over fifty (50) foreign coaches have submitted their applications for the vacant Black Stars job.

CK Akonnor, who was the head coach of the senior national team together with his assistants were all sacked on Monday after a review of the technical reports after the first two games played in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

And according to reports, the Ghana Football Association has received applications from over 50 expatriates who have expressed interest for the vacant role at the senior national team of Ghana.

Meanwhile, the Executive Council of the Ghana FA instituted a three-member committee of Vice President Mark Addo, Upper East Regional Football Association Chairman, Alhaji Salifu Zida and Dr. Randy Abbey to find a new head coach for the senior national football team in the next 72 hours.

Ghana currently occupies the third spot with three points on the Group G log of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after the two opening matches.

The Black Stars will take on Zimbabwe in the next round of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month.

Ghana sit 3rd with three points after two matches played.

Source: Modern Ghana

Amasaman (G/A),– Mr Peter Yalley of the Amasaman Municipal Health Directorate has said between January and August 2021 the municipality recorded 482 teenage pregnancies and called on parents to be vigilant of the movement of their girl-children to prevent them from early sex.

He also urged parents to rebuke their children whenever they go wayward and also encourage them to take their education seriously so that they become responsible adults.

Mr Yalley gave the advice at a day’s workshop organised by the Greater Accra Regional Department of Gender under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection at Amasaman in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The UNFPA and the Canadian Government supported the programme, which engaged identifiable groups like chiefs, assembly members, and departmental heads on the negative effects of child marriages concerning their rights and impact on their health.

It was to equip the stakeholders to understand the need to prevent child marriages in their communities.

Madam Matilda Banfro, the Greater Accra Regional Director of the Department of Gender said child marriage was a global problem, spanning continents and cultures and according to available data, 15 million girls worldwide marry before their 18th birthday.

“Additionally, it also indicates further that whilst South Asia records the largest number of child brides, the numbers in Sub-Saharan Africa are quite alarming and increasing by the day and African countries account for 15 out of the 20 countries with the highest rates of child marriage,” she said.

Madam Banfro said at the national level in Ghana, one in five girls (19%) marry or in a union before the age of 18 and that girls living in the five Northern Regions of Ghana (now Northern, Savannah, North Eastern, Upper East, and Upper West Regions) the number had increased to one out of three girls (34%).

“It also indicated that in Ghana girls from rural areas are twice more likely to become child brides than those in the urban area. Similarly, girls from the poorer household are four times more likely to marry than those from richer households.

“The key causes of child marriage include poverty, culture, patriarchy, religion, and gender-based discrimination. Child marriage is a worrisome phenomenon because of its implications such as gender-based violence, poor health, poverty among others,” the Director said.

Madam Banfro said children were legally prohibited from marrying until they were 18 years, however, they were powerless by themselves to refuse marriages when forced into it, which violates their rights, dropping out of school and spousal violence while putting them into pregnancy and associated health dangers.

Madam Juliana Abbey Quaye, the Eastern Regional Director of the Department of Gender advised the youth to avoid alcoholism and other negative vices, which normally push them into early sex and teenage pregnancy.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A youth group calling itself the Coalition of Aggrieved Foot Soldiers of the New Patriotic Party in the Yapei Kusawgu Constituency of the Savannah Region are crying over what they say is neglect from President Akufo-Addo.

According to the group, while NPP youth in other constituencies are being appointed to various positions, none of their members are being considered by the government.

“Our constituency and, by extension, the District has equally qualified personalities to be appointed as CEOs, board members and other positions to drive home development but ask if we are even considered for any appointment by the President,” the leader of the Coalition, Tanko Malik said at a press conference at Yapei on Monday, September 13, 2021, while asking, “Are we not Ghanaians like those in other constituencies?.”

Tanko Malik further bemoaned, “Since 2017, no youth from the Constituency has been employed in any entity, neither has any of our leaders had any appointment yet we call ourselves party foot soldiers. What is our crime?.”

The Coalition of Aggrieved Foot Soldiers in a cry to the government has threatened to advise its members in the next general elections if things do not change in the next three year.

The group for starters, wants a son of Yapei Kusawgu Constituency to receive a government appointment just as has happened in other constituencies in the Savannah Region.

Source: Modern Ghana

Accra,- Mr. Evans Yeboah, the President of the Ghana Badminton Association (BAG) has debunked allegations leveled against him by a section of Badminton players in the country.

A section of Badminton players held a press conference to accuse the President of the Association for “wrong doings”, however, in an interview with the GNA Sports, Mr. Yeboah disproved the allegations saying, “They are not true”.

The aggrieved players claimed the President has hijacked the Association adding that, his tenure of office expired in April 2021.

“We have not hijacked the Association as some of these players claim. There are rules and regulations guiding the Association and that is where we draw our powers from.”

He said, the aggrieved players from their respective clubs were not members in good standing according to the rules and regulations spelled out in the BAG Constitution.

According to the President, out of the 48 clubs in the country, the players accusing him were from three clubs and that in the last four years, none of the players from the three clubs have attended any general meetings due to the fact that they are not in good standing.

Mr. Yeboah explained that “If you are not in good standing you cannot be invited for an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and that is by the BAG Constitution.

“As a member of BAG, you have to pay your dues to be a member. For example, at our last General Meeting held in November 2020, these people wrote to us that they cannot come because they are not in good standing.”

On BAG’s account, the President said, the Association has audited its account by an external auditor which was presented to the gathering at their last AGM held last year.

Commenting on the issues of suspending some national players, he said it was an act of indiscipline which called for the players to be suspended by a report and recommendations from the BAG’s Disciplinary Committee.

“These suspended athletes misconducted themselves in tournaments in 2017, 2018, 2019, and they were referred to an independent Disciplinary Committee which recommended that they should be suspended to serve as deterrent to others.

“Before their suspension, they were invited to the Disciplinary Committee’s hearing of which some honored the invitations whilst others did not. They were given reminders for their hearing but they did not attend.

“So for us, we are just making the structures at BAG work and for any member who is aggrieved, he or she should go to the Disputes Resolution and to Appeals Committee to have their matters resolved.” He added.

He pointed out that, the current administration’s tenure of office ends in October 2021 and hinting that, the Election’s guidelines will be out in third week in September.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Fidelity Bank Ghana has been adjudged the Bancassurance Leader of the Year at the recently held Ghana Insurance Awards in Accra for its outstanding leadership in delivering exceptional bancassurance products and services to its customers and stakeholders.

The Ghana Insurance Awards is a platform that honors top-class performance, professionalism, and innovation across the Ghanaian insurance industry in order to promote the growth of the industry through progressive competition, innovation, and adherence to the highest professional standards.

Fidelity’s bancassurance products are underwritten by one of the global leaders in insurance, Prudential Life Ghana. Through its partnership with Prudential Life Ghana, Fidelity Bank has been able to offer its customers innovative bancassurance products with the aim of ensuring that every customer, regardless of their financial need has access to quality insurance products.

The partnership also delivers tailor-made solutions that appeal to diverse customers while also incorporating technological innovations that are in line with Fidelity’s digital transformation agenda to provide added value and convenience to customers.

Commenting on the award, Mr. Julian Opuni, Managing Director (MD) of Fidelity Bank Ghana, said, “We are honored to be recognized as the leader in bancassurance. This award is a testament of our resolve to go beyond our core banking products and services to offer innovative products to our customers as we strive to meet their holistic financial needs.”

“I urge the general public if they have not done so already, to sign on to our bouquet of bancassurance products including the Fidelity Ultimate Premier Farewell Plan, Fidelity Ultimate Classic Farewell Plan, Fidelity Life Plan, Fidelity Education Support Plan, Fidelity Ultimate Hospital Cash Plan, and Fidelity Platinum Endowment Plan to secure their future, “Mr. Opuni added.

”We are happy to have a strong partnership with Prudential Life Insurance Ghana. Indeed, the strength of our partnership with Prudential has contributed to this achievement. We are also forever grateful for our customers whose loyalty and continued support is the foundation of the Fidelity success story,” he stated. He dedicated the award to all customers, employees, and other stakeholders for believing in the bank.

The Ghana Insurance Awards is not the only awarding body to recognize Fidelity’s demonstrated achievements across the banking sector. In fact, in 2021, Fidelity Bank Ghana has received both local and international recognition for its accomplishments, innovation, and commitment to its customers.

Key amongst those honors are the following awards: Best Treasury & Cash Management Bank in Ghana Award from Global Finance Magazine; Agency Banking Bank of the Year Award from Instinct Business Finance Innovation; Best Banking Initiative for Young Entrepreneurs Award from World Economic Magazine Inc.; Best CSR Initiative – Ghana 2021 Award from International Finance Magazine; Indigenous Banking Brand of the Year Award at the Marketing World Awards and the Most Security and Safety Conscious Company of the Year Award from the Health, Environment, Safety, and Security (HESS) Awards.

Fidelity Bank has grown from strength to strength in becoming a world-class financial institution and they confirm that they will continue to partner with relevant institutions and stakeholders to provide their cherished customers with exceptional financial services.

In fact, Fidelity is committed to collaboration because it understands that success is a team effort and by working together with its loyal customers and stakeholders, the bank has been able to record remarkable achievements.

Source: Ghana Web