Day: March 24, 2024

The Reverend Father Theophilus Addo-Botchway, Assisting Priest, Saint Anne Anglican Church, Abeka, has urged Christians to live life of sacrifice as they commemorate Palm Sunday.

In his message themed: ‘My Expensive Sacrifice,’ based on Mark 14: 3, he said Mary Magdalene, who was seen as a sinner, sacrificed expensive oil to prepare for Christ’s death and burial.

That remarkable act, he said, served as an example for Christians to follow by sacrificing something precious unto God.

‘So, as God is about to sacrifice His Son for us, we also have to sacrifice something for Him,’ he said.

He added: ‘In the olden days, the Israelites sacrificed human beings and animals. In our days, Christ has died for us, so we don’t need to sacrifice animals and human beings again.

‘Whatever God has blessed us with, we have to sacrifice that thing for Christ,’ he said.

Rev Addo-Botchway noted that God had blessed His people with many gifts and talents that Christians could apply to serve God.

He urged Christians to help th
e work of God by giving their money, time, and possessions.

Rev Addo-Botchway stressed that: ‘As a Christian, for your sacrifice to be acceptable unto God, you must go deep within your heart and search for the most expensive thing that you can sacrifice unto the Lord.’

Rev Fr Dr Samuel Quartey, the Parish Priest, St Anne Anglican Church, said Palm Sunday signified the bold decision that Jesus took to enter Jerusalem regardless of the consequences that awaited him.

He said Christians must also be bold witnesses for Christ so that others may know the victory of the sacrifice that Christ had brought to mankind.

‘Palm Sunday also teaches us to be humble, loving and steadfast in the Lord, as Christ’s victory is an assurance that even though the Christian life will be full of trials, persecutions and tribulations, through it all, God will be there to save us and bless us,’ he noted.

As Ghana prepared for the 2024 General Election, Rev Quartey called on the country’s political party leaders to let Christ be the
ir example by humbling themselves.

He said: ‘In elections, is either you win or you lose. So when you win, you give glory to God. When you lose too, you give glory to God.

‘It’s God that appoints leaders. It’s God that appointed Jesus to come and die for mankind.

‘As we go into elections, Christians must pray to God for Him to grant the nation victory as He granted Jesus Christ victory over the devil.’

Rev Quartey urged Christians to be channels of peace and unity throughout the elections to maintain the nation’s stability and speed up growth and development.

The Church Choir led the congregation to sing the Passion according to Saint Mathew with meditations on Jesus’ trial, death, victory over sin, and mankind’s reconciliation with God.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Navy Special Boat Squadron, the Ghana Army Special Operations Brigade, and the Fighter Squadron of the Ghana Airforce, on Friday, 22nd March 2024, embarked on a joint operation exercise.

The exercise, which formed part of 2024 Exercise Sea Lion, included an amphibious landing where armed navy troops from the special boat squadron descended from sailing ships into fast boats to simulate an offensive, search and rescue efforts on the shore at the Naval Base in Sekondi, Western Naval Command.

The simulation exercise involved the kidnapping of a Minister and his family by terrorists who held them hostage in a building at the shore.

Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)

It illustrated how the boat squadron with help from the other two squadrons of the armed forces, subdued the acting terrorists and eventually rescued the Minister and his family.

In his address to troops, Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), stated how the operation involving various un
its of the tri-service was a living proof of the competence of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and its commitment to overcome any security challenges.

‘The completion of this major military amphibious exercise involving the Army Special Operations Brigade, the Special Boat Squadron of the Ghana Navy and the Fighter Squadron of the Ghana Airforce stands as a testament to the extraordinary capabilities of the Ghana Armed Forces,’ he said.

The CNS commended all personnel and civilians, who made the naval voyage to cross the equator (latitude zero degrees) and underwent the navy traditional initiation supervised by the various ship captains.

‘To our distinguished passengers who crossed the equator and were initiated by King Neptune as abled-bodied seamen and joining the league of the few sailors who have achieved this feat, your presence on this journey has been invaluable..,’ he said.

The personnel and civilians were awarded certificates and King Neptune Badges for successfully crossing the equator.

Source: G
hana News Agency

A Tanzanian delegation has visited Ghana to understudy the operations of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in the downstream sector.

The five-day visit by the Tanzanian Ministry of Energy and the fuel agency was focused on NPA’s effective regulation and administration of the petroleum downstream, which according to them, proved to be convenient, cost-effective and worth emulating.

They were in Ghana from Monday, March 18, 2024, to Friday, March 22, 2024, and were received by the Chief Executive of the NPA, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, who welcomed them at an opening session held at the NPA.

In attendance were the Deputy Chief Executive, Perry Okudzeto, Directors, Heads of Department and some staff of the Authority.

In his welcome remarks, the Chief Executive expressed excitement to host the delegation and assured them that the NPA was more than willing and ready to share the NPA experience with them particularly in respect of how the Authority was administering the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF), w
hich was a key area of interest to the Tanzanians.

He added that the Authority had put everything in place to make their five-day visit including the scheduled field-tours, worthwhile.

On his part, Head of the delegation, Mr. Msafiri Mtepe of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority, Tanzania, commended the Authority for the warm reception and expressed optimism that they would, indeed, have the best of learning experience on the Ghanaian model of petroleum regulation, which he said, had become the envy of many countries in Africa and beyond.

He stated that the primary objective of their study visit was to appreciate the successful implementation of Ghana’s Unified Petroleum Price Scheme and other pricing mechanisms instituted in Ghana.

In the course of their stay in Ghana and with the NPA, many formal engagements and sessions were held with technical persons at the Authority focusing on wide range of subjects on relevant aspects of Ghana’s petroleum value chain.

There were presentations on va
rious subjects including Ghana’s pricing policy objectives, the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF), legal framework for petroleum regulation among others.

The delegation, whilst in Ghana, visited the Ministry of Energy, where they were taken through Ghana’s petroleum downstream policies.

They were received by the Chief Director, Mrs. Wilhelmina Asamoah, on behalf of the Minister of Energy.

The delegation also embarked on field visitations to the BOST terminals in Tema and Akosombo to acquaint themselves with some of the practical operations of NPA and other key actors in Ghana’s petroleum.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Coalition for an Effective African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (also referred to as the African Court Coalition) has inducted into its membership the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA CONSULT) based in Tema, Ghana.

The African Court Coalition is a membership-based organisation made up of Civil Society Organisations, independent human rights institutions, and individual members and based in Arusha, Tanzania.

The key purpose of the establishment of the Coalition is to advocate an effective and independent African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to provide redress to victims of human rights violations and strengthen the human rights protection system in Africa.

The CDA Consult is a development communication non-governmental advocacy group that seeks to empower citizens through relentless public education, sensitization, and attitudinal transformation.

It also undertakes broad-based advocacy, engages in monitoring and evaluation of projects, promotes human rights, advocates
for the recognition of minority rights, and builds capacity across diverse professional fields.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Executive Director of CDA Consult, applauded the African Court Coalition for acknowledging its viable contributions to strengthening the pillars of human rights advocacy and relentless promotion of the works of the African Court.

He said the CDA Consult Board of Directors and staff would commit and contribute their expertise towards the achievement of the goals and objectives of the African Court Coalition.

Ms. Sophia Ebby, Coordinator, African Court Coalition, commended the CDA Consult for its valuable advocacy over the years and dedication to the African Court and classified its full membership in the Coalition a great accomplishment.

‘On behalf of the Executive Committee of the African Court Coalition, I welcome you into full membership,’ Ms. Ebby stated.

As a full member of the African Court Coalition, CDA Consult is entitled to attend and participate in the African Court Coalition’s
General Assembly held every three years; attend awareness-raising events organised by the Coalition; and participate in advocacy events and legal assistance to victims before the African Court if Pan African Legal Empowerment Initiatives has that expertise.

CDA Consult is also qualified to apply to be a focal point or a member of the Executive Committee of the Coalition.

Ms. Ebby explained that the African Court Coalition believed in access to justice for all, particularly individuals, stressing that in light of the complimentary relations between the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Court, the Coalition works towards a strengthened complementary relations between the two institutions.

She said the African Court Coalition was formed during the first conference for the promotion of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Niamey, Niger, in May 2003.

It was formally registered as an NGO in
Tanzania in September 2007, and its secretariat is in Arusha, Tanzania, where the African Court is also based.

The African Court Coalition has seven focal points, which are responsible for, among other things, organising awareness-raising and advocacy events in their respective sub-regions or thematic groups.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A final year student of the Esiama Senior High Technical School, Philip Armah Ludtroth, met his untimely death when he attempted to jump over the school fence wall.

Sources close to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said Ludtroth, 19, allegedly jumped the wall to buy food outside the school’s premises on Wednesday, March 20, around 1300 hours GMT, and landed on his neck, sustaining severe neck sprain.

When the GNA contacted the Ellembelle District Director of Education, Mr Wilfred Adodoadji, to confirm the incident, he said the day in question was declared a Heroes Day while the school was having a programme to honour retirees of the Ghana Education Service and teachers in the Ellembelle District for their hard work.

The boy’s mother visited the school with provisions for him, but he tried to sneak out by jumping the school fence wall.

‘Unfortunately, he landed on his neck and sustained a neck sprain, and was later rushed to the Clinic at Esiama,’ Mr Adodoadji said.

Ludtroth was referred to the St. Martin’s De
Porres Hospital at Eikwe where he was pronounced dead.

The body has since been deposited at the Eikwe Hospital Morgue pending autopsy.

Meanwhile, the Esiama Divisional Police Command has launched an investigation into the incident.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Commodities, including cocoa, oil palm, coffee, oil palm, rubber, and wood, farmed (by clearing forest) under a deforested condition will be banned in the European Union (EU) Markets.

The world’s largest?importer?of cocoa, much of it from Ghana and Ivory Coast, says its main reason for the deforestation-free products regulation known as EU Deforestation regulation (EUDR) is to protect forest and its resources in third countries.

Mr Valdis Dombrovskis, the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for an Economy that Works for People and Commissioner for Trade, speaking at a two day seminar in Brussels, clarified that products from farms put under cultivation before the year 2020 were exempted.

Organised by the EU, the seminar titled Sustainability Policies and International Trade, sought to provide education on deforestation-products to 20 journalists selected from countries the EU trades with.

The regulation was first outlined in the?2019 Commission Communication on Stepping up EU Action to Pro
tect and Restore the World’s Forests.

The commitment was later confirmed by the?European Green Deal,?the?EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030?and the?Farm to Fork Strategy.

He said, ‘Consumers of finished products like chocolate and coffee in EU are concerned about the continues clearing of forests to cultivate raw materials used to produce these products.

‘We are all experiencing increase in temperature, dry-spells, and unpredictable rains occurring as a result of our collective actions. Protecting the remaining forests in the world, which provide many services is key to helping us to ease the impact of climate crisis.’

Mr Dombrovskis said EU was partly responsible for deforestation and degradation and had resolve to to lead the way to solving it.?

He noted that it was working with Civil Society Organisations in the Ghanaian forestry sector, COCOBOD and other stakeholders to carry out an analysis and modalities on traceability.

The EU, as part of the implementation of the regulation has committed over 700
million Euros towards initiatives, including the establishment of a Joint Research Center.

The JRC has used 30 years of expertise in geospatial technologies to provide a global map of the extent of destruction of forests in 2020, to be used in a new observatory on deforestation.

To prove traceability throughout the supply chain back to the source, the new requirements involve collecting geolocation data and due diligence information.

Already, COCOBOD as part of the Cocoa Management System (CMS), has commenced an initiative called the Ghana Cocoa Traceability Systems (GCTS), which seeks to trace cocoa sold to the licensed buying companies from the farmer to final consumer – a key component of the EU regulatory framework.

The initiative comprises of actors along the value chain that would work to ensure that Ghana’s cocoa sector continues to maintain its niche as the producer of ‘Premium Quality Cocoa’ on the international market.

Experts say compliance is expensive and will be prohibitive for many smallho
lder producers from indigenous and local communities in the Global South.

Mr Charles Brefo-Nimo, Senior Program Manager, IDH, told the Ghana News Agency that, COCOBOD, a regulator and operator, needed to collaborate with industry players to create the enabling environment to ensure due diligence and compliance in the cocoa supply chain.

‘…they will need to build systems and tools that will enhance mutual trust and transparency among key actors, including Cocoa farmers,’ he said.

‘As convenors of the Cocoa and Forests Initiative, which is an unprecedented collaboration between the governments of Ghana and Ivory Coast and 36 signatory Cocoa and chocolate companies, we have an interest to ensure that all actors are in alignment with the EUDR.’

Deforestation is posing significant challenges to Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer.

Between 2002 and 2020, the country lost 9.3 per cent of its humid primary forests, predominantly in the High Forest Zone, which is a crucial cocoa production belt.

A
gricultural activities, particularly cocoa farming and expansion, are one of the leading drivers of deforestation, underscoriing the urgent need for intervention.

Forests provide a broad variety of environmental, economic and social benefits, including timber and non-wood forest products and environmental services essential for humankind, as they harbour most of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity.

They maintain ecosystem functions, help protect the climate system, provide clean air and play a vital role for the purification of waters and soils as well as for water retention and recharge.

Large forest areas act as a moisture source and help prevent desertification of continental regions.

In addition, forests provide subsistence and income to approximately one third of the world’s population and the destruction of forests has serious consequences for the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people, including indigenous peoples and local communities, who depend heavily on forest ecosystems.

Source: Ghana N
ews Agency