Day: March 29, 2024

Artisans operating from a greenbelt between Tema Technical Institute and the Motorway Interchange have called on the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) to relocate them to an alternative position before turning the place into a transit vehicle park.

Mr Evans Doe Tottimeh, spokesperson for the artisans, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that they had been transacting economic activities on the land for years and had contributed to the development of the area and the local economies of Tema.

Mr Tottimeh said that the continuous threat from TMA to eject them from the place was worrying, saying that they had not vacated the place because they had nowhere to go.

He said that a task force from TMA visited the area last week and warned that failure to vacate the place in a week would leave the Assembly with no option but to forcefully eject them.

He, however, said that they had tried their best to get a place to move their things to but to no avail, adding that the situation was unfair.

He said they were paying t
heir tolls and taxes as required of them as citizens and also offered employment and training for the youth. 

He said evicting the artisans from the place would not only affect their activities and livelihood but also the students of Tema Technical Institute, who undertake their practicals with them. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Yohane Armah Ashitey, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), has visited the place and appealed to the artisans to move out of it, explaining that a resolution was passed by the assembly to use the place as a park for transit vehicles.

Mr. Ashitey explained that due to the status of Tema as a port and industrial city, most of the haulage tracks transacting business in the West Africa Sub-region use the shoulders of the roads in Tema as their parking place after being discharged from the port. 

He added that the situation had caused the loss of lives through accidents, saying that such incidents were making Tema unpopular, leading to the Assembly passing a resolution to use the space as a park
ing terminal for transit vehicles.

The MCE debunked the assertion that the property was given to a private investor, adding that the Assembly would prosecute truck drivers who fail to park at the terminal after its construction.

Mr. Abraham Lartey, a social activist based in Tema, reacting to the intentions of the TMA to turn the greenbelt into a terminal, told the GNA in an interview, that the move was contrary to the reason for reserving the land, which serves as a buffer for the residents in case of any natural disaster. 

He added that the place also served as a carbon footprint between the industries and the community; therefore, turning the place into a transit terminal would not help, as it would mean the trees would be cut down to make it easy for loaded haulage trucks to move in and out of the place.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and acclaimed chef Fatmata Binta has launched a new project aimed at supporting 100 women fonio producers in Ghana.

The project is designed to provide specialised training to women involved in fonio cultivation by enhancing their skills and boosting their productivity and income.

The training would include hands-on sessions on fonio production, harvesting, packaging and accessing markets.

Fonio is an ancient, nutrient-packed grain known for its resilience and ability to thrive in less fertile soils, and has traditionally been cultivated by women in Ghana.

A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said fonio had been undervalued despite its nutritional and environmental benefits, adding the project aimed to change the narrative by focusing on sustainable practices, empowerment, and economic development.

The statement quoted Mr Arslen Bounemra, FAO Representative in Ghana, as saying: ‘This project is a pilot that we hope can be scal
ed up and replicated in other fonio-producing countries. Fonio is a powerhouse ingredient that should be more well-known and consumed more widely.’

Chef Fatmata Binta is an influential figure in the culinary world having won the 2022 Basque Culinary World Prize.

Born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to first-generation Sierra Leonean Fulanis of Guinean descent, Chef Binta is now based in Ghana and travels the world advocating for fonio and putting African cuisine on the global dining table.

Chef Binta said: ‘through this project, we are not only preserving a piece of African culinary history but also empowering women to take control of their futures. This is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together for a common good.’

The statement said the project activities would commence in April 2024, coinciding with land preparations for the next growing season.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Anloga in the Volta region has engaged students of some Senior High Schools within the area on child protection against neglect.

The aim was to create public awareness against the various forms of child-related issues such as child abuse, neglect, exploitation, trafficking, and child labour, among others.

Mr Felix Hodor, the Chief Field Officer (CFO) at NCCE in the Anloga District, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, stated that child abuse had detrimental effects on children’s mental status, self-esteem, and others that ought to be addressed.

‘These issues are critical because they deprive children of their fundamental human rights, safety and well-being, hindering their physical and emotional cognitive development,’ he stated.

He said neglect of children led to malnutrition, poor hygiene, and lack of access to education and healthcare.

Others are perpetual cycles of vulnerability, which rob victims of their autonomy and subject them to expl
oitation for labour, sex or other illicit activities for physical harm and psychological trauma.

Mr Hodor stated that every child deserves a safe, nurturing and conducive environment to grow and thrive and by advocating for child protection, aimed to raise awareness, implement preventive measures, and strengthen the child welfare system.

‘Protecting children is not only a moral imperative but also a collective responsibility of all to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society and build a better future for the next generations,’ he said.

He commended healthcare workers, educationists, law enforcement agencies, community leaders and others for their efforts.

Mr Hodor also urged the public to report any individual who may endanger the lives of children through any form of abuse to the appropriate authorities for action.

Some students of Volta SHS (Votasco), Anloga Zion College (Zico), and others who spoke to GNA, expressed optimism over the workshop and thanked NCCE for the engagement.

Source:
Ghana News Agency

A Knowledge Management and Coordination Platform (KMCP), which is a digital single-source repository for information and knowledge sharing on development interventions and gaps in specific districts in the northern part of the country has been launched.

The KMCP, launched as part of the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project, is also to provide details on the interventions being carried out under the SOCO project and other partners as well as areas that require more attention.

Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, who launched the KMCP at the SOCO Conference in Tamale on Wednesday, said the KMCP would help to break down silos within development partners’ interventions, foster collaboration, and facilitate the exchange of ideas.

The SOCO Conference was organised by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development in partnership with the World Bank, the six implementing Regional Coor
dinating Councils and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and other stakeholders of the Ministry.

It was under the theme: ‘Leveraging Digital Tools for a Balanced and Coordinated Development in Northern Ghana’, and focused on showcasing and deliberating on the project’s progress.

In the northern part of the country, various organisations and development partners have initiated projects to improve the social, political, economic, and physical well-being of communities.

These initiatives aim to promote growth and development by providing social amenities and economic and livelihood empowerment activities.

Despite these efforts, poverty continues to hinder the region’s development, and it has been identified that the lack of coordination and information sharing between different actors involved has led to duplication of efforts and insufficient capacity to scale up and synergise for greater impact.

Mr Amoah said, ‘To address this, the SOCO project seeks to serve as a catalyst in promoting a coor
dinated approach to development in the north and work together with partners to fill the development gaps, consolidate gains, and contribute more profoundly to sustainable impact’ hence the launch of the KMCP.

Mr Amoah, in addition, launched the SOCO project’s baseline report, which covered the project’s operational area to establish benchmarks for future measurement of changes in key project indicators, particularly on access to basic services, community participation, and satisfaction levels.

The SOCO project is being implemented in 48 MMDAs in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West and Oti Regions to reduce vulnerability to climate change, strengthen local institutions, improve economic opportunities, build public trust and strengthen regional dialogue and to prevent the spread of violence from the Sahel region to the northern parts of the country.

It is a US$ 450 million multi-country project being implemented in Benin, Cote D’ Ivoire, Togo, and Ghana with support from the World Ban
k, and the Government of Ghana’s allocation is a total of US$ 150 million credit facility.

Mr Amoah said the baseline report would empower policymakers, project managers, and other stakeholders to ensure that subsequent actions, especially on the SOCO project, were tailored to the specific needs and challenges of the target population in areas such as infrastructure development, livelihood empowerment, sustainability, inclusion, and community-level development.

Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister, urged the participants to explore the transformative power of digital tools in fostering balanced growth and coordination across various sectors in the north.

He said, ‘In our rapidly evolving world in which technology plays a crucial role, harnessing digital innovations is not just a choice but a necessity for propelling Northern Ghana towards prosperity.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Seji Saji Amedonu, the Deputy Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), says the Volta River Authority (VRA), NADMO and its stakeholders will work to improve Ghana’s preparedness and response mechanisms for future disasters.

He said the stakeholders would rely on the lessons learnt from the joint response to the spillage of the Akosombo dam to deal with any such occurrences in the future.

The spillage of the dam affected a number of communities downstream, and negatively impacted the lives and livelihoods of about 39,000 people of which about 48 per cent of those affected downstream were children.

Mr Amedonu said the flood incidence arising from the dam spillage became very dire, forcing all actions to be directed to responding to and providing relief to the affected populations.

‘Recent events of disasters across many parts of the country call for us to harmonise our efforts in managing all forms of shocks,’ he added.

The Deputy Director-General said this during the
After-Action Review of Response to Flooding Following Spillage of Excess Water from the Akosombo Dam organised at Battor, in the Volta region.

He said heavy rains, coupled with the opening of the Bagre and Kompienga Dams in Burkina Faso, which had become a perennial affair also had some impact on water levels affecting several communities along the tributaries of the Volta River within the same period.

Mr Amedonu said although the flood resulting from the spillage of the dam affected heavily, various livelihoods and infrastructure, the preparedness actions taken by NADMO and VRA together with other stakeholders accounted for the zero record of loss of human life.

‘While we celebrate some of these successes, we must be quick to evaluate our response efforts to identify areas of challenge so as to adopt strategies that will enable us to manage more efficiently, tomorrow’s events to avoid extensive devastation,’ he stressed.

He thanked various stakeholders, especially the VRA, for their enormous support duri
ng the preparedness and response phase of the emergency.

The Deputy Director-General said stakeholders’ support of NADMO towards the simulation, sensitisation and awareness creation in some of the communities on resilience practices had been very useful.

‘We will continue to count on you all as we work to build the capacity of NADMO to better respond to future emergencies,’ he added.

Mr Edward Obeng-Kenzo, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, VRA in charge of Engineering and Operations, said one key aspect of the After-Action Review was to examine the effectiveness of emergency response protocols and procedures.

‘Were there any challenges or bottlenecks that hindered our ability to mobilise resources and coordinate the response efforts, what worked well, and what areas require improvement, these are questions that we must address with honesty and a commitment to change,’ he added.

The Deputy CEO of VRA said there was a need to carefully assess the communication strategies employed during the event to know whe
ther messages were effectively disseminated to the affected communities, the gaps in information sharing and how to enhance the channels.

Mr Obeng-Kenzo said the VRA had reviewed the event countless times with the aim of identifying all areas where improvements could be made, adding that a number of initiatives had been put in place to improve models with the finest technologies.

He said the VRA was collaborating with the Hydrological Services Authority to increase the number of their gauging stations to help improve hydrological databases to enhance analysis.

‘We are also enhancing our collaboration with the Ghana Meteorological Authority to also improve their input into our operations. All these efforts demonstrate our resolve to continue to stay on top of our work and keep ourselves up to date with the advancement in our industry,’ he added.

‘By learning from the past, we can fortify our resilience and ensure the safety and well-being of all those who may be affected by future events,’ he added.

Sour
ce: Ghana News Agency

The Volta North Regional Police Command has found the lifeless body of its Deputy Commander in a hotel at Hohoe.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Antiri-Addo Nicolas Aletso’s lifeless body was found on Wednesday according to reports.

A Police source who confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) disclosed that investigations had since commenced into the issue.

However, ‘no foul play has been detected at the preliminary stage of investigations.’

According to Police investigators, ACP Antiri-Addo’s body was found in a lateral position.

Relatives of the deceased lodged a complaint after several attempts to reach him on the phone proved futile.

ACP Antiri-Addo, barely a month at post, was lodging at the hotel as his place of abode when the unfortunate incident happened.

His body has since been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue for autopsy.

ACP Antiri-Addo was once the Agona Swedru Divisional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) has mentored 15 young activists selected from across West Africa under its Next Gen Initiative.

The initiative is designed to empower and equip the next generation of leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to promote positive change and strengthen democracy in West Africa.

The WADEMOS, in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the six-month mentorship programme, which commenced in October 2023, encompassed a four-week intensive online session, followed by a two-month mentoring programme with a recognised civil society organisation, and community-based project work.

It said referred to as ‘Young Leaders’, the first cohort of the inaugural Next Gen Initiative were: Ophelia Awinboma Azure (Ghana), Mark Owusu Twumasi (Ghana), Ndey Fatou Nying (Gambia), Zakari Emmanuel (Nigeria), Ohalete Lynda Chiamaka (Nigeria), and Kotobidjo Nehemie (Benin).

The rest are Sadiya Diallo (Burkina Faso), Diallo Aissatou (Guinea), Roslia Djedjo (Guinea-Bi
ssau), Malamine Badiane (Senegal), Marina Terry (Sierra Leone), Sialyn Hawah Bockarie (Liberia), Ousman Goulo Abdoulaye (Niger), Pitekelabou-Potchossi Magnudawa (Togo), and Tetchi-Yavo N’gbesso Jean-Yves (Cote d’Ivoire).

Addressing the first cohort at a closing ceremony held at the CDD-Ghana office in Accra, WADEMOS Project Director, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, admonished the Young Leaders to forge meaningful relationships that would contribute to breaking the barriers that divide citizens of the sub-region.

‘WADEMOS has a deep commitment to the youth, making sure that we raise a new generation of democracy defenders and activists. I hope that the few days you spent here have been productive and profitable and that you’ve learned a lot from each other,’ Prof Prempeh said.

‘The idea of WADEMOS is solidarity, learning about democracy, our challenges, our various countries and cultures, and trying to create a common West African city. It is all about offering you and the next generation a real prospect of
living in free societies so that you can realize your full potential.’

The WADEMOS Project Director also impressed the young activists to keep faith in democracy despite the current challenges, indicating that ‘authoritarianism produced civil wars, humanitarian crises, refugees moving from country to country, and child soldiers. All these are legacies of the authoritarian period.’

Prof Larry Diamond, the world’s leading scholar on democracy, who was the special guest of honour at the closing ceremony, entreated the Young Leaders to remain active voices in their communities against abuse of power and anti-democratic tendencies by their leaders.

‘Human nature is such that without scrutiny, without public voice, public media, independent voice, or civil society, you are only going to get new and deeper forms of abuse of power and waning public trust. Whenever governance goes bad, it is countered by an informed, active, vocal, peaceful, imaginative, and energetic civil society, and that is what you represent,’
he stated.

On the part of the WADEMOS Network Coordinator, Mr Paul Osei-Kuffour, he emphasized that the recent spate of democratic decline necessitated the grooming of a new crop of leaders to forge a new path for the sub-region and the continent.

‘The Next Gen Initiative underscores WADEMOS’ quest to help build a new crop of leaders whose leadership skills and commitment to development would be unquestionable. The Network also aims to build the capacities of young leaders, give them exposure, and provide a platform for them to explore their abilities and talents while ensuring diversity, inclusivity, and balance in leadership on the continent,’ he remarked.

Ndey Fatou Nying recounted how her experience had taught her more about other West African countries, stating, ‘Moving out of my comfort zone to share the experiences of other incredible leaders across West Africa and learning from their cultures is, for me, worth the miles travelled to be here. I made it a challenge to learn at least one thing from th
e diverse people in the camp.

Malamine Badiane commended WADEMOS for the invaluable skills and tools he had acquired through the programme,

He noted, that: ‘The Initiative has not only equipped me with the knowledge and skills to promote democracy and good governance but has also instilled in me a sense of responsibility to be a beacon of hope in my community.’

Selected from over 150 applicants, the 15 successful Next Gen Young Leaders received certificates from the Network for their participation in the programme. Following the conclusion of the six-month programme, each person will focus on completing or initiating a community-based project with support and technical guidance from the Network.

WADEMOS is a non-partisan, independent civil society-led transnational democracy solidarity network.

The WADEMOS Network consists of over 30 civil society organizations located in 15 countries in West Africa.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Some major transport operators in Accra have bemoaned low patronage on their major routes at the beginning of the Easter festivities.

Checks conducted by the Ghana News Agency at the terminals of the State Transport Company (STC), V.I.P Jeoun Transport Limited, and O.A Travel and Tours at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle on Friday afternoon showed a relative decline in patronage.

Contrary to the usual long queues that characterise the premises of the major bus terminals, the situation was different on Easter Friday, with some of the terminals recording less than 20 trips on the Accra-Kumasi route as of 14:30 hours.

The news team also observed empty seats in the passenger waiting areas, which is an unexpected scene during the festive season as many people living in Accra travel back home to reconnect with their families.

The transport operators told the GNA that passenger volumes had declined by about 30 per cent compared to the same period last year.

They attributed the situation to the Ramadan fasting period a
nd the general decline in economic activities largely as a result of the economic challenges confronting the country.

Mr Adakabre Frimpong Manso, the General Manager of the V.I.P Jeoun, told the GNA that as of 14:00 hours, the terminal had recorded 5,000 passengers on all of its major routes.

He said the figure had dropped by more than 30 per cent within the same period last year.

‘Things have been slow today. On Thursday we recorded about 10,000 passengers. We believe the fasting period is also a factor,’ he said.

Mr Adakabre said the Company would commission a study into the numbers at the end of the festive season to guide its future plans.

At the STC terminal, which runs the Accra-Kumasi route, as of 14:45 hours, only 744 passengers had been conveyed to Kumasi.

Mr Brefoh Frank, Operations Officer, STC, said the figure was ‘quite low’ and expressed hope that patronage would increase in the rest of the days marking the festive period.

The O.A. Bust terminal appeared to be less busy as many of its bus
es were yet to be filled as of Friday afternoon.

Sources at the terminal told the GNA that business had been slow and the figures recorded ‘are not encouraging’.

As of 15:00 hours, only 31 passengers had patronised its Accra-Wassa Akropong route, while 93 passengers had travelled from Accra to Bolgatanga.

The transport operators were optimistic that the situation would improve in the coming days to enable them to make enough profit as they projected at the beginning of the year.

Source: Ghana News Agency