Day: May 3, 2024

The police in the Oshikoto Region are investigating the theft of a Toyota Hilux single cab pick-up from a private residence in Oniipa.

Deputy Commissioner Titus Ekandjo, the Namibian Police Force’s Crime Investigations Coordinator for the region, told Nampa the incident occurred around 07h00 on Thursday in the Okakwiyu residential area.

‘It is alleged that suspects entered the complainant’s yard and stole the vehicle,’ Ekandjo said.

The stolen vehicle is a white Toyota Hilux 4×4 with registration number N 310105 SH. It has an estimated value of N.dollars 140 000.

No arrests have been made and the suspects remain unidentified. Police found only two shoe prints at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has organised the ‘Feast Ghana’ to commemorate this year’s May Day celebration in Accra.

The event, which was to give Ghanaian workers a treat of authentic Ghanaian food and entertainment, was organised in partnership with the Public Service Workers Union (PSWU) of the Trade Union Congress, the Queen Mothers Foundation and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Feast Ghana, part of Ghana Cares Obaatanpa project, aimed at promoting Ghana’s local food and showcasing Ghana’s cultural diversity, and resuscitating the tourism and hospitality sector.

It was on the theme: ‘Flavours of Ghana, Celebrating Ghana’s Cultural Diversity through Food.’

Mr Akwasi Agyemang, Chief Executive Officer, GTA said ‘Feast Ghana’ was to display indigenous Ghanaian dishes and elevate Ghana’s special culinary, culture and tradition.

The initiative, he said, would help tourists appreciate Ghana’s cultural dimension by virtue of food, adding that it was also aligned to the ‘May day’ celebration in reco
gnition of the hard work of all sector players.

Mr Agyemang appealed to Ghanaians to embrace and support the ‘Feast Ghana’ campaign to promote Ghana’s locally made food, cultural heritage and tradition.

Mr Jones Aruna Nelson, Director, Corporate Affairs, GTA, indicated that ‘Feast Ghana’ was a unique opportunity to promote Ghanaian foods, traditional dressing, dance and language.

He said the event plays a significant role in educating Ghanaians to patronise locally made foods.

‘We will continue to elevate ‘Feast Ghana’ to promote culinary diversity for Ghanaians to understand the health benefits of eating locally made foods because it contains good nutrients for the body,’ he added.

The event showcased Ghana’s local foods, emphasising unity, diversity and the vibrant spirit of Ghanaians.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG), the wholly-owned Ghanaian bank, has opened a new branch in the Berekum Municipality of the Bono Region, with a pledge to deliver excellent banking services at the doorsteps of the people.

With the Berekum branch, the bank currently has 114 branches spread across 13 regions in the country.

Mr Thairu Ndungu, the Deputy Managing Director, CBG, who made the pledge, said the CBG had prioritised Small and Medium Scale enterprises (SMEs), saying the bank’s presence in the Municipality would create opportunity for the SMEs to flourish.

At a short ceremony at Berekum, the Deputy Managing Director expressed the bank’s readiness and commitment to provide superior banking solutions for all stakeholders.

He said the CBG had a special interest in the SMEs sector and developed a number of products to serve the sector.

Mr Ndungu said key among them was a product dubbed the ‘Collateral-Free loan’ specially designed for the SMEs customers to give them the opportunity to access loans up
to GHS 500,000.00 without collateral.

‘Berekum, without a doubt, is a place of immense significance, known for its significant role in trade, construction, and agriculture and with such uniqueness, CBG is honored to establish a presence here and serve the hardworking people of Berekum,’ he stated.

Mr Ndungu pledged more convenience and trust to businesses in the Municipality, saying ‘We recognise that banking is not just about the numbers but about building relationships and supporting the overall well-being of the community.’

‘That is why we are dedicated to being an active corporate citizen in Berekum and our team is committed to understanding the unique needs of the community,’ saying, the staff would work hard and tirelessly to provide personalised banking solutions for business or personal current savings accounts.

Describing the staff of the bank as ambassadors, Mr Ndungu urged them to work devotedly to raise the image of CBG, saying ‘you are our ambassadors, and it is through your efforts that CBG
will contribute to the growth and prosperity of this community.’

The Most Reverend Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi, the Catholic Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishop Conference, urged the bank to do more to improve the socio-economic livelihoods of the people, and asked businesses to also transact business with the bank.

Mr Charles Appiah, the Director of Finance, CBG, said customer data and confidentiality were guaranteed and the bank was working hard to achieve its vision of becoming the most trusted institution in the country.

Osabarima Kusi Yeboah II, the Nifahene (Right Chief) of the Berekum Traditional Council, had earlier expressed concern about the insecurity of some customers’ data at some of the banks and financial institutions in the country.

He said these were some of the factors contributing to robberies in the banking sector, with evidence showing that some staff of some banks released sensitive information to robbers to strike.

Source: Ghana News Agency

CAMFED Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, is set to recruit and train 160 women under its ‘Agriculture Guide Programme’ to promote climate-smart agriculture.

The initiative aims to help women establish and run sustainable agribusinesses and also seeks to ‘build community resilience and ensure food security in the face of climate change.’

Under the programme, each of the trainees known as ‘Agriculture Guides’ will train 10 more women on ‘Climate-Smart Agriculture’ (CSA) practices, especially in rural communities.

The CSA is ‘a set of agricultural practices and technologies which simultaneously boost productivity, enhance resilience, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.’

It includes the adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties, agriculture conservation techniques, agroforestry, water management, and improved livestock management.

Speaking at the launch in Accra, Ms Fairuza Safian, National Director, CAMFED Ghana, said the programme was part of CAMFED’s contribution to solving the challenge of cli
mate change in the agriculture sector.

She described the plan as an opportunity for beneficiaries to ‘develop sound climate practices, make connections, and access equipment needed for agriculture success.’

Ms Safian said ‘a technical working group’ was constituted to design the curriculum to guide beneficiaries and sensitise them on climate-smart agriculture.

‘…While contributing to addressing the climate challenge, the programme will also contribute to food security and position a core of young women to take up dignified and fulfilling careers in agriculture, agribusiness and agro-processing,’ she stated.

The National Director said CAMFED would always support the government to achieve its policy goals in various sectors, as it worked to ensure that ‘children are provided resources for their education.’

In a speech read on his behalf, the Assistant Director of Crop Services, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), stressed the importance of adopting solutions that ‘protect and build resilience’ in the
sector.

He said the Agriculture Guide Programme by CAMFED was in line with the Ministry’s vision of tackling the effects of climate change in the sector, and highlighted some government initiatives meant to ensure agriculture productivity.

Mr George Yaw Adorshie, Head of Communication and Strategic Partnership, CAMFED, explained the organisation’s new strategic plan from 2024 to 2029, which included providing support for five million girls to access and progress through secondary schools in the five African countries in which CAMFED operates.

He said the organisation intended to enhance its achievements and expand operations to four other regions in Ghana.

Ms Paulina Addy, Director of Women in Agricultural Development (WIAD), at MoFa, highlighted the effects of climate on Agriculture and urged various partners to ensure the success of the Agriculture Guide Programme.

The technical committee for the development of the Agriculture Guide included representatives of universities, research institutions, and e
ntrepreneurs supported by CAMFED the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the National Service Scheme.

Mr Christain Zico Agbebo, Programmes Manager, CAMFED, said apart from the first batch of 160 trainees, the programme would recruit National Service persons and other females interested in agriculture.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Andrews Kofi Okonegye, the Berekum District Police Commander,?has assured banking and financial institutions of absolute security, as economic activities thrive in the Berekum Municipality of the Bono Region.

He said the police were on top watching the activities of businesses, saying ‘We have informants everywhere and we are ready to clamp down on criminals’.

ASP Okonegye gave the assurance when speaking at the opening of the Berekum branch of the Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG), a wholly owned Ghanaian bank in the Berekum Municipality.

‘Sometimes you might not see our presence, but we promise we are everywhere in the municipality to deal with crime’, the District Police Commander stated in confidence.

ASP Okonegye warned that criminals, miscreants, and troublemakers in the municipality would not find their way out and asked financial and banking institutions to remain sensitive and be security conscious too.

‘We are ever ready and prepared to protect every in
dividual and institution’ and cautioned the people against any form of crime, saying criminals would always be found wanting.

Mr Thairu Ndungu, the Deputy Managing Director, CBG, stressed dedication, trust and honesty remained the trademark of the bank, and assured customers and potential ones of absolute security of their deposits.

He stressed the bank’s commitment and readiness to provide excellent and innovative banking services to businesses, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the municipality, saying the economic prospects of Berekum were good.

Mr Charles Appiah, the Director of Finance and Strategy at CBG, advised the Berekum residents to capitalize on the bank’s remittance services and do business with the institution, saying with ‘our remittance services you can easily withdraw money from your handset.’

Osabarima Kusi Yeboah II, the Nifahene (Right Chief) of the Berekum Traditional Area advised banking and financial institutions to endeavour to check the bank ground of people before
providing them with employment.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Western Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has organised a float on some principal streets of Sekondi-Takoradi as part of a week-long activities to observe this year’s International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) celebration.

Held on the theme: ‘The contribution of the firefighter to safety, national security and sustainable development,’ the float attracted both officers and men of the Service to deepen the awareness creation on fire safety.

It was also meant for the public to recognise the pivotal roles firefighters played in keeping communities safe from fire and its related hazards.

They carried banners and placards with inscriptions such as ‘See something, say something prevent fire’, ‘Do not overload electrical sockets’, ‘Do not run electrical wires under the carpet’, and ‘Unplug electrical appliances after every use’.

Others read: ‘Desist from making prank calls to emergency lines’, and ‘Do not forget to turn off gas or electricity supply to your cooker immediately after use.
‘

Assistant Chief Fire Officer I (ACFO I) Frederick Ohemeng, the Western Regional Fire Commander, speaking during the event, said the IFFD was established to recognise the key roles firefighters played in keeping communities safe and ensuring national security and development.

He said despite the significance of the Day, the celebration was to be fully embraced by the citizenry, saying ‘It will take some time for our communities to fully appreciate and acknowledge this global tradition of honouring our invaluable contributions to the safety of our communities…’.

He charged personnel of the GNFS to continue to strive to fulfil the core mandates of the service, that is, preventing and managing undesired fires to help achieve fire incident-free communities.

ACFO I Ohemeng pledged the Command’s commitment to putting in place strategic plans and contingencies tailored to preventing undesired fires in the Region.

International Firefighters’ Day is observed on May 4 annually to honour both current and fallen fi
refighters worldwide for their bravery and sacrifices in keeping communities safe from fire and its related hazards.

Source: Ghana News Agency