Day: May 24, 2024

Mrs Gladys Seshime-Adotevi, Leader of ‘Norvienyo Association (Norvass),’ a female-dominated Akatsi-based social group, has reiterated their desire to assist the less privileged in the society.

She indicated that their outfit would not relent on giving to children with special needs and orphans.

Mrs Seshime-Adotevi, who is also the Headmistress of Akatsi RC Basic School in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region, gave this assurance during the group’s donation to orphans at ‘In My Father’s House’ Children’s village at Abor.

She explained that their continuous support in those areas would help in the development of such children for a better future.

Mr Amenyo Frank, the Deputy Director of the Orphanage, on behalf of Management and staff, was grateful for the enormous contributions and support from ‘Norvass’ over the years.

He said the gesture would go a long way to ensure all children received equal attention and care.

Items such as toiletries, rice, cooking oil, soft drinks, and others were pr
esented to the school.

An undisclosed amount of cash was also handed over to the authorities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Communications Authority (NCA) wishes to inform the general public of the successful completion of repair works on all four (4) subsea cables affected by the March 14 disruptions, which impacted mobile and fixed data services nationwide.

They have since been operational and providing service at full capacity since the completion of the repair works. The repair works were completed as follows:

i. SAT3: April 6, 2024

ii. ACE: April 17, 2024

iii. WACS: April 29, 2024

iv. MainOne: May 8, 2024.

According to the subsea cable service providers, all four cable faults were found at the crossing with a sub-sea canyon off the coast of Abidjan called Le Trou Sans Fond Canyon. The NCA has issued further directives to mobile and subsea cable service providers since the March 14 incident in a bid to strengthen its regulatory oversight. These directives include:

1. A requirement for all submarine cable operators to submit their backup and redundancy plans to ensure business continuity and seamless connec
tivity to data services should their cables get cut or develop a major fault.

2. All Mobile Network Operators are to maintain their existing redundant submarine cable links within Ghana and to connect to a submarine cable provider in the sub-region that is currently not landing in Ghana.

This concludes the updates and information the authority has been sharing on the undersea cable disruptions which occurred on March 14, 2024. The NCA is grateful for the interest, support, and understanding displayed by all stakeholders within the internet value chain; consumers, mobile network operators, and the sub-marine cable operators and terrestrial fiber operators (AT, MTN, Telecel, ACE, MainOne, WACS, SAT-3, and C-Squared, etc). You can be assured of our commitment to ensuring sustainable service delivery to all users within the industry.

Source: Ghana Web

The Queenmother of Upper Axim Traditional Area in the Nzema-East Municipality, Obahyemaa Erzane Ngonlomah, has been acknowledged for her meritorious contributions towards the development of education in the area.

She was acknowledged by the Management and the Board of Governors of the Bonzo Kaku Senior High School (BOKASS) at Awiebo in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, through a citation, describing her as a philanthropist who had sponsored several students at the tertiary and other levels of education.

The Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Madam Benedicta Tenni Seidu, who read the citation further described Queenmother ‘as a lobbyist, who had been instrumental in connecting the school to several dignitaries as far as celebration of the anniversary is concerned’.

Madam Seidu who chaired the function, said the Queenmother came to the aid of the school by donating a brand-new photocopier to the school and donated a set of science equipment.

On behalf of the Board of Governors of BOKASS, t
he Chairperson congratulated Obahyemaa Erzane Ngonlomah for her sterling contributions to the growth of the Bonzo Kaku Senior High School.

Madam Seidu encouraged the Queenmother not to rest on her oars but to continue to support the school as it strived to come to the limelight.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dozens of alleged non-residents who were bused to the Asuogyaman constituency in the Eastern Region from the Volta Region to register have been disqualified by the District Registration Review Committee of the Electoral Commission.

These individuals failed to prove their residency by not being able to identify major landmarks or provide relevant information about the communities they claimed to reside in.

The disqualified applicants were primarily challenged by agents of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who suspected that the individuals were not genuine residents but had been transported to the area to register.

The committee disqualified about 23 applicants and confiscated their voter ID cards which led to outrage from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary candidate, Pius Enam Hadzide.

Hadzide, who is also the CEO of the National Youth Authority, accused the committee chairman, Nana Asare Akowua (III), Krontihene of Akwamu Traditional Area, and other committee members including the Police
of bias and bribery.

These allegations were not taken lightly, leading to Pius Enam Hadzide being summoned by the committee.

Pius Hadzide later apologized for his comments, stating that he made the accusations in jest.

The registration of new voters commenced on May 7, 2024, and is scheduled to close on May 27, 2024.

Despite calls for an extension of the exercise owing to challenges encountered during the early stages of the registration, Mr. Samuel Tettey, Deputy EC Chair in Charge of Operations, said the 21-day period allotted for the exercise is sufficient.

He noted that while the first week saw large queues at some registration centres, the numbers have decreased significantly an indication that many qualified applicants willing to register have been captured.

Source: Ghana Web

Togbe Dunenyo, the newly installed development ruler of the Botoku Traditional Area has said he would focus on entrepreneurship development and support in developing the area.

Known in private life as Reuben Tetteh Azu, the ceremonial ruler is a native of Krobo Odumase, with ancestral roots from the Botoku community.

He is presently based in the United States of America.

Despite a downpour, the installation went ahead successfully, and was witnessed by many from the community and beyond.

Togbe Dunenyo swore allegiance to the chiefs and people after enstoolment rites, which included the sacrifice of a ram and adornment in royal regalia had been performed.

The development chief, in a speech after his installation, pledged to take up entrepreneurship among the community, laying strong emphasis on agriculture and tourism.

He said the focus on agriculture and tourism would suit the Region’s outlook as a major agro and tourism hub.

Togbe Dunenyo said: ‘I stand before you today with immense gratitude and a d
eep sense of responsibility as I assume the role of a development chief with a focus on economic empowerment. Economic empowerment is not a goal.

‘It is a fundamental human right that every individual should have the opportunity to have or achieve.

‘As a chief I am committed to fostering an inclusive economy that uplifts all members of our society. I believe that individuals through education, training, entrepreneurship and access to resources, we can create more vibrant and sustainable communities where everyone has the chance to thrive.

‘I recognise the challenges that lie ahead, but I am confident that together, we can overcome them. I will work tirelessly to promote economic development, attractive investments, create jobs and support local businesses

‘I will continue to seek partnerships with government agencies, businesses, NGOs and community organisations maximise our impact and reach our shared goals.’

He appealed to the community to support him on the journey to transformation and growth and har
ness collective strengths, ideas and energies.

‘Together, we can create a legacy of empowerment, growth and prosperity that will benefit generations to come,’ he said.

Togbe Tamtia VI, a Paramount Chief of Botoku said the installation of the development leader was made possible through the spirit of unity that existed among the people.

He gave assurance to offer the needed support towards the realisation of his vision.

He promised to rally more natives in the area, especially those domiciled in the Diaspora, to support its development.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghanaian students under government of Ghana scholarship in Morocco took to the streets in Rabat, the capital of the North African country, to express their displeasure over the government’s failure to pay their monthly stipend.

According to the students, they are suffering because the government has not paid their stipend for ten months.

In a video sighted by GhanaWeb, the students can be seen in front of Ghana’s Embassy in Rabat begging President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to come to their aid.

One of the students said that some of them now have to resort to sleeping outside because their landlords have thrown them out due to their failure to pay their rent.

“The question is, how do we survive? Our landlords are chasing us out of our apartments; some of us are sleeping with our friends, some of us are sleeping outside.

“Imagine sending your daughter to another country to come and study for 10 months without sending her money to pay her rent; how do you want her to survive? There are people here in deb
t, and some are depressed. The last time, we had someone almost commit suicide,” he said.

“This is not noise. This is not a story or a narrative; this is what we are going through. Our lives are in danger. We are begging you, Mr President, if you don’t intervene, there will be blood on your hands,” he said as they all went on their knees begging.

It can be recalled that the students, in a statement on May 14, 2024, said that the delay in the stipend payments has created security threats and academic challenges that could negatively impact their education.

“In spite of the fact that students are supposed to receive monthly stipends for basic needs such as food, accommodation, transport, study materials, and administrative needs, students are left in the lurch. The prolonged delay in stipend payments, which has lasted for ten months, has caused significant havoc among Ghanaian students in Morocco.

“Leading to financial struggles, emotional distress, security threats, and academic challenges for undergraduat
es, masters, PhDs, and post-doctoral students. Some individuals have developed the urge to commit suicide, and some are at risk of developing mental problems due to the mental stress faced in this havoc,” portions of the statement read.

The statement also cautioned that Ghanaian students might be forced to abandon their studies and return home if the government does not release the stipends soon.

“We trust that this plea will prompt the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat to expedite the stipend distribution process.

“The welfare and academic achievements of the students hang in the balance, necessitating immediate action to relieve their plight and ensure the continuation of their education.”

Source: Ghana Web

In today’s world, sustainability has become a cornerstone of corporate responsibility. The role of Public Relations (PR) professionals in shaping public perception around environmental initiatives has become more crucial than ever.

Alongside genuine efforts to promote sustainability, a pressing concern exists – Greenwashing. Greenwashing refers to the practice of making false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits or sustainability of a product, service, or company.

Public relations plays a significant role in perpetuating greenwashing, as companies use PR tactics to create a false narrative and improve their public image. Companies may use PR to craft messaging that portrays them as environmentally responsible or sustainable, even if their actions don’t align with these claims.

As part of activities lined up for this year’s World PR Day Festival organized by Global Media Alliance, a ‘Greenwashing x PR’ virtual session assembled subject matter experts to delve into the complexity of greenwa
shing, and deepen the need for PR practitioners to navigate away from its challenges.

Hosted by Cynthia Hiram Yaro, Head of Marketing and Public Relations at G-Water Bottling Ltd., the session saw the speakers call for collaborative efforts between PR professionals and sustainability experts to ensure alignment in the organization’s communications. They said this is to ensure truth, accuracy, and consistency when communicating sustainability initiatives to avoid greenwashing.

The Concept of Greenwashing

Eunice Osei-Tutu, a Sustainability Enthusiast, took participants through the concept of greenwashing and how organizations can successfully communicate their sustainability efforts without resorting to greenwashing tactics. She stated, ‘Greenwashing makes us believe that some organizations are engaging in sustainable practices when in reality they are not.’

She emphasized the role PR professionals play in shaping an organization’s Environment and Social Governance (ESG) narrative to enhance their reputatio
n.

‘In most companies, PR is so important when it comes to communicating to the public what the company is doing to mitigate climate issues. PR practitioners need to collaborate with the sustainability experts to ensure that the messaging going out is helping them achieve the actual goal that they do want to achieve,’ she remarked.

Sustainability Requires Real Commitment

The Partner-Country Communication at the Mastercard Foundation, Felix Baidoo, touched on companies and campaigns that have successfully communicated their sustainability efforts without resorting to greenwashing tactics.

Felix Baidoo acknowledged the commendable efforts of organizations and encouraged others to show real commitment to being sustainable. ‘Organizations need to show real commitment to being sustainable by showcasing what they want to do by a certain period and the progress they are making towards that.’

‘If you look at companies and the sustainable efforts they put together, it is not a one-man activity. They often embark
on it as a supply chain challenge to bring others along on that journey,’ he added.

Sustainability and Storytelling

Kobina Otu Okyne, an Environmental Specialist at the World Bank emphasized how PR professionals can use storytelling to engage audiences on environmental issues. ‘No profession creates emotional connections quite like PR when reporting on sustainability issues and highlighting its significance.’

‘We need to be able to go beyond publishing research findings and that’s where for me, storytelling is important. In reporting sustainable activities, there is no professional or industry like PR that creates emotional connection the way practitioners do,’ stated Kobina Otu Okyne.

According to him, PR practitioners’ ability to create emotional connections is ‘really important in telling sustainability stories.”

The speakers called for collaborative efforts between PR professionals and sustainability experts to ensure alignment in the organization’s communications to ensure truth, accuracy, and consi
stency when communicating sustainability initiatives to avoid greenwashing.

The World PR Day Festival continues to highlight critical issues and industry trends relevant to the PR community. This year’s festival will feature a series of events including slush events, masterclass programs, virtual thought leadership sessions, an industry mixer, and the main summit. This year’s festival will touch on key areas such as Sustainability PR, Storytelling, Arts, Artificial Intelligence, Tourism, and Political Communication.

With a special focus on AI and Sustainability PR, this year’s festival will explore the impact of AI and Sustainability in shaping communication strategies for brands, organizations, and individuals. Moreover, it will examine how PR professionals can ethically navigate the use of AI and how to communicate sustainability initiatives while avoiding greenwashing.

The 2024 World PR Day Festival was launched with a podcast conversation exploring the latest trends, opportunities, and challenges in th
e industry.

Source: Ghana Web

A former Third National Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) failed to mention a hospital project the government has started and completed in the Ashanti Region, the party’s stronghold.

Michael Omari Wadie was challenged on Onua TV (May 22) to mention a single project that had been completed since 2017 when the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government came into office.

He struggled to mention one off head even as he tried searching on his phone.

Onua Maakye host, Captain Smart and co-guest Hopeson Adorye, dismissed his reference to the Sewia Hospital project with Captain Smart stating: “Mahama built Sewia, its completed and has been left to rot in the bush.”

When Hopeson Adorye asked whether Omari Wadie could not even reference a single of the Agenda 111 hospital projects, he said “some of the said projects are due to be commissioned in September 2024.”

Smart and Adorye concluded that the NPP had in reality not completed any such project.

Adorye lamented the recent case where Vice President
Bawumia promised to see to the Pwalugu Dam completion even when the project had been started as far back as 2019.

Source: Ghana Web