Category: General

The Access Bank Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Thon programme has graduated 50 women and women-led entrepreneurs in the agriculture value chain, equipped with knowledge to take their businesses to another height.

The Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Thon, now in its fifth season, aims to empower female entrepreneurs to improve on their businesses.

Of the 50 women who graduated, the top three received GHS100,000.00 each.

They were Madam Ruth Wewura Guribie, Chief Executive Officer, Sava Shea Company Limited; Madam Rosemond Afua Afful of Ayden Ventures, and Madam Augustina Akosua Asor Tufuor, Founder/Manager of Tropical Snacks.

The Access Bank MD’s special award of GHS20,000.00 for the most eco-friendly business went to Madam Hannah Aidoo of HA Farms.

Madam Pearl Nkrumah, Executive Director for Retail and Digital Banking, Access Bank Ghana, extended her heartfelt wishes to the finalists of season five and assured them of their unwavering support on their entrepreneurial journey.

She commended the partners, GIZ and Gopa AFC, fo
r their dedication and support towards the success of the programme.

She said last year’s edition focused on supporting women entrepreneurs in the agriculture and agri-related sectors; saying: ‘I’m proud to share that approximately 130 women-owned businesses have benefited from this programme.’

She announced a groundbreaking initiative – the Mastercard Foundation Bridge-in-Agric Loan, to solve the challenge many women entrepreneurs faced in accessing funds.

It would offer affordable loans at highly discounted rates, providing a crucial steppingstone to scale up their yourinesses, she said.

‘In our commitment to your success, we will continue to leverage strategic partnerships to develop your skill sets and create platforms for you to engage with equity investors for further business growth,’ she said.

‘We are excited to unveil the W Marketplace (Women in the Marketplace), an e-commerce platform that will connect you with buyers and enhance your market reach.’

Madam Matilda Asant-Asiedu, Group Head, Reta
il Banking, Access Bank Ghana, said: ‘Today, as we celebrate this graduation, let it be known that this isn’t the culmination of our shared journey.’

‘At Access Bank, we value not just transactions but transformational relationships. Your continuous growth is our priority, and to solidify our commitment, we proudly introduce the Womenpreneur Alumni group.’

Mr Christoph Pannhausen, Project Lead, GIZ AgriBiz Programme, said the GIZ was happy to be part of the empowering women initiative.

He assured the beneficiaries of the programme that each one of them would be assigned individual business coaches, who would be assisting them to grow their businesses.

Madam Ellen Ayensuaa Agyepong, CEO of El Food Services and Class Representative of the Season Five Pitch-A-Thon, expressed gratitude to Access Bank Ghana for empowering them.

‘Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey. Let’s continue to use the knowledge we have acquired to ensure that our businesses survive.’

Madam Guribie, one of the top three awardees, in an
interview with the Ghana News Agency, commended Access Bank Ghana for supporting and empowering their businesses.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Akatsi Police in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region, has arrested three suspects for allegedly killing a 31-year-old man at Wlitey-Agamakope

The deceased, Christopher Alavi, who lived at Ziope, until the revelation, went missing after he left home to attend a family meeting at Lume Ahugakope on September 7, 2023.

Mr Agbenyega Klaye, the regent of Wlitey-Gamakope, a suburb of Akatsi, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that Simon Dorve, the prime suspect, aged 41, is a fetish priest and resident in the area.

He expressed surprise about the alleged act, in which the suspect himself had since confessed to having murdered the deceased, with his head and both legs removed for some ritual purposes.

A Police source has confirmed the arrest of Mr Dorve and his other two accomplices to the GNA.

The source revealed that a complaint was made to the Akatsi Police about the missing of the deceased.

The source revealed that upon further investigations, two suspects, namely Godfred, a stude
nt, and Ahomey Gbeti, also a fetish priest, were arrested for having in their possession, some belongings of the deceased.

‘After interrogation, Ahomey Gbeti confessed to having committed the crime with the main suspect, whose custody the deceased’s motorbike and body was found, with some body parts buried,’ the source said.

Mr Dorve was subsequently arrested on Saturday dawn, February 10, at Wlitey-Gamakope to assist in investigations.

It was disclosed to the GNA that the Police would proceed to the community on Monday, February 12, where the crime was committed to exhume the remaining body for further action.

The suspects, who were arraigned at the Akatsi Magistrate Court on Monday, have been remanded into Police custody and will reappear on March 13.

The crime, added to two, within a space of a week in the Municipality, after a similar one was committed by another fetish priest at Dzuefe, where he was alleged to have killed his son.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Police have commenced investigations into the death of Mr Eric Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer of Cossy Hill Hotel at Jirapa in the Upper West Region.

The deceased was found dead on February 11, 2024, lying in a pool of blood in one of the rooms at the Hotel.

A news brief from the Police said the Regional Crime Scene Management Team had visited the scene of the incident.

It said one person had since been detained to assist the investigation.

The brief said Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector-General of Police, had deployed a team of investigators and experts led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Faustina Agyeiwaa Kodua Andoh-Kwofie, Director-General, Criminal Investigation Department, to work with the Upper West Regional Police Command to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A once-feared army general, who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for more than three decades, has a message for voters ahead of upcoming elections – from beyond the grave.

‘I am Suharto, the second president of Indonesia,’ the former general says in a three-minute video that has racked up more than 4.7 million views on X and spread to TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

While mildly convincing at first, it’s clear that the stern-looking man in the video isn’t the former Indonesian president. The real Suharto, dubbed the ‘Smiling General’ because he was always seen smiling despite his ruthless leadership style, died in 2008 at age 86.

The video was an AI-generated deepfake, created using tools that cloned Suharto’s face and voice. ‘The video was made to remind us how important our votes are in the upcoming election,’ said Erwin Aksa, deputy chairman of Golkar – one of Indonesia’s largest and oldest political parties. He first shared the video on X ahead of February 14 elections.

The party is one of 18 competing
in this year’s race, which will see more than 200 million voters head to the polls. Golkar is not fielding its own presidential candidate but has thrown its support behind frontrunner Prabowo Subianto, a former army general under Suharto’s military-backed regime – and also his former son-in-law.

By bringing a long dead leader back to life just weeks before the vote, Golkar’s intentions were clear: to encourage voters to throw their weight behind the party synonymous with Suharto.

‘As a member of Golkar, I am very proud of Suharto because he successfully developed Indonesia,’ Aksa wrote on X. ‘He brought a lot of success. We must respect it and remember his services – Golkar was there.’

But online critics decried the act of using a dead man’s face and voice, especially for political propaganda. ‘This is the state of our country today – bringing dead dictators back to life to fool and scare us into votes,’ wrote one Indonesian on X.

‘Since when did it become ethical to create deepfakes out of dead people? I
t feels so morally wrong,’ said another.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, has been invited to be a ‘distinguished panelist’ at thus year’s Harvard’s Africa Development Conference (ADC), set to take place on the 12th and 13th of April 2024 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The ADC stands as the premier global platform for meaningful discourse on Africa’s development and facilitates crucial conversations that shape the continent’s future.

Heads of state and influential figures, such as William Ruto, Kenyan President, Paul Kagame, Rwandan President, João Lourenço, Angolan President, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Former Credit Suisse Chief Executive Officer, Tidjane Thiam, are set to come together to share progressive policies, fostering partnerships for Africa’s development.

The 2024 ADC is on the theme: ‘Africa Delivers: Pragmatic Paths to Prosperity’ spotlights the continent’s progress and potential amid global challenges, spanning vital sectors such as law, governance, inte
rnational relations, economics, business, technology, environment, security, health, education, media, and arts.

The organizers are excited about the inclusion of a panel devoted to trading in and with Africa, a realm in which they believe Togbe Afed’s wealth of knowledge and expertise was invaluable.

The panel will explore the transformative potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and its implications for the future of trade in Africa, and discuss how it can strategically address energy supply and transportation infrastructure challenges.

As the Executive Chairman of World Trade Centre Accra, and a member of the Board of the World Trade Centres Association, New York, the organizers believe Togbe’s ‘deep engagement in the field of trade and commerce’ makes him an ideal panelist, and that, his leadership and contributions to the establishment of companies demonstrated his expertise in finance, economics, corporate advisory, and infrastructure development-all of which are crucial aspect
s of trade in Africa’.

The ADC organizers expressed their belief that Togbe Afrde’s insights would greatly enrich the discussion on the transformative potential of AfCFTA and sustainable trade partnerships and contribute to the collective dialogue on Africa’s development journey.

This assembly of prominent personalities highlights the event’s significance as a platform for dialogue and collaboration on practical solutions to propel the continent towards sustainable development, and underscores the importance of leveraging African leaders’ knowledge and experience in this regard.

Thus, the invitation of Togbe Afede XIV, who had been a participant at Harvard’s Annual Global Empowerment Meetings, not only honors his contributions to economic development in Africa but also provides a forum for him to share his vision for the continent and his insights into strategic approaches for overcoming infrastructure deficits and ensuring energy security.

The Harvard Africa Development Conference 2024 is poised to be a
landmark event, offering actionable insights, and fostering partnerships that will be instrumental in unlocking Africa’s economic potential.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union has joined organized Labour to suspend its intended strike on February 13, 2024.

This was due to the government’s intentions to suspend the introduction of VAT on electricity to engage the International Monetary Fund.

Mr Morgan Ayawine, the General Secretary of the ICU-Ghana, said at a press briefing, ‘We are equally suspending our action, and we will be on red alert.’

‘The message we are sending to our members out there is that it is a victory, a victory not only for our members but for Ghanaians,’ he said.

He said the Union believed that the government’s decision to suspend the tax on electricity should be final and nothing else.

‘We want to believe that it is a suspension in perpetuity. So our members should not feel that we have been defeated,’ he said.

Organized Labour met on Friday, February 2, and took a decision on their ultimatum to the government to withdraw the tax on electricity, which ends in January 2024.

The demonstration was intended to get t
he government to back down on the introduction of the tax on electricity, which has impoverished Ghanaians and increased their difficulties in the country.

The leadership of organized Labour called on all workers in the country to start wearing’red’ to work on Monday, February 5, to send a strong signal to the government that they won’t compromise until the government dropped the decision to impose VAT on electricity.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC) has inducted Reverend Washington Komla Darke as the new Senior Pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in Accra.

Rev. Darke replaces Rev. Dr. Fred P. Deegbe, the immediate past Senior Pastor of the Mega Church.

Rev. Darke originally took office in 2023 as the Senior Pastor Elect of the Calvary Baptist Church but underwent a year’s mentorship under the Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe.

During the mentorship period, Rev. Darke was assigned the responsibility of leading and supervising key assignments including the Development of a long-term (2024 – 2033) Vision Statement for the Church, which provided a broad guide for the development of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework for the Church.

He also ensured the development of the Medium -Term Strategic Framework for the Church covering the period 2024 to 2028; and also Developed an enhanced Quarterly Progress Report Format for the monitoring and evaluation of activities outlined in the Strategic Framework.

In a short sermon a
t the Induction Service held at the Calvary Baptist Church Auditorium, Rev Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, former Executive President of the Ghana Baptist Convention reminded Rev. Washington Darke of his responsibility as the head shepherd of God’s sheep.

He also reminded him that the house of God (Calvary Baptist Church) was not only a place of worship, but also a place of refuge for all those looking for salvation or seeking the help of God.

Rev. Dr. Adu-Gyamfi appealed to the leaders of the Church to operate a people friendly church and make it a place where souls are safe and protected.

‘The church is supposed to be a refuge for unbelievers and all believers, a place where murderers can even run to and find salvation. There are many souls that are being lost and need to be led to Christ Jesus’.

Rev Dr. Adu-Gyamfi called on the Church leaders to support the administration of Rev. Washington Darke and ensure his succeess.

He entreated the Church members, which he described as a ‘Mega Church’ to raise more minis
ters and workers of God.

Rev. Washington Komla Darke was inducted into office by Rev. Dr. Fred P. Deegbe, the outgoing Senior Pastor of the Church who led him to take the oaths of office and secrecy.

He also handed over to him, the symbol of office, official bible, copy of GBC constitution and the official minister’s rope.

In a short remark, Rev. Dr. Deegbe expressed his profound appreciation to the Ghana Baptist Convention and the congregation of Calvary Baptist Church for working closely with him throughout his tenure.

He urged the Church to extend the same cooperation and support they accorded him to his successor.

Rev. Dr. Deegbe expressed his readiness to play any role or give any assistance required of him by the church or the new Senior Pastor.

On his part, Rev. Washington Komla Darke, the new Senior Pastor of the Church applauded the good leadership of his predecessor who served the convention for over 30 years.

He said that even though he knows that the shoe size of his predecessor is very hug
e, he needs the help of Christ to grow in it, and would graciously serve the church humbly and diligently to the glory of God.

According to him, he would continue to build on the good foundations of his predecessor, and also ensure that the vision and mission of the church remained supreme and would not be changed in his tenure.

The current operational vision of the Church quotes: ‘A vibrant congregation impacting the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ’ and its mission quotes: ‘To exalt God in worship, grow towards Christian maturity and reach out to the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ’.

Rev. Darke revealed that his administration would introduce some core principles – Alertness, Compassion, Thoroughness and Initiatives and Diligence to guide the church in the discharge of their duties.

This, he said, is where the Church would be very aware of its environment and provide the appropriate responses; invest in people and provide care to them; avoid practices that diminish effectiveness and efficienc
y; act proactively with due regard to church leadership; and to complete tasks assigned for the glory of God.

As its long-term goals in the next 10 years, the Calvary Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Washington Komla Darke would focus on four thematic areas including; Evangelism, Missions and Spiritual Growth; Christian Education; Mentorship and Empowerment; Governance and Infrastructural Development as well as Financial Sustainability for Growth.

The Executive President of the Ghana Baptist Convention, Rev. Enoch Nii Narh Thompson who graced the occasion encourage Rev. Washington Komla Darke to remain focus, committed and loyal to the Church, the Convention and most importantly the Lord Jesus Christ.

He expressed confidence in his ability and anointing to lead such huge congregation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Nkawkaw District Court has remanded 37 accused persons into Police custody over the attack on Kwahu Begong Chief’s Palace on February 4, 2024.

A news brief from the Police said the accused persons were arraigned before the Court on five counts, including causing unlawful damage to properties following their arrest in connection with the attack.

It said all the accused persons were to reappear before the court on February 23, 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency