Category: General

More than 200 delegates across Africa and other parts of the world are meeting in Accra to participate in the Data Protection Africa Summit schedule for December 12 to 15, 2023.

The Summit, which officially opens tomorrow, is a flagship programme of Africa Digital Rights Hub (ADRH) held annually across Africa in collaboration with other partners.

This year’s three-day international conference, being organised under the theme: ‘Building Bridges for Oversight and Accountability’, will bring together policy makers, regulators, researchers, lawmakers as well as key industry players in the digital space, particularly data protection practitioners and privacy experts.

Key thematic areas expected to take centre stage at the Summit plenary sessions include Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Transfers across Africa, Data Protection and ID Systems in Africa as well as Digital Trade, Data Protection and African Continental Free Trade Agreements (AfCfTA).

A news brief by Madam Teki Akuetteh, Executive Dir
ector, ADRH, said the Summit sought to explore relevant issues on data protection and privacy in Africa, taking into consideration current ecosystem and measures that must be taken to address the risks of violations.

It said in furtherance of the theme, issues pertaining to building a framework of trust for data transfers would be discussed.

Also, in recognition for the need to work together to build bridges, trust and a congenial framework for data flows across Africa, the summit would promote cooperation among governments, public and private institutions, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders.

The brief said with the trend of increase in the implementation and use of national biometric digital identity system in Africa over the years, the Summit would also look into mechanisms for user centric approaches and mechanisms to guarantee data protection rights.

It said ADRH was hopeful the Summit would help advance awareness and discourse on data protection issues in Ghana.
Source: Ghana
News Agency

More than 500 workers at Oxfam, the UK charity that fights against poverty in the developing world, have suspended their strike for better pay after they were made an improved offer by management.

The strike, which began on Friday and also took place on Saturday, was the first in the charity’s 81-year history.

It was planned for 17 days in December over average wages at Oxfam that the Unite trade union said had fallen by 21 per cent in real terms since 2018.

However, on Monday, Unite announced that the strikes planned for December 14, 15, 16 and 17 would be suspended while it balloted low paid Oxfam staff who work across the charity’s shops, offices and Oxford headquarters.

The union said that if the pay offer was rejected the strike would begin again on December 20 and continue until December 31.

‘Following talks on Friday, an improved offer was made and therefore Unite has suspended action to allow its members to be balloted on the proposed deal,’ said a statement from the union, which is Britain and
Ireland’s largest trade union with members working across all sectors of the economy.

Before the strike, Oxfam workers said that while their pay had not improved, the charity was publicly condemning real-terms pay cuts by other UK employers.

In contrast, Oxfam’s last reported cash reserves stood at £44.6 million in 2022.

This is the highest they have been in at least five years and at the very top of the acceptable range the charity has for reserves, which is between £35 million and £45 million, according to Unite.

The workers then voted by 83 per cent in favour of a strike in a ballot with an 82 per cent turnout.

The vote came after they rejected a pay offer of £1,750 or six per cent, whichever is higher, plus a one-off taxed payment of £1,000 for the lowest earners.

Unite said that the charity ‘has repeatedly refused to enter fresh negotiations’.

The General Secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, said: ‘Oxfam wants to end poverty and says it is on the side of unions.

‘Yet its own workers report having t
o use foodbanks, it refuses to engage with the only union representing its workforce…

‘This is rank hypocrisy from an organisation that should know better.’

She added: ‘Oxfam is an extremely wealthy organisation and can afford to put forward an acceptable offer without impacting its charity work in the slightest.

‘Its workers have their union’s total and unflinching support as they strike to make sure that happens.’

Oxfam?s total income for 2022 was £373 million, while its expenditure was £329m. Meanwhile, a recent survey of Oxfam workers found that in the last year eight per cent had used foodbanks that give out free food, 22 per cent had not been able to pay their rent and 34 per cent have had to choose between heating their homes and feeding their families.

The Regional Coordinating Officer of Unite, Jamie Major, said: ‘Like many other employers in the charity sector, Oxfam exploits its workers’ commitment to its aims by not paying them properly.

‘Our members are striking as a last resort and Unite’s
door remains open for talks at any time to resolve this dispute.’

Before the strike, an Oxfam spokesperson said the charity was doing what it could to reduce financial pressures on its staff ‘within the limits of the resources we have available’.

Oxfam said that its reserves had dropped since 2022, and were ‘currently at the lower end of what is necessary to allow Oxfam to weather future financial shocks’.

The charity said that it expected this financial situation to go on for the next few years.
Source: Ghana News Agency

 Two people were killed and seven injured in an attack on a Red Cross humanitarian convoy in Sudan’s war-torn capital.

The convoy of three Red Cross vehicles and three buses carrying civilians to safety was clearly marked as they travelled in Khartoum, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said late Sunday.

‘This attack is unacceptable, and we are grief-stricken,’ said Pierre Dorbes, the head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan.

In Sudan, the armed forces under the leadership of de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan have been fighting against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since mid-April.

The RSF is a quasi-army that emerged from militias in the Darfur region and is led by al-Burhan’s former deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo.

The war has displaced 6.6 million people within Sudan or to neighbouring countries.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Mark Odoi Adjei, Head of Banking Operations at ARB Apex Bank PLC, says the Bank is pleased with the performance of the Builsa Community (BUCO) Bank in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region.

‘We have reviewed the financial performance of the bank and wish to state that we are generally pleased with the performance for the period under review.

‘ARB Apex Bank is pleased with the 19.26 percentage increase in the profit before tax from GH?1.10 million in 2021 to GH?1.32million in 2022,’ he said.

Mr Adjei who addressed the 23rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Bank in Sandema, the Municipal capital, for the period ending year 2022, added that, ‘We are also happy with all the positive key performance indicators of the bank for the period under review.’

He said the ARB Apex Bank was further excited about ‘The good progress the Bank has made as a result of which the Directors have proposed payment of GH?0.0245pesewas per share, amounting to GH?351,903.00 in dividend to esteem shareholders o
f the Bank pending regulatory clearance.’

The Head of Banking Operations urged the Directors and Management team to keep up the good work and push harder to implement a more aggressive and forward-looking credit output programme in the communities.

He said a few banks in the country among ranked from one to ten, were able to declare dividends, but the BUCO Bank, which was among the ten best Banks in the country, always declared dividends amidst all the financial challenges.

‘This makes BUCO Bank shareholders one of the fortunate ones in the industry because a multiplicity of factors has conspired against the payment of dividends by most Rural and Community Banks in the country.

‘This shows that with the right support by shareholders, the Bank can perform better and declare other payments,’ he said.

Mr Adjei said the ARB Apex Bank was happy that the BUCO Bank consciously committed resources to corporate social responsibilities every year, as it spent GH?41, 100.00 in the areas of education, agriculture, h
ealthcare, culture, sports and the environment in 2022.

He said corporate social responsibility investment was the most tangible way members of the community would remember the Bank for, and not profits declared, nor the dividends made to shareholders after AGMs.

Mr Adjei congratulated the Management of the Bank and its shareholders for a successful 23rd AGM,and said the 2022 financial year performance would serve as benchmark for more impressive results for next year.

Mrs Akanbangbiem Agamu Asokea, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the BUCO Bank, in a report delivered on her behalf, said as at the end of the year under review, the Bank was rated strong by the Efficiency Monitoring Unit (EMU) of the ARB Apex Bank PLC.

She said the Bank occupied the tenth position in the league of 147 Rural and Community Banks as against its fourth position in 2021, ‘This was due to the worsening of the Bank’s Non-Performing Loans.

‘I will urge all our borrowing customers to pay their loans on time, so as to impro
ve our position in the league of Rural Banks in Ghana,’ she said.

Madam Vida Akantagriwen Anaab, Municipal Chief Executive for the area, in a speech read on her behalf, acknowledged the pivotal role BUCO bank played in transforming lives of rural dwellers in areas of poverty reduction, economic empowerment among others in the Municipality.

She said government would continue to put in place measures to create appropriate enabling environment and regulatory framework to help promote vibrant and sustainable financial services, and commended BUCO Bank for living up to its corporate social responsibility.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Government of Ghana has no plans of selling its 30 per cent shareholding in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited (Vodafone Ghana), Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister of Communications and Digitisation, has informed Parliament.

She said Vodafone Ghana, which holds 70 per cent in the Ghana Telecommunications Company, had transferred its stake to the Telecel Group in February 2023.

The Minister made the disclosure on the floor of Parliament on Monday, in her response to a question by Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamekpor, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, who wanted to know from the Minister whether Government had any plans of selling its shares in Vodafone Ghana.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful noted that under the shareholders agreement the concern of the minority shareholder (Ghana Government) was not required for Vodafone Ghana (the majority shareholder) to transfer or to sell its shareholding in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited; saying ‘concern is no
t required under the shareholding agreement’.

Mr Dafeamekpor asked the Minister whether she would be able to tell the House the value for the 70 per cent share that Vodafone Group Plc got in transferring its share in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited to Telecel Group.

‘Mr Speaker, the question was specific, as to whether Government has any plans of selling its shares in Vodafone Ghana Ltd. The answer has also been specific, that (the) Government has no such plans,’ she said.

‘If the Honourable Member requires any further information, I suggest that he files a substantive question to which I will come and give a response. I do not have that information at the top of my head. Thank you, Mr Speaker.’
Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Tongu Constituency, with support from the First Sky Group, has relocated 300 displaced flood victims from their various camps into newly built houses.

The MP’s initiative was to provide permanent abode for the displaced residents after losing their homes and belongings to the flood caused by the water spillage from the Akosombo Dam.

Mr Ablakwa lauded the First Sky Group and chiefs for joining hands with his office to construct the first phase of the new houses.

He indicated that he would cater for the rent and any other utility tariffs for the beneficiaries.

Mr Ablakwa said the Safe Alternative Housing Project, would also provide another key advantage to the stranded 800 first year students, who would be reporting to school, and the continuing students in second and third years to also prepare to resume after losing some six weeks of academic work at the St. Kizito Senior High Technical School.

He gave the assurance that he would st
rongly support every effort to revive St. Kizito and offer special interventions to enable the students to catch up with other schools across the country.

He pledged his commitment to commence the second phase of the Safe Alternative Housing Project in the area.

Mr Gawu Anthony, one of the beneficiaries shared his joy with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and lauded the efforts of the MP and the First Sky Group, for making it possible to relocate them to a safer abode.

He said the initiative would help his family to regain their mental health after months of sleeping in classrooms.

Mr Vibutor Jennifer, a single mother of five children, also expressed her gratitude to their benefactor, saying though the houses would not be as comfortable as their lost home, the gesture was an indication that the MP had his people at heart.

Mrs Vibutor also appealed to the MP to lobby for the restoration of their livelihoods.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Tarkwa circuit court has sentenced Isaac Tweneboah Koduah, a 36-year-old caterer, to 20 years imprisonment in hard for unnatural carnal knowledge.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama convicted him accordingly.

During mitigation, Koduah revealed to the court that, ‘I do not know what is happening to me, I do not know if I can be given any help. I am even ready to commit the same offence.’

Presenting the facts of the case, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, said that the complainant (name withheld) is 30-year-old and unemployed reside at Mandeline, while Koduah lived at Gyantekrom, all in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality.

Prosecution said about five months ago, the complainant and Koduah met at Gyantekrom, became friends, and exchanged contacts.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said a few days later, the convict called the complainant on phone and invited him to come over to his house, so he would assist him in his business.

On November 14, 2023, t
he convict convinced the complainant to come to his house through a phone call and he agreed since they were friends.

The prosecutor told the court that when the complainant arrived, Koduah claimed he was visiting the washroom, pleaded with the complainant to wait for him in his room.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the complainant without knowing what happened to him regained consciousness and noticed his penis was in Koduah’s mouth with discharges.

She said the complainant who was surprised with Koduah’s attitude slapped him and he managed to escape from his room, reported the case to the Police at the Aboso Police station where he was arrested to assist investigation.

During investigation, Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the convict admitted the offence in his caution statement and indicated that he had strong sexual desire for men.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Chaplain of the Sekondi Methodist Senior High School, Reverend Prince Addae, has reminded Christians to ensure that they are in constant preparation for the second coming of Christ by putting their houses in order.

According to him, most of the people in the Lord’s vineyard were saturated with the glories and fame of the world, forgetting about working out their salvation with fear and trembling to inherit the eternal kingdom.

Rev. Addae was delivering the sermon at a thanksgiving service of the late Madam Grace Dontoh, a non-teaching administrative staff at the Methodist Senior High School who passed on after a short ailment at Kansaworodo in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA).

Preaching on the theme,’ Waiting in preparation for the coming of the Lord’, he asked Christians to always remember that their life was in transit and should not put their trust in the world as the ‘the world and its riches and glories were transient’.

The Minister of the Gospel appealed to Christians to reflec
t soberly on the demise and passing of Madam Grace Dontoh to amend their ways and doings and repent from their evil ways.

He observed that most believers continued to wallow in sin which had become a blockade between them and God and urged them to reconcile with God for the sake of eternity.
Source: Ghana News Agency