Francis Adomako
The Ashanti Regional Organiser of ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Francis Adomako, has lamented that the regional branch of the party is being run by one person.
He was not happy that majority of the elected executives of the party are left in the dark with regard to decisions taken and implemented in the Region.
Francis Adomako aka François
Speaking on Ghanakoma morning show on Akoma 87.9fm in Kumasi with Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin, Francis Adomako indicated that, if immediate actions are not taken to streamline activities of the NPP in the Region, the consequences will be dire.
According to him, he is not aware of any Disciplinary Committee, Fund Raising Committee, Operations Committee and others after the Regional Executives were elected over two years ago.
The Regional Organiser stated that his Deputy Organiser was appointed without being consultated.
“My Deputy doesn’t give me the needed respect and does things on his own. He claims he doesn’t report to me the Regional Organiser,” Mr. Adomako noted.
He expressed disquiet with what he claims to be unhealthy jostling for power and one-man show or control of the party in the Region. This, he said, is hurting party unity and creating needless tension in the party.
“I do not see anything wrong with that and do not begrudge anybody for striving to live their political dreams. What I, however, disapprove of is the resort to crude tactics, running down people, one-man show, telling painful lies about others to gain political advantage. That certainly is not a noble thing for anybody to do”, he stated.
Mr Adomako promised to resist any moves to cause unnecessary distraction, cracks and confusion in the party.Source:3News
The leadership of the Christ Apostolic Church of Ghana (CACG) has eulogized Parliament for passing the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill into law.
According to the Church, the passing of the bill Parliament has assured the people of Ghana that the Parliamentarians were ready to fight for the good of the people of Ghana.
Addressing the media in Kumasi over the weekend, The Trustee Chairman and Leader of the Christ Apostolic Church of Ghana, Apostle Abraham Amoh, appealed to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to follow the good gesture and example by the Parliamentarians and sign the bill.
Apostle Amoh
He explained that there was the need for the President to listen to the voice of the populace and in the interest of the majority of Ghanaians sign the bill to make it a law to bind all Ghanaians.
Apostle Amoh stated that although Ghana remains a secular state, there was a need for the President to consider the cultural values and beliefs of all various ethnic groups and faith-based Organizations and do what the people are looking for to promote peace in the country.
He also reminded the President to be mindful of the rich cultural values that keep the nation in good shape and not people’s adopted cultures.
The Trustee Chairman explained that “there is the need for the culture of the various ethnic groups in the country to be protected and strengthened to protect the cultural values and moral activities which make up what the country stands for”.
Advice to political parties
He mentioned that since both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parties have governed this country before, it was time to compare their administration, vision and how they delivered for Ghanaians to allow one of the parties to move the nation forward.
Apostle Amoh urged Ghanaians to carefully select which of the two parties has the people of Ghana at heart by implementing the right policies that stand the chance of changing the living standard of the people through poverty alleviation initiatives.
He advised the Electoral Commission to be transparent and fair in their duties in the coming elections and also urged leaders of the various political parties to caution their followers to be disciplined and follow election guidelines for a peaceful Ghana before, during and after the elections.
END
An eleven-member Ugandan delegation on Monday visited Ghana’s Education Ministry to understudy the nation’s education reforms.
The delegation who would be in the country for five days was led by Madam Kabahena Flavia Rwabuhoro, a Member of Parliament (MP) and Chairperson for Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development, as the team comprised of eight MP’s and three staff.
The team will as part of the mission visit various agencies under the Education Ministry to engage the leadership of the agencies to learn more of what is done there and ask the necessary questions on best practices.
Welcome note
In his welcome address, the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said the visit by the delegation would go a long way to deepen the relationship between the two countries
He took time to show pictures and videos of new and ongoing projects and explain the current state of education reforms in the country which has led to the nation becoming the first port of call for many countries in Africa who keep coming to understudy what is going in the education sector
Dr Adutwum, said, “We have not reached where we want to go but we have moved forward and hope that we will become a model on the African continent soon”.
He lauded the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his commitment and interest in transforming the fortunes of the country through education
The Education Minister and other Directors at the Ministry spent time answering several questions from the Ugandan team who wanted to understand the various policies being implemented in the country as part of the education reforms.
The leader of the Ugandan delegation, Madam Kabahena Flavia Rwabuhoro, lauded Ghana for its role in the development of the African continent citing the state of the nation’s education which has become a model for other African countries.
She also eulogized the country for the development of its democracy making it a model when it comes to the development of democracy in the sub-region
Best education in the sub-region
The delegation pledged to liaise with the leadership of Ghana’s Education Ministry to reform its education system since Ghana had one of the best education systems in the sub-region.
The delegation has since visited various agencies under the Ministry to engage management and staff on their programmes and policies so they could adopt any aspect of the policies.
Chief Director of the Education Ministry, Mrs Mamle Andrews, recounted the effort being made by the Ministry to come out with the best policies, programmes and initiatives that stand the chance of turning around the fortunes of the nation through education.
She pledged the preparedness of the staff and management of the Ministry towards the attainment of the best outcomes over the various interventions being executed currently by the Ministry.
Background
The past three years has seen many African Countries visiting the Education Ministry to engage the leadership to understudy the ongoing reforms in the sector.
This follows the introduction of numerous education interventions brought to the fore by the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who has a barrage of experience in education policy and development.
Apart from the visitation by various nations in the African continent, the nation’s education reforms started by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government has attracted the attention of the global platform leading to the presentation of an award to the country at the recent World Government Summit held in Dubai.
The award was presented to the country for one of its policies called the “Ghana Education Outcomes Project” (GEOP) for integrating 17,340 Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) learners into mainstream schools and enhancing learning gains through innovative interventions in the first year.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Asafo-Agyei Hospital at Daban in Kumasi, Archbishop Prof. Dr. Asafo-Agyei Anane-Frimpong, has received worldwide celebration on his 80th birthday which fell on Friday, 8th March 2024.
Archbishop Asafo-Agyei is an industrious son of Ghana, who has contributed immensely to the health sector for over 50 years now.
It was, therefore, not surprising when thousands of people across the globe, especially Ghanaians, sent him well-wishers, acknowledging his great contributions in the areas of health and religion.
In his appreciation statement, Archbishop Prof. Dr. Asafo-Agyei Anane-Frimpong commended Ghanaians for their show of love to him.
He said, “On my behalf, I express my sincere appreciation to you all for attending my 80th birthday party.
“Your presence at my birthday party was the best gift of all. I feel so blessed to have people like you who made the party so much fun.
“Special thanks to my wife, children, and my staff at hospital for their continued commitment and dedication to the work and exhibition of compassion to patients. I also dove my hat to my numerous patients for their confidence in my 50-year practice as a medical practitioner.”
50 years of medical practice is a significant milestone that deserves special celebration.
Archbishop Prof. Dr. Asafo-Agyei is well known in the Kumasi metropolis and beyond for his exploits in the medical field, with the establishment of the Asafo-Agyei Hospital at Daban-Kumasi, where piles are treated without surgery.
For decades in practice, Prof. Dr. Asafo-Agyei has attended to and treated millions of patients from far and near with profound professionalism and care, for which reason he has been celebrated globally since 1991.
“My dream was to become a footballer from my secondary school days at Prempeh College, but my mother did not agree to my decision. It was my God father, Dr. I. B. Asafo-Agyei, a medical practitioner in Kumasi (whom I was named after), who encouraged me to pursue medicine.”
“The Ghana Medical Association filed a case in court to restrain me from practising the treatment of piles in the country as, according to the Association, I did not have a licence to pursue that treatment,” he disclosed.
“At the court, I submitted valid documents from Cambridge University, testifying to my professional training in the treatment of piles,” he added.
He continued, “I also thank Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his encouragement for me to settle down in Ghana and to practise my profession.
“It is my prayer that the Almighty God replenishes all your efforts in ensuring that Asafo-Agyei Hospital performs to the best of its ability in rendering excellent healthcare services to all manner of people.”
Vision
To find pathways of excellence in physical health delivery as well as provide spiritual well-being to the deprived in society.
To provide quality, affordable and first-class healthcare services as well as bring salvation messages to all and sundry within the community we operate.
To promote regenerative health and nutrition to achieve healthy lifestyle for the people.
To champion support for security agencies, needy senior citizens, widows, orphans, the physically challenged and the youth through “Giving Back to the Community” project in Ghana to establish educational institutions from creche through basic, junior and senior high schools and the establishment of a university as well as a teaching hospital.
“I wish to assure you of my highest desire to continue to work with you in areas of interest for our mutual satisfaction.
Once again, accept my heartfelt appreciation for making my birthday unforgettable. May God bless you all,” he concluded.
On their part, Nana Kwadwo Gyasi, Bishop Emmanuel Asante, a former Chairman of National Peace Council(NPC) and many more distinguished personalities heaped praises on Archbishop Prof. Dr. Asafo-Agyei for his great contributions to the nation.
They encouraged up-and-coming health professionals and ministers of the gospel to emulate his good and shining examples and rededicate themselves to patriotism towards nation-building.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has given the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) seven days to provide a detailed incident report on power outages for the period January 1, 2024 to date.
According to the Commission, the ECG is also to state the volume of load curtailed for each power outage incident, energy not served, and number of customers affected.
This directive was contained in a report sighted by JoyNews.
Meanwhile, PURC says failure on the part of ECG to respond to these key issues will force the Commission to impose sanctions on the power distribution company.
The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has announced the government’s plan to license the satellite internet network Starlink to operate in Ghana.
According to her, this was part of the government’s efforts to address the internet disruption in the country.
Briefing Parliament on the issue of internet disruptions on March 18, she said “We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks. One web has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana.
“We must also invest in operationalising RASCOM, the Regional African Satellite Company, instead of each country going alone.”
She advised organisations to take cues from these internet disruptions and store their content, databases, applications, and services in at least two tier-three or tier-four data centers in the country, located at different locations.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful
Additionally, she recommended making use of the National Data Center as either their primary or backup recovery data host.
Before the recent internet disruption, the minister said her outfit did not have the framework for licensing satellites; however, over the years, it has equipped itself with the requisite knowledge to license these satellites.
“The NCA did not have a framework for licensing satellites but the Authority has in the last year concluded bench-marking and learning from other jurisdictions where this has been implemented. Currently, they have developed a satellite licensing framework in Ghana which has been approved by its board and awaiting the final policy approval.
“This framework will provide the policies and rules relating to the application for frequency authorisations for satellite services in Ghana. It outlines the various categories of satellite services, the licensing requirements, and its associated fees,” she added.
In December 2023, the ministry cautioned the public to desist from purchasing items from Starlink since it was not licensed in Ghana.
The notice said,“Any entity which provides electronic communication services in Ghana without a Licence or Authorisation from the NCA is in direct violation of Section 3(1) of the Electronic Communications Act 2008, Act 775 which states that, ‘Except as otherwise provided under this Act a person shall not operate a public electronic communications service or network or provide a voice telephony service without a licence granted by the Authority’.
In this light, Madam Owusu-Ekuful assured that the ministry had performed due diligence and is ready to offer an operating license to the company to help improve access to internet.
“A draft framework was subjected to industry consultation and approved by industry. The objective of the framework is to provide increased regulatory oversight for the services, more connectivity solutions or options for consumers, and other measures,” she added.
She, however noted that the service offered by Starlink was expensive. She thus assured that there were plans to engage other sector players to cater to individuals across different economic streams.
“However, I must remind us all that the fee charged by the satellite, low-earth orbit satellite operators like Starlink for hardware and services show that they will cater for high-end value subscribers because they are expensive.
“We’re currently also having discussions about affordable back-haul satellite solutions with all satellite service providers under the auspices of the ITU. This conversation has been ongoing for a while, but I believe what has happened in the recent past will activate and energise these discussions for solutions to be reached soon.”
The Ministry of Education has assured parents and other stakeholders in the educational sector that the ministry has put in place pragmatic measures to ensure a regular supply of food to all senior high schools (SHSs), as well as technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in the country.
The Spokesperson for the Education Ministry, Mr Kwasi Kwarteng, who disclosed this information to the media on Friday,15th March 2024, gave the assurance following recent concerns raised by some Ghanaians on food supply to schools.
The concerns compelled Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Education Minister, to task teams from the Education Ministry, Ghana Education Service and the Free Senior High School Secretariat to tour the entire country to ascertain the true state of food supply in schools across the country.
Dr.Osei Yaw Adutwum,Education Minister
He explained that, after the tour, the teams confirmed that currently all schools have adequate stocks of food in their storage facilities.
Mr Kwarteng stated that there is also a prompt and up-to-date payment of funds allocated for the purchase of perishable food items to all schools.
He said feedback from the headmasters of the various schools and students visited by the teams indicated overall satisfaction with the quality and quantity of food being served.
He, however, stated that if there was any particular school that had a peculiar challenge in connection with the supply of food from the zones, that would be treated with urgency as a special case.
The spokesperson assured parents and all other stakeholders in the educational sector to have confidence in the ministry’s swift and hands-on response to the issue since the government continues to prioritise the welfare of students, as well as other efforts being made to contribute to the overall enhancement of food security in SHSs.
He noted that the sector Minister is personally interested in the smooth running of all schools at all levels of education in the country and would continue to adopt prudent measures to ensure the creation of a conducive environment in all schools for effective teaching and learning to take place.
Background
Following reports and speculations about irregular distribution of food items to SHSs/TVET institutions across the country recently, the sector Minister, Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum, tasked teams to all regions in the country to ascertain the true state of affairs in connection with food supply in schools.
Their visits to the schools, which were aimed at obtaining first-hand information on food distribution and feeding practices at selected SHSs, was a proactive approach and a testament to the ministry’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of students in the educational system.
Importers and freight forwarders at the Tema port are asking the Ghana Shippers Authority to ensure that shipping lines do not charge them for extra demurrages, rent, and storage due to delays caused by the general internet disruption in the country.
The general disruption in internet services across the country since last week has negatively affected the clearance of cargo at Ghana’s largest seaport, leading to demurrages.
Co-chairperson of the Technical Committee of the Tema District of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Paulina Abrokwah, explained the level of impact on the cost of doing business at the port.
“We’re hoping that with the situation at least some of the service providers like the shipping lines and terminals will be considerate and waive the extra cost related to any delay that will occur.
“We are hoping that the Ghana Shippers Authority will take the lead in this and ensure that traders or importers don’t have to suffer to pay demorages as a result of this general internet outage,” she explained. She told JoyNews that they expect the Ghana Shippers Authority to intervene to ensure shipping lines do not take advantage to charge them extra for the delays caused by the internet disruption. “One area that area that was really bad was the banks. They were unable to pay duty, at least, as of Friday. Once you’re not able to pay, you cannot continue with the rest of the processes,” she said.
The National Communication Authority (NCA) estimates it may take a minimum of five weeks for the faulty undersea cables to be restored to bring back stable connections in the affected countries
On the back, the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Samson Azaki Awingobit, said the Economic Management Team (EMT) must immediately come up with a Plan B to ensure importers do not suffer.Source: Myjoyonline.com
Director-General of the Ghana Aids Commission, Dr Stephen Kyeremeh Atuahene has debunked claims that a consignment of anti-retroviral drugs procured by the Health Ministry cannot be traced.
This follows reports indicating the medications are fast running out and should completely run out by May.
President of the National Association of Persons Living with HIV, Elsie Ayeh said they are at their wit’s ends as health officials begin rationing anti-retroviral drugs meant to sustain them.
However, Dr Atuahene said this information was not entirely true, and the reports were unnecessarily causing fear among these persons.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on March 18, he said, “We should not create needless anxiety among the persons living with HIV because I know that we have enough drugs at least from now up till May and hopefully, if the ministry’s commodities come in, then there would be no cause for alarm.”
The Director-General explained that the government had already arranged for these drugs to be in place before the current ones in the system are exhausted.
He added that the fact that health practitioners were rationing drugs did not mean a shortage. Dr. Atuahene said the particular facility might have almost exhausted what was allocated.
“I am aware that the government procured ARVs to fill the gap at least starting from May and if we do not receive government procured ARVs, that is when we will begin to have shortage but presently, I cannot anticipate any shortage as being alleged and then speak to it specifically.
“Not being able to account for it does not mean it is missing,” he said in response to claims that some $15 million dollars worth of medications had gone missing, explaining that “Government through the Ministry of Health was supposed to procure anti-retroviral medicine. It was an arrangement between Ministry of Health and Global Fund and we are all fully aware that those drugs should be arriving by now,” he said.
Meanwhile, he assured that the Health Ministry was working round the clock to ensure that there are enough drugs in the system and there is no need for unnecessary panic.
“Presently the issue is one of the top priorities being considered by the new Minister for Health and I know he is an action man and will have it resolved as quickly as possible.
“Just last week, we had a meeting with the ministry together with the Global Fund on this subject matter and the necessary actions are being taken.
“Some should have arrived in December but not all of it. The assurance we have is that ministry has procured and the contractors or the suppliers will deliver,” he added.Source: Myjoyonline.com
Almost 700 people have been rendered homeless, and the roofs of 87 houses ripped off at Debibi, a farming community in the Tain District of the Bono region, following a downpour.
The downpour, accompanied by strong wind and thunder, caused massive destruction to public and private properties.
The situation has forced displaced persons to seek temporary shelter with relatives and neighbours who have not been affected.
According to the Assembly Member for the Debibi Electoral Area, Amoako Atta, some schools have the roofs of their classrooms ripped off, exposing books and other educational materials to the vagaries of the weather.
The schools, he indicated, include Debibi Roman Catholic (RC) Kindergarten and Primary, Faith Preparatory Primary and Junior High and Debibi Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Primary ‘A’.
“Debibi SDA Church, Capstone Church and the palace of the late Chief of Debibi, Nana Nangor, also had their roofs ripped off,” Mr Amoako explained.
He said the devastating rainstorm lasted for two hours, and about nine people sustained various injuries.
Mr Amoako indicated that officials from the Tain District Assembly and the District Coordinator for the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) have visited the community to ascertain the extent of damage.
Mr Amoako emphasised the need to assist the victims to get back to their homes, although friends and families have offered them shelter.
“We appeal to benevolent individuals and organisations to help these displaced people with relief items so they can also resume normal life,” he stressed.
The disaster victims have also appealed to the government, donor agencies, the Tain District Assembly as well as philanthropists to aid them in rehabilitating their houses.
