Africa’s problems are politics, religion, and hypocrisy.
When we hold a position, the majority of our close associates are always protecting their daily bread, so they always tell you what you want to hear and sing your praises all because of favor. They sometimes make us create unnecessary permanent enemies.
Almost all our leaders or former appointees got to know the truth when they got out of office, and that was the time to amend their ways. In Africa, when you hold a position, people pamper you, worship you, and even make you their god.
Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah (COKA)
When you hold any leadership position, a lot of people attend your birthday party, funerals, your great grandchildren’s birthday party, and other ceremonies without you inviting them. Position friends are causal friends.
Their assignment ends when your position ends. Remember, if you can talk to the “powers”, walk to them, boast of the powers, big belly, and worldly things, then remember your constituency.
Old friends are always the best, so please remember the ‘gabeans’ seller. She is still selling on a table.
Let’s touch lives when we are in a leadership position because there will always be tomorrow. Coka, l care.
The great personal charisma of the Vice-President and newly elected Presidential Candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), His Excellency Dr. Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia, was on full display yesterday at the Manhyia Palace when he joined the Asantehene and Asanteman to mark the last Akwasidae of the year 2023.
Just like what occurred a week ago during the final funeral rites of the late First Lady, Mrs Theresa Kufuor, the Ashanti Region once again accorded the Vice-President and his entourage a mammoth welcome to the traditional seat of the Asante Kingdom.
Dr.Bawumia interacting with Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
Clad in both Asante customary dress and party colours, enthusiastic residents and party faithful could not help but exhibit their love and admiration for the new ‘kid on the block’ of Ghana politics as he and political bigwigs, such as ministers, MPs, MMDCEs and party executives, arrived at the colourful ceremony.
Bringing proceedings to a near standstill, the Vice-President subtly responded to cheers from the crowd.
Dr.Bawumia and his wife at the event
The Vice-President and the Asante Kingdom have since ventured into mainstream politics. He has forged a very smooth and cordial relationship with the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who refers to him as his son whilst the Vice-President also refers to the King as his fatherDignitaries who accompanied the Vice-President were the Second Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia, two former presidential aspirants – Ing Kwabena Agyapong, Hon. Addai Nimoh – National Chairman of the party, Mr. Stephen Ntim; General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Koduah, and the Ashanti Regional Chairman, Chairman Wontumi.
The rest were Education Minister Hon. Osei Adutwum, Majority Leader and MP for Suame, Hon. Osei-Kyei-Mensah; Energy Minister Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Ashanti Regional Minister Hon. Simon Osei Mensah, MP for Effiduase, Hon. Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, Hon. Adwoa Safo, Hon. Carlos Ahinkorah, Hon. Alexander Tettey and Hon. Alfred Obeng.
A total of 72,429 people in the Ashanti Region are estimated to be living with HIV, according to the Ghana Aids Commission 2022 report.
Out of this number, only 26,006 are currently on Anti-Retroviral (ARV) medication at health facilities, leaving a gap of 46,421 who cannot be accounted for in terms of antiretroviral uptake. These individuals are either unaware of their status or have defaulted on ARV treatment.
Mr. Dennis Bandoh, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Focal Person for HIV/AIDS, disclosed to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the region also recorded 4,618 new cases at the end of the third quarter of 2023, representing a 2.1 percent increase over last year.
HIV testing is conducted in two categories – Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), mainly for pregnant women, and HIV testing services for non-pregnant women and men, he explained.
Mr. Bandoh stated that a total of 62,835 pregnant women had been tested under the PMTCT category, with 681 testing positive. Additionally, 3,937 people tested positive out of 51,940 screened under the HIV testing services category.
“The key challenge we are facing is getting men to test voluntarily because men are mostly hesitant to check their status,” he noted.
Some males believe that once their pregnant wives or partners test negative, they are automatically negative. He explained that there were cases where sexual partners had different statuses without knowing, emphasizing the importance of testing regardless of their partners’ status.
Mr. Bandoh highlighted that early initiation of treatment can halt the progression of the virus to the AIDS stage, urging individuals who test positive to seek treatment at health facilities convenient for them.
Literature and available data indicate that men having sex with men, female commercial sex workers, long-distance drivers, and uniformed men are mostly at risk, he said.
“Most men in the gay community have sex with their partners without protection, thereby exposing them to the virus. Men in uniform and long-distance drivers, by the nature of their work, are often deployed to places far from home and also work at night, exposing them to the temptation of having multiple partners and unprotected sex,” Mr. Bandoh noted.
He spoke of innovative strategies adopted by the Ghana Health Service to increase testing, including index testing, where people who have tested positive are encouraged to send their close family and sexual partners for testing.
HIV self-test kits have also been made available in all health facilities where one can walk in for the kits.
Campaign Coordinator for the Vice President in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Ayew Afriyie, says the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, will, in the coming weeks, unveil better and alternative policies ahead of the 2024 general elections.
He refuted claims that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is spending time attacking former President Mahama rather than talking about policies to convince the Ghanaian voter.
He insists that throwing jabs is a natural part of politics and Dr. Bawumia will respond in equal measure when the need arises.
The Effiduase/Asokore Member of Parliament highlights the positive response Dr. Bawumia has received so far during his thank you tour, which means he is the best fit to lead the country.
Dr. Afriyie spoke to journalists when the Vice President met some religious leaders in Kumasi.
“It’s not a kind that is so different. You see people attest in the North that I am not an NPP. Me and my family, we are supporting Dr. Bawumia. Dr. Bawumia has a lot up his sleeves. He will throw a lot of jabs at Mahama. Bawumia will tell us where we have to go. He is the best man for the job.”
The Ghana Nurse-Midwife Trainees Association (GNMTA) has issued an ultimatum to the Ministry of Health over the unpaid allowances of its trainees.
In a statement, the association expressed disappointment regarding the disbursement of arrears owed to trainee nurses and midwives.
According to them, despite the assurances of financial clearance granted to the Controller and Accountant General, only a fraction of the long-overdue two-year arrears has been settled.
“The Ghana Nurse Midwife Trainees Association finds it necessary to issue an ultimatum to the Ministry of Health. By December 8, we insist that the remaining five months’ arrears be expeditiously settled. This ultimatum underscores the urgency of rectifying the apparent discrepancy and honouring the commitment made during our collaborative discussions.”
The group, in July, made calls to the government to address the critical matter of their unpaid allowances which had spanned several months.
This prolonged delay exacerbated the hardships faced by the trainees who depended on these allowances for their education and well-being.
Adumbisa Pascal, National President, GNMTA
Read the full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT ON RESOLUTION OF NURSE-MIDWIVE TRAINEES’ ARREARS
In the wake of recent developments concerning the disbursement of arrears owed to trainee nurses and midwives, the Ghana Nurse Midwife Trainees Association(GNMTA) wishes to express both gratitude and profound disappointment. The Association acknowledges the partial payment of two months’ worth of arrears, a gesture for which we extend our thanks to the Ministry of Health.
However, the apparent shortfall in the disbursed amount has left us in a state of shock and disbelief, particularly in light of the commitment made during our recent high-level discussions with prominent stakeholders, including the esteemed Minister of Health.
It is disheartening that, despite the assurance of financial clearance granted to the Controller and Accountant General, only a fraction of the long-overdue two-years’ arrears, out of which seven months’ worth was to be received, has been settled. This disjunction between commitment and action is not only perplexing but also raises concerns about the transparency and efficiency of the financial processes involved.
In response to this situation, the Ghana Nurse Midwife Trainees Association finds it necessary to issue an ultimatum to the Ministry of Health. By December 8, we insist that the remaining five months’ arrears be expeditiously settled. This ultimatum underscores the urgency of rectifying the apparent discrepancy and honouring the commitment made during our collaborative discussions.
Adumbisa Pascal, National President, GNMTA
While we express our appreciation for the partial payment, it is paramount to emphasize that such gestures, though acknowledged, fall significantly short of meeting the financial expectations and obligations of our dedicated trainee nurses and midwives. The Association is committed to constructive engagement and dialogue, but in the event that the stipulated deadline passes without the complete settlement of arrears, we regrettably reserve the right to explore alternative avenues to address this matter. We seek a fair and expeditious resolution that upholds the integrity of the commitments made to our members.
In conclusion, we urge the Ministry of Health to reflect upon the gravity of the situation and take decisive action to ensure the fulfilment of the outstanding arrears. Our trainee nurses and midwives deserve nothing less than the timely and just compensation promised to them.
There was jubilation amid drumming and dancing by tutors and students of Adoe D/A JHS at Gomoa in the Central Region and Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO),Tamale, in the Northern Region when the two schools were officially declared winners of the junior high school (JHS) category and the senior high school (SHS) category of the 2023 School Farm competition under the auspices of Blue Skies Foundation and Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC).
Ghanasco and Odoe D/A JHS displaying their awards
Both tutors and students of the two schools couldn’t hide their joy as they displayed their dancing skills to the admiration of hundreds of participants at the CCB auditorium of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on Friday, 24th November 2023.
Ghanasco representatives receiving their prize
Odoe D/A JHS, which maintained its 2022 position as the overall best School Farm of the year for the JHS category, took home four desktop computers, a certificate, a plaque and other farm inputs from the sponsors of the competition.
GHANASCO, which emerged as the overall winner of the 2023 School Farm competition, also went home with five desktop computers, a certificate, a plaque and farm inputs from the sponsors.
Mr.Benjamin Gyan-Kesse,the Executive Director of KIC presenting the prize to Odoe D/A JHS
The overall winners were selected from 200 participating schools from 11 regions out of the 16 regions in Ghana for a period of seven to eight months with intensive activities.
The School Farm competition, which is an initiative of Blue Skies Foundation powered by Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) and other partners, is an agricultural school challenge project that aims to increase the desire of young people through learning experiences, by providing the schools with inputs (seed and basic farm tools) to cultivate their crops on designated school farms.
In an interview with the Executive Director of KIC, Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, he stated that the initiative would encourage students across the country to consider agriculture as an income-generating venture in their life journey, thereby improving Ghana’s food security.
According to him, the programme aligns with KIC’s mission of driving innovation to create and apply commercial solutions to Ghana’s key development challenges, starting with agriculture.
“Through the support programmes organised by KIC, we’re able to spot and invest in young ‘agripreneurs’ with remarkable innovations,” he said.
“KIC also provides support through tailored coaching, skills building, expert mentorship, seed funding, and facilitating connections within and across industries,” he added.
The Executive Director of KIC said the School Farm competition exposes young people to the opportunities available within the agriculture value chain.
According to him, even though agriculture plays a key role as regards the growth of the Ghanaian economy, majority of the young people are not very interested in agriculture despite the good opportunities it provides.
He said at KIC, they believe in drawing the interest of young people towards agriculture using innovation. KIC Ghana, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, came on board to leverage and help scale up this laudable initiative to reach out to more schools, stressing that school farm competitions provide perfect grounds for their target.
The Chairperson for the event, Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe, the 2022 National Best Farmer, who doubles as the Akyempemhene of the Juaben Traditional Area, heaped praises on Blue Skies Foundation and Kosmos Innovation Centre and their partners for the initiative.
He, therefore, encouraged all Ghanaians, especially the young ones, to go into farming since it is agro-business contrary to tagging it as punishment.
“l can tell you that farming is very lucrative and sexy. Let’s all disabuse our minds and encourage our children to go into farming,” he stressed.
Other speakers including the Ashanti Regional Director of Food and Agriculture, Rev. John Manu, representatives of the Ghana Education Service (GES), among others, lauded the School Farm competition and pledged their support to the organisers.
They advised the students to put what they learn from the programme into good and practical use to engender positive changes in their various communities.
The various speakers described the initiative as a big game-changer to the nation’s agricultural sector and, therefore, urged all stakeholders to support it.
The awards
The best school farm of the year 2023 award – Junior High School (JHS) category:
Overall best school farm of the year award – Odoe D/A JHS.
Best school farm of the year award Senior High School (SHS) category:
Overall winner – Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO),Tamale
1st runner-up – Bepong SHS
2nd runner-up – Mankessim Senor High Technical School (SHTS).
The winners of other awards were: Most entrepreneurial school award (Adoe D/A JHS).
Most committed school 2023 award (Peki SHTS)
The most innovative school farm of the year award – Ecole Ransard School.
Discovery of the year award 2023 – SDA SHS – Gomoa.
Most sustainable school farm of the year award – Ghana Senior High School,Tamale
Other awards are:
Best male school farm of the year award JHS category (Abdul Latif) received a tablet, a plaque and a certificate.
Best Female student JHS category award (Ofeibes Annan of Adoe JHS) also received a tablet, a plaque and a certificate.
For the best male student award SHS category – Bright Anibroka of Bepong SHS received the award with a laptop, a certificate and a plaque, while Effah Yvonne of Peki SHS also was adjudged the best female student for the SHS category with a similar package.
There were several other awards given to deserving persons. They included Ruth Smith Agyei’s special recognition award, the best teacher for both JHS and SHS; judges discretion awards, Anthony Pile special recognition award, Cecil Boamag-Lanptey, among other awards.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), is investigating over 2,000 candidates who participated in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) over suspected malpractices.
These candidates have been summoned to WAEC’s offices to address questions regarding alleged irregularities detected during the exams.
The Council is withholding the results of specific subjects of these candidates until the investigations are concluded.
File photo
Concerned parents are accompanying their children to WAEC’s offices in the Ashanti Region, expressing apprehension about the situation.
One parent said, “I received a message from her headteacher about the situation, so I decided to come here with her. It’s very unfortunate that they’ve asked her to join them in the room. I’m waiting for her to return to know what transpired.”
A headteacher, also a WAEC centre supervisor, also said, “My daughter is part of those who wrote the BECE. I had a message that we should come to WAEC. They said there were irregularities with the exams they wrote. So, we have been here for them to check it.”
On November 9, 2023, the West African Examinations Council revealed that the scripts of 22,270 candidates in certain subjects had been withheld and were under scrutiny for reported cases of mass cheating.
WAEC has indicated that the results may either be cancelled or released based on the outcome of the investigations.
Vice President of the Confederacy for the Development of poultry in Africa (CADA), Mr. John Bewuah Edusei is applauding Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. K. T. Hammond for some initiatives he intend to introduce in 2024.
The Ministry tabled a motion for parliamentary approval on November 21, 2023 to place restrictions on some items that are imported into the country.
The move, according to Mr. Bewuah Edusei is long overdue and therefore applauds the Minister for the boldness to take such a step that is advantageous to the future of the country’s economy.
The Minister explained during a press conference earlier this week in Parliament that the move was aimed at boosting local production.
His Ministry, he noted was therefore seeking Parliament’s approval to restrict the importation of some 20 strategic products into the country.
These items include rice, diapers and some animal intestines. “Stomach of animals, bladder and the chunk of intestines (yamadie), the country had had to put in an amount of about $164 million towards the importation of these items. We are taking steps to ensure that in terms of rice, there’s no poverty of rice in the country,” The Hon. Minister said.
In a statement issued to journalists on Thursday, November 23, 2023, the CADA Vice President also expressed misgivings at some people who are already against the yet-to-be-taken step of the minister.
“…I heard of people bitterly speaking against it, with insults and outright condemnation.
Sometime you wonder if our country men want to see the building of our nation or just interested in condemning, either for political gains or selfish gains because of business.” He noted.
He however encouraged Hon. Hammond not to allow the antagonistic views to stop him from leading the way in planning for the future of the country.
“Mr. MINISTER, BRAVO, table your motion before Parliament. Prove your qualities as a leader, Stand firm, reject the insults and the pull him down syndrome and lets begin to plan for it.”
His full statement has been published below:
A Short while ago, I heard a news item that talked about a list of items prepared by the minister of Trade and industries, Mr K.T. Hammond, sent to Parliament and requesting for a BAN ON IT’S IMPORTATION into our country. Already in the same news item, I heard of people bitterly speaking against it, with insults and outright condemnation.
Sometime you wonder if our country men want to see the building of our nation or just interested in condemning, either for political gains or selfish gains because of business.
If the minister calls for a ban on certain items, it dose not mean that the businesses involved are being collapsed. It only wants same businesses to invest their capital in local production to create jobs for our citizenry, rather than to create jobs for the countries from where we import.
It also means that we can conserve our foreign exchange reserves and strengthen our local currency, the Cedi.
We have become too complacent, always seeking easier Profits from buying and selling and not profits from Local Production. Over $130 Million worth of OFFALS or the Viscera organs of Cattle, is a disgrace. I also remember that at one stage we were importing Chicken legs, this is just unacceptable for a great country like Ghana, who seek to be mentioned among the best.
If the Pounds Sterling, Dollar and Euros are stronger today, it is because these countries concentrated on local production and rather exported their surpuluouses for foreign exchange. If indeed importation is the number one enemy to the regular fall of our Cedi, why is it taking us too long to deliver the Cedi from imports. Why has it taken us too long to strengthen Cedi through local Production?
One such example is our huge Poultry industry that has been given over to our foreign brothers EU, USA, BRAZIL etc. Today the Poultry industry in Ghana is near collapse, all because of the huge imports of Frozen Chicken. Farms that use to have about 800,000 chicken like AKATE FARMS, today has just about 20,000 chicken and jobs have fallen from 700 to 15. I can Go on and on. TOPMAN FARMS, RICHARM, UNITY FARMS, G.I. FARMS, AMPOFO FARMS and many others.
I do agree that the successes of this policy may not be very sudden, but its an excellent beginning and we all as a nation need to begin to plan with a pragmatic programme that offers a bright future full of successes.
I will like to single out the example of Nigeria. On one single occasion in the year 2003, the then president of Nigeria, President Obasango, at a single programme declared, (IF NIGERIA CAN NOT PRODUCE CARS AND AIROPLANES, IF NIGERIA CAN NOT PRODUCE ITS BUSES AND MACHINERY, HOW ABOUT THE CHICKEN THAT WALKS AROUND ALL OUR COUNTRY, EVEN THE VILLAGES?
DO WE ALSO NEED THE WHITE MAN TO PRODUCE CHICKEN FOR US TO EAT ? WITH IMMDIATE EFFECT, ALL IMPORTATION OF CHICKEN AND CHICKEN PRODUCTS ARE BANNED AND ITS AN OFFENCE TO DO SO. THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCEINCE AND WE MUST BEGIN TO DO IT OURSELVES, WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. YES WE CAN.
I am talking about the ALMIGHTY Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. If NIGERIA COULD TAKE THIS BOLD INITIATIVE, HOW CAN’T SMALL GHANA ?
This decision was bound to create some shortages for a period, but at the same time you create a huge local market and create JOBS. It is said that nature abhors vacuum and any time you create a vacuum, you also create the opportunities for the citizens to shuttle around and find all means to produce locally, to fill the vacuum created.
It may take a little time, but when success is achieved, it is forever. This policy has worked so well for Nigeria and also extented to other local products by 2015.
If Ghanaians woke up one day to see that there was no chicken to eat, the same Ghanaians will now begin to find out how they create their own Chicken to eat. MIND YOU, TODAY’S POULTRY SCEINCE HAVE IMPROVED TO A LEVEL WHERE THE BROILER CHICKEN CAN BE RAISED IN A TIME OF 4 AND 5 WEEKS ONLY. Today in Nigeria, its not only CHICKEN, but the list goes on and on and on and on.
It includes more than 30 other products, including RICE.
The Nigerian Rice may not be as perfumed and sweet as what we import into Ghana, but at the end of the day, it provides lots of Jobs and the citizens are content eating their own thing and happy making local production in their own backyard.
In the case of Ghana, our local Rice is on record as being the best, yet we wait for sometimes only one company, like the days of FINATRADE, to import all the rice, make all the profit, send their money home and declare bankruptcy, collaping 3 local Banks.
I am very sad and disappointed with comment over this initiative by Honourable KT HAMMOND and his Ministry, with some people even calling the Minister as WICKED. Is that how we want grow our nation?
We are virtually been spoon-fed by the waste of our white partners? How about the years and days when goods and services can not flow from one angle of the world to another, because of disasters? Most of The products they bring to us are their waste and by-products.
Do we know that the world’s population is targeted at reaching about 11.2 Billion by the year 2100 ? When do we want to start planning for this population increases. Please note that the developed world will feed its own, before the waste gets to us.
How about our Imports from the DRY PORTIONS OF AFRICA, BURKINA, NIGER etc ? Are we not ashamed importing Onions, Tomatoes, Water Mellons, Carrots etc, to a Wet land like Ghana? Are we not ashamed? When do we want to start developing a Ghana that is self sufficient, with its basic needs? How about Making the Sacrifices today, with a Vision to reach a certain targets tomorrow ?
Then there is the issue of our meagre foreign exchange which has to be used for food imports, with all the Green lands at our disposal.
Chicken alone takes about $500 Million and again to mention that our Food import value is more than $2 Billion.
When will we start developing our dear nation and putting an end to this petty Politics?
A politics that sees everything wrong with everything good? That is not how to succeed in life and Government. If power is destined for you, talking good about a good policy does not mean that you will not win power, if indeed its your turn.
Mr. MINISTER, BRAVO, table your motion before Parliament. Prove your qualities as a leader, Stand firm, reject the insults and the pull him down syndrome and lets begin to plan for it.
THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCEINCE and if we have to succeed as a nation, we have to start now, getting the importers to INVEST IN GHANA. THE TIME OF SPOON FEEDING, BUYING (IMPORTING) AND SELLING, DOES NOT HAVE A FUTURE FOR OUR DEAR NATION, it must end at some point.
