Vodafone has today announced the launch of an international digital skills programme to provide career guidance and access to training content in the digital economy for up to 10 million young people across 18 countries. The Vodafone digital skills and jobs initiative is the largest of its kind in the world.

Vodafone has also announced plans for a significant increase in the number of young people brought into the company to gain direct experience of the digital workplace. Vodafone will expand its existing graduate, apprenticeship, internship and work experience schemes worldwide to reach a total of up to 100,000 young people worldwide by 2022.

The two initiatives were announced as Vodafone published the results of a major international public opinion survey revealing the extent to which young adults, aged 18-24, believe they are ill-equipped to participate in the digital economy, despite being the first generation to be “born digital”.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that more than 200 million young people are either unemployed or have a job but live in poverty. In many of the countries in which Vodafone operates, including Ghana, youth unemployment is at record levels. Previous studies have found that a prolonged period of unemployment shortly after a young person leaves school to enter the workforce, can have a lifelong negative effect on individual confidence, self-esteem and wellbeing.

Commenting, Yolanda Cuba, Chief Executive of Vodafone Ghana said:

“The needs of this new age are unique and complex. The workplace of the future requires a human resource equipped with a new mind-set of winning.  Our Digital Skills portal is a very timely tool to equip the youth with the necessary skills and know-how to embrace the increasing demands of the world of work.  Over time, every workplace will go digital, creating accelerating demand for a wide range of specialist technology skills. We want to help connect the new generation to the new world of work.”

Paradoxically, unemployment among young people is rising just as businesses of all types and sizes are struggling to fill a wide range of digital technology roles that are critical for future growth. A recent report commissioned by the Ghana Statistical Service revealed that more than 1.2 million persons from 15 years and older are unemployed in Ghana.

Getting young people into work

Over the last year, Vodafone has worked with specialist psychologists, careers advisers and training providers to develop a smartphone-based service – called the Future Jobs Finder  (https://futurejobsfinder.vodafone.com/) – that offers young people a simple but comprehensive gateway to new skills and opportunities for employment in the digital economy.

The first step in the Future Jobs Finder is a series of quick psychometric tests designed to identify each individual’s aptitudes and interests and then map these to the most appropriate job category in the digital economy. In the second step, the individual is directed to specific job opportunities in their chosen location, including opportunities with Vodafone. Users can also access relevant online digital skills training providers, with many of these courses available for free. On completing the tests, users also receive a summary of their skills and interests that can be used on their C.V. or in a job application.

Getting young people into Vodafone

As a leading technology company, Vodafone has a strong employer brand recognised by young people. In each of the 26 countries in which Vodafone operates, there are well-established graduate, apprenticeship and internship schemes as well as a wide range of work experience opportunities including coding classes for high school girls. Over the next five years, Vodafone will double the number of opportunities offered to under-25s to experience the world of work, reaching a total of 100,000. This represents the largest commitment to training and development of young people since the founding of Vodafone 33 years ago.

Story: Business Desk

Information reaching Today indicates that some pregnant women at Kasoa and its environs in the Central Region who visited the Awutu Bereku National Health Insurance office on Tuesday, March 21, 2018 were denied replacement of their NHIS identification card. 

Speaking on Bryt FM on Saturday, the women revealed that their NHIS cards have expired for the past six months but anytime they visited Awutu Bereku NHIS office to renew them, the authorities told them there were no cards.

They indicated that the hospital authorities also refuse to attend to them when they visit health centers because of the expired cards. Most of the women said their time for delivery was due and pleaded with authorities at NHIS to come to their aid.

The situation has compelled the women to call on the Minister of Health, Mr. Kweku Agyeman Manu, to, as a matter of urgency, make some of the cards available at all health insurance offices within the region.

Story: Freeman KORYEKPOR AWLESU

Writer’s Email: freeman.koryekpor@todaygh.com

Ti-Kelenkelen: “Ghana Beyond Aid” (2)

By Yirenkyi Lamptey

Also, those who benefit from corruption are at all levels of the public service, and they will fight back. Interestingly, corruption goes all the way to the days of colonialism.  All the colonising European states, including the British, were armed robbers.  They came here with the bible and sweet words and when those failed to subjugate us they used guns and ammunitions.  Yes!  Anyone who doubts that should go and read the translated (English) version of the conversation between Fanti King, Nana Kwamina Ansah, and the representative of the Portuguese king, Don Diego de Azambuja. 

And please note – Dear Reader – that in referring to colonialists as armed robbers, Ti-Kelenkelen is simply calling the creature by its proper name; not insulting them.  And if we cherish progress, we will realise that in this 21^st Century, Europe (or the West) have only changed their clothing.  If we know what is good for us, we will begin to teach ourselves that such knowledge is one of the principles we need to always keep in focus, and teach it to our children and our children’s children.  In making up government and taking our state resources away to build their home countries, Europe started official corruption on the grand scale.  The tragedy, as philosopher, Kwame Gyekye, has pointed out, is that we Africans imbibed that negativity and has transported it into independence without paying attention to the fact that we (unlike the colonialists) are hurting ourselves.

Currently, the problem is that the corrupt are in the NPP and NDC, in all sectors of the economy, and collaborate to steal from the people of Ghana.  There is collaboration between public officials and private entities at corruption – a phenomenon Kwame Gyekye describes as “reciprocal” relationship.  Over and above that corrupt persons in office during one national administration will disrupt the fight against corruption; even by support they receive from those without national administration.  In short, it is in the interest of corruption culprit within the NPP if Nana Akufo-Addo’s zeal to fight corruption loses steam.

And so the president should be more aware of what our Akan Elders term “the creature in his own cloth” that will go to do corrupt acts simply to test his resolve.  If, for whatever reason, the president fails to act he would have done himself in and let Ghana down.  When it comes to fighting corruption, the president can be his own (and Ghana’s) maker or un-maker.  If he punishes his own culprit men and women and party members, he can punish others, thereby encouraging public corruption-fighting agencies to do their job right.  The president is the fundamental role model in the fight against corruption.  And if John Dramani Mahama, when he was President, had applied that principle, Ghana could have been financially better off today.  He could have saved massive amounts of money siphoned out of state coffers, including the Consolidated Fund.

Finally…

There are aspects of the issue that are not direct challenges, but general conditions that engender the capability of Ghana to work for and towards attaining goals we set ourselves, such as weaning ourselves off foreign financial aid.  A lawyer, Clara Beerie-Kessertee; the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Kweku Baako, and; a deputy Attorney-General, Joseph Dimkiok Kpemka, articulated some of those general conditions on Joy FM’s Newsfile on Saturday, March 10, 2018.

Clara Beerie-Kessertee points to and damns the dependency mindset.  She affirms that we need to bring ourselves to a mass consciousness that says we can be financially independent and can do things for ourselves, including weaning ourselves off foreign financial aid.  And only hard work will enable us take ourselves from our current state of affairs to where we dream to be, she adds.  Kwame Nkrumah articulates that change of mentality when, in his maiden Independence Day speech, he says: “We are going to create our own Africa personality and identity,” because that is what will launch the “new African” who is “ready to fight his own battles and show that after all, the black man is capable of managing his own affairs.”

Kweku Baako mentions the need for the project not to be a lone-ranger affair, where a president declares a project and takes no steps to get relevant public agencies involved and does not charge up the people – public, private and indigenous companies – to also get involved.  A former head of state, General I.K. Acheampong did that with “Operation Feed Yourself.”  “Ghana Beyond Aid” is a project that demands the involvement of everyone and the president needs to work it from that angle.  In fact, ensuring collective involvement will reduce pressure on the president.  That is what will enable Ghana attain the goal in the less-than-a-full generation (30 years) that President Akufo-Addo hopes for.

Finally, but not exhaustively, the task of weaning ourselves off foreign aid is not a partisan-political matter, but one all political parties need to buy into and work together for.  Also, as our Akan Elders will say, if running the daily affairs of a state is cultivating corn, weaning ourselves off foreign financial aid is cultivating an oil palm plantation.  Thus Joseph Dimkiok Kpemka points out that no one should expect that once the president articulated the goal we will wake up the following day and Ghana is weaned off foreign financial aid.  Ghana will have to work for it and at it, and it will take time, he affirms.

Finally, Ti-Kelenkelen hopes all that is a message for those thinking that once past leaders articulated the policy and yet nothing has happened means we can do nothing about it.  Nana Akufo-Addo’s “Ghana Beyond Aid” is what General Acheampong termed “self-reliance.”  It is a journey every state that must be master of its own destiny must undertake.  It encumbers every aspect of the people’s lives and takes off with what President Barack Obama will term the “We Can” mindset.

Definitely, this does not exhaust all issues necessary unto “Ghana Beyond Aid”, but as Nkrumah aptly said: “Organisation decides everything.”  Thus if we understand that the concept is the culmination of all of our efforts at development, we are ready to take step one.  Fortunately, China has shown the way.  Ghana can do it alone, but the journey would be so much easier if Africa will unite thereby speaking with one massive voice while wielding a big stick.  Nkrumah said it, and it is Africa’s only hope.

Young Women Christian Association of Ghana (YWCAG), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has expressed worry over what they describe as an alarming rate of domestic violence, teenage pregnancy and early child marriage in the country.

Speaking in an interview with Today last week Friday, Vice President of YWCAG, Madam Mercy Owusu Duah, said her group was currently embarking on an intensive campaign to educate the public on the need to desist from such acts.

She bemoaned the many young girls dropping out of school due to teenage pregnancy and early child marriages.

In this vein, she called on traditional and religious leaders as well as the media to join in the campaign against such social vices.

For her part, President of YWCAG, Madam Vera Naana Appiah, stated that her outfit was currently giving free training and skills to young females in other to eradicate poverty amongst them.

She pointed out that the association believes that acquiring training and skills for young females will help prevent the situation where they would have to depend so much on men since most men use money to influence young girls due to poverty.

 Story: Freeman KORYEEOR AWLESU

Writer’s Email: freeman.koryekpor@todaygh.com

Swedru-based hip-life artiste, Patapaa Amistry, who shot into the limelight last year with the sensational hit song ‘one corner’, has grabbed his first-ever national award in his musical career.

Patapaa who was an underground musician had his breakthrough in 2017 after he performed the ‘one corner’ song at the Akwambo Festival at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.

The song, which comes with its dance and portrays sexual and crazy antics, went viral and triggered a craze among Ghanaians including some celebrities who recorded themselves performing the dance.

Patapaa has since had his name etched in the country’s music books, despite criticisms that the ‘one corner’ hit song has now fizzled out.

At the maiden 3Music Awards at the Fantasy Dome in Accra Saturday, Patapaa beat off stiff competition from some of the best acts in the music industry, including Shatta Wale and Wutah to win the Viral Song of the Year with ‘One Corner’

Not even Shatta Wale’s ‘Taking Over’, Kofi Kinata’s ‘Confessions’, Lil Win’s ‘Ladder’ and ‘Bronya’ by Wutah, which were the favourites of many in 2017 and beyond, could beat ‘One Corner’.

Patapaa however, could not clinch the Breakthrough Act of the Year Award that had Kidi, King Promise, Kuami Eugene, Kurl Song and Maccasio competing for.

But his hit single winning the Viral Song of the Year, is enough impetus for his music career, which some have argued does not even exist as the artiste is struggling to release yet another banger.

Already, Patapaa is optimistic of winning two categories he has been nominated in for this year’s Ghana Vodafone Music Awards.

His ‘One Corner’ is up against ‘Total Cheat’ by Fancy Gadam ft. Sarkodie, ‘Boys Boys’ by Nacee ft Guru, ‘Pain Killer’ by Sarkodie ft. Runtown, ‘Obi Agyi Obi Girl’ by Captain Planet and ‘Ayoo’ by Shatta Wale in the Hiplife Song of the Year category.

The song has also been nominated for the Popular Song of the Year.

Source: 3news

Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund, Mrs Irene Naa Torshie Addo, has sent a strong warning to all the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to ensure that the two per cent (2%) allocation of the Common Fund earmarked to assist Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) within their catchment areas are not extended to cover PWDs above sixty (60) years.

The 2% allocation of the fund earmarked for the group, she emphasized, was meant for PWDs between the ages of eighteen (18) to sixty years (60).

Interacting with some journalists moments after Parliament’s approval of the proposed formula for the sharing of the District Assemblies’ Common Fund for the year 2018, the administrator explained further that PWDs above 60 years fall within the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) catchment group and therefore do not qualify to be a beneficiary of the releases for the PWDs.

“Persons who are older over 60 years are not part of persons with disabilities. They must fall into LEAP because if you find somebody who is 80 years and is blind it is normal. But if you look at the reason why this policy was done, it was for the youth group – the group that can work. That is the group that former President John Agyekum Kufuor targeted when this policy came up. It is not for babies. I would want us to extend it to babies some other time maybe how to help mothers but for now it is for people who can take care of themselves.

…I want to believe that between 18 to 60 years – that is the catchment group. So, I think that if we are not careful, people will receive money as LEAP and come and take money as persons with disabilities because you realise that the LEAP is for older people,” she cautioned.

Mrs Torshie Addo further stressed that PWDs were not obliged to join any group(s) before they can access the fund.

Anyone should go to their respective assemblies and see the officers in charge to help them go through the process, she stressed.
“I have been receiving reports that some PWDs are told to form groups or join associations before they can access the funds but let me put it on record that there is no such thing. Accessing the funds is by individuals and not by groups or association,” the common fund administrator stated.

Story: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH

Writer’s email: franklin.asare-donkor@todaygh.com

Government will from April next month employ some one hundred thousand unemployed graduates under the Nation Builders Corps programme.

This, according to Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, forms part of plans by the Akufo-Addo administration to address the unemployment situation in the country.

Speaking at the launch of the restoration of the teacher trainee allowances at the Accra College of Education, Dr Bawumia indicated that graduates, who have spent several years at home without any jobs, would be absorbed into the programme.

“We did promise that we will set up a Nation Builders Corps and Nana Addo has said that we want to move this graduate unemployment to deal with it and one of the ways we are going to deal with it is to set up the Nation Builders Corps which will provide modules teaching for nursing, revenue collection, agriculture, governance,” he said.

“The Nation Builders Corps will hire 100,000 graduates, some of whom have been sitting at home for three, four years after coming out of school and have not been able to find a job. By the grace of God, next month, we are hoping that if the President’s schedule permits by April 30, 2018 we will launch the Nation Builders Corps.”

The Nations Builders Corps was announced as a government initiative in the 2018 budget to provide 100,000 jobs to graduates at a cost of GHC600 million.

The focus of the initiative is to improve public service delivery in health, education, agriculture, sanitation and also drive revenue mobilisation and collection.

The NBC is expected to provide every one of Ghana’s 216 districts with jobs for 462 graduates, the minister said.

The programme, which will be managed by the Office of the President, will focus on alleviating shortfalls in public service delivery.

NBC has a number of subsets, which are connected to other major government targets and initiatives.

It will have a “Clean Ghana” Programme for sanitation, a “Heal Ghana” module for health,  “Revenue Ghana” programme for tax collection, a “Teach Ghana” module for education and a “Feed Ghana” module for agriculture.

The NBC is also envisioned to alleviate Ghana’s graduate unemployment problems

They have cited a duplication of roles with the already existing Youth Employment Programme.

Story: News Desk

Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has expressed appreciation to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for fulfilling his promise to restore their allowances.

The allowance was cancelled by the previous administration, citing challenges with the economy.

At a colourful ceremony on Friday, March 23, 2018 to mark the official launch of the restoration of the allowance, the leadership of TTAG presented a plaque to the president to express their appreciation in concrete terms.

A citation accompanying the plaque read: “The Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) expresses its profound gratitude towards your immense contributions for the betterment of teacher education in Colleges of Education across the country, especially the restoration of the Teacher Trainees’ Allowance.

“In view of this we present this citation to you and your government as a token of gratitude for prioritising education as a major tool which will enhance quality education in general.

“Generations will remember you for your effective role in quality teacher education.

Then candidate Akufo-Addo and his party, the New Patriotic Party, promised, among others, to restore teacher and nursing trainee allowances if Ghanaians give him the opportunity to lead the nation in the December 2016 election.

True to his word, the president in his first budget announced the restoration of the allowances (Ghs400 per student every month they are in school), to the delight of the students.

Vice President, H.E. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who received the award on behalf of the President, assured the students and tutors of the NPP government’s commitment to providing quality education for every Ghanaian, adding

“This is another promise fulfilled. We have also restored nursing trainee allowances, as promised. We promised to reduce electricity tariffs, and we have done it. In the face of all the economic challenges, we still went ahead and introduced free senior high school education. We have had one year and three months of fulfilled promises.

“This is possible because we have prioritised education. We need a skilled workforce to transform this nation, and it can only be achieved with quality, enhanced education.

“We will continue to invest a significant chunk of the nation’s resources to ensure we achieve the transformation of Ghana, in all spheres.”

Story: News Desk

There is a heavy deployment of armed policemen at the Law Courts Complex in Accra as immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Dr. Stephen Opuni and others charged with willfully causing financial loss to the state, make first appearance.

The armed to the teeth policemen, backed by the Formed Police Unit and their riot control vans, are positioned strategically at various points of the courts complex, while others patrol the adjoining streets either on foot or in trucks.

The security presence is also felt within the corridors of the complex itself, which also houses High Court 11 (Land Court) that will be hearing the case with sitting set for 12-midday.

It will be presided by Justice Clemence J. Honyenuga, a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

As at 10am, journalists and members of the public seeking to observe proceedings at close range, had started filing into the courtroom, and outside of the complex, cameramen from a number of media houses hovered about as they readied for any opportunities to stream live.

Also charged with Dr Opuni is the CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited, Seidu Agongo and his company.

At the last count, the state had preferred about 27 counts of various charges against the accused.

The charges against Opuni include abetment of crime (defrauding by false pretences), willfully causing financial loss to the State, contravention of the Public Procurement Act and corruption by a public officer.

Agongo also faces charges including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the State, corruption of a public officer, money laundering, manufacturing fertilizer without registration, selling misbranded fertilizer and selling adulterated fertilizer.

Source: Graphic online

Armech Africa Limited, a subsidiary of the Armech Group, is to construct a $300 million waste-to-energy (W2E) power plant in Tema to generate 60 megawatts of clean energy.

Armech Africa Limited, a designer and manufacturer of modern industrial processes, has, therefore, signed a Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to that effect.
The power plant project will be pre-financed by the Armech Group through the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, a Chinese multinational bank, without any sovereign guarantee from the government of Ghana.
The project, when completed, will create over 1,500 direct and indirect jobs and will also increase access to green and renewable electricity and lower environmental hazards as well as exposure to harmful pollution.
The construction will be done by Energy China, one of the largest comprehensive solution providers for the power sector and infrastructural project in China and the world.

Director of Armech Africa, Mr Andrew Quainoo, revealed this to the press during a visit by a delegation from Armech Group, after a two-day working tour of some selected landfill sites within the Greater Accra Region as part of preparations towards the construction of the power plant.

According to him, his outfit had, since March 2015, signed a Waste Feedstock Agreement with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development together with six other metropolitan and municipal assemblies in the Greater Accra Region.
These, he disclosed, included Accra and Tema Metropolitan Assemblies, Ga South, Ga East and La-Dade Kotopon Municipal Assemblies.
Mr Quainoo said the construction of the plant would significantly enhance environmental sustainability, improve public health, and limit the need for landfill sites, while producing the scarce base load renewable energy.
He said his company has the capacity to process the anticipated 3,000 metric tonnes of waste generated daily in the Accra metropolis to generate about 60 megawatts of clean energy through incineration.

“This project will represent the first waste-to-energy project in the Economic Community of West African States and there are plans to develop a second plant in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital.”
Mr Quainoo said an independent study had identified the grave danger to the communities of Greater Accra from toxic leachate (bio-degraded waste that contains parasites and diseases, which seep from landfills into the water table and the constant emissions from landfill burning).

He said the spread of malaria, the most common communicable disease, as well as other leading communicable diseases in Accra were associated with poor environmental sanitation.
Against this background, Mr Quainoo noted that this intervention by Armech would go a long way to addressing the 3.5 million malaria cases recorded every year, with 900,000 of them being recorded amongst children of less than five years of age.

He further revealed that Armech intends to invest in 15 specialised drain cleaning tricks worth over one million dollars, adding that materials collected from the drains shall be ultimately transported to the plant as extra feed stock.
To this end, Mr Quainoo called on the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, which is now mandated to solve the sanitation menace in the country, to expedite action on the way forward as it was currently reviewing the contract signed with the assemblies.

He also appealed to them to focus on the critical intervention that Armech was bringing on board to save lives, properties and provide employment for Ghanaians.
The Armech Group has partners including Banker Hughes, Qatar Petroleum, LAFARGE, ACCOR, EXXONMobil, Shell, Chevron, VEOLIA, and the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Defence.

Story: Ato KEELSON

Writer’s Email: denniskeelson@todaygh.com

The body of late reggae and dancehall singer, Ebony Reigns, known in real life as Priscilla Poku Kwarteng, has finally been laid to rest.

The well-attended funeral held at the forecourt of the State House in Accra witnessed scores of fans, celebrities, former and present government dignitaries who paid their last respects to the ‘Maame Hwe’ hit maker.

Scores of fans wept uncontrollably when she was laid in state. Most mourners tried to imitate her style of fashion at the burial grounds.

The “Maame Hwe” scarf and spectacles were the order of the day as many tried to project how influential Ebony was when she was alive.

Tributes came from her former Senior High School, Mamfe Methodist Girls, Ruff Town Records, Musician Union Of Ghana [MUSIGHA], family members among others.

The painful burial of the 21-year-old singer witnessed businesses booming as traders sold calendars, books and handkerchiefs at the funeral grounds.

The occasion brought together showbiz fraternities including Kofi Adjololo, Bukom Banku, Wanlov Kubolor, Mzbel, M.anifest, Ayisem, Kumi Guitar, Gasmilla, Edem, Stonebwoy, Samini veteran actors, and actress.

Ebony met her untimely death on Thursday, 8 February, 2018 after the Jeep she was travelling in ran into a VIP bus near Mankraso in the Ashanti Region. Her friend, Franky Kuri, and Atsu Vondee, a military officer, who posed as a bodyguard, also lost their lives.

Today Arts & Entertainment
…with Edward Blagogee

Photos: Edward Blagogee

Kyebi Youth for Development (KYD) in the Eastern Region has welcomed the decision of the government to leverage bauxite deposits in parts of Ghana for a US$15 billion financial package from the Chinese government.  

The Atiwa Forest reserve, which is a global biodiversity significant area, is part of current plans by government to develop an integrated bauxite industry in Ghana.

“We the youth of Kyebi enclave are happy to welcome such a good initiative which will create jobs for the unemployed persons in our areas. We will appreciate the intention of government wanting to set up a bauxite mining company here.“

…the coming of bauxite to Atiwa is not a bad idea and we welcome it in good faith, it will be an avenue to get rid of galamsey,” the group noted in a statement signed and issued by its President, Nana Asare.

The statement, which was copied to Today in Accra at the weekend, said the major headache of Ghanaians and people from Akyem was to get rid of galamsey by introducing proper mining measures and “we know the coming of this bauxite mining is going to be well regulated unlike the illegal small-scale mining.

“We don’t understand why some sections of the young people in the area are kicking against this project which will serve the interest of the majority of Ghanaians and as well bring the development we are all battling for,” it stressed.

According to the statement, the Atiwa range was not only made up of Kyebi and its environs, but goes beyond and they know this bauxite mining can be done without touching the water bodies like Asuo, Densu and the rest.

“One may ask where this so-called groups were kicking against the bauxite mining when illegal miners were endangering our forest and water bodies.

“… it is such a pity that today they have voices to chase away something they are going to enjoy most. What is the interest of A Rocha Ghana that is inciting few youth against the coming of the bauxite mining company, which will bauxite legally?, the statement asked.

The statement added that their leaders looked on for illegal small scale-miners to destroy their lands and properties and now a company is in the pipeline to support majority of the youth who are unemployed by bringing up this employable initiative in the area.

The statement thus entreated the leaders of the area to welcome this “good initiative and seek for proper regulations of it rather than kick against it.”

“Why should Okyeman always kick against things that are beneficial to majority but only supports ones of less interest? the statement asked.

The statement appealed to the leaders of Atiwa and government to have the youth at heart; “they should consider putting good measures in place to avoid endangering their water bodies and we know it’s possible to do that.”

Earlier, executives and entire membership of Okyeman Youth Association (OYA) stated that that they have no hand in the so-called anti-bauxite group.

The executives of the association stressed that they will not accept their names being used to achieve the agenda of a certain group of people for their personal gains.

“If any group thinks standing on the shoulders of Okyeman Youth Association to execute its agenda then we are sorry such groups will face the wrath of the association because the association is registered and it is being governed by rules and regulations as far as the laws of Ghana are still supreme.

“We are entreating such groups to duly stay away from the name of Okyeman Youth Association in whatever business they are embarking on,” executives of OYA told Today in an interview.

Minerals & Mining Matters
…with Freeman KORYEKPOR AWLESU

CONVENER of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG), Mr Ken Ashigbey, has called on the media to mount intense pressure on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to unveil the long-awaited government’s five-year Multilateral Mining Integration Project (MMIP)–which seeks to sanitise the small-scale mining arena.  

“It is important for the media to take responsibilities to start asking President Akufo-Addo, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr John Peter Amewu, and Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining that when are they going to launch the project of the alternative livelihood programme for illegal small scale-miners,” he stressed.

Addressing a press conference in Accra last week, Mr Ashigbey expressed misgivings over the delay by the government of President Akufo-Addo to launch the project, which will be a holistic approach to combat illegal mining.

He cited an instance where invitations were extended to members of the media coalition against galamsey to attend the launch of the project but were surprised when they received the massage that the programme had been postponed.

“Another challenge facing the fight against illegal small-scale mining activities was government’s inability to bring on board the long publicised five-year project that is supposed to lead to sustainable mining in the mining communities of the country.

“In actual fact this project needs to come on because it has a roadmap of what is going to happen in terms of reclamation of mining affected lands, training of miners themselves and among others,” he stressed.

He said apart from the media keeping the pressure on the executive arm of government to enforce the minerals and mining laws to the latter, it was also important to demonstrate anger and go to areas and sensitise the citizenry on the dangers of illegal mining.

In that regard, Mr Ashigbey stated that the coalition will be organising another town hall meeting in the Upper West Region to look at the dangers of illegal mining with the chiefs, small-scale miners and the community members and educate them on its negative effects on water bodies and the environment.

He thus advised some small-scale miners who were threatening to match the military boot-for-boot to rather look at ways what they could benefit from the government’s five-year MMIP.   The MMIP, Today discovered, combines Legislations Enforcement, Civil Integration and Technical Approach (LECITA) as a sustainable and structured but regimental conjoined concept which will encompass multi stakeholders.

Minerals & Mining Matters
…with Freeman KORYEKPOR AWLESU

As part of efforts to raise a generation that will maintain and advocate for a clean environment in Ghana, Zoomlion Foundation, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, has inaugurated the Zoom Ambassadors Club at the Ahantaman Girls Senior High School in the Western Region.

In his inaugural speech, Western Regional General Manager (GM) of Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), Alhaji Abdulai Abdallah, announced that his outfit will meet members of the club to educate them on good sanitation practices to keep themselves and their environment clean, and replicate them in their homes when they leave school.

He contended that it was necessary to inculcate in the children the habit of keeping the environs safe and clean for habitation so that when they become adults they will not liter the environment, hence the formation of the clubs in the schools.

Alhaji Abdallah charged members of the club numbering about hundred to set good examples in keeping the environment clean as worthy ambassadors of sanitation. He was optimistic that members of the club will be agents of change and good ambassadors for a clean society, which will attract more members into the club.

His outfit donated (thirty) 30 waste bins and other tools for clearing waste like cutlasses, brooms, hand gloves, nose masks and wellington boots among others. Later in the day, Madam Dianah Ackwonu-Mensah led members of the club,

Western Regional Head of Environment and Sanitation of ZGL to clean some areas in the school’s community as well as the entrance of the school near the cemetery.

Club members and other students numbering about one hundred who joined the exercise were excited to have exercised their patriotism and worked so passionately to rid off the communities of filth. The activities included sweeping, weeding and desilting gutters.

Story: From Seth AMEYAW DANQUAH,

KETAN, WESTERN REGION

Former COCOBOD CEO, Dr. Stephen Opuni, has been granted bail by an Accra High court hearing 27 charges against him including causing financial loss to the state.

His self-recognizance bail is to the tune of 300,000 cedis, the judge ruled and directed he deposits his passport with the CID Headquarters in Accra.

He is also to report himself to the CID any time he wishes to travel outside the country.

Second accused, Seidu Agongo, was also granted self-recognizance bail to the tune of 300,000 cedis and is to follow the same directives given Dr. Opuni.

His counsel Samuel Cudjoe told a packed Accra High Court his client’s entitlement to bail is a settled matter in law and several cases.

Samuel Cudjoe explained Dr. Opuni has been very cooperative with the prosecution since EOCO began investigating him in 2016.

“He is ever willing and ready to appear before the court”.

Dr. Opuni, he said, although the Monday start of the trial was given him at very short notice, his client still showed up.

He continued that investigators know his home in Accra including his ancestral home in Dormaa Ahenkro.

In a trial that lasted close to three hours, the legal counsel said his client will be in a race against time to complete the normal bail procedure if the court granted the bail.

After 2pm, he prayed the court Cudjoe that if granted bail, his client be allowed to go home although the bail procedure has not been completed.

The lawyer said he would continue the process Tuesday.

Source: Joy News

Mrs Charlotte Adjetey, mother of late singer, Terry Bonchaka, last Saturday paid her last respect to multiple award-winning singer, Ebony Reigns.

The final funeral rites, which were held at the State House in Accra, witnessed scores of fans and celebrities as late Terry Bonchaka’s mother came to bid farewell.

Mrs Adjetey, who 15 years ago lost her eldest son known in real life as Terrence Nii Okang Mensah Adjetey aka Terry Bonchaka in similar accident, felt much pains when she saw the final remains of Ebony laid to rest.

Terry’s mother shed tears bringing back memories of her late son when she bid farewell to him.

She said in a brief comment: “May God keep her safe… this young lady [Ebony] death brings a lot of pains to me when I lost my son. I pray this never happens again in Ghana”.

Terry died on Friday, October 29, 2003 after performing at the Akuafo Hall of the University of Ghana in their Hall Week Celebration.

He met his untimely death in a fatal accident on the Legon-Madina road in Accra when his car veered off the road and hit a tree. He was confirmed dead at the 37 Military Hospital.

Today Arts & Entertainment
…with Edward Blagogee

Attorney-General Gloria Akuffo has said former COCOBOD CEO Dr. Stephen Opuni could be sentenced to 25 years in prison for collecting a bribe if found guilty.

Dr. Opuni who is accused of collecting 25,000 cedis bribe faces 26 other charges including causing financial loss to the state.

The state says it has established that Seidu Agongo deposited an amount of 25,000 cedis into the account of Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni to influence the award of contracts.

On the first day of the trial at the Accra High Court, Samuel Cudjoe, legal counsel for the former COCOBOD boss applied for bail for his client.

Making his case, he argued the state’s claim of bribery amounts to a misdemeanour which attracts a bail for his client.

The Attorney-General who was in court to handle the state’s case did not oppose the bail application.

She, however, reminded her opposing counsel that bribery attracts 25 years imprisonment and is not a misdemeanour.

She asked that bail should be set commiserate with the 25,000 cedis bribery allegation.

Source: Myjoyonline

A Circuit Court in Kumasi presided by Her Honour Lydia Osei Marfo has fined, Frank Duodu, spokesperson of the Kumasi Mayor guilty of charges filed against him by a construction firm, Eno Mma Company Limited for nonpayment of building materials he bought from the company.

The defendant also New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate hopeful in the Subin Constituency in the last general election was said to have contacted the Company’s branch in the Ahema Kokoben in the Ashanti Region for some cement products to complete his contract project in Sunyani in Brong Ahafo Region.

According to the suit filed, the Company upon agreement supplied a consignment to the defendant where a cheque in name of Algebra Limited was issued to the plaintiff as payment of the goods on the day the materials were delivered.

Upon another request, second consignment was supplied to the defendant and after delivery, the defendant then called the plaintiff to withhold the cheque issued him with explanation that a third consignment be supplied while he defendant will send a third cheque to cover the two unpaid goods already delivered.

The Court therefore in it ruling granted Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Ghana Cedis (GH¢ 4,650.00) with interest as relief of the plantiff, Mr. Kwabena Asare Konadu.

Source: Ghana Web

The evergreen Harvest Gospel Choir of the Harvest International Ministries says it is set and ready for an unforgettable evening of a jam rocking celestial praise at the newly plush Fantasy Dome on Good Friday, March 30.

Its been over three months of intense spiritual, practical and technical rehearsals just for this year’s Harvest Praise. According to the Director of Harvest Gospel Choir, Pastor Yaw Antwi-Dadzie, “we have moved to the 5th gear and we are coasting all the way to the final day of the ministration – March 30.”

In an interview, Pastor Antwi-Dadzie assured that patrons of this year’s Harvest Praise will be treated to a mix of contemporary local and foreign gospel tunes. “We will experience nija, jump to the USA, continue to Australia and land you safely in Ghana in praise to our God.”

As part of their performances, the Harvest Gospel Choir will take patrons to a GH Gospel memory lane, reminiscing with some evangelistic songs dating as far back as 1979 – precisely “the songs that got us born again,” he added.

Today Arts & Entertainment
…with Edward Blagogee

Former mayor of the greater Accra region, Nathaniel Nunoo Amartefio, has hit out at former local government minister Kwamena Ahwoi for failing to ensure the proper political direction of the city during his tenure as local government minister.

Mr Nunoo Amartefio made this assertion on Conversation with Mike Eghan on EEZY 107.5 FM, that the current appointment of mayors by the president makes them accountable only to the presidents but not the people within their jurisdictions.

“Government under Rawlings administration had insisted on appointing mayors which is a great contradiction to Kwamena Ahwois’ of decentralising governments and giving people a role in ruling themselves.

“That’s a whole mantra of Kwamena Ahwois’ new plan for the local government as they decentralised as much as they could, but when it came to the political direction of the city, they still wanted to have a hand there and I think it failed because it has robbed the cities of the needed political direction”, he added.

According to him, the mayor is only responsible to the President who appointed him and not the people and until that is reversed, the situation will remain the same.

By Regina Oduro Ansah/Eezy FM