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KNUST Launches 70th Anniversary

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The Education Minister joined Otumfuo and KNUST VC at the launch
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Chancellor – KNUST

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has launched its 70th anniversary celebration, under the distinguished patronage of the Chancellor Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The year-long celebration is under the theme: “KNUST: 70 years of global impact, a new age for a renewed focus.”

The University, which started as the Kumasi College of Technology, was established in 1951 by Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

It has evolved over the years to its present status, with a student population of more than 80,000.

Since its adoption of the collegiate system, it has 97 departments offering 520 academic programmes.

Some of the activities lined up as part of the anniversary celebration include; an exhibition week, where the various colleges will showcase their inventions to the general public, interview with some selected alumni, a book launch on KNUST, homecoming of alumni next year, a series of public lectures and the establishment of an endowment fund for alumni to donate to help the university’s projects among others.

University Council members pose with Otumfuo at the launch

The Asantehene and Chancellor of the University, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who launched the anniversary, charged the management and staff to work together to drive the expected changes anticipated in the new age, within the context of its vision and mission in transforming the Ghanaian society for the better.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us that we cannot continue to do things the same way,” he reminded the university community.

The establishment of KNUST, he observed, has brought varied benefits to the nation, citing its contribution to training the needed skilled manpower for industry, as well as the corporate world.

The Asantehene warned against the encroachment on lands belonging to the Kwame Nkrumah University Science and Technology (KNUST), saying perpetrators will not be spared, explaining that the negative development is inimical to the future expansion agenda of the institution.

According to him, all lands in Asanteman, including that of KNUST are vested in the custody of the Manhyia Palace and, therefore, he would not countenance any form of trespassing, given the critical role land resources play in the expansion agenda of the institution.

Currently, some of the lands belonging to the nation’s premier science and technology tertiary educational institution, including some areas at Boadi have been encroached upon.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu, however, lauded the founding fathers of the University for their Noble Vision, saying the institution had made strides.

KNUST Chancellor Otumfuo Osei Tutu flanked by the VC and KNUST Council chair

The Vice Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson, speaking at the launch said the vision of the institution was to become one of the top 10 universities in Africa and stressed the need for government to assist the University in improving its infrastructure to enhance its academic programmes.

According to her, the university had developed many innovative projects, such as the establishment of an e-Learning Directorate to serve as a hub for an e-learning ecosystem.

She said the institution is poised to move with the new world educational order, where digitisation is the cornerstone to achieving academic objectives.

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, said the University had over the years metamorphosed into a “Centre of Excellence”, churning out critical skilled manpower needed to spearhead development in all spheres of human development.

The gathering at the forum

He, on behalf of the government extolled KNUST for its positive contribution to the country’s human resource development and urged the institution to work hard in living up to its mandate – deepening research, innovation and technological advancement and transfer to bring the needed transformation to the nation’s socio-economic agenda.

“We need an army of skilled manpower committed to transforming the nation for the better, churning out the requisite knowledge and solutions to address the 21st Century development challenges confronting the society,” he stated.

The Education Minister noted, “For Ghana to be prepared for the fourth industrial revolution, our focus should be on STEM education,” and assured that the government would not renege in its responsibility of assisting KNUST to achieve its objectives.

The launch was graced by prominent personalities like; the First  Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, the South African High Commissioner, some Members of Parliament and Vice-Chancellors of various Universities, alumni, Provosts of the various colleges, Heads of Departments and traditional rulers among others.

National Media Commission is not well resourced- Ayeboafoh

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Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, NMC

The chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Yaw BoaduAyeboafoh says his outfit is under resourced and that sometimes it takes six to nine months for their allowances to be paid. This, he said, is affecting the efficiency of members in delivering on their mandate.

“You know, sometimes even the payment of our allowances are delayed unduly.If majority of the Commission members are not working and if they were people who did not have their source of living and they were to depend on their allowances that they were to receive from the commission, then it would have created some difficulty. Because if for 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months allowance has not been paid, how do you expect the person to commit him or herself to serve this public interest, “he asked.

The NMC Chairperson was speaking at an engagement organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, intended to deepen the relationship between the NMC and the legislative arm of government.

Held at the precinct of Parliament, the Ministry indicated that its collective interest is for the NMC to be adequately resourced and capacitated to carry on the responsibility that it was given by the constitution to perform.

The National Media Commission was set up on July 7, 1993, by an Act of the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana (Act 449), in accordance with Chapter 12 of the 1992.

It was to, among others, take all measures to ensure the establishment and maintenance of the highest journalistic standards of the mass media, including investigation, mediation and settlement of complaints made against or by the press or other mass media.

It is also to promote and safeguard the freedom and independence of the media, encourage responsible practice and investigate, mediate and settle complaints made against the media.

But speaking at the engagement, where the leadership of Parliament was present, Mr Ayeboafoh noted that the NMC has a biggertask than the Electoral Commission (EC), yet the EC is more resourced than the NMC.

He said the EC is usually seenas working when elections are approaching and its members are full-time and yet members of the NMC are not full-time, even though they have enormous tasks to perform.

“The EC comes up once in a while in 4years when elections are to be conducted. After that there is not much that we hear about the EC aandyet, the NMC members are not full-time members and yet the work that we are doing isfull-time.”

He urged parliament to take a critical look at the situation and remedy it because no one commission created by an Act of Parliament is important than any other.

“The time has come for us to look at this. No Commission is better than the other,” Ayeboafoh said.

Aside from being under resourced, the NMC Boss also intimated that the Commission lacked power to do things that Ghanaians expect of them, top among which is the closing down of radio stations, which they do not have the power to do.

He established that the constitution grants the NMC the power to take all appropriate measures to ensure the highest journalistic standards and professionalism in the media landscape, but that does not include closure of radio stations.

He said a misinterpretation of that mandate by Ghanaians and even MPs puts the Commission in a very bad light and portray it as one that is “not cracking the whip meanwhile nobody has given us the whip to crack”. Citing the Kasoa ritual murder of a young boy as an example, Mr Ayeboafoh said when the police drew a hasty conclusion that the incident had happened because of a television content the children watched, many people turned to blame the Commission for that mishap .

“One of the most unfortunate development is when people misread that provision in the constitution. The one which says that the NMC shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the highest journalistic standards and professionalism in the media.

“The assumption is that the commission can do anything to bring about that. And it is more painful when you hear MPs resonating this part of the law. When many people speak this way, the intension is that the NMC is not cracking the whip, but nobody has given the whip to NMC to crack.”

He, therefore, called on Parliament to take a second look at the law and make changes where necessary to make the Commission more biting than it is now.

On his part, Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Osei  Kyei Mensah-Bonsu  asserted that the NMC is not well-resourced to carry out its responsibility.

He described the relationship between the NMC and the EC as the ‘child of the wicked stepmother’.

“I have said in the past that the National Commission on Civic Education, another IGI, is the poor cousin of the Electoral Commission, but as for the NMC, I daresay it is the case of the child of the wicked stepmother.”

He indicated that importance of the NMC should not be overlooked because the media plays a pivotal role in the country’s governance architecture and as such its regulator (NMC) must not be downplayed.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader in Parliament, intimated that the Commission has no difficulty appealing to leadership of Parliament for adequate resources, because the majority leader, who is also the Leader of Government Business, is very passionate about constitutional bodies such as NMC, Commission on Human Rights & Administrative Justice among others, being resourced to carry out their mandate effectively.

There can be no fair hearing if a party is not given hearing at all –High Court

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OhyeaworaNwion Bian Panyin V, chief of Dompim Pepesa.

A Sekondi High Court, presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere, has quashed the ruling of a Tarkwa based Circuit Court, which refused to hear a motion on notice, filed to set aside a writ of possession and the entire execution of the enforcement of an award in favor of one Nana Awuah Koanpong VII, an interested party.

On August 27, 2020 the applicants in the certiorari application filed a motion on notice to set aside a writ of possession and the entire execution of the enforcement of an award in favor of one Nana Awuah Koanpong VII, an interested party in the suit, but the Circuit Court declined to give them hearing.
The Circuit court had argued that, there is a contempt application regarding the same issue, pending before another Sekondi High Court and that, it cannot hear the applicants.

This was after Counsel for the interested party had drawn the Circuit Court Judge’s attention to the contempt application.
But the applicants – OhyeaworaBiahNyowahPanyin IV, Chief of DompimPepessa, Nana Sebel, Alexander Asare, Daniel Hollo, Hans Kwofie, Lydia Mensah and Auguatine Hallow- who were dissatisfied with the ruling of the circuit court filed a motion in the form of certiorari at the Sekondi High Court, praying it to quash the ruling of the lower court.

In an affidavit accompanying the motion, applicants averred that the interested Party and his counsel were served with their motion as filed at the Court Registry, but they refused to file any affidavit in opposition.
Again, the interested party and his lawyer were present at the Circuit Court on September 9, 2020 when the Court refused them (applicants) the right to have their motion heard. The applicants averred that the Circuit Court, Tarkwa, declining to hear their motion and same refusing applicants the right to have their motion heard violated their right to a fair hearing.

The applicants further contended that the Circuit Court Judge acted unlawfully when he declined to hear their motion on notice to set aside a writ of possession and the entire execution of the enforcement of an arbitration award.

That apart, the circuit Court breached the time tested rule of law of natural justice and access to justice when it refused counsel for the applicants the right to move the aforesaid application.
Sekondi High court verdict
Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere, in his judgement that quashed the ruling of the Circuit court said the  rule of natural justice encompasses two things- the rule to hear the other side and rule against bias.
He said  no matter how frivolous a claim is, a court existed to hear a party’s grievance.
For this reason, it was for a court to uphold, strike out or dismiss a claim after hearing a party and his adversary or after giving them opportunity to be heard.
Justice Dr. Osei Hwere pointed out in his ruling that attempt by Interested Party Counsel to rationalize the decision of the Circuit Court was with utmost respect not borne out of the record and the rule of law.

“If the court was minded to adjourn the matter due to the pending of the contempt application, it should have said so. Declining to hear a matter is not the same as adjourning a matter. The former simply means refusal to give a party audience in court to ventilate his complaints,” the court said.
In his considered view, the position taken by the Circuit Court constituted a denial of access to justice and a fundamental breach of the rules of natural justice.For this reason, he pointed out that “there can be no fair hearing if a party is not given hearing at all. I am of the considered opinion that the applicant has established a case for the grant of certiorari to quash the said decision of the Circuit court, Tarkwa dated 9th September, 2020. The decision is accordingly quashed,” the high court judge said.

President Akufo-Addo Attends COP 26 Summit In Glasgow

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President Akufo-Addo

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, left Ghana on Sunday, 31st October, 2021 to lead Ghana’s delegation to the World Leaders’ Summit of the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP 26), being held from 31st October to 3rd November, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland.

The COP26 Summit, which will be one of the largest gatherings of world leaders, will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The President will deliver a statement on Ghana’s position on Climate Change, as well as measures put in place to combat the threat it poses.

He will also deliver three (3) separate statements on efforts Ghana is making to protects her forests and ocean, and participate in the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Summit, being held on the sidelines of COP 26.

Whilst in Glasgow, President Akufo-Addo will hold bilateral meetings with H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya; H.E. Mr. Jonas GahrStøre, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway; Hon. Robert Abela, Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta; Rt. Hon. Elizabeth Truss, MP, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and Mr. Raphael Mariano Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The President was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey; the Minister for Energy, Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, MP; the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, MP; the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP and officials of the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.

The President will return to Ghana on Thursday, 4th November, 2021 and in his absence the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, shall, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution act in his stead.

Start taxing churches – KwawKese to government

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Kwaw Kese

Leader of the ‘Abodam’ Movement, KwawKese is calling on the government to start taxing churches in Ghana as a matter of urgency.

The ‘My thing’ hitmaker is of the view that Ghanaian pastors make a lot of money from the congregants and as such, taxing them will cushion the country with additional income to help develop the country.
He further called on the government to investigate the lavish lifestyles of some of the Pastors amidst tasking government to tax churches for national development.
In his own words; “I know what I’ve said some Pastors will come and make doom prophecies against me but it doesn’t make sense that in Ghana, people are hungry but the pastor has built mansions and has a lot of cars to their credit. Meanwhile, people are hungry,” he said in an interview with Kingdom Plus FM which was monitored by The Chronicle.
“When you are in traffic you will get sad. Kids as young as 2 years are in traffic begging. When have you heard a Church say that it will provide shelter for all these homeless individuals?” he quizzed.

LGBTQ+ And Its Impact on Health and Wealth

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There is one aspect of LGBTQ+ which canhave great impact on the health and wealth of this nation and in my opinion, we need to carefully examine this.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community have unique and complex health needs that heterosexuals do not face.

In addition to risks that affect all men and women regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, such as heart disease and cancer, the LGBTQ+ community may face certain higher physical and mental health risks. Health risks that are unique for LGBTQ+ people include greater risk of acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases; higher rates of substance abuse and smoking; higher risk of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety; greater risk of suicide attempts and higher risk of certain cancers.

Lesbians are at higher risk of depression and anxiety. Certain sexually transmitted infections, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis can spread easily between lesbians. Oral sex and sexual behaviour involving digital-vaginal or digital-anal contact, particularly with shared penetrative sex toys, can spread infections as well. Female sexual contact is also a possible means of contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Lesbians report higher rates of tobacco use, alcohol and drug dependence. The most prevalent problems lesbian women encountered include menstrual, sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive, bladder or kidney, and breast problems.

Stress and discrimination make gay and bisexual men more likely to abuse tobacco and alcohol than the general population. Among other dangerous health effects, tobacco use puts men at much higher risk for several cancers, and excessive alcohol use contributes to permanent liver damage and risky sexual behaviours.

Among gay men, certain drugs, especially crystal meth, also known as “Tina” — have become widely used. In addition to being highly addictive, crystal meth greatly increases the risk of unsafe sex and HIV transmission.

Gay and bisexual men have higher rates of eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) which is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. 

Men who have sex with men are at greater risk for certain sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Hepatitis A & B, meningitis and HPV which is a group of viruses that can cause genital warts and certain cancers.

In addition to the above, transgenders are more likely than the general population to drink alcohol and smoke. The use of unmonitored silicone injections is also a health concern for trans people who may be unable to access professional cosmetic surgery. These illegal injections often contain toxic ingredients and can lead to severe disfigurement and even death.

The health bill on treating or managing these diseases and conditions can be very high and a developing nation like Ghana cannot afford adding this expenditure to the costs of running the economy. We can free ourselves of very heavy cost and unnecessary health care, if we do away with LGBTQ+ in the country and in Africa.

Transgender is one area of grave consent. Being transgender comes at a great cost, emotional and financial. A form of emotional distress called gender dysphoria which results in struggling to identify as a different gender than the one designated at birth. Suicide attempt rate ranks 40% in transgenders and some of the transgenders come back for the process to be reversed.

For many transgender people, the costs aren’t just emotional,mostly they are financial. The cost of medical treatments can add up to more than $100,000 to as high as $250,000 for the changing of the body through hormones and surgeries. Surgeons construct a penis (phalloplasty) or vagina (vaginoplasty), augment or remove the breasts, and feminize or masculinize the face with plastic surgery.

The procedures are long, complicated, and often painful. Vaginoplasty, for example, is a six-hour surgery with a recovery time of up to a year and a half, while phalloplasty has a similar recovery time and can take as long as 12 hours in the operating room.

The Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery estimates that  some of the cost of surgery which include “bottom surgery” will cost about $25,600 for male-to-female patients and about $24,900 for female-to-male. The Center provides estimates for other common trans-related surgeries, such as breast augmentation ($9,000), bilateral mastectomy (up to $10,900), facial feminization (up to $70,100), and facial masculinization (up to $53,700). This is about one of the centers that charge the least for transgenders surgeries. And this does not include post-surgery therapies like hormone therapy at $200.00 a month and psychotherapy at $200.00 a section.

In the USA, 1.4 million or 0.43% of the population identify as transgender. Assuming just 0.4% of Ghanaians become transgenders, that will work out to be at least 124,000 persons and assuming cost of transgender surgeries here is a mere $100,000 per person, then the total cost of all the transgender surgeries will be $12.4 billion. Yes, $12.4 billion flush down the drain. Let the nations which have so much wealth that they can afford to throw some away, go ahead and defy God. However, Ghana and Africa cannot accept this on religious, spiritual, social, moral, health and financial grounds. There are so many things we can do with that amount to turn our country around.

Lack Of Electricity Killing Nigerian Industries; Adesina

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President of ADB, Akinwumi Adesina

President of the African Development Bank Group, Akinwumi Adesina, on Tuesday lamented that a paucity of energy was negatively affecting the growth of Nigerian industries.

Adesina made the comment while speaking at a meeting organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Abuja.

“Today, no business can survive in Nigeria without generators,” Adesina said. “Consequently, the abnormal has become normal.

“Unless Nigeria decisively tackles its energy deficiency and reliability, its industries will always remain uncompetitive.”

Also speaking at the meeting was the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala noted that trade was a key part in the global economy recovery and called for more support for micro, small and medium enterprises.

“Poor countries need access to bigger markets to grow rapidly,” she said. “With trade projected to grow at 10.8 percent this year, more than twice as fast as GDP, external demand will far outpace domestic demand for many countries, especially those on the wrong end of the k-shaped recovery.

“For Manufacturers, trade is also important because they need better access to imports as well as competitive logistics and other services critical to international competitiveness.

“Digital is very important here, especially for young Africans and the businesses they create; many businesses have been able to weather the pandemic because they were able to access the Internet and sell online.

“We should work harder, first to understand the barriers facing micro, medium and small enterprises in global trade and then to lower these barriers.

“At the WTO, different groups of members are seeking to do just that. One group is working on an e-commerce agreement. Another is working on empowering MSMEs to trade; and a third is working on lowering barriers facing women in global economic trade.”

Credit: channelstv.com

Navy combs Lagos to retrieve stolen rifle

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Nigerian Navy

Residents of Igbogbo Bayeku community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Saturday complained of heavy presence of naval officials in the community.

Some of the residents who spoke to Sunday PUNCH alleged that the naval team stormed the area in operational vehicles and cordoned off the community thereby preventing vehicular movements.

A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said the situation caused untold hardship, adding that the jetty at both Bayeku and Ebute was sealed off preventing passengers from boarding the boats to either Lagos island/Idumota or Victoria Island.

The resident said, “The situation is worrisome. Shops in the area couldn’t open for sales.”

Another resident identified only as Bolaji said the presence of the security men was caused by the attack on a naval officer in the area a few weeks ago. It was alleged that the officer’s rifle was taken away by the attackers.

A resident who gave her name as Bimbo Adebiyi explained that he woke up to the drama of the naval men in the community.

Speaking about the incident to Sunday PUNCH, Chairman, Igbogbo Bayeku Local Council Development Area, Olusesan Daini, described what happened in the community as a state security issue.

Credit: punchng.com

NBA condemns invasion of Supreme Court judge’s home

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Justice of the Supreme Court, Mary Odili

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Saturday, condemned the Friday’s siege laid by security operatives to the Abuja home of a Justice of the Supreme Court, Mary Odili.

In a statement issued on behalf of the association, the president, Olumide Akpata, described the act as an “affront on the judiciary, designed to intimidate and ridicule the judiciary”.

He said the association would hold an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) on the matter.

No date was disclosed in the statement.

“To be clear, last night’s event is an affront on the judiciary and grossly undermines the democracy that we profess to practise.

“In line with the aims and objectives of the NBA which include the protection and defence of the independence of the Judiciary and the rule of law in Nigeria, we will be convening an emergency meeting of the NBA National Executive Committee solely to discuss this issue and take a definitive stand on behalf of the NBA,” Mr Akpata said.

The NBA president also said he would lead a delegation to meet with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and the heads of the various security agencies.

This, he said, would be done, “to seek further clarification on the circumstances of this incident.”

‘Those responsible must be brought to book’He added that the NBA would “ensure that all those responsible for this unfortunate incident are brought to book.”

“We must do all that is required to safeguard the independence of our judiciary and indeed protect our hard-won democracy,” he added.

Credit: premiumtimesng.com

Wiyaala performs at All Africa Festival in Dubai

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Wiyaala

Ghanaian songstress, Wiyaala and the Patchbay Band put up a spectacular performance at Burj Park in Downtown Dubai at the maiden edition of the ‘All Africa Festival’ held on Saturday 23rd October 2021.

The event was created by Nina Olatoke and supported by Emaar Dubai, promoting African culture as a global conversation.

Wiyaala opened her set with her signature tune ‘Tinambanyi’, a song that foretells the rise of the under-appreciated.

This was followed by ‘Siiko’ which speaks of African tradition in conflict with modern ways and urges the people of Africa not to lose sight of their roots and identity. In ‘People Don’t Stop’, Wiyaala was again on message, urging her people to keep fighting for their dreams.

The finale was her hit song ‘YagaYaga’, which had the audience enthusiastically joining her in a call and response.

The ‘All Africa Festival’ is meant to showcase the vibrant energy, beauty, culture, and diversity of Africa in all her expressions and to introduce Africa to the African and the rest of the world.

Credit: citinewsroom.com

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