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Kotoko maintain perfect start to stay top

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Gold Stars vs Kotoko

Kumasi Asante Kotoko continued their impressive start to the 2021/2022 Ghana Premier League season with a 1-0 win over newcomers, Bibiani Gold Stars at the Bibiani Dunes Park.

Isaac Oppong’s second-half stunner was the difference in a tightly-fought contest between the two sides.

After impressive performances against Dreams and Bechem United, Oppong impressed yet again, extending his goal contributions to five, scoring two and assisting three, just three games into his top-flight debut.

This is Bibiani Gold Stars’ first defeat of the season after they failed to convert their chances in the first half.

The result leaves Kotoko at the top of the table with 9 points while Bibiani might drop from the 6th position after the weekend’s round of games.

Credit: citisportsonline.com

Opposition to anti-Gay bill: Prempeh, Akoto Ampaw Buckle-Down

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Messrs. H. Kwesi Prempeh and Akoto Ampaw –two Ghanaian legal luminaries who, together with other professionals, are opposing the passage of the Anti-Gay Bill into law have officially taken their advocacy to Parliament.

The duo appeared before the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, tasked to review the various memoranda that have been submitted to the legislative house yesterday, still singing their human rights chorus.

Prof H. Kwesi Prempeh, who spoke on behalf of the Human Rights Coalition told the committee members that Ghana would be threading on a dangerous road should the bill be passed into law.

According to him, the notion that majority of Ghanaians are in support of the bill and hence should be passed into law, is neither here nor there.

He continued that even if majority are in support of the bill, the views of the minority also matter, because they are also protected by the 1992 constitution of Ghana.

Another notion the Professor debunked was the notion that a foreign culture is being imported into the country.

According to Prof Prempeh, LGBTQI+ is not a new phenomenon and that it has been around the world and hence cannot be a foreign culture.

Mr Akoto Ampaw, a well-respected legal practitioner in the country, who stoutly defended The Chronicle, The Spear of Nation, during Jerry Rawlings heydays, also argued before the committee, chaired by Kwame Antwi-Anyimadu that his group would either want to see significant changes made to the bill or the bill be rejected completely.

According to Mr Ampaw, the bill attacks the fundamental human rights of LGBTQI+ people, as well as their sympathisers.

He also contended that the bill has not demonstrated how the Ghanaian family unit is being threatened.

Again, the lawyer indicated that the claim made by proponents of the bill that 80% of people living with HIV are gays is not true.

According to Mr Ampaw, only 5.4% of people living with HIV are gays and lesbians. He said 65% of women living with HIV were infected by heterosexuals and not gays, and hence questioned the basis for the bill.

He contended that if the sponsors of the bill want to argue along the lines of public health, then sex between a male and a female should also be banned because people contract diseases through those means as well.

“If we want to do public health argument, then let’s have sex between male and female too”.

Lawyer Ampaw also posited that though sponsors of the bill have argued that when passed into law, it will protect LGBTQI+ people, few incidences have happened in the country and nothing was done about it.

He questioned what action the proponents of the bill have put in place to deal with those who mete out inhuman treatments to LGBTQI+ people.

But arguing in favour of the Bill, a representative of the Church of Pentecost indicated that the church has over the years played its role in supporting the government in ensuring the growth and development of the country.

He said the church has over the years maintained the moral and cultural fibre of the country and looking at LGBTQI+ and its attendant impact on culture, youth development, academia, economy, traditional systems and the moral upbringing of children, the church resolved to support the bill to promote good values.

He, however, made it clear that although the church as a faith-based Organisation has firm beliefs in Christian values and does not seek to impose its faith on others, in a country where there is freedom of speech and religion.

He, however, said the church has consulted broadly on the impact of LGBTQI+ on Ghana’s socio-cultural landscape and are of the firm believe that there is the need to uphold and promote proper human sexual human rights and Ghanaian family value system, hence their support for the bill.

Some sponsors of the bill, dubbed the ‘Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021’, Mr Sam Nartey George, Member of Parliament (MP), Ningo Prampram, Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzrah, MP, Ho West and Mrs Helen Ntoso, MP, Krachi West were also present.

Nana Addo is not YENTIE OBIAA President

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The Akufo-Addo led administration is not running ‘yentie obiaa’ (we will not listen to anyone) government, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr. Eugene Arhin has said.

On the contrary, he said the government welcomes concerns and reservations expressed by the citizenry in the interest of building the nation.

Mr. Eugene Arhin was responding to a question at the press briefing with the Presidential Press Corps, held yesterday at Jubilee House.

The former President John Mahama had made the statement that the Akufo-Addo government was not ready to be criticised. His reason was that the Director of Communications of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa, had responded in a rude way to the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishop Conference.

However, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, had a contrary view of the position of the former president, using his own famous “yentie obiaa,” comment.

Mr. Arhin said, “My simple response to what you just said with respect to what the former President said is that, at least the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not operating ‘yentie obiaa’ government.

“We listen to the concerns of everybody. We don’t come out attacking anybody for whatever concerns or reservations they have expressed.”

He continued that, ”indeed, all the Director of Communications for the NPP did was to state that the statement by the President of the Catholic Bishop Conference lacked clarity. He didn’t attack him. He just said if you could provide further and better particular about what in his opinion is the President’s lack of commitment to protect the public purse, just give us examples and let us on our own also respond to those examples you will cite. He didn’t attack the Catholic Bishop Conference; he didn’t attack the President of the Catholic Bishop Conference …Again, in democracy, all of us are entitled to our opinions. We put facts together and we just debate them. Bottom line is we are all looking for the good and development of mother Ghana. End of story.”

Response to the GCBC

In his address Mr. Arhin touched on the comments made by the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh, at the Catholic Bishops Conference held in Wa, capital of the Upper West Region.

The Catholic Bishop stated that “the expressed commitment of the president of the republic to protect the public purse, a promise that citizens welcomed, seems to be an illusion now.”

Conversely, Mr. Arhin, espousing the government’s position on the statement said that in as much as this administration is tolerant of divergent views, it believes these criticisms should bewell-grounded in fact.

He added that, “this is the only way an honest conversation, devoid of malice and propaganda, can be held.”

The presidential spokesperson maintained that President Akufo-Addo has fulfilled his pledge to protect the public purse and continues to do so.

He added that the transformation that has taken place in all aspects of national life point to an economy that has been well-managed, a public purse that is being well-protected and the benefits are showing.

He said if President Akufo-Addo had superintended over the wanton dissipation of public funds, the Ghanaian people would not have reposed their confidence in him by returning a decisive margin of victory for him in the 2020 elections.

He cited Free SHS, which now guarantees a minimum of senior high school education for all Ghanaian children, and has already granted access to SHS to over 400,000 more children, among other programmes and policies by this government.

COVID-19 on economy

Mr. Eugene Arhin told the Presidential Press Corps that in the midst of COVID-19, when most of the economies of the world found themselves in recession, Ghana’s was one of the very few that reported positive growth.

He said that high fuel prices, high freight charges, rising cost of living, are not Ghanaian phenomena, they are the order of the day across the globe, albeit unfortunate.

However, he opined that just as every country is confronted with these difficult challenges, largely as a result of the impact of COVID-19, Ghana, under President Akufo-Addo, is making every effort, through the Ghana CARES Obaatampa Programme, to alleviate the hardships brought forth by the pandemic.

“It is important to state that the Akufo-Addo government will continue to work for the development of Ghana, and help improve the standards of living of every Ghanaian. Far from being out of touch, the Government is highly focused on delivering on its mandate,” he added.

 

 

President Takes 7-day leave

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President Akufo-Addo leaves for Cape Verde

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has taken a seven-day leave beginning tomorrow, Saturday, November 13, 2021 and ending on November 20.

The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr. Eugene Arhin, who made this known yesterday at a media briefing with the Presidential Press Corps, did not state which country the president would be having his rest, but he will not be in Ghana.

However, Mr. Arhin indicated that the President, who has left Ghana, is leading the Ghanaian delegation to attend the 75th anniversary ceremony of the founding of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which is being held at its headquarters in Paris, France.

He is attending at the invitation of UNESCO’s Director General, Audrey Azoulay.

The United Nations Charter, which came into effect on November 16, 1945 provided for the creation of a specialised agency in the fields of education and culture and the President will, on Friday, November 12, deliver a statement, at the height of the commemoration, on the impact UNESCO has had on Ghana and what Ghana expects from UNESCO in the coming years.

While on leave, President Akufo-Addo will preside over the panel that will adjudicate a debate in the French Parliament on “The Trial of Progress” on Friday, November 19, 2021.

The President was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey; the Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum and officials from the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.

He will return to Ghana on November 20, 2021 and in his absence the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, will act in his place, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution.

 

 

Letter to Senior Opupulepu (164) “Thus, Sayest The Lord Your Yahweh”

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Opinion

Dear Senior Opupulepu,

How are you do? I hope you are do fine, just as me and my shoddies are all do fine, fine.

Senior, do you remember that asore founded by the Son of Yahweh Almighty, our One and Only Yesu Christus Emmanuel? I am referring to the Katolici Asore, if you do not know.

Senior, this asore as in Church or Chorchie for short, has displayed millenniums after millenniums that she is not the first born for nothing. Very quiet and reversed and mostly conservative, not like the Tory concert party in Ohenema Lizzy’ village, but conservative as in always holding on to the truths handed down to her by Yesu Christus Himself through His aplankes as in apostles and believers for short. She will never proofread or edit any truth but present them as they were, when handed down to them.

Senior, the Katolici Asore will always say things as it is, no bend no curve, please they are no relations of the Umbrella clan. I remember one day when Togbui Xornametor was omanhene, he decreed that all those who worship any deity apart from him, must register that worship company and submit to the laws of the village.

Senior, all the heads of worshippers of deities other than worshippers of Togbui Xornametor, were lost in confusion, worry and anxiety. Most of these heads suddenly realised that as soon as they register their asores, they will be compelled to be directly under the supervision of Togbui Xornametor or his appointees.

Senior, and here comes their worry. Togbui will know that they have been taking from members more than forty-percent of their earnings and yet they call it tithes, which should be at most ten percent.

Senior, and when this happens, Togbui will surely take seventy-five percent of the earnings of these asores as his definition of tithes and still go on to tax the remaining twenty-five percent. And when that happens, praying in tongues and healing people who pretend to be sick will be a non-profit making venture.

Senior, the alternative was not to go and look for some other jobs elsewhere, because by their nature, people should work for them and not the other way round. That cannot happen, for if it did, people will be laughing, laughing at them when they see them carrying bowls to go and buy food for their bosses.

Senior, people who tell us that when we are in times of trouble and worry, we must seek the Face of Yahweh for His mercies, forgot about this and kept worrying, worrying by heart.

Senior, did I say all the heads of worshippers of deities other than those who worship Togbui Xornametor?  I am sorry, not all of them.

Senior, the heads of the Katolici Asore, did not worry. They said as for them when the sea is rough, they don’t gee. They referred people to the time when their ancestors were in a canoe with their Lord and Master and the sea was making rough. They only called upon Yesu Christus Emmanuel who told the sea, “Sunday Skuul, No Talking,” and the sea has been very quiet and obedient to date.

Senior, then one of leaders of the Katolici Asore spoke and said. “The Holy and Divine Word of Yahweh said we mortals must obey authority, because it was Yahweh who gave authority to those in authority to authorise it over us. So, who are we to say we shall not be registered and counted like the sheep in their sheep pen?”

Senior, at these words, the hearts of the leaders of the other worshippers of deities other than worshippers of Togbui Xornametor, sank like a metal ball thrown into the sea.

Senior, but that leader of the Katolici Asore had more to say, “However, as much as we agree to register, we are not the owners of these private worshipping companies, but just ordinary workers. Yesu Christus Emmanuel, is the Sole Owner and Director and only He can come and append His signature to register His Asores”

Senior, with this the matter closed on the matter. Togbui Xornametor feared Yesu Christus like kaakai, and will dare not aimlessly or stupidly cross His path. It then came to pass, that there was no registration of private worshipping companies of people who worship deities other than worshippers of Togbui Xornametor.

Senior, the other day, all the leaders of this Katolici Asore here in Ogyakrom went up to the mountain to seek the Face of Yahweh in prayer. After forty-nine days, they came down with their clothes and faces shining brightly like the morning sun.

Senior, the villagers rushed to meet them at the village square before the holy men even reached there. They knew these holy men of Yahweh had seen His Face and heard the words He had for the village of Ogyakrom.

Senior, their leader, cleared his throat and spoke and said, “Thus sayest, Yahweh, your Lord and your God. To my servant, Onsurowuo Owuobiayeowuo, I have heard the cries and wailings of the people, my people. They told Me in My Face through my Ears, that poverty has now become their bedfellows and they are like twins, but to you and your court, poverty can never be found in your vocabulary, your dictionary nor in your plush surroundings. Your promise to become, the gateman, the watchman and the chief security man over the public susu box now seems like a mirage in the Sahara Desert. Under your reign, the public purse has become a vagabond who loiters and jay walks only in the rich and plush neighbourhood of you and members of your court. As for the poor in society, they do not have the privilege to even see the back of the head of the public susu box.”

Senior, the leader of the Katolici Asore, ended by saying, “I, Yahweh your Lord and God sayest and this, you must keep in your heart and always remember that ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, and here I am not referring to Ogyateshie, for these are such that will own properties in my Kingdom.’ Do good to all and sundry and sundry and all, and you will be greatly rewarded. I, Yahweh, your Lord God has spoken.”

Senior, these words hit the Elephant clan and while most of them have started packing goodies to give to the poor this Christmas so that they will atone for their sins and rascality, others have started adopting over-aged men and women, who are older than their grandparents, as their children and feeding them five rectangular meals every half a day. But one member of the Elephants, called Yaw Buame, instead of seeking help as his name means, decided to confuse the masses when he claimed that the words that dropped from the mouth of the leader of the Katolici Asore were not marching straight-straight like soldiers at march pass.

Senior, see how some people can bring trouble upon people? As for me I am Dan, sorry I am Done.

Its Me.

 

 

Prestea-Huni-Valley MP donates sewing machines to 141 females

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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Prestea Huni-Valley, Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, has presented hand sewing machines to 141 females, who undertook training in dressmaking.

At a graduation ceremony held by the Ghana National Association of Dress Makers (GNADM), Prestea Huni-Valley branch, each of the dressmakers who graduated on the day walked home with a brand new hand sewing machine purchased for them by the MP. The total cost for all the machines was GHC70,500 and was distributed to the beneficiaries from Prestea, Bogoso, Aboso and Huni-Valley.

Addressing the graduands, Mr. Robert Wisdom Cudjoe reminded them that getting a vocation was not the end but what mattered most was what they make out of it.

As a result, they should explore all means to upgrade themselves as well, so that they can compete in the market.
The MP also asked the graduating ladies to exercise patience and impact the knowledge they have acquired to other apprentices who may come under them. He also commended the parents of the ladies for standing behind their wards in ensuring that they acquired a vocation.

According to him, acquiring a vocation was the surest thing to do when one is unable to continue with his or her education.
The Prestea Huni-Valley MP also commended the teachers of the graduating students. He presented GHC500.00 to the GNDTA branch in Prestea, Bogoso, Aboso and Huni-Valley as his support towards the association.
FUTURE PLANS
Mr. Wisdom Cudjoe later told The Chronicle in an interview that going forward, he has plans to rather go to the aid of females who are interested in undertaking dressmaking and hairdressing as a vocation.

His plans, he explained, was to get the list of those interested in the vocation and present them with basic tools as a start up to their apprenticeship, instead of waiting for them to pass out before presenting them with the tools.
Earlier, the MP had presented 54 hairdryers to another batch of females who passed out as hairdressers in the constituency. The cost of the hair dryers were also borne by the Legislator.

Road Safety Authority launches “Stay Alive Campaign” to reduce road carnage

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The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) yesterday launched a campaign intended to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 15%.

The “Stay Alive” campaign also aims to change drivers’ attitude toward overspeeding, wrongful overtaking, driving tired and jumping red lights.

With regards to both drivers and passengers, the campaign intends to reduce the non-wearing of seat belts and the non-wearing of crash helmets.

Lawmakers and enforcers were also not left out of this campaign, as it intends to reduce laxity and bribery among lawmakers and law enforcers respectively.

Some of the activities the authority and its stakeholders intend to undertake to drum home the message are outreaches to communities, schools, churches and lorry stations to educate and ensure compliance.

The Motto and the Traffic and Transport Departments will be made to deploy ICT systems to regulate the activities of drivers and road users.

There would also be radio, television, and print media campaigns to also educate people.

To ensure the effectiveness of the campaign, the stakeholders have put in place some punitive measures.

Some of these measures state that people who are caught driving drunk are liable to a minimum fine of 250 penalty units, which is equivalent to GH¢3,000 and not exceeding 500 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢6,000, or to a term of imprisonment of not less than 1 year and not exceeding 2 years, or to both.

Drivers who drive tired are liable to a minimum fine of not more than 25 penalty units, which is GH¢300, or to a term of imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both.

Another punitive measure was that drivers who indulge in wrongful overtaking can receive a minimum fine of 2000 penalty units, which is equivalent to GH¢24,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years, or both.

The program is being carried out in partnership with the Prudence Foundation and Safe Steps Road Safety Africa.

Addressing a gathering at the forecourt of the State House in Accra to officially launch the project, the Minister for Transport, Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, noted that the project is in furtherance of the “Arrive Alive Campaign” which was launched some months back.

He noted that the battle against road carnage is not over, so the country continues to record high traffic crashes and casualties, hence the need to amplify education.

He said the NRSA has singled out indiscipline as a contributing factor to crashes on our roads, hence the need to change attitudes to solve traffic crashes.

He said the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and the NRSA have done some work, but more work needs to be done, hence the appeal to Ghanaians to join in the campaign.

Ing. May Obiri-Yeboah, Director General of NRSA stated that road accidents have become a public health crisis and that the sooner a solution was found, the better for the country.

She said that between January and October, this year, over 2,300 and 12,800 people have been killed and injured, respectively, and about 1.6 percent of Ghana’s GDP, translating to over $160 million, is lost annually to road traffic crashes.

She said these losses have thrown people into abject poverty and other forms of hardship, hence the need to remedy them.

“The crashes we register everyday are not only reckoned in losses of lives, but behind these staggering figures lies a family that has been sent into abject poverty, a community burdened by dependence and a nation deprived of its valuable human capital.”

He said these amounts of money can help develop parts of the country, hence the initiative by the NRSA to reduce road carnage.

Safe Steps Road Safety Africa also indicated that statistics on road carnage are truly shocking and hence their partnership with NRSA to curb it.

 

 

SSNIT is the only scheme that caters for you for life -D-G

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Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, the Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has observed that even though there are different players in the pension system compared to the days when SSNIT was the only institution, the scheme is still the only one with the longevity risk of taking care of its beneficiaries, for as long as they are alive.

He said the SSNIT scheme itself was never broken but rather “there is something inside it which might have made the scheme look bad,” and that thing is the worker’ deductions that employers declared to SSNIT as workers’ salaries.

Addressing the 2021 Employers’ Breakfast Meeting at the Golden Tulip  Hotel last Tuesday, in Kumasi, Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang said the beauty of the scheme is that “what you get when you enter is already defined, irrespective of whoever is at the helm of affairs” at SSNIT.

The Director-General said there is no doubt that SSNIT has the best pension policy in town, except that it has not told  its success story well to the public, emphasising that it is the only scheme which can take care of the beneficiary for a lifetime, even up to 100 years.

He explained that it is good business for the employer that takes advantage of the pension scheme because the employer transfers the headache of the workers’ future to SSNIT and advised employers to see it as beneficial and not look at it in any other way.

Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang said SSNIT is rolling out measures to allow lots of informal sector workers in the country to be hooked onto the scheme and advised people in that sector to take advantage of the gesture.

He said very soon the scheme would engage in a vigorous exercise to sell their various products to the public, particularly those in the informal sector.

The  Director-General said he can understand why people do not want to contribute their money or join the scheme because of the pain contributors go through when they are coming for their money, and added that now the average processing time for pension claims is ten days and one does not need the assistance of any middleman.

The Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations and Benefits, Mrs. Laurette Korkor Otchere expressed worry that some employers were not willing to pay SSNIT contributions for some non-permanent employees and emphasised that all category of workers, whether permanent or non-permanent, have the right to social security and must, therefore, not be denied that right.

She announced that from January next year, the NIA card number will become the social security number of all contributors of the scheme and advised all employers to prevail on their employees to get the NIA card to avoid any inconvenience in the payment of workers’ contributions to SSNIT or payment to the pensioners.

From Thomas Agbenyegah Adzey, Kumasi

Minister intervenes in Tropo Farms compensation saga

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Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson has intervened in the impasse over outstanding compensation matters concerning Tropo Farms Limited after Government acquired the farm’s core operational area for railway project.

The visit to the farm at Mpakadan in the Asuogyaman District of Eastern Region by the Minister and her technical staff was to have first-hand information about the farm’s operations and challenges.

After assessing the farm few days ago, she directed the farm mangers to submit a report on all unresolved compensation issues and other challenges facing the company for redress.

Mrs Koomson encouraged the management to continue with the good work and also assured them of government’s support to promote aquaculture for food and jobs.

She said promoting aquaculture was central to government’s modernisation of agriculture agenda, which Tropo Farms as a private entity was already a key player.

“What do we do to encourage you to continue with the good work you are doing is to visit you and to give you assurance that we are with you,” she said.

“And I promised to collaborate with the Railways Minister to help address their compensation matter quickly,” she added.

She advised managers of the farm to immediately write to the Railway Ministry and copy her, stressing:

“So that, quickly, I can take it up with my colleague and see how best we can help.”

She urged them to include in the letter all compensation issues, fast encroachment of Afcon on the farm’s core operational zone, and the number of employees as well as the number of people likely to be rendered jobless should the company shutdown.

In October 2021, managers of the farm called for dialogue with stakeholders in the railway and fisheries sectors in the resolution of unpaid compensation issues affecting the company, following a stalemate between it and the Ghana Railway Development Authority.

However, recent intervention by the fisheries minister was hailed as a positive development as it would pave way for fruitful dialogue and speed up the compensation process for relocation of the tilapia company to sustain employment.

Briefing the minister, Mr Francis Zimmaleh, Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy and PRO of Tropo Farms, said the company contributed 40 per cent of Ghana’s tilapia market and was ranked second largest tilapia producer in Sub-Saharan African.

He said the Company was incorporated in 1997 and branded as Volta Catch. “It employs 800 workers, mostly women, with additional 2,000 women engaged in the distribution chain.”

Through its value chain, the company has created and continue to create employment at its depots in Tema, Kasoa, Malata, Takoradi and Kumasi with plans afoot to establish an additional depot in Tamale to serve the northern sector of Ghana.

He stated that non-operationalisation of the Mpakadan site would have rippling effect on employment in those areas.

Mr Zimmaleh said the company was fully in support of the government’s job creation agenda and as a result, was rolling out Volta Catch Women, a flagship project to empower women in the tilapia value chain.

He re-echoed that the company was not against the railway construction as it would even help in their expansion bid to northern Ghana and neighbouring Burkina Faso, adding, “It is of paramount national interest to us.”

 

Prince Hamid Armah, PhD writes: RE: NaSIA struggling due to square peg in round hole

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As an education policy analyst, I keenly follow the ongoing policy reforms at the Ministry of Education, particularly those relating to curriculum implementation, teacher education and professional learning and school standards and regulations. Just last week, I read an article which essentially outlined some grievances regarding the leadership and operations of the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA). The article contained a litany of accusations and concerns by an association referred to as the Private Education Coalition (PEC). It had been published (and for that matter shared) in a number of online platforms.

It is important to address these concerns in order to carry all stakeholders along the path of building an accountable education policy reform space. While the decision of an official response lies at NaSIA’s discretion, I am duty-bound as a citizen to speak to the issue based on my accumulated knowledge and experience in the industry. It is instructive to say that the emergence of NaSIA, formerly the National Inspectorate Board (NIB) as a statutory body created by the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act 1023) has redefined the supervision and inspection architecture of public and private pre-tertiary schools in Ghana. NaSIA has unambiguously espoused mandate, part of which is to set and enforce standards to be observed at the public and private pre-tertiary education level in Ghana. NaSIA has in recent times, in a Covid era, evolved the use of innovative and data-driven measures despite the odds to implement its mandate. Before I proceed further, let me indicate government’s commitment, since 2017, to completely overhaul the pre-education system with the view to improving learning outcomes in schools across the grade levels. Right from the National Teaching Council (NTC) which targets teacher professional development and quality through rigorous processes of teacher registration and licensing, to NaCCA which focuses on standardizing the school curriculum and to NaSIA which aims at enforcing quality education standards and architecture, our educational system has been put on the right pedestal for improved learning and teaching standards.

Agitations

As often the case, the implementation of these reforms has been met with marginal strains of difficulties and more importantly confrontations from other parties. It is thus not surprising that the Private Education Coalition (PEC), has amplified their challenges with these reforms. However, it is appropriate and fair for such concerns to be evaluated through the lenses of objectivism in order to ascertain their weight of veracity. The main concern of the PEC group is the allegation of “exorbitant and unapproved fees under the pretext of licensing and registering [schools] in order to be able to operate”. Having read the ACT that established NaSIA, I have no option than to say that the allegation by PEC is far from the truth. The reasons behind my position are espoused as follows. The functions of NaSIA as captured in clause 89 (2) of the Act 1023 states that;

The Authority shall, in the performance of functions under subsection (1),

  1. publish the school effectiveness standards and guidelines developed for pre-tertiary education institutions under paragraph (a) and periodically review the standards and guidelines;
  2. prescribe disciplinary measures for a pre-tertiary education institution that fails to comply with the standards and guidelines issued by the Authority;
  3. publish reports and findings on the performance of pre-tertiary education institutions;
  4. temporarily or permanently in consultation with the Minister and the Regional Education Directorate or District Assembly concerned close down a pre-tertiary institution that fails to meet the standards set by the Authority;
  5. close down a school in emergency situations after consultations with the Minister and the Regional Education Directorate or District Assembly concerned;
  6. recommend that pre-tertiary institutions be managed through Public Private Partnerships; and
  7. register private pre-tertiary institutions.

From the above, one may question which of the clauses may have been violated by NaSIA as alleged by PEC. If NaSIA’s functions include the registration through licensing of private pre-tertiary institutions as well as reprimanding pre-tertiary institutions that fail to meet the requisite standards, then it is quite retrogressive and questionable for NaSIA to be castigated for carrying out its mandate. Licensing by regulatory bodies demand some form of financial commitment in order to be efficient in their delivery. Thus, it appears fuzzy for anyone to claim that NaSIA is charging unapproved fees. In any case, NaSIA’s board has representation from the Teacher Unions and the Ghana National Association of Private schools (GNAPS) and such decisions are sanctioned by the Board for implementation. Again, what charges as licensing fees would be reckoned appropriate for private schools?  I believe the private schools and Teacher Unions that have a representation on the Board are in position to argue fairly on what best is reasonable. We did not include them for nothing when we crafted the Act governing NaSIA’s operations.

Another concern of the group is the unfortunate remark of a “square peg in a round hole”. I would ordinarily have ignored this claim because it appears to have been borne out of mischief and an attempt directed at smearing certain respected individuals at the institution. NaSIA’s board is chaired by Professor Eugene K. Marfo Darteh of the University of Cape Coast, an accomplished academic with extensive background in driving change. Membership of the Board which was recently appointed by President Akufo-Addo and inaugurated by the Hon Minister, Dr Yaw Adutwum in accordance with the expectation of Act 1023 also includes Dr. Christian Addai-Poku (Registrar, NTC), Dr. Damasus Tuurosong, President of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, Mr. Anthony Boateng, Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr. Victor de Graft-Etsien, representative from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT). There are also representatives from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and Technical, Vocational Education and Training Service (TVETS). Additionally, Dr. Haggar Hilda Ampadu, the Inspector-General of Schools who is also a member of the Board, is an accomplished individual with in-depth knowledge on project management, data management, monitoring and evaluation, policy and regulation, etc. Her expertise was put to good use in her previous employment in the U.S pharmaceutical sector as a Data Scientist for 13 years working with the likes of Pfizer and Jonhson & Johnson. She also worked as a Regulatory Policy Advisor to 34 countries in Africa in her seven (7) years of working with the World Health Organisation (WHO). This is just to validate her credentials. It cannot be said that these eminent personalities at NaSIA are square pegs in round holes.

In a nutshell, the points raised in the release by the Private Education Coalition (PEC) are littered with inaccuracies. Rather than being combative and accusatory, it is best they reconsider the merit of the reforms spearheaded by NaSIA and open up to progressive policies. NaSIA is a budding institution and would need the encouragement and support from its actors. The sanitization of the school system is a load of work and it’s important for all stakeholders to accommodate change and be constructive in their criticisms. NaSIA’s success would ensure learners in pre-tertiary schools in the country meet learning outcomes in safe and serene learning environment and all progress-minded Ghanaians should welcome that.

The writer is the Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim, and Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education. He was previously Director-General of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA)

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