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Ugandan delegation in Ghana to understudy the education system

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An eleven-member Ugandan delegation on Monday visited Ghana’s Education Ministry to understudy the nation’s educational reforms.

The delegation, which would be in the country for five days, was led by Madam Kabahena Flavia Rwabuhoro, a Member of Parliament (MP) and Chairperson for Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development, as the team comprised of eight MPs and three staff.

The team will, as part of the mission, visit various agencies under the Education Ministry to engage the leadership of the agencies to learn more about what is done there and ask the necessary questions on best practices.

Welcome note 

In his welcome address, the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said the visit by the delegation would go a long way to deepen the relationship between the two countries.

He took time to show pictures and videos of new and ongoing projects and explain the current state of educational reforms in the country, which has led to the nation becoming the first port of call for many countries in Africa, who keep coming to understudy what is going on in the education sector.

Dr Adutwum, said, “We have not reached where we want to go but we have moved forward and hope that we will become a model on the African continent soon”.

He lauded the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for his commitment and interest in transforming the fortunes of the country through education.

The Education Minister and other Directors at the Ministry spent time answering several questions from the Ugandan team, who wanted to understand the various policies being implemented in the country as part of the education reforms.

The leader of the Ugandan delegation, Madam Kabahena Flavia Rwabuhoro, lauded Ghana for its role in the development of the African continent citing the state of the nation’s education which has become a model for other African countries.

She also eulogized the country for the development of its democracy making it a model when it comes to the development of democracy in the sub-region.

Best education in the sub-region 

The delegation pledged to liaise with the leadership of Ghana’s Education Ministry to reform its education system since Ghana had one of the best education systems in the sub-region.

The delegation has since visited various agencies under the Ministry to engage management and staff on their programmes and policies so they could adopt any aspect of the policies.

Chief Director of the Education Ministry, Mrs Mamle Andrews, recounted the effort being made by the Ministry to come out with the best policies, programmes and initiatives that stand the chance of turning around the fortunes of the nation through education.

She pledged the preparedness of the staff and management of the Ministry towards the attainment of the best outcomes over the various interventions being executed currently by the Ministry.

Background

The past three years has seen many African Countries visiting the Education Ministry to engage the leadership to understudy the ongoing reforms in the sector.

This follows the introduction of numerous education interventions brought to the fore by the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who has a barrage of experience in education policy and development.

Apart from the visitation by various nations in the African continent, the nation’s education reforms started by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government has attracted the attention of the global platform leading to the presentation of an award to the country at the recent World Government Summit held in Dubai.

The award was presented to the country for one of its policies called the “Ghana Education Outcomes Project” (GEOP) for integrating 17,340 Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) learners into mainstream schools and enhancing learning gains through innovative interventions in the first year.

By Felix Baidoo

Govt eyes fresh $1bn World Bank loan for IDPs

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World Bank

The Nigerian Federal Government is in talks with the World Bank to complete the processes of obtaining over $1 billion loans to address the challenges facing Internally Displaced Persons and their host communities, as well as bolster rural access and agricultural marketing in the country.

The request is contained in a recent World Bank document titled, ‘Solutions for the Internally Displaced and Host Communities Project’ and ‘Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project – Scale Up.’

Accordingly, while the IDPs’ loan is put at $500m, the rural access and agricultural marketing project loan is estimated at $550m. The fund is expected to provide help to communities in Nigeria badly affected by insecurity.

“The proposed project will utilise a three-pronged approach to develop sustainable solutions for IDPs and host communities in Northern Nigeria.

“First, the proposed project aims to provide tailored solutions for each of the targeted states and communities, recognizing that each internal displacement situation is specific and localised, with conflict, violence and/or climate challenges presenting a different level and set of vulnerabilities for host communities.

“Gender, age, and special needs of individuals also play a role, as well as the length of displacement, number of times displaced and other factors.

“Thus, responses will be adapted to address the specific needs of vulnerable populations within displacement-affected states and communities. Second, the proposed project will follow a ‘People-in-Place’ approach, integrating the needs of the people and the impacts on the place where they settle,” the document stated.

According to a review by a World Bank team, Northern Nigeria, especially Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, has experienced the highest numbers of internally displaced persons.

This is primarily due to the ongoing conflict involving Boko Haram, as well as other factors such as banditry and conflicts between farmers and herders, leading to the displacement of over 3.5 million people.

Since 2009, Boko Haram has continued to carry out heinous crimes on Nigerians.

Banditry has been described as a variant of Boko Haram.

Recently, bandits attacked Kaduna Community abducting over 200 schoolchildren and members of staff.

Credit: dailypost.ng

Gunmen abduct, kill traditional ruler in Bauchi

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Alhaji Garba Badamasi

Suspected kidnappers have reportedly abducted and killed the traditional ruler of Riruwai village in Lame District, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Alhaji Garba Badamasi.

According to reports, the traditional ruler was reportedly kidnapped from his palace on March 15, 2024 by the gunmen who scared away residents with sporadic gun shots.

DAILY POST gathered that the gunmen, after abducting the late Badamasi, did not contact any of his family members for ransom payment.

It was further gathered that Badamasi’s body was later found after he had spent a day in captivity.

His corpse, which was dumped close to the village, was said to have been recovered by villagers who were searching for him in the bush.

Efforts to contact the Bauchi State Police Command over the development were not successful as of the time of filing this report.

Spokesman of the Command, SP Ahmed Wakili did not respond to messages and calls put across to him.

Credit: dailypost.ng

Okada riders storm streets to protest death of colleagues

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Okada riders

Aggrieved motorcycle riders have blocked major roads and markets in Asaba and Okayama, in the Oshimili South and Oshimili North Local Government Areas of Delta State, protesting the death of their colleagues.

The protesters took to the streets in the early hours of Monday in anger, destroying properties.

Businesses around the popular Midwifery Market in Okpanam and the Delta State Post Primary Education Board along Sunnis Road, Asaba, were also attacked by the protesters.

According to the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, two motorcycle riders died on Sunday during an enforcement by the State Task Force.

The police spokesman also said that some police officers have been deployed to the protest scene.

Edafe wrote in a post on his X handle, “There was a violent protest this morning by Okada riders who had issue last night with the state task force that led to the death of two persons.

“They mobilised in the their numbers this morning, destroying properties and beating people, hence our men were deployed to control the situation before it turns to something else.”

Credit: dailypost.ng

Unnamed person pocketed Peter Obi’s N60m campaign money

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Peter Obi

A yet-to-be identified individual around the team of Mr Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the last general election, has been accused of reportedly cornering N60 million donated to his campaign.

@MissPearls, a strong supporter of Obi, made public the allegation on Sunday via a series of posts on her X handle.

According to her, someone donated N60,000,000.00 to Obi but a greedy middle man ‘pocketed’ everything.

She disclosed that the former Anambra State governor has found out about the incident and is now insisting that the unnamed middle man must refund the donor.

@MissPearls went on to claim that a person can’t be corrupt around Obi and go scot free, adding that the coming days will be very interesting.

“The corruption we were vehemently speaking against was happening right under our noses and we didn’t even know

“I trust Obi. You cant be corrupt around him and go scot free. The coming days will be very interesting!

“So someone donated N60M to Peter Obi. A whooping N60M. A greedy middle man pocketed EVERYTHING. Now Obi has found out and said the middle man must refund the donor. Lobatan!,” she wrote on her X handle.

Meanwhile, DAILY POST on Monday reached out to Yunusa Tanko, one of the spokespersons of Obi’s presidential campaign, to seek his comments on the matter.

Although he did not confirm the incident, Tanko noted that Obi had always insisted that people should account for money given to them.

He said: “I don’t know or have heard about that but what I know is that his Excellency Mr Peter Obi has always said that if there are contributions or donations being made for a particular project in support of his candidature, they should account for the persons who have given them the money.

“For example, if I am looking for a support, say I want to mobilize people or agents for Peter Obi and I will now solicit for fund, If people donate to me, it’s incumbent for me to account for those who donated to me.

“In this case, whoever that donated money to that particular person should ask, ‘what was the money meant for, and how was the money used?’ with proof.

“That is why I said, knowing fully well that such a thing could happen, that is why Mr Peter Obi said people should account for money. And it’s because he called people out that’s why people are hearing that people donated ‘X’ amount of money somewhere ‘ABC’, which he didn’t know.

“I am only saying that Peter Obi has asked people to account for money given to them by any group or whosever.”

Credit: dailypost.ng

Let’s harness potential of AI in safeguarding rights of consumers –CIMG

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JENNIFER AMBOLLEY
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Dr. Kasser Tee, National President of CIMG

The National President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG), Dr. Kasser Tee, has emphasized the need to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) while safeguarding the rights of consumers. He said this during the World Consumer Rights Day in Ghana, last Friday.

Addressing the gathering, under the theme “Fair and Responsible AI for Consumers”, Dr Kasser Tee said it is for this reason that CIMG acknowledges the significance of consumer rights and the urgent necessity for dialogue to effect positive change in the lives of consumers in Ghana.

“We all recognise the role that artificial intelligence (AI) has come to play in an increasingly digitised and interconnected world.

“From personalised recommendations on e-commerce platforms to automated customer service chatbots, AI has become an integral part of our daily lives, particularly in urban centres where there is internet connectivity”, he explained.

He further acknowledged the need for robust regulatory frameworks, ethical guidelines and industry standards to govern the development, deployment and utilization of AI technologies, thereby promoting fairness, accountability and trust in the marketplace.

Dr. Kasser Tee is optimistic that AI has the potential to revolutionise our experiences, offering personalised services and enhanced convenience.

However, he cautioned that “we must ensure this technology is used ethically, with consumer protection at its core, because the power that technology gives us today should also come with great responsibility in its usage by us.”

Regardless of novelty and lack of regulatory frameworks, he said the consumer rights remain unchanged. This, according to him, meant that there was the need to recognise these fundamental rights, including the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, the right to be heard, the right to redress, the right to education, etc, as contained in the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection.

He continued that, “It is in our own interest as consumers, to demand that the technology environment is well regulated in a manner that prioritises fairness, transparency, and accountability.

“AI systems should be fair to all, with no discrimination of any kind, except those that may violate our cultural norms and practices, as a people.

“We must strive for fairness in decision-making of algorithms, ensuring that biases are minimised, and opportunities are accessible to all.”

Also, he indicated that consumers must have the right to know when AI is at play.

“Organisations must, therefore, be transparent about how AI systems operate, the data they generate and use, and the impact of their decisions. Transparency builds trust and empowers consumers to make informed choices”, he explained.

He again called for an inter-sectorial collaboration between government, industry, academia, media, civil society, and regulators to ensure end-to-end protection for consumers.

As they celebrated World Consumer Rights Day, Mr Tee urged marketers to commit to advancing the cause of fair and responsible AI through discussions such as these, to equip ourselves with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the evolving world of AI.

Bui Power Authority inaugurates cashew factory under 1D1F initiative  

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Bui Power Authority

Mr Samuel Kofi Dzamesi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bui Power Authority (BPA), the Managers of the Bui Generating Station (BGS), has inaugurated a cashew factory in the dam’s enclave under the government’s One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) initiative.

The construction of the facility, which sought to add value to raw cashew products for export, is a collaborative effort between the BPA and Cashew-U Company Limited of China.
According to Mr Dzamesi, the collaboration entailed the development of a 500-acre cashew plantation and the establishment of a processing plant on a 20-acre land, with the aim of producing 12,000 metric tons of cashew nuts annually.

Additionally, plans are underway to upgrade the facility for cashew nut oil processing, he stated at the short ceremony held at Bui in the Banda District of the Bono Region.
Mr Dzamesi explained that the facility signified the Authority’s pursuit of industrialization and economic growth within the Bui enclave.

The location of the factory, nestled within the 184,000 hectares of land secured for the Bui Project, showed the Authority’s commitment to maximizing local resources for economic development.

He observed the “Bui enclave has long been known for its significant role in cashew farming with nearly every household actively involved in this agricultural activity.”
Mr Dzamesi said the entire project was expected to generate job opportunities for approximately 55 locals initially, while projecting employment opportunities for about 250 locals, upon reaching full operational capacity.

This initiative is poised to enhance livelihoods and foster socio-economic empowerment in the region.
Through the utilization of the current network of local farmers, the Authority’s goal is to create a sustainable supply chain for the factory, starting with locally sourced raw materials and eventually transitioning to cultivation on the designated acres of land for cashew plantations.

Mr Dzamesi said the recent completion of the factory was in perfect alignment with BPA’s Bui City Agenda to stimulate economic growth within the communities of the Bui enclave to drive industrialization and harness the potential of the Bui enclave for economic growth.

While the current focus of the factory lies in the processing of cashew nuts for both export and domestic consumption, our plans include the development and production of cashew oil for both local and international markets, he said.

The collaboration between BPA and the Cash-U Company Limited represented a transformative step towards value addition in the agricultural sector, fostering economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development within the Bui enclave and beyond.

Mr Dzamesi expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his visionary leadership through the 1D1F initiative, which aims to industrialize the country and commended his predecessor, Mr. Fred Oware, under whose leadership and efforts led to the acquisition of land for the construction of the factory.

He urged the investors to expand the factory’s capacity to create more employment opportunities and also take the opportunity to invite more investors to invest in the Bui City Agenda.

Mr. Lionel Wu, the Managing Director, Cash-U Company Limited, said the “factory is completed and has passed all trial tests, prior to the start of production at the beginning of this year.”

“Today is significant to all of us because we bring to the knowledge of the public the good works that the Bui Power Authority and Cash-U Company Limited are doing in this area,” he said.

Mr Wu added about 55 locals had already been engaged, saying on completion of the plantation development, a further 250 would be engaged in different roles, and expressed appreciation to the BPA, the local communities for their cordial relationship.
“We will ensure we deliver our mandate as entrusted to us by the Authority and proudly be a part of the success story of this industrialization agenda,” he stated.

From Dennis Peprah, Bui

Classification Committee should enforce stricter rules to curb insults in films –Ola Michael

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NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Ola Michael

Movie producer Ola Michael has urged the Film Classification Committee to implement stricter regulations to address the increased use of strong language and insults in Ghanaian films.

His call for action follows actor Agya Koo’s criticism of the prevalence of insults and explicit content in movies.

Speaking on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM, Ola Michael acknowledged that the use of insults has become ingrained in Ghanaian cinema, but emphasised that its excessive presence has led to a culture where films are not appreciated unless they contain numerous scenes featuring insults.

He pointed out that this trend has spilt over into real life, with individuals seeking to gain social media followers and audiences by creating content centred around insults or using them as a form of comedy.

Ola Michael proposed that the Classification Committee enforce stricter measures including instructing producers to reduce the use of strong language, mandate the removal of some scenes or assign higher age ratings and restricting the movie’s exhibition in certain venues or time slots.

“If you bring a movie for classification, they can take a look and tell you ‘there’s too much string language, go and take some of them out, else we rate the movie 18 or 16’. This means there are certain places you can’t show the movie, and if it is for TV you cannot show it at certain times,” the movie producer explained.

According to Ola Michael, such measures would compel producers to be more mindful of the content they create, especially considering its impact on distribution and audience accessibility.

He also encouraged producers to focus on creating well-structured scripts that minimise ad-libbing, which often leads to the spontaneous use of insults for comedic effect.

This comes after actor Agya Koo expressed his concerns on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, criticising the portrayal of graphic sex in films and insults, citing its detrimental impact on societal morals, particularly among young viewers.

Source: myjoyonline

I stand with scriptures – MOG Music on anti-LGBTQ+ bill

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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MOG Music

Gospel musician, MOG Music, has clarified his earlier submission on his stance on LGBTQ+ which sparked controversy on social media.

In a video that went viral on the internet, he is heard saying that he does not want to take sides in deliberating issues surrounding the bill.

In an interview on Hitz FM, he said his position on the bill is stipulated by the disciplines and rules of the Bible.

“My stands are very clear on this thing. I stand where the scripture stands. I made this statement before which is 3 years ago and I am still by it. It is not about MOG protecting his brand over the gospel, but my stand is very clear”, he said on Hitz FM.

According to him, some people are too ignorant and quick to share information without fact-checking.

He explained the incident that led to his decision and according to him, he sees nothing wrong with what he said. “There is nothing wrong with what I said. It is just that people are refusing to research. This is a generation that does not need research, and it is very bad.”

He also added that his response was not to sound political, hence, his statement, “I don’t want to take sides on the particular one”.

“If I speak about the bill, it is either I am publicising for NPP or NDC. This is because I didn’t want it to affect my brand. The moment I side for or against, one session of the political party will go against me and I don’t like that,” he said.

“I have a friend whose political affiliations have affected the brand negatively”, he added.

He, however, cautioned individuals to be careful about the people and issues they talk about if they have not done proper research on them.

“If you listen to rumours and you make judgements that I don’t have God, then you don’t know me. If you do that, then it means you don’t read and research”.

Fiifi Selah accuses Samini and Shatta Wale of copying his style

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Fiifi Selah

Formerly known as Scobby Selah, Fiifi Selah of renowned music group, TH 4 Kwages says raggae-dancehall Artistes, Samini and Shatta Wale copied his style of singing.

According to him, the two musicians got inspiration from his songs to produce their first hit songs and broke into the music industry.

In an interview on Joy Prime, Fiifi Selah said; “Samini copied me. He listened to my music to write his ‘Linda’ song. Shatta Wale also listened to one of my Sass Squad songs to become Shatta Wale. They all came from me.”

This response came after he performed an acapela and the host asked as who between him and Samini copied the other since they have similar style.

As a result, he considers himself the pacesetter in raggae-dancehall music, claiming all artistes within that genre followed his trades.

Fiifi Selah further indicated that Sarkodie is the only rapper that is able to follow and mimic his style of rap because it is not the usual style every musician can flow with. “Nobody can rap my rap; only Sarkodie can do it because my rap is hard to get,” he mentioned.

The musician shared how he aggressively promoted raggea-dancehall music when he was privileged to host a show on radio to draw attention to the genre. “So, within my time, raggea-dancehall became big in Ghana.”

That notwithstanding, he is proud of the impact his songs have made on other over the years musicians including, Kofi Kinaata and Ayesem, amongst others.

Fiifi Selah a member of the defunct Th 4 Kwages formerly Sass Squad was known for hit songs like ‘Nana Esi,’ ‘Kwakyemu,’ ‘Menya Obaa Fefe,’ ‘Serwaa,’ ‘Wongye’ and more.

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