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Observe Covid-19 protocols after vaccination – Public urged

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The Executive Committee of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) CRIB Project has urged the citizenry to continue to adhere to Covid-19 safety protocols after they get vaccinated.

It said observing the protocols was necessary because most people in the country had not yet been vaccinated, hence the possibility of the virus spreading if the precautionary measures were not adhered to.

The COVID-19 Response and Institutional Capacity Building (CRIB) Project is a two-year project by the CHAG, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and UKAID in 40 districts.

Dr Eric Gyamfi, a Public Health Physician Specialist on behalf of the Committee, said the Covid-19 vaccines were very safe just like all the other medications approved by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
“They are as safe as the various pain killers, hypertension and diabetes medicines approved for use in the country in our various hospitals and pharmacies and they go through the same stringent safety checks as any other medicines,” he said.

He said vaccines worked by boosting the capacity of the immune system to fight infections and also helped human bodies to develop immunity to germs.

Dr Gyamfi said getting vaccinated was the only proven way of ending the pandemic adding that when a herd immunity was attained, it would prevent the vaccine from further spread.

He said people who had active Covid-19 infection could not be vaccinated but could only do so once they met the criteria for de-isolation and without any symptoms.

The CHAG is represented in the Kpando Municipality by the Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital, working with the Kpando Municipal Health Directorate and the Municipal Assembly to achieve set targets.

Bono NPP annual delegates’ conference underway

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All is set for the Bono Regional Annual Delegates Conference of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) being held at the Sunyani Technical University auditorium.

The day’s conference is being attended by the Regional Council of Elders, Patrons, Constituency and polling station executives of the party, Members of Parliament (MPs), Municipal and District Chief Executives and government appointees.

Mr John Boadu, the General Secretary of the NPP, is expected to open the conference.

Vice-President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will be represented at the conference by his Spokesperson and Economic Advisor, Dr Gideon Boako.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the venue of the event on Friday around 0800 hours, all arrangements had been made to ensure the conference’s success.

There were banners of party hopefuls aspiring for various leadership positions in the region around the venue.

The conference has also created brisk economic activities for some young women who had capitalised on the event to sell NPP paraphernalia, including miniature party flags, scarfs, flyers, beads, T-shirts and armbands.

There was a high-security presence as many Police personnel were there to maintain law and order.

In an interview with the GNA, Mr Seth Asare Bediako, the Bono Regional Communication Director of the NPP, described the conference as extraordinary, saying it had paved the way for the national NPP leadership to hold a press conference in the region.

He said the conference would also cut the sod and hold a fundraising rally for the construction of an ultra-modern regional party office in Sunyani.

Highlighting the activities, Mr Bediako said the conference had already received and would deliberate on constituency reports, accounts, and proposals.

Most of the proposals, he added were centred on the amendment of portions of the NPP constitution and expansion of its electoral college.

As at the time of filing this report, NPP party bigwigs, both local and national, MPs and Ministers and former Ministers of State were arriving at the venue.

President Akufo-Addo meets victims of Akim Oda fire disaster

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has visited the Akim Oda market fire disaster scene to end his three-day tour of the Eastern Region, from Tuesday to Thursday.

He assured the affected persons of government’s financial support from the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) and MASLOC and said measures were underway to revive the operations of the market.

The President also pledged to ensure that the registered affected persons benefited from GEA and MASLOC, which aim at growing and promoting Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises through the provision of effective innovative financial services.

On September 13, 2021, at about 2050 hours, fire broke out at the Akim Oda main market destroying wares and property.

President Akufo-Addo, as part of the activities of his three-day tour, inaugurated a newly constructed two-storey District Assembly Administration Block at Akyem Manso, a one-storey Boys’ Dormitory at Akroso Senior High School (SHS) and a one-storey District Assembly Administration Block at the Birim South District.

Also, he commissioned the New Gatte Farms, a poultry farm at Akyem Wenchi, under the One District One Factory Initiative.

During the President’s visit to Akroso SHS, Nana Kwabena Ofori II, the Chief of Akyem Akroso, appealed for the elevation of Akroso Clinic, which was constructed in 1963, to a health centre to serve the many surrounding communities.

In response President Akufo-Addo said the Asene Manso Akroso District was a beneficiary of the Agenda 111, where a district hospital would be constructed at Akyem Asubua while the elevation of the Akroso Clinic would be looked at.

Oberempon Sintim Opoku III, the Benkumhene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, called on the President to intervene in the Kotoku chieftaincy related issues, which had persisted for ages and retarded development.

The President, in response, expressed optimism that with collective support from all chiefs in the Kotoku Traditional Area, the issues would be amicably resolved before the end of his term.

Daasebre Dr Nyarko Asumadu Appiah, Chief of Akyem Wenchi, during a courtesy call on him by the President, appealed for a revamp of the Great Consolidated Diamonds Limited (GCDL) at Akwatia to serve as a source of employment for the people.

The GCDL intends to establish an integrated diamond mining and processing industry with the prime objective of turning around the fortunes of the mine.

He called for speedy work on the rehabilitation of the Takorasi-Kusi Road and Akwatia town roads.

The President started his three days tour of the Eastern Region from Nkawkaw to Atibie, Koforidua, Peduase, Adukrom, Awukugua, Okere, Adeiso, Akroso, Manso, Akyem Swedru, Akim Oda, and ended at Akyem Wenchi.

Rwandan High Commissioner to Ghana calls on GSA Director-General

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The Rwandan High Commissioner to Ghana Dr Aisa Kirabo Kacyira has paid a courtesy call on the Director-General (DG) of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Prof. Alexander Dodoo, to discuss ways the two agencies can work together efficiently.

The visit was to explore ways the two institutions could implement the policy objectives inherent in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), among other trade-related issues.

The High Commissioner paid the visit to the Authority and was accompanied by the First Secretary and Head of Economic Diplomacy at the Rwandan High Commission, Jackson Ngabonziza.

Dr Kacyira said Ghana and Rwanda had so much in common, including a stable, democratic and safe environment, which are a bedrock upon which both countries could collaborate effectively.

“Please consider the High Commission as partners and not just diplomats so we can both learn from each other,” she said.

“Rwandans value the help Ghana has given to the country during the time of need and the country has made strides in improving trade with other African countries and we are very glad Ghana is not only hosting the AfCFTA secretariat but is implementing it,” the diplomat noted.

The DG of GSA, on his part, expressed his excitement of a potential partnership and pledged the organisation’s unflinching support in ensuring that the two countries improve their trade relations.

“We will love a bilateral partnership between the two agencies. We will love to institute an exchange programme between the standards institutions of both countries so we can learn from each other,” he noted.

The Ag. Director of Standards at the GSA, Joyce Okoree, revealed that the GSA had been working closely with African Regional Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) to harmonise some ARSO standards for the successful implementation of the AfCFTA.

The Head of Public Relations of the Authority, Peter Martey Agbeko, in a brief remark said the potential partnership between the two outfits would take GSA to another level and he is looking forward to reconnecting with the people of Rwanda; having been part of a UNAMIR, sponsored team of journalists who paid a working visit to Rwanda in August 1994.

In the coming days, a MoU will be signed by the two organisations to signify the beginning of a formal collaboration. It’s also expected that exchange of personnel will follow for training in their respective countries.

CSIR Senior Staff Association holds 9th biennial conference

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Senior Staff Association (SSA) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has held its 9th biennial conference with a call on members to reposition themselves to surmount post-COVID-19 challenges.

Delegates from all the Institutes under the CSIR across the country attended the two-day conference, which was on the theme: “Strategies to Sustain and Strengthen Science and Technology Research– the Role of CSIR.”

The conference sought to take stock of the activities of the Association and strategise the way forward with emphasis on the welfare and collective development of members.

Mr Fred Kwame Tekpor, National President of the Association, said the past one and half years had been a challenging one for CSIR and the SSA, in particular, due to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This, he said, informed the selection of the theme for the conference to remind members of the need to pursue strategies that could sustain the science and technology research which was the core mandate of CSIR.

He said CSIR could not adequately accomplish its purpose without the active engagement and participation of the senior staff and called on management to formulate policies that allowed SSA members to play their unique roles as middle-level staff with respect and dignity.

He acknowledged the tremendous support that management continued to provide the Association in terms of their welfare, career development and other opportunities.

“I will urge management to continue to ensure that issues affecting members interest, welfare, promotion and safety are handled with the urgency it deserves,” he emphasised.

Mr Tekpor was of the strong conviction that the cooperation between management and the SSA would further strengthen the cordial working relationship among the staff of the CSIR.

Prof. Victor Kwame Agyemang, the Director-General of CSIR, paid glowing tribute to SSA for its contribution to the overall output of CSIR over the years.

The Director-General said he had enjoyed a cordial working relationship with the Association, which formed about 47 per cent of the workforce of CSIR.

He charged staff of all the institutes of CSIR to resist private developers encroachment on the organisation’s lands, saying that it was in their collective interest to protect the lands as workers of CSIR.

Dr Agyeman reminded them that encroachment on the lands of one institute must be a concern for all the other institutes because all staff would suffer the consequences of inaction on the part of a particular institute.

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The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Regent University College of Science and Technology in Accra to bridge the gap between industry and academia.

The MoU would help promote research and innovation, industry-academia collaboration, as well as training, and development. It would also help promote and strengthen the commercial and industrial interests in the country as well as prepare young graduates from the university to meet the needs and requirements of the job market.

Speaking at the MoU signing event which took place at the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry head office in Accra, Mr. Clement Osei-Amoako, the President of GNCCI, emphasized that the success of any economy rested on its entrepreneurs, enterprises, and an enabling environment.

Mr. Osei-Amoako said the MoU sought to create a broad framework of collaboration in the areas of research and innovation, training and development, and industry-academic cooperation to support entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

He remarked that the world of work was always evolving, requiring the development of unique insights on the issues impacting organisations and individuals. “It is my fervent expectation that the implementation of today’s agreement will contribute to knowledge and skills transfer between industry and academia in achieving our shared vision for the country”

Mr. Osei-Amoako added that when Africa’s younger entrepreneurs, are prepared adequately to take over the economy “then we are building a future for our Ghanaian economy.”

Professor Ernest Ofori Asamoah, the President of Regent University College of Science and Technology expressed optimism that the partnership would provide students with the opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills, and experience to be relevant in the job market. He also expressed hopes that this partnership would enable well-researched standard business practices to be documented to help businesses in the country.

Present at the signing were Mr. Mark Badu-Aboagye, CEO, GNCCI, Mr. Julius Bradford Lamptey, Head, Research & Advocacy, and Mr. Abudu Asoman, Research Officer.

The Regent University College delegation comprised of Prof. George Toworfe, Vice President, Mr. Benjamin Zogbator, Registrar, Ms. Vida Oppong, ESS Director, and Mr. Emmanuel Amissah, Business Development.

President Akufo-Addo meets victims of Akim Oda fire disaster

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IMAGE COPYRIGHT / AFP/

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has visited the Akim Oda market fire disaster scene to end his three-day tour of the Eastern Region.

He assured the affected persons of the government’s financial support from the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) and MASLOC.

He also pledged to ensure that the registered affected persons benefited from GEA and MASLOC, which aim at growing and promoting Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises, through the provision of effective innovative financial services.

He said measures were underway to revive the operations of the market.

On September 13, 2021, at about 2050 hours, a devastating fire outbreak at Akim Oda main market resulted in the loss of property.

Nana Akufo-Addo, as part of the activities of his tour, inaugurated a newly constructed two-storey District Assembly Administration block at Akyem Manso, a one-storey boys’ dormitory at Akroso Senior High School (SHS) and a one-storey District Assembly Administration block at the Birim South District.

Also, he commissioned New Gatte Farms, a poultry farm, at Akyem Wenchi, under the One District, One Factory Initiative.

During the President’s visit to Akroso SHS, Nana Kwabena Ofori II, Chief of Akyem Akroso, appealed for an elevation of Akroso Clinic, which was constructed in 1963, to a health centre to serve the many surrounding communities.

In response to the appeal, the President said Asene Manso Akroso District, was a beneficiary of Agenda 111, Hospitals and a district hospital, would be constructed at Akyem Asubua while the elevation of Akroso Clinic would be looked at.

Oberempon Sintim Opoku III, the Benkumhene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, called on Nana Akufo-Addo, to intervene in the Kotoku chieftaincy related issues, which had persisted for ages and retarded development.

The President said such issues persisted in Yendi and Ga for many years but have now been resolved and expressed optimism that with collective support from all chiefs in the Kotoku Traditional Area, the issues would be amicably resolved before the end of his term.

Daasebre Dr Nyarko Asumadu Appiah, Chief of Akyem Wenchi, during a courtesy call on him by the President, appealed for a revamp of the Great Consolidated Diamonds Limited (GCDL) at Akwatia to serve as a source of employment for people in the area.

GCDL intends to establish an integrated diamond mining and diamond processing industry with the prime objective of turning around the fortunes of the mine.

He also called for speedy work on the rehabilitation of Takorasi-Kusi road and Akwatia town roads.

The President, started his three days tour of the Eastern Region, from Nkawkaw, Atibie, Koforidua, Peduase, Adukrom, Awukugua, Okere, Adeiso, Akroso, Manso, Akyem Swedru, Akim Oda, and ended at Akyem Wenchi.

WCQ Preview: Milovan begins the quest to rejuvenate Ghana’s qualification bid against Zimbabwe

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The Black Stars of Ghana will be handed a fresh opportunity to make amends in their last disastrous outing against South Africa when they clash with the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the African qualifiers for the 2022 Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.

The Black Stars would face off against the Warriors in a double-header in Group G with both sides poised to get the World Cup qualification campaign back on track after defeats in their last outing.

New Black Stars coach Milovan Rajevac would be looking to repeat the exploits of qualifying to the 2010 World Cup especially with Ghana in the same circumstances some 12 years ago.

Zimbabwean trainer Norman Mapeza who replaced Zdravko Logarusic would be looking to get their first win of the qualifiers in Cape Coast against a Black Stars who are eager for the three points.

The reverse fixture between the two teams would be played at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021.

Team News

First-choice goalkeeper Richard Ofori would be absent for the Black Stars having been left out of the squad with Lawrence Ati-ZIGI likely to get the starting nod.

Sensational midfield duo Thomas Partey and Kudos Mohammed would be in action for the Black Stars having missed out on the last qualifiers due to injury with their respective club sides.

The Warriors would be without their star winger Khama Billat for the first leg encounter after accumulating yellows in their two matches against South Africa and Ethiopia.
Zimbabwean Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is expected to feature for the Warriors.

The Warriors have also received a major boost ahead of the Ghana clash with the late arrival of key defenders Tenaage Hadebe and Brendan Galloway of Houston Dynamo and Plymouth Argyle respectively.

Head-to-Head

The Warriors were the last victors when the two sides met at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt having beaten the Black Stars 2-1.

Both teams have met six times with Ghana winning three, two draws, and just a win for Zimbabwe.

Ghana’s Possible Starting line-up: Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Philemon Baffour, Baba Rahman, Alexender Djiku, Daniel Amartey, Baba Iddrisu, Thomas Partey, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Kudus Mohammed, Jordan Ayew, Andre Ayew.

Zimbabwe Possible Starting line-up: Washington Arubi, Alec Mudimu, Onismor Bhasera, Teenage Hadebe, Brendan Galloway, Never Tigere, Perfect Chikwende, Marvelous Nakamba, Terrence Dzvukamaja, Knowledge Musona

Kick-Off: 4:00pm

Minister urges Upper East Chiefs to support government to fight depletion of rosewood

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The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, has called for the support of the Upper East Region House of Chiefs to enforce the ban on harvesting, trading, exporting and importing of rosewood.

He said there was the need for cooperation from the Chiefs for government to enforce the ban and the measures to preserve the ecosystem of the Upper East Region

Mr Jinapor said the ban on activities of rosewood, which was a major wood in the Northern sector, was one of the measures put in place by government to curtail the issue of deforestation.

“We have done so because the exploitation and harvesting of rosewood is unsustainable, and if we continue in that manner, it would impact on the climate and the situation where rainfall patterns are irregular these days and therefore affect Agriculture production,” he said.

He said desertification was creeping into the country and called on them to cooperate with the Regional Security Council and his Ministry to put in place, and enforce measures to curtail the problem.

The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Damango Constituency made the call when he addressed the Upper East Region House of Chiefs in Bolgatanga as part of his day’s working visit to the Region.

He said government’s policy was to ensure that all households were given Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders, “So that all households can have gas to cook. But in the mean time where there are no cylinders for everybody, the small wood that our mothers collect to cook is not really the big issue.

“The big issue is the foreigners who come into our jurisdiction with chainsaws and within a week, hectares of lands are levelled, degraded and the wood harvested and exported out of our country, and even our own indigenes don’t benefit,” he noted.

He also called for cooperation and working relations between the Chiefs and government to find amicable solutions to the situation of elephant invasion in some parts of the Region which destroys farm lands and other property.

He said the Forestry Commission through the Wildlife division was putting in place measures which would be interrogated by the Regional Minister and brought to the attention of the Chiefs for the sensitization of communities about how they could co-exist with the elephants.

On the land tenure system in the Region, Mr Jinapor said the land tenure system continued to be a problem and said since he and his entourage embarked on the tour of the Regions of the North, they discovered some complicated land tenure issues.

He said the Ministry would examine the issues and find solutions to address them and appealed to the Chiefs to cooperate with the Lands Commission which was responsible for the planning of communities.

“So that the planning of the Upper East Region would be done in a systematic, well planned fashion to make our communities decent. The Upper East is becoming a very important destination for commerce.

“Burkinabes, Nigeriens, Malians come here to conduct business, so it is imperative that places like Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Bawku, Paga and several other places in the Upper East Region are planned properly and become the centre of interactions for all of these countries,” he said.

The Vice President of the House of Chiefs, Naba Anthony Abisa Atasige III, assured the Chiefs and people of the Region of their unflinching support to ensure sanity in the Sector to make Ghana a better place for the citizenry.

Liberal Party calls for education rather than law to deal with LGBTQI+

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The Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) said government should place premium on educating lesbians, gays, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) as part of a broader scheme to deal with the issues instead of passing a law to punish those who practice it.

Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo, the Election 2020 Presidential Candidate of the LPG, explained that some people got into the act due to poverty and ignorance because someone introduced them to it by giving them some small money.

He said some of those behaviours may start from the boarding schools where “the person calls you his or her friend and starts giving you gifts and before you realise he or she starts touching you and you are introduced to the act.”

Mr Akpaloo said this in Tema on the sidelines of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and Tema Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) Road Crashes Prevention Campaign platform.

He said the conditions at the prisons also contributed to the issue as it served as a nurturing grounds for enticing the young ones into LGBTQI+ practice.

Mr Akpaloo said: “It is dangerous when parents do not discuss sexual issues with their children and help them to manage these peculiar situations should someone approach them with sexual advances”.

He suggested that children must be made aware of sexual issues as early as six years and be able to open up to their parents in order not for others to take advantage of them.

“If the country cut down on prison sentencing of some minor crimes, which increases the number of people going to prisons, it may help reduce people from getting into LGBTQI act,” Mr Akpaloo said.

“As a leader of a liberal party, I believe everyone’s fundamental human rights must be respected and, therefore, I’m against the portion of the bill suggesting a jail term for people advocating and exhibiting the LGBTQI+ act.”

“I believe there should be broad based dialogue on the matter and one’s belief should not be imposed on the other”.

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