Day: July 22, 2023

Accra, Professor Justice Nyigmah Bawole, a Professor of Public Administration, says ethical standards and integrity in public service should be an ‘everyday discussion’ to sensitise people on the need to uphold integrity in service to the nation.

He said his interactions with a number of public office holders had revealed that many highly placed people ‘do not have a sense of public ethics and integrity’, a situation he described as worrying for the State.

Prof. Bawole, who is also the Dean of the University of Ghana Business School, expressed the concern when he delivered the maiden S.N. Woode Memorial Lecture organised by the Institute of Local Government Service (ILGS) at Madina on Friday.

The Lecture celebrated the life and contribution of the late Prof. Woode, a Founding Director of the ILGS, to development of Ghana’s local government architecture and public service.

The Lecture also heralded the launch of the 20th anniversary celebration of the ILGS.

Prof. Bawole said the rate at which corruption, lack of integrity and ethics had been associated with public sector should be a matter of concern.

‘We must continue to talk about public integrity. Let’s discuss it every day and let people be asked to speak about their own integrity.

‘Everyone is part of the problem so the more we talk about it then we will get to shine light on it,’ he said.

Prof. Bawole urged public administrators to refrain from accepting gifts as doing so could ‘expose you to many issues of integrity’.

He said public officers must set personal standards and live by those standards to serve as an example for those within the service.

Prof. Bawole called for the development of ethical leadership guides and encouraged public officers to build appropriate coalitions of like-minded persons and seek direction and guidance where necessary.

‘We should mentor the young ones and show them how to navigate a very complex public administration system,’ he said.

Prof. Stephen Adei, a former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, said failure on the part of the public sector to effectively deliver on its mandate had dire consequences on the performance of the private sector.

‘We must encourage all of us to stand for integrity and honesty in public service. They say the public sector is the engine of growth. If the public sector is not right, there is very little the private sector can achieve,’ he said.

Emeritus Prof. Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Chairman, ILGS Council, said the late Prof. Woode was a revered figure in public service administration and touched the lives of many with his exemplary leadership in all the positions he had occupied.

He said the ideals and principles espoused by Prof. Woode should be emulated by public office holders to propel national development.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Tema, The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights has embarked on a three-day sensitisation visit to Kenya to encourage the government to fast-track the process to deposit the Declaration that allows individuals to access the Court directly.

The team includes the African Court President, Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud; the Vice President, Justice Sacko Modibo; the Registrar, Dr. Robert Eno; and key Registry staff.

Lady Justice Aboud stated in a statement to the Ghana News Agency that the African Continental Court’s success as a continental mechanism for human rights protection, established by the African Union Member States themselves, depended on wider acceptance and recognition of its work by African countries.

She stressed that ‘This universal acceptance and recognition will provide the Court with the legitimacy it needs to effectively fulfil its mandate.’

Lady Justice Aboud noted that the visit was also to raise awareness about the African Court, encouraging ratification of the Protocol and deposit of the Declaration to grant individuals and NGOs direct access to the African Court.

The African Court delegation also used the opportunity to educate potential applicants on accessing the Court and its procedures, promote public utilization of the Court for settling human rights disputes, and encourage the Court’s utilization for advisory opinions.

The African Court delegation paid courtesy calls on various dignitaries, including the President of Kenya, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, and the Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, Lady Justice Martha Koome.

Other personalities engaged during the sensitization visit are the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Moses Wetangula; the Speaker of the Senate, Amason Jeffah Kingi; the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Dr. Alfred Mutua; the Attorney General, Justin B.N. Muturi; and the Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Roseline Odede.

This sensitization visit to Kenya marked a significant step, as the Court had previously undertaken a similar visit in July 2013.

According to the African Court document, Kenya became a State Party to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on February 18, 2005, but has yet to deposit the Declaration under Article 34(6) of this Protocol, allowing individuals and Non-Governmental Organisationss direct access to the Court.

Currently, only eight African Countries have deposited the Declaration, allowing individuals and NGOs direct access to the African Court: Ghana, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Malawi, Mali, Niger, and Tunisia.

The African Court complements the protective mandate of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to enhance human rights protection on the continent.

The primary objective of these sensitization visits is to enhance the protection of human rights in Africa.

The African Court is composed of eleven Judges who are nationals of Member States of the African Union, elected in their individual capacities.

It convenes four Ordinary Sessions per year and may also hold Extraordinary Sessions.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Navrongo (U/E), Alhaj Abdallah Otito Achuliwor, a stalwart of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region, has filed his nomination to contest in the Parliamentary primaries of the Party in the Navrongo Central Constituency.

The Aspirant, in the company of Party supporters amid cheers from some residents and pedestrians, danced to brass band music through major streets in the Constituency as he moved to submit his form at the Constituency office.

Addressing the media after a successful process, Alhaj Achuliwor said it was his desire to make the Navrongo Central Constituency, which is a swing Constituency, the sole stronghold of the NPP.

‘I have the passion to ensure that the Navrongo Central Constituency becomes an NPP stronghold such that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will never win elections in this Constituency,’ he said.

Alhaj Achuliwor said he was the right candidate with the requisite experience to unite the party mrmbers in the Constituency and to mobilize support from the grassroots to recapture the seat from the NDC.

‘I am the person who can unite the Party,’ he said, and appealed to delegates in the Constituency to vote massively for him to turn the fortunes of the Constituency around for the good of all.’

He recounted his 20 years work experience with both the former Member of Parliament (MP) and former Parliamentary Candidate for the area, and indicated that even though he previously contested the former MP and lost, he still mobilised his personal resources to support him to capture the seat for the NPP.

Alhaj Achuliwor mentioned the lack of electricity supply to some parts of the Constituency, bad roads, lack of water supply for irrigation activities and job opportunities for the teeming youth in the Constituency as some of the challenges in the area.

He said given the opportunity to lead the Party as its Parliamentary Candidate, he would work to recapture the seat from the NDC and use the Office of the MP to lobby to solve the identified problems, and further provide basic necessities to better the lives of Constituents.

‘I want to put on record that even before I win the primaries, I have 100 boreholes to be constructed in this Constituency. We will start constructing the boreholes even before election 2024.

‘If we do not finish constructing all 100 boreholes before election 2024, the remaining will be completed in my first 100 days in Parliament,’ he assured Constituents.

Alhaj Achuliwor pledged to run ‘An issue-based campaign’ and stressed that ‘I have been in this race for the past 20years, and I have always run very civil campaigns, I have always told my supporters to emulate my style of campaign, devoid of insults.’

Mr Richard Kudamo, the Chairman of the Election Committee in the Constituency, who received and perused the form, congratulated the Aspirant who was the first to pick the form and the first to submit same.

He said the Constituency was peaceful and called for decent campaigns devoid of indecent language, and advised that ‘Do not dwell on allegations and rumours peddled by your fellow contestants, but be very focused on what you want to achieve.’

Prior to the submission of the forms, the Aspirant first called on the Navio-Pio, Pe Denis Aneakwo Balinia Adda Asagpaare II, the Paramount Chief of the Navrongo Traditional Area, to officially inform him about his desire to contest the primaries and to seek his blessings.

The Navio-Pio cautioned against the use of indecent language, and emphasized the need for a clean campaign.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, The International Executive Council and the Ghana National Council of the Great Commission Church International (GCCI) have been inaugurated in Accra.

Bishop Dr Gordon Kisseih, Founder and General Overseer of Life International Church and First Vice Chairman of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), inducted into office, the International and the Ghana National Officers of the Church for a five-year tenure.

The International Executive Council of the GCCI is under the Chairmanship of Apostle Joseph Felix Kwesi Mensah.

Other Members are Apostle Dr Samuel Vincent Ansah, GCCI Ghana National Council Chairman and Apostle Prosper Yawotse Nové, GCCI Togo National Council Chairman, both as Vice Chairmen.

Other Members include Apostle Professor Samuel Assuming-Brempong, the immediate past Chairman of GCCI Ghana National Council, and Reverend Godson Kwasi Gbloe, immediate past Second Vice Chairman of the Church.

The rest are Rev Yawo Amenyo Atsuga and Rev Gérard Bodjona, both of Togo.

The Members of the Ghana National Council include Apostle Richard Kwami Adanu, First Vice Chairman in-charge of Missions; and Rev Moses Kwame Obeng Pinkrah, Second Vice Chairman in-charge of Finance and Administration.

The rest are Rev Stephen Toku Cato, Director of Finance; Rev Dr Samuel Arthur, Director of Evangelism; Rev Alexander Obeng-Oguamenah, Director of Personnel;

Rev Emmanuel Kodzo Oppong, Director of Ministries; Rev Charles Somerset Adanunyo, Director of Church Life.

Bishop Dr Gordon Kisseih, Founder and General Overseer of Life International Church, in his homily, charged the inductees to fulfill the mandate of the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

He commended the GCCI for its good works and perseverance in keeping the word of God.

Speaking on the topic ‘Making Full Proof of Your Ministry’, Bishop Dr Kisseih reiterated that the only purpose of the grace of God upon the lives of Christians was to help them fulfill their ministries.

Quoting from the Bible, he said, ‘For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,’ adding that God equipped whoever was called into ministry.

Members of the National and International Executive Councils

Apostle Joseph Felix Kwesi Mensah, the Chairman of the International Executive Council of GCCI, in his acceptable speech expressed the gratitude of the two Councils to the Church for the confidence reposed in them.

He appealed to Christians to rise up and finish the task of global evangelism.

Apostle Dr Samuel Vincent Ansah, GCCI Ghana National Council Chairman, requested that the Church continuously prayed for them to enable them fulfill their mandates.

The Great Commission Church International (GCCI) was founded on 1st April, 1991 on the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra.

The Church has since spread to other countries such as Togo, Benin and Gabon.

The founding fathers include Apostle Joseph Felix Kwesi Mensah, Apostle Professor Samuel Assuming-Brempong, Apostle Joseph Kwabena Antwi and Apostle Dr Samuel Vincent Ansah.

The rest are Apostle Richard Kwami Adanu, Apostle Komla Ebenezer Hagan and Apostle Derrick Sarpong.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Bolgatanga, The Peasant farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has supported its members in the sorghum growing enclave around Paga, Navrongo, Garu and Tempane in the Upper East Region with YARA Activa fertilizer for the 2023 farming season.

This was part of a promotion exercise YARA Activa started last year for farmers, at buy two get one free promo.

Mr Isaac Pabia, the Upper East Regional Representative of PFAG, said under the promotion, the association procured two trucks to benefit 300 farmers undertaking sorghum cultivation in the region.

‘As an organization what we have done is that the farmer pays for one bag of the fertilizer, the organization pays for another and an extra bag is added for free’, he said.

He indicated that with high cost of farm inputs, coupled with financial challenges the members faced in buying enough of their fertilizer needs, the association through the promotion, made advanced payment for the fertilizer to ensure that it cushioned the farmers.

He said after harvest, the beneficiary farmers would repay for the cost of the one bag they were supported with.

Mr Pabia, who spoke in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, said the cropping season started with high cost of inputs and problems regarding needs of farmers to undertake effective crop production.

‘The high cost of inputs still lingers on, and the problem of farmers is still not resolved as the least price for weedicide on the market is GHC50.00 and YARA Activa fertilizer is GHC470.00.

He said though Yara Activa was running a promotion for farmers to access fertilizer at three bags for the price of two, not all farmers had access to it and not all of them were benefiting from the promotion.

‘The promotion started last year and farmers, who bought up to 10 bags, which is the limit, are not eligible to benefit the promotion this year so a farmer who has a large farm will have to bear the cost of inputs all alone’, he added.

He said other Challenges befalling farmers was the Fall Armyworm which had affected some parts of the Region, including the Nabdam District, Kassena Nankana East Municipality and Kassena Nankana West District.

Maize farms, he said were the most affected and low quantities of chemicals were being released by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) this year for spraying the pests and urged farmers to use a concoction of neem leaves for spraying the affected crops.

Mr Pabia stressed that the early part of the cropping season was also affected by dry spells which delayed planting and could affect harvest and prices of food in the region.

Meanwhile a bag of maize in the market is sold between GHC 600 and GHC 700 and a bowl or ‘Olonka’ for GHC 16:00.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Hanny Sherry Ayittey, a former Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture has passed on.

A statement signed by Family Head, Nii Kofi Ayitey on behalf of the Akwetey Nantan family of Osu Alata and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra announced the death of the politician on Saturday ,July 22, 2023.

The family, added that details concerning her demise and arrangements would soon be announced.

Born in 1948, Hanny Sherry Ayittey was a Biochemist who later became one of Ghana’s astute politicians who served as a minister of Health from February 2013 to June 2014, she was the Minister of Environment Science and Technology from 2009 to 2012 and the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture under the late President John Evans Atta-Mills and John Dramani Mahama respectively.

Source: Ghana News Agency