Day: December 3, 2023

The Ghana Bloggers Association has honoured Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Former President John Dramani Mahama for their contributions to the country’s digital space.

At a ceremony held in Kumasi over the weekend, the Association said both leaders had made ‘substantial contributions to Ghana’s digital transformation,’ which had positively impacted the blogging community, hence the recognition.

Andre Mustapha Nii Okai Inusah, President of the Association, expressed appreciation to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for his ‘visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to propelling Ghana into the digital era.’

‘Dr. Bawumia’s pioneering efforts in leveraging technology has resulted in a noteworthy transformation of institutional processes, contributing to the establishment of a resilient digital economy. Our recognition stands as a testament to his exemplary dedication to advancing Ghana’s digital future and reshaping the blogging industry,’ he stated.

The Association said former President Maha
ma’s tenure saw ‘improved convenience for millions of Ghanaians’ as he extended critical services to remote communities to foster ‘a thriving digital economy.’

‘The impact of his digital interventions is evident in increased productivity and improved working environments across various sectors. We recognise his monumental effort in fueling the growth of the blogging community and setting the stage for a modernised, ICT-compliant Ghana,’ the Association said.

Ghana Bloggers Award honours leading bloggers and personalities across sectors, including sports, politics, lifestyle, religion, and other social circles.

Apart from the two political leaders, the Association also honoured Radio and TV personalities, including Abeiku Santana, Halifax Ansah-Addo, Bola Ray, and Mr Kwasi Agyemang, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Tourism Authority, for supporting Ghanaian bloggers in diverse ways.

Other awardees were Saddick Adams (Radio Sports Host of the Year), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah (TV Sports Host of the Year), Stonebwoy
(Artiste of the Year), Owureku Ampofo (Sports Blogger of the Year).

Nana Ama McBrown was adjudged TV personality of the year while Andy Dosty was named Radio Entertainment Host of the Year.

The list also includes, Philip Osei Bonsu (Radio Political Show Host of the Year), Kwame Asare Obeng, (Political and Social Blogger of the Year), and Ameyaw Debrah (Art and Tourism Blogger of the Year).

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), has underscored the need to offer social protection services to women and children affected by AIDS.

He stated that, despite progress in HIV response, one of the most neglected areas of resource allocation in the HIV response was impact mitigation and social protection for persons rendered vulnerable by AIDS.

This was critical because AIDS is projected to have orphaned over 230,000 children, he added.

Dr Atuahene made the call at 2023 World AIDS Day National Durbar held in Accra by the Ghana AIDS Commission.

World AIDS Day is observed on December 1, every year. It is a day when people around the world unite to show their support for people living with and affected by HIV, as well as remember those who have died because of AIDS.

The 2023 celebration on the theme; ‘Let Communities Lead’ is a reminder that the world can end AIDS, with communities leading the way.

Dr Atuahene noted that children orparned by AIDS needed basic necess
ities including clothing, food and nutrition, education, health, and an enabling environment for healthy growth.

‘It is, therefore, imperative to provide socio-economic impact mitigation assistance and social protection support to HIV affected households that assure livelihoods of adult members and guarantee access to essential services to orphans and vulnerable children,’ he stated.

He said Ghana was making considerable progress in eliminating AIDS as a public health threat.

Since 2003, the number of anti-retroviral treatment locations has increased from three to 745, which are spread across all the 16 regions of the country.

According to Dr Atuahene HIV treatment was now integrated into the primary healthcare system, with more options for stable people living with HIV (PLHIV) to pick up their medications at CHPS compounds.

He said new advanced treatment technologies, like long-acting drugs, have become more available on the market, and was optimistic that Ghana would provide them to consumers soon.

‘W
e now have the tools to end AIDS and achieve epidemic control by 2030. However, a lot of work needed to be done to address the key gaps in the national response.

Dr. Atuahene emphasised the importance of addressing bottlenecks to speed progress toward the 95-95-95 goal, as well as ensuring primary HIV prevention among the population, noting that casual heterosexual sex was projected to contribute to more than 74 per cent of new infections in the country.

He urged the government to address the socioeconomic impact of HIV as soon as possible and to implement social protection measures for HIV-affected households.

The national durbar organized by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) also saw the launch of a short code *9898# on MTN and Vodafone telecommunication networks to enable individuals and groups to donate to the HIV Fund.

Mrs Frema Opare, the Chief of Staff, who spoke at the event, urged the GAC to leverage its wealth of experience in public health response to bolster on-going efforts against emerging pan
demics and how they relate to HIV and AIDS.

Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Executive Oversight Minister GAC and Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), said Ghana’s national response fell short of expectations and potential, and urged all to contribute to the collective effort.

The Deputy Minister of Health, NAP+ Ghana representative, Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET), Dr Stephen Ayisi Addo, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Executive Oversight Minister of GAC and Minister of MESTI, traditional leaders, among other dignitaries were present at the durbar.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, Ghana’s Ambassador to China, has emphasised the need to strengthen global collaboration to propel Ghana towards sustainable agriculture and productivity.

At the Tema West Municipal observation of the 39th National Farmers’ Day he underscored the necessity of adopting measures to navigate the current challenges in agriculture.

He called for collaborative efforts with successful nations, particularly in maximising peri-urban agriculture and incorporating advanced technology.

‘It is said that Africa has about 60 per cent of the arable land available for agricultural purposes, yet we have food insufficiency,’ she said.

‘And we look at a country like China, which has nine per cent of the world’s arable land, but they are producing enough cereals, including rice, wheat, and grains to feed 25 per cent of the world’s population.’

‘Is there something they are doing differently to get them where they are today? Certainly yes. And it means that it is important for us to strengthen our
cooperation with such countries to improve our production.’

He called on all citizens, irrespective of political affiliation, to collectively tackle the challenges of the agricultural sector, encouraging farmers to strive for increased productivity.

‘We can do far more than what we see. The time has come for us to really learn from what others have done to be where they are today,’ he said.

Mrs Patience Alloh, the Director of Agriculture, Tema West, touching on the theme: ‘Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience,’ said it was significant to adopt technology to boost productivity and minimise environmental impact.

She said it was through a holistic approach combining technology, sustainability, education, diversification, and climate resilience that Ghana could truly deliver smart solutions for sustainable food security and resilience.

Ms Anna Adokwei Addo, the Tema West Municipal Chief Executive, praised farmers for their dedication to ensuring food security despite challe
nges like limited market access, financial constraints, rising input costs, reduced returns, and the impact of climate change.

She emphasised the importance of sustainable agricultural practices, including integrated farming, reduced input dependence, soil conservation, and improved water management.

She called for support for farmers to transition to climate-smart agriculture and minimise the risk of crop failure.

Source: Ghana News Agency