Day: January 9, 2024

The Yesu Dea Family, Owners of Yesu Dea VIP Transport Services, has donated an ultra-modern 46-seater bus to three orphanage homes in Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region.

The beneficiary orphanages include Mama Lardi Children`s Home, God`s Love Residential Home, and the Centre for Child Development of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organisation (NABOCADO).

Additionally, 300 bags of rice, 50 cartons of tomatoes, six bags of sugar, six gallons of oil, and toiletries were given to the three orphanage homes.

Yesu Dea family and their drivers also held a party with the children of the three homes together to celebrate the new year and to thank God for keeping them alive and healthy.

Mr Yaw Amponsah Marfo, the Chief Executive Officer of Yesu Dea VIP Transport Services, speaking during the donation ceremony held at the Centre for Child Development in Bolgatanga, said the donation was in accordance with God`s direction.

‘God has instructed me to do this yearly donation across
the country to help the needy, so every year I select one region to do this kind of donation,’ he stated.

Mr Marfo, while handing over the items to the homes, urged them to put the bus to good use and ensure its proper maintenance to support the upkeep of the children in their care.

Receiving the donations on behalf of the three homes, Dr Joseph Ayembilla, the Human Development Coordinator of NABOCADO in a speech read on his behalf, noted that the gesture by the Yesu Dea family reminded him of Matthew 25:40, which says, ‘Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do unto us.’

He said the homes were grateful to the family for fulfilling the scripture in their lifetime and added that it was a millstone in their lives, and that Yesu Dea family had left a footprint that will be forever remembered.

‘We wish to assure you that the donations received will be documented, acknowledged, and put to their rightful use for the benefit of the children,’ he added.

Mr Felix Frederick Amenga-Etego, Project Manager,
Centre for Child Development, said the Centre had a total of 31 children under its residential care programme while 276 children were also benefiting from various interventions the Centre was offering to the less privileged children in the region.

He expressed gratitude for the gesture and noted that it would go a long way to help reduce the stress managers of the orphanages went through to take care of the less privileged.

Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, in a speech delivered on his behalf emphasised that the donation of the food items and the bus, had come as a great relief and urged the managers of the homes to make prudent use of the food items and the percentage of income that would be generated by the bus to manage the homes.

Mr Rex Asanga, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, disclosed that a management committee has been set up, comprising representatives from the three homes and a representative from the District Assembly, to help manage the bus, adding that the bus would
be used for commercial purposes to generate income for the management of the homes and shall be made available for use by any of the homes based on request.

‘Each home shall be entitled to 25 percent of the income earned from the operation of the bus, totaling 75 percent, and the rest of the 25 percent shall be used to pay the driver and for the maintenance of the bus,’ he emphasised.

The three homes, by way of recognising the effort of the Yesu Dea Family for their support, enskinned Mr Marfo as ‘Koma Naba’ which means children’s chief.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A 53-year-old gardener who sexually abused his daughter for three years at Teiman, near Madina, Accra, has been sentenced to 24-years imprisonment by an Adentan Circuit Court.

Adotey Kpakpo Moffart sexually abused his daughter when she was 12 years until she attained the age of 15.

Moffart pleaded guilty to a charge of incest.

The court heard that anytime the victim turned his sexual demands down, the convict would not give her money.

Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah, a relieving judge, convicted Moffart on his own plea.

The judge in sentencing Moffart said she deemed his conduct as ‘cruel and gruesome…the callousness of the accused ‘s conduct, in that, the victim would need to surrender herself sexually to her biological father in order to be fed and taken care of her.’

The court ordered that the victim be given psychological medical care.

The case narrated by Chief Inspector A. Fosu is that the complainant is a social worker at Madina, Accra.

The prosecution said the accused person was a resident of Teiman,
near Madina, Accra.

According to the prosecutor, the victim aged 15 years was the biological daughter of the accused, now a convict.

It said the victim had been residing with the convict together with her two brothers.

The prosecution told the court that about three years ago, Moffart started having sexual intercourse with the victim when she was 12 years old.

The court heard that whenever the victim told Moffart of her needs, ‘the accused also demands sex in exchange’.

According to the prosecution, anytime the victim refused to give in to the accused person’s sexual desires, she would be denied money for school.

It said the victim, who was traumatised by the accused’s actions, informed her teacher, who oversaw the girls’ club.

The victim’s school authorities informed the Madina Social Welfare and later Madina Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU).

A police medical form was issued, and the victim was sent to the hospital for examinations and the report was endorsed by a medical officer.

T
he posecution said Moffart was picked up by the Police later.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The African Chamber of Content Producers has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Best Content Producers of the Year’ award at the esteemed Ghana Leadership Awards night held in Accra in December 2023.

The recognition is in tribute to the exceptional and impactful content created by numerous members of the Chamber, with their contributions having left a mark across the global stage.

The Ghana Leadership Awards with the motto: ‘Love your country, love your people’ is an annual event which acknowledges and celebrates outstanding and exemplary leaders with significant and positive impacts in advancing Ghana and Africa.

Throughout the year in review, members of the African Chamber of Content Producers have demonstrated their prowess by creating compelling content across various mediums, including film, magazines, news articles, opinion pieces, documentaries, and a variety of reality shows that have enriched the cultural landscape across Africa.

These dedicated members, who are known as Africa Image Ambassador
s, have committed themselves to the noble cause of utilizing their content to reshape and re-imagine the image of Africa on a global scale.

Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, the Executive Director of the Chamber in a statement copied to 1the Ghana News Agency expressed the excitement of the entire membership of the Chamber for the recognition.

He stated that the year 2023 ended on a good note for the Chamber with several content developed by members across Africa including Ghana.

The statement mentioned some individual members and patrons of the Chamber who won awards on the night as Mr. Harold Roger Quartey, a veteran film producer and current head of production for UTV who won the most influential TV Producer of the year.

Mr Mawuko Kuadzi, Chief Executive Officer of MK Casting was honoured with the best Casting Director of the year, Mr Daniel Aboagye, popularly known as Teacher Aboagye received the best STEM teacher of the year award.

Other winners of the night included Energy Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prem
peh, the Most Influential Minister of the Year Award, and Dr. Da Costa Aboagye, Director of Health Promotion Division of the Ghana Health Service, the National Health Leader of the year award.

The statement said the significance of the award was far-reaching, serving as a powerful testament to the commitment and readiness of the Chamber members from over 30 African countries to drive a positive shift in the perception and portrayal of Africa.

‘Looking ahead, the Chamber has set its sights on a groundbreaking initiative as it plans to spearhead the production of the first-ever Pan African film in 2024, with involvement from talents and professionals hailing from several African countries.

‘This ambitious endeavor not only showcases the unity and collaborative spirit among the Chamber’s members but also underscores their collective dedication to revolutionizing the portrayal and narrative of Africa,’ it disclosed.

The statement said the African Chamber Content Producers established in 2018 with its headquar
ters in Ghana, it stands as a steadfast advocate for altering the negative narratives associated with Africa.

‘With a formidable membership base of over 2000 individuals from more than 30 African nations, the Chamber actively collaborates with content producers globally to challenge and transform the prevailing stereotypes linked to the continent.

‘Through their collective efforts, the members, known as Africa Image Ambassadors, remain resolute in their mission to rebrand Africa’s image and showcase its diverse and promising aspects,’ it stated.

It said the acknowledgment of the Chamber at the Ghana Leadership Awards underscored the organization’s pivotal role in reshaping perceptions and championing a newfound narrative that embraced the richness and vibrancy of Africa’s cultural and economic landscape.

Some past winners of the award include President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, former President John Dramani Mahama, the late Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, former
Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan and a host of others

Source: Ghana News Agency

Miss Marietta Brew, a former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, has expressed concerns over the current decline in public trust in the Electoral Commission (EC), emphasizing that the trends are worrying.

She explained that the Afrobarometer Round 9 Survey in 2022, conducted by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), showed that the credibility of the EC and the trust reposed in them by the people of Ghana had diminished

Miss Brew said this when she delivered a lecture at a Constitution Day Public Lecture event hosted by the UPSA Law School in conjunction with One Ghana Movement, a Civic Society Organisation.

The former AG spoke on the topic: ‘Reflections on our democracy: the Constitution, Elections and the Judiciary.’

According to the survey, only 9.8 per cent of the population said they trusted the EC a lot (compared to 20.8 in 2019), while 22.7 per cent said they somewhat trusted the EC (compared to 32.1 per cent in 2019).

Meanwhile, 27.3 per cent said they trusted the EC just a little (
compared to 22.2 in 2019) with 0.5 per cent saying they do not know whether they trust the EC (compared to 7.7 per cent in the 2019 report) and 39.7 per cent indicating they do not trust the EC at all (compared to 18.9 per cent in 2019).

‘As an ordinary citizen relying on this data, I can safely conclude that there is an increase in public mistrust of the Commission,’ Miss Brew added.

She said the decline in public trust was not surprising, as the Commission Chairperson, for the first time in the history of Ghana’s elections, publicly declared in 2020 that, she inadvertently announced wrong numbers that led to the declaration of Presidential Results and corrected them without involving the political parties or providing them with a clear explanation as to how this egregious mistake occurred.

She said in a country, where elections were fiercely contested and often determined by a tiny margin, the admission of any error was bound to affect the credibility of the EC.

‘The happenings did not require a soothsa
yer to predict this decline in trust in the aftermath of the 2020 elections,’ the former AG said.

Admittedly, Miss Brew said it was a fact that the 1992 Constitution created an independent EC that was not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority except as provided in the Constitution.

‘It is, however, crucial to understand that this independence has fetters as the same Constitution makes the EC subject to the principles of accountability and other checks and balances enshrined,’ she said.

She said the electoral crisis of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi, popularly called SALL and some aspects of the 2020 Election Petition were the reasons why trust in the EC had waned.

Miss Brew, however, maintained that the country’s reputation as a thriving democracy despite the challenges, cannot be questioned.

Other key speakers at the event were Joe Ghartey, a former Attorney General and Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan a former EC Chair.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms Christina Jatoe-Kaleo, General Manager of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Volta/Oti Regions, has called on the public to help protect electric poles by reducing indiscriminate bushfires.

She said bushfires remained a challenge that impacted heavily on the Company’s ability to provide reliable and quality power.

Ms Jatoe-Kaleo, speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), revealed that yearly, the ECG lost poles due to bushfires, which impacted on the supply of power.

She said between January and December last year, 10 poles had been damaged, adding that the cost of acquiring the new poles was GHS54,000 excluding their transportation, fuel cost and hiring labour and machinery.

Ms Jatoe-Kaleo said the resources needed to extend power supply to new customers were channeled into replacing damaged poles and fervently appealed to Ghanaians to help ECG to keep the lights on.

She noted that ECG, as part of its maintenance culture every year, cleared lands around electric poles and had extended that culture i
n the regions to creating fire belts around the poles.

Ms Jatoe-Kaleo said special fire-resistant paints were also used to paint the poles to help protect them, while wooden poles had been replaced with metallic ones in areas where bushfires are rampant.

She said the Company continued to engage stakeholders and held community engagements to sensitise the public and also form watch committees to help curb bushfires in their areas.

Ms Jatoe-Kaleo appealed to the public to avoid indiscriminate bush fires and avoid burning domestic rubbish around electric poles in the community.

She said the Company as its core mandate would continue to provide safe and reliable electricity supply to customers.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A non-partisan pressure group, Value for our Lithium, in the Mfantseman Municipality, has called for an increase in the municipality’s development levy from the proposed one per cent to 15 per cent.

The group, comprising youth from across the municipality, said the one per cent levy was woefully inadequate given the direct hazardous effects of the mining activities on the communities.

They also requested for a dedicated fund for the levy to be managed by a credible board of trustees aid the development of the municipality.

The group made the demands at its maiden executive meeting in Saltpond to strategise to demand transparency, accountability, and value for the mining of lithium in the area.

Mr Kofi Acquah, secretary to the group, acknowledged that the mining activities would boost the local economy and create employment.

However, he said some speculations surrounding the contract between the Government of Ghana and Atlantic Lithium, the mining company, painted a murky future for Ghana and the Municip
ality.

He indicated that some of the arrangements were not in the best interest of the country, citing sentiments expressed by some prominent individuals and Civil Society Organisations, including former Chief Justice, Mrs Sophia Akuffo.

He expressed worry over the ‘opacity’ in government’s arrangements with the mining company and called for the direct involvement of the community members.

Mr Acquah maintained that the indigenes of the municipality were not comfortable with the precedence where the Saltpond Oil Field, Ghana’s oldest oil field, brought no development to them.

‘We are not going to fight anybody, but we will help the leaders to make changes.

‘We want to protect the interest of the municipality, protect our environment and protect the future of the next generation’ he said.

Mr Acquah assured that the group would work to ensure that the element of local content was followed to the latter to bring employment to the youth.

He said it behoved the company to train and absorb the youth in the mu
nicipality for the work.

‘We have experienced artisans who do not have certificates. We will ensure the company facilities their certification and gives them jobs.’

‘We will also visit secondary schools and tertiary institutions to conscientise the students to study technical courses relevant to mining to ensure that they benefit from it, he assured.

Mr Jerry Bill-Crentsil, the lead convener of the group, said in view of the potential medical, economic, and social dangers, including water pollution, diseases, and climate change, the communities deserved proper development by the mining company.

He questioned why international mining companies treated African countries differently when they paid huge levies and undertook massive development projects on other continents.

‘It should not be treated like the Saltpond Oil Field, we need proper development.

‘They need to establish hospitals, schools and other important amenities relevant to the communities,’ he added.

Source: Ghana News Agency