Day: April 10, 2024

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has wished Muslims in Germany a happy and blessed end to the fasting month of Ramadan.

‘Ramadan and breaking the fast are part of the diverse life of faith in Germany,’ he wrote in a message in Berlin on Tuesday.

‘The fact that today, at the end of the month of fasting, Muslim communities throughout the country are inviting their fellow human beings of other faiths is an important sign of tolerance and respect, and of the willingness to live together and exchange ideas,’ he added.

The Islamic fasting month of Ramadan ends with the exuberant festival of Eid al-Fitr, also known as Eid. It is an important Muslim holiday.

During the month of fasting, devout Muslims do not eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana will host the 6th Council of Ministers’ Conference of the Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC) from 16th to 20th of April, 2024 in Accra.

The event will serve as an opportunity to demonstrate the progress made in the cashew sector and attract investors to the industry.

It will be under the theme: ‘Projecting the Cashew Sector through local Consumption, Value Addition and Job Creation’.

Mr Yaw Oteng, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority, who announced this on Wednesday in Accra, said the conference would also host Cashew Research Dialogue and Fair.

The event, he said, would assemble ministers, experts, researchers and other players from eleven African countries to share ideas and discuss achievements, and identify gaps in research within the cashew industry.

Mr Oteng stated that hosting the conference demonstrated the country’s commitment towards harnessing the potentials in the sector to grow its economy and improve livelihood.

He said much of the
cashews produced in the country were exported leaving a small fraction processed and that the conference would showcase the country as the preferred destination for processing of the commodity.

‘For last year alone, this country exported cashew worth 300,000 metric tons mostly to Vietnam and India generating about 400 million dollars. Only 30,000 MT was processed in country,’ he said.

Mr Oteng stated that the country’s capacity to process half of the exported cashew could generate more income, create jobs, improve livelihoods and boost the economy.

He urged all stakeholders to participate in the upcoming event to learn about new trends in the sector.

The Deputy Chief Executive said although the sector was facing challenges, including climate change and illegal mining, the government and the World Bank were supporting initiatives to replant cashews.

CICC is an international organisation with legal capacity and financial autonomy responsible for promoting the sustainable development of cashew in the world.

Established on the 18th November, 2016 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the CICC aims to create a consultation framework and synergies between member states for a sustainable cashew sector.

The Organisation aims to provide a framework for consultation and to promote the development of the cashew sector in Member States through the coordination of policies and cooperation between States.

To date, eleven countries are members of the CICC. They are; Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Development Bank Ghana (DBG), a development financial institution, has donated some assorted items to inmates of Nsawam Prison and juveniles at the Senior Corrections Centre to mark the Eid-ul-Fitr festival celebration.

The donation by DBG forms part of the institution’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to assist the authorities at the Prisons to cater for the needs of the inmates, and also to put smiles on their faces during the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.

The items included 30 bags of rice, 14 25-litre gallons of oil, 12 sacks of sugar, 30 tin tomatoes, 20 packs toiletries, 10 gallons of liquid soaps, 10 gallons of stain removers, 20 boxes of sanitary pads, 10 cartons of milk, 20 boxes of bathing soaps, 40 buckets, 20 cartons of assorted drinks, and 40 pales.

Mrs Barbara Anawonu Wricketts, Acting Head of CSR, DBG, in an interview with the media, said the donation was in conformity with the Eid-ul-Fitr festival, which was meant for alms giving

She said DBG deemed it an important step to help put smil
es on the faces of inmates in Nsawam Prison and the Senior Corrections Centre.

She said the gesture was to remind inmates, especially juveniles in the Senior Corrections Centre, that they were not alone and loved by the public.

She said the items would help cater for the needs of the inmates, lessening the burden on the Ghana Prison Service.

Mrs Wricketts said being in the prison was just to attain some sort of self-recognition and transformation to be a better person to society.

‘The society is ready to accept them into the world’, she added.

Receiving the items on behalf of the inmates, Mr Mohammed Mukhtar Adam, Imam and Assistant Director of Prisons, expressed profound gratitude to management of DBG for their kind gesture towards the inmates and prayed for God’s blessings upon them.

He said this should not be the end, but DBG to continue to support the prisoners.

He commended DBG for taking up developmental roles such as these to ensure economic stability in the country.

Mr Adam said the donation w
as timely since the Eid-up-fitr festival is tomorrow, and that would help put smiles on their faces.

He urged other stakeholders to emulate such efforts to help improve the Ghana Prison Service and to show the inmates that they are still loved despite their offences.

He warned other offenders, who were still in society, to desist from such acts, because they could also be arrested and jailed.

Source: Ghana News Agency

MTN Ghana has donated the Muslims Community of Sekondi some food items, drinks, and a ram to spice up this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr celebration after the Ramadan.

Mr. Prince Owusu, the MTN Senior Manager for South West Business District, said the company recognised the important roles that the Muslim community played in Ghana.

‘We are committed to supporting you in meaningful ways. Ramadan is a time of joy and celebration, and we are privileged to be part of this special occasion,’ he said

The Western Regional Chief Imam, Ustaz Zulkifli Abdul-Waahid, was grateful for MTN’s continued support over the years.

‘We pray Allah continue to bless you abundantly and pray that the relationship with the Muslim community will be solidified,’ he added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Board and Management of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) have assured the public of its commitment and determination, in collaboration with stakeholders to ensure that operations at the airport are safe and secure.

It has also reiterated its warning to staff regarding facilitation of passengers at the airport, failing which punitive measures not limited to but including summary dismissals and prosecution by the State would be effected in line with existing protocols.

A statement issued in Accra by Management of GACL said the attention of the Board and Management of GACL had been drawn to a newspaper publication dated Wednesday, April 1, 2024, with the headline of cocaine smuggling at KIA.

It said Management noted that investigations by relevant authorities into the alleged smuggling of 8.5 kilograms of substance suspected to be cocaine through KIA on March 23, 2024 were ongoing.

The Board and Management, in line with GACL’s internal administrative processes has taken swift measures to interd
ict all GACL staff relevant to the investigation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Western Regional Chief Imam Sheikh Suleymana Ahmed Mozu has called on President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo to assent to the anti LGBTQ+ bill to make the practice of homosexuality and lesbianism criminal in the country.

He reminded the President that these alien anti-social practices frowned upon the culture, customs, and traditions of Ghana.

Sheik Mozu said this when he led Muslim faithfuls to observe Eid prayers at Azulenloanu to mark the successful end of the holy month of Ramadan and inauguration of a new independent Eid-al-Fitr Center for Muslims at the Azulenloanu mosque.

For the past 50 years, Muslims at Azulenloanu have observed Jummah prayers but seized along the line and had always joined their counterparts at the District Mosque at Kamgbunli for the Eid-al-Fitr celebrations.

Sheik Mozu reiterated that the Muslim Community would never endorse the LGBTQ+ bill because that behaviour was unIslamic and barbaric.

The Regional Chief Imam wondered why countries such as America restricted men to
practice monogamy yet exert pressure on other countries such as Ghana to practice LGBTQ+ which is against their religion and culture.

Sheikh Mozu observed that the human race would become extinct since marriage of the opposite sex and procreation would also come to a halt.

He said the Muslim Community prayed earnestly for President Akufo-Addo to sign the LGBTQ+ bill into law during the holy month of Ramadan.

He said for peace and tranquility to prevail in the country, he asked the Muslim Community to pray for President Akufo-Addo, Vice-President Mahmoud Bawumia, Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah and District Chief Executive for Ellembelle, Mr Kwasi Bonzoh.

He advised Muslims to desist from unIslamic attitudes such as fornication, weed smoking, gay, lesbianism, stealing and other forms of immoral practices in Zongo Communities.

Sheik Mozu asked them to pray for forgiveness and reconciliation to enter Heaven.

On the upcoming general elections, sheikh Mozu reminded the Electo
ral Commission of Ghana to ensure a level-playing field for all parties as another test case of Ghana’s democratic credentials.

He prayed that Azulenloanu would grow great and be the Mecca of Ghana and asked Allah to prosper people in the town.

The Chief Imam of Azulenloanu,Zakaria Ahmed urged them to unite and live in peace and harmony in the town.

Source: Ghana News Agency