Day: June 19, 2024

The Metropolitan Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged 20 identifiable groups in the metropolis to mark the Commission’s 23rd annual constitutional week celebration.

The 2024 celebration was on the theme: ‘Together, We Can Build Ghana: So, Get Involved.’

Ms. Gifty Agyeiwaa Badu, the Tema Metropolitan Director of the NCCE, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the celebration was one of the flagship programmes of the NCCE, and since its inception in 2001, had been celebrated annually from April to May in commemoration of Ghana’s return to Constitutional Democratic Rule in 1993.

Ms. Badu said some of the groups engaged during the period were women groups, artisans, faith-based organisations, youth groups, and traders, among others.

She noted that civic educators briefed participants during the engagements on the history of Ghana’s return to constitutional democratic rule in 1993, highlighting that, on April 28, 1992, the majority of Ghanaian electorates voted favourably in
a referendum to adopt the draft Fourth Republican Constitution, which subsequently came into full force on January 7, 1993.

She drew the attention of the public to the fact that Ghanaians would again be going to the polls for the ninth time since the inception of the Fourth Republic to elect their leaders at the Presidential and Parliamentary levels on December 7 this year.

She stressed that it was important for everyone to understand and fulfil their roles and duties as responsible citizens as enshrined in Article 41 of the 1992 Constitution.

These duties, she noted, included defending and upholding the Constitution, respecting the rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests of others, promoting national unity and living in harmony, participating in democratic processes, cooperating with lawful services in maintaining law and order, and many others.

Ms. Badu urged the public to avoid any form of violence, intimidation, or acrimony as the December polls draw near, emphasising that peace is paramount for a
credible electoral process.

She encouraged Ghanaians to be ambassadors of peace in their communities, advocating non-violent ways to address grievances and differences.

She implored the public to fully participate in relevant electoral processes and turn out in their numbers on election day to vote, noting that engaging in the electoral process was a fundamental duty that ensured that citizens voices were heard and represented.

The Tema Metro NCCE Director said that the groups were also engaged in ways to combat potential threats, signs of extremist activities, and the importance of reporting suspicious behaviour to relevant authorities.

‘Article 3(4) of the 1992 Constitution charges every citizen of Ghana to defend the Constitution, to resist any person or group that threatens the very fabric of our democracy, and to reject oppressors’ rule in any form or way that will disturb the peace and stability we enjoy. Thus,

considering this, collaboration with security forces to maintain a safe environment, the
y said, was imperative,’ she said.

On other topics discussed, she noted that the negative impact of money in politics and vote buying were highlighted and urged the public to reject any form of monetary inducement but rather vote based on policies and the candidates’ competencies.

She also called for religious, political, and ethnic tolerance, stating that mutual respect was needed in the diversity within the various communities, be it political affiliations or religious beliefs.

‘I encourage everyone to respect each other’s religious and ethnic differences and also advocate peaceful dialogue and understanding as tools for building a cohesive and harmonious community,’ she said.

Ms. Badu cautioned Ghanaians against misinformation, disinformation, and fake news, advising that they must verify information from credible sources before sharing and be cautious of the spread of false information that could incite unrest or violence in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Region Minister, has told Muslims to soberly reflect on the significance of the Eid-ul-Adha and abide by its tenets, spirit, and letter.

He said the celebration of the festival was not only for sharing meat as a sacrifice but should also serve as a change of the heart, attitude, and behavior of Muslims.

Mr Osei-Mensah, who joined Muslims in Kumasi to celebrate the Eid-ul-Adha festival at the Kumasi Central Mosque, said it was important for Muslims leaders to use the occasion to educate their brothers and sisters in society against needless violence.

He said it was important for Muslims to shun vengeance, violence, indiscipline, and other negative attitudes that hindered the progress and development in their communities to enable them to receive and enjoy Allah’s blessings, especially in this electioneering year.

The Regional Minister urged Muslims to endeavor to focus on policies and initiatives that would ensure sustainable development and prosperity for future generations

A
ccording to him, Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the ‘Festival of Sacrifice,’ held significant meaning for Muslims worldwide since it commemorated the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah.

He noted that Allah provided a ram to sacrifice instead, symbolizing His mercy and the importance of faith and submission.

He said as Ghanaians, it was imperative to draw parallels between teachings and the development of our beloved country.

He noted that, the welfare of Ghanaians was a shared responsibility between the government and religious institutions and asked them to pray for the government in its quest to fulfil better living standards for ordinary Ghanaian.

Mr. Osei-Mensah pointed out that, despite the challenges and teething problems along the way, the government was focused on and on course to ensure the development of the country.

He used the occasion to commend all stakeholders in the region for their vigilance that had helped to maintain peace and soci
al cohesion in the communities and reduction of criminal activities in the region.

He was of the strong conviction that, Imams and Elders would continue to maintain their close collaboration with authorities in the region to maintain peace.

Sheikh Abdul Mumin Haroun, Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, noted that, Muslim leaders would continue to pray to the Almighty Allah for all Ghanaians to remain steadfast in their quest to build together a strong nation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The newly installed Odikro (Chief) of Abura Tsetsekasum, Nana Yeboah II, has called for peace in the community to accelerate the town’s development and transformation.

He also urged his people to unite to help to woo investors to create jobs.

Nana Yeboah, known in private life as Mr Kwame Idan, a Japan based Ghanaian businessman in the auto-mobile industry, was giving his maiden speech after his installation on Tuesday.

He disclosed that together with his family, he had initiated the construction of a six room teachers’ bungalow to enable teachers stay in the town and deliver on their mandate to educate their children.

The Odikro promised to get the community a pipe-borne water, because the community relied on a borehole and if faulty, used a nearby stream.

He expressed gratitude to the kingmakers and the people of Abura Tsetsekasum for the confidence reposed in him and assured them of his determination to continue with the good works done for the community to ensure its growth.

He also pledged to admin
ister an all-inclusive rule where he will accommodate the views and suggestions of the people to advance development in the area.

The event was characterised by a spectacular cocktail of vibrant cultural display, musketry and music, which summed up into a testament of the rich heritage and tradition of the people of Abura Tsetsekasum.

Nana Yeboah appealed to the government to construct the road leading to the town located in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District of the Central Region.

Source: Ghana News Agency

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a self-acclaimed chief and businessman to 15 months imprisonment for fraudulent land transaction.

Nii Kotey Susubribi, aka, Nii Isaac or Kotey Nii Quaye, who claims to be chief of Abehenase, near Amasaman, has been found guilty on the charges of threat of death and fraudulent transaction.

The Court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah sentenced him accordingly.

The convict shed tears as he awaited police officers to escort him to prison to start his sentence.

The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP) Seth Frimpong, said the first complainant Alfred Abosu was a businessman resident at Achimota while the second complainant, Freeman Kofi Owusu was a businessman resident at New Achimota, Accra.

ASP Frimpong said in 2003, Mr Abosu, the first complainant, acquired 1.869 acre of land at Abehenease from Amah Asor Family, then lawfully presented by the accused person’s late senior brother, Kotey Nii Kwei.

The prosecution said Mr Abosu subsequently obtained
Land Title Certificate No GA 22047 dated December 2005 covering the land.

According to the prosecution, Mr Abosu put up two single rooms on a portion of the land and gave it to his caretaker Korsi Tondey.

The court was told that Mr Abosu was never harassed until on February 21, 2015, when the accused person, now convict, started interfering with Abosu’s land claiming ownership of the same land.

The prosecution said in March 2015, the convict and his group of thugs consistently threatened Mr Abosu’s caretaker, Korsi Tondey to vacate the land or face death.

‘The caretaker for fear of his life, packed his belongings and left the land. The accused person then fraudulently sold portion of the land to the unsuspecting public, including the second complainant, Freeman Kofi Owusu at GHC42,000.’

The prosecution said a search obtained from the Land Registration Division of the Land Commission, Accra, confirmed Mr Abosu’s title to the land.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ten international and local companies have expressed interest in completing the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Works and HousinPolg, has disclosed.

He said the 10 companies had been taken to the project site and that they had had the opportunity to inspect works that had been left there so far.

He noted that the companies were putting together their proposals, and that according to the work plans that the Ministry had put together, by the 8th of July, they expect to formally receive all proposals from the companies.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah, who made the disclosure at a press conference at Parliament House in Accra, said after the Ministry had taken possession of the bids, they would be handed over to an independent evaluation entity, which would give them an evaluation report and then based on that evaluation report Government would proceed to select one of the bids, which might be a single entity or a consortium of entities.

He said the Ministry had announced a proc
ess through which the Government would select a private developer or a consortium of private developers to complete the uncompleted Saglemi Affordable Housing Project and operationalise it.

The Minister recalled that Government initially took a loan of about $200 million dollars to build five thousand housing units, a 1,506 were partially completed and that was what one would often see at Saglemi.

He noted that three major components that were missing – water, electricity and sewage works-and that when the Ghana Institute of Surveyors did their assessment, they said the Government needs about a hundred million dollars to complete this 1,506.

He said the Government took a decision within the difficult financial constraints that it was very difficult to find an extra one hundred million dollars after two hundred million had already been spent.

‘So, Cabinet took a decision that we should select a private developer or a consortium of private developers and let them make investment in it, so that we can operat
ionalise it,’ he said.

He said that when that selection was done, they would get the necessary cabinet approval, sign a contract with the selected entity and handover the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project to this entity to complete and operationalise it; saying ‘So, that is where we are now.’

Mr Oppong Nkrumah said they were also going through the process of selecting an independent evaluation organization, and that they would be going before PPA to get the one to be selected and then they would do the evaluation and based on that they would make a decision.

He underscored that the Government was going through an opened transparent process to get a developer to complete the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project

‘We are fair in our minds about doing everything and above all in accordance with law, we expect that whoever is putting in a bid is also going to do the same, and then in the end we should be able to stand within the scrutiny of time,’ he stated.

‘We are committed that every single bid that we are
receiving, eventually we will publish every single bid, we will also publish the evaluation report, so that you see for yourselves how the various bids were evaluated.’

He said they would publish the decision taken and the final contract; declaring that, ‘So, everything is being done above board, so, everybody can have confidence that it will stand the test of time.’

The Minister said the Government was making efforts to complete another housing project in Koforidua, which was one of President John Agyekum Kufuor’s Affordable Housing Projects from before 2008, which was still out there.

He said the State Housing Company, based on the instructions the Government gave, was also going through a process rewarding contract for that project to be completed, so they could complete it too.

He reiterated that the Government wants to see to it, that works on that outstanding Affordable Housing Project of President Kufuor in Koforidua was completed.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said the TDC Company had done over a thousand h
ousing units between 2020 and now, and that they were just about to break ground for another housing project of about 800 housing units.

Source: Ghana News Agency

In an effort to bridge the gap between emerging technology and education, Mr. Kobina Adomadzi Longdon, Chief Executive Officer of TechFarm Hub, has stressed the need for Ghanaian children to be equipped with cyber education.

With the increasing reliance on technology in modern life, he stressed the urgent need for children to acquire a solid understanding of the benefits and risks associated with technology by empowering them to navigate the online world safely, and responsibly.

Mr Longdon was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the launch of Cyber Education and Skills Advancement Programme (CESAP) Africa in the Eastern Regional capital, Koforidua.

The launch event drew a diverse range of key participants from various sectors, including security agencies such as the National Investigations Bureau and Ghana Police Service, as well as industries with a focus on cyber-related issues, the Ghana News Agency, and traditional rulers.

The event highlighted CESAP Africa’s aims t
o train, resource, certify and provide career development and employability opportunities to individuals across Africa.

It also unveiled various opportunities for hands-on training to enhance individuals’ understanding, improvement in skills and expertise on cyber forensic, Artificial Intelligence (AI), cyber security, deep fake, and digital literacy.

The CESAP Africa programme is being implemented by TechFarm Hub in Koforidua in partnership with the Center for Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity, an affiliate of Boston University in the United States.

Mr Longdon emphasized the importance of providing Ghanaian children with cyber education, highlighting the need to expose them to both the positive impacts and potential threats associated with technology and artificial intelligence.

He underscored the significance of cyber education, defining it as the learning of technology, online behaviour, and security measures necessary to protect oneself and personal information.

He noted that the internet ha
s enabled children to learn, share, and create, but it has also become a space where cybercriminals can steal from others.

He stressed that it was essential to instill cybersecurity behaviours from an early age, enabling children to identify cyber threats and learn how to mitigate them.

As a Pan-African entrepreneurship, innovation, and business development hub located in Koforidua, TechFarm Hub aims to empower children with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly, he added.

Source: Ghana News Agency