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A study by the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), a research organisation, has revealed that only one out of 10 Ghanaians has a written will.

The quantitative research on accessing funds by next-of-kin, revealed that 85.5 per cent of the 1000 respondents from across the 16 regions of Ghana do not have written wills.

Mr Peter Bismark, the Executive Director of ILAPI, and Mr Stephen Dansu, the Organisation’s Head of Research, revealed this during a high-level policy dialogue on ‘Reducing family poverty via the use of next of kin.’

They indicated that the research, which was carried out between February and July 2023, also found that 38.75 per cent of those who did not have written wills, and said they were yet to acquire any property or asset.

Other reasons given were that they were not ready, they did not believe in writing a will, it was not yet time for them to die, their family knew their property already because they were residing in family property, while others had no reason for no
t having a will.

They said the research also revealed that 80.50 per cent were not informed about their status as next-of-kin, while 63 per cent were not informed by banks about the amount of money the deceased had, and how much they were entitled to.

The ILAPI said the bureaucratic nature of accessing funds as next-of-kin was costly, as respondents revealed that they spent an average of GHS7,550 and as much as GHS15,000 on these processes.

Some of the identified institutions a next-of-kin might deal with in the process included health facilities for the acquisition of a certificate of cause of death, police for the acquisition of a coroner, the Birth and Death Registry for a death certificate, and a death extract.

A burial permit must be acquired from the district assemblies, a probate or letter of administration from the court, as well as documents from financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), among others.

ILAPI recommende
d that there should be frequent public education by stakeholders such as the National Commission for Civic Education, financial institutions, insurance companies and SSNIT, on the processes and procedures involved in accessing an estate.

They also called for the streamlining of administrative processes, to reduce the duration of accessing the funds of the deceased to avoid boredom and abandonment, which usually occurred empirically because of frustration and stress the next-of-kin, beneficiaries, and nominees go through to access these claims.

It urged Ghanaians to inculcate the habit of registering their property and having written wills, to avoid setbacks next-of-kin, beneficiaries, and nominees faced.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Kanjal Tibithe, a 60-year-old crops and livestock farmer from the Yendi Municipality of the Northern Region, has been adjudged Regional Best Farmer at this year’s regional celebration of the National Farmers’ Day.

For his prize, Mr Tibithe took home a tricycle, a mist blower, two cutlasses, 4.5 litres of OFA liquid fertilizer, and a certificate.

Alhaji Abass Ziblim, a farmer from the Zabzugu District, was adjudged Regional Best Livestock Farmer whilst Madam Rosemond Ali, a farmer from the Nanumba North Municipality, was adjudged Regional Best Female Farmer, and they each took home a tricycle, a knapsack sprayer, two cutlasses, a litre of OFA liquid fertilizer and a certificate each.

Five other farmers, who were adjudged Regional Best Physically Challenged Farmer, Regional Best Youth Farmer, Regional Best Male Agricultural Extension Agent (AEA), Regional Best Female AEA, and Regional Best Innovative Farmer, were also given various prizes.

Mr Tibithe, in a brief remark at the ceremony at Kulnyevilla in
the Sagnarigu Municipality on Friday, attributed his feat to hard work and urged all to embrace agriculture for improved livelihoods.

This year’s Farmers’ Day celebration was on the theme: ‘Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience’.

Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister congratulated the winners and all farmers in the region, saying through their dedication, in the face of adversities, agriculture had remained the backbone and driving force behind the country’s food security, industrialisation process, job creation, economic growth, and foreign exchange earnings from diverse sources.

Alhaji Saibu said the government was fulfilling its obligation of creating the necessary environment through policy interventions and other incentives to motivate farmers to play their role more effectively.

He added that the government was demonstrating more sensitivity to the needs of farmers to enable them optimise productivity, build resilience, and attain a level of compet
itiveness derived from the efficient use of resources and technology.

He said ‘With the commitment and support from all relevant stakeholders in agricultural development, certainly Ghana’s agriculture will thrive in the next five years. With the introduction of an enduring system through Planting for Food and Jobs phase two, agriculture will be a very attractive enterprise.’

Alhaji Saibu entreated all to endeavour to reach the ultimate height to contribute to the food security of the region and the nation at large, saying ‘I want to urge all and sundry to get involved in agriculture and see farming as a business, because the President of the Republic is providing the enabling environment for all gender, especially the youth, women and people living with disabilities to fully embrace agriculture as a reliable source of income.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Daniel Acquah, 44, won the overall best farmer during the 39th farmers’ day celebration at Nyanfeku Ekroful in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK), District of the Central Region.

He was given a fridge, wheelbarrow, wellington boots, cutlass, and other farm inputs.

Mr Acquah was grateful to God and the Assembly for the award and assured that he would impart the experience gained unto the younger generation.

Mr. Yaw Ainoo was adjudged first runner-up and Mr. Christian K. Donkor, second runner up.

In all, nine farmers and fishermen were awarded.

They are Mr. Emmanuel Nii Boi Mensah, best crop farmer, Mr. Isaac Ansah Boafo, best livestock farmer, Mr. Bernard Badu Aggrey, best physically challenged farmer, Mr. Isaac Otoo, best marine fisherman, Mrs. Efua Amoaba, best fish processesor and Mr. Derrick Okyere, best agriculture worker.

Mr Willyevans Obiri-Awuah, District Chief Executive of AAK commended the farmers and fishermen for their hard work and tireless efforts in providing food for the district and th
e nation.

He told the farmers to adopt innovative and modern methods in farming to help boost agriculture and charged the Agric Extension Officers to regularly visit farmers to educate them to improve their farms.

Mrs. Faustina Agyarko, District Agric Officer, also applauded the efforts of farmers in the national economy by seeing farming as a lucrative business and doing it with all their might to reap the benefits.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Peace Council in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Danish Embassy, has held a community sensitisation workshop on hate speech and negative counter narratives for at-risk youth in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality.

The two-day workshop, which brought together selected youth groups from the municipality aimed at equipping them with knowledge and effective responses to hate speech to become campaigners against hate speech in their communities.

It also focused on equipping them to contribute to early warning detection and prevention of hate speech and negative counter narratives in both social media and traditional media to contribute to preventing violent extremism.

The workshop formed part of an 18-month UNDP Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) project, dubbed, ‘PVE Atlantic Corridor Regional project 2023 to 2025’, with support from the Government of Denmark under its Peace and Stabilisation Fund (PSF), being implemented in Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Cote d`Ivo
ire.

The project seeks to prevent and address the immediate localised drivers of radicalisation leading to violent extremism in target communities in these countries while providing support to strengthen the `infrastructure of peace`, namely mechanisms for early warnings and initial response at local levels.

Alhaji Sumaila Issaka, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the National Peace Council, noted that the emergence of new and diverse threats of violence has resulted in significant adverse effects on the social and economic progress of several nations.

He observed, therefore made it important to promote and disseminate alternative and counter-narrative messages, including hate speech promoting violence extremism in targeted locations to maintain peace and harmony to enhance development.

‘It is important for us as a people to live together in harmony and not look down on others and demean them just for the mere fact that we see them differently in terms of their cultural background and l urge all of you
to from now on, make attempts to foster unity,’ he added.

Mr Ali Anankpieng, the Regional Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council, speaking on ‘Understanding and Responding to Conflict’, highlighted that when conflicts were not handled properly, they could escalate to become violence which had the tendency of causing instability.

He therefore urged the participants to be accommodating and find an amicable way of solving the differences in their respective communities even if it means compromising.

Madam Alice Bokuma, Early Warning and Gender Officer, West Africa Network for Peacebuiding (WANEP), Ghana, reiterated that the peace infrastructure was not limited to only the security services but the whole community, particularly the youth who were targets of the extremist to be sensitised to identify early warning signs and guard against radicalisation.

‘WANEP Ghana is committed to building relations for peace and aside the fact that we have trained monitors at the community, district and regional l
evel, we are still committed to partnering with other organisations to build peace in our communities,’ she added.

In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Joseph Adongo, the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Chief Executive, expressed gratitude to the National Peace Council and all the stakeholders involved for spearheading the project aimed at fostering peace and countering violent extremism and added that the effort would go a long to contribute to maintaining peace in the area.

Ms Sheila Anao, a participant said, ‘the workshop has exposed us to a lot of things that we didn’t know and going forward it would help us prevent conflict and make appropriate reports when we see something.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Apostle Joseph Felix Kwesi Mensah, the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Great Commission Church International (GCCI), has urged Churches to focus on finishing the task of world evangelism.

He reiterated that each Church must be a factory for producing Holy Spirit-filled disciples for Christ, who also produce Christ-like disciples.

He said world evangelism was God’s topmost agenda and therefore, Churches must ensure that the gospel of Jesus Christ reaches the four corners of the earth.

Apostle Mensah made the appeal in his sermon at the 33rd General Council Meeting (GCM) of GCCI – Ghana at Adenta near Accra.

The GCM on the theme ‘Structuring to Deliver the GCCI Mandate’, is being attended by 160 participants, which consists of GCCI pastors and their wives, Board of Trustees, presiding elders and presbyters.

Apostle Mensah said there were about 20 unreached ethnic groups in Ghana, while across the African continent there were about 998 unreached ethnic groups, which need to hear the gospel of Jesu
s Christ.

Speaking on the topic ‘The Vision of GCCI’, Apostle Mensah noted that vision was the staff of leadership and the anchor of followers.

‘As a Church, we need to be clear about our vision.’

He underscored that the vision of the Church was to make disciples of all my nations.

Quoting from the Bible Apostle Mensah said: ‘After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.’

Apostle Mensah urged Churches to develop strategies and plans for finishing world evangelism; adding that it would be achieved within a generation.

Apostle Dr Samuel Vincent Ansah, the Chairman of GCCI Ghana National Council, advised Christians to be prayerful, declaring that the prayerful Christians would experience divine breakthroughs.

The GCCI was founded on 1st April 1991, on the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra.

The Church has since
been established in other countries such as Togo, Benin, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, and Gabon.

The founding fathers include Apostle Joseph Felix Kwesi Mensah, Apostle Professor Samuel Asuming-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

Pandemonium broke at the Mataheko Police Station Park in the Ablekuma Central Constituency where the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is conducting parliamentary primary, after delegates abandoned voting and followed someone with a violet bag.

The bag contains small sealed envelopes.

A delegate, who sought anonymity, told the Ghana News Agency that the envelopes contained money for delegates, who voted for a particular aspirant.

Scores of delegates, including the elderly and persons with disability, about an hour into the election, deserted the voting and went after the ‘Manager’ of the bag.

Quickly, a long queue was formed ,with jostling and shoving for the money.

It is not clear, which candidate is giving out the money.

However, the tent under, which the money is being shared has the image of Mr Collins Amoah, one of the four aspirants.

A total of 1,571 delegates are expected to vote to elect one of the four aspirants to represent the Party in the parliamentary election next year.

The aspirants are Mr Jef
ferson, Sackey, a Presidential Staffer, Mr Ebenezer Nartey, a former Member of Parliament, Mr Collins Amoah and Mr Larry Angered Adjei.

Source: Ghana News Agency