Author: admin

Kumasi: The Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship programme under the Result Two of the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) project, has trained and supported 2,000 youth, women and returning migrants in skills acquisition.

The project, which was funded by the European Union and implemented by the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), aimed at equipping the youth, returning migrants and women, with appropriate skills to promote employment generation and contribute to Ghana’s development.

Mr Laouali Sadda, Manager of the GrEEn project, who made this known, said the beneficiaries were from the Ashanti and Western regions, the implementation areas of the project.

He was speaking at a graduation and close-out ceremony for its Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (YEE) initiative, held in Kumasi.

The YEE initiative was implemented in partnership with the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service to roll out certification courses in six trade
areas.

They were solar panel installation, bio-digester construction, cosmetology, garment making, beads and soap making.

729 of the YEE service recipients who passed the assessment in these training areas were awarded National Proficiency Level I certificates at the ceremony.

Mr Sadda pointed out that the collaboration with the TVET Service and the acquisition of the National Proficiency Level I certification would enable the beneficiaries to have a clear path for academic progression on the National TVET Qualification Framework.

It would also support recognition of prior skills and promote decent jobs for improvement in quality of life.

He said the certification and close-out ceremony was aimed at officially recognizing the service recipients as having requisite skills, knowledge, values or meeting the required standards of a selected trade area.

The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) project was a four-year action from the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdo
m of the Netherlands, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).

The project aimed at creating greater economic and employment opportunities for youth, women and returning migrants by promoting and supporting sustainable, green businesses and providing employable skills training to youth job seekers in the Ashanti and Western regions of Ghana.

It was implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development.

The GrEEn was implemented under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa with a total contribution of pound 20,600,000.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra: Financial institutions have been urged to boldly showcase ACH Direct Credit Near Real Time (NRT) services on their digital platforms to facilitate easy access for customers.

Highlighting and appropriately labelling  the NRT option, will raise awareness among customers about this payment service, encouraging its utilization.

Typically, banks list various digital channels on their internet and mobile banking platforms, attracting significant patronage due to their visibility to customers.

GhIPSS officials suggest that incorporating the ACH Direct Credit Near Real Time into the roster of payment channels will boost its usage.

Ghana is distinguished for offering ACH Direct Credit Near Real Time, a payment channel that positions it ahead of many countries.

This service enables businesses to credit beneficiaries’ bank accounts within fifteen (15) minutes of initiating fund transfers, setting it apart from the Standard Direct Credit (24 hours) and Express Direct Credit (4 hours) options.

Mary Dei Sarpon
g, Head of Bulk Payments and Customer Support, emphasized in an interview that, NRT empowered organisations and individuals to execute bulk payments round the clock, with recipients receiving funds within fifteen(15) minutes-an efficiency that can benefit numerous institutions.

Mrs. Dei Sarpong encouraged banks to actively promote the NRT and attract as many institutions as possible to utilize the service for quick bulk payments.

Ghana’s payment landscape offers diverse options to cater to varying needs, including instant payment, near real time options, and slower alternatives like

third-party cheques, which can take up to two days to clear.

Mrs. Dei Sarpong stressed the importance for banks to make these payment channels visible on their platforms and devise innovative methods to educate the public about their availability.

While GhIPSS does not directly offer these services to the public, it remains committed to raising awareness to assist individuals in selecting the most suitable payment option at
any given time.

NRT provides a faster way of paying many people than any physical cash payment can ever achieve.

The time to manoeuvre through traffic, the risk of carry large sums of money to pay different people, and the fights over payment reconciliation challenges, are completely taken away, with the use of NRT.

The service also comes in handy for businessmen and women as well as individuals who have to make urgent payment to suppliers while busy with other activities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra: The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has launched the Youth Against Corruption (YAC) Ghana social media platforms, dedicated to fostering integrity, transparency and accountability among the youth in pursuance of its mandate to prevent corruption.

The move which forms part of the OSP’s flagship anti-corruption programme, Youth in Anti-Corruption Initiative, comes at a crucial time when Ghana stagnates on the 2023 Corruption Perception Index, with a 43 score for the fourth consecutive year.

The newly launched Youth Against Corruption Ghana accounts are currently being hosted on X and Instagram, operating under the handle ‘yac-ghana’ and the hashtag #YouthAgainstCorruptionGhana and #IntegrityStartsWithUs.

The platforms aim to disseminate information, share relatable stories, and provide engaging content to capture the attention of young audiences.

The X YAC Ghana account will serve as a news hub, delivering updates on the latest anti-corruption initiatives, success stories, and relevant convers
ations.

The Instagram YAC Ghana page will feature visually appealing infographics, testimonials, and content from various sensitisation programmes across the country.

Mr Samuel Appiah Darko, Director of strategy, Research and Communication at the OSP, said that the Office recognised the power of social media in shaping opinions and influencing behaviour, hence the step to strategically leverage these platforms to connect with the tech-savvy target audience and educate them on the perils of corruption.

”The youth are the driving force behind societal change, and we believe that by harnessing the power of social media, we can effectively communicate the importance of combating corruption and instil the values of integrity among them. We want to make anti-corruption education accessible, engaging, and relatable for the younger generation,” he added.

To amplify the reach and impact of the YAC Ghana platforms, the OSP is extending an invitation to all youth in Ghana and beyond who share a commitment to rende
r corruption costly and unattractive to join the campaign train by sharing their perspectives and engaging with their followers to create a ripple effect of awareness.

In support of these efforts, the OSP says it will continue to develop educational resources in collaboration with schools and universities to integrate anti-corruption content into their curriculum.

This multifaceted approach, the OSP said, aims to ensure a comprehensive and sustained effort in tackling corruption from both grassroots and institutional perspectives.

As the Youth Against Corruption campaign gains momentum on social media, the OSP said it remained optimistic that the initiative would foster a new generation of informed and empowered individuals dedicated to building a corruption-free future.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra: Mr Cletus Avoka, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Zebilla, has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to use his ingenuity to bring the Bawku crisis to a stop.

He said the President used his ingenuity during the prolonged Dagbon conflict to end it about three years ago and that the same must apply to the Bawku crisis to ensure peace.

Mr Avoka made the appeal in Parliament on Monday in his contribution to the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

‘I plead with the President to use his good offices, and resources at his disposal as the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and President of the people of Ghana to resolve this battle in Bawku before he hands over on January 7, 2025,’ Mr Avoka said.

He said security in Bawku was critical for national cohesion, particularly when the town shared a boundary with Togo and Burkina Faso.

‘So any security challenges make the town vulnerable. If we don’t address the issue in Bawku, if we don’t con
trol the conflict by bringing it to an end, then Bawku can become dangerous for the security of the country,’ he said.

‘Ensuring peace in Bawku is very critical for the survival of the country.’

Mr Avoka noted that although measures like the imposition of curfews, banning of motor riding and smock-wearing in the town were used, they had not been workable and there was a need for more to be done to ensure peace not only in Bawku but for the country at large.

According to him, the Bawku chieftaincy issue had allegedly been resolved long ago in favour of the ‘Kusasis’ and there was no justification for the ‘Mamprusis’ to continue to fight for the chieftaincy.

‘…In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled that the Mamprusis application to discontinue was granted but without the liberty to apply under PNDC Law 75 or under the Constitution of 1992 of Ghana,’ Mr Avoka, a former Majority Leader said.

He, therefore, urged the two ethnic groups; Kusasis and Mamprusis, to learn to co-exist among themselves and not fight over
‘illegalities.’

The Bawku conflict in Ghana is a long-winded strife related to alleged land ownership rights and chieftaincy between the Kusasis and Mamprusis, two major ethnic groups in the Northeast of the country.

President Akufo-Addo in his presentation of the 2024 SONA to Parliament on Tuesday, February 27, underscored the Government’s intentional efforts in strategic planning that would ensure the safety and security of the country.

He noted that Ghana had remained unaffected by the extremism witnessed in neighbouring countries due to meticulous planning.

The President told Parliament about the Government’s commitment to the well-being of the armed forces and all security agencies, where he mentioned the allocation of resources to ensure the government’s readiness.

‘Our nation is safe and secure,’ he said.

Furthermore, the President noted significant enhancements in the equipment and capabilities of the police force, that were now better equipped than ever before.

Recognising the challenges posed
by extremism in other parts of West Africa, President Akufo-Addo cautioned against taking the territorial integrity of the country for granted and called for the need for continued vigilance.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra: Mr George Sarpong, Executive Secretary, National Media Commission has made a strong case for the safety and protection of journalists across the board and especially going into the upcoming general election.

He said the Commission was committed to offering the necessary support to all towards a peaceful election, this year.

Mr Sarpong was interacting with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a two-day training workshop on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for political party Executives in Ho on Monday.

It was organised by the Volta Regional Secretariat of the National Peace Council (NPC) with support from the STAR Ghana Foundation and with funding from the British High Commission.

He said one of the ways of ensuring peaceful elections was protecting the safety of journalists and by extension peace of the nation.

He said journalists should be granted access to all the electoral processes since transparency was the keyword for transparent elections.

Mr. Sarpong, who was facilitating t
he programme said the Commission would protect every journalist ‘who wants to do journalism.’

He said, ‘But anybody who seeks to hide behind any dangerous attempt to undermine our democracy will have himself or herself to blame.’

The Executive Secretary said days, where people could commit offences and sought to avoid liability by claiming political or partisan label were over.

He said anybody would be accountable for their deeds and those who defaulted would face the law.

Mr Sarpong said the Commission would work with all the parties on coordinated mechanisms for the safety of journalists and would work with stakeholders to operationalise it.

He said the Ghana Police Service had made a commitment towards providing the greatest support to safeguard the safety of journalists.

Mr Sarpong said the Commission would not leave any single attack on any journalist unaddressed but more substantively prevent any kind of attack.

He said the Commission would actively work with the National Peace Council.

Mr Sarpo
ng urged the media to re-conceptualise what it meant to have two sides to an issue under peacebuilding.

He called on the media to give the National Peace Council a greater space as the core national peacebuilder in all conflict situations in elections.

Mr Sarpong said the Commission would work with all stakeholders, faith-based groups, political parties and youth groups to protect the peace of the country.

Mr David Yao Normanyo, the Regional Head of NPC said the objective of the workshop was to enhance the knowledge and skills-set of political parties on alternative dispute resolution mechanisms for addressing intra and inter-political party conflicts in Ghana.

He said NPC’s expectation is to promote dialogue among the political parties in Ghana to build stronger national cohesion, consensus building and political tolerance.

He said the NPC has identified that inter and intra-party conflicts impact negatively on the general political atmosphere of the country, which led to the workshop.

The NPC is there
fore partnering with some development partners, civil society organisations and governmental institutions to build the capacity of the political parties in alternative dispute resolutions and provide platforms at the national and regional levels that would enable dialogues and consensus building, and address intra and inter-political parties’ conflicts.

In attendance were 30 executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), National Democratic Party (NDP), All People’s Congress (APC), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), and Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra: Michael Nyinaku, former Chief Executive (CEO) of the defunct Beige Bank, accused of stealing, fraudulent breach of trust and money laundering, is billed to call 61 witnesses.

His counsel, Mr Thaddeus Sory, made the announcement at the Economic and Financial Court Two Division of the High Court trying his client.

He told the Court presided over by Justice Mrs Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, Justice of Court of Appeal with additional responsibility at the High Court, that for a start, 15 witnesses would be called.

The trial was supposed to have begun on Monday, March 4, 2024, but the accused person’s lawyer said there was a miscommunication thus, he did not know the witnesses should be called on that day, thus, he did not invite any of the witnesses.

The Court therefore gave the Defense counsel up to March 8, 2024, to file the witnesses’ statements, notify the clerks for them to serve prosecution before March 13, 2024, the next adjourned date.

Prosecution had earlier informed the Court that when Beige Bank
‘s license was revoked in August 2018.A review of the financial and other records of the Bank revealed some suspicious and unusual transactions which were subsequently reported.

Investigations revealed that from 2015 to 2018, Nyinaku, the accused person, transferred huge sums of money to companies related to him and for his personal benefit.

The funds transferred were depositors’ funds lodged with Beige Bank from 2017 to 2018 and Nyinaku caused the transfer of 10,071 fixed deposit accounts held with Beige Bank in which various customers placed a total of GHS448,636,210.21 to Beige Capital Asset Management Limited (BCAM), without the knowledge and consent of these customers.

Prosecution detected that Nyinaku, between 2017 and 2018, transferred 35 fixed deposit investments of 23 customers of Beige Bank totalling GHS141,042,348.92 to the Beige Group.

The Court heard that in March 2018, Nyinaku caused a fictitious second account to be opened in the name of First Africa Savings and Loans (FASL), an existing ac
count holder with Beige Bank, without the knowledge of the Board and Management of FASL.

Nyinaku, Prosecution said, also transferred GHS320 million from the accounts of various Beige Bank customers into the bank account of BCAM held with Beige Bank.

Prosecution continued that between 2015 and 2017, Nyinaku, through payment vouchers, caused the sum of GHS1,465,000.00 of depositors’ funds lodged with Beige Bank to be paid to himself and other persons.

These transactions were recorded in a general ledger account of the bank, described as Directors Account, Prosecution told the Court.

The Court heard that investigations revealed that the accused person, through payment vouchers, e-mails and memos, transferred GHS20,599,052.58 of depositors’ funds lodged with Beige Bank to a number of companies and individuals for his benefit.

Nyinaku has denied all the charges, and he has been granted GHC200 million bail with three sureties.

Source: Ghana News Agency