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Dr Joseph Anokye, the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), says the proactive actions by the Authority is the reason Ghana did not experience complete internet outage during the undersea cable disruptions on March 14, 2024.

A number of countries along the West African Coast through to South Africa experienced widespread and massive internet outages when four submarine cables, which coincidentally were operational in Ghana, got disrupted underseas, leading to disruptions in data services.

During the outage, consumers on AT did not experience any disruptions whiles those on MTN and Telecel had minimum internet access.

All three mobile network operators (MNOs) in Ghana have since been restored to full internet capacity while the submarine cable providers are continuing repair works.

Addressing the media in Accra on Sunday on the disruptions, Dr Anokye said the NCA had been proactive since 2020 and had directed MNOs to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least t
hree submarine cable providers for redundancy and resilience.

‘The NCA had directed MNOs to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least three submarine cable providers for redundancy and resilience – this was back in April 2020, and all MNOs adhered to this,’ Dr Anokye said.

He explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Authority had a series of meetings with various stakeholders to find out what level of support they needed.

The proactive engagements and subsequent directives to MNOs contributed to Ghana not experiencing complete internet outage on 14th March 2024.

The NCA Boss said in one of those meetings, the NCA focused on risk assessment of mobile network operator’s capacities and their redundancies to Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers.

Subsequently, from a national emergency point of view, all MNOs were, in a letter dated 30th April 2020, directed to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least three submarine cable companies.

‘Further to the above, a
ll redundant cable connections should be capable of being lighted within 24-hours in the event of outage on your primary links,’ he said.

‘It was based on this directive that AT secured a third leg of its cable provider in Nigeria, leading to they having service, with MTN also having another leg in Nigeria with some capacity that was relied on during the crisis.’

On the way forward, Dr Anokye said the Authority would require MNOs to make provisions for another leg of their cable to land with a cable provider who did not land in-country but was close by.

‘We are happy to note also that the NCA in 2023, licensed a fifth cable landing operator, Bayobab, operator of the 2Africa Cable with a design capacity of 180tbps, which is about four times the combined design capacity of the existing cables; this service is expected to be operational by 4th quarter of 2024 or sooner,’ he announced.

The 2Africa would be the only cable that circles the entire African continent – providing geographical diversity.

Additional
ly, from a distance layout standpoint, the 2Africa Cable is much farther away from the existing four cables in the high seas.

Dr Anokye disclosed that the NCA had augmented its existing satellite licensing portfolio to include recent broadband satellite services to provide alternative connectivity options for domestic and enterprise users.

‘We will work with regulators and the industry in the sub-region to encourage the extension of inter-country terrestrial fibre to enhance resilience of its respective internet connectivity’.

The National Communications Authority (NCA) was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 524, in December 1996, which has been repealed and replaced by the National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769).

It is the statutory body mandated to license and regulate electronic communication activities and services in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Women’s Ministry of the Global Evangelical Church, (GEC) has embarked on evangelism in major markets throughout the country.

The Women clad in their uniform held placards some of which read only: ‘Jesus Saves, With Jesus All Things Are Possible and Jesus is Coming Soon’.

Some of the markets evangelised in Accra included the Anyaa, Amasaman, Agbogbloshie, Madina, Malata, Kasoa, and Dodowa markets.

Presbyteries outside Accra also evangelised all the major Market places in Ghana, Togo and Cote d’Ivoire, among others.

Rev. Mrs. Patricia Akpene Tegbe-Agbo, the National Coordinator for the Women’s Ministry of the GEC,

giving a general overview of the exercise, said, the decision to embark on the Market Evangelism was in fulfillment of a divine mandate for the Great Commission.

She said those found in the market spaces were also in the plan of God and must be reached out to with the Gospel of Christ.

She said the vision of the Women’s Ministry, which is not different from that of the mother Church, was to
bring all to the saving knowledge of Christ and make holistic impact on society.

She revealed that, the Market Evangelism was the prelude to similar ones in the offing.

‘As Women of the Global Evangelical Church, every quarter we shall reach out with the Gospel of Christ. The maiden one as we have seen is the Market Evangelism. The next quarter will be Street Evangelism where we shall take the Gospel of Christ to all the major streets in the Country and beyond.’

That of the third quarter shall be Community Evangelism. This is to enable us to get the Good news to the unreached in our communities, especially the ghettos.

Rev. Mrs. Tegbe-Agbo, who also participated in the Market Evangelism in Accra, said the Ministry planned to support souls won with clothes and to nurture them to achieve their God-given potentials.

Rev Mrs. Mercy Kpeglah, the Accra Presbytery Women’s Ministry Coordinator, who led the Women in Accra, said they used the Gospel Hand Message to assure those they evangelised of how God loves al
l humankind regardless of our sins and shortcomings.

She said, Jesus out of love had to die and was raised up for the deliverance of all people taking away eternal damnation and condemnation.

‘Thus, if anyone believes in the atoning work of Jesus and also believes in him as the son of God, that person shall never perish but will have everlasting life’, she said.

She said, ‘some of the people we engaged gave their lives to Christ and we prayed for the success of their businesses as well as the sick and the afflicted.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Christians in Ghana are joining others around the world to observe Palm Sunday today, March 24, 2024.

The Day, also known as Passion Day, is in commemoration of Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, prior to His crucifixion.

It is the final Sunday of Lent, and the beginning of the Holy Week on the Christian Calendar.

In Ghana, the Day is commemorated with processions of churches through some principal streets with members waving palm branches, and handkerchiefs, singing of ‘Hosanna, Hosanna’.

According to Gospel, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey and was welcomed by the townspeople with songs of praise, as some paid homage by throwing clothes and palm branches on the ground for Him to walk on.

The palm frond has been incorporated into Christian iconography to represent the victory of martyrs, and of the spirit over the flesh.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The contribution of education to every well-developed society cannot be overstated as it goes a long way to shape a person’s overall wellbeing in terms of character, intellect, social and financial standing.

It also helps gain financial and social independence and develops a healthy mindset that propels personal, individual and community advancement.

Education is, thus, a multi-faceted and indispensable tool for the progress and prosperity of a nation and drives economic growth, reduces poverty, enhances human capital, and contributes to cultural preservation.

In a broader sense, education, both formal and informal, is vital for a country’s development because it equips its citizens with the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to enable them to contribute to economic growth, foster innovation and participate effectively in democratic processes.

Education has countless crucial benefits for a country?and individuals seeking a prosperous future?because it opens doors for better opportunities, boosts pe
rsonal growth and confidence for the?strengthening of?societies’ progress.

The?promotion of social progress by empowering individuals with?the ability to make informed decisions about their lives and fostering tolerance, diversity and social cohesion, reducing societal inequalities?for a just and equitable society are all the resultant effects of education.

Enhancement of a country’s global competitiveness by producing skilled workforce capable of adapting to rapidly changing technological and economic landscapes could not be?possible?without a?strong education system, which tend to attract foreign investment, stimulate innovation, and maintain a competitive edge in the global market.

Another?essential?aspect of?education?is to nurture and provide information to citizens who could actively participate in democratic processes to?encourage critical thinking, civic engagement and the ability to hold government officials accountable, while promoting gender equality and development.

Education and Examination

Formal education is attained progressively from the basic through secondary to the tertiary level. Throughout the various levels, examination plays a crucial role.

The school examinations (internal) and external examination bodies like the West African Examination Council (WAEC) all help in determining the progress of a pupil or student to the next level.

Before a pupil or student is examined, it is expected that the necessary knowledge will have been imparted through effective teaching and learning.

In that regard, it is expected that having been taught and prepared well by the schools, ideally, examinations will be malpractice-free, but the reverse has been the case in recent years.

The question then is why?the rampant examination malpractices, some of which result in dire consequences like subject cancelations and withholding of results by the WAEC?

In any case no one is ready to take responsibility?for those shameful?acts.

West African Examination Council’s Report

A report by the Public Affairs Dep
artment?of the?WAEC, in?an update on the conduct of?West African Senior?School Certificate Examination?(WASSCE) last year,?must?be a wake-up call to all to?make conscious efforts to prevent and end examination malpractices to safeguard the future of?the nation.

?

In the report, WAEC stated it was overwhelmed by widespread examination malpractices recorded at various examination centres as the?National Intelligence Bureau and the Police?busted hundreds of students with foreign materials, impersonators and invigilators aiding in a malpractice cartel and trading questions for various sums of money.

It is alleged that some of the invigilators charged between GhC500.00 and GhC1000.00 to assist students during examinations.

The practice gave?those candidates?a certain sense of entitlement and,?therefore, they wanted to be allowed to have their way.

The story?is not different from the Basic Education Certificate?Examination (BECE) and even at the tertiary level.

Mr?Anthony Kwasi Logodzo, the Branch Controller
of the?WAEC?Office?for the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions, said some of the common examination irregularities detected in 2023 were foreign materials on candidates in the examination halls.

He confirmed to the Ghana News Agency?(GNA) in Sunyani?that?quite a number of the candidates were caught with prepared notes and pages torn from their textbooks with the intention to using them to answer questions.

Mr Logodzo said the team from his office?almost every day?recorded some incidents of malpractices at some examination centres, and that to curtail the situation?all those involved?should be identified?and sanctioned.

He noted that teachers, parents, invigilators and even some school authorities facilitated the malpractices, adding that the trend had been worrying and undermining the integrity of the examination.

He conceded to the national challenge, which must be eradicated through a shared?responsibility to maintain the credibility of the examination in the coming years.

Causes of Malpractices

Researc
h has?shown the most common causes of malpractice in Ghana are the pressure to meet high parental demands for excellent results, bad study habits, desire to avoid failure, anxiety and poor supervision.

Others are the lack of basic learning resources, inadequate seating arrangements, the congested nature of the examination rooms or halls, bad teaching techniques and schools’ desire to come on top of results ranking tables.

Conclusion

It is time for the Ghana Education Service and WAEC to jointly institute measures and initiate actions against those individuals and groups, either candidates, invigilators or supervisors involved in the malpractices.

This can be done through diverse measures like strict adherence to the rules governing the examination, while punishment and sanctions are meted out to the culprits in order to prevent marring the integrity of examinations held in Ghana.

Source: Ghana News Agency