Category: General

Madam Henrietta Lamptey, Ag.Registrar, Births and Deaths Registry, has discouraged the populace from travelling to Accra for birth and death registration.

She said the Registry had worked on its systems to register newborn babies at hospitals and Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds nationwide and urged the citizenry to take advantage of the initiative to bring such services closer to them.

‘We have improved our services to the public. There are key aspects of registration such as alterations and corrections that are done only at the national office, all other requests are now done at the district offices, especially registration at birth, which is done at hospitals.

‘So there is no need to travel all the way to Greater Accra to have it done. It is now done at the hospitals or even within the community, CHPS compound and all that; we are present to register birth immediately it happens with the Ghana Health Service,’ she said.

Madam Lamptey said this at a two-day workshop for births and d
eaths registrars in Accra on Monday, April 29.

The workshop organised for the various district officers of the Births and Deaths Registry in the Greater Accra region is intended to train the officers on the Births and Deaths Registry’s new Instructions Manual.

The Manual, developed in 2022 with support from UNICEF, is a standard operating procedure for services rendered by the Registry, including registration of births and deaths, alterations, searches, sharing of information, and reporting to the Government Statistician, amongst others.

She said that for the first time, the Registry had published a statistical report for the birth and death registry.

Madam Lartey said the report had enabled the Registry to know the number of registrations it was able to undertake in a year.

She said currently, the statistics showed that the Registry had been able to register 90 per cent of births in the country as against some 70 per cent two years ago.

Mr Emmanuel Nyarko-Tetteh, Protection Specialist, UNICEF, commen
ded the Registry for its efforts to provide better services.

He said data was very essential for the planning of every country because, without it, social inequality would become entrenched.

Mr Nyarko-Tetteh charged the participants to make Ghanaians reap the benefits of the training.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr. Philip Gebu, the Chaplain of the Data Link Institute of Business and Technology, has urged Christians to get closer in their walk with God as the end time is near.

Mr. Gebu told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that all signs point to the evidence that the Christian Leader, Jesus Christ, was coming soon, stressing that it was time Christians were careful in their doings to ensure they did not miss heaven.

He mentioned that it was important for believers to be able to read the signs of the times and events that were signalling that the end was near.

He said events such as war, conflicts, the increased level of wickedness and evil in the world, love of money, and a lot more were signs that the end of the world was near.

He said that it was important that believers touch the lives of the less privileged in society, stressing that such acts make God release his blessings onto mankind.

He mentioned that the gift to the less privileged could be in the form of old clothes, foods prepared at home,
water, fruits, or anything that could put a smile on the faces of the vulnerable.

‘The mystery about giving is that it is a principle that opens doors, so even the poor people must learn to give if they want their poverty to vanish; it is the giving that unlocks the door of plentitude,’ he stated.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Professor Douglas Boateng, the Board Chairman of the Mineral Investment Fund has challenged women to take advantage of opportunities in the supply chain industry.

He said despite the important roles of females in the industry, women remained underrepresented and urged them to come on board.

Supply Chain is an industry that is growing faster than ever and provides excellent opportunities for individuals.

The industry, however, has an overall gender divide as it is seen as a predominantly male environment hence the need to champion the campaign for women to get involved.

Prof Boateng made this remark at the Women in Supply Chain Forum, themed ‘Unlocking Growth through Integrated Supply Chain Management: A Personal Catalyst,’

‘You have a lot of opportunities to do far better because it is easy to get access to information, and also easy to network. These days with mobile phones and social media, you can really do better than we were doing,’ he said.

The Board Chairman advised women to adopt the supply chai
n thinking in their personal and professional lives, highlighting its potential to create jobs, add value to resources, and drive economic growth.

Madam Hannah Boahemaa Otu, President of the Women in Supply Chain Management (WISCM) said investing in personal growth as women could enhance problem-solving, decision-making and leadership skills leading to greater career opportunities and job satisfaction.

‘We have come together not only to reflect on our successes but also to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Through collaboration, innovation and determination, we will unlock avenues for growth and empowerment within the supply chain community,’ she added.

The Women in Supply Chain is a wing of the Chartered Institute of Supply Chain Management which was initiated in 2022 to encourage more women into the Supply Chain Profession industry.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Inspire Action, a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) has trained 24 people in detergent manufacturing and wig-making.

Inspire Action through its promotion of Vocational Oriented Training (PVOT) initiative aims to improve the lives of people in underserved communities as part of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

A news statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said, Inspire Action initiated the PVOT project to provide knowledge on how to make detergents, wigs, braids, barb hair, manicure, pedicure and clothes.

It said the PVOT initiative had so far trained beneficiaries in both the first and second cohorts of 24 participants, it had seven participants in soap manufacturing and six participants in wig-making class in the second cohort.

The statement said the NGO had increased the employability of the trainees by arming them with relevant vocational skills and boosting their self-esteem.

Mr Justice Zeukew, The Head of Mission for Inspire Action, said that the PVOT project was introduced
to address the unemployment situation in Ghana to train about 500 people in a span of 12 months.

According to him, learners would be provided with essential skills to enhance and support their personal development and also offer them self-employment opportunities.

‘The mission of the PVOT project was in line with Sustainable Development Goals 4, 8 and 9. However, to achieve the SDGs through vocational training, it is important to ensure that vocational training programmes are accessible, affordable, and high-quality,’ he said.

He said it was important to provide persons with technical and vocational education to achieve sustainable economic growth.

However, the statement said the trainees would be enrolled in a mandatory entrepreneurial class organized by Inspire Action to ensure that they could use the skills they acquire to earn a living.

Mrs Christiana Ansah, Trainer for the Detergent-making Class, said the trainees were taught how to make liquid soaps, fabric softeners, and floor cleaners.

She comme
nded Inspire Action for undertaking such a project to address the widening unemployment gap in the country as it will provide the trainees with the skills to be able to cater for themselves.

‘Even if you do it and you don’t sell, you can do it and use it for yourself. Also, you make an income from selling it and be your boss,’ she explained.

She urged all the trainees to re-invest in their newly acquired skills rather than idling at home because success does not occur in a vacuum so they should be willing to make an effort.

Hawawu Karim, Trainer for the Wig-Making Class expressed her excitement about the training as a lot of young people could benefit from it.

‘When the trainees make the wig, they can choose to sell or wear it. I encourage all persons to come and learn because it’s absolutely free,’ she said.

Evelyn Bedzo, A beneficiary, commended Inspire Action for the training opportunity as she had been provided with lifelong skills that she could leverage to supplement her income.

She urged all stak
eholders to facilitate various vocational trainings for Ghanaians particularly the youth, to address the issue of unemployment in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ministry of National Security has engaged the Ga Traditional Council to enhance awareness on its ‘See Something, Say Something’ Campaign.

The engagement on Monday in Accra was graced by Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse and President of the Ga Traditional Council (GTC).

In May 2022, the Ministry of National Security launched its flagship programme, ‘See Something, Say Something’ campaign to encourage the citizenry to play active roles in the protection of the peace and stability of the State.

According to the Ministry, the campaign aims to empower Ghanaians to be more conscious about their own security and enhance their relationship with State security authorities.

Citizens are to dial ‘999’ to report any suspicious or unusual activity happening within their communities.

Callers are not obliged to disclose their identity.

Since its inception, the Ministry has extensively engaged citizens, school children and various stakeholders, through awareness creation campaigns.

As part of the campaign,
citizens are encouraged to use the acronym ‘S.A.L.U.T. E.’ to gather information and report suspicious activities.

‘S’ in ‘S.A.L.U.T. E,’ means size of the item or specific features of the item/person involved in a suspicious activity. ‘A’ stands for suspicious or criminal activity being carried out. ‘L’ for Location of the activity.

‘U’ stands for uniform being worn by the suspect. ‘T’ for the time or period of the day the incident happened and ‘E’ for equipment being used to carry out the criminal act.

Mrs Akosua D. Ntim Sekyere, Coordinator of ‘See Something, Say Something’ Campaign, said Traditional leaders played a significant role both at the community and governance level.

She said they had the potential to rally their subjects and entire community in support of any Government agenda, hence the decision to involve them in the campaign.

Mrs Sekyere said by being the first point of call in the community, these Traditional authorities would be better positioned to share valuable information that coul
d breach the country’s security, with the Ministry.

‘This is a national campaign which seeks to secure our national security. Given what is going on within the Sub region, we want to have everybody on board including our Traditional rulers because of their critical role in our governance system.’

She explained that the campaign was a national agenda devoid of political colours, ethnic or religious affiliation, as such, the citizenry should embrace the campaign.

Speaking on behalf of the Council, Nii Oto Blafo II ,Otublohun Seitse and Legal Advisor to the GTC, said they were well informed of the happenings along Ghana’s borders and neighbouring countries and urged citizens to prioritise their security.

He said the campaign could not succeed without the involvement of the Traditional leaders and lauded the Ministry for taking the campaign to the grassroots.

‘This move is very appropriate at this stage because the success of the project of this nature cannot succeed without our involvement. In the past, we
are all aware of the several projects and agendas of the Government and other institutions which did not involve the Chiefs at any level. Sometimes people think we do not matter but we do matter a lot,’ he said.

The Spokesperson thanked the campaign team for the gesture and asked them to make such engagements a regular one.

Source: Ghana News Agency

‘Daddy, we are on the streets because the ‘big men’ have failed us’

This was the lamentation of a street hawker whose ordeal inspired Colonel Cornelius B. Oddoye, a seasoned Military Officer to chronicle the causes, impact, and dangers of Ghana’s unemployment woes in a bid to raise awareness about the phenomenon and proffer workable solutions.

Col. Oddoye, a former Military Advisor at the Ghana Permanent Mission to the UN, identifies the rising rate of unemployment as a national security threat and calls for new approaches to tackling the menace head-on.

In two new books: ‘Arrested Dreams: Unemployment in Ghana,’ and ‘Living the Dream: Countering Unemployment in Ghana,’ the author provides a guide to tackle unemployment holistically, in keeping with best practices from around the world.

In the first book, Arrested Dreams: Unemployment in Ghana, Col. Oddoye contextualises the causes of Ghana’s unemployment situation, and argues that ‘one cannot address the problem unless the very nature of the problem is p
roperly diagnosed and understood.’

The second book: ‘Living the Dream: Countering Unemployment in Ghana,’ Which is a sequel to the former, explores novel approaches to dealing with unemployment and encourages public-sector-led job creation and international best practices.

Col. Oddoye told the Ghana News Agency that the purpose of the book was to highlight the problem of unemployment and the socially underprivileged and bring it to the fore of national discourse.

He said the two books sought to shape the agenda for future economic development and offer alternative solutions to job creation and poverty reduction.

‘We have done all the wrong things in the past. We have followed wrong paradigms and accepted false doctrines and counsel from people who don’t mean well.

‘We should come together as a people and tackle the issues. We have the men and the brain power to lift ourselves from this poverty quagmire to a future of prosperity,’ Col. Oddoye said.

Col. Oddoye advised young graduates to take their family
businesses seriously and explore innovative ways to expand the clientele of such businesses to ensure sustainable employment.

The 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) indicates that more than 1.55 million people or 13.4 per cent of Ghana’s economically active population are out of work – as compared to the 5.3 per cent jobless rate recorded in the 2010 census.

The World Bank in 2016 projected that Ghana would have to create at least 300,000 new jobs annually to absorb the increasing number of unemployed people given the country’s growing youth population.

Reacting to the book, Reverend Dr. Frederick Deegbe, a Former Senior Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, described the author as a ‘problem solver’ and commended him for highlighting the challenges of the less privileged in society.

He said unemployment should be a national emergency and appealed to policymakers to tap into the ideas proposed by Col. Oddoye to tackle the problem.

Source: Ghana News Age
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