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Rashid Bawa is honest, compassionate, dedicated person – President


President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has described the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Ghana’s former High Commissioner to Nigeria, as one who ’embodied the value of honesty, compassion and dedication.’

‘He was a true patriot, whose life’s work was devoted to serving others, and advancing the interest of Ghana,’ he added.

The President eulogised the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa during the final funeral rites for the diplomat at Kadjebi in the Oti Region on Saturday.

He said the late Ambassador’s ‘life epitomised service, dedication and a passionate commitment to the growth and development of Ghana’.

He had ‘left a profound void in the hearts of all those who had the privilege of knowing him, and in the fabric of our nation.’

Nana Akufo-Addo said upon his assumption of office on January 7, 2017, ‘I had the honour of appointing Rashid Bawa as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, one of the most important partners of our country and he exemplified the very best of our foreign service.’

The late Diplomat carried out
his duties with integrity, wisdom and grace, fostering closer, stronger and mutually beneficial relations between Ghana and Nigeria.

He said that merited an extension of his stay in that office for another term of four years, a term, unfortunately, he could not complete.

The President said his decision to contest as the parliamentary seat of the Akan Constituency, a seat he won in 2000, albeit as an Independent Candidate, was a testament to his deep-rooted commitment to public service, and desire to see his Party ‘Break the Eight.’

‘As we mourn his passing, let us celebrate the life of Rashid Bawa, and the legacy he leaves behind. His contributions to our nation will not be forgotten,’ he said.

Alhaji Ahmed Bawa, an elder brother of Rashid, who read the family tribute, said: ‘Our family is devastated with the loss of Rashid and we’re shattered and depressed.’

In a tribute, Mrs Mariyam Issa Bawa, the widow, described Alhaji Bawa as a wonderful person, best father and a role model to their cherished childr
en.

The NPP National Chairman, Mr Stephen Ayensu Ntim, in a tribute read on behalf of the Party, described Alhaji Bawa as a man of principle and exceptionally high standards.

He said the late Ambassador ‘stood at all times for honour, humility, hard work, commitment to duty, integrity, accountability, compassion and service to motherland and mankind’.

There were tributes from the Kadjebi Traditional Council and the children.

Alhaji Rashid Bawa, 64, Legal Practitioner, died on Thursday, March 14, in Abuja, Nigeria.

His body was flown to Ghana and buried at Kadjebi on Friday, March 15, 2024, in line with Islamic customs and traditions.

However, the Government decided to bid him a national farewell on Saturday, April 20, to appreciate his immense contribution to Mother Ghana.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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CAF Cup: RS Berkane banned from entering Algeria


Algerian authorities have prohibited the entry into its territory of the delegation of the Moroccan Club Berkane Sports Renaissance.

Traveling to Algiers, to play the semi-final first leg of the African Football Confederation Cup (CAF) against the club of the Algiers Medina Sports Union (USMA), scheduled for Sunday April 21, the Renaissance sportive from Berkane was banned from entering Algerian territory.

The Algerian authorities must have had difficulty appreciating that the Moroccan players wore outfits bearing the map of the Kingdom, with its Sahara.

The players and the delegation accompanying them were therefore detained at Houari Boumédiène international airport in Algiers.

Algerian authorities blocked Berkane’s team at the airport for hours, even seizing their football equipment and uniforms.

The delegation had obtained authorization to travel to Algiers on a Spanish plane, thus circumventing the access restrictions imposed by Algeria on Moroccan flights.

Once again, this incident highlights Alge
ria’s persistent tensions towards Morocco, in particular Algeria’s ban on Moroccan flights since September 2021, which creates recurring problems during sporting events and other meetings between the two countries.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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UNESCO commends Accra for hosting World Book Capital, 2023


The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has commended Accra for remarkably hosting the World Book Capital, 2023, saying it would help build a sustainable future for the book and library industry in Ghana.

‘As part of this future, Accra will now take on the role of coordinator for the UNESCO Book Capital Network in the coming year,’ it stated.

This was in a solidarity statement by Mr Edmond Moukala, the UNESCO Representative to Ghana, during the closing ceremony of the one-year long Accra World Book Capital, which ended on April 17, 2024, at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly Hall.

The statement said: ‘Accra, the vibrant capital of Ghana, has embraced its role as the torchbearer of literacy and storytelling. From the bustling streets of Jamestown to the serene corners of Osu, the love for books has woven itself into the very fabric of this city.’

‘We have witnessed the power of words to transform lives, ignite imaginations, and bridge gaps across generations. Throughout t
his year, Accra has championed the cause of literacy, focusing particularly on our young people – the architects of our future.’

The statement recognised that the Accra World Book Capital had reached out to marginalised groups, including women, youth, migrants, street children, and persons with disability.

‘Commitment to lifelong learning has led to reinforcing school and community infrastructure, ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of knowledge.’

‘Mobile libraries have crisscrossed neighbourhoods, bringing the magic of books to doorsteps.’

It said the journey would not end in Accra as it passed the baton to Strasbourg, France for the next World Book Capital.

‘Let’s remember that books are more than ink on paper – they are vessels of hope, empathy, and understanding.’

‘Let us continue to promote reading, not just within our borders but across the globe. Let us be ambassadors of freedom of information and expression, for these rights are the bedrock of a thriving society.’

The statement s
aid the choice of Accra for the World Book Capital was facilitated by the World Book Advisory Committee, comprising major international associations in the book sector representing authors, publishers, libraries, and booksellers.

‘And so, as the sun sets on Accra’s reign as the World Book Capital, let us carry forward the flame of knowledge. Let’s write new chapters, explore uncharted narratives, and build bridges of understanding. For in the world of books, there are no boundaries – only endless possibilities,’ it said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Old student of AMASS donates furniture to alma mater


A past student of Assin Manso Senior High School (AMASS), Mr Gabriel Yankey, has donated 102 pieces of furniture worth GHS30,000.00 to his alma mater to help address the furniture deficit.

It comprises 50 mono desks and 52 dual desks.

Mr Yankey said the donation was his contribution to give back to the school and advised management to take good care of it to ensure longevity.

Mr Eric Nyarkoh, the Headmaster of the school, who received the furniture, said he was grateful to Mr Yankey for the kind gesture.

He called on old students of AMASS to also assist in whatever capacity they deemed fit to aid teaching and learning to uplift the image of thl’ @3the image of the school high.

AMASS located in the Assin South District of the Central Region has a population of 2,672.

It was initially established during Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s regime in 1965 as a four year Teacher Training College with the name Assin Manso Training College.

The School was later converted into a co-educational secondary school in 1971 in line
with government policy at that time.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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COVID-19: Public asked to get vaccinated as health facilities record new infections


Dr Emmanuel Addipa-Adapoe, a Senior Medical Officer at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, has urged persons who are yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccine to do so to prevent them from contracting the disease.

He said although COVID-19 was no longer a public health threat, it was not completely eradicated, with people still getting infected and the virus manifesting with different symptoms.

Speaking at a workshop on vaccine uptake for journalists in Accra, Dr Addipa-Adapoe said the symptoms of COVID-19 were now similar to that of malaria.

The workshop was organised by the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) with support from the World Health Organization and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

‘With the new infections, it is difficult to tell if it’s a COVID infection without testing, now you may experience headaches, cough, fever and sometimes sore throat, the likelihood of a loss of sense of taste and smell are no longer the case, persons infected may sometimes experience muscle weakness,’ he s
aid.

The medical doctor said with the onset of the rains, Coronavirus was manifesting as influenza like infections and that the public needed to be alert and report to hospitals when they experienced coughs and sore throats.

Dr Addipa-Adapoe said COVID-19 was now like any other disease with the symptoms close to that of malaria and encouraged persons who experienced or suspected a COVID-19 infection to report to a health facility for treatment.

He said the vaccine was safe and an effective form of protection against the virus as it prevented the severity of the illness and deaths.

Data from the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) at the Ghana Health Service (GHS) show that presently, there are 8, 306,400 doses of COVID-19 vaccines available.

As of March 2024, 14,935,381 persons, representing 45 point five per cent of the total population have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Similarly, 11,850,978 persons representing 46.5 per cent of 36 point nine per cent of total population are
fully vaccinated while 6,889,700 have received a booster dose.

Mr. Naziru Tanko Mohammed, Deputy Programme Manager, EPI, said persons who were yet to be vaccinated could visit any of the vaccination centres to receive their jabs.

He said vaccination had conquered many childhood vaccine-preventable diseases in the country.

It helped with the elimination of Neonatal tetanus in 2011, no Wild Polio Virus reported in Ghana since 2008, no Measles death in Ghana between 2003 and 2021.

Mr. Mohammed said vaccination had contributed to a drastic reduction in pneumonia and diarrhea in children, strengthened health systems and contributed to the reduction of Under Five Mortality from 111 per 1000 live births in 2003 to 40 per 1000 live births in 2022.

A vaccine, according to the WHO, is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious or malignant disease prevention.

Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting against harmful diseases before contact with
them, it uses the body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections, making immune systems stronger.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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We don’t add sugars to infant formulas in Ghana – Nestle


Nestle Ghana Limited says it does not add sugars (sucrose and glucose) to infant formulas for children in the country.

‘Like everywhere in the world, in Ghana, we do not add sugars (sucrose and glucose) to Infant Formulas for children aged 0-12 months.

‘In Ghana, all our growing up milks have no added sugars except NIDO1+ which we add honey, in compliance with strict international and local regulations’, the Company said in a press release.

It is in response to criticisms that the Company was adding sugar to its baby food in some countries, according to analysis by an organisation, which campaigns for the observance of human rights by Swiss-based companies.

The release said Baby Food and Infant Formula were highly regulated categories and that Neetle applied the same nutrition, health, and wellness principles everywhere in the world aligned with both international and local guidelines and regulations.

‘This includes compliance with labeling requirements and thresholds on carbohydrate content that encompa
sses sugars.’

It said regarding cereals, there may be slight variations in recipes around the world.

‘In Europe, Nestlé’s range of cereals comes with and without added sugars.

‘Our milks and cereals for young children are fortified with vitamins and minerals such as iron to help tackle malnutrition in Central and West Africa,’ it said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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