Day: March 5, 2024

Resource Conservation Initiative (RESCONI), a Non-Governmental Organisation, has recommended to stakeholders in the wildlife sector to collectively explore innovative methodologies to facilitate the protection and conservation of Ghana’s wildlife resources.

The stakeholders, including the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, and the local populace, especially the youth, must effectively collaborate in finding innovative and cutting-edge digital technologies to protect wildlife, it said.

‘This will spark synergies to inspire cross-sector collaborations that foster the application of novel digital innovations and technologies to manage the wildlife resources of the country sustainably,’ a release by the NGO said on Monday.

The World Wildlife Day 2024 was celebrated on the theme; ‘Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation.’

The release said digital innovation offered co
untries with internet connectivity such as Ghana the opportunity to unleash the power of digital technologies and services in the sustainable management of wildlife resources and address human-wildlife conflicts.

Using Global Positioning System (GPS) collars and transmitters in wildlife conservation in Ghana was important to ensure the ease of access to accurate and efficient data for decision-making in support of wildlife management, it said.

‘The revolutionary role of using geo-location data through GPS collars and transmitters in appreciating the behaviour of wild animals, estimating migratory routes and habitat utilization is unprecedented,’ the release said.

It said conservationists, through those tracking devices, made valuable decisions to conserve threatened species; thus the gradual embrace of digitization in wildlife conservation.

‘It is, therefore, important that Ghana, a country immersed in nature’s magnificence, should bridge conservation, digital technology and innovation in the sustainable
management of its wildlife resources.’

‘As we celebrate World Wildlife Day, it is important to highlight the role of Global Positioning System (GPS) Collars and Transmitters in wildlife conservation in Ghana.’

The release noted the well-established fact that conservation efforts had reached an unprecedented high level of advancement in the use of digital technology.

‘When GPS collars and transmitters are attached to animals, conservationists can retrieve significant data on how different wildlife species interact with their environment as this enables the development of specific conservation plans and priorities aimed at defining wildlife populations and habitats.’

‘These devices have contributed to understanding and protecting threatened species within the Protected Areas, Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) and other conservation areas under the protection and management of communities, and civil society organisations amongst others.’

There is a gradual shift of conservation efforts to data-en
hanced strategies.

Its usage helps to identify high-risk areas of poaching, human-wildlife conflicts, habitat depletion, the concentration of land-use activities, climate change and the mitigation of biodiversity threats.

Despite the current role of digitization in wildlife conservation in Ghana, there is a need to reminiscence the challenges associated with data privacy, the high cost of monitoring devices, the size of tracking devices relative to animal behaviour and the analysis of large datasets.

‘It stands to reason that future proposals must include high investments into the application of these monitoring devices, exposing high numbers of the student population… to the use of e-platforms, use of micro-weight devices, and application of Artificial Intelligence to retrieve, analyze and predict effective conservation strategies for the country,’ the release noted.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Koforidua Youth Centre is all set to host this year’s national Independence Day Anniversary, on March 06.

Pictures by James Amoh Junior.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Abdul-Mumin Issah, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), has called on parents and guardians to train their children to adopt the appropriate cultural values and practices to enable them to respect their Ghanaian and African identity.

He said early parent-child interactions were vital to children’s development and imbibed in them a sense of belonging, self-worth, and patriotism amid globalisation and social media.

He made the call when he gave the keynote address at the 67th pre-Independence Day Anniversary march passed by kindergarten (KG) schools within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

It was on the theme: ‘Imbibing Patriotism in Early Stage: The Key to Growth and Development of the Learner and the Country as a Whole’.

Mr Issah noted that: ‘It is disheartening to see on social media, students of today in our society speaking ill of national leaders and the nation at large.’

He said it was the responsibility of parents to impart good moral values in their children, saying; ‘When ch
ildren are imparted with the best from the beginning, it sticks and becomes very difficult to adulterate.’

?He continued: ‘I urge all of us here to make it a point to imbibe good morals and love for the nation into the hearts of these young ones for us to achieve the change we desire as a nation.’

The MCE also advised the children to stay away from bad friends, truancy and any attitude or lifestyle that could have negative consequences on their future.

Touching on the theme, the MCE indicated that it was only through patriotism by the citizenry that the country could achieve its development goals.

Mr Issah said: ‘Patriotism teaches us to love our country and embrace the whole of humanity, and enlightens people about their predominant duties towards the nation through supreme sacrifice for the country.

‘The sacrifices made by our leaders to attain independence must not go in vain, because without patriotism, we will continue to be slaves to debts and other unseen vices from the foreign front.’

According
to him, the theme for the celebration also aligned with the STMA’s efforts in promoting preschool education in the Metropolis, adding it served as the foundation of well-structured educational systems that impacted the lives of children.

The MCE said the STMA would continue to deliver on its mandate and commitment to improve upon access and quality of education in the Metropolis through the provision of needed infrastructure, and other teaching and learning materials.

Mrs Sally Nelly Coleman, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Director of Education, expressed gratitude to the STMA for their support and contributions in improving teaching and learning as well as access to early childhood development education in the Metropolis.

She said this year’s KG schools celebration was the 31st edition, and that her office would put in place measures to sustain the activity in the years ahead.

A total of 31 KG schools participated in the march pass which was characterised by cultural performances, masquerade dance and
other entertaining activities to promote the rich Ghanaian culture.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mrs Georgina Theodora Woode, a former Chief Justice, has encouraged the youth to have an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset to create jobs for themselves and improve their livelihoods.

She said the youth would be doing themselves and the nation a disservice if they idled around in the name of searching for non-existent jobs and urged them to refrain from acts that hindered national development.

Mrs Woode, also a Member of the Council of State, was speaking at a seven-day conference of the Life International Church at Achimota in Accra to pray for peace ahead of the 2024 election.

She said acts such as corruption, lawlessness, examination malpractices and indiscipline were some of the factors that contributed to the nation’s under-development.

She attributed the country’s socio-economic woes to Christians’ rush for monetary gains instead of seeking their spiritual upliftment.

The Reverend Dr Gordon Kisseih, General Overseer of the Life International Church, urged religious leaders to help the Governme
nt in the fight against corruption.

He charged the youth to desist from the temptation of being used by politicians to foment trouble.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Faith-based stakeholders have reacted strongly to the passage of the Anti-LGBTTQAP+ Bill, otherwise christened as ‘Human Sexual Rights and Family Values ACT, 2024 by Parliament.

They were happy about Parliament’s resilience in passing the Bill, which is awaiting Presidential assent.

The stakeholders said the practice in general was against the practices of Ghanaians and Africans and is being foisted on the continent by Western countries and assigns, who are expressing their displeasure with the Legislator’s action.

They contended that their belief systems, including tradition, culture and value systems strongly abhorred the practice or phenomenon of same-sex behaviours, which animals even frowned upon.

They praised the Parliamentarians for doing justice to the Bill, which took three years to pass on February 29 in a unanimous vote.

The belief systems in Christianity, Islam, Chieftaincy and traditional worship and practice, all abhorred the same-sex phenomenon in the country, which is being fought on the
altar of human rights by Western countries.

Right Rev. Dr Lt. Col. Bliss Divine Agbeko (rtd), Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, sharing his view on the matter, said ‘It is untenable to impose sexual practices that are deemed evil on us.’

Rev. Dr Lt. Col. Agbeko disclosed these to the Ghana News Agency in the aftermath of the passage of the Bill, saying ‘We Africans are pro-life.’

‘Life is not about us alone; we must pass it on to others and generations unborn through procreation.’

What happens behind your closed door is none of our business but when it comes to society, LGBTQ+ is unacceptable in Ghana,’ he asserted.

Mr Raphael Kofi Nana Dunyo, an Octogenarian and a traditionalist from Dagbamete within the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region said the act could be classified as unacceptable practice in their setting, insisting customs in Ghana forbade LGBTQ+.

‘Our belief, as traditionalists, does not support such practices for centuries. So, this pa
ssage is in place,’ he told the GNA.

He further explained that such practices would never be entertained within their jurisdiction ‘since the gods prohibit that.’

Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, Paramount Chief of Battor Traditional Area, said the same-sex phenomenon was an abomination to the traditional and cultural belief systems of the nation.

He was of the conviction that ‘No traditional leader or authority will consent to same-sex considerations.’

He asked how the Royal Family of Britain could maintain succession for the Monarchy, if they had practised same-sex marriages, saying ‘Same-sex is ungodly, defiles the concept of human existence and must not be promoted under human rights.’

He said emerging threats and commentaries from Western countries were an attestation of the extension of the ‘slave trade’ and the use of financial muscle to foist a sacrilegious practice on Ghanaians.

‘We will prefer to go hungry as a country than accept same-sex marriage and appealed to President Akufo-Addo to assent to
the Bill,’ Togbega Dzekley said.

Mr James Gawu, spokesperson of Togbui Saba V, the ‘Dufia’ of Nogokpo in the Volta Region, explained that the LGBTQ+ activities had a lot of questions to answer.

‘What happens to the generation after us? Is the same-sex agenda an attempt to reduce the human population and replace it with robots,?’ he queried.

He said the passage of the bill must be accepted by all, adding ‘The practice is an abomination before the gods of the land and seas.’

‘Our forebears never did this. The first question that comes to mind is the creation story. Are the same-sex adherents saying they are wiser than God?’

Alhaji Alfa Anas Hamidu, Volta Regional Chief Imam, sharing a position of the Quran on same-sex rights, said the Holy Book urged adherents to use their mouths and hearts to correct wrongdoing in society to avoid curses or calamities from falling on humanity.

He said same-sex activities were forewarned in the Quran, Chapter 7: 80-84, about Lot’s wife in Sodom and Gomorrah and the ensuin
g repercussions.

He said both the Quran and the Bible vividly captured the punishment for these sacrilegious behaviours and wondered why these were being perpetrated on the altar of human rights.

Alhaji Hamidu said the youth of Islam were being sensitised on the same-sex matter as a means of saving the next generation.

Meanwhile, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Board Chair of Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana, said in the media that the ‘Anti-LGBTTQAP+ Bill is obnoxious and dangerous for our democracy and human rights.’

Development partners have indicated debilitating consequences for the country if the Bill becomes Law.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Parliamentary Committee investigating the petition by some customers of the defunct Blackshield Capital Limited, formerly known as Gold Coast Fund Management, on Government’s alleged failure to pay their claims, has ended its public hearing.

Some key personalities who testified before the Committee include Mrs Abena Osei-Asare, a Deputy Finance Minister, Madam Jemima Maama Oware, the Registrar of Companies and Official Liquidator, and Reverend Daniel Ogbamey Tetteh, Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The setting up of the Committee was as a result of a petition by Mr Mahama Ayariga, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central and Counsel for the Customers of the defunct Blackshield Capital Ltd, for the Parliament to look into the delay in release of funds for the payment of 61,000 customers of Blackshield Capital Limited, formerly known as Gold Coast Fund Management owned by Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom.

He presented the petition on behalf of Mr
Charles Nyame (convenor), Mr Bernard Agyekum, Mr Nathaniel Mensah, Mr David Opoku, and Madam Rosemond Mensah Grunitzky, who are members of an organization known as Aggrieved Customers of Defunct Gold Coast Fund Management.

Mr Joe Ghartey, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Essikado-Ketan and Chairman of the Committee, in his closing remarks, noted that the Committee was ending its public hearings, but should the need arise for them to reconvene, they would surely do so.

He noted that the Committee would do its best to complete hearings on the matter before the end of the First Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament, which ends on March 22.

He said they would use the recess period to prepare their report and submit it to the House by the end of the Second Week of the Second Meeting, which starts on April 30.

Other members are Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, MP for Odododiodio; Dr Benjamin Yeboah Sekyere, MP for Tano South, Mrs Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, MP for

Awutu Senya West; and Mr Kwasi
Ameyaw-Cheremeh, MP for Sunyani East.

Two experts, Dr Theophilus Acheampong, and Mr Antonio Kesse, are the technical persons assisting the Committee.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana today, March 6, 2024, marks 67 years since it gained Independence from her former colonial masters, the British.

Ghana gained her independence after 83 years of British colonial rule – becoming the first sub-Saharan African country to achieve independence from Britain.

The country’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah declared Ghana as ‘free forever’ from colonial rule, marking a historic turning point in the governance of the country.

Since that day, every March 6 is celebrated across the country and among Ghanaians abroad with various activities, some of which are observed throughout the month of March.

The national anniversary of this year’s celebration will be held at the Youth Resource Centre at the Eastern Regional capital of Koforidua.

This follows President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s decision in 2017 to have the national independence celebration held on a rotational basis to open the regions to the world to boost the local economy.

The Eastern Region, therefore, becomes the third region t
o host the national anniversary after the Central Region in 2022 and the Volta Region in 2023.

The theme for this year’s event is: ‘Our Democracy, Our Pride’.

This year’s occasion would be graced by President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire as the Special Guest of Honour.

Some 120 ambassadors and high commissioners from various countries, as well as Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament and the 275 Members of Parliament, will grace the occasion to be marked by a parade of security services, students, pupils and some groups and institutions.

Source: Ghana News Agency