Day: March 26, 2024

The Eastern Regional Secretariat of the National Peace Council has hosted a regional-level political party trust-building programme aimed at tackling the challenges of vigilantism ahead of the general elections slated later this year.

The meeting also aimed to provide comprehensive guidelines to prevent hate speech and other forms of indecent expressions that could potentially mar the country’s prevailing peace.

The programme, which was held in the eastern regional capital, Koforidua, gathered members from different political parties and institutions, including the Ghana Police Service, the Electoral Commission, and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).

Other notable participating groups included representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), and the People’s National Convention (PNC).

Mr Frank Wilson Bodza, Deputy Director in Charge of Conflict Management and Resolution at the National Peace Council highlighted
the importance of the programme in eliminating electoral violence and preserving peace in the country as the general elections approach in December 2024.

He stated that for any sustainable development to occur, it is crucial that Ghanaians, especially the political parties and independent candidates participating in the 2024 general elections, prioritise the preservation of democracy.

According to Mr Bodza, the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 seeks to disband vigilante groups, including those affiliated with political parties and land guards. Its purpose is to outlaw acts of vigilantism in the country and address related issues.

He pointed out that vigilantism could lead to opportunism and give rise to violence, corruption, and social exclusion.

Mr Prince Albert Koomson, the Eastern Regional Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council, indicated that the issue of hate speech and incitement expressions has become increasingly prevalent in Ghana, particularly during election years.

As a re
sult, he said this posed a serious risk to the country’s peace and progress, and further stated that the media should play a crucial role in educating the public.

However, he noted that the media’s partisan ownership has become a powerful tool for spreading hate speech and incitement, leading to increased violence.

He stated that the National Peace Council, in collaboration with the National Media Commission, has developed a set of guidelines to assist the media and other stakeholders in gaining a deeper understanding of hate speech and other inappropriate expressions.

The guidelines outline the potential consequences of such behaviour and provide strategies for avoiding them in day-to-day operations.

He also outlined some of the legal basis of the guidelines, which included international human rights that provide for the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing the economic or educational imbalance in Ghanaian society.

Article 21(1) of the 1992 Constitution gives latitude to every G
hanaian, including the media, to express themselves.

However, Article 164 imposes some limitations and qualifications on the rights to free expression or free speech.

The Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574) and the Political Parties Code of Conduct, 2012 bar political parties from engaging in violence and from encouraging their members and supporters to do so.

Section 36 of PNDCL 284, makes it an offence to interfere with the electioneering activities of other persons if a person seeks to excite or promote disharmony, hatred, or enmity against another person or group of persons by words, written or verbal and songs on the grounds of religious, tribal, professional, regional, or political affiliation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Government, through the Ministry of Works and Housing, has commenced the construction of resettlement housing units for flood victims in the North and Central Tongu Districts.

Mr. Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, the Minister for Works and Housing, led a team from the Ministry to perform a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the commencement of the project and conduct a comprehensive assessment and validation of the preliminary data pertaining to the resettlement project.

Preliminary data from the Ministry of Works and Housing had it that 935 houses were destroyed by the flood in Central Tongu District and needed to be reconstructed.

Others were 650 houses in North Tongu District and 1,218 in South Tongu District.

Affected residents at Awadiwoe-Kome in the Central Tongu District would be relocated to New Bakpa as those in Siame-Kome would also be relocated to Adidome.

Others in North Tongu would be relocated to Mepe- Degorme and Aveyime after the completion of the resettlement houses.

Mr Oppong-Nkrumah said that th
e government was committed to mitigating the plight of those impacted by recurrent flooding.

He emphasised on implementing long-term strategies to ensure the resilience and well-being of affected residents.

‘This initiative aligns with the national strategies which were aimed at sustainable development and disaster risk reduction. Through proactive measures such as the construction of resettlement housing, the government reaffirms its commitment to building resilient communities and safeguarding the well-being of its citizens,’ the Minister stated.

Mr Oppong-Nkrumah indicated that 100 housing units would be erected in both districts, pending the final validation of the preliminary data provided to the Ministry.

He said the project would not take less than six months and called for the cooperation of relevant stakeholders and potential beneficiaries towards the progress of work.

Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, reiterated the government’s attention towards the safety of the affected vi
ctims.

He mentioned that measures were also underway to ensure livelihood restoration in the affected districts.

Dr Letsa lauded the government for ensuring that affected residents got comfortable abodes after many months of sleeping in classrooms and tents.

He assured the affected residents that his office would work closely with the Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure that everyone whose building was affected would benefit from the resettlement project.

Togbe Kwesi Nego VI, the Mankralo of Mepe, expressed gratitude to the government and appealed to the Works and Housing Minister to ensure that proper drainage systems were also constructed to avert possible future flood situations.

He also urged the government to erect river defense walls and engage engineers, architects and surveyors to determine a comprehensive resettlement plan.

Mr. Thomas Moore Zonyrah and Mr Osborne Fenu, the Chief Executives of Central and North Tongu Districts respectively, also lauded the government for its intervention.

T
hey unanimously pledged their support to ensuring that the projects were successfully carried out in their districts.

The two DCEs thanked the traditional authorities and relevant stakeholders for giving out their lands for the projects.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms Abena Amoah, the Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), says Atlantic Lithium Limited, an Australian Company, is in the process of being listed on the exchange to promote local participation.

Atlantic Lithium Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange.

Ms Amoah, speaking at a breakfast meeting with the media on Monday in Accra, said the regulator had received the application from Atlantic Lithium and was working on it.

She urged many companies, including local ones, to be listed on the stock exchange to encourage and give opportunity for domestic investment in these companies.

‘We need to make sure that every Ghanaian is saving and investing,’ she added.

On the performance of the market, she said the stock market returned 28.08 per cent for investors by the close of 2023 and the performance ended the market negative return of 12.38 per cent in 2022.

She said the impressive earnings of listed comp
anies bolstered the performance due to positive investor confidence.

Ms Amoah said market capitalisation continued to do well with 16 per cent compared to 2022, adding that the increase in share price helped in the performance.

‘Domestically, we are building the capacity of local companies to be listed on the stock exchange,’ the MD said.

She said in 2023, there were unfavourable terms of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, high concentration of government securities, low investor confidence and low investor education.

The Managing Director said with the opportunities available, they improved compliance and transparency of issuers and Market operators, financial literacy programmes and improved stakeholder engagement.

The GSE during 2023, achieved ISO certification; ISO 27001: 2013 and ISO 22301: 2019, engaged with the Minerals Income Investment Fund on the localisation of mining companies, non-deal roadshow for salt mining and real estate companies.

They also had capacity and market awareness seminar
s, and financial literacy programmes for 15,000 students in 50 schools across the country.

In 2024, the GSE planned to launch the Over the Counter (OTC) and Commercial papers markets, securities lending and borrowing with Asset-backed securities.

She said the Exchange would also launch a second credit rating agency, support the adoption of fintech solutions and increase market access.

She said the Exchange had been selected to partake in the African Exchanges Linkage Project, which is a flagship project of the African Securities Exchanges Association and the African Development Bank to facilitate cross-border trading of securities in Africa.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Togbi Tenge Dzokoto Gligui VII, the ‘Dufia’ of Anyako-Konu and the Paramount Chief of Amugo-Wego Traditional Area, in the Volta region, has commenced a visit to the various communities, including flood prone-areas under his authority.

The tour, which commenced at Sakome on Friday, March 22, is expected to end on Thursday, March 28 as part of events to climax this year’s Easter festivities.

Togbi Dzokoto Gligui, who is also the Head of the Bate Clan, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, stated that the aim of the tour was to interact and identity the challenges in the communities ahead of the next farming season.

‘The rainy season is almost here, and l want to get closer to my people to know how best l can help them to prepare adequately for the next farming season since these communities are potential flood areas,’ he stated.

He further stated that the one-week tour which commenced from Sakome, an enclave under his authority and his heritage, would include other areas such as Blamezado, Devegodo, A
tiavi, Atime, Avele, Tsiame, Netime and its surrounding farming communities.

Togbui Dzokoto Gligui reassured the communities to remain calm for all necessary plans would be put in place to deal with any challenges that would hinder them from performing their normal farming activities.

‘These are my people and l need to prioritise their safety. l have commenced my tour from Sakome through other communities and will still end here at Sakome.’

Togbi Dzokoto Gligui urged all communities to cooperate with his team during the tour to help mitigate the plight of residents in the areas.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Beyond the Return (BTR) Secretariat have invited event organizers and promoters to submit suggestions for inclusion in the schedule of ‘December in GH’ activities for 2024.

This year marks the sixth edition of the festivities, and the request for recommendations comes earlier than in previous years since the GTA and event organizers anticipate an increase in tourists visiting Ghana during the holiday season.

Mr Akwesi Agyeman, Chief Executive Officer of GTA, said the ‘December in GH’ initiative was a national project coordinated by the Authority and the BTR Secretariat under the aegis of the National Steering Committee.

He explained that the invitation was to all interested event organizers who wanted to have their programmes approved as an official event for ‘December in GH’ to submit a formal proposal to the committee.

Mr Agyeman said the early request and publication will also give visitors plenty of time to plan their trip and arrange the activities and festiv
als they want to include in their December itineraries.

‘Since 2019, Ghana has led the charge in changing the narrative about the African experience and has solidified the country as the top holiday destination on the continent through the initiative.

‘December in GH’ has been a strong driver of tourism, economic impact, and branding Ghana as the ‘Centre of the World,’ he said, adding that the sector has seen increased investments, with about 122 new projects being registered last year.

Mr Agyeman revealed that domestic tourism attracted 650,000 people in 2019, 914,000 in 2022, and 1.4 million in 2023, with Ghanaians constituting 80 per cent of those figures

He said that the initiative’s efforts over the years were beginning to bear fruits and that they were working with the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority to create specific incentives to help big event organizers.

Mr Agyeman stated that this year’s endorsement process would be rigorous.

All event organizers must ensure their events
align with at least one of BRT’s seven core pillars, and that every endorsed event will take place, with no last-minute cancellations.

He urged event organizers to work with the authority and the steering committee to ‘unlock the potential of Ghana as a leisure destination and turn dreams into lasting legacies. Together, let us shape the future of travel and make Ghana’s December, one unforgettable experience.’

Mr Agyeman said that the impending national elections would have no effect on the events because people were willing to participate.

He also stated that the proposals should be for events taking place between November 15, 2024, and January 15, 2025, and invited event organizers to plan activities that would bring together the global African diaspora, continental Africans, and the local Ghanaian population.

‘All proposals must be submitted before Tuesday, April 30, 2024, using the official form at this link: https://forms.qle/tJqr7nfiXkbKJWbU7. The form can also be found on the BTR website at: www.b
eyondtheretumgh.com.’

Ms Annabelle McKenzie, Director, BTR Secretariat said Ghana had witnessed significant growth in tourism, and the initiative would bridge the gap between Ghana and the historical diaspora and unify Africans.

She said the secretariat was well-prepared for this year’s edition and was pleased to work with event organizers and key stakeholders.

Thirty-one events were endorsed in 2019 and 2020, 36 in 2021, 122 events in 2022, and 183 in 2023. In 2019, all events took place in Greater Accra, but in 2021, 75 per cent were in Accra, 84 per cent in 2022, and 83 per cent in 2023.

Ms McKenzie stated that the Secretariat would continue to work to ensure that organisers put together events in all 16 regions for this year’s edition.

Prof. Esi Sutherland Addy, Chairperson of the Endorsement Committee, said the initiative was a future investment for the youth, noting that ‘it should be a stepping stone towards the next stage of our development as a country.’

BTR is a ten-year initiative on the them
e ‘A Decade of African Renaissance’ and founded on seven pillars. Each pillar is significant in the mission of continued engagement with the African diaspora, continental Africans, and Ghanaians.

The seven pillars include Experience Ghana, Celebrate Ghana, Give Back Ghana, invest in Ghana, Brand Ghana, Diaspora Pathways to Ghana and Promote Pan-African Heritage and Innovation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Daasebre Kwame Atamafowiese Bonja II, the Overlord of Chonke Traditional Area, has called on Ghanaians to stop copying foreign cultures blindly as a first step to emancipate themselves.

The overlord, whose traditional authority covers Dambai in the Krachi East up to Borae, under Krachi Nchumuru District, said most Ghanaians no longer valued the traditional names and have adopted foreign names.

In an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Daasebre Bonja said Ghanaians embraced everything foreign more than their own and end up leaving our valued heritage in exchange for foreign ones.

He expressed concern about traditional marriage ceremonies and noted that society no longer accepted traditional marriages but rather preferred wedding ceremonies.

The Paramount Chief stated that Ghanaians traditional marriages, where parents of spouses had given consent, were termed engagement, but that was supposed to be our marriage ceremony.

He further said it was important that we emancipate ourselves from
mental slavery before extending it to fellow Ghanaians in the Diaspora.

Nana Otubea II, Paramount Queen Mother of the Nkonya Traditional Council, has underscored the need for attitudinal charge towards the promotion of the country’s culture.

She urged Ghanaians to consciously promote their culture and tourism industry, which holds the key to the development of the country’s creative economy.

Nana Otubea II, mentioned that there is the need for Ghanaians to attach significant importance to the country’s culture, which include music, tourism, arts, craft and dance as the bedrock of our development, adding ‘we cannot do away with our culture as it guides our day-to-day activities.’

She said, it is sad to observe that whilst others have improved upon their cultures to make it more competitive and a huge foreign exchange earner, we have virtually subordinated ours to foreign cultures.

She, however, stated that Ghanaian culture when promoted and valued, would enable in diverse ways to educate the people who di
d not know the true history and culture of Ghana.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Akatsi North District Security Council (DISEC) in the Volta region has banned all Easter-related festivals within Ave-Dakpa, the District capital until further notice.

‘Upon critical review of the application for police permit and circumstances surrounding the organisation and celebration of some Easter festivities at Ave Dakpa, DISEC has directed the ban,’ a statement said.

Signed by Mr Simon Peter Kofi Ofosu, the Akatsi North District Chief Executive (DCE) and copied to the Ghana News Agenc, the release said the ban covered the Delademi Festival and any other festivals at Ave-Dakpa until further notice.

Mr Ofosu, however, stated that the normal Christian religious celebrations, funeral rites, apprenticeship graduation, and traditional customary rites were permitted to be held.

‘DISEC warns against the modification of these celebrations and gatherings into a festival or durbar,’ the statement said.

The DISEC also reminded the Ave-Dakpa community of an impending interim injunction against the celebra
tion of Ameshikpe Festival and strongly advised that the decision of the court should be respected.

Meanwhile, the Akatsi North DISEC has requested from all community members during the period to cooperate and understand the situation.

‘We urged all to comply with the directives to ensure a peaceful period of Easter festivity,’ it added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Tropenbos Ghana has called for urgent actions from responsible entities on major forest sector development issues that are detrimental to the collective engagements on innovative solutions to sustainable forest management in Ghana.

A statement signed by Mr. Boakye Twumasi Ankra, Project Manager, Tropenbos Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency, to mark this year’s International Day of Forests, said government needed to as a matter of urgency, adhere to calls for the repeal of the Environmental Protection Regulation, L.I 2462.

This year’s International Day of Forests is being celebrated under the theme ‘Forests and innovation: New Solutions for a Better World’

According to the statement, the L.I in its current form and intent, meant no forest reserve in Ghana was exempted from mining if deemed to be in the interest of state as determined by the President.

This, the statement pointed out, implied that, even Ghana’s most sensitive forest areas protected by Acts of Parliament and international conventions
that Ghana had signed on to, could no longer be deemed secured; as such, counter-productive to innovative solutions to manage such areas.

It said in most developing countries in the tropics, forests and associated resources were deemed the single most important resource base that propelled sustainable development, and general wellbeing of the masses.

This could be realised only when the right measures, policies, regulations, and practices were initiated, instituted, and effectively enforced to protect the forest.

Tropenbos Ghana further demanded the immediate reversal of the directive from the Minister of Lands and natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, to the Forestry Commission (FC) to grant permits to timber harvesting companies to log in Globally Significant Biodiversity Areas (GSBAs).

These forest reserves, according to the organization hosted endangered species and as such, must be protected.

It called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) to be transparent, and accountable to Gh
anaians on de-gazetted portions of Achimota forest reserve.

The statement again, requested that the President upon receipt, assent to the Wildlife Resources Management Bill, which among other things, consolidated laws related to wildlife and protected areas.

Tropenbos Ghana asked the MLNR and the Forestry Commission to improve adoption of technology and internet-based solutions into forest management.

This could be done by strong collaboration between the Forestry Commission and other service providers such as the Center for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (CERGIS), Ghana Natural Resource Monitoring Platform among others, to deploy secured platforms for effective monitoring and management of forests and tree resources across scales.

The statement further tasked the MLNR to undertake a comprehensive assessment of tree performance under the Green Ghana Day initiative.

Source: Ghana News Agency