Day: June 5, 2024

Professor Mercy Afua Adutwumwaa Derkyi, the Bono Regional Chairperson of the National Peace Council has advised the Electoral Commission to endeavour to remain impartial in the electoral processes ahead Election 2024.

That would guarantee credibility in the December 7, Presidential and Parliamentary elections that would be accepted by all political parties and elections stakeholders and strengthen national peace and social cohesion.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Prof. Derkyi said Ghana had gone far in her democratic governance, and further called on all election stakeholders to be interested and fully participate in the electoral processes.

As a ‘referee,’ Prof. Derkyi said she was confident in the national electoral management body, and cautioned particularly, the staff of the EC to avoid tendencies that could raise unnecessary suspicions and questioned the integrity of the electoral processes.

She stressed that EC’s integrity was always guaranteed since 1992, and urged th
e staff of the Commission against partisanship that would dent the image and hard-won reputation of the commission.

Prof. Derkyi said a credible Election 2024 would not only consolidate the gains of the nation’s fledgling democracy, but also deepen the prevailing peace of the nation that would facilitate accelerated national development.

She indicated that the role of political parties and the media remained paramount too if the nation could sail through another peaceful elections and reminded the politicians and their followers of the need for them to remain decorous in the electioneering.

Prof Derkyi said the Election 2024 was not the first time in the nation’s political history and urged everybody to be imbibed with the spirit of tolerance, saying elections were not a do-or-die affair, but rather an expression of views.

Hence, the need for political parties and their followers to remain tolerant and respect the views of others, while they avoid abusive statements and insults in their political campaign
s.

Prof Derkyi said disturbances and political violence would not do the country any good, but rather drawback or derail development, saying the country required absolute peace not only to make the country proud but also strengthen the bond of peace among Ghanaians.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Freda Prempeh Foundation, an NGO that advocates environmental sustainability on Wednesday implored Ghanaians to support the government’s efforts to grow the forest, revive water bodies and bring back soil fertility.

In a statement issued to mark the 2024 World Environment Day, and signed by Dr Freda Prempeh, Founder and President, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani said, ‘we are the generation that can make peace with the environment’.

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on 5 June since 1973, the World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world.

The theme for the 2024 global celebration is, ‘land restoration, desertification and drought resilience’.

It said land restoration remained a key pillar of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems, which remained critical to achieve the UN S
ustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, up 40 per cent of the planet’s land is degraded, directly affecting half of the world’s population, the statement indicated, saying the number and duration of droughts had increased by 29 per cent since 2000.

‘Without urgent action, droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world’s population by 2050’, it said, and stressed the need for Ghanaians to remain friendly to the environment and focused on land restoration, halting desertification, and building drought resilience.

Touching on the 2024 Green Ghana, the statement described the government initiative as laudable, and called for massive participation in the tree planting exercise to help restore the nation’s depleted vegetative and forest covers.

However, it added the need for everybody to take the responsibility not only to plant a tree, but also ensure to nurture it too.

The statement also expressed worry about the impact of climate chang
e which was well felt in parts of the country, and entreated Ghanaians to avoid bad farming practices, bush burning, and alluvial and illegal mining.

Farming around river bodies, bushfires, illegal mining, and logging as well as indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste are all contributing to climate change, it stated, and called on everybody to be active in the nation’s climate change mitigation and adaptation measures to save the environment.

Source: Ghana News Agency

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is pressing for stronger diplomatic partnership and solidarity between Africa and the Republic of Korea.

‘Together, we can create a legacy of progress and prosperity for generations to come,’ he said, highlighting the prospects in fostering trade, investment and innovation for mutual benefits.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, addressing the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul, underscored the need in sharing development experiences as Africa looked forward to utilising its abundant resources.

‘Africa’s abundant resources and youthful population, combined with Korea’s technological advancements, offer unparalleled opportunities for economic collaboration.

‘In an interconnected world, our resilience depends on supporting each other. From addressing global health crises to promoting peace, security, and social justice, our partnership must champion democracy, human rights, and good governance,’ he advised.

The two-day Summit is being held on the theme: ‘The Future We Make Toge
ther: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity’.

Delegations from African countries and related international organisations, key figures from Korean and international communities, including Heads of State and heads of organisations, are participating in the event.

The objective is to discuss collaborative solutions to promote collective strength and solidarity for sustainable development, focusing on tackling global challenges such as climate change, food security, supply chain stability, and health security.

The Summit generally features series of conference sessions across a wide range of topics such as business, agriculture, ICT, forestry and desertification, vaccine and health security, tourism, and energy, amongst others.

It is coming in the wake of the Seventh Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Ministerial Conference, which sought to cement Korea’s longstanding support for developing the African continent.

The Ministerial Conference witnessed the African Development Bank and the Govern
ment of Korea signing two agreements, valued at US$28.6 million, to boost the continent’s development agenda.

The new funding will primarily support energy access, agricultural transformation, knowledge and capacity-building across a number of African countries.

President Nana Akufo-Addo stated that the global climate crisis demanded urgent attention, therefore, ‘by leveraging Korea’s leadership in green technology, we can transition to low-carbon economies and build climate-resilient infrastructure’.

He was elated about the growing collaboration between Africa and Korea, hoping the trend would lead to building a brighter and more prosperous future for all.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Ghana has successfully implemented two more trainings on the concept and practice of Joint Mobile Teams (JMT) for border security agencies.

The trainings were undertaken in Elubo and Akanu in the Western and Volta regions as part of the Strengthening Border Security (SBS) Project in Ghana.

The workshops are also part of a larger effort of developing, piloting, and validating the Concept and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the functioning of JMTs in Ghana.

This is a novel strategy that ICMPD is proposing in the framework of the SBS project, a statement issued by the group and copied the Ghana News Agency said.

The workshops convened over 70 participants and national experts from various border management agencies, including the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ghana Revenue Authority-Customs Division (GRA-CD), National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), Nacortics Control Commission (NACOC) and the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to improve thei
r ability to function effectively in tackling cross-border crimes particularly migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and the threat of insecurity and terrorism.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Iulia Jolley-Socea, Project Manager, Strengthening Border Security in Ghana Project, said the development of Joint Mobile Teams (JMT) was a crucial strategy to improve coordination among key border management agencies in Ghana.

‘By bringing together the expertise and resources of multiple security agencies, JMTs enable the agencies to confront border challenges with agility, effectiveness, and unity of purpose through coordinated patrols, intelligence-sharing, and rapid response capabilities.

‘This empowers them to proactively address threats at the earliest opportunity, safeguarding Ghana’s borders and communities,’ she said.

Mr. Tony Mihaitoaia, Border Management Specialist at ICMPD, said joint mobile teams promoted interagency cooperation and built trust among participating stakeholders.

‘This collaborative approach
fosters a shared understanding of common goals and challenges, facilitating smoother operations and communication,’ he said.

He added that ‘Mobile teams can also leverage community engagement in border areas to gather valuable intelligence and build strong relationships with local stakeholders.’

At Elubo and Akanu, participants were introduced to the JMT Concept and SOPs, which provide a framework for joint operations, information sharing, and collaborative efforts in securing Ghana’s borders.

The facilitation team also shared valuable insights into key topics such as human rights in border management, situational awareness, and identifying and addressing trafficking in human beings during JMT operations.

Additionally, they engaged in interactive scenario-based training and planning exercises as well as field simulation exercises, practicing complex border security scenarios in a hands-on and interactive manner to enhance their response skills and coordination.

Two similar workshops were organised in 202
2 and 2023 in the North of Ghana.

Through a constructive review process, the security personnel reflected on and assessed their performances, identified lessons learned, and provided feedback on the JMT SOPs while the border agencies gathered valuable insights and best practices and offered constructive suggestions for refining the JMT framework.

The SBS Project in Ghana is a joint initiative between ICMPD and GIS, funded by the European Union’s Emergency Funding for Africa.

This collaborative project seeks to enhance the capacity of Ghana’s border security agencies, ensuring their long-term sustainability and adherence to human rights and the rule of law.

By implementing initiatives such as the JMT piloting, the project showcases ICMPD’s dedication to strengthening Ghana’s border management.

The ICMPD is an international organisation with 20 Member States and 498 staff members. Active in more than 90 countries worldwide, it takes a regional approach in its work to create efficient cooperation and partne
rships along migration routes.

Priority regions include Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Mediterranean, Silk Routes, Western Balkans and Trkiye.

The SBS Ghana project is a comprehensive initiative aimed at enhancing the country’s border security and migration management.

In line with government’s migration policy, SBS Ghana strives to implement a forward-thinking and sustainable migration management framework that drives national progress and prosperity.

The project is designed to strengthen cooperation and coordination among national agencies, academic institutions, and civil society organisations working in the area of migration.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Tema Community 25 Lions Club has appealed to organisations and individuals for support to expand and renovate facilities at the Prampram Polyclinic that have infrastructural challenges.

The Club is currently constructing an eye clinic to help expand eye care service to residents of districts and beyond who relied on the polyclinic for their health services.

Mr Kweku Frimpong, the Chairman of the project for the Tema Community 25 Lions Club, who made the appeal, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that apart from the eye unit project, their interactions with the management and a visit to the facility revealed that the polyclinic’s general drug store, also had some flooding challenges when it rains, therefore it needed some urgent attention.

Mr Frimpong said this was a perennial problem during the rainy season, a situation which could lead to the destruction of drugs in storage.

He said it was important for all stakeholders including traditional leaders to support in putting the facility into good shape t
o be able to provide quality care to the people.

Mr Martin Adadey, the President of Tema Community 25 Lions Club, and its members had paid a project site visit to their ongoing eye project at Prampram Policlinic to make sure construction was in progress.

The President said a visit was made to donate items to the clinic and they realised the eye clinic which was the only facility in the enclave providing service to about 200 thousand people within the Tema Community 25 and Sogakope.

Mr Adadey said from that conversation they decided to construct an eye clinic to serve the people within that enclave which was the vision of the club to serve the people within Ningo-Prampram and its enclave.

The President said the project began a couple of years back, but COVID-19 slowed its progress affecting the initial cost of close to GH?250,000 due to inflation, and they had to adjust their budget upwards to be able to complete it by next year.

Dr Alexander B. Adda, the Medical Superintendent of the facility, thanked th
e Club for the ongoing project, saying it would serve a great purpose for the community and other adjoining ones.

He said the eye unit had one operating room and one ophthalmologist, after the completion of the project the Regional Director would send staff to provide quality eye care for the district.

The Medical Superintendent said last year during World Eye Day over 600 people were screened with different eye conditions, early this year they partnered with an Ophthalmologist in Korle-bu to conduct surgeries for 22 people which was successful.

Source: Ghana News Agency