Akufo-Addo Attends Solar Alliance Summit in India

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The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, left Ghana on Thursday, 8th March, 2018, to attend the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit, being held in New Dehli, India, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron.

The Summit, which is being attended by 25 Heads of State and Government, will provide a dedicated platform for co-operation amongst solar resource rich countries, aimed at realising “the common goals of increasing the use of solar energy in meeting the energy needs of ISA member countries in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner.”

The Summit will also result in the signing of a “New Delhi Declaration”, which will prioritise solar energy and, thereby, ensuring “power for all”.

Whilst in India, President Akufo-Addo will also hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is expected to deepen the existing, cordial relations between Ghana and India, and will also present the two countries with an opportunity to define new areas of co-operation that would serve their mutual interests.

The President will return to Ghana on Monday, 12th March, 2018, and in his absence, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, shall, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution, act in his stead.


Source: Flagstaff House

Ivory Coast bans women from jobs which 'exceed their abilities'

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As the world celebrates International Women's Day, the Ivorian government has updated its labour laws to stop women from doing certain jobs.

The decision was revealed in a closed press conference on Wednesday, with the first reports emerging on Thursday morning – International Women's Day.

According to the government spokesperson, Bruno Koné, the list of banned jobs includes "work that exceeds the ability and physical capacity of women, or work that presents dangers which is likely to undermine their morality, for example, working underground or in the mines".

It's unclear how this would undermine anyone's morality.

The irony of the order will also not be lost on those who have seen one of the most common sights in the West African country's rural areas: a woman carrying a heavy load of wood on her head, with a child strapped to her back, often breastfeeding simultaneously, walking for miles in the hot sun.

But when quizzed on the announcement, Mr Koné insisted this law is all about "protecting women".

What's more, he said, if a woman did want to carry out any of the work on the "prohibited list" all they needed to do was to contact an inspector at the Ministry of Work and "simply" get them to come and do a survey and check that the woman is able to do the job.

Ivory Coast's move came as leaders from around Africa went out of their way to praise women and their abilities on International Women's Day,

In South Sudan, President Salva Kiir hailed women and girls for their courage, strength and resilience, while Uganda's Yoweri Museveni described women as "the engine, the heart and backbone of our society".

BBC

SESA Initiative Ghana  trains VTRI students in emotional resilience

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The students of the ‘Vocational Training and Rehab Institute’ (VTRI) Biriwa in the Central Region of Ghana were schooled in emotions as part of their orientation week this year.

 The VTRI Biriwa is a leading name in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), delivery in Ghana. It is the biggest government technical and vocational training institute in the Country offering employable Skills in the trade areas like Electronics, Building and Construction, Catering Services, Computer Hardware Servicing, Dressmaking, Hairdressing, Auto mechanics, Plumbing, Carpentry, among others.

The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), has the great potential of accelerating Ghana’s drive towards development. It is designed to prepare trainees for a specific profession which increases the chances of trainees gaining employment quickly, or setting up their own businesses after training.

On the other hand, the ‘SESA Initiative Ghana represents an internationally established methodology, pulled into a tangible learning, development and research infrastructure, now embedded across Ghana’s 10 Regions and headed by its Co-founder Mr. James Kwesi Addison.

It is an international approach to transforming educational environments into centers of excellence in the provision of social emotional skills into children and young people.

The leadership of the VTRI Biriwa engaged the Ghana’s finest EQ Coach Mr. James Kwesi Addison as a guest lecturer at the school’s students’ orientation day on the 28th of February, 2018. The SESA Ghana Initiative Co-founder and the Africa Regional Director for SEDi, Mr. James Kwesi Addison took the students through the step by step approach of building emotional strength.

The objectives of the lecture among others were to support students manage difficult emotions with greater discretion and respond to stressful circumstances by taking control and to help them build a solid optimistic approach and positive mood with a sense of self-confidence that will inoculate them against depression and anxiety.

In his opening address the Manager of the institution Engr. Samuel Kwashie reiterated how international research substantiates how bullying cannot flourish in learning environments dedicated to emotional resilience skills provision and how supportive relationships are built between teachers and students and among students that encourage open communication and positive ways to resolve problems and conflicts.

In a post lecture interview James Kwesi Addison said it is high time we gave our children emotional instructions along with their ABCs for he is of the opinion that students who are aware of and can manage their emotions, demonstrate caring and concern for others, establish positive relationship, make responsible decisions, and can handle challenging social situations constructively.

 

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

Let’s commit to "a gender parity mindset"- Aspiring NPP Gt Accra Organizer  

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Prince Obeng, an aspiring Greater Accra Regional Organizer, has entreated all Ghanaians to commit to what he calls a "gender parity mindset".

In a statement to mark International Women’s Day, Mr. Obeng explained that a "gender parity mindset will result in a collective and a strong global movement of advocacy, action and support for gender parity.

“As we celebrate International Women's Day 2018 with a campaign theme "Press For Progress" I entreat us all to commit to a "gender parity mindset". The mindset that will result in a collective and a strong global movement of advocacy, action and support for gender parity,” he added.

 

Read full statement:

WOMEN NEED OUR SUPPORT

 

Today, the world is celebrating women. Women have played and continue to affect the progress of this world positively. They care for the home, instill good moral values and partake in promoting culture and development. The contributions of women to the beauty of this world cannot be underestimated.

Over the years, women have suffered from exclusion and discrimination especially on our part of the world. That notwithstanding, they still strive towards making meaningful contribution to nation building.

As we celebrate International Women's Day 2018 with a campaign theme "Press For Progress" I entreat us all to commit to a "gender parity mindset". The mindset that will result in a collective and a strong global movement of advocacy, action and support for gender parity.

Let us encourage individuals, groups, businesses and governments to provide the support that is needed for women to achieve the theme of this year's celebration.

Happy International Women's Day to all women especially Ghanaian women.

 

PRINCE OBENG

GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL ORGANISER(HOPEFUL

 

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

Build capacity of women to be self- dependent- Aspiring NPP Women’s Organizer

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Aspiring New Patriotic Party(NPP) Greater Accra Regional Women Organiser, Humu Dilley Saeed, has said it is important to build the capacity of women to make them self-dependent.  

In a statement to mark International Women’s Day, Humu Saeed, who is the Assembly Woman for Ofankor in the Greater Accra Region, said there is the need to create an enabling environment and build the capacity of women to empower them economically.

He also called for a concerted effort against gender based violence, adding that inhumane actions meted out to women like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) must not be entertained.

Humu Saeed said violence against women in their various homes undermines women empowerment and that there must be a deliberate attempt by stakeholders to halt such abuses.

 In spite of challenges facing women in the country, the Assembly Woman noted that the contributions of some distinguished women to the development of the country.

“In Ghana today, we have a lady Chief of Staff, a lady Chief Justice, a brave and bold lady Gender Minister in the person of Hon Otiko Afisa Djaba who has put in place strong policies to liberate women,” Humu Saeed stated.

She took the opportunity to commend the First Lady Rebecca Akufo- Addo and the Second Lady Samira Bawumia for promoting women empowerment.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

 

 

 

Empowering women requires deliberate actions and steps – Mrs. Akufo-Addo

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First Lady, Rebecca Akufo Addo, has stated that achieving equality for women requires deliberate actions and steps.

According to her, women must be seen and heard and that we should we should get to that day when equality for women is assumed.

Mrs. Akufo- Addo was delivering a speech in Accra Thursday in commemoration of International Women’s Day. The theme for this year’s occasion is, “Press for Progress.” 

“Women must be seen. Women must be heard. We should get to that day when equality for women is assumed. To get to that day though, requires deliberate actions and steps. We have done enough talking. It's time to walk the talk,” she said.

According to her, this year’s theme, “Press for Progress” speaks to something deep within her. “For me, it means that we move in spite of the obstacles.  That we push forward in spite of the resistance. It means we do not allow anything to stop us,” she said.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo stressed the need to focus on education to achieve gender parity. She said even though free education is available up to Senior High School level, it is only meaningful to those who take advantage of it. 

She said unfortunately, many girls are unable to advance beyond SHS as a result of poverty, early marriages, teenage pregnancy, and other socio-cultural factors.

According to her, countries like Iceland, Finland, Norway and Rwanda have managed to achieve gender parity due to the focus on education. “This has been possible because of education and ensuring girls as well as boys develop to their full potential,” she said.

Mrs.  Akufo-Addo  said it  is in Ghana’s interest to ensure both girls and boys develop to their full potential, adding, “We must therefore take deliberate steps to do what others have done. We have the policies; we have the laws. We have the knowledge and we have the tools. It is time to act.

 “Why? Because education makes girls heard. Education allows girls to be seen. It gives them a voice to shape their future. It gives that child the voice to say “No I should determine who I spend my life with.”
 

Protracted adoption case: Girl’s father pops up

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The protracted case of an American couple seeking to adopt and travel out of the country a 4-year-old girl, has seen a new twist as the father of the girl has eventually surfaced to claim custody of his biological daughter.

The latest development would likely boost the confidence of the Gender Ministry to prevent the American couple from taking the girl away from the shores of Ghana.

“I would support the Gender Ministry to fight for my daughter. This adoption should not be allowed to go since I do not support it. It was the mother who gave her away without my consent”, Mr. Samuel Aikins, the father of the girl told journalists.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba, recently filed an application for stay of execution pending appeal of an order by an Accra High Court which granted the  American couple the chance to travel out of the country with a 4-year-old girl they adopted.

The mother of the girl who is said to have died in December last year, is on record to have given three of her children including twins for adoption after she was given some undisclosed amounts of money.

The couple, Ethan Michael Ram and Hilary Holt Ram, in February, 2017 secured a ruling by a Koforidua Circuit Court to adopt the 3-year-old child (name withheld).

They were however, denied the opportunity by Madam Otiko Djaba to travel with the child to the USA because the adoption did not go through the statutory processes.
Not satisfied with the decision, the couple, through their lawyer, Daniel Opare Asiedu(a former employee of the Gender Ministry), proceeded to an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Justin Kofi Dorgu, which ordered the Gender Minister and the Director of Social Welfare to release the child to the new parents.
Ms Otiko Djaba subsequently filed for a stay of execution of that order, against the backdrop that it wanted to appeal the order.

The Deputy Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, moving the application, prayed the court to set aside its initial order, considering the effects it will have in the event that the appeal succeeds.

According to him, the couple did not comply with the statutory conditions stated in the Children's Act before the order of Mandamus was granted by the court, which resulted in the order permitting the couple to travel with the child.

He averred that although the Koforidua High Court granted the order, “in so far as the applicants (couple) failed to meet the conditions of the Act do not have any locus to file the application for mandamus to enforce the orders of the Koforidua high court.”

Mr. Dame indicated that the application for mandamus filed by the couple fell in the realm of the Children's Act as amended by the Children's Amendment Act 2016 (Act 937), and was premature because the application fell in the category of inter-country adoption.

Mr. Dame indicated that the court ought to have considered whether all the statutory preconditions were followed before granting the order of mandamus.

He therefore, prayed the court to set aside the ruling so that he could file an appeal, adding that if the principle is not applied, the Republic of Ghana, will be denied its statutory role of protecting the interest of children in accordance with Section 2 of the Children's Act.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com 
 

Woyome wins appeal against Judgment Debt Commission

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The Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of businessman, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, setting aside some adverse findings contained in the Judgement Debt Commission report.

The court said the Commission breached the rules of natural justice in not allowing the businessman an opportunity to appear before it, after he was found to have illegally received payments as judgment debt.

President John Dramani Mahama in 2012, set up the Commission headed by Justice Yaw Apau to look into judgment debt payments since 1992, in the wake of the many of such payment scandals that rocked the country in 2012.

Woyome received some 51million cedis as judgment debt from the state. He has been asked to cough up the money after a High Court declared the payments illegal.

Justice Appau, who was the sole commissioner of the Judgment Debt Commission, reported that the monies paid businessman Alfred Woyome was fraudulently made.

But irked by this aspect of the report, the businessman in June 2016 headed to the Appeal Court arguing that Sole Commissioner Justice Yaw Apau erred in fact and law in reaching such a conclusion.

The businessman through his lawyers, also accused Justice Yaw Appau of breaching the rules of natural justice by failing to offer him a hearing before making findings against him.

Woyome also requested an order setting aside findings of the Sole Commissioner against him and further prayed the court, to order the Attorney-General to expunge findings and decisions captured in the government's White Paper based on the Commission's unfair findings.

At the Appeal court Thursday, a three-member panel presided over by Justice Victor Ofoe upheld these two requests. 

Justice Ofoe explained that since the Judgment Debt Commission moved beyond examining records of payment to assess circumstances leading to the payment, it should have invited the businessman for his side.

Justice Ofoe further reiterated that the decision of the court does not affect the order of the Supreme Court ordering the businessman to pay back the 51.2million cedis Judgement debt.


Myjoyonline.com 

Mahama: Gender parity is achievable 

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Former President John Mahama has stated that gender parity is achievable, adding that all Ghanaians should speak up in support of gender equality.

He made the statement Thursday on his Facebook page as the world marks International Women’s Day.  

Below is the  full statement:

I support the #PressforProgress campaign on the occasion of the 2018 International #WomensDay. Gender parity is achievable. Let's speak up in support of gender equality.
Happy Women's Day! 
Continue to impact and influence our world.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com 
 

Alajo: Man commits suicide over GHC900 debt  

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A Trotro driver, Sampson Kwaku Ayisi, 61, has committed suicide at Alajo, a surburb of Accra.

The sad incident occurred Thursday at Alajo Down Town, close to the Virtue International School. 

The late driver, who was married with three children, was found hanging in the kitchen by his wife Thursday morning.

Wife of the deceased, Madam Lydia Wiafe, suspects her husband took his own life because it was becoming difficult for him to raise money to settle a GHC900 debt.

She told Atinka News that, her late husband was a trotro driver and was owing his “car owner”, a police officer an amount of GHC900. The amount represents the “daily sales” for nine days.

A daughter of the deceased, Amanobea, a teacher, disclosed to Atinka News that the police officer had earlier threatened to kill his father by invoking curses on him if the debt was not settled by Saturday.

“The car owner showed us two eggs and a bottle of schnapps when we visited him Monday to plead for more time. He warned my father that he would be dead by Saturday if the debt was still outstanding,” she told Atinka News.  

The Homicide Unit of the Ghana Police and the Kotobabi District Police Command   have initiated investigations into the matter.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com  | Barimah Saakwa
 

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