Presby Hope Congregation dedicates Children’s block (Daily Graphic, Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Page 23)

The Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Hope Congregation, Sakumono Estates, has dedicated its children's block and re-named it after the late Reverend Dr Erasmus Nii Bonne Odonkor, a former Minister in Charge of the congregation and past General Secretary of the Bible Society of Ghana.

The service, which took place last Sunday, was officiated by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye and supported by the Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rev. Dr Godwin Nii Noi Odonkor and other principal officers of the church.

Dedicating the four-storey block for children and teens, Rt. Rev. Dr Kwakye stressed the need for congregations of the PCG to create an enabling environment where children were guided to pursue friendship with God.

While commending the Hope Congregation for the initiative, he urged other congregations of the church to pay attention to the growth of children and holistically groom them in the right atmosphere so they could use their God-given gifts for the collective benefit of the church, their society and the world.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana described the late Rev. Dr Odonkor as one of the many blessings of God brought into the life of the PCG and commended the Hope Congregation for naming a building after him.

He said as the church prepared itself for its 200th anniversary, it was his prayer that all congregation would follow the example of the Hope Congregation, Sakumono Estates in immortalising the ministries and lives of persons who have been a blessing to the church.

Profile

The Senior Presbyter of the Hope Congregation of the PCG, Vivian Danso-Dodoo said the late Rev. Dr Odonkor’s relationship with the Hope Congregation, Sakumono Estates began in September 1994 when he was posted to the congregation as a Minister in Charge and was on record as the longest serving minister, having served a total of 12 years.

She said the late Rev. Dr Odonkor, who later in life was appointed the General Secretary of the Bible Society of Ghana from 2010 to 2019, was a gallant soldier of Jesus Christ whose commitment and zeal knew no bounds, adding that he contributed meritoriously to the growth of the Presbyterian Church at Sakumono Estates and was instrumental in making the congregation a force to reckon with in the PCG.

She said from a congregation that was meeting in a primary school in the Sakumono Estates, the late Rev. Dr Odonkor led the then session to complete a modern church auditorium and a Manse.

 She said he also set up the main administrate structures of the congregation and also pushed for the acquisition of a minibus for the congregation.

Appreciation

The Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rev. Dr Godwin Nii Noi Odonkor, who is also a brother of the late Rev Dr Odonkor, as well as the wife of the deceased minister, Beatrice Odonkor, on behalf of the family, expressed appreciation to the General Assembly of the  PCG, the Moderator, the Sakumono District Minister, Rev. Daniel Amoako Nyarko and the Session for the honour done the family by immortalising the memory of their son and husband.

 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-presby-hope-congregation-dedicates-childrens-block.html

Domestic fires top fire incidents across Tema Region in 2023(Daily Graphic, Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Page 44)

New Ningo gets modern community library (Daily Graphic, Friday, January 19, 2024. Page 28)

A new community library has been inaugurated for the New Ningo community in the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region to help promote the culture of reading among pupils and students. The 100-seating capacity project, which was executed by the Maya Abou-Jaoude Memorial Library Project, with support from FC Group in the United Kingdom and other partners, comprises furniture, bookshelves, a librarian’s office and a washroom.

It is stocked with reading materials and an Information Technology (IT) hub to enable users of the facility to have hands-on experience in IT skills and to broaden their knowledge in a fast-evolving digital world. 

Monument

The Team Lead at the Maya Abou-Jaoude Memorial Library Project, who doubles as the Founder, Ghana Twins Foundation (GTF), Zeena Abou-Jaoude, explained that the project was built in memory of her late twin sister, Maya Abou-Jaoude, who spent her life nurturing a love for learning and reading to children.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of the facility, Ms Abou-Jaoude said the facility would promote reading among children and help them to understand themselves and the society they lived in while cultivating essential literacy skills for academic success.

Ms Abou-Jaoude emphasised the importance of reading as one of the most effective ways to acquire quality education, adding that reading exposes children to a wealth of knowledge found in books and other reading materials.

She said children required constant exposure to books to develop and maintain an interest in reading as well as knowledge, which played a critical role in shaping their academic performance, hence it was crucial to instil in them the habit of reading and make reading and learning materials readily available to students in underprivileged communities.

She acknowledged the role played by the Traditional Council of Ningo, as well as partners including FC Group, DUCO, Renee's Classic Designs, CP Drilling Supplies and Minirex Ghana, in supporting the vision.

Support

The Managing Director of FC Group, Fenton Curley, said the Library project was their commitment to making a positive impact in communities wherein they found great potential.

He said the project, which was birthed in 2018, initially seemed a huge challenge.

However, with diligence, determination and support from donors across the globe, that vision had become a reality.

Mr Curley said libraries were more than just buildings filled with books, stressing that they were places where people could come together to learn, grow and connect, and expressed the hope that people of all ages and backgrounds would come together to explore new ideas, discover new passions and make new friends. 

Appreciation

Nene Teye Djangmah IV expressed appreciation to the GTF for providing the town with its maiden library facility.

The Resident Minister in Charge of the Methodist Church Ghana, Rev. Immanuel Nana Hammond, appealed to the traditional authority in New Ningo to appoint a reading ambassador for the community.He was optimistic that the new library would provide an appropriate environment for pupils and students to spend more of their time there, instead of idling and engaging in social vices.

 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/education/ghana-news-new-ningo-gets-modern-community-library.html

Liberty Hills International School holds reading festival (Junior Graphic, January 17, 2024 Page 8/9)

 

PNC announces timelines for internal elections… Awingobit to contest presidential primary (Daily Graphic, Friday, January 12, 2024 Page 19)

The People’s National Convention (PNC) has announced timelines for its internal elections with its regional and national executive polls scheduled for January 15 to 31 and March 2, 2024, respectively.

This will be followed by the presidential primary on March 24, 2024 to elect a flag bearer for the party for the December 7, national election.

The party has also fixed the filing fees for the presidential aspirants at GH¢100, 000 while those going for the positions of National Chairperson, National Vice Chairperson and General Secretary are to pay GH¢35, 000 and GH¢25, 000 respectively.

Those going for national organiser position will pay GH¢15, 000 while for the national women’s organiser, national treasurer, and national youth organiser position are to pay GH¢10, 000 as filing fees and their deputies GH¢5, 000.

For the regional elections, chairperson, vice chairperson and regional secretary aspirants are to pay GH¢3,000 and GH¢2,000 respectively as filing fees while those going for the regional organiser, youth, women and treasurer positions are to pay GH¢1,500 and their deputies GH¢500.

Women contestants

A statement issued and signed by the General Secretary of the PNC, Janet Asana Nabla to announce the timelines for the elections said women contestants in all positions are only required to pay half of the specified amount for their respective positions.

It said nomination forms could also be purchased at the cost of GH¢200 for the regional elections, GH¢500 for the national elections, and GH¢2, 000 for the presidential election. 

Awingobit

Meanwhile a stalwart of the party, Sampson Asaaki Awingobit, has declared his intention to contest the upcoming presidential primary of the party.

Mr Awingobit would be attempting the flag bearer slot for the second time, having contested in 2020 and placed second to David Apasera. He polled 789 votes as against 1,315 votes garnered by Mr Apasera.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Tema, Mr Awingobit, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, said he was better placed to lead the PNC in moving Ghana beyond the duopoly of the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NPP).

Late start

The PNC flag bearer hopeful, while commending the leadership of the party for publishing the roadmap, said the processes should have started earlier to offer the prospective aspirants adequate time to prepare for the 2024 general election.

Mr Awingobit argued that an early roadmap would have allowed aspirants time to campaign ahead of the date for the primary to offer them enough time to engage with delegates.

That notwithstanding, he said, it was an improvement of the 2020 processes where elections were held less than three months to the general election.

On the filing fees, Mr Awingobit said it was too high and called for a review, saying he and other aspirants, who would emerge for the race, would engage the party leadership to consider a review of the fees at all levels of the contest.

While admitting that the party would need a lot of resources to strategise and execute its campaign, the party must also make room for loyal, committed and competent members to contest for positions in the party.

He said in 2020, the filing fee for presidential aspirants was pegged at GH¢30,000 but at the end of the day, they paid GH¢20,000 and it was as a result of the candidates who came together to appeal for it to be reduced.

via https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/ghana-news-pnc-announces-timelines-for-internal-elections-awingobit-to-contest-presidential-primary.html

 

 

Review of major events in Tema, neighbouring communities in 2023(Daily Graphic, Friday, January 12, 2024 Page 23)

 

 The Tema Metropolis and its neighbouring Municipalities and Districts witnessed a beehive of activities as part of its contribution to national growth and development.

In November last year, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo inaugurated a fleet of new gantry cranes and also cut the sod for the commencement of phase two of the Tema Port Expansion Project

The inauguration of the 15 additional gantry cranes and the commencement of civil works under phase two of the Tema Port Expansion Project, operated by Meridian Port Services Ltd (MPS), will add 270,000 square metres to the existing one million square metres and set in motion a transformation that will fundamentally alter Ghana's standing in the maritime industry in West Africa.

The Metropolis had the opportunity to host the Greater Accra Regional Independence Day parade to the admiration of all while the Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly also hosted the Greater Accra Regional event of the 39th edition of Farmers' Day celebration.
 

Crimes

Neighbouring Ashaiman Municipality had its share of gruesome crimes, distasteful for its residents. On Saturday, March 4, 2023, a 21-year-old soldier, Sherif Imoro, was allegedly killed at dawn.

Later on March 7, 2023, some soldiers invaded Ashaiman and in order to find perpetrators of the said murder, took over the streets of Ashaiman, brutalised some residents and arrested 184 suspects who were later released.

In a statement issued later, Ghana Armed Forces explained that the operation was sanctioned by the Military High Command.

The death of the soldier and the brutality by the military residents of Ashaiman were roundly condemned by the Ashaiman Traditional Council, former and sitting members of Parliament for Ashaiman, as well as political parties in Ashaiman.

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, led by its Chairman, Kennedy Agyapong, and the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, visited the community to interact and assuage the pains of the residents.

In February, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, ordered the immediate towing of all abandoned cars around the Tema end of the motorway, which served as a risk to drivers.

Later in September 2023, the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA) initiated a GH¢1million project to partially decommission the tollbooth structures on the Accra-Tema motorway.

Earlier in August, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, bemoaned the constant presence of articulated trucks parked indiscriminately at sections of the Tema Harbour to Akosombo Highway.

He said the presence of the loaded articulated trucks, with cargo beyond the acceptable weight levels along the shoulders of the highway between Tema Harbour Roundabout and the newly constructed Tema Motorway Interchange, destroyed the road.
 

Boat accident 

In September, fisher folk at Ada in the Ada East District in the Greater Accra Region woke up to the news of an accident involving two fishing canoes which had capsised after the canoes were hit by strong waves near the estuary at Azizanya. Out of the 19 fishermen who were involved in the boat accident at the Ada estuary, 17 were found, with 15 alive and two dead.

Two others remain missing.

In July, two fishermen from Tema died at sea at dawn, sparking a furore between fishers and port authorities over what caused their deaths. 

The fishers, mostly from Tema Manhean (Newtown), claimed the two were part of 12 members who were on a ritual Homowo fishing expedition when a patrol boat from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) rammed into their canoe at the Tema Port anchorage, causing it to capsise.

But the GPHA denied that assertion, saying no such incident happened at sea.
 

Industrial Action

In June, Petroleum Tanker Drivers under the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers and Petroleum Gas Drivers Union declared a sit-down strike over the deplorable condition of the Tema Oil Refinery to Kpone Road in the Greater Accra Region.

The members of the union, who load their products from petroleum enclaves in Takoradi, Kumasi and Buipe, withdrew their services until the deplorable roads leading to those depots were rehabilitated.

Following the action, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, and his counterpart from the Ministry of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, intervened by ensuring that the contractor working on the road returned to the site to fix all potholes on the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to Kpone Road to make it motorable, a situation that led to the suspension of the strike action.
 

Agriculture

In July, the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Project (GIRSAL) commenced the export of chilli pepper to the European Union (EU) Market.

The Bird's Eye chilli variety which was cultivated at Dawhenya in the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region and harvested under a pilot project rolled out to grow and export chilli pepper using shade net house technology, met the phytosanitary requirements of the EU market.
 

Flooding 

In November, some residents in the Lalluekpo Electoral Area near Dawhenya in the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region were displaced after a stream overflowed its banks and inundated their community.

Most of the residents who reside in the lowland areas of the community woke up to the sight of water on their premises.

The stream, which flows from the mountains upstream and feeds the Dawhenya Irrigation Dam, was said to have overflowed its banks in the early hours and caused severe flooding.

Politics

The Tema High Court, in November, dismissed an application brought against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, and her two deputies for contempt of court over the limited voter registration exercise.  

The applicant, Precious Ayitah, had prayed the High Court to commit Mrs Mensa, Dr Eric Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey for contempt of court for going ahead with the limited registration exercise in the district offices of the EC despite an injunction application she filed that sought to put the exercise on hold.
 

Entertainment 

In the Showbiz sector, the Tema High Court, in January, imposed a fine of GH¢60,000 on socialite Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa, popularly known as Afia Schwarzenegger, in a contempt case pending before the court in January.

The court also ordered her to pay GH¢5,000 to be given to Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako also known as Chairman Wontumi, as cost.

Award-winning Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie also staged his second “This is Tema Festival” in December, where he delivered back-to-back performances at a free concert held at the Chemu Park in Community Seven, Tema.

Via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-review-of-major-events-in-tema-neighbouring-communities-in-2023.html

GWCL water meter thief jailed 15 months(Graphic Online, Friday, January 5, 2024)

 A 33-year-old man who stole a water meter belonging to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has been convicted and sentenced to 15 months in jail.

Richard Afful, was found guilty by a magistrate court in Tema.

He was charged with stealing and on January 4, 2024 was found guilty.

He stole the water meter at Community 11 in Tema.

The convict was arrested on December 24, 2023 by the police in Community 11 for stealing the water meter and after investigations was  arraigned on January 4, 2024 at the TDC Magistrate Court presided over by Benedicta Antwi. 

Afful pleaded guilty to two counts preferred against him and was accordingly convicted.

The convict was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on count one and three months imprisonment on the second count. He was also fined an amount of GHc10,000.He will spend an additional four months in prison in default.

All the sentences are to run concurrently.

 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/gwcl-water-meter-thief-jailed-15-months.html