Month: April 2023

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to address this year's May Day celebration in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital.

Annually, May 1 is celebrated as Labour or Workers Day across the world to recognise and appreciate the contributions of labour in nation building across the globe.

This year's celebration would be on the theme: 'Protecting incomes and pensions in an era of economic crisis: Our responsibility.'

Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, who confirmed the President's participation in the celebration to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga, said 'All is set to receive the President for the occasion.'

He noted that the President had frequently visited the Region, and it was therefore not a surprise that the Upper East Region was chosen for the National May Day celebration, adding that the tourism industry would be boosted.

'All our major hotels in the Region are full, and that will increase incomes of the business community. In fact, apart from the May Day celebration, since I became Minister, the Region hosted National conferences of the Ghana Bar Association, the Ghana Medical Association, the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union among others,' he said.

Mr Yakubu reiterated the need for residents in the Region to live in peace to attract more conferences and National events to boost tourism and businesses.

Leaderships of some labour Unions, especially the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) made appeals and shared their expectations from government in this year's celebration.

Mr Samuel Alagkora Akolgo, the First Vice President of the GRNMA, appealed to government to reconsider its decision to rope in pension funds onto the Domestic Debt Exchange programme.

He said the Social Protection system in Ghana, especially for the aged was not the best, 'So if people save their money with the hope that they will use that to sustain their lives, and this programme will affect them, we do not think that is fair.'

Mr Akolgo appealed to the President to assure the people that pensioners who had been complaining about their locked up investments would be exempted.

He said the cost of living and taxes had increased after labour negotiated the salaries of workers for 2023.

'Obviously, these were not factored into the negotiation and now that some of these things are coming up, we expect government to work out a package to compensate workers for the introductions of some of these taxes,' he said.

He said it was the expectation of the Association government would address inflation rate in the country which he noted affected market prices of items.

'A lot of workers spend their money mostly on food, so inflation influences the food component so much. This means the purchasing power of the ordinary worker will be reduced.

'So we expect the President to announce measures that will curtail the high inflation we are experiencing now. From the data, we are hovering above 40 per cent, which is not good for planning,' Mr Akolgo said.

Mr Charles A. Ateem, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chairman of GNAT said 'For us as Teachers, we need better conditions of service. We expect the President to tell us what the government is doing to better our conditions of service.'

On Housing Scheme for Ghanaian workers, Mr Ateem recalled that President Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the construction of a 120 affordable housing unit to ease the housing deficit in the Region, and said 'We expect to hear from the President the state of that project.'

Source: Ghana News Agency

The first batch of 74 Ghanaian nationals being evacuated from war-torn Sudan will be airlifted from Addis Ababa to Accra on Tuesday, May 2, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has said.

The Ministry in a statement, shared with the Ghana News Agency, said 76 Ghanaian nationals had successfully crossed the Sudan-Ethiopia border with the assistance of officials of the Ghana Embassy in Ethiopia and were currently in Addis Ababa.

It said arrangements were in place to fly 74 of them to Accra on Tuesday May 2.

Additionally, one footballer and two engineers had been assisted by officials of the Ghana Embassy in Egypt to cross over the Egyptian border post of Wadi Halfa, north of Sudan, while two other footballers were going through immigration formalities, itsaid.

'The Ministry wishes to reiterate its commitment to evacuate all willing Ghanaians nationals in Sudan to safety to neighbouringcountries such as Egypt and Ethiopia,' it assured.

It, therefore, urged those in need of assistance to take note of the details of the following persons who were on standby to help them to cross the respective borders.

For Egypt, Mr Peter Okoe Agoe Allswell can be contacted phone number +201-55441-4228, whereas for Ethiopia, MrSamuel Asante can be contacted phone number +251-94242-1242.

Also for Sudan, Mr Osama Ataaelmanna, can be reached on whatsapp number +249-92920-0000/+249-91239-2570.

The statement said the Ministry would continue to keep the public abreast of new development regarding the evacuation exercise.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Workers in Ghana, will Monday, May 1, 2023 join their counterparts around the globe to mark this year's May Day.

May Day is an international holiday observed in over 80 countries.

It is a commemoration of the achievements of the labour movement.

The holiday may also be known as International Worker's Day.

For the first time in many years, the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga will host the national parade for this year's International Workers' Day (May Day) celebration on Monday.

A cross-section of Ghanaian workers are expected to convene in the city for the commemoration on the theme, 'Protecting incomes and pensions in an era of economic crisis: Our responsibility.'

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia would be the special guests at this year's celebration.

The national celebration is expected to start at 8 am and last for six hours. Regional parades would also be held to enable workers to join the celebration.

Ahead of the celebrations, various labour unions have been commending workers for contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC), in a statement issued by its Secretary General Dr Yaw Baah, congratulated all workers for their contribution to the socio-economic development of the country, saying, 'Ayekoo to all the working people of Ghana! Long live workers' solidarity! Long Live Organised Labour.'

Ghana Employers' Association (GEA) has commended all workers and leadership for their monumental contribution towards the social and economic development of Ghana over the years.

A statement issued by Mr Dan Acheampong, President, GEA, copied to the Ghana News Agency, extended its heartfelt appreciation to organised labour and all Ghanaian workers on 'this auspicious day (May Day) when the world celebrates workers.'

Source: Ghana News Agency

Two teachers died on Saturday night when their vehicles crashed into each other, while three passengers are in critical condition at Andara District Hospital in Kavango East Region’s Mukwe Constituency.

The Namibian Police Force in the region confirmed this in its weekend crime report issued on Sunday.

It is alleged that the two teachers, identified as Richard Thitaka, 30, from Diyogha village in Kavango East and Robert Liyali, 58, from Impalila Island in the Zambezi Region, lost their lives at Mwenge village, 30km west from Divundu on the B8 road of the Trans-Caprivi Highway.

According to the police report, the two teachers, who were the drivers of the respective vehicles, were approaching from different directions before the head-on collision happened.

The two teachers are said to be friends who both taught at Andara Combined School.

They reportedly called each other to meet up at Mbapuka village to celebrate the birthday of a friend who was also a passenger in one of the vehicles.

One of the cars was driving from the west to eastern direction while the other was driving from east to west.

The police explain that one vehicle upon approaching the other had its lights on bright mode, making it difficult for the other motorist to have a full view of the road ahead of him.

Due to that bright light, one of the drivers allegedly lost control of his vehicle causing the head-on collision that claimed both drivers’ lives on the spot.

The three passengers who were all in one vehicle where rushed to Andara District Hospital with serious injuries.

The next of kin of the two deceased teachers have been informed and investigations continue.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) says with the onset of the rains, it will soon begin spilling excess water from the Weija Dam. The company is, therefore, calling on persons living downstream of the dam to evacuate the area to forestall any eventuality. The communities likely to be affected include Tetegu, Oblogo, Pambros Salt, Lower McCarthy Hill, Lower Weija, Bojo Beach, Adakope, and surrounding communities. The level of the Dam as of Friday 28th April, 2023 is 46ft, 1ft below the maximum safe operating level of 47ft, the GWCL said in a statement signed by Mr Stanley Martey, Chief Manager, Public Relations and Communication. 'The dam levels are monitored on an hourly basis and the GWCL will not hesitate to open the spill gates, should the level go above 46.5ft, so as not to compromise the integrity of the dam and to avert any disaster,' it cautioned. Scores of residents in the municipality were displaced following a similar spillage of the Dam in October last year. In the wake of the flooding, Mr Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh, Director-General, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), said houses built on waterways in the Municipality would be demolished 'immediately' the flood receded. He said it had become necessary to maintain buffers of the Weija Dam to contain water whenever there was spillage. Months down the line, the Ghana News Agency checks reveal that there are buildings still on waterways - a situation that has compelled the GWCL to issue an early warning. The company said the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly had been informed to desilt the estuary to enable easy flow of the water into the sea and to clear heaps of refuse along the course of the river. It said: 'The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), National Security, Chiefs of Weija, Ogblogo, Tetegu, Weija, Gbawe, opinion leaders and all stakeholders including institutions and organizations who have properties downstream have been informed of the development and current situation at the dam.' 'Management of GWCL expects that the public will be supportive in this exercise to avoid a reoccurrence of the disaster that has occurred in the past,' it added.

Source: Ghana News Agency