Day: March 23, 2024

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Peya Mushelenga on Saturday called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to guarantee equality and parity by ensuring that everyone, including women, are actively involved in decision-making across the board.

Mushelenga noted that the issue of women in peace and security has become a subject of debate, in respect of implementing the provisions in the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325.

He cited a publication which revealed that the lack of resources, political will and understanding of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) principles failed in the implementation of UNSCR 1325.

'As governments and inter-governmental organisations, we should create an impetus for Resolution 1325 and allocate resources to programmes that address its provisions.

We should demonstrate the will and zeal in our actions and bring women to play meaningful roles as titans in the front row of peace-making efforts and programmes,' he noted.

Mushelenga during the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) High-Level Seminar on WPS at Swakopmund said, Namibia's trajectory in the adoption of the historic UNSCR 1325 WPS which recognises and affirms the crucial role women play in the prevention and management of conflict, is well recognised.

The seminar is aimed to take stock of women's participation and leadership in peacebuilding processes.

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the AU and Head of the United Nations Office Parfait Onanga-Anyanga said the world needs more women peacebuilders with meaningful participation, thus harnessing the vision and talent of women for a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Adopting quotas for women's participation in peace processes is one of the strategies that could help secure space for women and bring concrete changes in the participation and leadership of women in peace and governance processes, a key pillar of the WPS Agenda.

Meanwhile, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Ambassador Bankole Adeoye called on members to focus on formulating an action blueprint for the future that will finally lead to substantial and comprehensive systemic change to execute the goals and calls for action on resolution 1325 and its successor resolutions.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Makers and Partners (MAP), a chartered accountancy firm has reaffirmed its commitment to help strengthen Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in Ghana. The ESG is a set of standards that checks how the operations of companies impact the environment, how the employees are treated and how the companies uphold corporate governance. Mr Wilfred Neneh Addico, Partner Advisory at MAP, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a forensic investigation training for internal auditors of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said ESG had become a requirement for companies. He noted that the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) had passed a guideline for companies that were listed on the stock exchange; saying 'in that regard at MAP, we have taken it upon ourselves to build capacity to be able to help businesses implement or start initiatives in respect to ESG in their companies.' Carbon emissions and their impact on climate change have become pressing global concerns, prompting nations to adopt sustainable practices and innovative solutions to mitigate environmental damage. It would be recalled that last year, IFC and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs launched the Integrated ESG programme for Ghana, to assist the country's banks and businesses to strengthen their environmental, social, and governance. Ghana's commitment to reducing emissions and engaging in international carbon markets reflects a proactive approach towards a greener and more resilient future. Mr Addico mentioned that MAP had built capacity to be able to assist particularly companies listed on the GSE and as well provide assessment for organisations. He reiterated that not just assessment but also to help in implementing initiatives that will make organizations' more responsible in terms of how they impact the environment, for instance, reducing their carbon emissions to make their operations clean and able to meet requirements as provided by GSE. He told the GNA that the next step was also take t he initiative to even non listed companies or multinationals; adding that 'they can also be greener in their environment, so these are things that businesses can do to be able to make them more environmentally responsible, so they contribute to reducing carbon emissions in their activities'. On his part, Mr Musah Yakubu, Acting Director of Audit at EPA told GNA that MAP's forensic investigation training would help strengthen the Internal Audit Department in its investigative works. He said he was hopeful that the investigative knowledge of the internal auditors of the Agency would help advise Management and as well help minimize the fraud risk that the Agency was likely to be exposed to. 'We hope to start the implementation soon and we are grateful to MAP for extending its services to the audit department and EPA as an institution.' Mrs Eugenia Anang, a Representative of MAP, also told the GNA that the forensic investigation training aimed at equipping internal auditors with the requisite skills in forens ic investigation to help deal with internal threats such as fraud and protect public funds. She said the gesture formed part of the Firm's Corporate Social Responsibility, thus, training auditors within state institutions to help fight corruption. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Water Company Limited is challenged with high turbidity levels in treating potable water for the people of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan area. The Daboase Water Treatment Plant, was currently recording alarmingly high levels of turbidity as a result of suspended particles. The company, which initially had to deal with only 100 Nephelometric Turbidity Units, NTU at the time of construction is now grappling with 7000 NTU. Nana Yaw Barimah Barnie, the Communication Officer of the Company said the situation caused the Company a great deal in terms of frequent breakdown of machinery and cost on treatment chemicals. The company, to mark World Water Day, took students of the Daboase Senior High on a tour of the old treatment plant as well as the new facility under construction aimed at curbing the incessant water crisis in the metropolis. He said illegal mining was not only destroying the environment but the lives of many Ghanaians and expressed worry that the Pra River which was once a source of life and sustenance was gradually losing its life…. Let's cast our minds to the CHAD River, is it the stage we want to get to us Ghanaians '. The 2024 World Water Day, themed 'Leveraging Water for Peace' raised awareness on the interconnectedness of water, peace, and sustainable development. It also highlights the importance of collaborative and holistic approaches to water management in fostering peace and stability globally. The Project Manager of Strabag, the company in charge of the Sekondi-Takoradi Water Supply Expansion Project, Mr. Vlad Falup noted how work was progressing on the over 70 Euro project to be completed in 2025 to solve the water situation in the metropolis. The company was not able to meet the current target of 20 million gallons a day due to faulty pumps. It is therefore hoped that the water rationing and other challenges with regards to potable water would be met when the new plant was fully constructed and becomes operational in 2025. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Environment and Agroforestry Foundation (EAF), an environmental non-for-profit organisation in Sunyani, has organised a capacity-building workshop on restoring farmlands and riparian ecosystem and livelihood improvement in the Bono Region. Attended by about 100 participants, including 70 participating farmers from beneficiary communities, the occasion was also used to launch the six-year project for implementation in four selected communities-Namasua, Oforikrom, Tainso and Berekum in the Berekum East Municipality of the Bono Region. Held at Berekum on Friday, other participants were representatives of the project's stakeholders in the Berekum East Municipality and beyond. They comprised the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC), the local Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Ghana National Fire Service, the Municipal Assembly, traditional authorities of the four beneficiary communities, the leadership of Fulani herdsmen, the media and Green Waterhut, an environmental and water conservation non-governmental organisation in Sunyani. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mrs. Emma Baah-Agyapong, the Founder and a Director of the EAF, announced the project was being financed by TerraFund for AFR100, an international funding consortium established in 2021 and consist of World Resources Institute, One Tree Planted, Realize Impact and Barka Fund. TerraFund for AFR100 aims to provide financing and support to local communities involved in land restoration. Touching on EAF's partnership with TerraFund for AFR100, Mrs. Baah-Agyapong said 'TerraFund will invest US$2.75 million and seek to grow 1.9 million trees (14,000 hectares) along the Ghana Cocoa Belt, create 4,500 jobs and improve the livelihoods of 29,000 people.' According to her the EAF's project (restoring farmland and riparian ecosystem and livelihood improvement in the Bono Region) comprised five major goals to 'restore 150 hectares of admitted farm in Oforikrom close to Tain River and Tain II forest reser ve within six years'. Others goals, she added, were development of 100 hectares farmland - adopting agroforestry to plant cashew interspersed with food crops and beehives, restoration of 50 hectares riparian forest-enrichment planting of indigenous trees - mahogany, ofram, emire and cedrella. Mrs. Baah-Agyapong added besides the restoration of 128,210 trees, the project further aimed to provide employment to about 120 local community members. Later in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Samuel Ofori, TerraFund's Project Manager, Ghana stated 'TerraFund for AFR100 Team is pleased to welcome the EAF to cohort 2 of TerraFund's 15 Restoration Champions working within Ghana's Cocoa landscape.' Mr. Ofori said the EAF's efforts involving the planting of more than 128,210 tree seedlings on Ghana's cocoa landscape would significantly contribute to the broader AFR100 goal of restoring 100 million hectres of Africa's degraded landscape by 2030. He said the EAF's project would create employment opport unities and other socio-economic benefits for the local communities, particularly women and the youth and expressed optimism of seeing the positive impact of its work in the region. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Environment and Agroforestry Foundation (EAF), an environmental non-for-profit organisation in Sunyani, has organised a capacity-building workshop on restoring farmlands and riparian ecosystem and livelihood improvement in the Bono Region. Attended by about 100 participants, including 70 participating farmers from beneficiary communities, the occasion was also used to launch the six-year project for implementation in four selected communities-Namasua, Oforikrom, Tainso and Berekum in the Berekum East Municipality of the Bono Region. Held at Berekum on Friday, other participants were representatives of the project's stakeholders in the Berekum East Municipality and beyond. They comprised the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC), the local Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Ghana National Fire Service, the Municipal Assembly, traditional authorities of the four beneficiary communities, the leadership of Fulani herdsmen, the media and Green Waterhut, an environmental and water conservation non-governmental organisation in Sunyani. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mrs. Emma Baah-Agyapong, the Founder and a Director of the EAF, announced the project was being financed by TerraFund for AFR100, an international funding consortium established in 2021 and consist of World Resources Institute, One Tree Planted, Realize Impact and Barka Fund. TerraFund for AFR100 aims to provide financing and support to local communities involved in land restoration. Touching on EAF's partnership with TerraFund for AFR100, Mrs. Baah-Agyapong said 'TerraFund will invest US$2.75 million and seek to grow 1.9 million trees (14,000 hectares) along the Ghana Cocoa Belt, create 4,500 jobs and improve the livelihoods of 29,000 people.' According to her the EAF's project (restoring farmland and riparian ecosystem and livelihood improvement in the Bono Region) comprised five major goals to 'restore 150 hectares of admitted farm in Oforikrom close to Tain River and Tain II forest reser ve within six years'. Others goals, she added, were development of 100 hectares farmland - adopting agroforestry to plant cashew interspersed with food crops and beehives, restoration of 50 hectares riparian forest-enrichment planting of indigenous trees - mahogany, ofram, emire and cedrella. Mrs. Baah-Agyapong added besides the restoration of 128,210 trees, the project further aimed to provide employment to about 120 local community members. Later in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Samuel Ofori, TerraFund's Project Manager, Ghana stated 'TerraFund for AFR100 Team is pleased to welcome the EAF to cohort 2 of TerraFund's 15 Restoration Champions working within Ghana's Cocoa landscape.' Mr. Ofori said the EAF's efforts involving the planting of more than 128,210 tree seedlings on Ghana's cocoa landscape would significantly contribute to the broader AFR100 goal of restoring 100 million hectres of Africa's degraded landscape by 2030. He said the EAF's project would create employment opport unities and other socio-economic benefits for the local communities, particularly women and the youth and expressed optimism of seeing the positive impact of its work in the region. Source: Ghana News Agency