Day: April 20, 2024

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), has launched a culinary event dubbed 'Feast Ghana' to celebrate Ghana's culinary diversity. The initiative, which is in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Asanteman Queen Mothers Association and the Public Service Workers Union of the Trades Union Congress (PSWU of TUC), is aimed at promoting local foods and showcasing the Ghanaian diversity. It also featured the second edition of the 'Rep your Region' programme organised by the Ladies Club of GTA. Launching the initiative under the theme 'Flavours of Ghana, celebrating Ghana's cultural diversity through food', Mr Andrew Egyapa Mercer, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) designate said the 'Feast Ghana' initiative aimed to highlight the nation's culinary diversity and to promote regional cuisine across the nation. He said in recent years culinary tourism had experienced an exponential growth on the global scale, s aying culinary tourism had been identified as one of the fastest growing segments of the travelling industry with the projected annual growth rate of over 25 per cent. Mr Mecer added that through initiatives such as food festivals, culinary workshops and cooking competitions could make Ghana 'a shining light that throws a spotlight on the talents of local chefs and the abundance of indigenous ingredients.' . He said, 'by collaborating with stakeholders across the food and the hospitality sectors we can create a vibrant eco-system that will not only promote our culinary identity but also drive economic growth and empower local communities by promoting local foods more in our hotels, restaurants, shops, lounges and other entertainment locations.' The sector minister designate urged stakeholders to seize the opportunity to showcase the best of Ghanaian cuisine to Ghanaians and to the rest of the world, adding that 'leveraging global growth of culinary tourism and highlighting unique flavours of our food can c reate lasting impact that resonate with visitors from near and far.' 'Let us join hands to support the 'Feast Ghana' initiative and work together to elevate Ghana's culinary heritage onto the global stage,' he added. Mr Akwasi Agyeman, Chief Executive Officer, GTA, noted that 'Feast Ghana' represented a unique opportunity to showcase the vibrant culinary richness of the nation and celebrate the unity and diversity that food embodies in the Ghanaian culture. He said the programme formed part of the Ghana Cares Obatanpa project and aligned with the 'See Ghana, Eat Ghana, Wear Ghana and Feel Ghana' campaign launched by GTA a few years ago. Mr Agyeman noted that 'Feast Ghana' would commemorate Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene's 25th anniversary in the Ashanti Region on April 22, in collaboration with the Asanteman Queen mothers Association.' The grand celebration of 'Feast Ghana' will be held on May Day at the Accra International Conference Center, in collaboration with the PSWU of TUC. Source: Ghana News Agency

Executives of the National Cross Border Women Traders Association (NCBWTA) have paid a courtesy call on the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Ghana to discuss issues pertinent to their activities. The visit followed an earlier launch, in March, by the IOM of a 24-month project, titled: 'Empowering Women in Small Scale Cross-Border Trade between Ghana, Benin, and Togo,'. It aims at contributing towards strengthened community development in border areas through an enabling environment for women in Small Scale Cross-Border Trade (SSCBT). Mrs Rebecca Dzidzogbe Amuzu, Head of Programmes and Policy, NCBWTA, called on the Organisation to partner local associations such as theirs to give practical solution to women in SSCBT along Ghana's corridors. She asked the IOM to support the Association through capacity building and sensitisation programmes to help the women have deeper understanding of their rights and responsibilities at the borders to reduce incidents of abuse, extortion and child traffickin g. Mr Ethan Way, IOM monitoring and Evaluation officer, commended the founders of the cross-border women traders empowerment group for the efforts and said the IOM was happy about Association as it would help stakeholders deal directly with its beneficiaries. He said NCBWTA's call for partnership was in the right direction because it fell in line with the IOM's objectives towards strengthening community development in border areas by providing an enabling environment for women traders to thrive. Mr Way outlined some of the major actions the IOM would be engaging the Association and other stakeholders on, which included production of a comprehensive and gender-sensitive analytic reports on SSCBT, and creation of modules on regional and continental framework related to migration. Also is the development of sensitisation tools for civil society organisations in each of the three West African countries to support women, and finally the sensitisation of women in SSCBT on entrepreneurship, financial inclusion a nd rights/obligations. Mr Oscar Akaba-Norvixoxo, the National Coordinator for NCBWTA, in an interview with Ghana News Agency, said the meeting with IOM was successful, which would help grow the informal trading sector. 'The Association would be ever ready to support in achieving shared goals to empower cross-border women traders.' Source: Ghana News Agency

Naana Adiki Manyeyo Adi I, the Ada Queen for the Royal Adibiawer Clan, has advised women in the area to pay back loans they contract to enable them to get access to more of such opportunities. Naana Adi, who is also the Head of Community Development Department of Electrochem Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of McDan Group of Companies, says paying back such loans helped to ensure the smooth running of the scheme and allowed more people to access it. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on women's development in the area, she said the company had given loans to at least 2,600 women at Ada under its interest-free loan scheme since its inception in September 2021. The scheme was mainly to support local businesses by women because it was the desire of the company's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Daniel McKorley, that the progress of the subsidiary commercial salt entity must commensurate with the progress of local businesses. Hence the company's decision to absorb all the necessary costs to ensure that th e money was given free to the women to support their trades. 'One doesn't need to deposit any money; there is no processing fee, no interest, nothing. You only need to bring your Ghana Card and get enrolled,' she disclosed. She, therefore, commended the Kasseh Market Women Association for the prompt repayment of the loan. The market women, led by Madam Ernestina Nartey, the market queen, did so well in paying back their loans, saying that it was a testament that those who take loans in groups, through the connection of their synergies, would be able to pay them back on time than individuals. Naana Adi, in charge of the loan scheme, indicated that out of the 2,600 beneficiaries, about 1000 had defaulted on repayment, adding that efforts were being made to get the fund back to assist others. She revealed that the company had invested GHC1,000,000 more into the scheme to enroll more women in it to help small-scale businesses grow alongside the company's operations in the Ada Traditional Area. Source: Ghan a News Agency

Hajia Alisatu Wandaogo, the President of the Ghana Muslim Ladies Association, has called on politicians to uphold the principles of peace and unity in their political activities towards the 2024 election. She said the stability of the country was paramount to achieving national cohesion and development, therefore, political actors must act in the supreme interest of peace and tranquility. Hajia Wandaogo, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday, said Ghanaians should always consider their common destiny and 'unite to build the better Ghana we are all yearning for.' In the spirit of peace, electorates should understand that there was only one Ghana, and that elections were meant to choose leaders but not to create disunity. 'Elections must not become an avenue for conflict and bloodshed, rather comportment and civility must be the guiding principles in our support and campaign.' She urged stakeholders in the election to remain fair and neutral to ensure a violent-free process and call ed on women to avail themselves for parliamentary positions to increase the female to male ration in Parliament. Hajia Wandaogo appealed to Muslims to eschew all forms of divisiveness that had the potential to destroy the unity and cohesion of the country. 'Muslims must inculcate in themselves the spirit of sacrifice, fellow feeling, commitment to ethical living, love of family and nation and above all God-consciousness,' she said and that they should not abandon those values after the month of Ramadan. 'These are the same values every nation needs to develop. Let us make the spirit of togetherness a national project as a nation with one destiny.' Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ashaiman District Court has granted bail in the sum of GH? 6,000.00 with one surety to Bernard Awaga, a 32-year-old mason, for assaulting a driver at a betting centre at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region. The court, presided over by Mr Derick Pardden Eshun, granted him bail after entering guilty for him, following his plea of guilty with an explanation to the charge of assault. The court also referred the case for alternative dispute resolution and adjourned it to June 17, 2024. Chief Inspector Patient Afi Blihia, prosecuting, said the complainant was Mr James Kofi Zor, a driver. He narrated that on March 1, 2024, at about 1210 hours, a witness reported to the police that someone had been assaulted by an unknown person at the Bingo Bet Centre near Ashaiman Traffic and bleeding profusely from his nose. The police rushed to the scene and met the complainant, who identified Awaga as his assailant, and he was arrested, after which a complaint was made, and he was duly cautioned. The investigation une arthed that both the complainant and the accused were at the Bingo Bet Centre in Ashaiman, staking bets, when Awaga tapped the complainant, who was on a phone call, blaming him for stepping on his toe. Prosecution said the complainant ended his call, apologised to the accused, and began to walk out. But Awaga, who was still aggrieved, slapped him from behind, and he started bleeding from his nose. Chief Inspector Blihia stated that upon seeing the complainant in that condition, the accused person pleaded for leniency and promised to assist the complainant to seek medical care, but while both complainant and accused were at it, the police arrived at the scene and arrested him. During interrogations, the accused person admitted having assaulted the complainant out of anger. Source: Ghana News Agency