Author: Web Desk

The Ghana Water Company is undertaking major dredging exercises at the Daboase intake points in the Wassa East District of the Western Region to improve water supply. This will help to increase the inflow of raw water to be pumped into the treatment plant and then distributed to the various homes. Nana Yaw Barima Barnie, the Public Relations Manager of the Company, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the Anankware River level at Inchaban in the Shama District was decreasing, thus affecting the volumes of water to be collected for treatment. 'Of course, the harmattan and illegal mining (galamsey) continue to contribute to the water crisis in the Western Region,' he said. However, the Government had secured some capital for retooling and major development works at the Daboase intake, which would provide an additional 22 million gallons of water every day, come 2025, to completely resolve the water challenge. The Daboase intake point currently treats six million gallons of water a day but has no designated dam to store water, he said. 'So, what we intend to do is to build an embarkment-river rump to store a considerable amount of water for treatment even in the dry season.' Touching on water quality and complaints from customers, Nana Barnie said it did not matter how dirty or deteriorated the intake water quality was, the company was able to clean the dirt and debris to make water wholesome for household and industrial usage. He explained that after the dredging, the water level would go up and ensure an increase in production and supply. The Pra River serves as a source of raw water for the Daboase Treatment Plant. Source: Ghana News Agency

Chef Failatu Abdul-Razak, who just completed 227 hours of cooking to break a Guinness World Records (GWR), has appealed to stakeholders to nuture her prowess and utilise the publicity through the cook-a-thon event to propel Ghana further onto the global scene. Failatu, who made the appeal at a press conference in Tamale after the event, said: 'I am all yours, nuture me and put me to good use for this opportunity we have had this period.' She stated that she was available for partnership in the hospitality field and beyond, adding that cooking was a hobby she did with passion. She also appealed to investors across the world to invest in Ghana, emphasising that the Ghanaian youth were capable to perform effectively in diverse fields. Ms Abdul-Razak ended her cooking marathon on Wednesday, January 10, after 227 hours in Tamale, in an attempt to break the longest cooking period by an individual. Source: Ghana News Agency

Data from the Registrar General's Department (RGD) indicates that 1,978 marriages were registered internally in 2023, with January recording the highest number of 214 nuptials. February recorded about 185 registered marriages, while March recorded 176, April, 154, May, 151, and June, 181. In July 2023, the data indicated that 134 marriages were registered internally, while 187 were registered in August. The department's lowest number of recorded marriages was 105 in September, followed by 166 in October, 155 in November, and 170 in December. Statistics also available to the Ghana News Agency indicated that external marriages registered by the Office totaled 130, with January again recording the highest figure of 29. In February, 16 marriages were registered externally, 23 each in March, April and 14 in May. The data indicated that seven marriages were registered in June, four in July, two in August and one in September. October recorded 21 marriages, November, three, and December, six. Thus, the depart ment registered 2,103 marriages in 2023. Marriage Registration with the Department is an inexpensive, seamless, and swift process. Marriage under the ordinance is a civil partnership that any Ghanaian can participate in, and despite some confusion, it is completely secular and non-religious. It is governed by the Marriages Act (Cap 127) and is the only, strictly monogamous legal means of marriage in Ghana. Those intending to get married must give notice to the Marriage Registrar in the district where the marriage will occur. The Registrar would then publish a notice of marriage and then issue a certificate after 21 days if no objection is raised. The marriage certificate must then be presented to a licensed marriage officer, after which the couple must get married within three months or that certificate becomes invalid. Applicants may obtain the prescribed Declaration Form and complete it with the assistance of the Marriage Registrar. Two witnesses are to be provided from each side of the couple if the marriage is to be celebrated at the Registrar General's Department, and the marriage must be celebrated within 20 days from the start date. Source: Ghana News Agency

Data from the Registrar General's Department (RGD) indicates that 1,978 marriages were registered internally in 2023, with January recording the highest number of 214 nuptials. February recorded about 185 registered marriages, while March recorded 176, April, 154, May, 151, and June, 181. In July 2023, the data indicated that 134 marriages were registered internally, while 187 were registered in August. The department's lowest number of recorded marriages was 105 in September, followed by 166 in October, 155 in November, and 170 in December. Statistics also available to the Ghana News Agency indicated that external marriages registered by the Office totaled 130, with January again recording the highest figure of 29. In February, 16 marriages were registered externally, 23 each in March, April and 14 in May. The data indicated that seven marriages were registered in June, four in July, two in August and one in September. October recorded 21 marriages, November, three, and December, six. Thus, the depart ment registered 2,103 marriages in 2023. Marriage Registration with the Department is an inexpensive, seamless, and swift process. Marriage under the ordinance is a civil partnership that any Ghanaian can participate in, and despite some confusion, it is completely secular and non-religious. It is governed by the Marriages Act (Cap 127) and is the only, strictly monogamous legal means of marriage in Ghana. Those intending to get married must give notice to the Marriage Registrar in the district where the marriage will occur. The Registrar would then publish a notice of marriage and then issue a certificate after 21 days if no objection is raised. The marriage certificate must then be presented to a licensed marriage officer, after which the couple must get married within three months or that certificate becomes invalid. Applicants may obtain the prescribed Declaration Form and complete it with the assistance of the Marriage Registrar. Two witnesses are to be provided from each side of the couple if the marriage is to be celebrated at the Registrar General's Department, and the marriage must be celebrated within 20 days from the start date. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Eric Adu, the Ahafo Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has advised every Ghanaian to contribute to preserving the nation's constitutional rule, as the country heads for the 2024 general elections. With political tolerance, respect for religious diversity, faith and ethnicity the country could successfully sail through the next general election, he said. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Goaso, the Ahafo regional capital, Mr Adu said Election 2024 remained an indicator or a key index to measure the nation's democratic strength and to consolidate the gains of her fledgling democracy based on the Fourth Republican Constitution. He emphasized that religion and faith had gradually sunk into and taking centre stage in the Election 2024 campaigning, hence the need for people to remain watchful in ensuring that nobody hid behind religion and faith to disturb the peace of the nation. 'The flag-bearers of the two major political parties are affiliated to Is lam and Christianity and that depicts the instrumental role religion and faith will play in the next general elections,' Mr Adu stated. He emphasized that constitutional rule remained the best, and the surest to facilitate accelerated national development, hence the need for everybody to guard against tendencies that could mar the general election and disturb the prevailing peace and social cohesion in the country. Touching on the Commission's theme for 2024: 'Together We Can Build Ghana, So Get Involved', Mr Adu expressed worry about the rising rate of corruption in the country, which remained the bane of the nation's economic development. He said monetization of the nation's politics did not only threaten the country's multi-party democracy, but also denied the nation the right and competent people to assume political leadership and push forward holistic development. As the 2024 general election approached, Mr Adu called on the electorate to name and shame politicians and political parties who would us e monies and gifts to lure and win their votes. He expressed concern about the inadequate funding and resources that the NCCE needed to undertake its constitutional and civic education mandate and called for support from corporate bodies and development partners. Nonetheless, Mr. Adu said civic education remained a shared and collective responsibility and appealed to religious and civil society organisations to also take the lead role in sensitizing the public about their civic rights and responsibilities. Source: Ghana News Agency