Category: General

Minister of Cultural Affairs Hayet Guettat Guermazi, Wednesday, told TAP that the museum of trade union leader Farhat Hached at the Kasbah is now open to the public. It will be equipped with a library focusing on the trade union movements and a film club. According to the minister, The museum scenography will be completed at the beginning of 2024, stressing that the museum is currently hosting a digital exhibition and is planning screenings of a documentary film which retraces the most significant stages of history of the union struggle associated with the national struggle, a film inspired by the National Archives and the recordings of the Tunisian Television Establishment. After inaugurating the museum by the Head of State, on Tuesday, on the Commemoration of the 71st Anniversary of the Assassination of Farhat Hached (December 5, 1952), an annual cultural programme will be developed which includes conferences to be given by academics and researchers specializing in the history of the Tunisian trade union movement. Activities will be designed for the new generation through new technologies in through workshops, competitions and virtual so as to attract students, particularly from schools located in the surrounding area. The minister indicated that various activities on the history of the national movement will be carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The Christian Service University College (CSUC), a liberal art evangelical institution based in Kumasi will be embarking on monumental projects to commemorate the Golden Jubilee celebration next year. The projects will be the installation of solar energy, the acquisition of a bus, the upgrading of the Information and Technology infrastructure and the revamping of the Scholarship Fund. Professor Sam Kofi Afranie, President of the College, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA). The anniversary celebration, which will begin in January and ends in September next year, will be on the theme, 'Christian Service University College at 50: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects'. Activities planned for the anniversary would be a courtesy call on Manhyia, Media Soiree, Anniversary Prayer Vigil, Health Walk and Medical Screening and Clean-Up exercise. The rest would be Public Lecture, Courtesy call on National Personalities, Religious groups and Churches, History Month, Alumni Lecture, Dur bar and Fundraising, Thanksgiving Service and Congregation. Prof. Afranie said the College's three main objectives was to reflect on the past 50 years of success and look forward to the future with hope and confidence, to raise the awareness of the college's unique history and its visibility and positive reputation at home and abroad and leverage on its achievements to mobilize support and resources to step boldly into the next50 years. He said the College had impacted the socio-economic development of Ghana for the past 50 years even though its story had not been told. Prof. Afranie said the College operated as a theological centre of excellence well over 30 years running certificate, diploma, and degree programmes respectively. 'In September 2004, the College's Council took a milestone decision to transform the College from solely theological College into a liberal Arts University College to offer programmes in business, communication, education, nursing, midwifery, information technology, computer sci ence and planning and development', he said. Prof. Afranie said in the same year the College received its first certificate of accreditation from the National Accreditation Board now Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and in October 2005, became a University College and since then the institution has introduced more programmes and maintained rigorous academic standards to meet its vision and mission. The President said in addition to academic affiliation with the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Cape Coast, the institution had entered into partnerships and collaborations in the area of research, student and faculty exchange programmes and other mutually beneficial areas as a move to sustain its vision of becoming a Christian University known for excellence in teaching, research and training in ethical leadership for social advancement. 'The CSUC brand of tertiary education is unique in several ways,' he said adding that it is characterised Chris t-centred education, promotion of industry led academic programmes, student mentorship scheme and entrepreneurship programmes, student support services and scholarship scheme to enhance access to tertiary education. Source: Ghana News Agency

Government, through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC), has completed designs together with private sector players to invest into 29 tourists' attraction sites to boost the local tourism economy.  The initiative which is under the auspices of the Ghana Tourism Development Company Limited., would begin this year and have some projects completed in 2024. Government is committing GhS 400 million to these projects by redeveloping some whilst building some new ones. It is expected that the new attractions would help draw traffic of two million arrivals.  This was said at the Ghana Tourism Investments Summit 2023 on the theme: 'Tourism Investments; A Catalyst for National Development.'  The initiative called the Ghana Tourism Development Project (GTDP) with funding from the World Bank, would help to fill the tourism infrastructural gap in targeted destinations in Ghana as part of the Destination Ghana Project to position Ghana as the 'Centre of The World.' Some of the key projects include The G olf Resort (formerly Tema Country Golf Club), Assin Manso Slave River Site, Shai Hills Forest Reserve, Mole National Park, Kakum National Park, Keta Lagoon, Wli Waterfalls, Akwamu Gorge Project and Paga Crocodile Pond. Other areas that require further investments include Big Hotel Chains, Rest Stops, Amusement Parks, Eco Lodges and Budget Hotels, Restaurants, MICE Facilities, Beachfront Facilities, Transport Services, Aviation, Digital and Tourism Platforms.  Mr Kwadwo Odame Antwi, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), said though Government had invested a lot in tourism infrastructure but there were gaps which needed to be filled to scale up economic activities in the sector.  'We have realized that there're still gaps when it comes infrastructure, and we need to reach the Minister's target of 2million arrivals. For any businessman, the interest is his returns to his investments. We are making sure that we are not investing into just sites but profitable ventures,' he said.  He said they had brought together financial institutions, real estate companies, hoteliers, international and local investors with Mr Daniel McCauley, a leading Ghanaian Investor.  Mr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Minister, MoTAC, said 'tourism is a propeller of economic growth and with the requisite investments, Ghana could get more tourists arrivals that would experience our heritage, customs, culture and ecotourism.'  He said, 'With two million tourists in 2024, we are getting $6 million if each tourists spend an average of $3, 000.'  Source: Ghana News Agency

A total of six women in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region have filed to contest in the upcoming District-Level elections in their respective Electoral Areas. The female aspirants, drawn from different Electoral Areas, if elected, would break the 'all-male dominance' structure of the current assembly members. Madam Patience Agozi, an aspirant for Live Electoral Area (EA), explained to the Ghana News Agency that she remained optimistic about a massive victory to represent the voice of her electorates. The other aspirants include Madam Happy Justine Akorlor, Anyidzime-Zuta electoral area, Davordzi Angela, Agbedrafor electoral area, Akpalu Charity Sherry, Gefia electoral area, Comfort Afi Gorni, Kpevi-Gornikope electoral area, and Ahiabu Diana for Dzogadze electoral area. The GNA also gathered that a total of 96 males have since filed to join the race. Figures from the Electoral Commission in Akatsi South also revealed that 21 females formed part of the Unit Committee slots as compared to a total of 217 males from the 28 Electoral Areas within the Municipality. The EC has slated December 19 for the conduct of the district-Level Elections across the country. The elections would take place in 6,252 electoral areas and with 38,672 polling stations nationwide. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, a New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Effufu, has refuted allegations made by some National Democratic Congress Members in the constituency that government officials including his office have sold the sacred forest of Effutu for the mining of Lithium. Addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Afenyo-Markin, said the allegations were false, and not true that the sacred forest where deers were hunted had been sold for the mining of Lithium. '…I simply want to say this allegation is false, is never true and in fact, the minerals commission two years ago issued a statement to the effect that such application has not even been received by them let alone approving for the company to mine lithium in that sacred forest where we hunt for deer during 'Aboakyir', he said. 'So, I just want to set the record straight. Put it on record that there is no such thing,' he added. Mr Afenyo-Markin, also the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament House, t herefore urged his colleagues in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to focus on the challenges facing constituents and engage in issues of development rather than polluting the people with misinformation and lies adding 'Such a practice does not help in democracy.' He said the Minerals Commission Chief Executive had also denied such an allegation. 'This morning, I am reliably informed that the Minerals Commission chief executive in a national dialogue has had cause to again reiterate that, what is being put out there by the NDC in Effutu is untrue, unfounded and he as chief executive of minerals commission has not signed any lease agreement for mining of lithium in that enclave where we hunt for deers,' he stated. The Effutu traditional area has over the last 300 years been designated a forest reserve for the protection of bushbuck for an annual hunt to celebrate the Aboakyir festival. The Aboakyir festival is a bushbuck hunting festival celebrated by the people of Winneba in the Central Region of Gha na. Source: Ghana News Agency