Category: General

Ms Portia Adjakrah, the Municipal Director of Ayawaso East, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has said that preserving and promoting linguistic diversity should go beyond rhetoric. Ms Adjakrah said: 'Each language is like a unique melody, contributing to the grand symphony of human expression.' She said preserving and promoting languages should not be based only on words but rather on a commitment to understanding, tolerance, and unity. She said language is a carrier of heritage, a repository of traditions, and a bridge that connects generations. Mrs Adjakrah said this during the commemoration of International Mother Language Day at 37 Military Basic School, under the theme: 'Multilingual Education: a Pillar for Learning and Interiengineering'. The event, which was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), was aimed at promoting linguistic diversity, multiculturalism, intergenerational learning, and cultural preservation thr ough learning and speaking one's mother tongue. Mrs Adjakrah said: 'Our mother languages are the first sounds that we hear, the first words that we utter, and the first stories that shape our understanding of the world.' The NCCE Director said the local languages were a silent guardian of the Ghanaian cultural identity, adding that, diversity in language was a testament to the richness of human experience. 'In a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, it is crucial that we recognise and celebrate the multitude of languages that coexist; by so doing, we foster mutual respect and understanding, breaking down barriers that can often lead to division,' she said. Mrs Vida Korsinah-Homu, the Unit Head of Community Development at Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly, who was the guest of honour for the celebration, emphasised the importance of using the mother tongue as the initial medium of school instruction. She said this approach would enhance effective learning in schools and bridge the gap between home and school. Mrs. Angela Ashley, the 37 Military Basic School Ga teacher, also urged the pupils to prioritise their Ga lessons, emphasised that it has equal significance, just like other subjects, to their overall academic success. The day was marked with a reading session in Ga with the pupils, who were encouraged to embrace linguistic diversity as a source of unity rather than division. The students alternated reading various paragraphs from a passage and responding to questions derived from the text. The pupils were also encouraged to learn and communicate in their mother tongue. Source: Ghana News Agency

World Vision Ghana has commemorated this year's International Mother Language Day at the Kedjebi District of the Oti Region as part of activities to unlock children's reading talents. Mr Kennedy Amponsah Cheremeh, Officer in charge of Reading Improvement and Skills Enhancement, World Vision Ghana, Kedjebi District Cluster, said if children learnt to read in their own tongue, learning English would come easy and they would benefit in terms of their cognitive development by becoming bilingual and biliterate. This year's celebration was on the theme: 'To Set Goals for Preserving Endangered Languages, Promoting Multilingualism, and Sustaining Linguistic Heritage.' Mr Cheremeh said reading was unquestionably the next major skill that the world would need, but reading efficiently would ensure the success of the next generation of nation builders. 'Over the years World Vision Ghana has donated 224,900 copies of mother language books to set up book banks (mini libraries) for children in 320 school communities ac ross Ghana, including the Kedjebi District,' he said. He urged stakeholders, individuals and organisations to unite and recommit to advancing multilingual education as a basic human right and a catalyst for sustainable growth. The goal of World Vision's current national strategy, which runs through to 2025, was to make sure its interventions supported the long-term well-being of three million people, including children living in families and communities and the most vulnerable in 23 districts spread over 14 of Ghana's 16 regions. The organisation was working on many initiatives in the areas of education, food security and resilience, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and health and nutrition. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr George Nkrumah Ansere, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director, Tema Region, has said the Authority has identified seven points on the imaginary Greenwich Meridian line for tourism development.? Mr Ansere, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said even though it was an imaginary line, the GTA found it important to identify those points to be developed into attractive tourist sites. He said those seven identified places gave the longitude zero degree reading when the compass was used, meaning that the line runs through them to the ocean to meet the equator, giving Tema the title: 'Centre of the World'. The seven areas include the premises of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Greenwich Congregation, the Tema Golf Club, Mankoadze, and the defunct Meridian Hotel area. Mr Ansere disclosed that the Mankoadze area had been officially claimed by the GTA and earmarked as a tourism site, adding that plans were underway to officially have some coconut plantations there, along with other side attraction s. He explained that coconut plantations were preferred because it would allow the promotion of the health benefits of coconut. ?Mr Ansere further said plans were also advanced to expand the PCG Greenwich Meridian site to attract local and foreign tourists, which would bring more job opportunities to the community. The Meridian Tower of the Presbyterian Church on the Greenwich Meridian, Tema, has a plaque with the inscription: 'To the glory of God', which was unveiled on Monday, November 8, 1999, by His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Source: Ghana News Agency

Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport hosted, on Friday, a promotional event dedicated to Tunisia as a tourist destination under the slogan "Towards Sustainable Ecotourism," held by the Local Tourism Committee of Sousse. This event is part celebrating the Arab Tourism Day, which falls on February 25 each year, an annual event initiated by the Arab Tourism Organization (ATO). The goal of this promotional event is to market the tourism product offered in the governorate of Sousse, particularly at the Enfidha-Hammamet Internatonal Airport, where exhibition pavilions run by artisans and innovators had been installed, Local Tourism Commissioner in Sousse, Taoufiq Gaïed, told TAP, Direct professional meetings were also organized between representatives of the Tunisian subsidiary of "TAV Holding Airports", travel agencies, tour operators and airlines, with the aim of identifying ways to promote and facilitate traffic air between Tunisia and Arab countries. The event was attended by the Governor of Sousse, the General Director of the TAV Tunisie company, representatives of the Tourism Ministry and the Tunisian National Tourism Office (ONTT), as well as a number of ambassadors and representatives of Arab diplomatic missions in Tunisia. According to estimates, Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport is expected to welcome one million 474 thousand 468 passengers in 2024, compared to only 827,000 passengers who transited through the airport in 2023. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The National Executives of Staff Associations of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have expressed concerns about the alleged secret transfer of over 400 acres of land for research development, to private developers. Being Ghana's foremost science and technology institution, the CSIR which was established after independence, had been at the forefront of advancing scientific, industrial knowledge and science acculturation. However, in recent years, its lands, including one at Adenta in Accra, which hosted the Animal Research Institute of CSIR, had been heavily encroached on by private developers. The latest encroachment is on the land situated at Pokuase and Amasaman in the Greater Accra region, which is being used for various research projects and serves as a vital resource for the council. Addressing journalists on the issue, Mr Michael Amoo Gyasi, the Chairman of the CSIR Central Committee of Local Unions, expressed 'shock and dismay that a private developer was clearing the enti re 400 plus acres of land for use. He said this action was carried out with impunity, ignoring the terms of the original government-CSIR?agreement and, thus, destroying the council's ongoing scientific experiments. 'Valuable CSIR research material that had taken decades to develop on experimental field plots are being destroyed with impunity by faceless individuals and so-called investors and contractors,' he said. 'We have had to deal almost daily with individuals and entities who attempt to brazenly take over CSIR lands using every means, without regard to the cumulative and long-term benefits that our dear country derives from these national assets,' he added. Mr Gyasi highlighted the detrimental impact of these unethical behaviours on important research and development initiatives. Ghana's CSIR plays a crucial role in advancing scientific knowledge, fostering innovation, and driving economic growth. He said unfortunately, persistent encroachment on research land posed a threat to their primary objec tives and jeopardised the prospects of Ghanaian children and youth aspiring to pursue STEM education. 'We stand before you today with heavy hearts and deep concern over a matter that threatens the very existence of CSIR as a national institution for the development of science, technology, and innovation in the country'. 'We strongly condemn this action and call upon the government to, as a matter of urgency, intervene to reverse these actions. CSIR lands are not pieces of property for grabs; they were acquired by the State for research, technology, and innovation development,' Mr Gyasi said. He said the CSIR was founded 66 years ago by the government to establish a strong base for science and technology development, emphasising that the least this generation could do today was to secure and not to destroy it. He urged Ghanaians to unite with CSIR in solidarity as they work to preserve the institution's legacy, not wavering in its resolve to defend the nation's future and ensure that the right things were done. Mr Gyasi also expressed worry about the ongoing challenges with funding, resources, and staffing at CSIR, stressing that despite these obstacles the Council had remained committed to making a significant impact and was making efforts to support Ghana's economic growth. CSIR had been leading the way in developing different crop varieties, preserving Ghana's native genetic resources, soil conservation, food processing, forest and water resource management, as well as advancements in building technology, agriculture, aquaculture, and food security, he said. Mr Gyasi in a brief background to the encroachment activities, said in 2019, the CSIR management confirmed that the government was considering the allocation of parts of their lands at Pokuase and Amasaman, for the construction of affordable housing units. The Management, he said, raised concerns about the transparency of the process and asked that it should be halted to allow full engagement with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Ministry of Works and Housing, which oversaw the project. Mr Gyasi said the move led Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to establish an Inter-Ministerial Committee to address the impasse. After careful consideration, the Inter-Ministerial Committee advised giving CSIR 184 acres of land and combining their occupied areas into a single designated space, with the Lands Commission granting a lease. However, the Lands Commission did not issue the lease until 2023, when the Council discovered a new site plan from the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, suggesting that the 184 acres allocated to the CSIR had been decreased to 100 acres. He said the sod-cutting ceremony confirmed the approval of the land for the Affordable Housing Project, and subsequent investigations at the Ministry of Works and Housing showed that the designated project area spanned 203 acres. Based on the land size and existing development, he said CSIR should be able to acquire the 100-acre parcel, only to discover that the entire 400- plus acre of land was being cleared by a private developer, destroying vital scientific experiments. Consequently, the unions had given the government 21 days to intervene for a peaceful resolution, failing which they would pursue further options for remedy, he said. Source: Ghana News Agency