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The Adu-Mante Foundation, under the Focus One Group Limited has donated an array of essential items to inmates of Sekondi Prisons to put a smile on their faces in this month of love. The gesture had become an annual tradition by the company to spread love and alleviate the hardships faced by those within the prison walls. Mrs Evelyn Adu-Mante, Director of Focus One Distribution and wife of Kwame Adu-Mante, the CEO of Focus One said the gesture exemplified the true spirit of Valentine's Day, 'and for over 15 years, we have held on to this noble course'. The Brand distributed cartons of drinks, food packs, water, and other essentials to some 800 inmates and a cash donation of 20,000 Ghana cedis to aid in the construction of an infirmary within the prison premises, to meet their healthcare needs. Mrs Adu-Mante said, 'As the world celebrates the season of love today, our station, Spice FM is also 11 years and so, gives us much joy to share our happiness and gratitude to God with our brothers and sisters in th e Sekondi Prisons.' The Deputy Director of the Sekondi Prisons, Mr Abraham Allotey, received the donations on behalf of the inmates and acknowledged the profound impact the gesture would have on their lives. 'For the love that you have shown us here today on Val's Day, we are here, and the inmates would like to say a very big thank you. We pray that this donation will go a long way to solving and addressing some of the pressing issues in here.' Despite the numerous obstacles, including issues with feeding and overcrowding, Mr. Allotey remained optimistic and hopeful that continued support from benevolent organizations and the government would improve the lives of inmates. He further urged the public to adopt an open-minded approach towards reintegrating former inmates into society, emphasizing the importance of acceptance and support upon their release, ' I'm pleading with families at home not to discriminate but have a clean mentality of welcoming the inmates when they come out.' Source: Ghana News Age ncy

ustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure remains a major challenge for many communities and public healthcare facilities in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region. Many communities, healthcare and educational facilities markets and households continue to face limited access to sustainable potable water supply, and sanitation facilities such as toilets, incinerators, and latrines. The challenges did not only place a burden on rural communities trekking for long distances in search of water but particularly posed threats to the ability of healthcare facilities in the areas to provide quality health services without WASH-related challenges. This came to light at a community-duty bearer forum at Zebilla, organised by WaterAid Ghana, a WASH-focused organisation, as part of the implementation of the Enhancing WASH (En-WASH) project rolled out in collaboration with Global communities. The forum was aimed at creating a platform for the communities to engage with the duty bearers in cluding the District Assembly, to identify challenges facing their communities, especially around access to WASH and urged the Assemblies to prioritise them. Mr Ezekiel Atubiga, the Secretary of the Boya Community Health Management Committee, explained that the Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compound in the area did not have a toilet for clients and the borehole meant for the facility was not mechanised so its use was limited. He said the issue posed serious challenges to the residents, especially pregnant and lactating mothers who visited the facility to access various services and appealed to the Bawku West District for assistance. 'Apart from that, the facility needs expansion because there are several units without offices creating overcrowding and we will be happy if that is looked at. 'Already, we have initiated a building project in support of that through community fundraising but we need support to complete it,' he said. Mr Ayaaba Mohammed, the Secretary of the Zongoire Communit y Health Management Committee, indicated that the health facility in the area did not have potable water, making disease prevention and control difficult for health workers. He said many households in the community did not have latrines, compelling residents to defecate in the open and appealed for support to help vulnerable households build latrines. Ms Molly Dasoberi Maalinuo, Project Assistant, WaterAid Ghana, noted that the En-WASH project aimed to facilitate access to and use of sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services and products in target districts by employing a systems-strengthening approach. The beneficiary districts are Binduri, Bawku West, Garu, and Tempane. 'One of the objectives is to increase the use of sustainable, equitable, quality, district-wide WASH services in communities and health care facilities (HCF) and adopt sustainable district-wide WASH practices in households, communities, and Health Care Facilities,' she said. She explained that through the project, community ad vocacy teams had been formed and their capacities built to liaise with community members to identify WASH-related challenges and demand enhanced infrastructure and services from the Assemblies. Mr Alhassan Ahmed, the Bawku West District Coordinating Director, commended WaterAid Ghana for facilitating the engagement and noted that it had helped the Assembly to be aware of many of the challenges facing the communities especially those in the hard-to-reach areas. 'The Assembly is constrained with resources, but we assure you that some of these challenges will be considered in our next planning process,' he said. Source: Ghana News Agency

WINDHOEK: The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Khomas Region are investigating an armed robbery incident after a group of five suspects allegedly robbed security guards who were collecting money from various companies at the Grove Mall in Windhoek on Wednesday. The stolen money, according to NamPol spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, amounts to N.dollars 305 987.50. 'It is alleged that three security officers who belong to Namibia Protection Service started collecting money from various companies at about 08h00 and at about 10h06, one officer went to collect two boxes of money from the Checkers shop, while the driver remained in the vehicle. On his way back, he put the boxes on the ground to open back of their vehicle. Suddenly he saw a group of five armed robbers approaching him armed with pistols and one AK47, who ordered him to lay down. The driver was also ordered to do the same,' Shikwambi said. The suspects used a white sedan with different government registration numbers as a get away vehicle. The security personnel did not sustain any injuries but their service pistols were stolen by the robbers in the process. Police investigations continue. Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Atlantic Lithium, an exploration and development company, has promised to channel one per cent of its mining revenue to develop the catchment communities in Mfantseman. Mr Aaron Monver, the Head of Operations at the Atlantic Lithium, said the company prioritised the wellbeing of its working environment, hence the need to assist the people to improve their livelihoods remained high on its agenda. To succeed in that regard, the company had planned to establish a community development fund to support development projects in the community. Mr Monver said this in the 'scoping report and draft terms of the reference' for the proposed Ewoyaa lithium mining and processing project by Barari DV Ghana Limited at Ewoyaa in the Central Region. The meeting, organised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was to allow Atlantic Lithium to interact with the communities on lithium mining as part of the environmental process to secure operational permits. It was also to solicit views, feedback and recommendations f rom the catchment communities on the proposed project for consensus building. The Operation Manager entreated the people to embrace the new opportunities to be created through the project as the country believed in local participation and content. Atlantic lithium, Mr Monver said, was focused on engaging in responsible mining to bring improvements to the locals and country as a whole. He said stakeholders should collectively put in measures to support the project to achieve its objectives. Lithium demand is forecast to grow exponentially in line with the adoption of electric vehicles to ensure energy storage to meet global climate change objectives. Ghana has granted a lithium mining license to Atlantic Lithium Limited as the country positions itself to tap into the multibillion-dollar global industry. The 15-year lease to Barari DV Ghana Limited, a unit of the Sydney-based company, enables it to start constructing a lithium mine at a 42.6-kilometre site at Ewoyaa in the country's Central Region. It co mes after almost six years of exploration that has discovered high-grade lithium in commercial quantities as soon as the EPA and the Minerals Commission grant environmental permits to fully begin mining. Source: Ghana News Agency

NOMTSOUB: The Opawa Junior Secondary School (JSS) in Tsumeb on Wednesday held a memorial service in honor of the late President Hage Geingob, who had served as a teacher there before going into exile. The school's principal, Lameck Masule at the event said the teaching and learning activities of the school were cancelled on Wednesday in order to dedicate the day to Geingob's legacy. Masule said the late president was a teacher at the school for upper primary in 1962. 'The president also taught music to the learners in grade one until grade ssix that same year,' he said. The teachers and learners gathered in their school hall on Wednesday, where several speeches, songs and emotional stories from Geingob's former learners, political followers and religious leaders were shared. Two of Geingob's former learners who spoke at the event are 69-year-old Betty Kaula and the 70-year-old Manuel Uiseb. The two also sang one of Geingob's favorite songs he taught them in 1962. Former Deputy Minister of Information a nd Communication Technology, Engel Nawatiseb, as well as the Tsumeb Constituency Councillor, Gottlieb Ndjendjela were also present at the memorial service. Nawatiseb told the gathering that in November 2014 Geingob last visited Opawa JSS to remember his youthful days at the school where he was a prominent teacher. The school in 2024 has a total of 671 learners and 24 teachers including the school principal. The gathering also shared stories on how generous Geingob was, saying he even purchased a Toyota Hilux 2.0 single cab for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia's Exodus ll Parish church at Tsumeb. 'The vehicle is still operational and it often serves the church as a means of transport for its members,' said Dean Frans Nawatiseb at the event. Geingob was a member of the church, he said. Source: The Namibia Press Agency