The Ghana Union of Professional Students (GUPS) has named the Chief Executive Officer, Lawyer Jerry Ahmed Shaib as the “Best Professional CEO of the Year 2021". Lawyer Shaib was awarded at GUPS's maiden PRO Awards night in Accra. The Leadership of Coastal Development Authority (CODA), says it expresses its heartfelt thanks to all professional students in Ghana. CODA further thanked the organisers, GUPS leadership led by their dynamic President, Stephen Kwesi Acquah; voters; and well-wishers for conferring such enviable award on its leader. CODA added that its boss, Lawyer Jerry Ahmed Shaib has distinguished himself as a hands-on, result-oriented leader with a knack for professional, corporate and public administration. Below are some pictures: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, has made a clarion call for waste management to be dealt with in a sustainable and timeous manner in the local environments. He said such an approach should be done based on lessons drawn from technological advancement, taking into consideration peculiar cultural settings of the various environments. Dr Siaw Agyepong made the call when he delivered the keynote address while participating in the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit at Budapest, Hungary on Thursday, December 2, 2021. It was on the theme: “Waste Management - Recycling, Burning or Exporting Rubbish.” According to him, achieving such a “laudable objective” calls for a proper waste management system which must be seen as a process and not “an action. “A sustainable, integrated process should include but not limited to collection, treatment, recovery, recycling, disposal systems, financing models, operational models, technologies, and citizen engagement programmes,” he proposed. The quest for sound waste management, Dr Siaw Agyepong pointed out, must be seen as a global human endeavour. He buttressed this by quoting Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates that “everyone has the right to life” and Article 25 states among other things that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for his health and well-being and that of his family”. While admitting that many countries still resort to poor disposal of waste, he stressed that it can also not be denied that the world has been provided today with three waste alternatives — recycling, burning and exporting rubbish. To attain sustainable and integrated waste management, the executive chairman of JGC indicated that waste must first be seen as a resource and not waste. “My humble submission (which I believe you all share) is that, waste must not be seen as the undesired end-result of human activities, but as a resource which can be employed for diverse purposes. It offers trends and provides opportunities toward our pursuit of a better world,” he noted. He was, therefore, happy that societies were progressively moving away from simply seeing waste as a bad end-product to a resource. “Recent developments in some geographical areas, for instance, confirm that “pollution is, after all, a winnable battle”. This is a most welcome indication of a change in perception and resolve,” he said. In the case of Africa, Dr Siaw Agyepong said solid waste especially, is projected to grow to 244 million tonnes per year by 2025 on the continent This, he indicated, has seen the African Union (AU) call on African governments to commit to recycling at least 50 per cent of their urban waste they generate by 2023 and to grow urban waste recycling industries. “As a group, the African Union sees proper waste management as being central to ensuring human and ecosystem health, and this provides economic and environmental benefits. While significant efforts are being made across Africa to ensure better access and services, many places still have inadequate infrastructure for efficient waste management,” he said. On waste management situation in Ghana, Dr Siaw Agyepong contended that successive governments have been keen on dealing with the waste menace. “In 1999, Ghana first published its Sanitation Policy which was later updated in 2010. A strategic ‘National Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Action Plan’ was enacted and this included an investment plan to ensure the achievement of the policy,” he recounted. In spite of all these good policies, he underscored that Ghana lacks the requisite financial resources to support the full implementation of these policies which has brought in its wake some challenges in the disposal of waste. According to him, it was in the midst of these challenges that Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of JGC, introduced modern technology to revolutionise the sanitation industry. The efforts of Zoomlion, he noted, has led to a paradigm shift from carting waste for burning or burial to the use of simple modern collection processes and dumping at landfill sites. He said JGC through Zoomlion has ensured the effective and timely collection of waste thereby reducing littering and indiscriminate dumping; crude dumping; and burning of waste. This, he said, has helped largely to mitigate and divert uncontrolled Greenhouse Gas emissions which worsen climate change. He used the opportunity to highlight some of the accomplishments of Zoomlion. Among these, he said, included the tricycle concept, composting and recycling, plastic recycling, liquid waste treatment and 1 Million Bin Concept. He said Zoomlion has also been collaborating with the academia in the pursuit of a sustainable environment while creating job opportunities for people. "Hence, we have partnered the following universities: University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Harvard School of Public Health, the Harvard Centre for African Studies (on whose Board I am privileged to serve) among other academic institutions to bring about innovations in our efforts in ensuring a sustainable future," he mentioned. Below are some pictures: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The MP for Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Sarah Adowa Safo has stated that, completing the construction of the new National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) office in her Constituency is one of the best thing she has been able to deliver. According to her, issues of health care has been her top most priority for the people of her Constituency and the official opening of an NHIA office is one of the best promised she has been able to deliver. She was speaking at the official opening of the Ghc 1,500,000 new National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) office at Dome Kwabenya Constituency in Accra. The MP who also doubles as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Adwoa Safo stressed that, the completion of the edifice is in line with the president's aim of constructing more Health infrastructures in the country to improve health delivery. She added that, the office will serve the people of her Constituency diligently as she urged the people to make good use of the facility and register and renew their NHIS cards on regular basis. "The spirit of this ceremony is to reinforce the broader objective of effective healthcare nationwide. Moreso, contributing towards the attaintment of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). On the maintenance of the edifice, the MP pleaded with the head to ensure the longevity of the office. On her part, the CEO for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby said "This is the first office, I started when I became CEO of NHIA and I want to thank Hon. Adwoa Safo for pushing to get this started and it is the first to be finished under my watch" She also added that the Akufo-Addo government has contextualise the need to increasing the NHIS membership across the country as one of the key pillars of attaining universal health coverage. As such, commissioning this office, comes with a laudable intention of expanding the NHIS membership across the country, she noted. "The Dome Kwabenya office ties in splendidly with the Authority's objective to improve accessibility of Health Insurance and provide a responsive service to respective and existing members of the scheme. Since Dome Kwabenya is the biggest Constituency, there is a heightened demand for affordable and quality health care services" Dr. Dsane-Selby further explained. It is my fevent hope that this office serves its intended purpose for which it was mandated and help outcomes within the district see a positive impact as a result. Watch the videos and pictures below: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Information reaching DGN Online indicates that a broadcast journalist Blessed Godsbrain Smart, popularly known as Captain Smart, has been arrested by the NIB. His arrest was in connection with a recording on his show on Onua TV, in which he is heard inciting the Ghana Armed Forces against Members of Parliament and also calling on them to stage an uprising. “Where we have reached, we require an uprising with positive defiance. I am even shocked at Ghana’s soldiers. You can enter Parliament when MPs are being sworn in but when MPs are fooling, you can’t enter Parliament. Everybody is quiet in this country,” he chanted. However, the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) on Thursday afternoon picked him up at a coded location. A source confirmed that “He was picked up about 4pm and handed over to the Police for further interrogation and the appropriate charges slapped on him”. Captain Smart as gathered is being processed for Court as Media General is trying to secure bail for him although he’s not behind bars. A source at his office confirmed that “Captain Smart informed his employers of his arrest and a lawyer was dispatched to go and provide legal advice to him while being questioned by the security agents”. Meanwhile, the National Media Commission (NMC) has cautioned Accra-based media house, Onua FM that it is concerned about part of its broadcast. According to a release from the NMC “Part of your broadcast raises concern for the peace and security of the country in a manner that demands immediate regulatory action”. “We are particularly concerned about a recent broadcast in which “Captain Smart” calls for insurrection against the state of Ghana and its institutions,” the NMC has stated. The release from the NMC dated 2nd December, 2021 and signed by George Sarpong, Executive Secretary, and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Onua Fm, Accra. It was titled ‘UNPROFESSIONAL AND INCITEFUL BROADCAST’. The NMC said that the impugned broadcast by all standards crosses the line of robust and critical broadcasting and transforms your radio station into a megaphone of war. “While that particular broadcast, without more, constitutes adequate grounds for regulatory action, we still retain the belief that given the chance, management could take steps to bring your content unto a level of professional acceptability. We are fortified in this belief by the fact that considerable parts of your other broadcast, including the news, offer that hope. “We would be glad if you noted that exercising the required professional caution is in your interest,” the report said. The letter to Onua FM was copied to the President, Ghana Journalists Association, Accra; the President, Ghana Independent Broadcasters’ Association, Accra; the President, Private Newspaper Publishers’ Association, Accra, and the media. Story by: Daniel Bampoe

The Coastal Development Authority (CODA) has commissioned a modern school building at Nsuaem in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency of the Western Region. The new ICT-integrated facility was constructed in place of an old dilapidated school building that collapsed in June 2020. The new facility has an urban-oriented design of six classrooms with each accommodating 50 pupils. Other amenities include a conference room, headmaster’s office, and a fully fitted ICT laboratory. To improve teaching and learning while safeguarding the health of teachers and pupils, blackboards have been replaced with marker boards. CODA approved the construction of the project, in response to a request from the constituency through the Divisional Chief of Nsuaem, Nana Kwamina Adadie II, following the collapse of the old school block. This is in furtherance of the Authority’s commitment to promoting education as a tool for accelerated economic and social development. The project was funded at a cost of GHS868,000 under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) which is better known as the “one million dollars per constituency” initiative, a flagship of the Akufo-Addo administration. Below are some pictures: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Comedian Jacinta Ocansey has revealed that she slapped an elderly man for touching her butt without her permission. According to her, the man touched her butt stylishly and pretended he was not the one. Sharing her experience on 'Just Being Us', a lifestyle show on Think Tv, she said "You see that thing where someone touches you stylishly and pretends like not to be the one. Mine happened in public and by then I was not well-known" "I was in transit that day going to school and this old man touched my butt and I turned and in a Nigerian accent said 'You dey craze! If you don't arrange yourself well, I will arrange you. You dey mad!" The comedian further disclosed that her reaction got all passengers on board the bus staring and asking her, what was wrong. Jacinta told MzGee that women being harassed have become one too many stressing that such menace should be curbed. Watch the video below: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

On-Air Personality, Gloria Akpene Nyarku known in showbiz as MzGee has revealed on a live television show that she was touched sexually by a bank teller in an undisclosed bank few months ago while filling a form. According to her, although it was unprofessional on his part, the teller committed the offence during his working hours. Speaking on 'Just Being Us', a lifestyle show on Think Tv, MzGee said "So I went to this bank few months ago to do some transactions. I was in jeans and a crop top. As I was filling the forms, a hand touched my back sexually and I for a second stop to look at who it was since I was in a mask" She added that she was left in a state of shock as she turned to see the bank teller as the one who committed the office. "He said in Ga, I am disturbing the people in the banking hall with my dressing" she revealed. MzGee noted that to avoid creating a scene, she quickly walked out of the banking hall feeling embarrassed by the actions of the teller. Watch the video below: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Railways Minister, Peter Amewu has confirmed that there won't be any sky train in Ghana as stated earlier. According to Mr. Amewu, three years is not enough to execute such projects. Addressing Journalists in Accra on Wednesday, the sector Minister said "It is not possible and there won't be any sky train in Ghana like we see in Dubai" It will be recalled that there were reports which indicated that the Akufo-Addo government through the Railways Ministry will be constructing sky trains to help ease the traffic most Ghanaians face while using the various roads in the country. The announcement generated mixed reactions as some scores of Ghanaians confidently said government would not be able to achieve such dream. The other section of the public who heard the news were full of praises adding that the NPP government is in to make life more comfortable. In other developments, the Railways Ministry in collaboration with the Ghana Railway Company Limited says it has partnered the George Grant University of Mines & Technology to upgrade the old Railway Training Institute located at Sekondi into a degree-awarding institution to provide training in Engineering and other ancilliary programmes. Mr. Amewu said "The School is now known as the ‘UMaT School of Railways and Infrastructure Development" He stressed that the first batch of students have begun the 2021/2022 academic year. He further explained that the students are currently reading; BSc Mechanical Engineering, BSc Electrical and Electronic Engineering, BSc Computer Science and Engineering, BSc Geomatic Engineering, BSc Geological Engineering and BSc Environmental and Safety Engineering. The Railways Minister also added that plans are on course to introduce the BSc Railway Engineering programme, as well as, other relevant programmes in the 2022/2023 academic year. Mr. Amewu told Journalists that the Railway Location Workshop Complex, situated at Sekondi, is the main workshop for the maintenance of locomotives, wagons, coaches and other ancillary railway equipment for efficient operation of railway services in Ghana. The Workshop is also being upgraded and equipped for it to become a one stop workshop to serve the railway, mining, petroleum and agricultural industries in the Western Region. Refurbishment works at two (2) workshops (the Diesel and Erecting Workshops) have been completed. Five (5) remaining workshops are currently undergoing renovation. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Lagos City Chorale group have thrilled some scores of audiences to an outstanding animal carol performance at its maiden Viola Christmas celebration in Nigeria. Members of the Lagos City Chorale group took turns to showcase their unique animal talent. The audience who were left in a state of shock did not only laughter at the various performances but had a night to remember. The maiden viola christmas night was performed in the Igbo language. Thinknewsonline.com has also gathered that it was composed and conducted by Sir Emeka Nwokedi. Nigeria has indeed got talent and one of the many is the undisputed, Lagos City Chorale group. Watch the video below: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has said the current power rationing also known as Dumsor in the Ashanti region has destroyed all his home appliances. He told the Energy Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh when he paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia palace on Wednesday December 1. “It is my prayer that you will work to address this matter because if the country will develop it will depend on the energy. The frequent power outages have destroyed all my appliance,” he told the Energy Minister. It is recalled that Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh recently said that the country would never return to the days of the erratic power supply that was christined in the local parlance ‘dumsor’ Although he admits that there are few challenges in the power sector that need to be addressed, the country will not go through that period of energy rationing due to the measures taken by this administration. “The feedback that I am picking is that when it is even raining the lights are on,” he told TV3’s Johnnie Hughes on the New Day show on Thursday November 18. He stressed “Dumsor is never going to be back.” Source: 3news.com

Ghana's Health Ministry has hinted that it has detected the country's first cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant on passengers who arrived at Accra International Airport following sequencing carried out on Nov. 21, the head of the Ghana Health Service said on Wednesday. Officials have so far declined to specify how many positive cases were detected when the samples were sequenced on Nov. 21. Health Service director general Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said that the case originated from Nigeria and South Africa. "The good thing is that among the community tests we've done so far, we haven't seen any Omicron within the community of Ghana," Kuma-Aboagye said during a vaccination awareness event on Wednesday" "The danger is if someone has Omicron and is incubating, it would not be found at the airport, so we still have to be extremely careful," he added. December is Ghana's most important tourism month and officials expect an influx of visitors from countries that have already detected the new variant, Kuma-Aboagye said. Watch the video below: Credit: Reuters

Convicted Ghanaian actress, Akuapem Poloo, has left behind a touching message for her son as she heads to prison for the second time. In her Instagram post sighted by African Entertainment after an Accra Circuit Court flatly rejected her appeal to overturn her conviction, Poloo wrote to her son, saying “son I love you and God is with you always.” She told her son “Be good till mummy comes back God is in control always.” About the ruling The Court has ruled that she be sent to prison to serve the remaining 81 days of her jail-term. Akuapem Poloo, known in private life as Rosemond Alade Brown, has been facing legal woes for months after publishing a nude photo of herself and her son. Her seven-year-old son was wearing an underwear in the picture she published on social media. She published the picture on June 30, 2020, to celebrate her son’s birthday but Child Rights International, an organization founded to protect children against abuse, sued her for publishing the photo. At the start of the trial, she pleaded not guilty to the charges. And subsequently, she was granted bail in the sum of Ghc 100,000 with four sureties, two of whom were to be justified. But she changed her plea later from not guilty to guilty, leading to her conviction. It would be recalled that Akuapem Poloo’s lawyers had filed an appeal challenging the decision of the court to hand her a custodial sentence instead of a fine. Her lawyers had argued that the custodial sentence was harsh. She had been convicted and sentenced for three charges. The charges were: publication of obscene materials, engaging in domestic violence, a conduct that in any way undermines another person’s privacy or integrity and engaging in domestic violence namely conduct that in any way detracts or is likely to detract from another person’s dignity and worth as a human being. Despite filing an appeal against the sentencing, an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey, dismissed her appeal. The judge dismissed the appeal on ground that the sentencing handed by the trial court was not manifestly excessive. According to the judge, the Court will not interfere with the sentencing given by the Circuit Court which was to serve as deterrent to other parents who may have the intention of doing a similar thing. Child The judge has therefore ordered that the actress’ son should be handed over to any competent person in her family to take care of him while she serves her prison sentence. Press conference In her first press conference after being released from the Nsawam Prisons months ago, Akuapem Poloo, who is a notorious nudist called on her fellow celebrities who take delight in nudity to dress ‘decently’. Addressing the media in Accra around 4:00pm on Saturday, April 24, 2021, Akuapem said “I want to say this to my colleagues and the young ones who are coming up. Nudity is not good, we should put a stop to it…Not just taking a picture with your son in that manner, but nudity is not good. Ghanaians we have our norms and culture. Let’s put a stop to it.” The said press conference per a public notice sighted by African Entertainment, was scheduled to take place at 2:00pm but was delayed until 4:00pm. The media encounter took place on the 4th floor of the Fine Print building. Below is a screenshot: Story by: Melvin Tarlue