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Spelling Bee finalists to lock horns in nerve-wracking contest February 3


Some 99 Spelling Bee finalists are set to show their prowess Saturday February 03, in a nerve-wracking contest for national glory.

The young spellers will display resilience, tenacity, exceptional word knowledge and exhibition of language excellence and linguistic diversity.

From the preliminary stages in March 2023, the programme has seen an overwhelming response, with over 300 young persons diving into the world of words through months of rigorous grooming, training, coaching, and assessments.

In a statement, Organisers of the event said this year’s national finalists come from various cities, including Accra, Tema, Kumasi, Takoradi, Sunyani, Peduase, Obuasi, and Tamale.

It said two Ghanaian spellers now domiciled in the UK and Canada would join the competition for the first time, adding an international dimension to the event.

Spelling Bee Ghana has embraced the concept of ‘returning spellers’ – allowing participants from previous years to make a triumphant comeback.

Notably, N’Adom Darko-Asare, the
first speller since the programme’s inception in 2008, will achieve this remarkable feat, embodying the spirit of perseverance and love for the competition.

The inclusion policy of the Spelling Bee Ghana also provides opportunities for the participation of 10 deaf students from Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf.

‘The stakes are high, with the winner set to receive a prize package worth $10,000-plus, including an all-expense-paid trip to the Scripps Spelling Bee in the USA, to represent Ghana as the only African country in the programme,’ the statement said.

Ms. Eugenia Tachie-Menson, Country Director, Young Educators Foundation, organisers of The Spelling Bee – GH, said: ‘We are thrilled to witness the culmination of months of hard work and dedication from our spellers.’

‘The Spelling Bee – Ghana 2024 is not just a competition, it’s celebration of language, diversity, and academic excellence. We extend our gratitude to our partners and sponsors for their unwavering support, without which this event w
ouldn’t be possible,’ she said.

The Spelling Bee – Ghana is a premier national spelling competition aimed at promoting literacy, vocabulary, and a love for language among Ghanaian youth.

Since its inception in 2008, the programme has become a platform for young spellers to showcase their linguistic talents on a national and international stage.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Indigenous banks need support to fuel Africa’s development – GCB Bank MD


Mr Kofi Adomakoh, Managing Director, GCB Bank PLC, has called for more investment and a supporting environment for indigenous banks across Africa to engender sustainable growth.

That, he said was necessary in ensuring the banks’ survival, financial assistance to businesses, particularly Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), and facilitation of the operation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

‘A few countries have sustained development solely on the back of foreign capital, but many countries have developed on the back of domestic internally generated capital driven by a very strong banking sector led by indigenous banks,’ he said.

He said this at the Bank’s 70th-anniversary awards and gala night, held over the weekend in honour of the role and backing of customers, training institutions, former Managing Directors and Board Chairpersons, and shareholders.

He cited Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt as examples of countries that had capital in the hands of indigenous banks, and w
ere driving their economies to sustainable growth.

‘We must position GCB to be the anchor financial institution for Ghana; we must leave a legacy for future generations, where a seed can continue to be sown to bear fruits in perpetuity,’ Mr Adomakoh said.

He explained that when a conducive environment was created for indigenous banks, ‘it is just a matter of time, and Africa will be left for Africans to build, operate, and own and this time, not transfer.’

‘African banks will take the risk on African businesses because we understand them better, and GCB must be at the forefront of the banking industry to take advantage of this,’ he stated.

Recounting GCB Bank’s 70-year journey, he stated that it had throughout the political and economic turmoils of the 1960s and 1970s, shown resilience and continued to support the Ghanaian economy and businesses.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a speech at the ceremony, said that the government was working on improving the credit system in the country to m
ake banks, including GCB Bank thrive.

He commended the bank for remaining resilient throughout its 70 years, providing the needed financial support to individuals, and businesses and contributing to community and national development.

On the night, Managing Directors and Board Chairpersons who served the bank from 1986 to 2023 were honoured for their meritorious services and contribution to the Bank’s growth and resilience.

The National Banking College and the Chartered Institute of Bankers were also recognised for their contribution to the development of the human capital of the Bank.

Three customers, selected from categories – retail, commercial, and corporate – were honoured for their dedication and commitment, while one individual and two institutional shareholders were equally commended by the Bank.

The 70th-anniversary celebration of the Bank commenced in May 2023 with commemorative events across the country, including the official launch, health walks and medical screening events, and product laun
ches [MobileApp].

A thought leadership programme would be held on February 8, 2024, bringing together world-class and highly respected experts to share perspectives and deliberate on topics relevant to Ghana’s development.

The celebrations will end with a Thanksgiving service in May 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Asante Kotoko to play Asec Mimosas in 2024 President’s Cup


Ghana Premier League giants Kumasi Asante Kotoko will face Ivorian giants Asec Mimosas in the 2024 President’s Cup.

The match has been scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara are to grace the ceremony.

The President’s Cup is an annual one-match encounter that seeks to honour the sitting President and has been in existence for many decades.

Notably, this would be the first time a foreign club has been invited to feature in a President’s Cup match.

Kumasi Asante Kotoko have won the President’s Cup eight times, which is the most by any team, while defending champions Hearts of Oak have won it six times.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Peace Council commends NDC for returning to IPAC


The National Peace Council (NPC) has commended the National Democratic Congress

(NDC) for heeding to its appeal to return to the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).

IPAC is made up of all registered political parties in Ghana, at which the Electoral Commission (EC) engages them with respect to electoral reforms and other related matters.

A statement issued by the Reverend Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, the Chairman of the NPC, copied to the Ghana News Agency, recalled that after the 2020 elections, the NDC decided not to attend the IPAC meetings.

‘This became a matter of concern to all stakeholders in Ghana’s democratic and elections space,’ it said.

‘At a Post-Elections Stakeholders’ workshop organized by the National Peace Council at Ada in 2021, the participants tasked the NPC to facilitate the return of the NDC to IPAC.’

The statement said the Council, therefore, engaged the NDC, the EC and other stakeholders to facilitate the NDC’s return to IPAC.

It said on 14th December 2023, during a stock-taking co
nference, organised by the NPC at Peduase as part of the preparations towards the 2024 elections, the NDC responded to the Council’s appeal by publicly committing to return to the IPAC.

Pursuant to that commitment, the NDC had participated in two recent IPAC meetings on 22nd and 29th January 2024.

The Council was hopeful that the commitment would be sustained to further strengthen the existing democratic credentials of Ghana, the statement said.

It expressed the NPC’s appreciation to the EC, political parties, all political actors and stakeholders within the electoral management system for their support to the NPC in the bid to promote sustainable peace in Ghana.

It urged all stakeholders in the political space to use dialogue and consensus building to ensure a free, fair, credible, and peaceful 2024 elections.

‘In addition, we urge the public to appreciate the fact that peacebuilding can sometimes be a slow process.’

‘Therefore, we must all exercise patience and support the NPC and its partners in buil
ding a sustainable and peaceful country.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

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4.1 billion of humanity globally likely to face disinformation in election in 2024


More than half of humanity globally, would be called to the polls to exercise their franchise in Presidential, Parliamentary, regional, or municipal elections in 2024.

It is expected that some?4.1 billion voters could face disinformation in the run up to these elections.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international not-for-profit entity responsible for safeguarding the right to freedom of information, eight of the world’s ten most populous countries would have elections this year.

Its release signed by Christophe Deloire, Secretary General and shared with the Ghana News Agency says the countries include?the United States, which will organise one of the most important votes for the future of democracy with Ghana as another.

Others are, Mauritania, Uruguay, Mozambique, Rwanda, Indonesia, Chad, Namibia, and Algeria, among others It said elections were moments of great vulnerability for democracies ‘As we have seen already, a?single piece of fake news can completely undermine the integrity
of the vote.’

It gave an example as in Slovakia, a few weeks ago, a fake recording of a politician, produced with artificial intelligence, caused confusion.

The danger of this happening is much greater now due to the spread of easy-to-use software capable of producing content in which it is almost impossible to distinguish authentic from artificial to aid disinformation and misinformation. It said the democratic mechanisms for combating this new type of fake news were not ready, but the elections will go ahead.?

‘This is why access to reliable, unimpeded and independent news reporting is all the more decisive during election periods,’ indicating unfortunately, this access is declining in some countries where journalism has been undermined.

Seeing this,?Reporters Without Borders has decided to make election coverage and the integrity of elections one of its priority areas of work in 2024, and ‘we have already launched some diverse initiatives. ‘

‘We are organising training for journalists, we have designe
d a manual on security during elections to be available in several languages, we are distributing protective equipment, and we are making it possible for journalists to have continued online access if the Internet is cut for political reasons.

We are also using the elections for advocacy targeting candidates, urging them to incorporate our specific proposals for promoting the right to reliable reporting into their programmes,’ it concluded.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Omane Boamah explains why EC cannot hold elections in November


Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said there was an overwhelming consensus at the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) Meeting held on Monday, January 29, that any major electoral reforms must be implemented in 2028, and not in 2024.

He said the well thought through decision was to ensure that Ghana had enough time to prepare for the elections.

In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, Dr Omane Boama said: ‘At IPAC yesterday, if the political parties had accepted the November proposal, that would have meant Ghana has only eight clear months to prepare for the elections.’

The EC waited for seven years after 2016 without revisiting the issue only to resurrect the subject of voting in November when Ghana had just 10 clear months to the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, he said.

‘Why did the EC not introduce these discussions, adjustments, and amendments in 2017, 2018, 2019, or better still, why not after the 2020
elections?….’

Meanwhile the EC’s calendar of programmes and activities for the upcoming elections was not yet ready, hence it could not be released to political parties, Dr Omane Boama said.

‘Why wait for January to be ending without stakeholders having the electoral calendar for the 2024 elections?’

‘You don’t wait for an election year to introduce major Electoral Reforms: a year in which the EC has so much to do after an abysmal District Level (Assembly) Elections characterised by postponements after postponements, shortage of ballot papers, some Election Officer’s complicity among others.’

Recalling the Limited Registration of voters in 2023, Dr Omane said: ‘Did you know that another voters’ registration exercise must take place this year? Yet, because the EC’s calendar of activities is not ready, we are left guessing.’

He also mentioned the frequent breakdown of the EC’s equipment and network (system) during the limited registration exercise in 2023, which necessitated shifting to offline registratio
n in some cases.

He said those developments cast some doubts about the procurement of services and equipment and must be investigated and fixed.

Besides, to vote for MPs in November, the EC needed amendment of the 1992 Constitution, Article 112(4).

‘This amendment of a non-entrenched clause requires two-thirds of MPs to pass, meanwhile the MPs themselves must be

in their constituencies for some parts of this year campaigning, and facilitating the registration of voters when the EC finally decides,’ Dr Boama said.

‘Not to think of the duration of the process and other germane issues the EC must bring to the front burner.’

Going forward, Dr Omane Boamah said the EC must immediately release the calendar of activities for 2024.

He recommended that the EC must be focusing on urgent and important activities that would enhance the integrity of the December 7, 2024 elections and punish its erring officials.

‘As was made abundantly clear at the IPAC meeting, we do not expect the EC to wait for another election
year to reintroduce this major reform of voting in November.’

He said the process must end the latest by 2027 to allow political actors enough time in 2028 to concentrate on core concerns in an election year.

In addition, the party was ready to discuss voting on worship days for a workable solution to satisfy people of faith.

Source: Ghana News Agency