Author: lwadmin

Madam Shlomit Sufa, Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, has urged humanity to strive to create a world where the horrors of the past, including the Holocaust, serve as enduring lessons for all.

She said in memory of those who were killed and for future generations, it was a collective obligation of humanity to remember the lessons of the Holocaust, educate younger generations about the committed atrocities, and stand united against ‘forces seeking to divide us’.

‘I stand here filled with a deep sense of pride and purpose. Yet, at the same time, I stand with a heavy heart and a sense of dismay, reflecting on the lessons that remain unlearned, the enduring presence of hate, and the biases that persist uneroded,’ she said in an emotive address to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Accra on Tuesday.

Ambassador Sufa, speaking at the solemn occasion at the residence of the German Ambassador, Mr Daniel Krull, said as a society, ‘we have an obligation to remember and understand the lessons of the Hol
ocaust so that they serve as a warning where blind hate and racism lead.’

As part of the commemoration, guests, including the diplomatic corps, listened virtually to Miriam Prager, Holocaust survivor in Israel, born on December 16, 1942, braving the odds with resilience in the middle of the war in a small village in Skawina, Poland.

As usual, Jewish prayer and candle lighting for those who died was performed by Rabbi Noach Majeski with other clergymen, Amb. Sufa, Amb. Krull and Mr Charles Abani, UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana.

On January 27 each year, the UN remembers the Holocaust that affected many people of Jewish origin during World War II.

This year’s theme, ‘Recognising the Extraordinary Courage of Victims and survivors of the Holocaust’ acknowledges the bravery of those who resisted nazi dehumanisation and fought for their dignity and humanity.

The Holocaust, or Shoah is the term used to describe the deliberate murder and desecration of over six million people prior to and during World War II in
Germany and German occupied areas in Europe.

The Israeli Ambassador said as Jew hatred spiked around the world, ‘we must urgently act to ensure that the Jewish people can live safely, and Jewish life can thrive, be it in Kfar Aza, Kibbutz Be’eri or anywhere else in the world’.

‘Urgent action against anti-Semitism is required,’ she said, emphasising that there was no place in the 21st century for anti-Semitism.

Mr Abani commended the government and people of the State of Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany for collaborating with the UN to commemorate the solemn occasion, and worried that as the world remembered the Holocaust, the world continued to experience some traits of it.

He said despite the experience with the Holocaust, there was growing political instability, escalating hate and religious bigotry, increasingly driven and amplified through social media , artificial intelligence and information technology.

Mr Abani said, in Ghana, the UN continued to work closely with the government and key
stakeholders to promote human rights, sustainable development, and peace while providing support in mitigating the drivers of hate speech and antisemitism in the Ghanaian space.

Mr Daniel Krull, German Ambassador to Ghana, who bowed in deep sorrow and regret, recounted the role Germans played in the Holocaust, reiterated Germany’s unwavering commitment to upholding the values enshrined in the UN Charter, including the respect for human rights for all and commitment to prevent genocide from happening ever again.

Germany, he assured, had chosen the path of peace and reconciliation when it was allowed to join the UN in 1973, some 50 years ago.

The German Ambassador said ever since, the UN had been an important centre piece in German Foreign Policy as reflected in its continued strong support for peace keeping, humanitarian assistance, achieving SDG, and fighting against climate change among others.

‘Germany strongly engages in fostering a rule based international order, governed by rule of law not only by th
e law of force; an international order where the International Court of Justice must play an important role as an institution where any state can request that alleged violations of international law will be investigated and examined,’ Mr Krull said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr. John Dramani Mahama, the leader of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2024 general elections, says the motorcycle transportation industry (Okada) has established itself and is unassailable by any government.

Addressing a huge gathering at the Agormanya Saint Martin’s Parish Hall as part of his Building Ghana tour in the Eastern Region, he said the Okada business has come to stay and cannot be collapsed.

The former president also highlighted the failure of the current government to address the economic challenges and provide employment opportunities for the youth, stating that no government can eliminate the Okada business in the country.

He stated that his stance on Okada riders remains unchanged and that if given another term, he would implement a comprehensive system that includes registering, licencing, and regulating the riders.

This approach aims to provide them with clear guidelines for conducting their business smoothly and without any obstacles.

Mr. Mahama also emphasi
sed the significant impact his upcoming administration will have on local farmers in the Krobo enclaves.

He said a farmer’s cooperative would be established to tackle the difficulties faced by farmers when buying agricultural supplies like fertiliser and seeds.

‘To support farmers, each district will be equipped with a farmer service centre,’ he said.

Adding, ‘These centres will offer a range of essential equipment such as planters, ploughs, tractors, harrows, and more, ensuring that farmers receive the necessary support.’

He expressed optimism that these measures would help revamp the lost agricultural sector of the country and would go a long way towards helping address the current economic woes.

The flagbearer of the NDC is embarking on a two-day building Ghana campaign tour of the Eastern Region from January 30th to 31st.

His itinerary started with a rendezvous at the Peduase Resort in the Akuapem South Constituency, where the former president, who is staging a comeback for Ghana’s highest office, e
ngaged with the Regional Executive Committee and other important stakeholders.

He also visited Anum Palace and paid a courtesy call to Koforidua Zongo Chiefs, as well as attended a durbar with transport unions and traders in Agormenya.

In addition, he addressed a town hall meeting in the New Juaben South Constituency and visited the Asokore SDA Training College in the New Juaben North Constituency, during which both professionals and students presented their concerns about the economy.

The NDC flagbearer attended several events on Wednesday, beginning with a breakfast meeting with the clergy at the Koforidua Eastern Premier Hotel and concluding with paying respects to the Kukurantumi Chief.

Mr. Mahama also connected with local farmers at Ahumanhumasu Pentecost Church and had an engagement with the people at Nsutam Community Centre.

He will end his tour with a rally and roundtable discussion with party executives, demonstrating a strong dedication to grassroots perspectives and party unity.

Source: Ghan
a News Agency

Mr Joseph Kumah Mackay, the Sene West constituency Parliamentary Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bono East Region, has appealed to feuding factions in the Party to reconcile in the interest of the Party.

That, he said would well-position the Party to win more parliamentary seats and ‘break the eight’ in the Elections 2024 and put Ghana on sustainable path of holistic development.

He warned members that the perceived factionalism, internal wrangling and squabbles would put the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the edge, making it extremely difficult for the NPP to break the eight and retain political power in the next general election.

If not tackled with urgency, continuous factionalism could disintegrate and break the Party’s front to narrow its fortunes in winning the Elections 2024, he said.

Mr Mackay, also the Chief Executive Officer of the Middle Belt Development Authority (MBDA), made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a meeting hel
d at Kwame-Danso, the constituency’s capital.

The Parliamentary Candidate met, interacted, and reconciled with the three other parliamentary aspirants of the Party and their followers who contested him in the NPP’s orphan constituency parliamentary primaries.

Mr Mackay said upon the successful election of the NPP’s Parliamentary candidates, it was therefore imperative for them to do more to resolve emerging internal problems and ensure that all disgruntled members and supporters were brought back on board for a vigorous campaign.

He said with absolute unity and a formidable front, the Party would be able to maintain and re-capture the parliamentary seats it lost to the NDC in the Elections 2020.

Mr Mackay explained that he had been the Parliamentary candidate for the NPP since 2008 and his determination was not only to win the Sene West seat, but to also ensure that their Party widened vote margins in the Presidential election too.

‘In fact, it has not been easy, but this time we are sure of winning the
parliamentary seat because our development achievements in the constituency are glaring for all to see,’ he stated.

Accompanied by some Bono East Regional and Sene West constituency executives of the NPP, Mr Mackay later called on members of the Wiase Traditional Council, to introduce himself for support.

Source: Ghana News Agency