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 At the 76th ANYS :  We’ll provide sustainable growth opportunities for all —Veep

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• Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang (fourth left) with dignitaries after the opening ceremony
• Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang (fourth left) with dignitaries after the opening ceremony

The Vice president, Pro­fessor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has reiterated the government’s commitment to providing opportunities for citizens to enjoy sustain­able growth at all levels, both economic and beyond.

She said the government remained focused on creating an enabling environment that en­sures prosperity, reduces poverty, and fosters economic independence for all Ghanaians.

Vice President Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman(left)with Nana Aba Appiah Amfo,Vice Chancellor,UoG amd other dignitries after the opening ceremony

Opening the 76th Annual New Year School and Conference in Accra, she un­derscored the importance of protecting and restoring ecosystems to reverse the degrading effects of activities such as illegal mining and wetlands encroachment, which threaten water bodies and soil fertility.

She stressed that achieving these goals required collective commitment to sustain the planet for future generations.

“Our ability to build inclusive societies for sustainable development lies in living peace­fully with ourselves and our neighbours,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang noted, adding that partnerships were crucial for mobilising re­sources, sharing knowledge, and implement­ing effective strategies.

The three-day event is being organised by the School of Continuing and Distance Edu­cation, College of Education of the Universi­ty of Ghana in partnership with the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), on the theme “Attaining the 5-Ps of Sustainable Development for a Resilient Ghana: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership”.

The Vice President called on stakeholders, including government, the private sector, and local communities, to adopt innovative solutions to address the challenges posed by illegal mining and other harmful practices, particularly in the agricultural sector.

She emphasised that sustainable policies and collaborations were essential to over­coming these environmental and social risks.

Despite Ghana’s limited financial resourc­es, the Vice President said this should not de­ter efforts to achieve transformative change.

She stressed the potential of local ini­tiatives and strategic partnerships to drive growth, urging stakeholders to leverage technology and foster collaboration between the public and private sectors.

One of the key pillars of sustainable devel­opment, she said, was resilience, a trait deeply rooted in the Ghanaian people. “Even in the face of adversity, Ghanaians consistently rise above challenges and push forward with determination.”

She called on all citizens to harness this resilience in pursuit of sustainable develop­ment, noting that the deliberations and out­comes of the conference would play a crucial role in shaping Ghana’s national agenda.

“We owe ourselves the honour of working hard to ensure these pillars of sustainable de­velopment guide our developmental agenda,” she added.

On his part, Executive Director of the IDEG, Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, touched on the need for a “transformative approach” to Ghana’s local government system to ensure it delivered development to all segments of society.

He emphasised the importance of strengthening the framework for local gover­nance to make it more inclusive and develop­ment-oriented.

Dr Akwetey pointed out the ongoing debate about whether the local government system was meeting the needs of the citizen­ry, adding that the expectations were partic­ularly high under the current administration, given the President’s earlier commitment to reforms in the local governance structure.

He recalled a conversation with the Pres­ident during last year’s New Year session on governance reforms, during which the then-candidate expressed his party’s commit­ment to transitioning to a non-partisan elec­tion of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

This proposal, he said aimed at strengthen­ing local governance, has since raised critical questions about its potential to transform the system.

“Will the election of MMDCEs on a non-partisan basis make local government more inclusive, heavily development-orient­ed, and ultimately increase citizen participa­tion in local elections?” Dr Akwetey queried.

He observed that voter turnout in local government elections had remained low over the past three decades, averaging 35 per cent since 1992.

This year, he said saw the lowest turnout, with figures ranging between 63 per cent and 64 per cent, raising concerns about citizens’ disillusionment with service delivery and their aspirations at the grassroots level.

He concluded by encouraging widespread participation, adding that “Let us all be curious and actively engage in this important discussion. Your contributions are vital to charting the way forward.”

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 Heritage Month Ghana trends

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Since the institution of the Heri­tage Month celebration in Ghana, it has offered citizens opportuni­ties of a lifetime to learn about their cultures and lifestyles.

Ghana’s version is observed in the month of March, coinciding with the country’s Independence Day celebra­tions on March 6.

Heritage Month features festivals, food fairs, arts, crafts, and music events to highlight the economic and social value of preserving national heritage.

Though a brainchild of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the celebra­tion has been driven to greater heights by local media with the organisation of several events to create the needed euphoria.

Among the events are the Heritage Caravan and Back To Your Village Food Bazaar pow­ered by Accra-based Citi FM and Citi TV, Wear Ghana Festival and the Gɔbɛ festival powered by 3News.

The Heritage Caravan is a road trip which takes patrons across more than half of Ghana’s regions to offer a distinctive road trip that allows participants to explore the various re­gions of Ghana, providing an up-close encounter with the country’s histori­cal and cultural heritage.

In addition to these roles played by the media, news anchors and other presenters appear on screens immac­ulately garbed in locally made outfits, bringing out the beauty of our tradi­tions.

Today, The Spectator news­paper selected a few of the media personalities that are working to give the cel­ebration a global dimension to project the country.  

 By Andrew Nortey

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 MoMo vendor 24 murdered at Kwadaso

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• Mobile money shop
• Mobile money shop

 A disturbing crime has shaken the Kwadaso Onion market communi­ty in Kumasi, leaving family and friends grieving the loss of a young life.

Identified only as Junior, a 24-year-old mobile money vendor, was found murdered in his room on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

According to eyewitnesses, Junior had returned home the previous day with a substantial amount of money, over Gh¢20,000.

It was suspected that the killers might have been motivated by the large sum of money in Junior’s posses­sion.

A police source that confirmed this to The Spectator, said investigation has been launched into Junior’s mur­der, but so far, no arrests have been made.

The Kwadaso community is reeling in shock, calling for justice and an end to the atrocity that has claimed the life of a young and promising individ­ual.

Junior, is believed to be a native of Ejisu Onwe, and was known to his col­leagues and friends as a hardworking and diligent individual who worked at the Kumasi Race Course.

His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the risks and challenges mobile money vendors faced.

The incident comes barely a month after Patricia Nimako, a 27-year-old Mobile Money (MoMo) vendor, was shot and killed at Krofrom, Kumasi in the Ashanti region by an unknown assail­ants.

The suspected armed robbers fled with the deceased cell phones and an amount of GH¢10,000 on Thursday, February 13, at approximately 3:00 p.m.

The two armed robbers reportedly stormed the kiosk where the deceased was operating and without any provo­cation shot her dead.

There has not been any arrest yet by the police.

 From Kingsley E. Hope , Kumasi

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 Learn how to prepare local dishes…Queen mothers urge young women

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• Some local dishes

 In a heartwarming display of inter­generational wisdom, queen moth­ers from local communities in the Obuasi enclave shared their expertise on how to prepare local diets with young ladies on the International Women’s Day event, courtesy of An­gloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine.

Beyond the fanfare, these revered women leaders took centre stage to impart a vital life skill: traditional cooking as they guided eager students and other young ladies through the art of preparing local delicacies.

In fact, the aroma of ‘Abunabunu’, ‘Aprapransa’, ‘Enuhu’, ‘Akaw’, ‘Tuo Zafi’ (TZ), among others, wafted through the air to the extent it could attract people from a distance, as the queen mothers entertained the young women with tales of resilience, entrepreneurship, and community building.

This year’s International Wom­en’s Day Celebration was under the theme: ‘Accelerate Action for Wom­en’s Equity.’

As the event drew to a close, the queen mothers gave words of wisdom upon their young guests.

From Nana Amoanima Dede, Queen mother of Adansi she stated that: “Never forget your roots, and always remember that the kitchen is not just a place for cooking, but for building connections and forging communi­ties.”

Nana Akua Dwum II, Queen moth­er of Edubiase, on her part urged the young ladies to learn how to prepare traditional dishes in order to preserve cultural heritage of the nation.

Earlier, the Managing Director of the mining company, Samuel Boakye Pobee, mentioned their readiness to roll out an “All-Women Apprentice­ship Programme, aimed at empow­ering young women in the Obuasi communities in entrepreneurship.”

He said the project would include women in basic technical skills and their capacity building to boost their employability to reshape perceptions of women’s roles in traditionally male-dominated industries.

According to the Managing Director, the mining company’s commitment “is to empower young people with specialised skills, and progressive knowledge to make them financially independent.”

The company, he indicated, was accelerating action towards wom­en’s equality at the Obuasi Mine and within host communities with the aim to build a foundation to create an inclusive and supportive business culture.

Mr Pobee expressed the need for innovative approaches and dedicated efforts to encourage and invest in women’s participation in all fields, including all levels of technical and operational areas and must be inten­tional and deliberate.”

 From Kingsley E. Hope, Obuasi

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