Business24 Newspaper 1st October, 2021

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

BUSINESS24.COM.GH

Friday October 1, 2021

NO. B24 / 255 | News for Business Leaders

First National Bank CEO hails Ghana.Gov payment platform

Tullow Group CEO commends GSE for contribution to economic development

See page 5

See page 13

‘Private sector, academia collaboration key to AfCFTA success’

By Patrick Paintsil p_paintsil@hotmail.com

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By Eugene Davis

ublicly listed oil palm producer, Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP) Plc, says it is exploring new options to raise patient capital to finance its plan to double both production capacity and value and also position the company for sustainable growth.

The company intends to raise the new funds either through the bank or the local bourse, according to

ugendavis@gmail.com

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obilising the power of the private sector, academia and the African Diaspora community to drive African integration will not only aid countries to recover swiftly from the pandemic but engender growth in their economies, Professor Joshua Abor, the immediate past dean of the University of Ghana Business School, has said.

According to him, such Cont’d on page 2

Benso Oil Palm seeks fresh capital to double output

The AfCFTA is the largest free trade area since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation.

See page 3

Businesses must invest in IT professionals to counter cyber-attacks, says expert

By Eugene Davis ugendavis@gmail.com

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n order for the country to effectively combat cyberattacks and bridge the digitisation gap, businesses would have to scale up the training of their IT professionals, Samuel Boateng, CEO of Slamm Technologies, has advocated.

Government, through the

Samuel Boateng, CEO of Slamm Technologies

Cont’d on page 3

Cont’d on page 2 Cont’d on page 2

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Editorial / News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

Editorial

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Why Ghana’s axle load control programme must work

or a long time, the harmonization of the implementation of the regional axle weighing regulations has remained a significant hurdle, due to a combination of internal and external factors.

There were many false starts, where Ghana, in haste and through its good intentions, was left to implement a good but restrictive policy to its disadvantage, which defied the original purpose of this good initiative, according to Ziad Hamoui of the Borderless Alliance.

The Axle Load Control Program is a sub-regional intervention that is designed to ensure that all loaded trucks that ply our roads are within the prescribed and permissible axle load, gross

weight and dimension limits in accordance with the provisions in the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180).

The programme seeks to ensure good and safe road network for transit trade, improve travel time and reduce road maintenance cost and, consequently, contribute to accelerated socio-economic growth and development.

Ghana’s road networks have seen substantial increase in heavy haulage vehicles in the distribution of goods both internally and beyond our borders.

The vehicles that cart these transit goods are mostly overloaded far exceeding legal limits, accounting for the rapid deterioration of our road networks.

The Axle Load Policy, which was finalized in 2004, was therefore to help reduce the incidence of overloading to limit deterioration whilst preserving our road network.

It is therefore unfortunate that the programme has failed to make the right impact largely due to deliberate attempts to sabotage its effective implementation by some malfeasants in the system.

There is the need for a clear action plan to resolve these challenges, through a comprehensive, honest and professional dialogue, which will help us enhance the movement of commercial goods and economic operators in the country, without compromising on the security of our corridors or the quality of our road infrastructure.

‘Private sector, academia collaboration key to AfCFTA success’ Continued from cover

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collaborations are important in the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) project.

Speaking at the virtual African Academic Diaspora Homecoming 2021 on the theme “Roll-Out of AfCFTA: Implications for Private Sector-Diaspora Collaborations”, Prof. Abor, who is a member of the Policy and Advocacy Advisory Committee of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said trade associations and chambers of commerce must communicate the potential benefits of the AfCFTA to local businesses.

This will foster partnerships between domestic businesses and help promote investment in tradable sectors to increase export revenue, he added.

AfCFTA, he said, presents a wealth of opportunities for the Diaspora and those interested in doing business on the continent, through the identification of trade goals, mapping Diaspora location and skills, and

ultimate encouragement of Diasporan contribution to trade development.

The role of academia, he added, will come in the form of capacity building and through tapping the expertise of African academics in the Diaspora on policy and business issues related to the AfCFTA. At the beginning of this year,

African countries officially began trading under the AfCFTA, which aims to bring together 1.3 billion people in a US$3.4 trillion economic bloc.

The AfCFTA is the largest free trade area since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation.

Economists say the trade zone could lift tens of millions out of poverty over the next 15 years.

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News

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Businesses must invest in IT professionals to counter cyber-attacks, says expert Continued from cover Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, will from October 1 to 31 launch the cybersecurity awareness month aimed at intensifying capacity building and awareness creation efforts on cybercrime and cybersecurity issues.

This, according to Mr. Boateng, is in the right direction, since there is an upsurge of digital platforms which are exposed to cybersecurity incidents.

Speaking with the media in Accra ahead of the cybersecurity awareness month, he said: “For most businesses, they need to put the right systems in place; they need to have the end-point detection systems in place. Also, we need to think about creating a system that can identify any vulnerabilities and weaknesses or risks, so that organisations can be safe when using online platforms.

I recommend proper security training for IT professionals to enable them forestall cyberattacks.”

Government this month designated some companies as

Mr. and Mrs. Boateng, the brains behind Slamm Technologies

critical information infrastructure for the purpose of introducing measures and standards to strengthen their cybersecurity.

Mr. Boateng called for the system to be decentralised, saying, “Every region needs a separate repository, a security operation centre, if the country is to make a meaningful change.”

He also advised businesses to conduct periodic IT audits to make sure they do not have pirated software in their systems.

The CEO of Slamm Technologies also urged government to trust local IT experts and move away from outsourcing IT-related projects to foreign companies.

He added that Ghana’s

cybersecurity law has to be implemented to the letter, if the country is to counter the growing threat of cybercrime.

Slamm Technologies is a fastrising cybersecurity firm that has trained close to 39,000 persons in its 1 million campaign aimed at training people in basic IT skills.

Benso Oil Palm seeks fresh capital to double output Continued from cover its director and general manager, Samuel Avaala Awonnea.

“With oil palm production, you’re not going to harvest anything in the first four years.

So, you’ll need patient capital with a four-year moratorium and up to ten-year span. Therefore, selling of shares or raising patient capital from the stock market will be the right way to go,” he said at BOPP’s turn on the Ghana Stock

Exchange’s Facts behind the Figures programme.

“We are also in talks with some banks who have shown interest in what we’re doing; we want to explore all the options of raising capital to finance our plan to

Mr. Samuel Avaala Awonnea (middle) and other management members of BOPP at the virtual session

double the production levels and value of the company,” he added.

BOPP posted a half-year profit of GH¢37.8m, representing 289 percent of the prior year level and 198 percent of plan, and a full-year 2020 profit of GH¢24.6m, which was a 256 percent growth over the GH¢9.8m that was recorded in 2019.

Mr. Awonnea attributed the 2021 half-year topline growth to bullish crude palm oil prices and higher crop productivity.

The impressive performance also comes on the back of sustained operational efficiencies and strong production volumes.

According to him, the company looks set to maintain the strong profit trend to the end of the year by leveraging its core competencies for production and taking advantage of the bullish world market price trend.

“BOPP is committed to conducting its business in a socially responsible and ecologically sustainable manner and to using internationally accepted best practices which deliver sustainable stakeholder and shareholder value,” he added.

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News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

First National Bank CEO hails Ghana.Gov payment platform

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he Chief Executive Officer of First National Bank Ghana, Dominic Adu, has hailed the implementation of Ghana.Gov, an easy to manage digital payment platform for the government, as an outstanding intervention for the Ghanaian economic system.

Mr. Adu remarked that providing one platform to streamline transactions — ranging from simple to complex — is no easy task.

“When it comes to digitizing such payments and moving away from the paper check it may seem hard because it involves some level of complexity and tech heavy lifting,” Mr. Adu says.

“But it gets much easier when the platform delivers a clear digital workflow processes around those complexities, making sure that both people in that scenario are engaged, that they’ve both authorized the payment — and that the money will go where it’s supposed to go.

I believe this is a hallmark of the Ghana.gov platform and we all need to embrace the good of it.”

The Ghana.Gov platform, as explained by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, is a

Mr. Dominic Adu – CEO, First National Bank Ghana

one-stop platform to enable citizens easily access government services, simplify payments for public services, ensure prompt payments for the services and promote transparency and visibility of internally generated funds. This single payment access and revenue collection platform is estimated to boost revenue collection to GHS3billion annually, significantly the hassle of long queues and commute

to pay for government services and help Ghana to derive the benefits of expense saving of GHS250million every year.

First National Bank has just been onboarded to the Ghana.

Gov platform as a recipient of payments on behalf of the government.

“Having plugged into the platform, we are now able to offer our customers and the general public a wide range of options

in terms of payments for goods and services from government ministries and agencies,” he says.

“All our branches are now receiving payment for administrative fees, levies, rates, taxes, and other revenues to the various ministries, departments, agencies and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembles (MMDAs) listed on the platform.”

Transport Minister inaugurates GPHA, ISTC boards

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he Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has urged members of the governing boards of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and InterCity State Transport Corporation (ISTC)

to work in harmony and avoid conflicts, especially between the chief executives and board chairs.

He said fostering good relationships with the managements of the institutions they will be supervising is the

only way to achieve great results.

Team work, he added, should not be compromised, stressing that President Akufo-Addo appointed all of them to work together to realise the goals of the government.

The board chair of GPHA, Isaac Osei, who delivered an acceptance speech on behalf of the two boards, promised they will work together and bring their experiences to bear in achieving the policy direction of government.

He said their failure or success would be a legacy for the Ministry of Transport, urging all members to tolerate each other and work for the common good of Ghana.

Members of the board of ISTC include Kennedy Osei Nyarko (chairman), Nana Akomea, Irene Odokai Messiba, Eva Esselba Mends, Richard Asante Yeboah, Zibrim Yamusah, and Jaezi Orleans-Lindsay.

For GPHA, the board has 11 members, comprising Isaac Osei, Micheal Luguje, Mabel Asi Sagoe, Benonita Bismarck, Capt.

Ebenezer Afadzi, Sandra Opoku, Clement Osei-Amoako, Adam Imoru Ayarna, Ing. Dr. Micheal Adjei Anyetei, Francisca Oteng Mensah, and Samuel Kofi Arhin.

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Health

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

Orca Deco supports Rebecca Foundation with hospital beds

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rca Deco (Ghana) Limited has presented 176 hospital beds worth GH¢200,000.00 to the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, through The Rebecca Foundation in Accra.

This gesture forms part of Orca Deco’s commitment and the first lady’s resolve to supporting the government’s commitment to reducing the “no bed syndrome” in Ghana’s health facilities.

At a ceremony to receive the beds, Mrs. Akufo-Addo thanked Orca Deco for always responding to calls from her outfit to support the people of Ghana particularly on issues affecting women, children and the vulnerable.

She recounted how Orca Deco was the first to donate 7,000 food boxes when The Rebecca Foundation launched the Relief Boxes Challenge to call on retailers to donate what they could to help those in need during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic which

led to the lockdown of Accra and Kumasi.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo reiterated the commitment of the foundation to promoting the well-being of all Ghanaian women and children and said it would continue to work earnestly in their interest.

She called on well-meaning corporate organisations to partner with her outfit to address challenges identified in the health and the education sectors.

Managing Partner at Orca Deco, Mr. Rayan Sharara, lauded the efforts of the First Lady towards providing support for maternal and child healthcare in Ghana adding that Orca has grown to be a household name in Ghana due to the support and patronage of the Ghanaian people hence Orca is always eager and joyous to take any step to alleviate any form of a societal challenge particularly in matters prevalent among women and children.

He added that the

phenomenon of lack of beds in hospitals for new patients, particularly in the emergency departments commonly called the ‘No Bed Syndrome’ which sometimes results in preventable deaths is very disheartening and

worrisome.

Mr. Sharara used the occasion to assure the first lady and the people of Ghana of Orca’s continued support to make lives better in all facets of the Ghanaian society.

Stanbic Bank donates health equipment to Agona Abrem Health Center Bank Group’s unwavering Chief of Abrem Agona facility Joyce Abrokwa and the

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tanbic Bank Ghana has donated hospital equipment valued at GHc20,000.00 to the maternity unit of the Abrem Agona Health Centre in the Central Region.

The items included two (2) delivery beds, three (3) babies cot, two (2) recovery beds,10,000litter water tank and a television set.

Presenting the items, Brand & Marketing Manager, Bennet Frimpong, noted that the donation is in line with Standard

commitment to support better health outcomes for the people of Africa.

“Ghana is our home; we drive her growth; and there is no way a country can grow without good healthcare delivery because health is wealth. These items, we’re certain, will go a long way to benefit the people within and outside this community, and also afford our valuable health workers here (who are beneficiaries of our Joypack offering) some comfort and peace to go about their duties,” he said.

Traditional Area, Nana Teiko V who received the items on behalf of the community had this to say: “There’s only one delivery bed in this hospital which is currently in a very bad state because it’s been in use since 1975. Pregnant women in labour have had no choice but to wait and use the bed in turns, or “do it” on equally bad available unprescribed beds. The people of Agona and my good self are extremely grateful to Stanbic Bank for this gesture, and we’ll eternally remain so”.

Physician Assistant at the

Assembly man for the area Hon. Cosmos Anthony heaped praises on the bank for the donation and promised to ensure the items are put to good use.

Mr. Daniel Afari Djan, Employee Value Banking Manager at Stanbic Bank, also took the opportunity to introduce the bank’s ‘JoyPack’ proposition to the health practitioners that had gathered at the short ceremony.

He mentioned that “The ‘JoyPack’ is a total financial care solution that has been put together in recognition of the significant role health workers play in the growth and development of the country”.

The ‘JoyPack’ offer gives health care workers packages that ease their financial burdens.

The packages include a salary advance, mortgage schemes that caters for the accommodation of nurses and midwives and insurance that offers funeral and life assurance covers” Other dignitaries present at the ceremony included Nana Terpor V, Omanhene of the Agona Abrem community, Honorable Cosmos Anthony Cobbinah and Honorable Emmanuel Amoaful both Assemblymen of the Agona Abrem community and other sub chiefs of the Agona Abrem Traditional Area.

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

Literacy Challenge winner named Vodafone’s Instant Schools Ambassador

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odafone Ghana Foundation has announced Alfred Anarfi Kyeremanteng, winner of the 2021 edition of Citi FM’s ‘The Literacy Challenge’, as the national ambassador for its e-learning app, ‘Instant Schools’.

The 15-year-old Alfred Anarfi who is a pupil of the Happy Kids School in Accra is expected to drive Instant School awareness campaign across the country.

Speaking on the Instant Schools, Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, Nana Amaris Perbi, said the initiative is aimed at providing online learning materials to millions of young people.

“Instant Schools’ is developed in conjunction with Learning Equality – a leading not-forprofit provider of open-source educational technology solutions.

It hosts global and national

content in local languages, providing tailored learning materials to millions of young people.

‘Instant Schools’ intends to curate the content to align with the local curriculum. ‘Instant Schools’ provides access to

essential educational resources, including subjects such as Mathematics and Science from primary to the secondary level,” he said.

He added “We also believe this initiative will help children who do not benefit from traditional

schooling. Instant Schools is designed for the primary level to high students”.

The Instant Schools app is available on all Smart devices and computers. The service is free for Vodafone Ghana subscribers.

Customers will not be charged for data usage within Ghana; however, data charges apply to subscribers who access the service outside the country.

Non-Vodafone subscribers and customers using broadband/WiFi will incur data charges.

From interactive textbooks to online exercises and videos, Instant Schools provide an engaging and exciting content that ensures nobody is left behind with their education. Access is simple, all learners and teachers need is a data connection to the Vodafone network.

Samsung unveils 2021 premium product line-up

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t an event held at PomonaGhana, Samsung unveiled it’s 2021 Premium product line-up, designed to bring new experiences to homes in Ghana.

The new productsnspired by the multifunctional home concept where living rooms are now doubling as gyms, movie theatres and versatile offices.

This was Samsung’s inspiration for a new kind of home in which appliances are beautifully designed, flexible to fit every lifestyle, and seamlessly connected for maximum convenience.

The 2021 line-up includes the Neo QLED 8K TV range which ushers in a new era in TV technology. It delivers amazingly innovative display technology designed for a world where the TV has become more than a viewing experience.

Neo QLED clearly rises to the challenge of our new world in a big way. Complementing its vivid picture quality, Neo QLED features a premium Infinity One Design and Object Tracking Sound Pro that ensure that the TVs look and sound incredible from every angle – with cinema-like viewing experiences – in breath-taking 8K. The Frame TV is a one-of-kind innovation - pioneering visual technology that seamlessly transforms between a TV and a gallery-like display. It’s an uber-stylish TV that combines

innovative design and stunning 4K QLED picture quality with incredible Smart TV capabilities.

Through its versatile design, including a detachable metal floor stand as well as its iconic I-shape profile you can enjoy the view of your TV from all angles with The Serif TV’s harmonious design.

The sublime TV seamlessly integrates into your personal style and interior décor.

The Premiere, Samsung’s new 4K Ultra Short Throw laser projector, which is now available in Ghana. The new 4K laser projector provides a big picture cinematic experience in the comfort of one’s home. The Premiere is a new anchor product in Samsung’s award-winning Lifestyle product portfolio that is set to transcend the display experience – without the display.

Samsung’s pioneering WindFree™ air conditioner creates a gentle and mild air flow, evenly distributed through tens

of thousands of micro holes, so people in the room feel almost no wind - just comfortable cool air.

The pioneering technology includes a specialised Tri-Care filter to keep the air in your home clean and hygienic. Another bonus is the Good Sleep mode, an innovation that automatically manages the temperature of your room while you are sleeping to optimise the various stages of your sleep cycle. It also operates with less noise and is designed to be energy efficient.

Samsung knows how frustrating it is to discover a few items of clothing left behind after you have already started a laundry cycle. With the Samsung AddWash™ washing machine this is no longer a problem as you can simply open the hatch and add forgotten clothes after a cycle has already started. This energy efficient innovation also lets you pop in hand-washed clothes that you just want to rinse or spin

dry. You can even add a special softener anytime you want.

Samsung's ingenious FlexZone innovation available in selected fridges offer flexibility and convenience for large families and those that love to cook and entertain. This drawer offers separate temperature settings, to meet your ever-changing needs; Meat/Fish, Cold Drinks, Deli/ Snacks, and Wine/Party Dishes.

Plus, the customisable Smart Divider allows easy, personalised organisation within the drawer.

“Samsung is committed to endless innovation, designed for every need. We believe in the power of technology to make life better throughout the home.

By listening to the needs of Ghanaians, we are excited to offer a product line-up designed to empower everyone to see, hear, touch, feel and experience their homes in incredible new ways, “said Lucas Lee, MD- Samsung, Ghana

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GRA to streamline online tax filing

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he Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) says it will streamline and improve its online filing system to enable taxpayers to file their taxes with ease across multiple devices.

The Reverend Ammishaddai Owusu Amoah, CommissionerGeneral of the GRA, announced in a speech read on his behalf during the sod cutting for the construction of the authority’s Information Technology (IT) Training Centre in Tema.

Rev. Amoah said using third party data as well as GRA’s transactional data would be able to pre-populate returns and offer pre-filing certifications to improve the accuracy of submissions.

He said as of July 1, 2021, the GRA was completely cashless and taxpayers now make payments using the various digital channels provided at the banks.

He added that GRA also embarked on a campaign to drive the adoption of digital payments for Vehicle Income Tax by commercial vehicle owners, saying “currently a significant number of commercial vehicle owners are paying their quarterly VIT obligations by mobile money

using the *222 functionality on the Ghana.gov payment platform.”

The Commissioner-General noted that the cashless initiative had so far achieved close to a 100 per cent reduction in dishonoured cheques and a significant reduction in traffic at the offices.

He said the Authority was also poised to deploy systems to enhance tax administration of electronic services in Ghana such as web-hosting, online shopping, and online betting, among others

in addition to rent tax systems.

Rev Amoah further disclosed that GRA would use web analytics, customer relationship systems and other digital tools to manage and serve the taxpayer across multi-channels be it by phone, social media, chat boxes or digital assistants.

GRA, he said, uses social media, SMS, innovative advertising in addition to traditional media platforms to create awareness, adding that it was evident that the authority’s digital transformation

would require various specific skills ranging from programming, analytics, configuration, testing and systems integration.

He said the IT Training Centre when completed and operationalized in November 2022 would serve as an incubation centre for innovation and training for staff providing fast turnaround business solutions to meet the ever-changing expectations of taxpayers.

GNA

UPSA graduate, Elikem Ziorklui elected President of Graduate Students in Ohio University

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oseph Elikem Kofi Ziorklui, a graduate of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has been elected as President of the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) at Ohio University in

the United States of America.

Mr. Ziorklui, becomes the first Ghanaian to hold such a prominent position in the history of the university, joining the unending list of UPSA graduates

occupying key positions and making giant strides on the world stage.

Elikem – a native of Atiavi in the Volta Region – started out as the Treasurer of the GSS a few months

ago, but quickly got elevated to the position of President.

He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Financial Economics at Ohio University.

Prior to enrolling at Ohio University, the enterprising young man had his tertiary education with the professional university where he acquired an MBA in Accounting and Finance and a Bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance in 2018 and 2015 respectively.

He also served as the Treasurer for the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) in the 2014/2015 academic year.

Elikem is a proud product of the Keta Business College in the Volta Region, Ghana.

The Graduate Student Senate is the leading student body government at Ohio University representing the needs, interests, and opinions of all graduate and professional students.

GSS takes care of the interests, concerns, and needs of all the 5,000-plus master’s and PhD students in the university.

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News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

More COVID vaccines expected from Germany

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hana is set to receive an additional 385,000 doses AstraZeneca vaccines for protection against coronavirus (COVID-19) to help in its plan to get over 20 million people in the country vaccinated against the infection.

This was made known last Sunday when Germany honoured its promise and delivered 1.5million doses of vaccines as promised Ghana through COVAX. The latest delivery, made up of 27 palettes of vaccines from Cologne, Germany, arrived via global logistics giant DHL, which provided a cargo plane to ensure safe and fast delivery.

The first batch made up of 389,200 doses, were delivered on September 13 and when the third batch of vaccines is finally delivered, it will bring to 2.3million doses, the amount of vaccines the Germany Government has donated to Ghana.

The vaccines which arrived early last Sunday, were received

by Germany’s Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Daniel Krull who immediately handed over to the Ministry of Health led by Deputy Minister of Health, Alhaji Mahama Asei Seini.

The donation from the German government is in fulfilment of a promise the outgoing German Chancellor, Ms Angela Merkel made to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the Compact with Africa Summit in

Berlin on August 27, 2021.

The arrival of the first has enabled Ghana to roll out a new phase of nationwide vaccination exercise which began last Friday (Sept 24).

In a brief remark, Mr Krull said he was excited about the timely arrival of the second batch of doses as it would enable Ghana to effectively roll out the national general vaccination exercise.

“We are happy that the second batch of the vaccines have arrived at the time it has because it means that Ghana's vaccination campaign can continue without much concern over the availability of vaccines and if the exercise can be sustained,” he said He also stressed the importance for nations who could afford to help others to ensure that almost everyone was vaccinated and

safe.

The Ambassador further indicated that Germany was happy to support COVAX which was helping to vaccinate people worldwide as the only way to prevent the risk of constant new mutations of the virus.

“Indeed, nobody is safe until everybody is safe,” he emphasised.

Apart from the support in the provision of vaccines, the German government has also supported with technical support and logistics to help Ghana fight the pandemic.

Currently, the German Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG) is providing theoretical and practical training in nextgeneration sequencing of viruses as well as bioinformatics analyses at the Kumasi Centre for

Collaborative Research (KCCR) to enable the Ghanaian authorities to identify potential new Coronavirus variants of concern.

Alhaji Seini thanked the German Government though through the Ambassador and DHL for organising the shipment which ensured the timely arrival of the consignment.

He said that was a boost to the plans to get everyone vaccinated and encouraged all eligible persons to avail themselves for the jab.

“The only way we can all be safe is to protect ourselves and one another. With the availability of vaccines, there is no excuse not to go for the jab and I will encourage all who are eligible to go and receive the shot. It is free and easily accessible,” the Deputy Health Minister said.

Coral Reef Innovation hub, GAAS partner to enhance education technologies

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oral Reef Innovation Hub in partnership with the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) will seek to explore and develop in the EdTech policy space, a well-documented action steps and plans to bridge the gaps and propose effective implementation advice in support of quality education in Ghana.

The policy dialogue will provide an avenue for policy briefings within the sector and sharing of knowledge to enhance education outcomes and support the seamless implementation of the policy.

“In view of the fact that, GAAS encourages the creation, acquisition, dissemination and utilization of knowledge for national development through the promotion of learning, such a partnership seeks to tap into the expertise of the learned society for an initial period of forty eight (48) months within which we are expected to have impacted on

policy issues and also contributed immensely to enhancing the quality of education in Ghana by addressing challenges and problems.

In actualising the partnership, Coral Reef and GAAS are organising the Accra education technology info session and policy hackathon (EdTech Accra) on the 13th of October that is expected to serve as an opportunity to engage relevant education sector stakeholders; school decision makers, parents, policy makers, investors, development actors and agencies among others on the challenges, solutions and prospects in integrating educational technologies into improving education outcomes.

Participants will be introduced to education technology solutions including an opportunity to engage in experiential learning,” the company said.

Additionally, it said participants will take part in a policy dialogue

on how to address the lingering challenges in the implementation of policies that guides the harnessing of technologies in education.

Coral Reef Innovation Hub is a company with a core focus on developing technology infrastructure broadband enabled devices, content, training and resources.

In partnership with world class hardware suppliers and content providers, the company prepares young people to participate in the 21st century’s fourth industrial revolution through the leveraging of government policies and private sector partnerships.

The company, through a research and solutions hackathon, has adopted a regional approach to engaging with school decision makers, education stakeholders, policy makers and entrepreneurs

to understand the nuances and unique dynamics in the integration of education technologies and the challenges in the ICT for Accelerated Development policy of government and also explore potential solutions that work locally with stakeholders.

While the highlights captured in the hackathon may not fully reflect the needs of all the regions in Ghana, the findings present insights for reflections and inform what strategies to prioritise in order to advance the embrace and adoption of technology to achieve quality, equity, inclusion and sustainability in education.

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

China Focus: Chinese market breeding new fashion for African product consumption

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s China's imports from Africa increase rapidly, entrepreneurs are fostering new fashions of consumption in the country by matching African products of high-quality and added value with diversified demand of consumers.

Wu Kunyang, a woman in her 30s and mother of two children, laid out cosmetic products containing natural ingredients from African plants at the exhibition centre for African cocoa.

It is one of the main exhibition centres for African products at the Gaoqiao Grand Market, a subvenue of the second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, which runs from Sunday to Wednesday in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province.

Five years ago, her skin was sensitive and flaking. At that time, although her salary was lower than the average level, she would spend one-third of her income on big-brand skincare products.

"Spending a lot of money on popular brands did not solve my problem," she said, "I came across the cure when my husband's African schoolmate sent us his mom's hand-made shea oil."

Fascinated by the effect of the unique African plant, Wu

was determined to introduce cosmetic products with natural African ingredients to Chinese consumers. In 2016, she cofounded the brand named "Shea and Cocoa" with her husband and built a supply chain of high-quality natural ingredients from Africa with the support of partners.

Targeting Chinese consumers' demand for safe and natural skincare products, the company spent around 70 percent of its revenue on research and development, cooperating with multiple universities.

The products sold online via social media garnered many "likes" from Chinese consumers.

Some of them even opened brickand-mortar stores in the cities of Shanghai, Xiamen, and Yantai.

"Sales of our brand soared to about 10 million yuan (about 1.55 million U.S. dollars) in 2020 from 500,000 yuan in 2019, as consumption demand upgraded and Chinese consumers have strong will to replace chemical cosmetic products with natural and healthy ones after the COVID-19 outbreak," Wu said, optimistic about the market potential for Africa's natural cosmetics.

She was not alone in promoting the imports of highquality produce from Africa. In

the exhibition hall of the African cocoa marketing centre where her booth was, various cocoa products ranging from chocolate gift sets to cocoa ice cream, from flower-shaped aerated chocolate to blind boxes, were displayed.

As the COVID-19 pandemic blocked traditional cocoa export channels, China's massive consumer market provides new opportunities for African producers, said Zhong Linbo, manager of the African Cocoa Marketing Centre in China.

The centre aims to set up a whole industrial chain covering production, processing, design, research and development, and branding while encouraging innovations to satisfy consumers' diverse tastes, he said.

To better engage with consumers, entrepreneurs also attached greater significance to customers' experience and added value of culture when promoting their products in China.

A coffee store named "Own Master" opened at the market during the expo. Positioning itself as a coffee culture museum, the store pilots promoting African coffee and African culture in the Chinese market.

"Thanks to the development of China-Africa trade cooperation, we can directly purchase highquality coffee from African

plantations and have obtained the license for roasting coffee on the spot," said Jing Jianhua, founder of the store.

"African coffee is of very high quality," said Jing, who plans to constantly improve customers' experience by satisfying their demand with tailored products and open up to 500 coffee shops in three to five years.

To promote African commodities in China, a livestreaming e-commerce festival took place at the ChinaAfrica E-commerce Livestreaming Incubator of the Gaoqiao market during the expo, with 62 special sales events organized in 10 livestreaming rooms. It sold a variety of products, including coffee, sesame, pepper, wine, handicrafts, and home supplies.

Kilimall, one of the major Chinese e-commerce platforms operating in East Africa, also created sales channels on WeChat and organized group purchase activities to boost the consumption of African products in China.

Currently, coffee, dried mango, and wine are more popular among Chinese consumers, said Qin Wen, co-founder of the company. "In the future, we will strive to introduce more high-quality African products to Chinese consumers."

‘Faulty scales, bad practices hinder axle load regime’

By Patrick Paintsil p_paintsil@hotmail.com

T

he Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Ms. Benonita Bismarck, has cited the use of faulty and inaccurate axle weighing scales, non-adherence to protocols at weighing stations, and possible tampering with the axle weighing scales by personnel at axle stations as some barriers to the smooth enforcement of the axle load policy regime in the country.

The Axle Load Control Programme is a sub-regional intervention that is designed to ensure that all loaded trucks that ply the country’s roads are within the prescribed and permissible axle load, gross weight and dimension limits in accordance with the provisions in the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I.

2180).

The programme seeks to ensure a good and safe road network for transit trade, improve travel time and reduce road maintenance cost.

“We must get a firm handle on the implementation of the axle load control programme in this country and save not only our

roads but also facilitate a more efficient and effective transit trade value chain that will be the most competitive in the subregion,” she told a roundtable of key stakeholders in the transit trade and transport industry.

Other challenges stifling the programme, she said, were nonadherence to protocols at the

axle weighing stations, cargo agents conspiring with officials to manipulate the system, unregulated operations of agents loading cargo outside the ports, and deliberate coercion of drivers and truck owners by agents to overload.

Organised by the Transit Shipper Committee, which is one of the platforms created by the GSA, the roundtable was to help harness the contributions and efforts of key stakeholders in the transit trade value chain to address bottlenecks and find innovative and sustainable solutions for transit trade through Ghana’s corridors.

The authority, Ms. Bismarck said, will continue to proffer solutions to the challenges of shippers in the country whilst ensuring world best practices to make the business of shipping more efficient and competitive.

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News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

SEND Ghana commends Cocobod for introducing digitised weighing scale

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END Ghana has commended the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for taking proactive steps towards the usage of digitised weighing scales for dried cocoa beans at the point of sale starting October 1, 2021.

The move, meant to eradicate fraudulent practices allegedly perpetrated by Purchasing Clerks (PCs), at the point of sale, is seen as a significant step for Ghana’s cocoa sector, considering its potential positive impact on the incomes of cocoa farmers.

Dr Emmanuel Ayifah, Deputy Country Director, SEND Ghana, said the Organisation had keenly followed the COCOBOD’s efforts to ensure cocoa farmers earned a decent income, including the introduction and passage of the use of non-adjustable weighing scales to aid farmers in realising expected income from the sale of their cocoa beans.

He said a study commissioned

by SEND Ghana in 2019 called attention to the adjustment of manual weighing scales by PCs, which adversely impacted the income of cocoa farmers.

The report, titled, “Assessing farm gate pricing and income of cocoa farmers: A case study of cocoa farmers in the Agona East District,” said up to 11 kilograms of dried cocoa beans were being

“stolen” from farmers during weighing.

Dr Ayifah in a statement said the fraudulent act was also identified in COCOBOD monitoring findings in a subsequent documentary by an Accra based media house on scale tampering within the cocoa sector.

“Together, these reports formed the basis for renewed calls and advocacy for the regulator (COCOBOD) to prioritise phasing out manual weighing scales and introducing electronic scales to check illegal adjustments,” it said.

The statement said the recent announcement of the arrival and distribution of 40,000 tamper-

proof electronic sealable weighing scales to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) in fulfilment of the COCOBOD’s commitment to permanently resolve the longstanding threat of fraudulent weighing scale adjustments came to SEND Ghana as good news.

It said while they commended the COCOBOD on that milestone, they wished to also highlight the need for consistent monitoring and follow-ups to ascertain the rate of usage for the new scales

by LBCs and their PCs. Additionally, intensive awareness-raising must be done at the farmer level to ensure that all farmers were informed about

the electronic scales and demand their usage at points of sale.

The statement called on actors engaging cocoa farmers, including the Ghana Civil-Society Cocoa Platform and other civil society organizations (CSOs), to sensitise farmers on the digital scales and build their confidence to insist on the usage of the equipment.

“CSOs should consider undertaking monitoring on the usage of the new scales to complement the work of the COCOBOD,” it added.

It said the vigilance of all COCOBOD field staff and cocoa farmers themselves would play a crucial role in making sure that PCs complied with the new directive to use electronic weighing scales only, and punitive measures should be applied to LBCs, who would default in doing so.

“We believe this move will help eliminate cheating tendencies and ensure the payment of exact producer prices to our hardworking cocoa farmers,” the statement said.

It said that would also help farmers fully realise and appreciate the Living Income Differential as they witnessed a substantial boom in their farm gate prices.

2Africa now the longest subsea cable system in the world

T

he 2Africa Consortium, comprised of China Mobile International, Facebook, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, stc, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone and WIOCC has announced the addition of a new segment - the 2Africa Pearls branch - extending to the Arabian Gulf, India, and Pakistan.

This extension will bring the total length of the 2Africa cable system to over 45,000 kilometers, making it the longest subsea cable system ever deployed.

Now connecting three continents, Africa, Europe and Asia terrestrially through Egypt, 2Africa creates unique connectivity by adding vital landing locations in Oman (Barka), UAE (Abu Dhabi and Kalba), Qatar (Doha), Bahrain (Manama), Kuwait (Kuwait), Iraq (Al-Faw), Pakistan (Karachi), India (Mumbai), and a fourth landing in Saudi Arabia (Al Khobar).

The new 2Africa branch joins

recently announced extensions to the Canary Islands, the Seychelles, Comoros Islands, Angola, and a new landing to southeast Nigeria.

As with other 2Africa cable landings, capacity will be available in PEARLS landings at carrierneutral facilities or open-access cable landing stations on a fair and equitable basis, encouraging and supporting the development of a healthy internet ecosystem.

To further support a burgeoning global digital economy, the expanded system will serve an even wider range of communities that rely on the internet for services from education to healthcare, and businesses, providing economic and social benefits that come from increased connectivity.

As announced in May 2020, 2Africa was planned to directly bring seamless international connectivity to 1.2 billion people.

Today, with 2Africa PEARLS, 2Africa will be providing

international connectivity to an additional 1.8 billion people--that’s 3 billion people, representing 36% of the global population.

Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) will deploy the new system utilizing new technologies such as SDM that allow the deployment of up to 16 fiber pairs, double that of older technologies and bringing greater and more cost-effective capacity.

China Mobile International Limited (CMI) is a whollyownedsubsidiary of China Mobile, mainly responsible for the operation of China Mobile's international business. In order to provide better services to meet the growing demand in the international telecommunications market, China Mobile established a subsidiary, CMI, in December 2010.

CMI currently has over 70 terrestrial and submarine cable resources worldwide, with a total international transmission

bandwidth of 98T, and more than 180 PoPs. With Hong Kong, China as its launchpad, CMI has significantly accelerated global IDC development, creating a strong network for data centre cloudification.

Leveraging the strong support

by China Mobile, CMI is a trusted partner that provides comprehensive international information services and solutions to international enterprises, carriers and mobile users.

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News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

Saglemi housing issues will be resolved soon - Freda Prempeh

T

he Minister of State in charge of Works and Housing, Freda Prempeh, has assured Ghanaians that the Saglemi Housing Project will soon be put to good use.

She explained that the government will not allow the housing project to rot while some Ghanaians lack accommodation.

Giving an update on the Saglemi Housing project during the Happy FM Development Dialogue on Wednesday in Accra, she said: “The Saglemi issue is still a case in court and as such we cannot talk much about it. It is never the government’s intention to allow the project to rot while some Ghanaians do not have accommodation. Ghanaians must be patient with the government and rest assured that government will put the project to good use.”

The mlinister hinted that the Architectural & Engineering Services Limited (AES Ltd) and Institute of Surveyors have been tasked to ensure that the project is habitable.

She, however, noted that the ministry was awaiting the advice

of the Attorney-General before making any decisions.

Former President Mahama had, on August 15, 2012, granted Executive approval to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing to construct 5,000 affordable housing units, to be executed by Messrs Construtora OAS Ghana Limited, for sale to workers through a mortgage arrangement via the Ghana Home

Loans.

The contractor was to utilise a buyer’s credit of $200 million from Credit Suisse International for the project, which was christened the Saglemi housing project.

In 2018, the then Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea, invited the AttorneyGeneral to scrutinise the agreement, after it emerged

that some of the contract documents were missing or had inconsistencies.

Mr Atta Akyea also alleged that the original agreement for the Saglemi housing project was altered without recourse to Parliament.

He claimed that after Parliament had passed the original agreement in October 2012 for the construction of 5,000 housing units, the then Minister for Works and Housing (Collins Dauda) reviewed the contract, scaling down the number of units to some 1,500 and later to 1,024, after another review in 2016.

The first phase of the project, with 1,500 housing units, which was inaugurated by Mr Mahama in 2016, has been left unused.

During a visit to the site in March 2021, the Director of Housing at the Ministry of Works and Housing, Dr Theresa Tuffour, said out of the 1,502 units at the Saglemi project site, the contractors had completed 1,389, pending the installation of utilities.

Tullow Group CEO commends GSE for contribution to economic development

T

he Group CEO of Tullow Oil PLC, Mr. Rahul Dhir, has commended the Ghana Stock Exchange GSE) for its contribution towards the development of the capital market and the potential to support the economic growth of Ghana.

“The strategic plan of the Exchange to move from a frontier to an emerging market will attract more investors and facilitate the development of the capital market. He added that the new direction of the Exchange in moving towards a sustainable exchange to support the calls for protection of the environment is a step in the right direction and in line with the environment, social and governance (ESG) goals. GSE’s plans to issue green bonds and other social bonds was a welcome news,” he said.

As part of a working visit to Ghana, the Group CEO of Tullow Oil PLC and his team of executives paid a courtesy on the

Ghana Stock Exchange to discuss matters of mutual interest.

Tullow Oil PLC was listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange on July 25, 2011, with a current market capitalization of GHS17 billion as of September 24, 2021.

Tullow Oil has since become the company with the highest market capitalisation on the Ghana Stock Exchange.

The Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange, Mr. Ekow Afedzie, said: "Despite the ravaging impact of COVID-19, the Ghana Stock Exchange saw its year-to-date September Composite Index post a return of 39.23%.”

The Ghana Fixed Income Market (GFIM) volume recorded 151.7 billion, up by 103% versus

the same period last year and 39% above full year 2020 volumes.

He added, "With business activities bouncing back in some sectors, retail and institutional investors should take advantage of the platform the Exchange provides, to invest their funds in equities and the fixed income market."

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

15

ICT

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

IIPGH improves digital literacy in Ghana

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…. through its Digital Design and Creative Coding Hub project

oding has exploded in recent years, changing from something used in computer games and the occasional electronic device to something which shapes how we live in the modern world. This means that now is an excellent time for learning how to code.

Coding is an exciting new field that presents a world of opportunities for people who are willing to learn. Despite what you may have heard, learning to code is not that tough, especially when you compare it to the skills that are required to get the most skilled jobs. A few months of hard work will leave you confident in at least one programming language. Learning to code for kids or beginners for more than a few months should give all the skills that are needed to become a career coder if that is the target.

The Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana (IIPGH), as a professional association and a capacity-building organization, with an objective of focusing on the early start, has over the years trained children from age 6, through to adults and professionals in emerging technology-focused capacitybuilding programs. From its inception, the organization has trained over 15000 participants in its coding programs tailored for children and beginners and continues to progress both in Accra and beyond in its training and awareness coding program.

As part of expanding its awareness programs, IIPGH in May 2021 together with its partners Code- it! and TinkerToys, from Leipzig, Germany successfully launched its Digital Design and Creative Coding Hub in Accra. The Hub (one of the many coding projects of IIPGH for young ones) is a showroom for tools and concepts for digital learning and creative work–for innovative and creative projects and a center for national and international exchange. The tools and concepts currently are accessible to everybody who is interested. Since its launch, over 400 children between ages 6 and 13 have been taught and exposed to digital tools and what digital design and creative coding are all about. This project was supported by the “Creative Resources” program of the German Federal Foreign Office.

The idea of creating a Digital Design and Creative Coding

Hub is to tackle the many digital challenges in our developing environment, to improve digital literacy in Ghana, and to instigate an international knowledge transfer. This infrastructure is equipped with internet access, laptops, smart interactive board, 3D printers, all in a welcoming and secure environment for children and adults.

With Internet available at the hub, students and participants can connect their computers to access a wide range of learning materials. With the use of the smartboard, they are also able to interact with others who can only connect via platforms such as zoom or any other. The smartboard makes learning very interactive, as tutors and students get to experience effective audio and visuals. With our 3D (3 dimensional) printing devices at the hub, students are taught the construction of threedimensional objects through creative coding and design skills.

Creative coding is the artisan side of programming. In creative coding, computer programming is used to create something expressive instead of something functional. Focusing strongly on creating interactive experiences in creative coding, the program moves past the sequential problem solving found in typical beginner programming and coding courses. In this field of coding, artists, designers, and creatives apply programming concepts to work in a variety of media, such as 2D/3D graphics, animation, image, sound, and video processing.

The Digital Design and Creative Coding project successfully trained and transferred knowledge from training partners Code it! And TinkerToys, to 25 participating tutors. Code it! and TinkerToys software is a learning

platform and digital construction kit (respectively) for learning programming, and teaching children and beginners the basic concepts of programming in a simple and practical way.

This allows children to create their own 3D designs easily and intuitively – e.g., robots, own game figures, houses, cars, cities, flying objects, etc.

IIPGH aims at equipping the public, professionals, and students with skills in emerging technologies needed for entrepreneurship and employment in today’s fastmoving technological world. Thus, this project birthed a 5-session practical program spread over 5 months dubbed the Students Live Coding Activity at the Hub to expose children to digital tools and modern learning. This also gave tutors the opportunity to use modern teaching methods to reach out to many, both physically and remotely – supporting learning processes creatively and successfully.

All 5 editions (May, June, July, August, and September) took place at the hub in a hybrid mode – blended physical and online participation. Each workshop edition housed about 40 children and many others connecting online via zoom and Facebook applications. The tutors took them through the Code it!

Software and TinkerToys design and construction application. A very interactive moment that had the children answer questions throughout the program and were rewarded with 3D designs and printed items.

What next after this activity?

As the Students Live Coding Activity at the Hub has just ended, we continue to call on all interested stakeholders to collaborate with IIPGH to support learning processes creatively, and

promote ICT skills development to all, towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Prior to the end of the students’ live activity at the hub, this caught the attention of a few organizations, including IT Consortium – one of Africa’s leading financial services technology solutions providers.

IT Consortium joined forces with the Institute to launch The Coding Caravan (TCC) in August, introducing technology skills (coding {computer programming}, 3D designs, and 3D printing) to over 250 young people in Accra and Ho. Programming is becoming a mandatory part of school education, and in professions and social fields, programming skills are becoming a prerequisite.

The Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana and its partners continue to invite corporate institutions, civil society organizations, and government agencies to team up for more training and awareness programs in communities to drive the message of ICT practical skills development for young people.

The future can be brighter if we make a conscious effort in preparing our young ones.

Technology education and skills development should not be the preserve of the affluent in our society, it must be democratized and accessible by all. This is because emerging technology skills are now essential tools for employment in the 21st century and in the next decade may become a requirement for any type of job – David Gowu (Executive Director, IIPGH).

Author: Richard Kafui Amanfu – (Director of Operations, Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana) For comments, contact richard. amanfu@iipgh.org or Mobile: +233244357006

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17

Global News

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

CGTN 'Media Challengers' finals held

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GTN's global recruitment campaign "The Media Challengers" held its finals in the city of Sanya, south China's Hainan Province.

There were 24 finalists, including remote overseas candidates, gathered to participate in live competitions and the most important event of the contest: the final ceremony.

The members of four teams, which respectively headed to the cities of Shanghai, Wuhan, Xi'an, as well as the Puzhehei scenic area in Yunnan Province for the reality show competition, displayed a multitude of media skills in the semi-finals.

In the finals, the candidates not only presented their fine video works, but also battled in several "final challenges," including a speaking challenge, a debate, and a teleprompter challenge, during which their team spirit and personal abilities were well demonstrated.

Four experienced judges and eight media reviewers sat on a panel and gave points to each team, while an online jury composed of the world's top 200 finalists also attended. In addition, 60 online participants from all over the world were in attendance, cheering for the finalists, and at the same time streaming the events to all corners of the world in real time. Group awards and individual awards were also distributed as the final showdown came to a successful close.

Contestants interact with online participants during CGTN's "The Media Challengers" finals in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, September 28, 2021. / CGTN The Media Challengers event was not only a window for young Chinese media professionals to tell the world about Chinese stories and convey Chinese culture, but also build a platform for aspiring young people around

the world to display their talents, chase their dreams, and acquire a deeper understanding of China.

Media Challengers from all over the world presented what "Gen Z" think, say, and feel.

Attracting global talents and media coverage Since its official launch on April 8, 2021, the campaign for global host reporters and influencers has attracted many new media professionals, influencers and opinion leaders from more than 130 countries and regions. Some 860 mainstream overseas online media from 60 countries and regions, including the U.S., the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea, have covered this event.

The campaign invited applicants from all over the world who are interested in pursuing a career in media to participate in the competition, and through various selection processes, they were able to display their talents and realize their potentials.

Although contestants came from different ethnic backgrounds and spoke different languages, they all had dreams and were able to document their journey through their own social media platforms, sharing their daily thoughts, and presenting their own ideas and opinions.

CGTN's Morag (L) and Ji Xiaojun host "The Media Challengers" finals in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, September 28, 2021. /CGTN "I am so proud that I could be a storyteller to promote China and Chinese culture to and from all over the world," Zhuang Shangzi, a 24-year-old graduate student from the University of Manchester, said in her video.

She hopes to show the unknown side of China and eliminate the prejudice of the Western media against China.

Josh Van Der Merwe, a 20-year-

old boy from Oxford, said that CGTN's news reports have helped him develop a great appreciation for "the political structure and social development of China as a whole." He dreams of becoming a teacher, and also hopes to do as CGTN has done by "reaching out to people in the spirit of education."

Gaining popularity among Gen Z The Media Challengers event gained notable popularity among Generation Z and became a window for young people around the world to understand China.

Thousands of talents, including an American new mom, an Irish medical staff and an outstanding woman who takes five jobs in Kenya, recorded and shared their lives from aspects of beauty, games, fashion, travel, food and culture. These short videos have received millions of views and comments on social platforms around the world.

The campaign was also shaped by the personality and vitality of candidates from Generation Z, as well as their determination and perseverance to pursue their dreams. They enhanced their understanding and promoted multicultural exchanges between China and the West.

Contestants present their talents during CGTN's "The Media Challengers" finals in Sanya, September 28, 2021. /CGTN The Media Challengers event pioneered the use of "cloud linkage," "cloud live broadcasting," and "cloud cooperation" to connect many overseas players and lead them to the cities of Xi'an, Wuhan, Shanghai, and Yunnan to experience the Chinese culture.

Cooperation between different time zones and distance brought unprecedented challenges, but also led to the formation of fresh ideas. Meanwhile, new media technologies were able to make

these communications more fun, interactive and in-depth.

Empowering media communication in postCOVID-19 era New technology helps to empower CGTN to build a platform for communication among young media professionals around the world in the postCOVID-19 era. Young people in the internet age connect and speak to the world in a unique way. With a strong reliance on visual and social interaction, short videos have become a new form of expression accepted by younger generations who have become more adapted to the fragmented communication environment.

The Media Challengers campaign combined the cloud technology, short videos and real-life reality show, and realized the global communication among the youngsters.

The team of Yunnan wins CGTN's "The Media Challengers" finals in Sanya, September 28, 2021.

The finalists will enter the CGTN global talent pool and get full-time or part-time job opportunities at the CGTN Beijing headquarters and three regional production centers in Washington, London, and Nairobi. By demonstrating the power of media and discovering potential newcomers, the Media Challengers will open a new chapter in the dialogues among young media professionals around the world.

The CGTN global host reporter recruitment campaign has won the support of five major cooperation platforms: YouTube, LinkedIn, Weibo, Bilibili and Variety, as well as the assistance of NetEase Youdao Dictionary, NetEase Cloud Classroom and other institutions around the world.

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19

Education

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

Education must come first

By Yasmine Sherif

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OVID-19 is pushing the world to the brink. The pandemic has killed more than 4.7 million people, caused global GDP to decline by 4.6% in 2020, and pushed 119-124 million more people into extreme poverty.

Today, nearly one in three people globally do not have enough food to eat, while conflicts and climatechange-induced natural disasters are forcing families from their homes. And the resulting school disruptions are leaving crisisaffected children ever-further behind.

When world leaders launched Education Cannot Wait, the United Nations’ global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, at the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, 75 million children and youth globally were being denied their right to an education as a result of conflict, displacement, and natural disaster.

Fast forward to the present.

As COVID-19 continues to ravage the world’s least-developed countries, and with other crises on the rise, the number of children who are out of school has increased to an estimated 128 million. This is a rough estimate that will likely increase as the world’s multiplying crises deepen, and it is already more than the population of Japan, or the populations of France and Italy combined. At the same time, two in three students globally are still affected by school closures.

Many of them, particularly girls,

may never return to full-time education, raising the risk of a surge in child marriage and child labor.

Education is the foundation for peace, stability, economic prosperity, and social progress.

With the pandemic, climate change, and geopolitical shifts placing the world at an inflection point that will define the trajectory of human development for generations to come, we must move urgently to make education a top priority.

At this year’s UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres asked leaders to rethink how we allocate resources and respond to global challenges as we race to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. It is hard to imagine a better investment than education.

For starters, investing in education for all – including crisis-affected children – could contribute significantly to longterm economic growth. Studies indicate that each additional year of learning can raise incomes by 8-10%. Likewise, the World Bank estimates that enabling every girl to complete 12 years of education could generate an additional $1530 trillion in lifetime productivity and earnings.

Research also shows that violent conflict drops by up to 37% when girls and boys have equal access to education. And closing gender gaps in education can contribute to curbing climate change and hunger, and to fostering respect

for human rights. A generation of women professionals and leaders could be empowered to break cycles of poverty, violence, displacement, and hunger. In fact, the economic gains from expanding girls’ education alone could far outweigh the financial costs of the necessary investments, yielding benefits lasting for generations.

For businesses, this economic windfall promises to create new markets, promote stability in regions where there is now chaos, and strengthen the longterm viability of investments.

Entrepreneurs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America will gain pathways to establish a new generation of enterprises.

For governments, the promise of faster economic growth means more revenue. And more resources will enable policymakers to respond more strongly to the climate crisis, bolster environmental protection, build roads and productive infrastructure, and provide basic health care, education, and social services.

But children caught in conflict zones and on the brink of starvation will reap the greatest benefits. For them, quality education means safe spaces to learn, mental-health services, school-based nutrition programs, and access to water and sanitation.

Just $220 annually can provide a child living in a crisis setting with a holistic quality education, whereas internal displacement costs the global economy over $20 billion a year, or about $390

per displaced person.

While some progress has been made, more needs to be done now.

At a recent global roundtable coorganized by the United Kingdom, Canada, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and Education Cannot Wait, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, highlighted World Bank estimates indicating that meeting the educational needs of refugee children alone will cost over $4.8 billion per year.

We must catalyze the investments needed to fill this gap. Specifically, public donors, the private sector, and key stakeholders such as philanthropic foundations, highnet-worth individuals, and local governments must urgently mobilize hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding for Education Cannot Wait.

As we rethink humanitarian and development interventions in the twenty-first century, education must be central to our response to the multiplying disruptions associated with COVID-19, violent conflict, and climate change. We must take bold action now. For the millions of children whose future is threatened by today’s crises, education cannot wait.

Yasmine Sherif is Director of Education Cannot Wait.

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BUSINESS24.COM.GH FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

NO. B24 / 255 | NEWS FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

MONDAY MAY 3, 2021

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2021

World Food Forum starts today with young generations shaping a better future for food

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oung people from around the globe will be tasked with giving a key contribution to shape the future of agri-food systems at the World Food Forum, a youth-led movement that holds its first flagship event virtually from Rome today.

The Oct. 1-5 online event aims to harness the energy and creativity of younger generations to transform food and agriculture and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 2 "No hunger".

It represents the first major follow-up to the United Nations Food Systems Summit in New York - the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other Rome-based UN agencies will continue to implement ambitious and urgent efforts designed to make the world's agri-food systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado Quesada is due to deliver the opening remarks, followed by a special address from Pope Francis. Queen Letizia

of Spain, a FAO Special Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition, is also due to address the Forum, along with President of UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid and FAO Director-General QU Dongyu.

Producer, singer, songwriter, entertainer and entrepreneur AY Young is scheduled to provide a musical intermission during the opening ceremony.

The programme of the event can be found here. Register to join and follow the event here.

The five-day Forum will also feature youth leaders from the world of farming and beyond, who will be joined by influencers, celebrities, business and civil society leaders. Participants from the private sector include Ramon Laguarta, CEO of PepsiCo, Kimbal Musk, Co-Founder and Chairman of Big Green, The Kitchen Restaurant Group and Square Roots, and Frank Giustra, CoChair of the International Crisis Group.

It includes performances and demonstrations by Nigerian singer and songwriter Brymo,

German musician Keye Katcher, vegan model and influencer Natalie Prabha, chef and writer Carla Lalli Music, Poet Meera Dasgupta and others.

Shaping tomorrow's food The youth-led World Food Forum is empowered by the Youth Committee of FAO. It was created as an independent network of partners tasked with forging a global movement to restore our agri-food systems.

Climate change, ongoing conflicts, economic downturns and the COVID-19 pandemic are among the leading causes of an increase in the number of hungry

people, which last year exceeded 810 million.

The younger generations are the ones that will be left having to deal with such challenges, but they are also the ones better placed to come up with the solutions.

"The future belongs to youth, and they have the fresh perspectives, forward-thinking mindsets and digital fluency to incite widespread and sustainable change. They also have the numbers to get things done," FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in a press conference ahead of the event.

Afro-Arab Microfinance will remain an MFI - Group Chairman

or people that the commercial banks are not willing to work with and this is what we have done well in the past 10 years and will continue to do,” he said.

Taking his turn, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, lauded Alhaji Salamu for his efforts to ensure that the youth and women in the country become gainfully employed He also called on the management of the microfinance institution to as part of its corporate social responsibility, concentrate on helping to make the Zongo communities clean and environmentally friendly for human living.

“Continue offering hope to the hopeless and Allah (God) will never forsake you. Your positive impact on the youth especially in the Zongo communities will surely pay you off,” he said.

The Chairman for the African Business Center for Developing Education (ABCDE), Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who served as the chairman for the programme commended the Afro-Arab Group for choosing a theme that shows belief in the Ghanaian youth.

T

he Chairman of Afro-Arab Group of Companies, Alhaji Salamu Amadu, has urged microfinance institutions (MFIs) to maintain their status even if their balance sheets grow to the size of commercial banks.

According to Alhaji Salamu, although the current minimum capital requirement of GH¢400 million for commercial banks is attainable by most hardworking MFIs, it is important to keep to their core mandate as critical players in Ghana's economy.

He assured that Afro-Arab Microfinance, a subsidiary of the Afro-Arab Group, will remain a microfinance institution irrespective of the size of its balance sheet in order to continue to provide essential services to the youth and women's groups in the lower class of Ghanaian society.

Alhaji Amadu reiterated that the concept behind the establishment of the Afro-Arab Microfinance was to provide support to youth and women's groups to develop their ideas into formidable businesses

and be economically empowered to be self-sufficient.

“My dream for establishing this financial institution about a decade ago was to empower my dear brothers and sisters in the unbanked category especially those in the Zongo communities.

This dream and vision have not changed, Afro-Arab will continue to reach out to these women and youth groups,” he said.

Alhaji Salamu made these remarks at the 10th-anniversary launch of the Afro-Arab Microfinance, which took place at the Afro-Arab Arena, Kokomlemle-Accra.

Touching on the theme for the

10th-anniversary celebration: ‘Women & Youth Development, he said this is the surest way of creating jobs and reducing the unemployment rate in the country.

On his part, General Manager, Afro-Arab Microfinance, Ebenezer Adjei Tetteh, reiterated that unlike some microfinances that quickly switched status to commercial bank when they met the target, the Afro-Arab Microfinance would remain true to its core mandate as a microfinance in order to better serve its target market.

“The target of microfinance is basically to work with people who are below the bankable ladder