GHANAIAN NEWS - OCTOBER 2022 -

York Regional Police Raises Flag to Promote Intimate Partner Violence Awareness

By Jonathan Baah Annobil, Aurora, ON

The forecourt of the Aurora headquarters of the York Regional Police (YRP) was the venue of the purple ribbon flag raising ceremony to promote intimate partner violence awareness.

The ceremony took place on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022 as November is the Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month. The Police Chief of YRP, Chief Jim MacSween said, ‘any form of violence is not acceptable anywhere in our community in York Region especially intimate partner violence’.

He added that all hands should be joined in the eradication of intimate partner violence.

Jaspreet Gill, Executive Director of York Region Centre for Community Safety also spoke at the event. She said that the flag raising was to help start the month of November with hope even though there is long way to go. The flag was raised by Staff Sergeant Don Yirenkyi who is the officer in charge of the York Regional Police Intimate Partner Violence Unit.

see pictures on pg. 40

By Emmanuel Ayiku, Toronto, ON

A 2-day event was held on Saturday, November 12th at the premises of the Anglican Church with the inauguration of cultural group of the Church and; on Sunday November 13th a special service was held under the auspices of visiting Anglican Bishop from Ghana. The Most Rev. Dr. Cyril Kobina Ben Smith is the Bishop of Asante Mampong Diocese, as well as Archbishop of the internal province of Ghana. The cont’d on pg. 31

Group picture of congregation and Frs Abbah and Korsah with the Most Rev. Dr. Cyril Kobina Ben Smith

From right:Chief Jim MacSween, guest, Staff Sgt. Don Yirenkyi and Jaspreet Gill at the Flag raising ceremony

Canada boosts immigration targets: Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025

On November 1, 2022, Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), tabled Canada’s 2022 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. The publication of the Report to Parliament on Immigration is an annual occurrence in which Canada’s immigration department summarizes Canadian immigration statistics of the previous year and provides immigration levels planning for the future. This year’s report generated considerable media attention because the government announced that its target for 2025 was to admit 500,000 new permanent residents.

Where we are coming from

In 2021, Canada welcomed 405,999 permanent residents, the highest level of immigration in the country’s history. Of this, 191,338 were individuals who transitioned from temporary resident status to permanent. The economic immigration class continued to be the largest source of permanent resident admissions, at approximately 62% of all admissions in 2021. Overall numbers were up for all programs compared to 2020, which is not surprising due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that year.

IRCC in 2021 also approved 415,817 work permits and 445,776 study permits. When accompanying family members are factored in, this means that the number of people who entered Canada with temporary status continued to greatly exceed the number of permanent residents admitted. It should be noted that when it comes to the impacts of immigration on Canada’s economy, housing prices, social cohesion, etc., the media often focuses on the number of permanent residents admitted to Canada. However, as can be seen in the above statistics, the admission of permanent residents only tells part of the story regarding who is coming to Canada and is not reflective of the total number of people actually admitted to Canada.

Where we are going

In February of this year, IRCC stated that its goal was to welcome approximately 431,645 new people as permanent residents in 2022, 447,055 people as new permanent residents in 2023, and 451,000 in 2024.

The new 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan is more ambitious. The new target for 2023 is 465,000 new permanent residents. The goal for 2024 is 485,000. The goal for 2025 is 500,000.

There are several things to note about these projections.

First, Quebec’s immigration agreement with Ottawa allows the province to welcome around 23% of Canada’s new permanent residents. Based on the levels above this would exceed 100,000 per year. On November 2, 2022, Quebec Premier Francois Legault reiterated his position that Quebec cannot accept more than 50,000 immigrants a year. If Quebec maintains this position it is not clear if the federal government would reallocate targets elsewhere or accept lower overall immigration levels for Canada.

Second, certain programs dominate the revised numbers. In February 2022, the government targeted that 86,000 new permanent residents would be admitted

through the Provincial Nomination Program in 2023. That number has been revised to 110,000. The forecasted number of business immigrants has also increased since the February 2022 plan from 1,000 people in 2023 to 5,000. Finally, the target for humanitarian & compassionate and public policy admissions for 2023 has increased from 10,500 to 15,985.

Third, Canada anticipates reducing the number of government-assisted refugees that it resettles from 23,550 in 2023 to 15,250. It is not clear if this reflects a determination to admit more refugees through other streams or just hopeful optimism on the trajectory of global affairs during the next few years.

Fourth, 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan does not mention any programs for Ukrainians who travelled to Canada this year under the CanadaUkraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (“CUAET”). Adults arriving through this program are eligible for three-year open work permits. As of October 2028, 2022, 108,836 individuals have arrived in Canada through this program. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has approved 338,276 applications. 307,116 applications remain in processing. These work permits will be expiring starting in 2025. It is not clear how the influx of such a large people will impact levels planning in the future, especially given political sensitivities around the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

Finally, and related to the above, there are no planned admission levels for foreign workers or international students. While the government is responsible for setting permanent resident targets, the private sector and post-secondary institutions largely dictate how many temporary residents are admitted. While Canada plans on admitting record numbers of permanent residents, the gap between the number of temporary residents admitted and the number of permanent residents will only likely continue to increase.

EDITORIAL

Joe Kingsley Eyiah

Director of Operations Comfort Ayiku

Community Reporter Jonathan Annobil

Local Community Reporter Mickson Addo

The Ghanaian News Publishes news and comments from the Community, serves Ghanaians across Canada with good source of information is committed to give good community Journalism

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Saluting the Farmers of Ghana

Over the past couple of years, the governments in Ghana have instituted the first Friday of December to recognize the significant contributions of the farmers of Ghana to national development. Ghana is an agricultural country. This year’s Farmers day celebration will be held at Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana from 28 November to 1st December.

More than sixty per cent of the land mass of the country is tropical rain forests which abounds in all kinds of natural resources. The lands of these forests support massive agricultural production in both commercial crops and food production. The northern temperate lands of the country support massive production of other basic staple food of the country: yams, millet, rice, sheabutter, to name but a few.

The coastal communities also take advantage of the wide expanse of the Atlantic Ocean to engage in fishing to support the nutritional needs of the population. Fishing is therefore one of the most important occupations of our coastal communities.

It is in recognition of the very important roles that these large sections of our population who engage in farming and fishing play to sustain our nutritional needs and produce the cash crops for export to boost our domestic economy that the “Farmers’ Day” celebration was instituted.

Cocoa production, has for more than a century, during the colonial times and since independence, been the main foreign exchange earner for the country. It has accounted all the time for more than sixty per cent of the finances generated to drive our local economy. Despite the hard work that cocoa farmers engage in to sustain our national economy, they get very little returns for their hard work and little or no recognition for the critical roles they play in driving and sustaining our national development. The people that have benefitted from the sweat and toil of the cocoa farmers have been people who are far removed from the hard work involved in cocoa production: greedy politicians and bureaucrats and their hangers-on.

Many years ago, the then government of Ghana, after independence instituted a scholarship scheme to assist the children of cocoa farmers to acquire secondary school education. The management and administration of this scheme known as “CMB Scholarship”, named after the public agency that is in charge of marketing the cocoa produced by the farmers, siphoned these funds into their pockets, their private accounts, and financed the secondary school education of children whose parents have nothing to do with cocoa production. It is a known fact that very few, if any, of cocoa farmers’ children benefitted from these scholarships.

Recent events have also shown that some corrupt politicians have used proceeds from cocoa production to finance their activities to the detriment of the whole nation.And very little recognition and attention is also given to the fisher folks along our coastal towns and villages who toil to engage in the dangerous fishing occupation to assist our nutritional needs.

Sadly, the “Farmers’ Day” celebration has turned into an annual ritual of politicians showing up at these yearly durbars and gathering of farmers to show off and propagate their political ideologies that do nothing to improve the lives of these hard-working farmers and fisher folks.

On this national day set aside for our farmers, the Ghanaian News salute all those who engage in this occupation for their hard work and sacrifices over the years to sustain our country and its economy.

We call on the current government in Ghana and future governments to make this a true and sincere recognition of the invaluable contribution of the silent, but productive section of our national population.

Ministers from 40+ countries join forces for the 2022 Climate and Clean Air Ministerial

The CCAC works to build a healthier, safer, and more prosperous world by crossing the bridge between climate and air quality action

At the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27), ministers and leaders from more than 40 Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) countries came together alongside dozens of partners from intergovernmental organizations, businesses, scientific institutions and civil society organizations to announce new collaborative efforts, report actions undertaken at home, and reaffirm their commitment to slashing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) for human and planetary health. As the devastating impacts of climate change have become increasingly more apparent around the globe, and against a backdrop of the UN Environment’s Emissions Gap report which indicates that we are on a 2.8° C track, the CCAC’s work to reduce SLCP emissions has become more important than ever.

“Reducing short-lived climate pollutants is the fastest solution the world has to reduce global temperatures. From working to secure the Kigali Amendment to implementing the Global Methane Pledge, CCAC has been an instrumental partner in enhancing ambition on these critical greenhouse gases. We congratulate CCAC on a successful year and look forward to moving further and faster together in the year ahead,” said John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

The CCAC works to build a healthier, safer, and more prosperous world by crossing the bridge between climate and air quality action, and to harness multiple benefits from the fast mitigation of short-lived climate pollutants, including the protection of ecosystems. Reducing SLCP emissions is the most effective pathway to avoid 0.6 ?C of predicted global warming in the near term and slow sea-level rise by 20% by mid-century. SLCP reductions can slow the rate of Arctic warming by up to two-thirds and the rate of global warming by half.

“Reducing short-lived climate pollutants such as methane, black carbon, and HFC is one of the surest ways to cut the rate of warming in the near-term, slow self-reinforcing feedback and avoid irreversible tipping points. Thanks to the CCAC, GMI and their partners, these issues have been taken head-on and I want to use this opportunity to call leaders for further action and commitment,” said Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of the Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ghana.

New Research

At the Ministerial, two new pieces of CCAC research were launched. EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson launched the new CCACUNEP Baseline CH4 Emissions Projections through 2030 report, which shows that the amount of methane in the atmosphere is increasing at record

rates and makes an ever-stronger case for urgent action:

* Under business-as-usual scenarios, methane emissions are projected to increase by 5-13% by 2030 from 2020 levels, whereas they need to decline by at least 30% to meet the Global Methane Pledge.

* If global emissions were cut by 30% as set out in Global Methane Pledge, warming would be reduced by at least 0.2 degrees C between 2040 and 2070, compared to baseline projected methane emissions.

* In addition to keeping the planet cool, meeting the Global Methane Pledge would provide additional benefits worldwide through 2050, including:

* Prevention of roughly 5.6 million premature deaths due to tropospheric ozone exposure

* Avoidance of ~580 million tons of yield losses to wheat, maize (corn), rice and soybeans

* Avoidance of ~$520 billion USD in losses due to non-mortality health impacts, forestry, and agriculture

* Avoidance of ~1600 billion lost work hours due to heat exposure

* Slow climate tipping points

Alioune Ndoye, Minister of the Environment, Sustainable Development and of the Ecological Transition, Senegal, announced the CCAC’s forthcoming Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa, a collaboration between the African Union, the CCAC, and UNEP. The Assessment shows how African leaders can act quickly to fight climate change, prevent air pollution, and protect human health. By following the Assessment’s recommended actions to cut air pollution and prevent climate change, African governments can reap many benefits, including:?

* Preventing 200,000 premature deaths per year by 2030 and 880,000 deaths per year by 2063

* Cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 55%, methane emissions by 74%, and nitrous oxide emissions 40% by 2063

* Improving food security by reducing desertification and increasing crop yields for rice, maize, soy, and wheat?

* Significantly contributing to global efforts to keep warming below 1.5°C and limiting the negative effects of regional climate change?

“We are in a climate emergency. Scientists tell us that the only way to protect people is to reduce the rate of warming now. We can achieve this by focusing our efforts on actions that reduce super climate pollutants and build resilience,” said Minister Ndoye. “This is why Senegal joined the CCAC and proposed to create a Working Group to identify the best

Publisher / Editor

Emmanuel Ayiku

Contributing Editor

The world’s population will likely hit an estimated 8 billion people on Tuesday, according to a United Nations projection, with much of the growth coming from developing nations in Africa.

Among them is Nigeria, where resources are already stretched to the limit. More than 15 million people in Lagos compete for everything from electricity to light their homes to spots on crowded buses, often for two-hour commutes each way in this sprawling megacity. Some Nigerian children set off for school as early as 5 a.m.

And over the next three decades, the West African nation’s population is expected to soar even more: from 216 million this year to 375 million, the U.N. says. That will put Nigeria in a tie for third place with the United States after India and China.

“We are already overstretching what we have - the housing, roads, the hospitals, schools. Everything is overstretched,” said Gyang Dalyop, an urban planning and development consultant in Nigeria.

The U.N.’s Day of 8 Billion milestone Tuesday is more symbolic than precise, officials are careful to note in a wide-ranging report released over the summer that makes some staggering projections.

The upward trend threatens to leave even more people in developing countries further behind, as governments struggle to provide enough classrooms and jobs for a rapidly growing number of youth, and food insecurity becomes an even more urgent problem.

Nigeria is among eight countries the U.N says will account for more than half the world’s population growth between now and 2050 - along with fellow African nations Congo, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

“The population in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to double between 2022 and 2050, putting additional pressure on already strained resources and challenging policies aimed to reduce poverty and inequalities,” the U.N. report said.

It projected the world’s population will reach around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and 10.4 billion in 2100.

Other countries rounding out the list with the fastest growing populations are Egypt, Pakistan, the Philippines and India, which is set to overtake China as the world’s most populous nation next year.

In Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, where more than 12 million people live, many families struggle to find affordable housing and pay school fees. While elementary pupils attend for free, older children’s chances depend on their parents’ incomes.

“My children took turns” going to

school, said Luc Kyungu, a Kinshasa truck driver who has six children. “Two studied while others waited because of money. If I didn’t have so many children, they would have finished their studies on time.”

Rapid population growth also means more people vying for scarce water resources and leaves more families facing hunger as climate change increasingly impacts crop production in many parts of the world.

“There is also a greater pressure on the environment, increasing the challenges to food security that is also compounded by climate change,” said Dr. Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India. “Reducing inequality while focusing on adapting and mitigating climate change should be where our policy makers’ focus should be.”

Still, experts say the bigger threat to the environment is consumption, which is highest in developed countries not undergoing big population increases.

“Global evidence shows that a small portion of the world’s people use most of the Earth’s resources and produce most of its greenhouse gas emissions,” said Poonam Muttreja, executive director of the Population Foundation of India. “Over the past 25 years, the richest 10% of the global population has been responsible for more than half of all carbon emissions.”

According to the U.N., the population in sub-Saharan Africa is growing at 2.5% per year - more than three times the global average. Some of that can be attributed to people living longer, but family size remains the driving factor. Women in sub-Saharan Africa on average have 4.6 births, twice the current global average of 2.3.

Families become larger when women start having children early, and 4 out of 10 girls in Africa marry before they turn 18, according to U.N. figures. The rate of teen pregnancy on the continent is the highest in the world - about half of the children born last year to mothers under 20 worldwide were in sub-Saharan Africa.

Still, any effort to reduce family size now would come too late to significantly slow the 2050 growth projections, the U.N. said. About two-thirds of it “will be driven by the momentum of past growth.”

“Such growth would occur even if childbearing in today’s high-fertility countries were to fall immediately to around two births per woman,” the report found.

There are also important cultural reasons for large families. In subSaharan Africa, children are seen as a blessing and as a source of support for their elders - the more sons and daughters, the greater comfort in retirement.

Still, some large families “may not have what it takes to actually feed them,” says Eunice Azimi, an insurance broker in Lagos and mother of three.

“In Nigeria, we believe that it is God that gives children,” she said. “They see it as the more children you have, the more benefits. And you are actually overtaking your peers who cannot have as many children. It looks like a competition in villages.”

Politics also have played a role in Tanzania, where former President John Magufuli, who ruled the East African country from 2015 until his death in 2021, discouraged birth control, saying that a large population was good for the economy.

He opposed family planning programs promoted by outside groups, and in a 2019 speech urged women not to “block ovaries.” He even described users of contraceptives as “lazy” in a country he said was awash with cheap food. Under Magufuli, pregnant schoolgirls were even banned from returning to classrooms.

But his successor, Samia Suluhu Hassan, appeared to reverse government policy in comments last month when she said birth control was

necessary in order not to overwhelm the country’s public infrastructure.

Even as populations soar in some countries, the U.N. says rates are expected to drop by 1% or more in 61 nations.

The U.N. report put the current U.S population at 337 million, reaching 375 million in 2050. The population growth rate in 2021 was just 0.1%, the lowest since the country was founded.

“Going forward, we’re going to have slower growth - the question is, how slow?” said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution. “The real wild card for the U.S. and many other developed countries is immigration.”

Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, says environmental concerns surrounding the 8 billion mark should focus on consumption, particularly in developed countries.

“Population is not the problem, the way we consume is the problem - let’s change our consumption patterns,” he said LAGOS, Nigeria (AP).

TORONTO, Nov. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The top concerns for Canadian employers in 2022 include employee burnout and losing staff, according to the Canadian Employer Pension Survey from the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) and Angus Reid Group. And while employers recognize the value of retirement benefits for addressing these concerns, the current high-inflation environment is driving them to favour wage hikes instead.

HOOPP commissioned Angus Reid Group to conduct a survey of 778 Canadian business owners and senior leaders with 20+ employees. The

results provide an overview of how employers around Canada see the current economic climate’s impact on business, the state of retirement security in Canada, and the ability of retirement benefits to help with employee retention, recruitment and overall well-being.

“Current inflationary pressures are understandably leading many employers and workers to prioritize cash in hand, even as they recognize the short- and long-term value of retirement benefits,” said Steven McCormick, SVP, Plan Operations, HOOPP. “It is arguably more important than ever for leaders – in business,

government and the retirement industry – to take measures that will help workers save for retirement, even when it’s challenging to do so.”

On the positive side, there was evidence in the survey of some momentum towards improved retirement security outcomes. A significant group of respondents (17%) said they had launched or enhanced retirement savings plans in the past year, or plan to do so in the year ahead.

The research showed that employers are optimistic about their businesses’ success over the coming year, with 80% being optimistic about their ability to maintain revenue and profitability. What they’re worried about is employees, with leading concerns being: greater competition for hiring (82%), employee burnout (79%), labour shortage (79%) and high turnover (77%). A strong majority are also worried about inflation (82%).

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In addressing these issues, the majority of employers are currently favouring wage increases over benefit enhancements as the best way to mitigate the effects of inflation for employees (67%), and as a means to attract new employees (71%).

“But some employers may be underestimating the degree to which

retirement benefits can serve both their business needs and their employees’ needs,” said Demetre Eliopoulos, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Angus Reid Group. “The survey found some significant correlations between benefits and a happy, productive work force.”

Employers reporting improved productivity are significantly more likely to favour benefits over cash in fighting inflationary pressures and recruiting new talent, compared to those with worsening productivity (45% vs. 31%). Employers reporting improved productivity are also twice as likely to be optimistic about maintaining employee morale (81% vs. 40%), retaining current talent (80% vs. 43%), and recruiting new talent (76% vs. 38%).

These findings corroborate conclusions from 2021 research by HOOPP and Common Wealth – The Value of a Good Pension: The business case for good workplace retirement plans –which showed how offering pensions can improve a company’s bottom line.

Amongst all respondents, 66% said retirement benefits help retain talent and 62% said they help recruit talent. Most also say retirement benefits are a cost-effective way to reduce financial

Canadian employers are most worried about staff retention and wellbeing, but solutions vary amid economic uncertainty: new research from HOOPP and Angus Reid Group

Canada’s leadership in plant-based food and ingredients on display to the world

Plant Forward showcased Canada’s ability to meet the growing global protein demand

Over the last two days, on November 1 & 2, Toronto played host to global leaders in plant-based food and ingredients. The first Plant Forward, put on by Protein Industries Canada, Pulse Canada and Plant-Based Foods of Canada displayed Canada’s strengths as a supplier of plant-based ingredients with a focus on innovation to meet evolving consumer expectations.

“One of Canada’s best kept secrets is our strength in plant-based ingredients and food. Plant Forward vaulted Canada onto the international stage - showcasing our strength and commitment to innovation,” CEO of Protein Industries Canada Bill Greuel said. “To attract leaders from around the world to Canada, is a testament to the respect – and promise – Canada offers to the world in the reliable supply of healthy and nutritious plantbased foods and ingredients.”

The conference welcomed 250 delegates from 11 countries, and

displayed global leaders in plant-based foods such as, Suzy Amis Cameron, Murad Al-Katib, Dan Magliocco and Adam Grogan. The event displayed Canada’s strengths in plant-based food, feed and ingredients from primary production of high-protein crops such as peas and lentils, to the country’s integrated supply chain that allows ingredient processing to happen near production, reducing food miles and improving sustainability. Plant Forward also highlighted the importance of collaboration among ecosystem players, emphasizing the role plant-based food can play in improving the health and nutrition of food products through collaboration with those in the bakery, meat, dairy and beverage sectors.

“Canada has worked hard to develop a global reputation for producing healthy, sustainable pulses and pulse ingredients,” Pulse Canada President Greg Cherewyk said. “Plant Forward

brought together industry leaders from around the world to showcase the Canadian advantage, helping to encourage more investment and boost the profitability of our sector right back through to the farm gate.”

Canada has seen explosive growth in plant-based foods and ingredients, with hundreds of millions of dollars invested in processing infrastructure in Canada in the past five years, positioning Canada to be a global leader in ingredient manufacturing. Food processors are now working to incorporate those ingredients into new plant-based food products helping meet the growing global consumer demand.

“At Plant Forward we saw on display the very best of Canadian ingenuity and climate-focused thinking,” Executive Director Plant-Based Foods of Canada Leslie Ewing said. “Canadian plantbased food companies showed how they are bringing innovation to bear in

every part of our modern food supply. We heard that when we find ways to work together and integrate our efforts, this fast-growing industry will deliver an even greater impact for Canada and the world.”

It is expected that the plant-based food sector will contribute $25 billion annually to Canada’s economy by 2035 supported by 17,000 jobs. Since Protein Industries Canada was created in 2017, nearly half a billion dollars have been invested into accelerating innovation in Canada’s plant-based food and ingredient sector.

To view Plant Forward’s agenda, attendee list and details, please visit plantforwardconference.com

About Pulse Canada

Pulse Canada is the national association representing growers, traders and processors of Canadian pulses (dry peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas), proudly leading the future of healthy, sustainable food through the growth of Canada’s pulse industry.

About Protein Industries Canada

Protein Industries Canada is one of Canada’s five Global Innovation Clusters. We accelerate innovation in plantbased protein and underpin the creation of new plant-based ingredients and food. We aim to expand opportunities for the agrifood sector to make Canada a global leader in plant protein. We represent a Canadian-made solution to the global food challenge, and the trailblazers we champion lead the way. As a global agriculture powerhouse, Canada has the means, resources, and skill to turn crops into food – and transform the way the world eats. We’re bringing sustainable economic growth to Canada while providing solutions for some of humanity’s greatest problems. For more information, visit proteinindustriescanada.

ca GLOBE NEWSWIRE

FOCUS

Is the Quality of Public Education being sacrificed on altar of Privatization?

Asks Joe Kingsley Eyiah, OCT, Broookview MS, Toronto

Of late the ‘unfavourable wind’ blowing in the sector of public education in both Ghana and Ontario makes one wonders whether our governments are taking the quality of public education serious.

In Ontario for instance ‘private tutoring is booming, and centres have been busy fielding phone calls since the start of the school year as kids struggle to catch up in a system pummelled by the pandemic,’ reports Isabel Teotonio of the Toronto Star.

It is obvious that parents are grateful for the support. However some worry that diverting millions from classrooms to tutors will only exacerbate inequities among students.

Also the education support workers CUPE in the Ontario Province is struggling with the government to put more money in early education and special needs for students to improve the quality of education in public

schools. Their negotiations with the government have hit the rocks and there eminent strike action by CUPE that would lead to closure of public schools for in person learning for students in the public education sector again. Very unfortunate! Does the Ontario government really care about public schools?

In Ghana, the NPP government led by Nana Addo though has instituted free secondary education for students in public schools, heads of secondary

Average Ontario ER wait times for admitted patients reach new yearly high in September

Average wait times for patients being admitted to an Ontario hospital from an emergency room reached record levels in September.

According to data by Health Quality Ontario (HQO), patients spent an average of 21.3 hours in an emergency room waiting to be admitted.

This is up from 20.7 hours in August and 20.8 hours in July. It also represents the highest average wait time for hospital admissions from Ontario ERs in the last year, according to HQO.

Data before September 2021 is not available.

In September 2022, HQO data shows 23 per cent of patients were admitted within the provincial target time of eight hours.

The wait times decrease significantly for patients who do not need to be admitted. HQO data shows about 89 per cent of high-urgency patients not admitted to hospital finished their ER visits within eight hours.

Low-urgency patients who didn’t need to be admitted spent an average of 3.1 hours in the ER. The provincial targets for low-urgency patients is four hours and about 75 per cent of patients completed their emergency room visit within that time.

The new data comes months after the government first released their new plan to stabilize the health-care system after the pandemic. The plan, which was announced in August, included an investment in private clinic surgeries, a pledge to add up to 6,000 new health-care workers and Bill 7—legislation that allows hospitals to transfer patients waiting for a long-term care home spot to a home not of their choosing or serve them a daily $400 fee.

The idea was to free up hospital beds for acute care patients who need them.

That same month, a leaked Ontario Health report showed that, on average, there were just under 884 patients waiting for a hospital bed every day at 8 a.m. This was a 53 per cent increase compared to August 2021.

The report reviewed historical year-by-year data for executives and emergency department chiefs and was released to reporters in October, prompting the Ontario Liberals to call on the Doug Ford government to “explain their mismanagement of the health-care system.”

schools have had to struggle to feed students at their schools due to insufficient funds from the government. Students in public schools have had to struggle with mental health due to inadequate feeding.

Also, teacher unions in the country have come together to call for strike action which is affecting public schools in Ghana due to the government’s action of appointing a ‘banker’, according to the unions, as the Director General of Education in the country.

Public schools lack sufficient teaching support and learning resources to improve the quality of education being offered at

such schools. Well to do parents who can offer are putting their children in private schools.

Governments are paying lip service to public education in order to win votes during elections but the big question is: isn’t the quality of public education being sacrificed at the altar of privatization by our governments?

We need, as parents and educators, wake up from our political slumber and question our governments on their attitudes towards public schools for the sake of our children who are not in private schools. The time is now!

The federal telecommunications regulator says it has made decisions that it hopes will provide greater competition in the mobile wireless market.

The CRTC says it is giving mobile virtual network operators which resell wireless communications service in more rural areas access to the wireless networks of Canada’s largest telecom providers.

The regulator says the changes will help ensure that the calls and data sessions of MVNO subscribers do not drop when they move between coverage zones and that MVNO access is offered on current and future wireless networks, including 5G.

The CRTC says it is denying several provisions that would make the MVNO access service more restrictive and is preventing any provisions that would restrict regional providers from reselling their wholesale access to other MVNOs.

Bell Mobility, Rogers, Telus and SaskTel must now begin accepting requests from regional wireless carriers for access to their networks and enter negotiations with regional wireless providers to agree on wholesale MVNO rates.

The CRTC established a policy last year to help MVNOs to be launched in the Canadian market.

The Canadian Press

CRTC giving mobile virtual network operators access to large telecoms’ networks

By Edmund Agbeko, Toronto, ON

Lately the whole nation is at war with this monster called galamsey (illegal mining). But the talk about its resurgence and concomitant impact on the environment is mind blowing. Politicians are blaming chiefs, the land owners and the chiefs are also blaming the politicians, who issue permits for mining. The security architecture supporting the fight against galamsey itself is wobblying. It is startling that people are ready to trade their cocoa farms and farmlands for instant gain. Unemployment challenges have also seen many of our young men and women involved in this criminal activities which are destroying our environment, water bodies and forest reserves.

To say the least, galamsey operators have resorted to the use of cyanide in their operations, causing life threatening health challenges to many people. Today, we have all got to a point of emergency or else the whole nation, formerly Gold Coast, suffers. It has been six years of relentless fight against the criminal act and in the search for solutions to the menace, President Nana Addo Dankwa AkufoAddo put his presidency on the line with an avowed resolve to halt the illegality and bring sanity to the smallscale mining sector. Nonetheless, galamsey has reached its crescendo as large tracts of land are devastated while rivers, such as the Ankobra, Birim, Densu, Pra and Offin that provided livelihood to millions of Ghanaians, especially in mining communities, are heavily polluted.

With the tacit support of Media Coalition against Galamsey, some civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders, the government rolled out a raft of measures including the ban on all forms of small-scale mining, formation of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), deployment of Operation Vanguard to clamp down on the activities of illegal miners as well as the review of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act

703) to make the punitive regimes for illegal mining more deterring.

Regretably, these gamut of measures have not achieved the desired success. Persons engaged in galamsey are so emboldened that they do not give a hoot about calls to stop it. Recently, there was a shooting incident at Asamang Tamfoe in the Atewa East District in the Eastern Region over a disagreement between some youth of the area and anti-galamsey taskforce. The taskforce had seized excavators that were allegedly being used for illegal mining, but the community members insisted that they were engaged in community mining. The surge in galamsey activities across the country has got to the point that people are selling out their farmlands to illegal miners.

There are viral videos on social media in which some farmers publicly state their willingness to part with the farmlands to get instant cash. In one of such videos, the farmer said he got more money from selling his farmland to illegal miners than what he got from the farm for over 10 years. They have forgotten that there is life beyond that immediate gain; they have forgotten that the next generation will suffer to access farmlands; they are oblivious that their action will lead to food insecurity in the country.

The most worrying trend is the involvement of foreigners in illegal mining in the Small Scale Mining sector in contravention of the provisions of Act 703 that prohibits foreigners from participating in small-

scale mining in the country. Currently, the Chinese woman, who has gained notoriety for engaging in galamsey in Ghana, Aisha Huang, is in court with three of her compatriots - Johng Li Hua, Huang Jei and Huaid Hai Hun. They have been charged with two counts of engaging in the sale and purchases of minerals without valid licence contrary to section 99(1) of the minerals and mining (amendment) Act 2015(Act 900) and mining without licence contrary to section 99(3) of minerals and mining (amendment) Act 2015, Act 900.

The law must be applied appropriately to ensure that if found guilty, they receive sentences to send a strong signal to other perpetrators of the illegality. However, while we chastise these foreigners for engaging in illegalities in the mining sector, one cannot lose sight of the fact that they do so with the tacit support of local agents who front for them.

The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Shi Ting Wang, is on record to have stated in a public forum that while the China Government acknowledged that there were some Chinese engaged in illegal mining activities, they were undoubtedly being assisted by Ghanaians to perpetuate the crime. “We don’t know where your gold is. We don’t issue visas too for the Chinese people coming to Ghana. Ghanaians issue the visas. Ghanaians aid the Chinese to where they can find your gold. Why are Chinese not doing illegal mining in South Africa where there is also a lot of gold...because they cannot do that there and the locals don’t support such illegalities,” Mr Shi reportedly stated at a lecture organised by the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast on April 17, 2019. To a large extent, the Chinese Ambassador has a point, because if there is no seller, there can be no buyer. This is the reason why we need to look more inward in the search for solutions to the illegal mining menace than looking outward.

This is why there is the urgent need

for an all-hands-on-deck approach to strongly fight against galamsey. If we continue to pay lip service to the fight against the menace, we will be the ultimate losers. When food security is threatened, we are all affected; when waterbodies are polluted, it affects all of us; the negative impact of climate change affects all of us. Efforts being made by the government to restore the degraded landscape through the Green Ghana project and the national reclamation programme are commendable but needs to be reinforced.

Related partners, such as the media, CSOs, chiefs and local actors must demonstrate their fidelity to the country by playing active roles to curb the menace. Metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives have a crucial role to play in halting the galamsey menace. Since they are the head of the security council within their jurisdiction, the fight against illegal mining should be made part of their key performance index (KPIs) so that their continuous stay in office would be linked to how best they are able to fight against the menace.

Traditionally, chiefs are the custodians of lands at the local level. They live in the local communities and know those who try to desecrate the land with illegal mining. Galamsey cannot thrive in local communities except with the tacit approval of chiefs. Chiefs wield so much power over land in communities that no person can destroy the environment, if they mean to stop it.

Just recently, the Gomoa District Assembly in the Central Region, with the support of chiefs, banned the activities of land guards in the area. This is commendable and must be replicated in other areas of the country. Opinion leaders and security agencies, must also rise up and be counted too. For one of Ghana’s seasoned writers’, Kobby Asmah shares the view that, the impunity of Ghana’s galamsey rebirth needs to be STOPPED!! But again we ask, can the Aisha Huang’s trial aid the Galamsey War?

Canada’s leadership in plant-based food and ingredients on display to the world

stress for employees (85%) and more of an investment in human capital than a cost to business (78%).

Most employers (84%) are also concerned about an emerging retirement income crisis, and feel they have a responsibility to offer a pension (75%). There is also agreement that governments have a role to play, with 87% saying governments can save money by supporting more affordable and efficient pensions.

McCormick said: “While it is understandable that raising wages is a quicker fix for immediate current economic challenges, there is also widespread understanding of the power of pensions. And it’s encouraging to see there are some employers who are

prioritizing retirement benefits as a way of supporting staff.”

These are the findings of a study/survey conducted by HOOPP from August 3rd to August 10th,2022 among 778 Canadian business owners and senior leaders with 20+ employees who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would yield a margin of error of +/3.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. See more detailed results here.

About Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) HOOPP serves Ontario’s hospital and community-based healthcare sector, with more than 620 participating employers. Its membership includes

nurses, medical technicians, food services staff, housekeeping staff, and many others who provide valued healthcare services. In total, HOOPP has more than 420,000 active, deferred and retired members.

HOOPP operates as a private independent trust, and is governed by a Board of Trustees with a sole fiduciary duty to deliver the pension promise. The Board is jointly governed by the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) and four unions: the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union (OPSEU), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). This governance model provides representation from both

management and workers in support of the long-term interests of the Plan and its members.

About The Angus Reid Group Angus Reid is Canada’s most wellknown and respected name in opinion and market research data. Offering a variety of research solutions to businesses, brands, governments, notfor-profit organizations and more, the Angus Reid team connects technologies and people to derive powerful insights that inform your decisions.

Data is collected through a suite of tools utilizing the latest technologies. Prime among that is the Angus Reid Forum, an opinion community consisting of engaged residents across the country who answer surveys on topical issues that matter to all Canadians.

Ghana: Group of Earth Observations (GEO) Provides Critical Data for Our Development – Dr Bawumia

More Ghanaian Students Pick the United States for Higher Education

Ghanaian students studied at 700 U.S. colleges and universities in all 50 U.S. states in 2021-2022

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has lauded the contributions made by the Group of Earth Observations (GEO) through the provision of critical data that continues to inform policy formulation, programme design and implementation in Ghana.

Speaking in Accra at the 18th Plenary of the Group of Earth Observations (GEO) Week in Accra on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 Dr Bawumia said such data had become increasingly important for decision-making, and Government’s targeted programmes such as poverty reduction drives and the fight against illegal mining were based in part on such data.

“In Ghana we are applying the products of the Digital Earth Africa programme to monitor landscape changes because of illegal mining activities. Developing an interoperable data ecosystem that combines Earth observations data with other data, including socioeconomic data, citizen data, and statistical data, among others would be more meaningful and impactful.

“Our development priorities are focused on economic transformation through value-addition to create jobs, reduce poverty, and enhance social inclusion while sustaining the integrity of our environment. Our medium and long-term development plans are underpinned by the “Ghana Beyond Aid” vision to change the mindsets of our citizens towards an increased reliance on internal resources plus private sector investment to lead economic transformation.

“The application of digital technologies is fundamental to the achievement of the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda, with emphasis on the maximisation of resources, investments in agriculture, improved health, and industrialisation, enhancing critical skills and education and promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.”

Dr Bawumia disclosed that Government is finalizing a new Digital Economy Policy and a Digital Transformation Blueprint to position Ghana as the leader in ICT innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The ongoing Ghana Digital Acceleration Project is expected to increase access to mobile internet and broadband services by encouraging private sector investment in last-mile connectivity in underserved and rural areas, with particular attention to women, persons with disabilities and the youth.

He continued, “We are working through bilateral and multilateral partnerships

to put in place concrete actions to boost resource efficiency, establish a circular economy, mitigate, and adapt to climate change, mitigate disaster risks and halt biodiversity loss. We are also actively pursuing improved ways to harness the power of earth observations to support planning and decision-making in weather forecasting, measuring landuse change (such as deforestation), monitoring coastlines, and monitoring and responding to disasters, including fires, floods, and earthquakes.”

Data and systems to address challenges

While Ghana has made major progress in her poverty reduction efforts through increased access to education, jobs, higher agricultural production and rapid urbanization, significant challenges remain, and government will continue to employ data, tools and systems to address them, Dr Bawumia pledged.

“Unplanned spatial expansion of big cities threatens economic efficiency, increasing social and environmental costs for urban commuting. Natural resource depletion heightened by unsustainable mining, inadequate waste management and sanitation, make Ghana extremely vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation and threaten resilience and economic growth.

“Existing efforts to tackle these challenges will require accurate, global, and timely data and information to support sustainable development in the country. Earth observation systems could easily be used to track, and in some instances minimize the negative impact of these environmental problems,” he maintained.

The Vice President called for greater collaboration in the quest to protect the environment and entire planet.

“The fight against poverty, hunger, natural resource depletion and efforts toward a clean environment, and to achieve economic prosperity is at serious risk without a safe and secured planet. We believe that this gathering offers Ghana and the rest of Africa the opportunity to catalyze increased use of Earth observations data, tools, and services to inform decisions for accelerated climate and sustainable development action.

“This meeting represents the pinnacle of global collaboration for accelerating the use of Earth observations as evidence for local impact, both in Africa and around the world,” he added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

Ghanaian students continue to choose the United States as a top destination for higher education. The 2022 Open Doors Report released today confirms that 4,916 Ghanaian students studied at U.S. colleges and universities during the most recent (2021-2022) academic year. This represents a 16 percent increase over the previous year and continues a long-term growth trend among Ghanaian students.

“U.S. higher educational institutions offer world-class learning experiences. Our team has worked hard to help students with the application, admission, and visa process this year. We are so proud that more Ghanaian students are choosing the United States,” said U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Virginia Palmer.

Ghanaian students studied at 700 U.S. colleges and universities in all 50 U.S. states in 2021-2022. Among Sub-Saharan African countries, Ghana sends the second-highest number of students (second only to Nigeria). Ghana also now ranks 18th in the world for countries sending students to the United States for graduate programs.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, new international student enrollment in the United States rebounded this year – the total number of international students enrolled in U.S. institutions increased four percent. The United States remains the top destination for international education with over 948,000 students enrolled.

Ghanaian student Philip De-Graft, a freshman at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, is a member of the school’s Presidential and Bonner Scholar programs. Philip is the first person in his family to attend university. “EducationUSA provided me with reliable information and helped me to select my best fit institution. From test preparation to essay review, to the visa process and pre-departure orientation, we had a great relationship. Even after helping me land a full scholarship, EducationUSA’s Opportunity Fund Program helped me pay for the application fee and travel costs,” noted Philip in a conversation with EducationUSA.

Mohammed Mabrouk Halid was completing his national service at Ghana’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, when he met

an alumnus of a U.S. university. Soon enough, with the help of EducationUSA, he was applying for graduate programs in the United States. After graduating as a Master of Arts in Finance from Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri), he is now a PhD candidate at University of the Cumberlands.

“Success is a journey, not a destination,” concludes Halid.

The U.S. Embassy worked closely with prospective students over the past year, helping students accepted to U.S. colleges and universities navigate the visa process and other preparations. The U.S. Embassy processed more than 7,000 student visa cases in the last fiscal year – breaking all previous records.

Through EducationUSA, the U.S. Department of State’s network of education advisers, the U.S. Embassy has continued to engage prospective Ghanaian students. Through online and in-person information sessions this year, EducationUSA has reached more than 200,000 Ghanaian students, including nearly 3,000 students who attended EducationUSA’s College Fair in Accra in September 2022. EducationUSA maintains Advising Centers in Accra and Kumasi for virtual and in-person student advising.

This week, a team from the U.S. Embassy is visiting Tamale, Northern Region and Bolgatanga, Upper East Region as part of the American Spaces and EducationUSA Roadshow. With events in both cities, from November 14 through November 17, the team will engage local entrepreneurs in training sessions, as well as local students to provide information on studying in the United States. For more information and to register for the events in Tamale and Bolgatanga, visit https://bit.ly/ Tamale-Bolga

Ghanaian students interested in studying in the United States can follow the U.S. Embassy Facebook (@ USEmbassyGhana) for virtual and inperson information sessions and future opportunities. For in-person education advising at U.S. EducationUSA Advising Center, see: https:// gh.usembassy.gov/education-culture/ educationusa-center/

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Ghana.

Dr Bawumia said such data had become increasingly important for decision-making, and Government’s targeted programmes

Ghana is #1 in Access to Financial Inclusion in Africa

Ghana has been recognized as the only country in Africa to achieve 100% access to financial inclusion on the continent.

The honour was contained in this year’s State of Inclusive Instant Payment in Africa Report put together by AfricaNenda and launched at the ongoing Mobile World Congress Africa 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda.

This feat was achieved through the successful implementation of the Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI) system, which integrates all payments platforms across banks, fintechs and telcos, allowing every Ghanaian to make and receive instant payments.

Commenting on the monumental achievement at the ongoing Standard Chartered Bank Digital Banking, Innovation and Fintech Festival in Accra on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, Vice President Bawumia expressed delight that Government’s Digitization agenda, began in 2017 and touching almost every aspect of national life, is beginning to yield the desired results.

“In fact, because of mobile money interoperability, where fintechs, banks and telcos have essentially payment platforms that enable every Ghanaian to access and receive payments, Ghana was the only country to score 100% on financial inclusion in Africa at the ongoing Mobile World Congress Africa 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda. And it just makes you proud in this context that yes, we are doing what is actually quite right.

“You’ve seen mobile money interoperability; you’ve seen the national ID card; you’ve seen digital addresses, you’ve seen the paperless

ports, universal QR code, Ghana pay, and so on. All of this is laying a particular foundation in this country that will allow us to fully participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“It is also comforting to note that even the credit reference agencies are leveraging on these infrastructure, the digital infrastructure that we have put in place, digital addresses, national ID and so on. We are expecting that individual credit scoring by the credit reference agencies will start taking place by the first quarter of next year, which will allow and underpin the development of a real credit system in Ghana which is very, very critical in terms of the development of this country.”

Digital technology has changed the way Africa’s financial service industry offers products and services to consumers, Dr Bawumia pointed out, noting that new financial service business models based on digital technologies are enabling inclusive access to financial services across diverse product types for consumers.

“As a government, we realized it was imperative to adopt digital innovation to transform the economy. It is not a venture without opposition, and there are huge costs associated to get to our destination. However we are unwavering as we are convinced the benefits will outweigh the costs, and these benefits are already beginning to show.

“Thus far, we have introduced some interventions such as mobile money interoperability, digital renewal of National Health Insurance, implementation of the digital address system, the national ID card, paperless port system, QR-Code, among others.

“We are already seeing the impact of these digitisation initiatives including efficient public service delivery by all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies on the Ghana.gov portal, combating corruption by removing the middle man, and also ghost names in many transactions, bringing more Ghanaians into the formal sector and driving domestic revenue mobilization, amongst others.”

To achieve greater success and faster growth, Vice President Bawumia called for more collaboration between all players in the fintech ecosystem –banks, fintechs, telecom companies, governments, regulators and consumers – in order to position Africa as a fintech innovation hub.

“A strong regulatory framework is also necessary across the sub region to drive innovation. Central banks need to be ahead of the market and put in place regulations that are innovation friendly bearing in mind all associated risks.”

Award

The State of Inclusive Instant Payment in Africa Report examines all instant pay rollouts across the continent to identify the areas of commonality with the view to driving adoption to boost financial inclusion on the continent.

This year, the report focused on inclusive instant payment systems in 12 African countries and Ghana was the only country that scored 100% on access to financial inclusion.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Interbank Payments and Settlements Systems (GhIPSS), Archie Hesse, who was present at the launch of the report in Kigali, said from a humble beginning of integrating three instant payment platforms into what he called the ‘financial inclusion triangle’, GhIPSS has since improved the services by adding other services like Proxy Pay, Internet Gateway Payment, Request to Pay and the Universal QR Code dubbed GHQR, which can be linked to both bank accounts and digital wallets, with affordability as the key driving force.

GhIPSS, in collaboration with the banks, have also come up with a bankwide wallet called GhanaPay to ensure that the banks also play a role in the mobile money space with the view to bridging the financial inclusion gap, he added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana

This feat was achieved through the successful implementation of the Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI) system

IMMIGRATION AND SOCIAL ISSUES

By: James A. Kwaateng, B.A. (Hons), LLB (Hons)

EVIDENCE FOR REFUGEE PROTECTION CLAIMS IN CANADA

A claim for refugee protection in Canada may be made in or outside Canada. Claims made inside Canada are made to an immigration officer, who, pursuant to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), shall, upon receipt of a claim, promptly determine whether or not the claim is eligible to be referred to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) for further action on the claim.

A refugee claim may not meet the eligibility criteria to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) if the claimant has been recognized as a Convention refugee by another country he can return to; if the claimant has already been granted protected person status in Canada; if the claimant arrived via the Canada-United States border; if the claimant is inadmissible to Canada on security grounds; if the claimant made a previous refugee claim that was not found eligible; if the claimant made a previous refugee claim that was rejected by the IRB or if the claimant abandoned or withdrew a previous refugee claim.

Under the Act, refugee protection is conferred on a person when the person has been determined by IRB to be a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection or when the Minister allows an application for protection.

Section 96 of the Act defines a “Convention Refugee” as a person who, by reason of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race,

religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, is outside each of their countries of nationality and is unable or, by reason of that fear, unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of each of those countries; or not having a country of nationality, is outside the country of their former habitual residence and is unable or, by reason of that fear, unwilling to return to that country.

Section 97 of the Act defines a “person in need of protection” as a person whose removal to their country or countries of nationality or, if they do not have a country of nationality, their country of former habitual residence, would subject them personally to a danger of torture or to a risk to their life or to a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.

There is a general presumption that persons in need of protection and those

who claim protection as conventional refugees cannot live safely in any other part of their countries of nationality. The risk they face should not be related to inadequate medical care in the country and should be specific to the claimant and not generalized risk. The risk should also not be inherent or incidental to lawful sanctions, unless such sanctions are imposed in disregard of accepted international standards. In refugee protection claims, a distinction is made between persecution and prosecution.

At the hearing of refugee protection cases, the applicant needs identity documents to prove that he is who claims to be. This could be documents to show his nationality, affiliation with a particular religion or ethnicity or profession or membership in a social group or sexual orientation. Such documents could be national identity card, evidence of military service, marriage certificate, school transcripts, baptismal certificate, a letter from your religious leader or community group or family member, professional membership card, transcripts proving professional training, and diplomas.

Supporting documents such as photographs, letters, videos to show the problems one has passed through, police and medical reports to substantiate the

claims, if applicable, news articles about people connected to one’s case, if applicable, sworn statements of people who have witnessed what happened to you or who have experienced problems that are similar to yours in writing, if necessary; and probable impact of your ordeal on your mental health presented by a doctor or a psychologist. Also important is evidence of human rights conditions in your country even though the risk you face should be personal and not the same general risk that everyone else in your country faces.

Thus, at a refugee hearing, greater focus would likely be on identity, credibility, subjective fear, generalized risk, particularized risk, state protection, internal flight alternative and legal residence in another country. It is necessary to contact a professional for advice and guidance if one contemplates seeking refuge in Canada.

James A. Kwaateng is an Immigration Law practitioner. He has his offices located at 168A Oakdale Road, Suite 4, Toronto, Ontario. For thorough discussion of your immigration and related social and legal issues, contact him at telephone number (416) 7432758 for an appointment.

The Ghanaian authorities will block about 10 million Sim cards by the end of this month as the registration window draws to a close.

The communications authority and industry regulator will on 31 October disconnect data and voice services of unverified cards after a year of nationwide registration campaign.

In July, the communication authority extended the deadline for verification by two months to allow Ghanaians and non-citizens resident in Ghana to link their identity cards to their Sim cards and complete the

registration process.

By 4 October, about 19 million Sim cards were fully registered, representing about 45% of all the cards issued.

Sim card owners must link their Ghana national cards to their Sim and then proceed for full registration and biometrics capture with their service providers.

The government says the aim of the Sim registration exercise is to protect users against fraud and ensure digital security.

BBC News

Canada Cell: 416-825-5885

USA Cell 1-917-306-0073Tel: 1-914-652-7191

Ghana Cell: +233244-672052 Tel: +233332195630 Web: www.saharaherbals.com Email: atosahara@yahoo.com

Ghana to block millions of Sim cards by end month

The AIF for departing passengers will increase by $5 to a new total of $35, while the fee for connecting passengers

is going up by $1, for a new total of $7. The connecting fee applies to flights where the following trip jets off less than four hours after arrival at the airport.

Meanwhile, aeronautical rates for commercial, business, and general aviation aircraft will rise by four per cent. This particular fee assists with operational costs, and is charged directly to the airlines for flying aircraft with the airport.

“Given the well-publicized challenges across the globe relating to aviation’s restart over the summer, ensuring a smooth passenger experience at Toronto Pearson, the country’s largest airport and a major driver of regional and national economies, is absolutely essential to signalling to the world that Canada is open for business and tourism,” a spokesperson for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) told CTV News Toronto in a written statement.

“These changes to Toronto Pearson’s rates and changes will help ensure the necessary investments to enhance the passenger experience.”

Airport officials said in a release the revenues incurred from the increased fees will assist with a variety of projects throughout Pearson, including the

cont’d on pg. 35

Works and Housing Ministry Denies Knowledge of Construction of National Cathedral

The Ministry of Works and Housing has told Parliament that the activities pertaining to the construction of the National Cathedral is outside the scope of the Ministry’s mandate and therefore could not provide any answers to the Parliamentary questions filed in that direction.

The first question was to ask the Minister about the current state of the National Cathedral; the second, was to inquire from the Ministry, how many judges are still being housed in hotels as a result of the demolition of their bungalows to pave way for the construction of the National Cathedral; and the third was to find out if all private persons whose properties were destroyed at the site for the National Cathedral have been adequately compensated where they qualify.

The Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, Abdulai Abanga, told Parliament on Thursday, November 17, 2022 in his response to the Parliamentary questions filed by the Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo, Ebenezer Terlabi that questions, “relating to the National Cathedral, is an activity which is outside the remit of the Ministry of Works and Housing.

“Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Works and Housing has therefore written to the House in a letter dated 11th of November, 2022 to the Principal Assistant Clerk here at the Table Office to draw attention to this.”

The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah who was sitting in Plenary, gave a directive that the questions be redirected to the appropriate Ministry by the Clerk.

The response by the Deputy Minister came as a surprise to some of the Members of Parliament who argued that the questions were rightly within the remit of the Ministry because the questions were related to the works and housing.

“Mr. Speaker, demolition of houses to build a cathedral is works, and housing is involved; Mr. Speaker, if not the Ministry of Works and Housing, tell us which Ministry we should ask of questions in relation to such public works as the construction of the National Cathedral? “, the MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga argued in frustration.

Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com

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Airbnb aims to convince more people to rent out their homes

Convinced that the boom in leisure travel is permanent, Airbnb aims to expand its listings by convincing more people to turn their homes into short-term rentals.

The company said Wednesday that it will increase the amount of liability coverage for hosts, up to $3 million, in a play for owners of nicer houses in high-cost places such as California. It will also pair newbies with a “superhost” to guide them through the process of becoming a short-term landlord, from signing up through welcoming their first guest.

More listings would not seem to be Airbnb’s biggest challenge.

CEO Brian Chesky says the San Francisco company is taking steps to make price more transparent when consumers browse Airbnb listings, and he predicts that will reduce sky-high cleaning fees that many hosts tack on well into the booking process — a major complaint of consumers.

The company also continues to try to crack down on large parties

cont’d on pg. 41

Why Trump’s legal woes can’t stop him from running

Phew. Nine days after the midterm elections, we’re catching our breath on the politics desk. But it’s not as if we’re sitting here twiddling our thumbs. This week, the 2024 presidential election saw one candidate formally declare he is running. The New York Post headline about that candidate throwing his hat into the ring read “Florida man makes announcement,” and, adding insult to injury for a notoriously egocentric man, it ran that headline at the bottom of the paper’s front page. It’s former President Donald Trump, of course, whom the Post trolled, and with Trump the focus of multiple criminal investigations, we featured a story this week that answered the question on the mind of many: Does an indictment –or even a felony conviction – prevent a presidential candidate from running for or serving in office?

“The short answer is no,” writes constitutional law scholar Stefanie Lindquist at Arizona State University “Even in the case of conviction and incarceration, a presidential candidate would not be prevented from continuing their campaign – even if, as a felon, they might not be able to vote for themselves.”

Today marks a change in my status after almost five years as the Senior Editor on the politics desk. The job has allowed me the opportunity to direct coverage of a tumultuous time

in American politics, working with top-notch editing colleagues as we strove to get ahead of not just what was happening but, more importantly, why it was happening. I’ve seen how U.S. democracy has been challenged by forces that have threatened its very foundation. And even though there were good signs about the health of that democracy in the recent midterms, those forces have been growing in past years – and still exist. That’s why I proposed establishing a new position here at The Conversation, the Democracy Editor. And guess what? That’s what I am now, thanks to the wisdom and generosity of the people who run this place.

Taking over as Senior Editor is Lorna Grisby, a top-notch journalist who comes to us after a long career covering government and politics in newspapers and radio as a reporter and producer. She also has directed national coverage of a range of topics as a magazine editor and manager. The Conversation

NDP: Jones’ response to pediatric ICU crisis

QUEEN’S PARK – France Gélinas, NDP Health critic, released the following statement in response to Sylvia Jones’ utterly inadequate response to the crisis unfolding in pediatric hospitals across Ontario:

“Hospitals in this province are filled past capacity with sick children, waiting in fear and pain for hours with their parents. CHEO’s Chief of Staff is calling this an unprecedented crisis. Desperate hospitals are considering sending infants with RSV to Buffalo, because nothing is available across southern Ontario.

Parents are waiting for reassurance from the government that their children will receive timely support from fully staffed hospitals if an emergency strikes. Contrary to her claims, Jones denied parents that reassurance today.

Jones’ inaction in the face of this crisis

is simply staggering. Kids’ surgeries are being cancelled and the Ford government refused to put a single new penny into health care in its economic update this week.

Instead of shoring up our hospitals, the Ford government is threatening to make things worse by privatizing health care – something Jones refused to rule out or take off the table. Sending surgeries to for-profit clinics will saddle people with big bills, and even longer waits in pain.

The Ford government must drop its scheme to privatize health care and take urgent action to address the crisis in our children’s hospitals. We should address the staffing crisis right now by ripping up Bill 124, we should promote COVID and flu vaccination, and we should show respect to our health care professionals.” Ontario NDP

alarmingly inadequate

The commitment of AU member-states to the implementation of Africa’s Asset Recovery Agenda, the CAPAR, is one of the major outcomes of the high-level technical meeting on the frameworks for its implementation

An extended Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR) Working Group with more African Union (AU) member-states including Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Nigeria, and Senegal have joined panAfrican institutions mandated by the AU Assembly to actively further the implementation of the CAPAR.

The commitment of AU member-states to the implementation of Africa’s Asset Recovery Agenda, the CAPAR, is one of the major outcomes of the high-level technical meeting on the frameworks for its implementation held on 3rd and 4th November, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

At the meeting which had top government officials and heads of anticorruption and asset recovery agencies, the aforementioned countries agreed through their respective missions and representatives to propagate the CAPAR, unify its messaging and deliver necessary political support to its implementation frameworks, as well as its proposed protocol and model agreements.

The high-level meeting, which was jointly organized by the African Union and the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA), reviewed strategy documents that focused on the legal framework for the recovery of African assets and the proposal on the setting up of an escrow account for African assets.

Discussions focused on experience sharing while ensuring that the frameworks for asset recovery by African States maintained a

Africa’s

comprehensive approach in a holistic and economically beneficial way. The meeting also made valid proposals to address key legal issues that African States face in recovering illicit financial outflows and stolen assets.

Participants at the meeting agreed that its outcomes should feed into the updates of the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, the AU Champion on Anti-Corruption, and report of the AU Commissioner of the Political Affairs, Peace and Security to the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government at its next summit to be held in February, 2023 in view of the nexus between corruption and peace and security. This is towards greater galvanization of CAPAR’s implementation by all AU member-states and the need to strengthen implementation of the CAPAR at national, sub-regional and regional levels.

On the escrow account, the African Union committed to facilitate necessary consultations with relevant regional banks to establish escrow accounts to mitigate the losses being experienced by African countries as negotiations drag too long for the recovery and return of sovereign assets illicitly removed from AU MemberStates. It was further agreed that the extended CAPAR Working Group would reconvene in future meetings with the view of engaging additional AU Member-States and advancing the processes to implement the frameworks.

The Secretariat of the AU High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa - Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA) constituted the CAPAR Working Group that guides the necessary actions for the successful popularization and implementation of the CAPAR. In addition to the AU

and CoDA, the group is composed of AU Member-States – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Nigeria, and Senegal, as well as relevant African institutions including African Development Bank (AfDB), African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK), ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), and the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF).

CAPAR seeks to assist African Union

Member States to identify, repatriate and effectively manage these assets in a manner that respects their sovereignty. It outlines Africa’s priorities for asset recovery in four pillars: detection and identification of illicitly removed assets; recovery and return of illicitly removed assets; management of recovered assets; and cooperation and partnerships to harmonize the process of identification and recovery.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Training of 19 African Officers on Responses to the Continent’s Security Challenges

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra, Ghana, organised the Joint Campaign Planning Course (JCP) from 10 to 21 October 2022.

Funded by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs through the Directorate of Security and Defence Cooperation, the course hosted 19 officers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

Responding to the challenges of the fight against terrorism on the African continent, the JCP aims to teach the Operational Planning Process.

It allows each trainee officer to learn or deepen their skills in the field of operational planning and to prepare them for staff work in a multinational environment.

During the two weeks, the officers took ownership of the two tactical themes proposed. The first exercise,

entitled “Champs de Mars”, served as a teaching aid for the appropriation of the Operational Planning Process. The second, “Benin 2004”, is a planning exercise for a peacekeeping operation in a fictitious West African country.

With the help of facilitators from the Ecole Supérieure Internationale de Guerre de Yaoundé (ESIG), as well as two officers from the Ghanaian Army, the trainee officers were able to propose relevant solutions for each of the tactical themes.

With their past individual experiences, they took up all the challenges that were imposed on them and demonstrated a solid collective mastery during the presentations.

There is no doubt that they will draw inspiration from this for their next operational deployments.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of France in Accra, Ghana.

Responding to the challenges of the fight against terrorism on the African continent, the JCP aims to teach the Operational Planning Process

Children of African descent are not considered children at all, say United Nations experts

The unresolved legacies of trade and trafficking of enslaved Africans and colonialism, post-colonial apartheid and segregation, continues to harm children of African descent in all areas of life, UN experts said.

In a report presented to the General Assembly by the Working Group on people of African descent, they highlighted discrimination against children of African descent in areas including the administration of justice, law enforcement, education and health.

“Due to racial discrimination, racial stereotypes, systemic racial discrimination and xenophobia, children of African descent are not considered as children at all,” Working Group Chair Catherine Namakula said when presenting the report.

“Throughout the diaspora, children of African descent face heavier policing, including more arrests, police surveillance, racial profiling, strip searches and excessive use

of force. Law enforcement is in conflict with children of African descent,” the experts’ report said.

The report details how false racial stereotypes of criminality, culpability and dangerousness influence decision-making in relation to children and youth of African descent, including by legal system personnel, such as police officers, prosecutors, lawyers and judges globally.

“The childhoods of people of African descent are stolen by persistent racial disparities in policing and family interventions, including removal of children and termination of parental rights, and racialised decision-making and outcomes,” the report said.

The Working Group said it was time to take action to end excessive use of force, extra-judicial killings, disparities, racial profiling, racial stereotypes and stereotyping, systemic racial discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes. They called

for a racial justice index to measure progress.

“We must dismantle discriminatory structures and create political space for a dialogue on reparations at the international, regional, national and local levels. Only the truth, accountability and justice can eliminate racial discrimination,” Namakula said.

The experts urged the UN and other stakeholders to stop using images of African children and children of African descent in undignified circumstances, for marketing and fundraising, and address negative stereotypes. “Children of African descent are not synonymous with poverty,” they said.

Following a country visit to Switzerland, the Working Group welcomed the decision of the Zurich High Court on 31 October, ordering the release of Brian K., a striking example of a stolen childhood and a superimposed adult identity with stark racial connotations. Brian was

only 10 years old when he was first arrested for a false accusation. He had been held in pre-trial detention or preventive detention without interruption since 28 September 2017. Dominique Day, a member of the Working Group, contributed an expert racial analysis to the progression of the case this year.

“Leaving no child behind requires bringing the issues of children of African descent from the margins to the mainstream in education, health, social services and child justice. Humanity owes the best it has to give to every child without exception,” Namakula said.

“The lives of children of African descent are humanity’s opportunity to decisively discontinue centuries of marginalisation of generations of one of the most oppressed group of persons of the world,” she said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The report details how false racial stereotypes of criminality, culpability and dangerousness influence decision-making in relation to children and youth of African descent

IN PICTURES

Fr.

PEOPLE AND PLACES

Fr. George Kibura Njuguna Installed as New Pastor of St.

Andrew’s Church

Kibura

The

Graduation

ceremony of Mrs. Comfort Ayiku from Global University Berean School of Bible

George Kibura Njuguna Installed as New Pastor of St. Andrew’s Church The Most Reverend Ivan Camilleri, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto in charge of the Western Region presided over the installation of Father George

Njuguna, IMC as the new pastor of St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, 2547 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke.

event took place on Saturday, October 29, 2022. Fr. George replaces Fr. Peter Ssekajugo who has been transferred to New Jersey, USA.

Mrs. Comfort Ayiku of Living Word Assembly of God, Toronto graduated from the Global University Berean School of Bible. The induction took place at the sanctuary of LWAG on Sunday October 16, 2022. The Reverend Dr. Gary Empey, National Director of Global University Canada and is a Global Worker for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada in Cuba was the officiant.

Bishop Camilleri (L) Deacon Joseph (M) & Fr. George Njuguna

Bishop Camilleri (Middle) Fr. George (R) Deacon Joseph (L) and altar servers

By Jonathan Baah Annobil, Toronto, ON

Rev. Dr. Gary Empey presenting certificate to Mrs. Comfort Ayiku

From left: rev. Isaac Takyi DeGraft, Rev. Dr. Gary Empey, Mrs. Comfort Ayiku and Rev. Dr. Paa Kwesi Dadzie

Mrs. Comfort Ayiku, Clergy, family and friends

Mrs. Comfort Ayiku & Family

By Jonathan Baah Annobil, Toronto, ON

Rev. Dadzie hanging a medal on Mrs. Ayiku

cont’d from pg. 1

The theme for the celebration was ‘The Rebuilding after Covid - Youth the engine of growth’ that is to provide an enabling environment for the youth to acquire knowledge and experience to propel the relevance of the church’s ministry.

Ghanaian Anglican Church of Toronto celebrates 18th Anniversary and Official Name Change 5

The Ghanaian Anglican Church of Toronto was established in 1982 to enable Ghanaians and other Africans in the Diaspora living in Toronto (GTA) worship as Anglicans through our cultural practices.

Most Rev. Kobina Ben Smith & Men Fellowship

Most Rev. Kobina Ben Smith Rev. Fr. Kenneth Korsah

Rev. Canon Leonard Abbah Rev. George Agyei Kwabi

Most Rev. Kobina Smith & Young Adults

Most Rev Kobina Smith & Women Fellowship

Seraphic Voices

Most Rev. Kobina Smith & Children

Cutting of anniversary cake

Group picture of members

Clergy and a guest

Rev. Milton Offei Celebrates 30 Years in Ministry

By

Rev. Milton Offei, the pastor in charge of the Evangel Assembly of God Church, 314 Rexdale Boulevard celebrated 30 years in ministry on Sunday October 16th, 2022 with a special appreciation service. Opening prayer was by Nana Sarpong and the biography of Rev. Milton Offei

Rev & Mrs. Offei

Bishop Peter Nsiah Bonsu

Rev. & Mrs. Offei

Ushers

MC Pastor Alex Fomba

Clergy

Rev & Mrs. Offei with Church Board

A cross section of Congregation

Some elders Church choir

Hospitality team

Music Ministry

Jonathan Baah Annobil, Toronto, ON

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Twitter lays off staff at its only Africa office in Ghana

When Twitter announced the opening of its Ghana office last year it said it wanted to be more “immersed” in African conversations

Twitter has fired nearly all its staff in Ghana, which was home to its only office in Africa.

The firm “is re-organising its operations as a result of a need to reduce costs,” read Twitter’s email, seen by the BBC.

The layoffs were part of a global staff cull introduced by new boss Elon Musk.

The Ghana office was opened to some fanfare last year with the company saying it wanted to be more “immersed” in African conversations.

Ghana staff were sent messages about the end of their contracts to their personal accounts, after being denied access to work emails.

“It’s very insulting,” one person who wanted to stay anonymous told the BBC.

“From the mail to the lack of next steps to the tone of the letter. Just everything. Ridiculously insulting,” the staff member continued.

There were just under 20 people employed in Ghana’s Twitter office, the BBC understands.

The termination of employment notice indicates that the “last day of employment will be 4 December 2022”.

This move is against local labour laws

which state that employers must give employees at least three months’ notice before the termination of contract date.

It is also against the law in Ghana to not offer redundancy pay, which the anonymous staff members said they have not received, but will get their normal salary.

The letter from Twitter’s management further warned staff not to “contact or deal with any customers, clients, authorities, banks, suppliers or other employees of the Company and are required to inform the Company if contacted”.

It also told staff not to commence any other employment or engagement until their last day with the organisation, while wishing them the very best in their future endeavours.

Mr Musk, Twitter’s new owner, has been laying off staff worldwide. He said he had “no choice” but to slash the company’s workforce as the firm was losing more than $4m (£3.5m) a day.

Last year, Twitter announced it was opening its first Africa office in Ghana in a bid to “be more immersed in the rich and vibrant communities that drive the conversations taking place every day across the African continent”, it said in an April 2021 statement.

At the time, Twitter had praised Ghana for “free speech, online freedom, and the Open Internet” with the news even being welcomed by Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo who described it as “excellent”.

BBC Africa

Toronto Pearson Airport fees are going up next year.

This is how it could affect your flights

cont’d from pg. 15

installation of new inbound baggage carousels, renovations to airport amenities, and “more cleaning and passenger service providers to respond to rising demand for air travel.”

CANADIAN AIRLINES RESPOND

Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesperson for Air Canada, told CTV News Toronto while they understand why the GTAA’s decision to increase its AIF, “this decision will impact the cost of travel.”

“However, one cannot draw a straight line between the cost of one input and fares as many factors continually affect ticket prices,” Fitzpatrick said. “This includes market conditions, competition, fuel and other costs, and of course airport fees. For these and other reasons, we always say ticket prices are dynamic and continually change up and down.”

WestJet feels differently about the increased rates.

“We are disappointed that the GTAA has announced further rate increases despite achieving profitability in the last quarter,” Morgan Bell, a spokesperson for WestJet, told CTV News Toronto.

“Canada was already one of the highest aviation cost jurisdictions prior to the pandemic and during the pandemic, Canadian consumers faced doubledigit cost increases as airports across the country increased their Airport Improvement Fees (AIF) by as much as 52 per cent, with deteriorating service levels.”

In comparison to other airports across Canada, however, Pearson’s rates are in-line with what others are currently charging.

Calgary, Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, and Ottawa’s international airports all have a $35 AIF for departing passengers, while Vancouver International Airport charges $10 less.

CTV News Toronto

8th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA): Senegal’s President, His Excellency Macky Sall, Hosts All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) President, Pledges Support for the ‘Teranga’ Edition

music award in Africa, AFRIMA right here in Senegal, the people of Senegal are excited about this historical feat, given that this is the first time the awards will be held in a Francophone country”

Ahead of the highly anticipated 8th edition of the All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) (www.AFRIMA.org) tagged ‘Teranga Edition’ scheduled to hold in Dakar, Senegal on 12-15 January 2023, the President of the Republic of Senegal, His Excellency, President Macky Sall, over the weekend, at his official residence in Dakar, hosted AFRIMA’s Executive Producer/ President, Mr Mike Dada, assuring him of the government of Republic of Senegal’s unwavering support towards a successful hosting of AFRIMA in Senegal.

President Sall met with the AFRIMA President, after a world media conference/ unveiling ceremony, held at the King Fahd Royal Palace hotel, in Dakar, on November 4,2022 where Senegal was announced as the official host country by the African Union Commission and the International Committee of AFRIMA.

According to President Macky Sall, who is also the 2022 Chairperson of the African Union (AU) ‘’The present and future of Africa, particularly Senegal in this case, is very important to our government and the youths represent that future. AFRIMA speaks to the empowerment and engagement of young people in the creative economy as well as the celebration of our continent and global promotion of our cities for tourism benefits, hence the support and partnership from Republic of Senegal. I am very happy and honoured to host the Teranga edition of the biggest

He assured the AFRIMA team and the rest of the world of premium hospitality rights and support from the Senegalese government and her people, to ensure that the 8th AFRIMA will be an impactful, successful, and laudable affair for visitors and the people of Senegal.

On his part, the AFRIMA’s President and Executive Producer, Mr.Dada thanked His Excellency, President Macky Sall, government and people of Republic of Senegal for undertaken to partner and host 8th AFRIMA for the benefits of the Music industry in Africa in general and the creative economy in Senegal in particular. He promised on behalf of the International Committee of AFRIMA to ensure that the Teranga edition will go down in history as AFRIMA’s best and biggest edition so far.

As the whole world gears towards the 8th edition of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, which will be held from January 12 to 15, 2023, African music lovers are encouraged to keep voting intensively for their desired winners, using the voting portal live at www.AFRIMA.org and take part in the events on social media platforms (IG/TikTok - https://bit.ly/3AjSojU; Facebook - https://bit.ly/3TH2y4T; Twitter https://bit.ly/3X5UvBG; LinkedInAFRIMA). The voting process that determines winners at AFRIMA is audited by a globally renowned auditing firm, Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC).

The event is scheduled to commence on Thursday January 12, 2023, with a host Country Tour, Courtesy Visit to the President of the Host Country, school visit and gift presentation (as part of AFRIMA’s Corporate Social Responsibility), as well as welcome Soiree will be held on the same day at Hotel Terroui -Bi, Dakar. The 4-day event continues Friday January 13, 2023, with the Africa Music Business Summit at Centre International de Conference Abdou Diouf (CICAD) and the AFRIMA Urban Music Fest at Grand Theatre; while the main rehearsals, media engagements

and nominees exclusive party will be held on Saturday January 14, 2023; the event will climax on Sunday January 15, 2023, at the 15000 capacity Dakar Arena with the live Awards ceremony broadcast by 104 TV Stations to over 84 countries around the world.

In partnership with the African Union Commission, AFRIMA is the pinnacle of African music globally.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).

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President Sall met with the AFRIMA President, after a world media conference/ unveiling ceremony, held at the King Fahd Royal Palace hotel, in Dakar, on November 4,2022

The Resilience and Contribution of Older Women Recognition Gala Dinner

By Jonathan Baah Annobil, Toronto, ON

The Mozia Professional Business Centre, 10 Belfield Road, Etobicoke Ontario was the venue of a gala dinner in honor of the resilience and contribution of older women (seniors) in the community at large. It was held on Sunday November 6th, 2022. It was organized by Mozia Women’s Network Society and African Canadian Seniors Network.

Welcome remarks were given by Faith Greaves, founder of Mozia Professional Business Centre (and Mozia Legacy Seniors) and Olukayode Timothy Ogunnaike after which Zora Smith read the land acknowledgements.

After the singing of the Canadian national anthem, the sponsors of the dinner gala were acknowledged. Sumptuous dinner was then served after

appetizers had been earlier served. Faith Greaves then read a very nice poem in honour of the older women being feted. She also acknowledged the UN Declaration for seniors afterwards.

Thereafter, five distinguished women were recognized: Esther Oyewunmi, Maria Lamang, Evadne Wilkinson, Mama Omolola Are, and Dr. Marlyn Morris. They were given some gifts. Four volunteers were also honored and given gifts as well. Abraham Abbey was on hand with special cultural drumming performance as part of the event. Pastor Carol Grant gave the closing prayer and every guest at the gala dinner went home with a gift. The MC was Karlene Millwood, an international keynote speaker and entrepreneurial leadership strategist.

cont’d on pg. 47

Guests

Kayode T Ogunnaike MC- Karlene Milwood

Faith Greaves

National Anthem time

York Regional Police Raises Flag to Promote Intimate Partner Violence Awareness

The Association of Ghanaian-Canadian Law Enforcers Officers (A,G.C.L.E.O) Inaugurated

By Emmanuel Ayiku, Toronto, ON

Association of Ghanaian-Canadian Law Enforcers Officers (A.G.C.L.E O) was formed in 2020.

The association is led by their president, Staff Sergeant Don Yirenkyi who is currently the officer in charge of York Regional Police Intimate Partner Unit. The deputy president is Freda Adjei, a civilian with the Toronto Police Service.

The key objectives of this association include providing assistance to the Ghanaian and racialzed communities through collaborative partnerships and community events. Assist in addressing the needs and concerns of the Ghanaian/racialized communities in Ontario with respect to law and security by directing them to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Then also to receive direction,

support and to seek counseling from a lawyer of their choice.

The association also provides support, counseling and professional advice to all their members

Members of the association are currently providing presentations in the community and engaging in initiatives to strengthen the relationship between the black/racialized communities and law enforcement officers. They want law enforcement to be a viable career option for many youths within the Ghanaian/racialized communities.

Below are the current board members; President Don Yirenkyi Vice-President Freda Adjei, Prince Opoku Eric Boateng, Frederick Yeboah, Richard Amoatey, Stella OtengTawiah and Mark Affum

Police Chief Jim MacSween

Officers

Emml Ayiku, Patricia Mewes, Don Yirenkyi

Don Yirenkyi, Jaspreet Gill,

Police Officers

Senior police Officers

Police Officers

TDoc Clothing’ launched in Accra

By Joyceline Natally Cudjoe

A participant of the maiden edition of “Adepam” fashion reality show, Dorcas Tane has officially launched her fashion brand and design dubbed: “TDoc Clothing” last Saturday in Accra.

The fashion show which brought together over 300 people from all walks of life saw the designer showcasing about 100 clothes on the runaway from her clothing line.

TDoc Clothing provides services on official, bridal, casual, gears and uniform wears among others for both men and women of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

Speaking in an interview with Ghanaian News in Accra during the launch, Ms Tane indicated that the event was set up to showcase the trendy styles she has designed in order to set the world’s mind on TDoc Clothing and the services it rendered.

She said TDoc had been in existence for about four years and had provided fashion solutions to both Ghanaians and foreigners with their distinctive designs and creativity that made their clients look elegant, glamorous and trendy.

“Our clothing satisfies the preferences, demands and necessities of the contemporary market. Before creating any designs we utilise dress making dummy, sketch the pattern on paper, copy it on muslin, see it up, assess the result and choose the next course of action,” Ms Tane added.

Touching on why TDoc was outstanding from other designers, she said her outfit provides excellent designs at reasonable prices without sacrificing quality or decency.

Ms Tane also indicated that TDoc was opened to train the youth to acquire holistic knowledge and a wellbalanced perspective in fashion which would enable them to become professionals to operate in the modern fashion design and textile industry.

She advised the youth to learn a skill in order to fit in the current economic situation of the country as skills was key in eliminating unemployment and poverty, adding that “fashion is lucrative and there is no way you will learn this and go hungry.”

The event was also used to outdoor some of the apprentices she has trained and ready for the market.

TDoc Clothing is located at Anyaa Market- Zonal Council down, adjacent Moving Faith Academy, Accra

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

Airbnb aims to convince more people to rent out their homes

at rentals, a few of which have turned violent. And it faces efforts to increase regulation of short-term rentals.

Through it all, Airbnb has fared better than most travel companies during the pandemic. This month, it reported a record $1.21 billion profit for the third quarter. Its stock fell, however, because earnings and bookings were less than Wall Street expected and the company gave a cautious fourth-quarter outlook.

Investors worry that consumers paying more for food, gas and housing — and facing predictions of recession — will cut back on discretionary spending like travel, hurting Airbnb.

Some current hosts are worried that might already be happening. Last month, a post on a Facebook page for Airbnb “superhosts” asked, “Has anyone seen a huge decrease in bookings over the last 3 to 4 months? We went from at least 50% occupancy to literally 0% in the last two months.”

Other hosts on social media have suggested theories ranging from a fragile economy to pent-up travel demand finally running out, and some think the problem might be that Airbnb already has too many listings.

AirDNA, which tracks short-term-rental numbers, said Airbnb listed nearly 1.4 million rentals in the U.S. in September, a 23% jump from a year earlier and 9% over 2019. Nearly two-thirds were added since 2020. The trends are similar for global listings.

Chesky said in an interview that Airbnb has enough hosts now — he didn’t say it has too many — but needs more because leisure travel will keep growing. And, he said, a recession could push more people to turn their homes into Airbnbs. After all, he likes to point out, Airbnb launched during the great recession in 2008.

“People are pulling back spending in tons of areas, but not travel,” he said. “And with a looming recession, we felt like more people than ever are going to want to make extra money.”

Potential hosts sometimes hesitate, Chesky said, because they are uncomfortable having strangers in their homes. The company’s response is to triple the amount of coverage for hosts — from $1 million to $3 million — against damage, including to vehicles, boats and a wider range of art on the property.

Chesky is betting that will persuade more owners of

nice homes to list them on Airbnb.

“Exactly, and home values have increased since we wrote the $1 million plan,” he said. “We just noticed more than 20% of the homes on Airbnb, and maybe even more than that, were over the $1 million limit in value.”

The company said it is also launching a system to verify the identity of guests and flag potential parties, immediately in the U.S. and Canada and worldwide by next spring. Chesky said the system is “not a silver bullet,” and he didn’t provide many details but said in the U.S. it will include a check of criminal and sex-offender records.

In the meantime, the company is working on a plan to display the all-in price of a stay up front on its app and website — an amount that would include cleaning fees, which can be very high and only appear later in the booking process.

Chesky said he didn’t want to bar or cap cleaning fees — that’s a decision for hosts, he said. But including fees in the upfront price — and in the order in which search results are displayed — “is going to correct the market,” he said.The Associated Press

People and Places

Celebration of Life

The life of Tony Osei-Appiah was celebrated at the Apostles’ Continuation Banquet Hall, 10 Belfield Rd on Saturday October 29, 2022 after interment at Glenview Memorial Gardens, Woodbridge, Ontario. He is survived by Theresa Dwomoh ( Naa Adwoa), Dcn Tony Osei-Appiah II (TJ)and Angel Mamesika Baffowah-Appiah, wife and children respectively. Thanksgiving service was held at the Church of Pentecost Canada (McKeown Assembly) North York on Sunday October 30th, 2022.

Chief mourners

Clergy

Nananom Sympathizers

PLACES OF WORSHIP DIRECTORY

Ghana Methodist Churches in Canada

( SOCIETIES UNDER THE GHANA METHODIST CONFERENCE)

The Superintendents Minister-In-Charge invites you to worship with us Toronto Society

Place of Worship: 69 Milvan Drive, North York, Ont. (Finch Av./Milvan) 416-743-4555 (Office) 905-216-2323 (Residence)

Day and Time of Worship:

Sunday: Bible Class Meeting: 10:00 a.m. - 10.30 a.m.

Church Service: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Jericho Hour Prayer Meeting - 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Wednesday Mid-day Prayer - 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Friday: Bible Teaching/Prayer Meeting 8:00 p.m. - 9.00 p.m.

Saturday Organizational Meeting: 6.30 p.m. - 9.30 p.m.

Edmonton Methodist 587-336-1223

Ottawa Methodist 613-823-2291

Vancouver Methodist 416-833-1615

Sunday Brampton Prayer Meeting 8:00 p.m.

Redemption Methodist Church

Location: 955 Wilson Ave., Unit 12, North York, ON

Weekly Service Schedule: Monday 7 pm - 8 pm

Online Bible Study: Thursday 7 pm - 8:30 pm, Prayer Meeting Friday 7:30 pm - 9 pm

Divine Service, Sundays 10 am - 12:30 pm

Contacts: Agnes Donkor - 647-881-4808, Felicia Owusu - 647-533-1093, Grace Kubi - 647-608-5373

In Montreal at:

Place of Worship: 6870 Rue de Terreborne, Montreal, Que, H4B 1C5

Day and Time of Worship

Sunday Divine Service: 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Friday Prayer Meetings: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Contact: Rev. Joshua C. Doughan - 514-542-0871

Hamilton Society

Stoney Creek United Church (Chapel) 1 King Street West, Stoney Creek, Hamilton

Contact: 289-244-5914, 289-700-6815, 289-698-1388

BETHANY METHODIST CHURCH-BRAMPTON

PLACE OF WORSHIP1A KNIGHTSBRIGE ROAD (Senior’s Lounge)

Sunday Divine Service 2PM-5PM

Online Prayer Meeting Fridays at 8PM -9PM 416-800-4317 Code # 9632581

Contact: Robert Frans (289-541-5579) Felix Gyimah (289-931-8443)

Very Rev. Joseph Owusu Atuahene Minister-in-charge

Very Reverend Albert K. Appiah,

FOOD FOR LIFE

Bringing the Gospel to our Community By Rev. Isaac De-Graft Takyi

THE CHRISTIAN IN 2022: LIVE A GRATEFUL LIFEBY FOLLOWINGTHE EXAMPLE OF NOAH

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues—Marcus Tullius Cicero

Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.—Henry Van Dyke

TEXT: GENESIS 8:15-22

15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.”18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.22 “As long as the earth endures,seedtime and harvest,cold and heat,summer and winter, day and nightwill never cease.”

As we journey through the text kindly pay attention to:

1. Noah’s Response

2. God’s Response

NOTE

In contrast to his generation, Noah as a “righteous man” believed God and obeyed His command both in entering the ark (7:1) and in departing.1

1.

NOAH’S RESPONSE

If you were Noah, what would you have done first?

Noah did two things: 1 K. A. Mathews, Genesis 1-11:26, vol. 1A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 390.

•

Noah obeyed God completely

• Noah thanked God sacrificially

• Noah Obeyed God Completely

18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds— everything that moves on land— came out of the ark, one kind after another.

Noah followed the instructions that God gave him to the minutest detail as he did in the building of the ark.

• Noah Thanked God Sacrificially

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

Contrasting God’s former resolve to destroy the earth (6:13–22), this section exhibits God’s determination to preserve the second creation. In response to the Lord’s deliverance, Noah built an altar for sacrifice. By this, Genesis testifies at its start to the human duty to acknowledge the Lord as Creator and Savior in sacrifice and worship.

We have in Noah’s sacrifice a reminder that sinful humanity always required a mediation with God, as shown by the shadows of the past (Col 2:17; Heb 8:5; 9:9; 10:1). “Now, however, the manifestation of Christ has taken away these ancient shadows.”

Although worship was known from the days of Cain and Abel (4:3–4; also 4:26), this incident is the first account of an “altar” erected for that purpose. And the worship is specifically directed “to the Lord.”

One can recall that Abraham constructed his altar “to the Lord” (12:7–8; 13:18).

And Moses perpetuated this practice even before the tabernacle

construction, following his victory over the Amalekites and, more importantly, later in the ceremony ratifying the Sinai covenant (Exo. 17:15; 24:4; cf. 20:24–25). Moreover, the Sinai directives for constructing the tabernacle’s bronze “altar of burnt offering” (mizbēaḥhāʿōlâ) and for levitical sacrifice share the language of our passage: “altar” (e.g., Exo. 27:1–8; 38:1–7), “clean animals” and “clean birds” (e.g., Lev 20:25), and “sacrificed burnt offerings” (e.g., Exo. 24:5; 32:6; Lev 17:8; Deut. 12:13–14).

The horned altar of the tabernacle was commonly described as “the altar of burnt offering,” making Noah a prototype of Moses, who made sacrifice in the wilderness.

The sacrifice of “burnt offerings” (ʿōlōt) is specifically “clean animals” and “clean birds,” foreshadowing the practice of later Israel. The “burnt offering” was a blood offering given in the Mosaic community as a voluntary offering for sin (Lev 1:4; 5:10; 9:7) and as an act of thanksgiving in worship, where it usually is joined with peace offerings.

It was the continual, daily offering presented each morning and evening in the tabernacle (Exod 29:38–42; Lev 6:8–13; Num 28:3–8). The “burnt offering” was totally consumed upon the altar with no part left for priest or offerer. “Burnt offering” usually occurs, as here, with the cognate verb “offered” (haʿāleh; “sacrifice”), which

means “ascent,” referring to the smoke and its scent rising toward heaven. “Burnt offering” is found again in Genesis, where God tests Abraham’s devotion by commanding him to offer up Isaac (22:2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 13). Since this offering was wholly burned, it indicated the person’s complete devotion to the Lord.

Thus, for the Mosaic community it would be viewed as the appropriate sacrifice for Noah, who presented it freely out of thanksgiving to God for sparing his life. “A spontaneous celebration, the result of salvation experienced, is just as much a part of the necessary life of worship as the permanent, regularly organized service.” Noah sacrificed “some of all” the clean animals, evidencing his overflowing gratefulness toward the Lord.

We can conclude here that:

• Noah’s sacrifice was an offering of thanksgiving

• Noah’s sacrifice was a propitiation for sin.

Application Question

How do you respond to the love, grace, mercy, deliverance, protection and salvation of the Lord?

Let us take a look at God’s response:

cont’d on pg. 47

EVANGEL ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH Church Activities

Sunday School: 10a.m. -11:00a.m. Church Service: 11a.m. - 1:30p.m. Sunday Evening: 7p.m. - 8:30p.m.

Wednesday Bible Studies: 7p.m. - 8:30p.m. Friday Prayer Meeting: 7p.m. - 9:00p.m.

Church Service:

Sunday Worship: 10.00a.m. - 12.30 p.m.

Wednesday Bible Studies: 6.00p.m. - 7.30 p.m.

Prayer Meeting: 7.00p.m. - 9.00 p.m.

How?

• God is pleased with the sacrifice

• God made a promise

• God affirms He keeps His promise

First, we see that:

• God is pleased with the sacrifice

21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

22 “As long as the earth endures,seedtime and harvest,cold and heat,summer and winter,day and nightwill never cease.”

The favorable response of the Lord shows his pleasure at Noah’s offering. Verse 21 echoes 6:5, where the Lord determined to destroy the earth as a result of human wickedness; now God resolves to spare the earth such further calamity. The easing of God’s former

policy is plain when read against his antediluvian charges (6:5–7). Both 6:5 and 8:21 have the words “inclination,” “his heart,” and “evil,” but 6:5 has the inclusive “every,” “only,” and “all.” In 6:5 the emphasis is on the unprecedented pervasiveness of sin, which deserved divine retribution, and in 8:21 God acknowledges that sin is a given with humanity and has ruled the human heart from the outset (i.e., Adam’s sin).

The description “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma” is typical in the Pentateuch for expressing God’s favor toward sacrifice and the worshiper (e.g., Exod 29:18; Lev 1:9; 3:16; Num 15:3). Refusal to “smell” meant God’s rejection of Israel’s worship (Lev 26:31; cf. Amos 5:21). Noah’s worship soothed the broken “heart” (v. 21) of God, which had been injured by man’s wickedness (6:6).

From the example of the patriarch Job, “burnt offering” was presented in earliest times as atonement for sin (1:5; cf. Lev 1:4).

Secondly, we see that:

• God made a promise

God said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from

Assembly of God Church, Mississauga Transformation Centre

Join us on Sundays for Worship at: Venue: 161 Lakeshore Road W, Mississauga, ON Time: 10:30am—1:30pm Contact: Rev. Isaac K. Bonful Tel: 289-814-5482 Email: transformationcentreag@gmail.com Website: www. transformationcentreag.ca

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind… “Rom.12:2a

Good Shepherd Prayer Ministry

Invites you all to come worship with us Venue: 95 Eddystone Ave unit 4 North York, ON

Time of worship: Sunday:10am - 1pm Wednesday bible studies 7pm - 9pm Friday Prayer / Deliverance 7pm - 9pm

Pastor Joseph Nash Sarfo Founder & Pastor-in-charge

The thief cometh not , but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.11.l am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Amen. John 10 :10-11 Tel: 416 667-9763 cell 647 500-4415 / 647 718-4819 / 416 300-4258 Email:pastorjsarfo@gmail.com I encourage you to join us in worship regardless of your situation the power of God is available to make you whole

childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

There are two things here that God says He will not do. He will not:

• “Curse the ground” (v. 21b)

• “destroy” its inhabitants (v. 21c).2

And thirdly we see that:

• God affirms He keeps His promise

22 “As long as the earth endures,seedtime and harvest,cold and heat,summer and winter,day and nightwill never cease.”

Note:

2 K. A. Mathews, Genesis 1-11:26, vol. 1A, The New Amer ican Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 391–394.

God’s response reveals to a large extent, the power of thanksgiving, true worship, and genuine sacrifice.

Application Question

How does God’s response encourage you to respond to Him?

Take this opportunity to follow the example of Noah.

• Make a list of five things the Lord has done for you and

• Set aside some time each day to offer a sacrifice of thanks to Him this month.

“Lord God, let me never forget all that you do for me on a daily basis. Sustain me with the hope of my salvation and the other countless blessings you provide with your continuous presence in my life. Lead me to live my life in testimony to your incredible blessings, that your love may be known and experienced by all those I serve, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

—Joy Ryan, President/CEO- Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch

CHRIST REDEEMER CHURCH

Pastor-in-charge: Pastor Eric Amoah

Tel: (416) 748-1242 Cell: (416) 300-9970

Church Services Sunday Service: Bible Study: 10 a.m.-11a.m. Worship Service: 11a.m. - 1p.m. Wednesday: Bible Study 6:30p.m.-7:30p.m. Friday Night Prayer: 8p.m.-10p.m.

Location: 14 Haas Rd. , #100, Etobicoke, ON, M9W 3A2

Bethel Prayer Ministry Int'l

Do you desire to experience the power and the presence of God demonstrated in your life? Do you want to experience the marvelous work of God's grace in your life? Then, Bethel Prayer Ministry International would like to invite you to visit their church where the word of God is preached powerfully to release the power of God in your life.

COME AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED

Contact: Cell. 416-400-8211 Church 416-642-0390

Worship Hours: Sunday Service: 9am - 1pm Tuesday 9am - 2 pm Consultation Wednesday: 7pm - 9p.m. Friday: 9pm - 12 pm Saturday (Prayer Warriors) 6pm - 8pm Location: 52 Carrier Drive, Unit 12, (Albion/Hwy 27) Etobicoke, Ont., M9w 5S5

Pastor Dennis Awuku Senior Pastor

Pastor Eric Amoah

2:00

A cocktail of factors has sent the global economy into a tailspin in recent years.

Beginning with the Covid-19 crisis in 2020 that saw international trade almost grind to a halt, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February this year.

For African economies, trouble had been brewing even before these global crises.

Debt obligations had been on the rise, commodity prices falling and thus eroding foreign exchange earning power in some countries.

And with that, the goose for many African currencies against the US dollar had been cooked.

But most recently, the tale has been two-sided with the best performing as well as the worst performing currencies against the US dollar being from the continent.

Over the course of this year, the Zambian Kwacha has risen to become the best performing currency in the world against the dollar.

It has gained 15% so far into 2022 and was quoted at 15.93 to the dollar in Tuesday trading.

Experts have pegged these gains on President Hakainde Hichilema’s efforts to turn around the economy, mainly by reorganising its foreign debt to make it sustainable.

Rev. Milton Offei Celebrates 30 Years in Ministry

cont’d from pg. 32

was read by Deaconess Josephine Mensah after Chairperson, guests and churches had been introduced. It was followed by a song ministration by the Evangel A/G Church choir and solo by Brother Kyei.

Word ministration was given by Bishop Peter Nsiah Bonsu of Rightway Christian Centre (RCC) Kronum-Kumasi Ghana. His exhortation was titled “the Season of Blessing” taken from Genesis 1: 27-28.

Bishop Peter Nsiah preached on facts of blessing that blessing is released by words. Also blessings bring fruitfulness and increases as it gives you power to rule and dominate. He also gave the benefits of blessing and how to activate the power of the blessing doing the following: Being obedient to God and the righteousness of life, dedication to the kingdom service

with excitement.

He added the practice of tithing and giving, giving to the priest and finally under priestly or prophetic cover. He backed all with quotations from the Bible.

Tributes were then given to Rev. Milton Offei by Rev. Isaac DegraftTakyi of Living Word assembly of God Church and the Church Board after which he responded with sincere thanks for the appreciation and love shown to his wife and himself.

Vote of thanks was given by Mrs. Esther Addo with Rev Nana Boateng of Lighthouse Assembly of God Church giving the closing prayer and benediction. The MC was Pastor Alexander Fomba. Ghanaian clergy were there in their numbers to support Rev Milton Offei on his milestone. A reception was held after the service.

In September, the southern Africa country inked a crucial deal with the International Monetary Fund for a bail-out loan amounting to $1.3bn (£1.15bn).

The amount will give a lifeline to key social economic programmes such as funding schools and hospitals as the government embarks on renegotiation of expensive debt with China and other creditors.

The move has restored foreign investors’ faith in the copper producer.

This has also seen inflation cool off consistently at a time when even the most developed economies in the world are grappling with runaway inflation.

Zambia’s inflation has fallen from a high of 21% in October last year to 9.9% last month.

Further west in Ghana, the cedi is where the kwacha was in 2015.

On Monday, it was marked the world’s worst performing currency, according to the Bloomberg currency tracker that watches 148 currencies.

In midday trading, Tuesday, the Cedi was quoted at 11.64 to the US dollar. This indicates a 48% loss in value in the last 12 months.

The cedi’s position has been worsened by foreign investors losing confidence in the country and opting to dump Ghanaian dollar-denominated bonds from their portfolios.

According to the country’s Central Securities Depository, the amount of domestic government and corporate bonds in the hands of foreign investors fell to 12.3% in August.

This has seen Ghana fail to access cheap money from the international debt markets, and a Zambia-like deal with the IMF for $3bn in emergency funding is still in the works.

As a result, the cost of living in Ghana has been accelerating for the last 16 months with inflation hitting 37.2% in September.

On Monday, traders in Accra threatened to close down businesses for a second time in two months decrying the high cost of doing business. BBC News

Lifestyle

This column is devoted to answering your questions on health and discusions of diseases which are common among the African Canadians.

Artificial sweeteners: Understanding these and other sugar substitutes

Whether your goal is cutting calories or eating healthier, options for sugar substitutes abound. Understand their pros and cons to make an informed choice.

Today, artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are found in a variety of food and beverages marketed as “sugar-free” or “diet,” including soft drinks, chewing gum, jellies, baked goods, candy, fruit juice and ice cream. In addition, other sugar substitutes are being touted as healthier sweeteners than regular sugar, even if they don’t have fewer calories, such as honey and agave nectar.

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes but may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs or sugar itself. Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar.

Artificial sweeteners that are currently approved by Health Canada include: Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One),Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet),Saccharin (Sugar Twin, Sweet’N Low), and Sucralose (Splenda)

Uses for artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are attractive alternatives to sugar because they add virtually no calories to your diet. In addition, you need only a fraction compared with the amount of regular sugar you would normally use for sweetness. Artificial sweeteners are widely used in processed products, including tabletop sweeteners, baked goods, soft drinks, powdered drink mixes, candy, puddings, canned foods, jams and jellies, dairy products, and scores of other foods and beverages. Check the food label to see if a product contains artificial sweeteners.

Artificial sweeteners are also popular for home use. Some can even be used in baking or cooking. Certain recipes may need modification, though, because artificial sweeteners provide no bulk or volume, as does sugar. Check the labels on artificial sweeteners for appropriate home use.

Some artificial sweeteners may leave an aftertaste. You may need to experiment with artificial sweeteners to find one or a combination that you enjoy most.

Possible health benefits of artificial sweeteners

• Weight control. One of the most appealing aspects of artificial sweeteners is that they are non-nutritive — they have virtually no calories. In contrast, each gram of regular table sugar contains 4 calories. A teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams. For perspective, consider that one 12-ounce can of a sweetened cola contains 8 teaspoons of added sugar, or about 130 calories. If you’re trying to lose weight or prevent weight gain, products sweetened with artificial sweeteners rather than with higher calorie table sugar may be an attractive option. On the other hand, some research has suggested that consuming artificial sweeteners may be associated with increased weight, but the cause is not yet known.

• Diabetes. Artificial sweeteners may be a good alternative to sugar if you have diabetes. Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners generally don’t raise blood sugar levels because they are not carbohydrates. But because of concerns about how sugar substitutes are labeled and categorized, always check with your doctor or dietitian about using any sugar substitutes if you have diabetes.

• Dental cavities. Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners don’t contribute to tooth decay.

Possible health concerns with artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners have been the subject of intense scrutiny for decades. Critics of artificial sweeteners say that they cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. That’s largely because of studies dating to the 1970s that linked saccharin to bladder cancer in laboratory rats. Because of those studies, saccharin once carried a warning label that it may be hazardous to your health.

But according to the National Cancer Institute and other health agencies, there’s no sound scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the United States cause cancer or other serious health problems. And numerous research studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are generally safe in limited quantities, even for pregnant women. As a result of the newer studies, the warning label for saccharin was dropped.

Artificial sweeteners are regulated by the FDA as food additives. They must be reviewed and approved by the FDA before being made available for sale. In some cases, the FDA declares a substance “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). These GRAS substances, including highly refined stevia preparations, are deemed by qualified professionals based on scientific data as being safe for their intended use, or they have such a lengthy history of common use in food that they’re considered generally safe and don’t require FDA approval before sale.

The FDA has also established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for each artificial sweetener. This is the maximum amount considered safe to consume each day over the course of your lifetime. ADIs are intended to be about 100 times less than the smallest amount that might cause health concerns.

• Sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners

Sugar alcohols (polyols) are carbohydrates that occur naturally in certain fruits and vegetables, but they also can be manufactured. They’re not considered intense sweeteners, because they aren’t sweeter than sugar — in fact, some are less sweet than sugar. Sugar alcohols aren’t considered noncaloric or nonnutritive sweeteners because they contain calories. But they’re lower in calories than is regular sugar, making them an attractive alternative. Despite their name, sugar alcohols aren’t alcoholic. They don’t contain ethanol, which is found in alcoholic beverages.

Novel sweeteners are combinations of various types of sweeteners. Novel sweeteners, such as stevia, are hard to fit into one particular category because of what they’re made from and how they’re made.

As with artificial sweeteners, the FDA regulates the use of sugar alcohols. Approved sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners include: Erythritol,Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates,Isomalt,Lactitol,Maltitol,Mannitol,,Sorbitol,Xylitol

Uses for sugar alcohols

Sugar alcohols generally aren’t used when you prepare food at home. Rather, they are found in many processed foods and other products, usually replacing sugar on an equal basis. When added to foods, sugar alcohols add sweetness, bulk and texture. They also help food stay moist, prevent browning when heated, and add a cooling sensation to products.

Sugar alcohols are used in a broad range of products, including chocolate, candy, frozen desserts, chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, baked goods and fruit spreads. Sugar alcohols are often combined with artificial sweeteners in products to enhance sweetness. Check the food label to help see if a product contains sugar alcohols. Food labels may list the specific name, such as xylitol, or simply use the general term “sugar alcohol.”

Possible health benefits of sugar alcohols

Weight control. Sugar alcohols are considered nutritive sweeteners because they contribute calories to your diet. Still, sugar alcohols have fewer calories than does

Toronto’s top doctor echoes advice to mask up indoors, get booster shots to curb wave of respiratory illness hitting kids

Toronto’s top doctor is amplifying the advice provided by her provincial counterpart a day earlier asking people to mask up indoors, especially around young kids if you are sick, and to get vaccinated in order to help curb a wave of respiratory illness among children that has overwhelmed pediatric intensive care units.

“I think we can all agree that none of us wants to see our kids in hospital, struggling to breathe. This is exactly what we do not want to see,” Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa told CP24 in an interview Tuesday. “Hence we know what we need for people to do is to actually use all the knowledge and tools that we have gained over the past couple of years to good effect.”

What that means at the moment, she said, is taking advantage of vaccines as a key tool, including COVID-19 fall boosters and fall flu shots, as well as wearing masks in indoor settings.

“And yes, this does include schools and childcares and malls,” de Villa said.

“Making sure we’re checking ourselves and our children for symptoms of illness and keeping them home when they’re sick, making sure that we’re washing our hands, making sure that we’re wiping down and cleaning high touch surfaces – it’s all of these actions taken together that we heard the chief medical officer of health speak to and is what will get us through this very, very challenging time.”

Children’s hospitals around Ontario have been warning that they are overcapacity amid a surge in respiratory illnesses. While it’s not clear exactly what is driving the higher rate of infection this season, it comes at a time when the health-care system is already strained and amid a shortage of children’s pain relief medications.

Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced a number of recommendations yesterday

to help curb the spread of illness, most notably masking up in indoor settings, especially around children if you have any symptoms.

While Moore stopped short of implementing a mandate for masks, he said the province is continuing to consider whether that might be appropriate for some settings, such as schools.

While De villa, as the city’s medical officer of health, has the authority to implement a mask mandate for schools in Toronto, she did not indicate Tuesday that she plans to do so, instead imploring people to follow the latest health advice.

“We need to make sure that we’re using all of these things together, more consistently, if we are to actually make a difference, preserve the health of our community and frankly, preserve our health-care system,” de Villa said.

Experts Reveal How to Fight PostCovid Fatigue

After the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there have been different variants spreading around the world which cause different symptoms and are of different severities as well. Omicron is one of the variants of COVID-19 and it started spreading rapidly in November of 2021. While it is less likely to cause severe illness when compared to other COVID-19 variants, the symptoms that accompany Omicron are long-lasting. Searches on Google have increased by over 79% in the last week alone for “Omicron symptoms” as people try to understand this variant of Covid and phrases such as “long Covid symptoms” and “Covid fatigue omicron” are still trending at Breakout.

One of those long-lasting symptoms includes feeling fatigued or tired even after the sickness has passed. There are numerous things that can be done to help people feel more energetic such as maintaining a healthy diet and taking supplements. We have also spoken with experts over at VitaBright who have five tips on how to fight post-Covid fatigue.

Have a Healthy Diet

Balance your diet and include things like fresh fruits and vegetables as well as things high in protein, such as fish, in your diet.

According to experts from VitaBright, one diet that is especially helpful is the Mediterranean Diet which recommends a lot of plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, and legumes.

Finally, avoid trans fats and too much sugar in your diet.

Hydration

Staying hydrated is especially important when trying to get rid of post-Covid fatigue. Hydration prevents brain fog and heals the body from fatigue while helping our bodies breathe without trouble.

Additionally, staying hydrated will help our bodies replenish any fluids that were lost.

Exercise

Exercise releases endorphins which in turn help decrease stress and tension that has built up and reduce pain. Any type of exercise can be beneficial, including short walks around your neighborhood.

If you are unable to take a walk, there are plenty of stationary exercises you can do in the comfort of your home to release endorphins, such as squats and burpees.

Supplements

Taking supplements regularly can ensure that our bodies have enough of the vitamins we need to help tackle the symptoms of post-Covid fatigue.

VitaBright experts suggest that you keep a close eye on things like Super B Vitamin Complex, which contains all of the eight main B vitamins, and Dual Active Vitamin B12, which helps the nervous system and reduces fatigue. Vitamin D3 is also an important one as it will boost your immune system.

Good Sleep Routine

Having a good sleep routine, where you follow a schedule to go to sleep and wake up at the same time is helpful in getting the sleep you need. According to UC Health, adequate sleep strengthens your immune system.

Additionally, you can include power naps throughout your day to get the necessary sleep. Melatonin is a supplement that can be used by those who struggle with falling asleep and staying asleep.

Final Thoughts

Having symptoms of Omicron, long after the sickness is gone can be frustrating. Following these tips, though, is sure to help you with your battle against these long-lasting symptoms from this COVID variant.

Marcus Clarke Digital PR Executive 3PR

She said a communication strategy is how the city plans to do that for now and added that she has “every confidence” that Toronto residents can come together to do their part.

Speaking at an event earlier in the day, Mayor John Tory said that he continues to follow advice from both Dr. Moore and Dr. de Villa and he encouraged people to get whatever shots they are eligible for.

“I really would urge people to take a look at what vaccinations they have received and to make sure that they get those vaccinations to the maximum they’re allowed to happen, and that they get flu shots,” Tory said.

The mayor said he plans to get his tomorrow to set a good example. Free COVID-19 booster shots and flu shots are now widely available through pharmacies and city-run clinics. Cp24

Artificial sweeteners: Understanding these and other sugar substitutes

cont’d from pg. 50

regular sugar — about 2 calories per gram on average. This means that sugar alcohols can be considered lower calorie sweeteners, and they may aid weightcontrol efforts.

• Diabetes. Unlike artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols can raise blood sugar levels because they’re carbohydrates. But because your body doesn’t completely absorb sugar alcohols, their effect on blood sugar is less than that of other sugars. Different sugar alcohols can affect blood sugar differently. You can consume sugar alcohols if you have diabetes but you still must pay attention to the total amount of carbohydrates in your meals and snacks. Talk to your doctor or dietitian for guidance.

• Dental cavities. Sugar alcohols don’t promote cavities.

Possible health concerns with sugar alcohols As with artificial sweeteners, the FDA regulates sugar alcohols as food additives. Sugar alcohols typically are labeled as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) and don’t require FDA approval before sale.

There are few health concerns associated with sugar alcohols. When eaten in large amounts, usually more than 50 grams but sometimes as little as 10 grams, sugar alcohols can have a laxative effect, causing bloating, intestinal gas and diarrhea. Product labels may carry a warning about this potential laxative effect.

Moderation

is key with artificial sweeteners

and sugar substitutes

When choosing sugar substitutes, it pays to be a savvy consumer. Get informed and look beyond the hype. While artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes may help with weight management, they aren’t a magic bullet and should be used only in moderation. Just because a food is marketed as sugar-free doesn’t mean it’s free of calories. If you eat too many sugar-free foods, you can still gain weight if they have other ingredients that contain calories. And remember that processed foods, which often contain sugar substitutes, generally don’t offer the same health benefits as do whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Source: Modified from Mayo Clinic Housecall, March 2012

Around the World Sports Scene

World Cup 2022: Check out the profiles of Ghana’s final 26-man squad

Manaf Nurudeen

The KAS Eupen goalkeeper made his debut for the Black Stars during the Kirin Cup tournament, impressing in the penalty shootout victory against Chile. He has made just an appearance for the Black Stars. He is expected to start following absence of Jojo Wollacot and Richard Ofori.

Danlad Ibrahim

One of the two local players making the team for the World Cup. The Asante Kotoko goalkeeper is a late inclusion to the team. He is yet to make his debut for the Black Stars. The 20-year-old has represented Ghana at the various youth levels.

Lawrence Ati-Zigi

The St Gallen shot-stopper is the most experienced goalkeeper in the current Ghana team. Having represented Ghana at various tourneys, he is expected to provide some leadership in that department.

Tariq Kwame Nii Lante Lamptey

The English-born Ghanaian plies his trade in the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion. The 22-yearold played for England at youth team levels before switching nationalities to represent Ghana at senior level. He has made one appearance for the Black Stars and it was in the friendly against Brazil in September.

Lamptey is versatile and can play at both sides of the lateral defence.

Alidu Seidu

A key member of French side Clermont Foot, Seidu made his Black Stars debut during the Kirin Cup tournament in Japan, impressing coach Otto Addo. His performances in Ligue 1 has seen him sign a long term contract with Clermont Foot.

The 22-year-old is versatile and can play across all positions in defence. He can also play as a defensive midfielder.

Alexander Djiku

Born in Montpellier-France, the 28-year-old decided to represent Ghana in 2020 and has since been a stalwart for the Black Stars. Djiku played a huge role as Ghana qualified for the World Cup in Qatar. He formed a formidable partnership with Daniel Amartey during the playoffs against Nigeria. Djiku was responsible for keeping Victor Osimhen mute in that game.

He plies his trade in Ligue 1 with FC Strasbourg, where he is currently the deputy captain.

Gideon Mensah

Mensah will be making his first appearance at the World Cup with Ghana. The Auxerre left-back bid his time to break into the Black Stars team. The 24-year-old has been one of the most consistent players in the Black Stars squad in the last two years.

His versatility came to the fore during the playoffs against Nigeria.

Dennis Odoi

Born in Belgium, Odoi once featured for the Red Devils but decided to switch nationalities early this year. Odoi, who plays for Club Brugge, made his debut in the World Cup playoff against Nigeria in Kumasi. He has since been a regular and a first-choice right-back for Otto Addo.

Odoi at 34 is the oldest member of Ghana’s squad at the World Cup.

Daniel Amartey

Amartey is one of the most experienced players in the Black Stars team. He made his debut for Ghana on January 19, 2015 and has since made over 40 appearances for the team. The Leicester City player is has been different tournaments with the Black Stars but this will be his first World Cup.

Mohammed Salisu

The Southampton defender has only two Ghana caps, having made his debut against Brazil during an international

friendly in September before following it up with the game against Nicaragua. The 23-year-old highly-rated centreback is expected to play a key role in Qatar if the Black Stars are to excel.

Baba Rahman

The Chelsea defender currently on loan at Reading has enormous experience playing for the Black Stars. The 28-year-old made his debut for the Black Stars on September 10, 2014 and has since been a regular member of the national team. He played every single minute of AFCON 2015 as Ghana reached the final.

This will be his first appearance at the World Cup.

Andre Ayew

Ayew is heading for his third World Cup and will captain the team for the first time at the tournament. The 32-year-old is the most experienced member of the team, featuring at the 2010 and 2014 competitions. Ayew has made 107 appearances for Ghana, scoring 23 goals including two at the World Cup.

These days he plies his trade in Qatar with Al Sadd.

Mohammed Kudus

One of the players to watch out for in the Ghana squad. At 22, Kudus is already attracting interest from some of the major clubs in Europe including Borussia Dortmund. The Ajax star heads to the World Cup as the club’s top scorer with nine goals in the Eredivisie and the UEFA Champions League.

He made his Ghana debut on November 14, 2019 against South Africa, scoring in that game.

Thomas Partey

The Arsenal star is arguably Ghana’s best player at the moment. Partey scored the goal that helped Ghana qualify for the World Cup. He is the deputy captain of the Black Stars and a lot will be expected of the 29-year-old. Partey made his debut on June 5, 2016 and has since made 40 appearances, scoring 13 goals.

Daniel-Kofi Kyereh

Kyereh has fourteen games for the Black Stars after making his debut for the team on September 3, 2021. He represented Ghana at his first tournament during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon early this year.

The 26-year-old Freiburg midfielder is making his second appearance at a major tournament with the Black Stars in Qatar. GHANASoccernet

Ghana to host first ever African Paralympic Games in 2023

The Ghanaian Ministry of Youth and Sports has offered its support to the National Paralympic Committee of Ghana (NPC-Ghana) in hosting the 2023 African Paralympic Games.

The National Paralympic Committee of Ghana President Mr. Samson Deen has expressed interest in contesting for the Presidency during the 2021 General Assembly and Elective Congress of the African Paralympic Committee.

A statement from the Ghanaian Ministry of Youth and Sports reads: “the

Ministry commits to offer any support that will make hosting the African Para

Games in 2023 possible as we believe that with his able leadership, he will be able to ensure a smooth and successful games experience if implemented.”

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has also endorsed the candidacy of prominent Ghanaian businessman Samson Deen, President of the NPC, to contest for the Presidency of the African Paralympic Committee (APC). The standard of Africa’s

performance during the 2020 Tokyo Games in Japan, sharply declined, causing a worrying situation for the African continent and Deen believes he holds the key to positively change the fortunes of African nations at the games’ level. The interest in para games across Africa keeps rising with nearly 250 million African viewers watching the recent games on television.

Ghana Sports Online

with Jonathan Baah Annobil

The West African nation is set to become the first country to host the first ever African Paralympic Games

Ntoma Dance 2022 in pictures

MCs Abrantie & Afia

Willie & Wife

Willie dancing with the ladies

Boggie time Chairpersons

Ministers from 40+ countries join forces for the 2022 Climate and Clean Air Ministerial

available, accessible, and affordable technologies to reduce methane. Methane is 80 times more powerful than CO2. Reducing it is one of the best ways to stay below 1.5°C this decade, which is critical for Africa.”

At the Ministerial, leaders reflected on progress made in the one year since the Global Methane Pledge was announced. At this COP, we saw additional countries joining, bringing the count to 140. Over half of the top 20 methane emitters are now part of the Pledge, representing half of global methane emissions and nearly two-thirds of the global economy. The CCAC is a core implementing partner of the Pledge, serving as first port of call for participating countries and providing scientific analysis, advocacy, and technical and institutional strengthening support.

“The science is clear. We are sliding from climate chaos to climate disaster. As we seek to scale up aggressive and ambitious climate action, addressing short-lived climate pollutants is vital,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP. “At COP26 in Glasgow, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition launched the 2030 strategy aiming to step up implementation. It is critical that we see countries now come together to build capacities, tap into solutions that we already have, and implement transformative mitigation actions.”

Ministers also noted the importance of engaging subnational governments, calling on all partners to solicit their engagement, and further

welcomed efforts to include gender, youth, and justice considerations into the CCAC’s work. Ministers recognized the CCAC’s strong leadership role globally on Clean Air, especially the role played in raising further awareness in the context of the International Day on Clean Air for blue skies, and noted efforts supported by the CCAC on transboundary air pollution, welcoming this work as a step to improve the science-policy interface and further scientific advocacy for action on air quality.

Ministers also expressed support for increased energy efficiency in the cooling sector while transitioning away from HFCs, welcoming the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol from at least 6 nation states in 2022. More than half of the first 20 Parties who ratified the amendment and thus brought it into force were CCAC State Partners. Additionally, ministers acknowledged the CCAC’s work with the private sector, including a brand-new guide to include air pollution into inventories and actions across supply chains.

New Announcements

Ministers from several countries announced new commitments to the CCAC Trust Fund, and encouraged countries in a position to do so to make additional pledges. Among these was a pledge from the US, CCAC co-chair, who said that the “United States is proud to announce our intention to provide $3 million

to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, subject to Congressional notification and the completion of domestic procedures.”

Additionally, the CCAC presented the brandnew 2021-2022 Annual Report, which looks at the work done over the past year to set the Coalition up to achieve the 2030 strategy. Ministers encouraged developing countries to respond to the CCAC’s Expression of Interest process to identify potential new projects that address CCAC priorities. Ministers reaffirmed their commitments to supporting innovative, new ways to advance mitigation. Senegal suggested the formation of a Technology and Economic Assessment Panel on Methane, which was met with approval. The Coalition emphasized that the oil and gas sector will need to achieve the fastest and deepest methane emissions reductions to stay aligned with a 1.5C trajectory, and reconfirmed their intent to continue to work within the sector to realize the significant mitigation potential. Finally, the Coalition of ministers requested that CCAC partners work together develop a concept for a program or activities, including regional cooperation and agreements, on ‘clean air action’ to launch at the 2024 CCAC Ministerial.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Afroglobal 2022 Awards in pictures