International Youth Festival(IYF)

25/07/10

Story: Stephen Nana Osei Bonsu.

One thousand-eight hundred youth from 30 countries across the globe has participated in the third edition of the International Youth Festival (IYF)  in Accra.

IYF, the multi-cultural youth festival of music, celebrated annualy was staged on the theme, “Inspiring the youth for tomorrow” for the 2010 cultural festival camping.

The chairman and founderof IYF, Rev. Ock Soo Park in his welcome adress said, “Music is a moral law; it gives soul to the universe  and wings to the mind”.

He added that it has a charm to soothe a savage beast and education of it is virtue.

He cited that human relation is like the durine fruit, getting closer to it makes you relate to it profitabilly.

He expressed gratitude for the turn-out and urged all participants to merry, learn and gain quality education in such opportune programmes.

The Guest of Honour, The Sorts Minister, Hon Rashid Pelpoe, addressing the gathering, stated that youth have the tendency to know what will happen in the world but greatly exposed to danger.

Citing himself as an example, he proclaimed that life actually begun from his place of birth likewise the youth present.

He added that, welcoming ones surrounding and condition plays a major factor in ones development.

He further stated, “Knowledge for nothing, grab it; festival for nothing, grab it”, adding that such enactments broadens narrowed knowledge among youths.

He outlined that IYF festival of unity was an opportunity for the youth to redefine and reach out to all people.

He however challenged the youth to be agents of change in the future world.

The deputy minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Nii Nortey Duah stated that the the Youth and Sports minstry upholds high youth and cultural values.

He added that it was of such calls does the ministry engage in pan-African festivals for diverse cultural knowledge.

The occassion also witnessed splendid gospel song performances by the Gracias Choir from South Korea.

The 60-member choir, comprising only one Ghanaian and a Mexican, trilled the gathering to both english christmas carols and Ghanaian gospel songs.

Among the Ghanaian songs included 'halleluia-yesu do me', which made the gathering yell in excitement.

The birth of Jesus Christ was as well enacted amidst songs and motion in at the theatre.

The occasion however created  a platform for the promotion of cohesion among the youth  of the world.

Apostles Revelation society Delegation(gn)

21/07/10

Story: Henrietta Brocke & Stephen Bonsu

A 24-member delegation from the Apostles Revelation Society (ARS) yesterday  paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Alexander Asan-Ahensah, to formally announce the death of their leader and spiritual Primate, James Kwaku Amegah.

The late Amegah 91, died on March 11, 2010 leaving behind 24 children and a wife.

Led by an elder of the church, Professor Wisdom Gagakuma, the delegation used the opportunity to introduce to the minister and the government the newly-appointed High Priest of the church.

According to the family, funeral rites had been performed for Amega, adding that the final memorial and thanksgiving service would be held on the December 25, 2010.

Prof. Gagakuma said the thanksgiving ceremony would coincide with the church’s 71st annual anniversary celebration.

Prof. Gagakuma stated that the head primate worked tirelessly to ensure total salvation for heathens, which transcended the borders of Ghana to neighbouring African countries, and had also presided over 500 branches all over the world.

The late Amegah was succeeded by the son of the founder of the church, Nunorlaga Nyeenyami Etsey Wovenu.

Prof. Gagakuma said Nunorlaga Wovenu was appointed through a prophecy by the church and ordained by the Governing Body of the Church on the May 23, 2010.

The delegation presented three schnapps to the ministry as tradition demands.

Receiving the delegation, Mr Asum-Ahensah paid glowing tribute to the memory of the late Primate.

He said “we are told the Primate was a man of God, who dedicated his life to the spread of the gospel to Africa and European countries”.

Mr Asum-Ahensah stated that the gesture showed that the Primate had the nation at heart.

He assured the delegation of the government’s representation at the memorial and thanksgiving service.

The ARS was founded by the late Prophet C.K.N. Wovenu on November 2, 1939.

John Mensah supports deprived children

16/07/10

Story: Stephen Bonsu

THE deputy skipper of Black Stars, John Mensah, has donated GH¢4,000 and assorted drinks to two schools and an orphanage in Accra.

The beneficiary schools are Alpha and Omega Academy at Chorkor, and Christ the King of Kings Academy at Jamestown.

Mr Mensah, who made the donation in collaboration with Kid's Kingdom, a non-governmental organisation, said the gifts were his widow's mite offertory for God's protection and life granted to him, adding that he wished to reach out to the young but needy children in communities in education.

MAD. QUARTEY RECEIVING THE DONATION FROM JOHN MENSAH.

He recalled his childhood days of difficulties, and thus deemed it fit to help the youth to attain a good future.

Mensah added that children are great assets for development in every nation, for which reason much needed to be put into children's education for a better future.

The Proprietress of Alpha and Omega Academy, Madam Gertrude Quartey, greatly appreciated the kind gesture and appealed to the public to follow the footsteps of Mensah and Kid's Kingdom's initiative.

Emmanuel Ashie, a physically challenged Principal of Christ the King of Kings Academy also expressed gratitude to the donors and called on other philanthropists to come to their aid as they lived on stony edges.

The Director of Kid's Kingdom, however, expressed continuous support for the schools.

He stated that their vision was to assist and encourage deprived children in Ghana to lead a healthy and reproductive life through good health care and quality education.

He called on all abled bodies to join in these initiatives to help children at beaches to gain quality education like any other Ghanaian child.

Trinity Methodist cuts sod(gn)

18/07/10

STORY:Stephen Bonsu

THE Methodist Bishop of Accra Diocese, Rt Rev. Abraham Tagoe has cut the sod for the commencement of work on a four-storey-building project for the Trinity Methodist Church in Accra.

The church steward, Commander James McCarthy-Boham, said the church started with ?? dedicative?? services and greater participation by members, residents and Evangelist Benjamin Obeng, who later established the Dzorwulu branch.

"The church, which started with membership of twelve Christians have today risen between a hundred and five to two hundred and fifty membership composition", said Cdr Boham.

He indicated that the ground floor would be used as a nursery school for moral upbringing of church and community young ones. This he said, was part of their social responsibility towards the community.

The first and second floor, he indicated would be used for services, conferences and offices.

The third floor will be the abode of the resident circuit superintendent minister, he said.

Cdr McCarthy-Boham established that the project was solely financed by church members during harvest, weekly offertory, tithes and individual donations.

He added that the church was targeting fifteen thousand cedis for the November annual harvest offertory.

He also hinted that the nursery school will aid in further development of the complex building.

Assisting the officiating minister included the Circuit Superintendent Minister Very Rev. Henry Ampaw Asiedu, Rt Rev. Ebenezer K. Dadson, Very Rev. Alfred Aryeetay,  Very Rev. Prof. Asamoah Gyedu, Rev. Anthony Sackey, Very Rev. Eric Asante Danquah among other high profiled bishops.

WOMEN TO DOMINATE 2010 ASSEMBLY ELECTION

02/0/10
Story: Stephen Bonsu

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWaC), in the implementation of UN’s Beijing platform for Action (BFPA) on gender equality, has targeted the 2010 district assembly elections for success.
BFPA, a United Nations (UN) internationally agreed development plan, seeks to achieve equality for women across 12 critical areas including poverty, education and training, health, armed conflict, development, decision making and political participation.
The director of MoWaC’s women department, Mrs. Patience Opoku has outlined that a capacity building project labeled, ‘the district assembly 2010’, seeks to empower women in decision making policies.
The programme, she said, would soon be launched at the national headquarters in Accra.
She explained that the project will as well seek to build women participation and capacity in the forth coming 2010 district assembly elections.
Mrs Opoku also stated that, much as MoWaC seeks to address socio-cultural developments among women, it is also mandated to promote women in all spheres of decision making.
“The 2008 general election unfortunately disfavored the women ministry in our quest to develop women in all decision making bodies, especially the political world”, she said.
She added that it however dawned on the ministry to educate and gain women interest to participate in the forth-coming 2010 district assembly elections.
Mrs. Opoku explained that, MoWaC had begun collaborative works with all local government authorities to champion this project.
She added that the MoWaC’s district directors correlated with local government authorities to unearth potential women who have been coached with the necessary skills needed in political and decision making policies.
She also stated that the women ministry, together with the district assemblies, will facilitate continuous training programmes for women candidates’ through-out the country.
The women’s department director further explained that such capacity building programmes would help distinguish socio-cultural factors that undermine women development, especially in political participation.
Recounting on some challenges faced by women, Mrs. Opoku said that most women lacks the confidence associated with men.
She added that most potential women are constraint in finance; hence the ministry will seek to support them financially, psychologically and materially to boost their participation.
She stated that the capacity building exercise will focus on skills, dialogue and leadership lobbying, and confident debating development, required in political participation.
She added that, the support will psych women candidates to mount platforms to compete for gender equality propounded by UN’s Beijing Platform for Action
She outlined that MASLOC, financial assistance to women, which has been halted for sometime, will soon bounce back to improve women’s development.
She explained that the ministry also has the women networking meetings held monthly at its headquarters in Accra to deliberate over holding issues of needed concern. 
The network includes smaller NGO’s, women advocate groups, women organizations in governmental institutions, women opinion leaders among others which holds over 50 groups in the capital city.
Mrs.  Opoku, however, tasked women to change their attitude towards money-making in catering for families only, and get involved in decision making as well for women development.