CONCEPT NOTE: 8TH ANNUAL KNOWLEDGE-SHARING WORKSHOP (YouthFutures: 2024 Youth Manifesto Dialogues)

POSTPONED   Participatory Development Associates (PDA) in partnership with the Citizens’ Movement against Corruption (CMaC) cordially invites members of the General Public to “YouthFutures: 2024 Youth Manifesto Dialogues” on Friday, November 1st, 2024. PDA has been a trustworthy development partner creating impact and change in communities, districts, and national levels for over 20 years. In…

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Unpacking locally led research and evaluation through the lens of collaborative autoethnography

Abstract Background: Evaluation in Africa and the Global South has been driven by external, often foreign, actors and focused on meeting donor funding needs, conducted through the lens of ‘others’ other than the affected populations. There is growing interest to change or decolonise this trend in the international development community. Objectives: To address the fundamental question of…

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Congratulations Chris

  Chris Empson Yebaoh is an accomplished and versatile professional with a strong academic background and work experience in various facets of accounting, finance, and administration. With a certification as a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute Of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), a Master Of Business Administration (Finance-Final year), and a bachelor’s degree…

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Citizen’s Bureau: PDA Joins Stakeholder Group of CSOs to Strengthen Parliamentary Democracy

Over the past three decades, Ghana’s Parliament, in partnership with civil society organizations (CSOs) and development partners, has sought to bridge the gap between citizens and their elected representatives. These efforts have been aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in parliamentary processes, as well as the institutionalization of mechanisms to promote the Open…

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“WE CAN WORK”: PDA’s Drive For Inclusive Development For Youth With Disabilities

We Can Work (WCW) is an 8-year signature intervention spearheaded by Light for the World in collaboration with partner organizations including the Africa Disability Forum (ADF), Crosswise Works (CWW) and country-level disability federations. This transformative program specifically targets youth with disabilities across 7 countries in East and West Africa: Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia,…

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Tony’s Chocolonely & PDA: Advancing Ethical Cocoa Production Through Data-driven Child Labour Remediation

Tony’s Chocolonely (Tony’s), a Dutch social enterprise, was founded in response to the distressing reality of child labor and modern slavery in cocoa plantations in West Africa. Tony’s unwavering commitment is to ensure that every chocolate bar is 100% slave-free. As a wholesaler, Tony’s focuses on importing, exporting, and selling chocolate products and raw materials,…

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CASA-TAF & PDA: Increasing Rural Income Generation Opportunities Through Aggregators

Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA) is a multi-year programme focused on increasing the economic opportunities for smallholder farmers as well as the commercial viability of agribusinesses. TechnoServe is managing the CASA through the Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) to provide grants and technical assistance to agribusinesses implementing projects under the CASA initiative. The Inclusive…

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PDA’s Financial Inclusion Programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa

PDA has a proven track record of partnering with communities and other development organizations to implement large-scale development interventions in promoting ethical and transparent commodity supply chains and communities over the last 21 years. The team is made up of experienced community facilitators, child labor and protection experts, field trainers, evaluators, and associates with several…

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Congratulations Alex

With over a decade of experience in research, monitoring, and evaluations, Alexander brings a wealth of expertise in diverse thematic areas including education, agriculture, social protection, financial inclusion, health, and climate change. His professional journey has spanned both local and international contexts, providing him with a nuanced understanding of global development challenges and effective strategies…

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Welcome Annabelle

  Annabelle Yeboah Osei is a highly accomplished professional with over 10 years of experience spanning General Management, Human Resources, and Project Management. Her career trajectory showcases her dedication to achieving excellence across various industries and domains. With a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Australian Institute of Business and a Bachelor of Science…

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Walewale, North East Region, Ghana – Participatory Development Associates (PDA), a leading social research and development consultancy firm, hosted the 7th Annual Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Child Protection in Walewale on Thursday, 30th November 2023. The workshop, which was themed “Tackling Child Marriage in Northern Ghana: A Shift from the Rhetoric to Evidence-based Advocacy”, brought…

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1ST COCOA COMMUNITY ANNUAL READING FESTIVAL HOSTED IN THE ASHANTI REGION

The much-anticipated maiden Cocoa Community Annual Reading Festival has been held in the Ahafo Ano Southeast district of the Ashanti Region. First of its kind in Ghana, the Annual Reading Festival forms part of Participatory Development Associates (PDA), and Magic Library Foundation’s (MLF) Cocoa Communities’ Library Project in Ghana. The project is intended to ignite…

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COCOA COMMUNITIES’ LIBRARY PROJECT: CLUSTER-LEVEL READING COMPETITION

The maiden Cocoa Communities’ Cluster-Level Reading Competition was hosted by PDA on the 11th and 12th of October 2023. The 2-day event saw ten schools within the Ahafo-Ano Southwest and Ahafo-Ano Southeast districts competing for the winning and first runner-up positions in each district to secure spots in the grand Annual Reading Festival slated for December 2023.…

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CONCEPT NOTE: 7TH ANNUAL KNOWLEDGE-SHARING WORKSHOP ON CHILD PROTECTION

Introduction Since 2017, Participatory Development Associates (PDA) has been hosting its flagship annual Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Child Protection. The event, which has successfully convened relevant stakeholders, state and non-state actors in the child protection ecosystem over the years, has made significant contribution to protecting children in Ghana. Key outcomes from the workshop have been…

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Thirteen young Ghanaian professionals graduate from the inaugural Young Impact Associates Program

Saturday, July 8, 2023 – Thirteen young Ghanaian professionals, aged between 21 and 35 have graduated from the Young Impact Associates (YIA) Program, a one-year professional development and leadership program in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL). The graduation ceremony was held at the main campus of Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated…

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Past, present and future: multiple motivations for youth’s financial and in-kind support to others in rural Ghana

By: Anne L. Buffardi, Victoria Ampiah & Nathaniel Amoh Boateng ABSTRACT In the growing literature on youth transitions, comparatively little attention has been paid to the role that young people play as providers, particularly support for people outside of a nuclear family unit. Based on 92 interviews with 44 young adults living in rural Ghana,…

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PDA Ghana tries out causal mapping!

PDA Ghana tries out causal mapping! By PDA Ghana | 15 November 2022 | News Participatory Development Associates (PDA) has collaborated with Bath SDR since 2016 to implement several QuIPs (evaluations using the Qualitative Impact Protocol) and other research projects across Ghana and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, undertaking hundreds of in-depth interviews, FGDs,…

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Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) Programmes – 2022 Quarter 3 Updates

VSLA-CHILD (Ivory Coast) Introduction The VSLA-CHILD project in Ivory Coast is a financial inclusion and child labour remediation scheme that aims to improve the savings culture, provide access to micro-credit, increase the gender awareness and provide a platform for child labour sensitization among cocoa farmers. Update on Activities The 29 VSLA groups formed under the…

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Advocacy & Communications Unit (ACU) – 2022 Quarter 3 Updates

The third quarter of 2022 has been an interesting one for the Advocacy and Communications Unit. Below is an update on our activities:   Facilitation Material for WEE-NORTH Funded by Global Affairs Canada, WEE-NORTH helps women join the workforce as welders, agricultural mechanics, small engine repair technicians and electricians. These opportunities increase productivity, profitability and…

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FINEDEV Endline Evaluation

PDA and Bath SDR are evaluating Global Affairs Canada’s five-year multi-million funding to Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans (SASL) for enterprise growth and development. Dubbed Financial Inclusion for Enterprise Development (FINEDEV), the project was expected to strengthen SASL’s capacity to provide enterprise loans to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) that are unable to access credit…

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IPO Baseline Assessment – Inception Phase

PDA has been contracted by the Mastercard Foundation as the Impact Partner Organisation (IPO) for its Young Africa Works (YAW) strategy implementation in Ghana. As IPO, PDA is working to track the Foundation’s impact in agriculture, innovations and across the entire Ghanaian economy, particularly job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities for young people. Currently, PDA is…

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ACU – 2022 Quarter 2 Updates

The Advocacy and Communications Unit has had a fruitful second quarter of the year. Below is an update on our activities:   Job Readiness Training The ACU carried out a project under WEE-NORTH with the Alinéa Foundation. The goal of the project was to provide a curriculum, content and facilitation strategies for Job Readiness training…

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CHILD LABOR REMEDIATION PROJECT – 2022 Quarter 2 Updates

INTRODUCTION During the quarter under review, the Child Labor Remediation team carried out new activities and managed some ongoing activities. Key amongst them were conducting a needs assessment, distribution of educational materials, community sensitization, procurement and distribution of birth certificates, phonics by phone training, and the formation of VSLA groups. Over the past three months,…

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PDA LAUNCHES YOUNG IMPACT ASSOCIATES PROGRAM TO RAISE AFRICA’S FUTURE M&E EXPERTS

  The growing prominence of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in Africa’s development sector stems not only from the need to assure accountability and learning but also from the “political recognition of the utility of evaluation to good governance” (Basheka, 2015). Indeed, M&E is recognized as the main instrument for assessing the extent to which the…

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Participatory Development Associates Collaborating Against Child Abuse In Ghana

Children in Ghana still experience frequent and multiple forms of physical, emotional, and verbal abuse. The 2013 UNICEF Child Protection baseline research report indicates that when children were asked about their experiences of physical discipline, over 57% of respondents (aged 14-17 years) said they were beaten at home “all the time” or “sometimes”, while 34% …

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PDA Child Abuse Tracker

The PDA child abuse tracker continues to record cases of child abuse in Ghana. In 2021, the platform recorded over 80 child abuse cases reported in predominantly-online publications of selected media outlets. The specifics of the reports from Quarter 2, Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 of 2021 can be found here, along with accompanying infographics which can…

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Nyonkopa Child Labour Remediation VSLA

The Nyonkopa Child Labor Remediation Project is a 2-year contractual engagement between Barry-Callebaut (Parent Company of Nyonkopa Cocoa) and Participatory Development Associates as the service provider. The entire remediation intervention was built on PDA’s participatory Child Labor Remediation Module developed through years of implementing child labor remediation in the cocoa sector in multiple countries including…

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VSLA-CHILD (Ivory Coast)

The VSLA-CHILD project in Ivory Coast is also a child labour remediation initiative with the same methodology as the VSLA-CHILD project which is being implemented in Ghana. Under the Ivory Coast Project, 25 groups are expected to be formed. Existing cocoa farmer cooperatives are the main target for the formation of the VSLA groups. Initial…

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VSLA-GALS (Cameroon)

Participatory Development Associates (PDA), in partnership with Beyond Beans and SOCAM 5C, are implementing the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) and Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) [VSLA-GALS] project in 7 selected cocoa growing communities in Cameroon. The seven project communities are Mbele, Ekekom, Bilon, Ekoumdouma, Nkole Ekui, Minkama, Endama. The VSLA-GALS project aims to…

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VSLA-CHILD (Ghana)

The VSLA-CHILD Project is a Beyond Beans-funded child labour remediation initiative that aims to tackle child labour in cocoa producing communities through a community-driven approach. Participatory Development Associates is the lead implementer of this project in 57 cocoa growing communities. The project seeks to increase the access of 2500 farmers to microcredit, improve their savings…

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District Level Needs Assessment for AfriKids in Northern Regions of Ghana.

Afrikids is a human-centred organization with operations in northern Ghana which seeks to build the capacity of local people, institutions and organizations to be independent, and to provide sustainable solutions to keep vulnerable children healthy, safe and in school – presently and in the future. PDA is providing research and learning services through empirical reviews,…

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Formative Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases in Northern Ghana for Sesame Workshop

The Wash Up! Programme was designed by Sesame Workshop in collaboration with World Vision International as part of a broader Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) intervention to teach primary school children and the wider society good practices, and improve knowledge and behaviour changes in water sanitation and hygiene, with the aim of preventing neglected tropical…

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Community Needs Assessment for Beyond Beans

PDA and Beyond Beans have been working together in cocoa communities to implement livelihood and financial inclusion interventions to cushion cocoa farmers that the Beyond Beans works with. The latest of such collaborations is a study to understand the immediate (pressing) needs and long term (future) needs of cocoa farmers in Beyond Beans’ operational communities.…

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Vulnerability and Exclusion Assessment for UNICEF Ghana and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection

PDA in partnership with Overseas Development Institute (ODI) is conducting a Vulnerability and Exclusion assessment study to assist the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) and UNICEF Ghana to adopt a suitable working definition of vulnerability and exclusion for the Ghanaian context. This will promote a consistent understanding of the terms across state…

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Endline Assessment of Women Economic Empowerment Through Rural Financing in Ghana and DRC Using Qualitative Impact Assessment Protocol (QuIP) Methodology

The PDA REL team and the Bath Social Development Research (Bath SDR) have been working to provide longitudinal evaluation and learning support to Opportunity International UK over the last three years, on a project titled ‘Economic Empowerment of Women through Rural Financing’ in Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The endline evaluation has…

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End of Year Message – MD

Dear Partners and Colleagues,   What a year it has been! Learning to navigate the uncertainties of another COVID year as an organization has been a humbling but fruitful experience. While many other institutions in the development space in Ghana have unfortunately witnessed a decline and have even been forced to shut down, PDA is…

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VSLA PROJECTS – 2022 Updates

UPDATES: VSLA-CHILD PROJECT The VSLA-CHILD Project is in partnership with Beyond Beans and is a child labour remediation initiative that aims to tackle child labour in cocoa-producing communities through a community-driven approach. It also seeks to increase farmers’ access to microcredit, improve their savings culture and income diversity, as well as increase their gender awareness and…

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CHILD LABOR REMEDIATION -2022

  NYONKOPA CHILD LABOR REMEDIATION PROJECT This is a summary report on the activities carried out this quarter. KEY ACTIVITIES Community Sensitization VSLA Phonics by Phone Training Update on Nyonkopa VSLA App Vocation Enrolment and Items Distribution Birth certificate distribution Community Action Plan Community Sensitization The team has made community sensitization a very important addition…

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The government and relevant stakeholders have made efforts to reduce the impact of Covid-19 on Ghana’s educational system. However, as with many education systems around the world, Ghana’s education system was not prepared for the Covid-19 pandemic and lacked the resilience needed to adjust to the crisis. This led to disruptions to learning, loss of…

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NAVIGATING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE EXPERIENCES OF FEMALE-LED MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN GHANA

Female-led businesses represent the majority share of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana and operate mainly in the informal sector. Informality is a key characteristic of the Ghanaian economy in general and is significant in areas such as manufacturing, agriculture/agribusiness and services (Mastercard Index for Women Entrepreneurs, 2020). Despite women’s contribution to business and economic growth in Ghana,…

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Evaluating How Root Capital’s Client Businesses Impact Smallholder Livelihoods: Oil Palm In Ghana

This evaluation analyzes the extent to which affiliation with an agriculture business supported by Root Capital’s lending and advisory services—in this case, an oil palm aggregator in Ghana called Serendipalm—improves the wellbeing of smallholder farmers. With insights directly from the business’ supplying producers, the report highlights the impacts of affiliation with Serendipalm on farmer livelihoods,…

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The State of Youth Health in Ghana’s Construction Industry

Construction work ranks among the three most dangerous occupations in the world (Safe Work Australia 2012). The rapid and dynamic pace of work, high-risk nature of tasks, use of harmful materials and dangerous equipment, and other issues such as personality conflicts and heavy workload expose the construction workforce to significant physical and psychosocial risks (Gunasekaran…

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Ghana’s education response during the COVID-19 crisis: EdTech to the rescue?

Children in Ghana (including 9.2 million pre-tertiary and 500,000 tertiary students) are among more than 1.5 billion learners globally whose studies have been impacted by school closures. The Ghanaian Government indefinitely closed public and private schools within days of the country recording its first COVID-19 case on 12th March 2020, ultimately including final-year high school…

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The Future of Work for Ghanaian Youth

On 28th and 29th October 2020, PDA hosted a 2-day dialogue on the Future of Work for Ghanaian Youth, as part of the Youth Forward Initiative funded by MasterCard Foundation. The discussions on the first day centred on the topic “Is any job a better job?”, while the second day featured the theme “Preparing young…

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COVID-19; A THREAT TO FOOD SECURITY IN GHANA?

  Undoubtedly, the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to prompt fears of insecurity within and across countries. Though the virus has left no part of the world untouched, its impact will greatly be felt particularly in developing countries and in economies whose food needs are largely dependent on supplies from other countries…

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GHANA’S CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great deal of impact worldwide, Ghana inclusive. From the devastating impact on the economy due to the closure of borders and restrictions on human movement and trading activities to its resulting impact on education and socioeconomic life. Ghana’s response, according to the Ghana COVID-19 Emergency Preparation and Response Project…

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THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF COVID-19 IN AFRICA

The COVID-19 pandemic has created chaos, panic, and hopelessness for people across the world. For the first time in recent years, with few exceptions, infectious disease has ravaged the global north more than the south, defying modern stereotyping of contagious diseases. Since there is no known cure or vaccine for the disease that started in…

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Absorbing the Shocks or Irreversible Damage? The Impact of Covid-19 on Africa’s Political Economy

In Summary In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have adopted lockdowns, virus testing regimes and social distancing measures. African countries have followed suit, mostly with ‘copy and paste’ versions of these actions, resulting in profound social and economic stresses on their people. What is immediately evident is that without creativity, contextualisation and civil participation…

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CMAC/PDA LAUNCH GOVERNMENT SERVICES ACCOUNTABILITY APP (GSAAPP)

CMAC/PDA LAUNCH GOVERNMENT SERVICES ACCOUNTABILITY APP (GSAAPP) On Thursday, February 27, 2020, the Citizen’s Movement against Corruption (CMaC) in partnership with Participatory Development Associates (PDA) launched the Government Services Accountability App (GSAAPP), a mobile application designed to receive feedback on the services of state agencies in order to help improve service delivery of public sector…

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COMMUNIQUE-Protecting the Ghanaian School Child Improving Effective Partnerships between State and Non-state Actors

THIRD ANNUALTHIRD ANNUALKNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOP ON CHILD PROTECTION26th November 2019British Council Auditorium Accra Theme:Protecting the Ghanaian School Child:Improving EffectivePartnerships between State and Non-state Actors The 3rd Annual Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Child Protection was held on the 26th of November 2019 at the British Council Auditorium in Accra. This workshop was in partnership between Participatory…

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WHY GHANAIANS SHOULD VOTE NO ON 17TH DECEMBER

Where I stand on the 17th December Referendum I am going to vote NO to political parties sponsoring candidates for elections at the local government level in Ghana. This is because there is an urgent need for constitutional, legislative and administrative reforms in the governance architecture of the country. Such reforms are necessary to strengthen…

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Transitions from Primary to Lower Secondary School: A Focus on Equity

Equal access to quality education is crucial for addressing socioeconomic problems of poverty, unemployment and inequality (Reynolds et al., 2014; Browne & Barrett, 1991; UNESCO, 2017) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aptly captures this. SDG goal 4 proposes that by 2030, each country should “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning…

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Research, Evaluation, and Learning (REL) – 2022

Community Needs Assessments in Practice It is always important, effective and cost-efficient when you actively engage community members in responding to their own needs. For this reason, PDA prioritises participatory assessments and community level perspectives in intervention designs and implementation. PDA is currently working with some of our key partners across selected cocoa communities in…

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2nd Annual Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Child Protection in Ghana

Last year, Participatory Development Associates (PDA) organized its inaugural Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Child Protection, bringing together about 78 participants including state and non-state actors, to critically engage the existing narratives on child protection and explore avenues for effective collaboration among key stakeholders to improve the child protection system in Ghana. Among others, a key…

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UK Department for International Development IMPACT EVALUATION OF THE SADA MILLENNIUM VILLAGES PROJECT IN NORTHERN GHANA: ENDLINE SUMMARY REPORT

Background to the Millennium Villages project At a UN Summit in September 2000, world leaders adopted the Millennium Declaration, which committed nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and address pressing challenges of hunger, gender inequality, illiteracy and disease. The MVP aimed to showcase, ‘…how effective an integrated strategy for health care,…

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INTEGRATED VSLA/GALS

Participatory Development Associates (PDA) is building the economic and social capacities of over 936 cocoa farmers in the Ashanti Region through Village Savings and Loans (VSLA) schemes and Gender Action and Learning Systems (GALS); with generous funding from Nestle Cocoa Plan and in partnership with Cocoanect and Cocoa Merchants Limited. Since its pilot in Niger…

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How to enhance capacity to transform science into policy and practice in the field of food security

A training course targeting young African researchers with PhDsDate: 28 Jan – 1 Feb 2019Where: Nairobi, KenyaThe Agriculture for Food Security 2030 (AgriFoSe2030) programme, a Swedish initiative, will conduct a training course for young African researchers on effective research-to-policy interaction for agricultural development. The course is a collaboration between AgriFoSe2030 and The Gothenburg Center for…

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TRIBUTE FROM PDA

The entire staff of PDA received your sudden demise with shock, and dismay. No one for once, ever thought this could happen at this prime time, but as the saying goes in our local parlance “owuo kuta adeɛ a nkwa ntumi nnye”.Until her death, Deborah worked with PDA as a logistic assistant. She joined the…

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PDA Child Abuse Tracker: an overview

As part of PDA’s objective to advocate for the protection of children in Ghana, the organization has developed an online platform that tracks cases of child abuse published in the newspapers and prominent online portals. The platform monitors progress on abuse cases and advocates for further intervention where necessary. Launched in November 2017, the platform currently…

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PSS PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME

Are you an intelligent and ambitious tertiary level graduate looking for the opportunity to acquire 3 to 6 months valuable work experience in the world of business? Then join PDA’s Youngest Creative Unit’s PSS internship Programme ELIGIBILITY Highly motivated individual interested in target achievement and developing managerial skills. Completed first degree or HND within the…

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Akufo-Addo Swears in Jean Mensa, 3 Others

The President, Nana Akufo-Addo has sworn in Madam Jean Mensa and the three other commissioners to handle affairs of the Electoral commission. Jean Mensa and the three: Head of the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, Dr Eric Bossman, Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission, Mr Samuel Tettey and corporate lawyer, Mrs…

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NADMO/GNFS Sensitise Residents In Flood Prone Areas

The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the Volta region have begun engagements with residents in flood prone communities ahead of the rainy season. The engagements were to promote preventive and safety measures to reduce casualties when the rains set in. Mr Divine Bosson, Regional NADMO Coordinator, said the Organization…

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NGO wants mental health under NHIS

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) into mental health has urged government to move mental health onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to enable such patients to access adequate care. It says free drugs for patients under the mental health programme are generally unavailable at the health centres, and therefore burden patients to pay for them. Mr Suonyir…

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Ban On Fishing To Start On August 7 – MOFAD

Government has imposed a one month ban on all fishing activities in the country. The ban takes effect from August 7 to September 4, this year.  Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development announced this at a press conference in Accra, on Friday.  The Minister explained that the closed season is meant for all fleets…

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Alarm Over HIV Rates In Mozambique Army

Health authorities in Mozambique have expressed concern at the prevalence of HIV among the country’s militarily. They say 11.5% of the force is HIV-positive. The head of military health, Agueda Duarte, said the force also had a lower level of adherence to anti-viral treatment compared with the civilian population. The agency has introduced a rapid testing and treatment…

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UE/R: Neglected School Uses Pit Latrine As Office

A neglected basic school in the Upper East region has turned a busy pit latrine into an administrative office after years of failed distress calls on successive governments. The 4-unit pit latrine, provided by a benevolent organisation, is the only valuable structure on the fenceless premises of the Azudoone Primary School, found within the eastern area…

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CDD I Am Aware Evaluation

Participatory Development Associates (PDA) is with Oxford Policy Management (OPM) to evaluate a civic accountability program implemented by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) entitled ‘I Am Aware’. The focus of the ‘I Am Aware’ project is to empower citizens to improve their awareness and engagement with service providers to increase their accountability and…

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Africa needs $621bn to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals

The Global Infrastructure Hub, a G20 initiative, has today published two reports that reveal an urgent need for infrastructure investment in 10 Compact with Africa countries, and highlight the reforms required to encourage greater investment. The first of these reports, Global Infrastructure Outlook: Infrastructure Investment Need in the Compact with Africa Countries, reveals that, unless US$621…

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No more direct posting – Health Service Director General announces

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has said it intends to abolish direct posting of health professionals to public health institutions after their graduation.Rather, health personnel should be allowed to search for jobs themselves, apply and attend interviews before accepting postings to health institutions.Speaking at the opening of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) 2018…

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Gov’t Moves To End Poverty In Agric Sector

Government has announced plans to transform the country’s agriculture sector to end abject poverty among farmers in the country. Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, made this known yesterday in Accra during the Meet The Press series organized by the Ministry of Information. Dr. Akoto stressed that poverty in the sector was endemic during…

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Galamsey Activities Move To Bedrooms

In their quest to outwit the anti-galamsey task force (Operation Vanguard) in their operations, illegal miners also called galamsey operators have adopted a dangerous method of acquiring gold illegally. It has emerged that the Chinese galamseyers and their Ghanaian counterparts now bring the black soil (the gold bearing ore) from the galamsey sites into the communities…

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RUFORUM Young African Entrepreneurs Competition (RUYAEC) 2018 Open Awards Competition

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) is a network of 85 Universities in 35 African countries is pleased to announce the 2018 RUFORUM Young African Entrepreneurs Competition (RUYAEC). The 2018 RUFORUM Young African Entrepreneurs Competition (RUYAEC) whose overall purpose is to catalyse entrepreneurship through promotion of business innovation and provision of…

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Cocoa prices tumble

Prices of cocoa on the international market have begun to tumble due to investors expectations of an imminent increase in production from top growing countries, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.Côte d’Ivoire, which is the world’s largest producer, is projecting a production of about 1.9 million tonnes, while Ghana is hopeful of meeting its 850,000 tonnes target…

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‘We are still at war’ with Ebola – WHO chief

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday cautioned against declaring victory too early in Congo’s Ebola epidemic, despite encouraging signs that it may be brought under control.“The outbreak is stabilising, but still the outbreak is not over,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists on a visit to Democratic Republic of Congo’s…

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Private BECE provisional results out

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the provisional results of private candidates who took the 2018 edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). A release signed and issued by the Deputy Director of Public Affairs of the WAEC, Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, said the council had hosted the results online on the WAEC’s…

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Proprietor issues fake index numbers to BECE

The proprietor of the Redemption School Complex Junior High School (JHS), a private basic school in Ofaadaa, near Awutu Bawjiase in the Central Region, Mr Afranie Mensah, provided fake index numbers to 34 candidates he failed to register in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).The proprietor, after charging each pupil GH¢190, failed to register…

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Commercial drivers increase fares by 10%

Road Transport Operators have announced a 10% increase in transport fares across all categories of services, effective today [Monday]. The increase in fares comes after an agreement between the operators and other stakeholders in the transport sector including the government.They also indicated that import taxes and increase in prices of spare parts among others influenced the…

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Nkoranza North pleads for fruit processing factory

Madam Gifty Akorsah Arthur, the Nkoranza North District Chief Executive (DCE), has expressed upset about the situation where fruits produced in large quantities in the area go to waste, something that has become a huge disincentive to farmers. The situation could not continue – there was an urgent need to establish a fruit processing factory. This, she…

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Security man remanded for impregnating minor

A 45-year-old security man has been remanded into Police custody for allegedly impregnating a 15-year-old girl at Adenta in Accra. Dramani Adams is said to have lured the girl and had sex with her in an uncompleted storey building. Adams charged with defilement pleaded not guilty. He is to appear again on June 12, before the court presided…

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GHS introduces new vaccine to eradicate polio

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has introduced a new vaccine into routine immunisation with effect from June 2018.The Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) which will be available at all health facilities throughout the country, will be given to children for extra protection.According to officials, the vaccine will be given as an injection on the right thigh…

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Know where to register for your Ghana Card

The much-anticipated national identity card (Ghana Card) registration process is yet to begin the Greater Accra Region following some technical challenges. The registration process was to start on Monday but the National Identification Authority (NIA) says it will make an announcement as soon as it is certain the challenges are resolved. Monday’s exercise was to…

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DRC Ebola Outbreak Threatens Children

The UN children’s fund warned the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo threatens the health and well-being of children, and special care must be taken to help them survive.Ebola is highly contagious, killing between 20 and 90 percent of its victims, and the UN children’s fund is engaging communities in the fight against Ebola.…

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Registration for Ghana Card begins today

After multiple postponements, the registration and instant issuance for the national identity card, also known as the Ghana Card, is set to begin at 7 am today [Monday].The project is among initiatives being undertaken by the government to formalise the economy.According to the National Identification Authority, former heads of state, journalists and security officials will…

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GhanaThink leads discussion on solving unemployment in Upper East

Some unemployed youth in the Upper East region have networking and skills acquisition training from a Social Enterprise  (ThinkGhana) through its job camp program.The event which was held at the Bolgatanga Catholic social centre brought together over 30 youth, particularly unemployed graduates.The resource persons included Roger Laari, CEO of MOAB Properties, Akannah Saeed, an architect…

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GIZ Ghana is recruiting

GIZ Ghana is expanding its work on #eSkills4Girls, a project that seeks to increase the participation on Ghanaian women in technology. GIZ Ghana is expanding its work on #eSkills4Girls, a project that seeks to increase the participation on Ghanaian women in technology. They’re currently recruiting:1. Technical Advisor for ICT/Training 2. Technical Advisor for Ideas Competitions/Campaigning Main project activities will…

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Amnesty Int’l takes on UEW over blatant human right abusesAmnesty Int’l takes on UEW over blatant human right abuses

HUMAN RIGHTS Advocacy Group, Amnesty International, Ghana has raised red flags over alleged human right abuses against some staff members of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) by the school authorities.According to the group, the school authorities have adopted victimisation, wrongful dismissal, forceful eviction and intimidation as a mode of punishment for wrongdoing though most…

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Nana Addo leaves for US for SDGs event

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has left Ghana for the United States of America. The trip, according to a statement from the Presidency, is to enable the President attend a high-level event to mark the achievement of the Qatar Foundation’s commitment to enroll ten million children to receive quality primary school education.The statement signed by…

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Adopt A Bin Campaign Launched

The OneGhana Movement, in partnership with Citi FM, Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Jekora Ventures and the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA), has launched its flagship environmental project dubbed, the RightWay Initiative-Adopt A Bin Campaign.’ OneGhana Movement is a thought leadership and social action Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that encourages citizens to discharge their civic responsibilities.…

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Four Women Drown On Afram River

Four persons have drowned in the Affram River at Samankwae in the Affram Plains South District of the Eastern Region. The deceased persons including three women and a girl drowned when a speed boat ferrying them capsized after encountering a dreadful storm. The only survivor is the male rider who was in charge of the…

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20,000 For Pollination Project

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) says it will employ 20,000 Ghanaian youth this year to pollinate cocoa farms as part of measures to increase yield to meet the production target of one million tonnes. Emmanuel Opoku, Head of Cocoa Health and Extension Service Division of COCOBOD, who made the announcement, said the decline in pollinating…

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KMA Launches Dustbin Project

VIP Transport Ltd officials making the presentation to the Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) will soon launch a dustbin project as part of efforts to manage waste effectively and beautify Kumasi. The Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, who made the announcement, said thousands of dustbins would be placed at strategic…

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Sabre Trust’s Fast Track Transformational Teacher Training (FTTT) Programme wins prestigious UNESCO Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Prize

Participatory Development Associates (PDA) Ltd wishes to congratulate Sabre Trust and GES and their partners for the recognition given to the Fast-Track Transformational Teacher Training (FTTT) programme they have been implementing in Ghana. They were awarded the UNESCO Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Prize for Outstanding Practice and Performance in Enhancing the Effectiveness of Teachers in…

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Upper Manya Kro Bank Builds Teachers Bungalow

Management of the Upper Manya Kro Rural Bank Limited has constructed a four-bedroom bungalow valued at over GH¢60,000 for the Akotoe Tsrebuana D/A Primary School in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region. Board Chairman of Upper Manya Kro Rural Bank Limited, James Kwame Otieku, said the bank took interest in supporting teachers…

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Boy, 6, Kills Brother, 4, With Grandpa’s Gun

Benjamin Tetteh, a 70-year-old retired civil servant, whose locally manufactured gun was used by his six-year-old grandson to kill his four-year-old brother, has been remanded into prison custody by the Somanya Magistrate court in the Eastern Region. The pensioner was arraigned before the court yesterday on the charge of illegally possessing firearms, explosives, ammunition and…

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International short course on Coastal Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Coastal Areas

The Centre for Coastal Management (CCM) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), and its partner Nature Today, a non for profit organisation, is offering an instructor-Led short course on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation from September 17th -21st, 2018. Participants from around the world would provide their own funding to attend the 5-day training…

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Pitch AgriHack Seeks to Promote Greater Engagement of Young Women

CTA has launched ‘Pitch AgriHack 2018’ a competition to support young agricultural entrepreneurs (agripreneurs) build viable businesses and boost innovation for a more sustainable agricultural sector. Winning innovations will be awarded up to €15,000, as well as mentoring and networking opportunities. The theme for this year’s competition is “Women entrepreneurs innovate for agricultural transformation in…

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Car Owner Arrested Over Kids’ Death

The woman, in whose car the bodies of three kids were found at Elmina in the Central Region, has been grabbed by the police. Shiny Amissah Dadziebo is the proprietress of Holy Wood Preparatory School at Taterim and owns a white Kia Optima saloon car registered CR 234-13. According to Joy News, Madam Dadziebo told…

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Tweneboah Koduah SHS Head interdicted over sexual misconduct claims

The Ashanti Regional Education Directorate has interdicted the headmaster of the Tweneboah Koduah Senior High School, Francis Badu Agyare, following allegations of sexual misconduct involving three female students. The directive follows a petition by some teachers of the school to the Kumawu Traditional Council about his conduct. The teachers had earlier threatened a sit-down strike…

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In Libya, Migrants Fight for Survival

Each year, thousands of African migrants depart Libya in rickety boats and risk their lives seeking better opportunities in Europe. Many other migrants remain in the North African country, drawn by opportunities but also subjected to mistreatment at the hands of smugglers and traffickers. Libya has long-attracted migrants in search of better lives. But unresolved…

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Foreign-labelled goods flood shops

Some supermarkets and mothercare shops in Accra and its outskirts are selling food and baby products labelled in Chinese and Spanish, in contravention of the law. Since some of the items may contain substances that may trigger allergic reactions, it is important for consumers to have full knowledge of their contents in the language they…

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Police, others ordered to immediately enforce ‘action plan’ to deal with road accidents

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has approved an action plan compiled by the ministers of Interior, Transport and Roads to deal with the upsurge of road accidents in the country, a release from the Information Ministry has said. The three-pronged approach involves Education, Enforcement and Engineering, said the release issued in Accra on Monday,…

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Urban Millennials Go to Farmer School

Doug Fabbioli is concerned about the future of the rural economy, as urban sprawl expands from metropolitan areas into farm fields and pastureland. The Virginia winery owner decided to be part of the solution and founded The New AG School, the school’s mission is raising the next generation of farmers. Farming, the hardship and joy…

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Akufo-Addo launches 7-year devt plan

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday launched the seven-year Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development policies of the government, saying the agenda for job creation, prosperity and equal opportunity for all was on course. He said a number of key initiatives captured under the agenda had been implemented and that the rest would…

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Scientists attribute low crop yields in Ghana to substandard fertilizers

Scientists are casting doubts on the efficacy of fertilizers used by Ghanaian farmers cross the country as research points to consistent low yields despite fertilizer application. This was revealed at a dissemination workshop on research findings on Ghana’s Soil Fertility Management (GSFM) and Fertilizer Subsidy Programme (FSP) in Accra. The scientists presented a report on…

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Guinea’s fake pregnant healer jailed

A court in Guinea has sentenced a traditional healer to five years in prison for conning women into thinking they were pregnant. The court found N’na Fanta Camara guilty of fraud and impersonating a doctor by giving the women harmful substances and endangering their lives. Her victims and rights groups said they were disappointed with…

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MSc and PhD Scholarships

Applications are invited for MSc and PhD Scholarships by the Mobility for plant genomics scholars to accelerate climate-smart adaptation options and food security in Africa / GENES. GENES is funded by the Intra-Africa Program of the Education, Audio-visual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Commission. The consortium intends to: 1. Produce for Africa…

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VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT- Senior Officer, Programs and Research- AWARD

About AWARD African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) is working towards more inclusive, agriculture-driven prosperity for Africa. AWARD invests in African women scientists, research institutions, and the agribusiness sector by supporting the development and upscaling of agricultural innovations with the potential to bridge the gender gap in African agriculture. Four initiatives form the…

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Invitation to the African Youth Agripreneur Forum (AYAF) and Agri-Pitch Competition: “Technologies and Innovations for Youth in Agribusiness”

The African Development Bank (AfDB), together with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, is organizing the 2nd edition of African Youth Agripreneur Forum (AYAF) and Agri-Pitch Competition to serve as a platform for bringing together agripreneurs from across Africa and scaling up the scope and impact of their activities. The Forum is expected to attract over…

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SDG Kids

SDG Kids is a project which focuses on promoting the awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals among children and young people. The project seeks to use child centred participatory methodologies and interactive activities that help build children’s capacity in taking actions to support the attainment of the SDGs by 2030.  The goal of the SDG Kids…

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The Cocoa Nutrition Innovation Project

The Cocoa Nutrition Innovation (CNI) Project is an intervention by the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), which aims to improve the nutritional status of households in cocoa growing communities. The CNI is a behavioural change communications (BCC) strategy aimed at effecting change in the dietary diversity and hand washing…

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6TH INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE & POPULATION CONFERENCE ON AFRICA [CCPOP-GHANA2018]

THE REGIONAL INSTITUTE FOR POPULATION STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, ACCRA Call for Abstracts for the6th International Climate Change and Population Conference on Africa (CCPOP-Ghana2018) under the Theme “The Future We Do Not want”  Date: 23rd – 25th July, 2018 Venue: Accra, GHANA   Background Climatic hazards are increasingly becoming common features of society globally…

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Orphanages call for an increase in feeding grant

Managers of orphanages across the country and other beneficiaries of Capitation Grant want the government to increase subvention per head from GHS4.80 to GHS6. They say the increase will relieve their institutions of mounting debt brought about by the high cost of running the facilities. Headmistress of Garden City Special School, Dr Roslseline Frimpomaa Agyapong,…

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African Changemakers Fellowship Program

African Changemakers Fellowship (#ACFellowship) Program selects impressive African visionaries between ages 25-40years to train and empower them to change their communities positively across Africa and beyond. These committed changemakers know best how to transform businesses and their communities’ social issues–we make it possible here. African Changemakers Fellowship Program continues to develop African leadership and entrepreneurial…

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Tax identification becomes operational

Individuals without tax identification numbers (TINs) will not be able to access essential services at state agencies with effect from yesterday, April 3, 2018, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has said. As a result, patrons seeking services at the Passport Office, the banks, courts, the ports, the Lands Commission, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority…

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Gov’t Slashes SHS Fees By Half

Government has announced a fifty percent reduction in school fees for final year Senior High School (SHS) students across the country for the third term. The move is to make the students to have peaceful mind to study in order to pass the forthcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) scheduled for June 1,…

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Tourism is Ghana’s future -GTA CEO

THE CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mr Akwasi Agyemang, has said the country’s economic future depends on tourism and not gold, timber or oil that are usually referred to. According to GTA boss, countries like United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Malaysia which do not have many natural resources compared to Ghana…

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Authority warns

The Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) has warned of an imminent earthquake in the country following the tremors that have been occurring in recent times. According to the GGSA, signs picked up after earth tremors hit parts of Accra on March 24, 2018 showed that the fault lines were active, “which means that an earthquake…

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Earth tremors shake Weija, Gbawe, Sampa Valley, Anyaa

Some parts of the Greater Accra Region experienced earth tremors on Saturday dawn and afternoon. Residents of Weija-Broadcasting, Sampa Valley, SCC, West Hills Mall area, Gbawe, Anyaa, amongst others, reported experiencing the first tremor while they slept at dawn. Two other tremors followed in the afternoon.Steve, a resident at Weija-Broadcasting told ClassFMonline that he first…

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Car crushes on the rise – NRSC

Two thousand and eighty five car crashes resulting in 366 fatalities were recorded within the first two months of this year by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC). According to the NRSC, this was a sharp increase on the 1986 road crashes which resulted in 354 fatalities, recorded within the same period last year. Giving…

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272 Financial Institution in distress

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) says about 705,396 depositors of distressed or collapsed microfinance institutions (MFIs) and rural and community banks (RCBs) are at risk of losing a total of GH¢740.5 million. The amount represent deposits currently locked up in the 272 RCBs and MFIs which were either in distress or had folded up, the…

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MWALIMU NYERERE AFRICAN UNION SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

The Mwalimu Nyerere African Union Scholarship Scheme was launched in 2007 with the aim of contributing to the production and retention of high caliber African human capital for sustainable development of the continent in critical development areas, while promoting regional integration through intra-Africa mobility of students. The Scholarship Scheme is intended to enable young Africans…

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Angry uniBank customers besiege branches

Scores of customers of uniBank became angry, frustrated and worried when their attempts to withdraw money from the bank’s automated teller machines (ATMs) Wednesday morning failed, after the Bank of Ghana (BoG) had handed over the management of the bank to KPMG, an accounting and auditing firm. The ATMs could not dispense money in the…

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Withdraw US military base agreement- Minority

The Minority caucus in Parliament is demanding the immediate withdrawal from the house, an agreement by Cabinet it says will permit the United States of America to site a military base in Ghana.A statement signed by the group said the agreement should be withdrawn “pending the holding of broad consultations and a thorough national discussion…

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Bank of Ghana takes over uniBank

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has taken over the management of uniBank Ghana Limited, an indigenous lender after it declared it insolvent Tuesday afternoon.The Bank of Ghana will now be in control of the day to day running of the local bank and has accordingly appointed KPMG as the official administrator to oversee the process,…

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Paid Graduate Internship Opportunity

As part of delivering on PDA’s Strategic Theme 2: “Youth empowerment to generate positive development in their communities”, its youngest creative business support unit (PDA Support Services) is commencing a paid graduate internship programme in April 2018. The aim of the graduate internship is to support tertiary level recent graduates to gain; i. further skills…

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Nana Addo justifies creation of new districts

President Nana Akufo-Addo has hit back at critics who say the creation of new districts and municipalities is unnecessary. The President said the creation of new districts will bring development to the doorstep of many and deepen Ghana’s democratic processes.The government has received some criticism over the creation of 38 new districts and municipalities across…

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570 dams to be constructed this year – Bawumia

A total of five hundred and seventy (570) dams are to be constructed in the three northern regions this year as part of the NPP Government’s manifesto pledge to facilitate community-owned and managed small-scale irrigation facilities across the country, popularly known as “One Village One Dam.” Feasibility studies and consultative fora have been take place,…

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South Africa slams Australia visa plan for white farmers

South Africa has criticised an Australian government minister for suggesting that white South African farmers should get special visas so they can flee “horrific circumstances” in the country. Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who oversees immigration and has drawn international criticism for heading a tough crackdown on asylum-seekers from Asia and the Middle East,…

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Forgive our cynicism, Mr. President

“As a start, we have to do things differently to realise this goal of a Ghana beyond aid. Business, as usual, will not do it. It cannot happen by waving a magic wand. And it cannot be achieved overnight. Indeed, the most rapid cases of economic and social transformation in history, those in South East…

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Every child deserves better…

The man in the iron mask is a movie based on a book authored by Alexandre Dumas, arguably the most widely read French author of all times. Set in medieval France, the movie describes a corrupt and tyrant king, Louis XIV, who ruled France with an iron fist. He even had his twin brother, Philippe,…

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Mistrust in Parliament worrying (2)

Ghana has made reasonable strides towards promoting a liberal democratic culture. This is evident in the six successful elections that have been held since 1992. Nonetheless, there are many constraints that need to be fixed in order to consolidate the gains of democracy over the period. This is why the ongoing fracas between the Minority…

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Trust in public institutions dips — IEA

Public institutions play a very important role in the democratic development of every country since they represent the interests of the public. An effective and efficient public service has always been the bedrock of national development. In the past, Ghana’s public institutions were the pivot of the country’s development agenda. Performance of public institutions In…

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In defense of Ghana Beyond Aid

Lao Tzu once said, “Knowing others is intelligence. Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.” This piece has become necessary because of the ongoing debate about the slogan ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’. Whilst those on the side of the government feel it is visionary, opponents of the government feel…

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The teen coder who wants to change the world

Sixteen-year-old Dea Kurti is juggling school and a social life while trying to bridge the tech gender gap and empower refugees. Encouraging more girls to study STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – is a key educational cause across the world. But based on statistics, there’s still much work to be done. According to…

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‘Incorporate all surface-mining operations into MMIP to address all mining-related problems’

Mrs. Hanna Owusu-Koranteng, Associate Executive Director of Wacam-a civil society organiSation, has advocated review of the Multisectoral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP) for it to be holistic and incorporate all surface-mining operations so as to ensure effectively dealing with all mining-related problems. The MMIP is a five-year government policy instrument designed to tackle the menace of…

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Ensuring income security for cocoa farmers in Ghana – the case of Cocoa Abrabopa Pension Scheme Introduction

Introduction Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA) is one of the leading farmer-based organizations in Ghana that has been established to promote the socio-economic well-being of smallholder cocoa farmers. The association was established in partnership with African Tiger Holding Ltd (ATHL) to sponsor the establishment of a contributory pension scheme within the framework of the National Pensions…

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Ghana’s Climate Financing Architecture: Using Domestic Resource Mobilisation As A Sustainable Approach

Ghana intends to mobilise nearly US$ 22.6 billion investment from both domestic and international public and private sources towards the implementation of her Nationally Determined Contributions (Gh-NDCs) commitments. US$ 6.3 billion domestically (28.3% of total investment) is to be mobilized nationally whereas the US$ 16 billion is expected from international support. However Ghana’s ability to…

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PDA Support Services – Graduate Internship

As part of delivering on PDA’s Strategic Theme 2: “Youth empowerment to generate positive development in their communities”, its youngest creative business support unit (PDA Support Services) is commencing a paid graduate internship programme in April 2018. The aim of the graduate internship is to support tertiary level recent graduates to gain; i. further skills development ii. hands-on…

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‘PRESS FOR PROGRESS’…framing our future

International Women’s Day is March 8th. It is a day named by the United Nations. All over the world, organizations, governments, corporations and universities celebrate women with a variety of programs. Each year has a theme. This year’s theme is ‘Press for Progress’. The 2017 World Economic Forum Report declared it would take another 200…

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UN Women calls for stronger support for women

The UN Women has called on the global community to deliberately create stronger support for women’s political activism and a broader space for women’s civil society voices. In a statement, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women, for International Women’s Day, said that was necessary to combine “our efforts to target those who…

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Sierra Leone votes for new president

Voting is under way in Sierra Leone, where more than three million people are eligible to choose a new president, parliament and local councillors. In the capital, Freetown, long queues could be seen at polling stations even before dawn. President Ernest Bai Koroma is stepping down after serving two five-year terms. His chosen successor, Samura…

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Togo’s political crisis; A ray of hope

The Togolese political crisis takes its roots in the soil of political confusion that followed the death of President Gnassingbe Eyadema who had ruled the country from 1967. President Eyadema became President of Togo after the death of President Sylvanus Olympio in a military takeover. The problem started when President Eyadema passed away by natural…

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My eyes still remember; Using Media as a tool for Biodiversity Conservation in Ghana

Africa’s rainforests are classified as part of the most important biodiversity areas in the world But these forests are under severe threats from increasing population through logging, forest fragmentation, forest conversion into plantations, and mining activities. Africa’s forest cover loss has been estimated at about 53 million hectares, accounting for about 56% of the global…

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CPP backs elections of MMDCEs

The Convention Peoples Party (CPP) supports the idea of electing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Ghana. Professor Edmund Nminyem Delle, CPP National Chairman said the election of MMDCEs would go a long way to promote transparency and accountability at the grassroots level. He said the idea of making the MMDCEs office electable…

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Can mining and agriculture go together?

The interaction between artisanal (small-scale) mining and agriculture in Africa still needs to be carefully considered by policymakers to ensure that people’s livelihoods and the country’s export revenues aren’t threatened. It’s also important that the relationship between the two sectors is optimised to mutual benefit.Mining occurs in the same geographic areas as agriculture. It competes…

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JOB VACANCY: Scientist – Soil Management

Job Summary: ICBA is seeking a dynamic and motivated scientist for the position of Soil Management Scientist. The successful candidate will manage all components of ICBA’s soil management programs. The incumbent will work closely with other scientists on programs on sustainable use of soil resources for food security and ecosystem services. He/she will develop and…

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JOB VACANCY: Plant Physiologist

Job Summary: ICBA is seeking a dynamic and motivated biological scientist for the position of Plant Physiologist. Candidates are sought with a demonstrated ability and R&D experience in plant physiology. The ideal candidate will have a background including studies of plant reactions to physical and biological stressors. The Plant Physiologist will work closely with ICBA…

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JOB VACANCY: Senior Plant Breeder

ICBA is seeking a dynamic and motivated senior scientist for the position of Plant Breeder. The successful candidate will manage all components of ICBA’s plant breeding programs, including management of existing germplasm, acquisition of new germplasm, development of elite breeding lines and hybrids of salt-tolerant crops intended for marginal environments. Candidates are sought with proven…

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Nana Yaa Ofori-Atta writes…Bounty Hunting

The Auditor General (AudG), Daniel Yaw Domelevo must begin to practice his small talk. He announced earlier this month in Accra, that his Office had investigated and subsequently issued Disallow and Surcharge certificates for Ghc5.4 billion cedis worth of public goods and services. Some were found to have already been paid and had unilaterally chosen…

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What Atuguba didn’t say

In academic circles, all research is scientifically obtained – not because they are the outcome of work done in a physics, chemistry or biology science lab. They are scientific because they are the result of empiricism, governed by strict rules of conduct. The rules are such that any other researcher using the same hypotheses, sampling…

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Cyber-crime to cost Ghana $100m in 2018

An information security expert has told Citi Business News that Ghanaian businesses stand to lose 100 million dollars from cyber-crime in 2018, if pragmatic measures are not put in place to minimize it. According to a Managing Partner at cyber security firm, Delta 3 International, Del Aden, the incident of cyber crime in Ghana will…

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Using Students Loan Trust Fund To Improve Access To Tertiary Educ In Ghana

The benefits of higher education to the individual, the family, the community and the State are well documented. For the individual, higher education bestows social status, access to employment and higher earnings. Many studies have established the link between higher education and better quality of life, with university graduates recording greater life expectancy than their…

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WONDER WOMEN! opportunity vs. opportunism

Women entrepreneurs. They are a crucial part of Ghana’s economic backbone. They are job creators. Their blood, sweat and tears turn initiative into employment. That initiative is not always born of vision or passion. Sometimes it is born of necessity, hunger, lack of opportunity and a need to support families. Starting that business is often…

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Ghana falls three places in Corruption Perception Index; scores lowest since 2012

Ghana receives its lowest corruption perception score in four years, making President Akufo-Addo’s one year in office the worst since 2012, according to the latest Global Corruption Perception Index. The latest Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released Wednesday evening by the local chapter of Transparency International, the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), scored Ghana 40 out of…

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Pay attention to Ghanaian languages

Article 39, Clause 3 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana enjoins the state to “foster the development of Ghanaian languages and pride in Ghanaian culture”. By this constitutional provision, the state is obliged to formulate and implement policies and programmes towards the development of Ghanaian languages and cultures. It is also incumbent…

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Implementing ECOWAS integration agenda for Ghana’s development: A case for a separate Ministry of Regional Integration

Regionalism is regarded as crucial to the development of Ghana’s economy. A small state like Ghana with potential for rapid development needs the cooperation and integration with her sub-regional West African countries within the framework of ECOWAS. As it would be difficult to establish viable enterprises to serve the Ghana market only, regionalism is readily…

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‘Ghana needs transformational leaders who can translate words into action’ Education-President

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said Ghana needs transformational leaders who can translate words into action, as the country strives to join the developed economies. He said the Government could not make every citizen rich but with the political will it could create the environment for equal opportunities for all, hence the Free Senior High…

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Ghana Hosts Meeting On ECOWAS Single Currency

Ghana is hosting the 5th ECOWAS Presidential Task Force Meeting on the Single Currency Programme from the 17th – 21st February, 2018 at the Accra International Conference Centre. The four-day meeting is being chaired by Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H. E. Muhammadu Buhari; President of…

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#Homegrown

  On Monday, February 19, 2018 when this column will be published, the Petroleum Commission (PC), the regulator of the upstream industry and Ghana’s lucrative petroleum resources will host a meeting in Accra themed ‘Local Content Procurement Conference.’ There are more than 500 companies including joint ventures registered with the PC, along with International Oil…

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Turning promises into reality: – Ambitious action needed to secure the future of Ghana’s fisheries

In November 2013, Ghana received a yellow card from the European Union (EU) for failing to fulfil its international obligations to combat illegal fishing. The warning prompted new policies and laws, a plan of action to eradicate illegal fishing and reforms addressing management failures in Ghana’s fisheries. The yellow card was lifted in October 2015…

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Nuclear Meltdown

It has taken a while to establish the trend but in the silver jubilee year of the 4th Republic, many roads now lead, thankfully, to court.The Citizen Ghana Movement (CGM) secured a ruling from the Human Rights Court on Friday, February 9th 2018, compelling the Electoral Commission (EC) to insist on the constitutionally mandated requirement…

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Ghana retires @60

Ghana is now 60 and attained its own retirement age on March 6, 2017. She would have received a letter indicating she was to retire about six months ago and would have gone through Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) processes to begin the working out of Ghana’s Pension. We are by this assuming…

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COTVET promotes gender parity

The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), in partnership with Uniterra World University Service of Canada (WUSC), is promoting gender parity in male dominated trade areas in Ghana. Uniterra (WUSC) is a leading Canadian International Cooperation Programme that improves the socio-economic conditions of people in 14 countries in Africa, Asia and the…

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NCCE moves to rekindle spirit of self-help

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has upped its effort to awakening the spirit of self-help – to get the people to do more themselves to better their living conditions. Ms. Margaret Konama, the Kumasi Metropolitan Director, said the communities could not continue to over rely on the government for their every single development…

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Communiqué On The Right To Information Bill

We, participants at the Multi-stakeholder Anti-Corruption Strategic Meeting on the Right to Information (RTI) organised in Accra by the Right to Information (RTI) Coalition and the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) Consortium, have observed with disappointment the continuing failure of Government to submit to Parliament and ensure passage of the Right to Information (“RTI”) Bill, despite…

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Multitasking

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is fluent in 2 European languages; English and French. A useful skill, given that Ghana is surrounded by Francophone countries on 3 sides (La Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso) and faced on its coastline, by the unforgiving Atlantic sea. We are also a nation, much divided by inherent and deliberate…

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Togo: Mediators expected amid calls for change

International mediators are expected in Togo next week following months of protests against the government and the president. The Gnassingbe family has been in charge for 51 years, and many in Togo are demanding change. Pressure from the streets has brought a commitment by the president to enter constitutional reform talks.Few expect concrete results. Source:…

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Sleeping with the enemy

It was Genevan and British political theorist, Jean-Louis de Lolme (1740 – 1806), who in criticising what he observed as excessive powers of the British Parliament, wrote that “Parliament can do everything but make a woman a man and a man a woman”.Of course, in the present age when science has made sex change possible…

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Rural women’s land right in Ghana; Reflecting on the Kilimanjaro Initiative Campaign

  Rural women farmers till the lands and plant seeds to feed nations. They ensure food security for their communities and build climate resilience. However when it comes to owning land, accessing agricultural inputs, financing and technologies for climate resilience, they are left far behind men. In Ghana, although a number of international conventions, protocols…

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Ugandans suspended over ‘refugee scam’

Four Ugandan government officials have been suspended amid allegations of inflating refugee figures. Uganda’s Commissioner for Refugees Apollo Kazungu and three of his senior staff are being investigated. Investigations will also consider whether officials from UN aid agencies were involved. Uganda is said to host some 1.4 million refugees – welcoming more than any other…

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Strong Men, Weak Institutions

Domelevo, Amidu and Despite. Three strong men navigating weak institutions. The first is an Auditor General seeking prosecutorial power to reinvigorate the state purse; the second is a Special Prosecutor with a reputation for integrity; and the third is a gender award winning businessman putting some of his fortune into better health with a children’s…

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3,000 unemployed youth to undergo digital marketing entrepreneurship training

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has launched the Online/Digital Marketing Entrepreneurship programme for 3,000 unemployed youth to undergo a 3 month all-expense paid training programme. The training is aimed at equipping the youth with skills to start-up their own businesses thereby reducing the unemployment canker amongst the youth in the country. Launching the programme on…

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Are Grants for Losers?

Mark Ritchie, former Minnesota Secretary of State and former president of the Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, sent Felix an email about a very interesting interview with Kevin Watkins, the CEO of Save the Children Fund (UK). The interview and commentary was by Russell Hargrave in devex: “Save the Children CEO on a…

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Let us pray, for what?

The meeting in the Botsio Auditorium at the Alisa Hotel started 12 minutes after the advertised time, with a prayer. I was captivated. Said invocation was mercifully short. Ghana is a secular country and I usually have no patience for public displays of virtuosity. Praying before public events is usually a signal for imminent mediocrity…

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The threats of youth unemployment in Ghana

The definition of “National Security” is ever changing, as its framework is based on the study of human evolution and behaviour. There have been many factors serving as contributors to the threats to states and population, including armed conflict, xenophobia, gang violence, terrorism, religious extremism and sectarian violence, which are fervently featured in the media.…

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FGM Is A Crime; Stop It – Otiko

The Minister for Gender, Children & Social Protection, Otiko Afisah Djaba, has served notice to proponents of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) will be prosecuted since the practice is against the laws of Ghana. As the world marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, Ms Djaba is…

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Do we really need new regions in Ghana?

In recent years, there has been an outpouring of calls from chiefs and opinion leaders across Ghana for additional regions to be created. The incessant demand has forced the government to set up a commission of inquiry to examine the pros and cons of creating additional regions. Currently, Ghana is divided into ten regions, 275…

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Use your power, Madam Attorney General

Dear Attorney General Gloria Akuffo: During your confirmation hearings, you spoke eloquently about the tyranny of the entrance tariffs imposed on qualified students by the GLC. At the launch of the 58th annual Law week, a few months ago, you called “for the restructuring of the current legal education system in the country in tandem…

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PhD Student Fellowship at MU Sinclair School of Nursing in USA, 2018

Scholarship Description: The Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri is accepting applications for two T32 Health Behavior Science Pre-Doctoral Fellowship. The T32 Health Behavior Science Pre-Doctoral Fellowship provides financial support (stipend, tuition/fees, health insurance, travel to conferences), mentoring and research skill development opportunities to goal-directed, full-time nursing PhD students dedicated to pursuing…

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TUD Scholarship Program for Early-Career Female Scientists in Germany, 2018

The Technical University Dresden (TUD) is offering Scholarship Program for the Promotion of Early-Career Female Scientists of TU Dresden (without Faculty of Medicine) in Germany. This TU Dresden scholarship program aims to promote early-career female scientists of TU Dresden with a full scholarship for up to 3 years. The Technical University Dresden (TUD) is one…

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British Council India 70th Anniversary Scholarships for Masters in UK, 2018

Applications are invited for British Council India 70th Anniversary Scholarships held at UK institutions. Indian students are eligible to apply for this scholarship. The aim of the British Council India 70th Anniversary Scholarship is to support Sustainable Development Goal to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls, women who are likely to become leaders…

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Bristol University Think Big Scholarships

Brief description:In 2018, Bristol University is investing £500,000 to help the brightest and best international students come to the University of Bristol. 26 Think Big Undergraduate scholarships and 26 Think Big Postgraduate scholarships are available for courses starting in 2018 University of BristolBachelors/Masters Degree Deadline: 23 Mar/29 June 2018 (annual) Study in: UK Course starts…

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Transform Together Scholarships for International and European Union (non-UK) Students

Transform Together scholarships are open to international students and European Union (non-UK) students applying to a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate taught course at Sheffield Hallam University in the 2018/19 academic year. Host Institution(s): Sheffield Hallam University in UK Field(s) of study: All full-time undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses offered at the University. Number of Scholarships:…

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New Zealand Development Scholarships

New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS) give candidates from selected developing countries an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills through study in specific subject areas which will assist in the development of their home country. NZDS are funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme, the New Zealand Government’s overseas aid and development programme. They are managed…

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New Zealand ASEAN Scholarships

The New Zealand ASEAN Scholar Awards (NZAS) recognise New Zealand’s close cultural, economic, and geographic ties with Southeast Asia. They seek to empower individuals with the knowledge, skills and qualifications to contribute to the economic, social, and political development of their region. These scholarships are offered for postgraduate level study only. NZAS are funded by…

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FELLOWSHIP IN FOOD PROTECTION

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR THE INTEGRATED FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM The IFPTI Fellowship Program is a unique, year-long program for food protection professionals who want to make a positive impact on the profession through association membership, advocacy, and applied leadership. This Program takes a multifaceted approach incorporating three on-location weeklong sessions, periodic webinars, and a mentor-guided research…

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Who protects the child?

Very often, we hear cases of child abuse which includes, emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse. It is worthy to note that most abused children have some sort of relationship with their abusers. The abusers are either, mothers, fathers, other members from nuclear and extended family and family friends including neighbours and caregivers. Sexual…

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We can’t do without FDIs —Yofi Grant

There is the need to balance the debate around whether the country should rely more on local investment or foreign direct investment, especially as indigenous companies do not have the requisite financial muscle to drive socio-economic growth, CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Yofi Grant, has stated. “We cannot grow the economy on…

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Time to redeem Africa from corruption

Corruption is a major contributor to Africa’s stunted development. By corroding and weakening governance institutions and the democratic values of human rights, gender equality, justice, and the rule of law, it has hindered the continent’s progress toward peace and prosperity. A 2002 AU study estimated that Africa loses about $150 billion annually to corruption. Illicit…

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One-district, one-factory – Challenges of quality, globalisation and environmental sustainability

There is no gainsaying that the initiative by the Akufo-Addo government to transform the country’s economy from predominantly, agro raw materials-based to a more industry–lead through the one-district, one-factory is a laudable one which needs commendation and the support of all Ghanaians. However, with the history of failed industrialisation efforts from the first republic and…

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