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13-Year-Old JHS Student visits Pres Akufo-Addo, calls for National Students’ Day to build volunteerism
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Monday May 27, 2024, met and had an exciting interaction with budding teenager and Head Boy of Franphil International School, Master Papa Appeakorang Duodu-Kumi III, at the Jubilee House in Accra.
The rare, yet fascinating visit comes after the thirteen-year-old teenager had written a fine-looking yet insightful letter to the President, chronicling his early steps towards his ultimate ambition of becoming President of the country someday, as well as his fondness for President Akufo-Addo’s inspiring “Fellow Ghanaians” speeches at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The young JHS Two student has advocated for a National Students’ Day dedicated to students to do voluntary work in their schools and endeavour to instill same in them, as well as the establishment of more Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) schools across the country.
Taking lessons from the EU’s recent enactment of the Artificial Intelligence Act that applies a risk-based approach to ensure that different applications of the technology are treated differently depending on the perceived threats they pose to society so that based on their risk levels, not all applications are acceptable, he asked for the promulgation of an Artificial Intelligence policy to regulate that burgeoning, yet unfettered space in Ghana.
He also called on the Minister for Education to embark on working visits to rural communities, saying these visits will motivate the teachers and students alike and for the President to visit the needy and deprived families, interact with them and learn firsthand their needs and aspirations.
The very interactive visit also saw young Master Duodu-Kumi III seeking autographs on two photographs; one bearing the six leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) popularly known as the Big Six, and referencing the familial relations of three of them to the President, and another one of a young six-year old Akufo-Addo at the wedding of Dr JB Danquah, he sought to know which one of the three inspired the President on his decision to push to be President
He also wanted to know what the President’s most challenging and most difficult decision has been since his election and sought the President’s perspective on the leadership capabilities of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
President Akufo-Addo, in his responses, pledged to continue touching base with people of rural communities as he has done on his regional tours since 2017, when he became President, and directed the Ghana Education Service to engage relevant stakeholders on the National Students’ Day proposition.
The President also mentioned the introduction of the Free Senior High School Policy as the most challenging and most difficult decision due primarily to the period of implementation when Ghana was going through an IMF austerity procedure that triggered concerns by several members of his cabinet against the costly implementation of the policy.
He said, in the face of all these, he had to go ahead to implement Free SHS because he believed, then and now, that human resource remains the most important natural resource for Africa and that Ghanaians were looking forward to the fulfilment of the key campaign promise.
On his views on Nkrumah, he lauded the first President’s efforts in the independence struggle and the attainment of it, which positively sparked a wave of self-determination movements across Africa. He, however, disliked Nkrumah’s autocratic disposition and intolerance for dissenting voices, that led to the introduction of the Preventive Detention Act, based on which a lot of people were jailed because they didn’t agree with some of his decisions.
He continued that Dr J B Danquah, who was indeed one of the three members of his family in the Big Six, has always been his unbridled inspiration in his long walk to the Jubilee House and disclosed that, the other two, his father, Edward Akufo-Addo and his uncle, William Ofori-Atta, were themselves also similarly inspired by Dr JB Danquah’s political trajectory and impressive depths of knowledge.
Master Papa Appeakorang Duodu-Kumi III was accompanied by the principal of the school, Phil Opoku Boateng, Francis Boateng, William Addo Brown, an uncle and Kwaku Duodu-Kumi, his father.
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FA President, Vice-President, football family pays last respect to late Kotoko fan Nana Pooley
President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku led a delegation from the Ghana Football Association and the football fraternity to mourn with Asante Kotoko and pay last respect at the funeral of devoted fan, Yaw Frimpong, better known as ‘Nana Pooley’, on Thursday March 6, 2025, in Kumasi.
The funeral, held at the Heroes park, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi saw a strong representation from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and key members of the football fraternity.
President Okraku and Vice-President Mark Addo attended the funeral alongside key football industry players.
The President, was joined by his team of Executive Council members, Regional Football Association Chairmen, Club Executives and officials from the GFA to show support and solidarity to Asante Kotoko and bid farewell to the passionate fan.
The late Nana Pooley, who passed away painfully last month, was interred at Ahafo Kukuom Royal Mausoleum on Thursday March 6, 2025.
The final funeral rites attracted football administrators, supporters and enthusiasts from across the country, as the fraternity celebrated the life of a true loyal fan of the Porcupine Warriors in particular, and Ghana football in general.
Nana Pooley, known for his unwavering support and dedication to Asante Kotoko, was highly regarded by the club and its supporters.
His funeral drew a significant crowd, as football officials, fans, and well-wishers gathered to honor the memory of the passionate fan who played an important role in fostering the vibrant fan culture of Asante Kotoko.
This gathering reflects the unity and shared respect in Ghana football, as the football family stood with Asante Kotoko during this difficult time.
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NHIA set to boost its cybersecurity and IT Infrastructure
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), in partnership with a leading private cybersecurity solutions provider in Ghana, CyberHawk Limited, is advancing the Authority’s digital infrastructure to ensure seamless operations.
This is to safeguard the Authority’s digital technologies and maintain the trust of active members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
In this context, the NHIA Management Information System (MIS) Directorate in the Head Office, on February 11, 2024, launched a three-day brainstorming session on the organization’s cybersecurity enhancement agenda.
The MIS Directorate Ag. Director, Mr. Daniel Blankson explained that the collaborative meeting aimed to scrutinize the NHIA’s Information Technology architecture, identifying potential risks and gapsto enhance its cybersecurity posture.
“By leveraging CyberHawk Limited’s expertise, the NHIA seeks to fortify its defenses against cyber threats, protecting sensitive information and maintaining the trust of its members.”
Mr. Blankson applauded the synergy between the two organizations and underscored the Authority’s commitment to embracing cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to drive its mission forward.
The Head of Information Security and Standards Unit, in the MIS Directorate, Mr. Ebenezer Hooper, highlighted the Authority’s significant milestone on the digital transformation journey.
According to him, the NHIA is actively engaged in fully adopting and implementing modern digital systems to improve its operations.
He said, “The three-day brainstorming meeting will culminate in the development of a robust IT infrastructure, as well as strategic plans to translate security implementations into tangible IT cost savings for the organization.”
“There is the need to form a steering committee or IT advisory committee, operated under the Board, so that they can pay more attention in protecting the huge IT investment while ensuring cyber security-related policies are well protected,” he added.
The Project Manager of CyberHawk Limited, Mr. Chetan Narayana Murthy, lauded the collaboration and anticipated that it would empower the NHIA to implement comprehensive cybersecurity measures.
According to him, “This is a huge project that will greatly benefit the NHIA by implementing robust cybersecurity measures, safeguarding their systems, and ultimately protecting the sensitive information of NHIA members and healthcare providers.”
A Senior Manager of IT infrastructure, Mr. David Asare Addo, and his colleague, a Senior Manager of Applications, Mr. Enock Afanyi, with the MIS Directorate, gave an overview of the NHIA’s current technological landscape.
Present at the meeting were representatives from the Claims, Membership and Regional Operations (MRO), Research, Policy, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RPME), Corporate Affairs, the Audit, Administration, and Human Resource Directorates.
Story By : Vivian Arthur
