News
Mentor young girls to attain dreams, aspirations – Ms Darkoa Newman
Ms Newman (arrowed) with other participants after the event
The Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Ms Dakoa Newman, has urged women in higher positions to mentor young girls to achieve their dreams and aspirations.
According to her, young girls need mentorship and someone to serve as role models to shape their lives to become better women in future.
The Minister made this known at an event held in Accra to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child 2024 on the global theme “Girls’ Vision for the Future.”
Organised by the Department of Children under MoGCSP, the International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
She noted that the ministry was committed to helping children achieve their dreams, however it was important to show respect to their parents and elders in the community.
Also, the Minister encouraged the girl-child to cultivate a strong spiritual foundation, fearing God and trusting in His divine plan to help shape her future and make her a responsible adult.
The Programme Officer for Adolescent Development and Participation at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Ms Grace Akua Gyan-Darkwa, emphasised the importance of investing in the girl-child as a way to secure a better future.
She stated, “When girls are educated, healthy, and safe, they are empowered to contribute to their communities and the economy.
At UNICEF, we believe in the power of girls to develop innovative solutions to the world’s challenges.”
Ms Gyan-Darkwa highlighted UNICEF’s commitment to advocating for the rights and empowerment of girls, which she believes would unlock their creativity and energy to drive positive change.
Furthermore, Ms Gyan-Darkwa urged the general public to listen to girls’ voices, invest in their education, and provide platforms for them to lead.
The Chief Director at MoGCSP, Dr Afisah Zakariah, acknowledged the courage, resilience, and hope demonstrated by girls despite numerous challenges.
“It is our collective responsibility to listen to their voices, invest in their education, and provide them with platforms to lead. Let us work together to create a world where every girl can contribute to a brighter, more equitable future,” she said.
Panel discussions featuring influential women from various organisations reinforced these messages, encouraging girls to be determined, focused, and confident.
By Cecilia Lagba Yada & Emmanuella Akimbi
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
