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Food security top Agenda for NSA- Director General
The Director-General of the National Service Authority (NSA), Gyamfi Felix, has assured Ghanaians of the Authority’s commitment to spearheading initiatives that will promote food security under his leadership, thereby addressing food inflation and unemployment challenges in Ghana.
He said this during a media interview today after the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare-Addo, upon assuming office, paid his first-ever working visit to the National Service Authority (NSA) headquarters in Accra to engage in discussions aimed at enhancing greater opportunities for the youth through national service.
Mr. Gyamfi emphasised that with the current challenges posed by rising food prices and Ghana’s reliance on imports, the NSA was strategically positioned to leverage its extensive agricultural resources.
The Authority’s large t racts of arable land, he explained, could be utilised to create sustainable solutions to the twin challenges of food insecurity and unemployment.
“We cannot overlook the opportunity we have as an institution with vast arable lands at our disposal. The NSA’s contribution to agriculture will not only reduce our dependency on food imports but also tackle unemployment, especially among the youth. This is a vision we are keen on pursuing to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s economic recovery,” he said.
He said there was more to be done at the Authority and revealed plans to reassess and expand the Authority’s agricultural activities to achieve measurable outcomes.
“It is important to acknowledge the groundwork laid by those before us. Our approach will be to evaluate and continue successful initiatives while identifying areas where expansion or improvement is needed to ensure that the desired impact is realised by all stakeholders,” he stated.
Mr. Gyamfi specifically decried the issue of “ghost names” under the former administration, noting that it had undoubtedly caused significant damage to the Authority’s reputation.
He indicated his resolve to clamp down on such incidents under his watch, ensuring that the NSA continues to achieve significant progress in mobilising, deploying, and training the youth from tertiary institutions during their mandatory one-year national service.
For his part, Mr. Opare Addo stated that the visit formed broader efforts to collaborate with one of the key agencies like NSA to address challenges faced by the Ghanaian youth and identify potential avenues for empowerment.
He stressed the critical role of the National Service Authority in building the capacity of the youth and preparing them for the job market.
He assured that his ministry will closely collaborate with the Authority to create a supportive framework for service personnel to ensure meaningful contributions to national development.
“We must position the National Service Authority as a foundation for skills development and entrepreneurship to give young people a viable start after their service year. I will continue to champion the interests of Ghana’s youth to fulfil the promises of President John Mahama,” he stated.
He added that President Mahama’s government focus on youth policies and empowerment programmes will be met under his leadership because the youth are the country’s greatest asset, and efforts must be made to protect them, invest in them, and give them a helping hand if Ghana is to realise a better future.
News
Ghana-Colombia strengthens ties through diplomatic engagement
In an important diplomatic engagement, the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Daniel Garces Carabali paid a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, at his office in Accra to discuss some key areas of collaboration.
The meeting focused on pressing issues, including security, decongestion of Ghana’s prisons, prison reform programmes, training programmes, improving the welfare of prisoners and enhancing disaster management in the country.
The courtesy call underscores the growing bilateral ties between Ghana and Colombia, building on previous engagements, such as the visit of the Colombian Vice President to Ghana in 2023.
The meeting demonstrates the commitment of both nations to fostering cooperation and addressing shared challenges.
News
Ghana to host African Catholic Journalists from August 10
The Union Catholique Africaine de la Presse (UCAP), also known as the African Catholic Union of the Press, in collaboration with the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana (CAMP-G), is set to host its prestigious Triennial Congress from August 10 to 17 August, 2025.
The programme would be held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Legon, Accra, Ghana.
This landmark event, the most significant gathering of Catholic journalists in Africa, will bring together media professionals, researchers, and experts in digital technology from across the continent and beyond.
The theme for the Congress is: “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Congress Highlights
The UCAP Congress 2025 will feature discussions and deliberations on critical issues arising from or related to integral human development, particularly within the framework of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Some of the key sub-themes to be addressed include:Corporate Social Responsibility in Managing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Values, Deploying AI in Eco-friendly Business Start-ups in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges, Technology and the Reprogramming of Social Reality, Distortion of Reality in Social and Digital Media, Ecological Education and Action Against Unsustainable Exploitation of Natural Resources, and Media and the Promotion of the Recommendations of the Synod on Synodality in Africa.
Participants will include media professionals from both ecclesiastical and lay organisations, media researchers and academics, representatives from the Vatican, government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the digital technology sector.
Objectives of the Congress
The primary goal of this Congress is to strengthen the capacities of media professionals and educate the public on the necessity of preserving human values amid rapid technological progress. Specific objectives include; Training 100 media practitioners in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, with a focus on balancing innovation and human values.
This will include promoting ethics and bioethics in technical research and technological innovations through media.
Advocating for human values such as respect for life, human dignity, charity, solidarity, and human rights and assessing the impact of technological progress to better understand the challenges, risks, and opportunities presented by AI will be part of the objectives.
UCAP is a continental organisation dedicated to promoting communication within the Catholic Church and its partners in Africa. With a mission to foster spiritual growth, collaboration, and responsible journalism, UCAP works to spread the Gospel, uphold human values, and support developmental initiatives across Africa and beyond.
UCAP is an independent, autonomous, non-political, and non-profit organisation comprising African Catholic journalists, communicators, academics, researchers, and institutions in various media fields.
