News
CFI, MFWA hold gender equality seminar in Accra
Participants at the seminar
Canal France International (CFI) Media Development, a French media development agency has organised a day’s seminar on gender equality in the media in Accra.
The seminar which was jointly implemented with the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) was held under the theme “Equal voices: promoting gender equality in the media in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.”
The seminar was aimed at combating gender inequalities and stereotypes in the media of the two countries and encouraging managers of media outlets to promote better representation of women in both their managerial practices and editorial policies.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of GDA Media Limited, Oheneyere Gifty Anti said until women in the media dare to make their voices heard, they will remain at the same spot.
She urged female journalists to become intentional and deliberate in breaking the stereotype asking them to constantly add value to themselves.
She said female journalists at the top also need to be intentional about “pulling’ the younger ones or their colleagues along with them.
Oheneyere Gifty Anti challenged female journalists to bring change and development to their communities and the nation through their profession.
The Executive Director of MFWA Sulemana Braimah said women were under represented in all sectors of the economy and that steps had been undertaken by various organisations to tackle the issue.
He said the media had a vital role to play in addressing the issue because of its agenda setting power and also serve as a force to champion women’s voices adding that it had the capacity to inspire both men and women to address the injustices meted out to women.
He called on the media to integrate gender mainstreaming, and women empowerment as an important aspect in the newsrooms as well as empower women in the media to lead the agenda in order to have the support of the men as well.
The Deputy Director-General CFI Media, France, Alan Dreanic said his outfit had adopted a five-year strategy to bring balance into the media landscape and promote gender equity.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
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
