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Corpnation empowers 7 Coastal Districts in Western Region on sustainable development
A not for profit organisation based in Takoradi, Corpnation has completed a phase 1 of empowering 7 districts in the Western Region on sustainable development.
Spanning from 4th to 18th November 2023, CorpNation Foundation in collaboration with SEB Foundation and the leadership of 11 coastal communities within the 7 Coastal Districts of the Western Region namely; Brawire, Apewosika, Lower Dixcove, Upper Dixcove, Busua, Esiama, Atuabo, Ahobre, Half Assini, Bentsir and New Takoradi embarked on a transformative project titled ‘Empowering Coastal Communities for Sustainable Development.
Identified problems within the coastal communities in the Western Region include coastal erosion and poverty to limited access to basic healthcare and education. A significant concern is the escalating issue of plastic waste, which not only threatens the environment but also infiltrates the food chain and impacts human health.
The project which was significantly marked by a beach cleanup activity and advocacy on SDG 13 (climate change) witnessed the active participation of an estimated number of 700 volunteers.
Among the volunteers include youth groups, fishermen and fishmongers.
Branches of CorpNation Foundation’s Corporate Youth Clubs (CYCs) have been established within all host communities, serving as indigenous ambassadors of the initiative.
These clubs connect with community leadership and other key stakeholders, epitomizing a community-led approach. The SEB Foundation’s engagement drives STEM education and supports awareness and engagement sessions.
The clubs shall have their engagement programmes which include hand skills and entrepreneurship trainings, common amongst them are weekly meetings and monthly community and beach cleanup exercises for which each community was presented 2 sets of wheelbarrows, 5 rakes, 4 shovels, 3 spade, 5 standing broom and a set of picking rods to aid routine clean up activities.
Speaking to the founder of CorpNation Foundation Mr. Savior Kwaku Adzika, he disclosed that “the ultimate goal of the initiative is not to just achieve results but to make it effective, efficient and ultimately, sustainable. The establishment of the youth clubs is pivotal to the success of this initiative, as in the case of Sekondi-Takoradi where our these clubs have driven community-led and sustainable development.”
He added that “CorpNation Foundation’s initiatives and projects are all in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
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Dzifa Gomashie launches three-day consultative meeting of ECOWAS Member States on copyright under AfCFTA
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie (M.P), on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, launched the three-day Consultative Meeting of ECOWAS Member States for a Coordinated Response to Copyright Issues in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Since January 1, 2021, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has brought together 54 countries of the continent and seeks to bring all member States of the African Union (AU) by bringing together key institutions as the common market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the Southern Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), the Arab Maghreb Union and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States.
The objective of this meeting was to provide a coordinated response to the consideration of copyright issues in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) while taking into account the national legislation of ECOWAS member countries.
In her opening remarks, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts emphasised that Ghana recognizes the immense potential of AfCFTA to stimulate economic growth, promote innovation, and foster cultural exchange across the African continent. Realizing these potential hinges on the establishment of a robust and harmonized intellectual property rights framework, with copyright at its core.
She urged the ECOWAS Member States to have a shared responsibility in ensuring that the National copyright laws align with international standards while reflecting the unique needs and circumstances of our region.
She was optimistic that, the consultation meeting would provide a valuable platform for member states to engage in open dialogue, exchange best practices, and identify areas of convergence in our respective legal frameworks.
The Minister further enumerated some key issues that attention should be paid to in the formulation of the legal framework or reference point when it comes to Intellectual property (IP).
i) The scope of copyright protection.
ii) Enforcement mechanisms
iii) Collective management organization
iv) Exceptions and limitations
v) Cross-border cooperation
Concluding her remarks, Abla Dzifa Gomashie encouraged Member States to seize the opportunity to work together towards a future where creativity is celebrated, innovation is rewarded, and the cultural wealth of our region is safeguarded for generations yet to come.
News
120-Day Social Contract Task Force starts work
President John Dramani Mahama’s 120 Days Social Contract Task Force has held its inaugural meeting following the swearing-in of the full complement of ministers of state.
Chaired by Dr Valerie Sawyerr, Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, the 19-member task force is to ensure that the policies outlined in the NDC Manifesto to be achieved within the first 120 days of President Mahama’s assumption of office are fulfilled.
The president noted that while some of the promises have been delivered, others required a sectoral focus and needed the ministers to be in place.
“Some of the targets were to be achieved within 90 days, while others were in 14 days like the promise to assemble a full cabinet, which has been achieved.
“Others necessarily must go with some things, for instance the removal of some taxes and rationalisation of taxes can only be in the budget because you need to do revenue measures and put those tax instruments before Parliament,” the President said.
“So, all of you are supposed to focus on your sectors and work so that we achieve all the targets that we set ourselves in the 120-day plan.”
President Mahama, referred to Task Force as the G120, and urged them to work closely with the Chairperson, to make sure that the government is faithful to the mandate given it by the people of Ghana.
He noted that the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee and the Constitution Review Committee have started work. The president lauded the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, for setting up the National Forum on Education Committee.
“The Minister for Education, who was amongst the earliest to be sworn-in has already moved quite fast with the issue of the national education review and so for those of you who were sworn-in later look into your sector ministries and the promises that we made and then work as quickly as possible with the senior presidential advisor on governmental affairs to be able to achieve those targets we’ve set ourselves”, the President said.
The 120 days Social Contract Task Force include Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Finance Minister, John Abu Jinapor, Energy Minister, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Dr Dominic Akurutinga Ayine, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Education Minister.
The others are Hon. Dzifa Abla Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, George Opare Addo, Minister for Youth Development, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister for Health, and Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Minister for Labour, Jobs, and Employment.
The rest are Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Hon. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Mr Prosper Bani, National Security Adviser, Mr Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, Professor Francis Dodoo, Presidential Adviser, Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide to the President and COP Kofi Boakye (Rtd.), Director of Operations at the Presidency.
Dr Valerie Sawyerr on behalf of the Team, expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the honour bestowed upon them.
“We know how seriously you take your promises to the people of Ghana. Each promise is best with deep thinking, painstaking calculation, and consideration of various permutations to ensure they are viable, doable, and sustainable,” she said.
“We will not fail you; we will not fail the people of Ghana and God be our helper,” Dr Sawyerr said.
Story credit: Ghana News Agency.
