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Joy Prime’s Prime Morning celebrates May Day with gallant officers of Ghana Navy
The flagship morning show on Joy Prime, Prime Morning, became the first in Ghana to host a morning show on a ship at sea with the Ghana Navy.
The Ghana Navy protects the maritime territory of Ghana, making them mostly based at sea. As a result, they are not well known in the country.
As part of this year’s May Day celebrations, the team decided to recognise the effort of the Ghana Navy in nation-building, thereby transmitting the four-hour show live from the Western Naval Command in Takoradi.
The spotlight of the day was based on the activities that take place at sea and the responsibilities of the Ghana Navy as a wing of the Ghana Armed Forces in safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country.
Activities include how ships navigate around the sea, the drill, diving training, how boat arrests are conducted at sea, and the medical aspect of the ship, among other experiences at sea.
The presenters, Roselyn Felli, Asieduwaa Akumia, and KMJ, the Royal Host, participated in some of the activities just to get a feel of how the work is done.
The show brought to life the Ghana Navy by highlighting the untold stories of the personnel at work on the ship and educating viewers who may have an interest in venturing into the force.
Some social media users could not hold their excitement over the impact the show has on them and took to Joy Prime’s pages to share their thoughts.
The Flag Officer Commanding of the Ghana Navy, Commodore E.A. Kwafo, who spoke on the show, shared the recruitment requirement for interested persons.
“You have to be a Ghanaian, and because of the nature of our military training, we don’t forgive. So, you’ll require academic qualifications, and it will determine which branch you belong to. Whether an officer or another rang, we have first-degree holders from various qualifications taking into our various branches. We also have professionals like doctors, lawyers, and engineers. So, it depends on your qualifications and also on your age. The age limit varies, and we have up to a minimum of seventeen and half (17 1/2). But for graduates, it gets to 24 or 25,” Commodore Kwafo explained
He also added that “for lawyers and doctors who, by virtue of their education, are likely to be older, we could extend the age to about thirty-two (32) and normally we take degrees with a science background because sometimes it involves calculation.”
AB2 Akutor Sarah Precious, a 21-year-old diver among the only three female divers in the Ghana Navy, also shared her experience so far after joining the force.
“My experience is that so far, when you get under the water, you can face a lot of challenges. You can see maybe submarines and a lot of other things, but you need to comfort yourself while coming out. You need to be calm and brave.”
The Ghana Navy was initiated by the colonial British administration to conduct seaward patrols and served under the command of British Royal Navy officers. It was later established on July 19, 1959, by an Act of Parliament with two divisions based at the Western regional capital, Takoradi, and Greater Accra, respectively.
Historically, the force was headed by the British until September 1961, when Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, terminated the employment of British officers in the armed forces.
The command structure consists of the Naval Headquarters at Burma Camp, Accra. Its three operational commands are the Western Naval Command at Sekondi, the Eastern Naval Command at Tema, and the Naval Training Command at Nutekpor-Sogakope in the Volta Region.
The force is organised in different departments to monitor and supervise fishing activities and evacuation operations of Ghanaian and other nationals from troubled spots, amongst a broad range of roles.
It was certainly an unforgettable experience for the Prime Morning team at sea with the Ghana Navy in celebration of the 2024 May Day, also called Labour Day.
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ASWIM lauds Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
The Association of Women in the Media, (ASWIM) has congratulated Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on her historic achievement as Ghana’s first female Vice President.
The association said her trailblazing journey with sterling accomplishments from academia to politics, is undoubtedly, a vivid inspiration to countless women and girls across Ghana and Africa.
This was contained in a statement signed by its president, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, and copied to The Spectator on Tuesday in Accra.
“ASWIM celebrates your remarkable career, marked by numerous firsts, including the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, (UCC), and the first female to hold a professional chair in Ghana, (UCC),” the statement said.
It said the accomplishments of Prof Opoku- Agyemang were clear testament to the brilliance, resilience and resourceful nature of the complete beautiful African woman.
“As she takes on this new role, ASWIM proudly lauds her commitment to education, women’s empowerment, distinguished public service and patriotism and is very confident that her pursuit of excellence, love for humanity, humility, decency, modesty and commitment to the welfare of the vulnerable will characterise Ghana’s political leadership and public service,” the statement added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Demolition of Fantasy Dome unfair — Mark Okraku-Mantey
Months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction at the Ghana International Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, has expressed concern over the manner the facility was destroyed.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with Andy Dosty, Mr Okraku-Mantey criticised the handling of the dome’s dismantling, suggesting that it could have been done without causing damage.
“I don’t think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. The structure was a prefab but I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it. It is unfair to him (owner). Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad,” he stated.
When asked about any punitive measure against the workers responsible for the destruction, Mr Okraku-Mantey clarified that the Trade Fair does not fall under his ministry.
He said he had previously contacted the owner, Leslie Quaynor, to discuss relocating the dome, and even suggested the National Museum as a potential site, though it was too small.
The demolition of the 20,000-seater Fantasy Dome occurred on March 16, 2024.
According to Dr Agnes Adu, CEO of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, the action was taken after multiple notices were given to Quaynor to vacate the premises for redevelopment, as per their tenancy agreement.
Dr Adu noted that all previous tenants had complied except for the Fantasy Dome.
Quaynor, in an interview with JoyNews, confirmed that his lease had ended, and was in the process of relocating the dome.
He had requested an extension, which was denied, leading him to seek a writ and an injunction from an Accra High Court to halt the demolition.
Despite this, the demolition proceeded, causing significant damage to the structure.
Quaynor described the incident as a major setback, not only for his business but also for the entertainment industry, which relies on venues like the Fantasy Dome.
