News
Parliament condemns systemic racism against blacks
Parliament has condemned what it describes as the systemic and continuous racism against black people in the United States of America (USA), in the wake of murder of George Floyd.
The African-American was killed by a team of police during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020.
He died while a police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for eight minutes, 46 seconds.
The death of George Floyd, who has since been interred close to his late mother in the Houston suburb of Pearland, has sparked global protests with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.
Adding his voice to the global condemnation in a statement in Parliament yesterday, the North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the death of the 46-year old must mark the end of the centuries old racism that blacks have endured.
According to Mr Ablakwa who doubles as the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, “racial injustice is a global issue and affects all of us.”
“A clear message,” he said “must go forth that the black race has had enough.
“From slavery, colonialism, neo-colonialism, economic exploitation to structural and institutional racism, we have simply had enough. Black lives matter! We must force all those knees off our necks!
“We hope US authorities will ensure justice is manifestly done. May this become a watershed moment in history and a positive turning point for blacks in that country.”
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, on his part said the murder of the late Floyd must be a wake-up call to all Africans.
He said the global condemnation of police should trigger a change in the use of minimum force because “eight minutes and 46 seconds on the neck of a suffocating person can’t be minimum force.”
Mr Iddrisu, MP, Tamale South said American constitution guarantees the rights and liberties of all citizens and non-citizens and that the leadership of the country must uphold that tenet.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said America as the beacon of democracy must not be seen doing the opposite of what democratic dispensations are supposed to be.
“Why should America that is supposed to be the lead in democratic governance be advertising such heinous and barbaric crimes?
“America needs to do a serious introspection,” he stated.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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.
