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Power Queens Club celebrates 35th anniversary
The Power Queens Club of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has observed its 35th anniversary in Accra on Friday.
The event was under the theme ‘ECG Power Queens Club: 35 years of women’s empowerment,’ and was attended mainly by female staff of the company from across the country and draped in their anniversary cloth.
Present at the ceremony were the Managing Director (MD), Mr Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, management, board members, former Managing Directors and some retirees of the company.
They danced to melodious tunes from the ECG Tema choir and the Jazz Kings band.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Minister of Information, Ms Fatima Abubakar said discussions on women empowerment were necessary because statistics had indicated that, there are some deficits and deficiencies that needed to be worked out.
She said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Science Report 2021 stated that in Africa, only 30 per cent of science professionals were women while on the global scale, 12 per cent of the members of science academies are women and they comprise less than 30 percent of tertiary graduates in engineering and 40 per cent of computer science graduates.
“When you narrow the trend to Ghana, the gender biases is shown in the 52-year history of the Academy of Sciences. Out of the 20 presidents, the academy have only had three females as presidents, a number which is not encouraging.
“This is why it has become necessary to expand and explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education,” she said.
Ms Abubakar said that over the years, the government in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) have introduced STEM education with the intention of instilling the interest and encouraging young girls to adopt science and technology.
She said per the statistics, more people were embracing STEM education, stating it was a good move especially for companies like ECG that relies heavily on its technical staff.
The Deputy Minister of Information said government needed to do more in changing the mindset of people who are used to traditional ways of doing things as well as those who decide what a girl or a boy should study at school.
Ms Abubakar urged members of the Power Queens Club to invest in their self-development and charged them to pursue continuous capacity building and professional development.
The national president of Power Queens Club, Mrs Doreen Carol Anning-Gyebi said over the years, the club had grown into a vibrant community of strong passionate and inspiring women.
She said the club had positively impacted the company through sustained effort including its revenue mobilisation drive, annual blood donation exercises, professional development workshops, health awareness programmes and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
“As we celebrate this anniversary, let us take a moment to cherish the victories we have achieved together from a humble beginning of less than 300 ladies to over 1,600 ladies in 2023 with 25 per cent in various leadership positions,” she added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
News
Sam George authorises dismissal of about 100 Ghana Post staff over irregular recruitment
Communications Minister, Sam George, has authorised the dismissal of nearly 100 staff of the Ghana Post Limited, citing an irregular recruitment process.
The affected staff members were employed after the December 7, 2024, election, a period during which the minister says proper procedures were not followed.
Speaking about the decision, Sam George expressed his commitment to clearing the ministry of individuals whose recruitment was not in line with the established protocols.
He stated that as the head of the ministry, he could not work with staff members whose employment was marred by irregularities.
“If you are a minister and you take over a ministry that has 3,117 staff in the ministry and its agencies and 600 were recruited after December 7, you cannot expect me to come and inherit such a mess, and so the rationalisation is ongoing,” he told the press on Tuesday.
He added, “Today, I have authorised a termination of a few more at Ghana Post, almost 100 that were done post-election.”
The Communications Minister explained that the irregular recruitment had created a situation where positions were filled without following due process, leading to inefficiencies within the department.
The Ningo-Prampram legislator emphasised that he is on a mission to “Clean up the ministry to make sure that it is lean and efficient and carries out its works.”
The government has been reverting many post-election employment in the public sector, which it says was done without following the laid down procedures in various sectors of the economy.
Source: myjoyonline.com
News
High Commissioner of Barbados to Ghana pays courtesy call on Minister of Health
The High Commissioner of Barbados to Ghana, Juliette Byone-Sutherland, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to discuss key issues in the health sector.
During the meeting, Mr.Akandoh highlighted the need for increased funding to ensure the effective implementation of healthcare processes.
To address the challenges faced by health workers in rural areas, the Minister mentioned a proposed package of incentives, including an additional 20% of their basic salaries, quicker promotions, and scholarships for further training.
He also emphasised the importance of providing steady leave with pay to encourage health workers to remain in these areas.
Mr.Akandoh stressed the need for six additional hospitals to cater to the new regions created in Ghana. He also discussed plans to upgrade regional and teaching hospitals to attract more skilled health workers.
In response, High Commissioner Byone-Sutherland expressed her appreciation for the Minister and the government’s efforts to improve the health sector.
She also suggested that nurses from Barbados could benefit from health training programmes in Ghana, gaining practical experience in the field.
This courtesy call highlights the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing between countries to improve healthcare outcomes.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to addressing the challenges faced by health workers and ensuring that Ghanaians receive quality healthcare services.
