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Soccer for Dreamers set to pilot Ubuntu Online Academy Initiative
Soccer for Dreamers, a US-based non-governmental sports charity foundation, is set to pilot its Ubuntu Online Academy initiative in February next year with the target of reaching at least 20,000 youth by the end of the year.
The Ubuntu Online Academy is aimed at equipping the youth including young male and female footballers in the country with the essential elements and skills to help them flourish well in the corporate world, job market, and as entrepreneurs.
Already, some players from the Women’s Premier and Division One leagues as well as male juvenile players plying their trade in the juvenile, Division Three, and Two leagues in the country have been hooked onto the platform to be able to get the necessary training and skills to be able to get side hustles to support them during and after their careers.
According to Madam Sylvia Akwaboah, president of the Foundation and mother of co-founders of the Foundation Jed, Baruch, and Kayden Akwaboah, interactions with young male and female footballers to know their problems after presenting them with football equipment and menstrual cups last year as well as this year, brought to light the need to equip them further to be able to fend for themselves.
Speaking after a round table discussion organised at the Lancaster Hotel in Accra on Tuesday to seek the expectations of business owners, and heads of corporate bodies among others on what they expect from the youth when it comes to employment, madam Akwaboah noted the interactions with the players gave them a deeper understanding of their plight, and this gave birth to the idea of coming up with the online academy to help them.
she stated that teaching them how to fend for themselves would better serve them than the foundation always coming back to donate to them.
According to her, the roundtable meeting served its purpose, because never would she be able to sit and conjure up what the different sectors have their experience, and their pin-points.
“Having the main actors in the job market give up their input so we know exactly what they want us to put as content on the online platform to serve them and to serve our youth, is most valuable.”
She disclosed that since the launch of the academy in August, it was the first time engaging with stakeholders, employers, business people, and corporates about what their pin-points are in terms of recruiting the youth.
“After today, we know what exactly to serve our youth and their employers on the platform, and to further create more content to get us going.”
She announced that they are now reaching out to primary, secondary, and tertiary youth as well, and with the hope of reaching 20,000 youth at the end of next year,
To this end, they are recruiting 200 volunteers to be trained and equipped to help the Foundation hit its target.
“Any youth out there who wishes to volunteer is welcome on board. They should just go on to the Ubuntu online Academy and then register to be a volunteer, ” she added
The Ubuntu Online Academy is free and all one needs is to register, and all the courses will be available for free.
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.
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Youth urged to take proactive stance on ozone depletion
•Mr Joseph Amankwah, first counting from, some officials from EPA and UNDP in group picture with the student
Mr Joseph Amankwah, the Director of Ozone Layer and Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has urged the youth to take a proactive stance on issues related to ozone depletion, emphasising that their future would be most affected by its consequences.
Speaking during a student engagement event at the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, he highlighted the critical role young people played in tackling climate-related challenges.
Mr Amankwah explained that human activities, such as the use of certain chemicals, were significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and driving climate change.
He said it was important to educate the youth on these issues, encouraging them to share this knowledge with their families to foster a broader understanding and active participation in climate action.
He urged the education sector to integrate lessons on the ozone layer, the causes of its depletion, and its links to climate change into the curriculum.
The event, organised by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to foster environmental awareness and promote a sense of responsibility among young people.
Mr Amankwah noted that ozone layer depletion was affecting everyone, including children, as it alters weather patterns and threatens the natural environment.
He highlighted the need for young people to develop ‘green skills’ to adapt to the challenges of climate change and to understand ways to combat it.
He added that World Ozone Day, observed every September, would focus on youth engagement in environmental issues, to help them understand the long-term consequences of ozone depletion and climate change.
Mr Amankwah also discussed the harmful impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major chemical contributor to ozone depletion.
He explained that household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners were common sources of CFC emissions in Ghana.
Many uncertified technicians work on these appliances, often releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere due to improper handling, he noted.
To address this, he urged appliance repairers to obtain proper certification and training, emphasising that unqualified repairs not only harm the environment but also endangered public health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman,
Koforidua
