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South Africans in Ghana observe Human Rights Day

• Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason, addressing the gathering

Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason, South Africa’s

High Commissioner addressing the gathering

South Africans in Ghana gathered recently at the High Commissioner’s residence in Accra to observe Human Rights Day.

Human Rights Day is commemorated annually on March 21, to remind South Africans about the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for the attainment of democracy in South Africa.

Held under the theme; ‘Consolidating and sustaining human rights culture into the future’, the event saw some Ghanaiansin attendance.

Speaking at the event, Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason, South Africa’s High Commissioner to Ghana, said Africans were one people with a common destiny and vision.

“But for me, and what were are here to do is to promote Pan-Africanism at the apex of our agenda,” she noted.

She added that African cultures were inextricably linked to languages and cuisines among others, and urged South Africans who find themselves in other countries not to forget about their roots.

“We are a very resilient nation, together, we can overcome anything,” Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason said.

According to her, she has made a lot of friends in the past two years and also promoted a good relationship with Ghanaians.

She commended the media for promoting and telling the South African story by over the years.

The Counsellor In-Charge of Political Affairs, Thando Dalamba, said the South African government promotes and protects Human Rights,” Today we observe the Sharpeville and Langa Massacres which happened on the same day in 1960.”

He added that the day honoured those who fought for liberation and celebrated the many laws in their constitution which guaranteed Human Rights.

Officers from Brand South Africa also took the gathering through some investment opportunities in South Africa.

The event powered by Brandflow Ghana, an integrated Marketing Communications company specialising in Event Management, attracted some Ghanaian businessmen and creative industry stakeholders.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank

A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.

The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.

The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.

Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.

The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.

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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.

Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.

He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.

“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.

President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.

He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.

He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.

“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.

Source: Myjoyonline.com