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Sustain local textile industry… stakeholders appeal at Weaving Festival
• Some weavers displayed their products
Eager to sustain local industries in the country, the Nubuke Foundation, a private Visual Art and Cultural Institution has opened the 2023 Woori (Weaving) Festival with a call on the public to support in keeping the local textile industry in operation by patronising their products.
The Woori festival is organised yearly to celebrates the weaving and artisanal skills and practices of the people in the Upper West Region and also create a platform for networking, fashion, trading opportunities for participants, traditional music and dance and also promote local dishes.
The Director of the Nubuku Foundation Ms. Odile Tevie, who addressed patriots at the third edition of the festival at Loho in the Nadowli-Kaleo District of the Upper West Region, said the festival was aimed at showcasing the weaving industry as the wealth of the region and also to portray Wa as the region’s weaving capital.
“Weavers are passionate about seeing increased development in their communities, they provide opportunities for school drop-outs and also reduce migration of the youth, therefore I appeal to all to recognise this and work with them to bring economic empowerment to the society,” she said.
She believed that the unique weaving and clay culture of the region was one of the anchors of economic growth for families and communities’ particularly women.
She said over the years, the Foundation through its partners had provided training for the weavers to enable them to expand their skills, adopt and employ innovation and explore market opportunities by connecting them to peer networks within Ghana, Mali, Cote d’ Ivoire and other places.
“In keeping with the idea of independence, the festival highlights the diverse innovation and creativity taking place within the weaving communities and schools, especially in Wa, Nadowli, and Nandom,” she said.
She said the Foundation hoped to stimulate economic transformation within the region with the support of the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Secretariat, in partnership with the Arts in West Africa (AWA), an ACP-EU Culture Programme, and the Centre Culturelle Kore and Institut Francais.
The Regional Director for Tourism, Mr. Moses Ndebugri, said his outfit was working together with other partners to promote the creative arts industry and the domestic tourism industry.
“The Ministry recognises the fact that weaving, clay pottery, fashion, food , customs, music and the dance showcased today explicitly depict among others, your way of life which you have promoted locally and internationally,” he said.
From Rafia Abdul Razak Wa
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Communication Ministry To Train 3000 Girls This Year Under The Girls-In-ICT Initiative
The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations is set to train 3,000 girls under this year’s Girls-In-ICT Initiative.
The 2025 edition of the programme will expand its footprint to three key regions: Volta, Upper East and Upper West, with each region hosting 1,000 girls for in-person training sessions.
This marks a significant increase in reach and impact compared to previous years, where only 500 girls received face-to-face training while an additional 500 participated online.
By offering full in-person training to all participants this year, the Ministry aims to provide a more immersive and hands-on experience in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education.
The Minister, Samuel Nartey George (MP) revealed this when a team from TATA Consultancy Services (TCS) paid a courtesy call on him today in his office and expressed interest in supporting the Girls-In-ICT Initiative.
During the meeting, the TCS team led by the President-MEA, Sumanta Roy commended the Ministry for its efforts in promoting digital inclusion and bridging the gender gap in technology through the Girls-In-ICT programme.
They emphasized the alignment of the initiative with TCS’s global corporate social responsibility agenda, which includes advancing education, promoting digital skills, and empowering underrepresented groups, especially young women in the tech industry.
The Honourable Minister welcomed the interest shown by TCS and noted that strategic partnerships like this are essential to the sustainability and expansion of the initiative.
The Girls-In-ICT Initiative, one of the Ministry’s flagship programs, seeks to equip young girls with practical digital skills and introduce them to the vast opportunities within the ICT sector.
The initiative also aims to address gender disparity in STEM fields and encourage greater female participation in Ghana’s digital economy.
Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP) speaking about the 2025 rollout, stated: “This year’s program represents our commitment to building inclusive digital skills and creating future leaders in tech.
By expanding in-person sessions to all participants, we’re ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to learn, engage, and grow with hands-on support from professionals and mentors”.
Participants in this year’s training will receive instruction in coding, basic computer operations, cybersecurity and creative digital tools.
The programme also features mentorship sessions with women in tech, ICT competitions and career development workshops designed to build confidence and spark innovation among the girls.
According to the Minister, empowering girls today with ICT skills will transform communities and drive national development. The initiative is a key part of Ghana’s broader digital transformation agenda, which emphasizes equitable access to digital tools and education for all citizens.
About the Girls In ICT Initiative:
The Girls-in-ICT (GIICT) Initiative was introduced in Ghana in 2012. It is an initiative by the International Telecommunications Union to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the growing field of ICT.
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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.
