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UK-Africa Heritage Conference set to bring culture and royalty to UK
In support of the Coronation of King Charles III, the British African Business Forum, warmly invites you to the UK African Heritage Conference. The conference is significant in more ways than one, as the Heritage Conference is bringing onboard Africa’s own royalty with rich cultural heritage and beauty from different countries across Africa whilst celebrating the establishment of Monarchy. There will be an unlimited display of Royalty and culture from Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Niger, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda and many more, the stage is simply set for the Royals.
Empirical evidence gathered since the 1970s shows that most sub-Saharan businesses and entrepreneurs struggle to grow their businesses and are more likely to fail, due to the high levels of uncertainty and risk in their local environments. This instability is brought about by many factors including political and economic instability, changes in global commodity prices and regulations.
Thus, the UK African Heritage Conference seeks to increase trade, support and create investment and business opportunities between the UK and Africa to help these businesses. The conference will provide a forum to discuss entrepreneurship, banking, finance, infrastructure development, healthcare, education, energy, Agri-tech, legal services, pharmaceuticals, ICT, Agriculture and many more with the aim of strengthening relations between continents and helping businesses grow.
The conference will have investors and businesspeople from top global brands both in the UK and Africa who will be present to network and share insightful knowledge, tips and strategies.
Highlights of the UK African Heritage Conference
v There will be company exhibitions and high-level networking opportunities with royalty and investors.
v There will be a fantastic gala night hosted at the House of Lords, with presentations by the Kings and Queens of Africa with a keynote address from Baroness Udin, a Member of the House of Lords, of the All Party Parliamentary of Africa.
v A grand tour of Westminster, home to the United Kingdom’s Houses of Parliament and much of the British government.
v An exciting tour of London including exciting sites of cultural and historical importance such as Buckingham palace, home to the royal monarchy, The London eye, across the Thames River and many more.
v Awards Exhibitions and Performances at the Royal Horse Guards Hotel.
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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
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Small-scale miners schooled on health hazards of mining with mercury
Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants
Some Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in the Ashanti and Central regions have been sensitised on the potential health dangers humans are exposed to with the use of mercury in gold processing.
The sensitisation which was organised by PlanetGOLD Ghana project was to raise awareness about the negative impacts on the use of mercury in mining activities.
According to the PlanetGOLD Ghana Project Coordinator, Mr Lovelace Sarpong, the use of mercury in artisanal small-scale mining pose health challenges that affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys; and may be fatal.
Some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that benefited from the exercise were Amansie Central, Asante Akim North, Amansie South, Amansie West, Bekwai, and Adansi North in the Ashanti Region, and Upper Denkyira East (Dunkwa-on-Offin) and Upper Denkyira West (Diaso) in the Central Region.
Additionally, he said inorganic salts of mercury were corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
He stated that the PlanetGOLD Project has conducted several initiatives to raise awareness on reducing mercury exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold mining actors in the country.
It was to promote mercury-free mining practices in line with Ghana’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, support the formalisation of the ASGM sector while advocating the adoption of the CRAFT Code and responsible supply chains, and raise awareness on the availability of mercury-free alternatives.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area Head for Konongo, Mr Dawood Abbas, underscored the importance of government’s environmental regulations and EPA’s role in ensuring compliance within the ASGM sector.
He encouraged miners to prioritise environmental stewardship to gain community trust and secure a Social License to Operate (SLO) and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to enforce its commitments under the Minamata Convention.
BY Cecilia Lagba Yada
