News
Vlisco trains trade partners on digital marketing

Vlisco Ghana has organised a two-day masterclass on digital marketing to help empower their retailers to expand their digital footprint and engage in e-commerce in response to growing online customers demand.
The course model trained the retailers on basic knowledge in Social Media, the Strategic Planning Process, Best Practices in Social Media as well as a customised training on WhatsApp for Business.
Participants were provided with the basic skills to recover from the economic devastation emanating from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Addressing them, Marketing Director of Vlisco Ghana,
Reverend Stephen Badu, said, “there is no denying the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our business partners. We are committed to supporting them to get through these difficult times,”.
Adding that they believe the masterclass will provide very useful tools, allowing them to establish a digital identity and presence in an easy and low-cost way.
“We shall continue to build their technical capacity while expanding their online visibility especially in these difficult times,” he said.
According to Rev. Badu, the digital space and social media for that matter had been driving a lot of conversations around the world in recent times, where people continued to turn to social media to share their experiences, information and to make purchasing decisions.
“This training is to help our retailers target these people and reposition themselves to weave into the new normal successfully”, the Marketing Director added.
On his part, National Sales Director of Vlisco, Cecil Evans-Chinery, noted that social media had become a part of everyone’s life and something that had also influenced their daily life.
He advised the retailers to tap into the space to improve their businesses.
At the end of the training, the retailers opened Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp for business accounts.
News
Mahama scales down celebration of independence anniversary

President John Dramani Mahama has suspended the rotational celebration of the Independence Anniversary across various regions to save cost.
The president has also directed the National Planning Committee to revise the programme of activities for the national celebration in Accra to scale down the scope of the celebration and reduce the amount of money spent annually.
Addressing a press conference, Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said the government in 2024 spent almost fifteen million Ghana Cedis (GH¢ 15,000,000) on the celebration in Koforidua.
“For that reason, he has decided that this year’s celebration will not take on the spectacular form that we have been used to over the years. Rather than a major event at the Independence Square, where there are contingents of men from the various security agencies and hundreds of schoolchildren, there will be a scaled-down commemoration at the forecourt of the Presidency,” the Minister said.
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON 68TH INDEPENDENCE DAY COMMEMORATION
1. There’ll be a scaled-down commemoration of this year’s commemoration at the National & District Levels ONLY.
2. There’ll be no commemoration at the Regional Level.
3. The scaled-down National Celebration will take place at the forecourt of the Presidency.
4. There will be no parade or match past of security agencies and school children during the National Celebration.
5. The Regional Ministers are to ensure that MMDAs scale down the commemoration in their Districts.
6. Other activities approved by the President are the 28th February Crossroads Shooting Incident and the President’s Special Awards for Children.
REVISED ACTIVITIES FOR THE NATIONAL CELEBRATION
1. Mounting of a Guard of Honour by the Security Agencies
2. Cultural Performances & Recitals
3. National Address by the President and Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.
News
EC to re-run Council of State Elections in North East and Ashanti Regions

The Electoral Commission (EC) is set to re-run Council of State Elections in North East and Ashanti Regions.
In a press statement issued yesterday, they stated that “The Electoral Commission wishes to inform the General Public that, the Council
ofState Elections in two regions, namely North East and Ashanti, willbe re-run on
Monday, 17th of February, 2025.”
According to them, this is because there was a tie in the Election in the North East Region.
The top two candidates each had six (6) votes. As such, the Election has to be re-run.
However, in the Ashanti Region, the Election was disrupted by thugs and could therefore not be concluded.
The Commission has therefore written to the Ghana Police Service and copied the National Election Security Taskforce to heighten security at the venues of the elections to prevent any disruptions.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme