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VP Bawumia commissions ICT lab for School For The Blind
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has reiterated the need for the nation to pay special attention to the educational needs of persons with disabilities, noting that apart from being a national responsibility, it would also help Ghana fulfil her international obligations.
Thus, the government would continue to explore the best ways of providing such care, including the provision of a conducive learning environment, teaching and learning aids and personnel for special needs instruction.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia made the commitment when he concurrently commissioned an innovative ICT Lab for the Akropong School for the Blind and the Wa Methodist School for the Blind on Friday, 2nd August, 2024.
At a brief ceremony in Akropong, Dr Bawumia also handed over 104 special laptops to the 104 special needs teachers, while the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Akuapem North, Samuel Awuku, presented 600 White Canes to the two special needs schools in his constituency, the Akropong School for the Blind and Mampong School the Deaf.
Dr Bawumia, who is also the NPP flagbearer, who is known for his care and passion for the disabled, emphasized his commitment to ensuring that the needs of the disabled and disadvantaged receive the highest personal and governmental attention.
“As a country, we want to put issues of children with special needs on the development agenda and take steps to achieve Sustainable Development Goal Four which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,” he said.
According to him, “The ICT Lab we are here to hand over is more than just a room filled with computers. It is a gateway to a world of possibilities, a platform for creativity and a beacon of hope for students with visual impairments to also navigate the digital landscape with confidence and ease.”
“Today, the actions we are taking here move us closer to our goal of ensuring inclusive education and access to all children regardless of ability” he emphasized.
Sharing his personal experience, he said, “My personal mission is to ensure that Special Education Needs are prioritized as a way to ease the burden on parents and guardians and improve access to school.”
“I have proposed and will champion the recruitment and training of at least 1,000 more special education teachers, training teachers in language and speech therapy as well as occupational and behavioral therapy,” he disclosed.
Lauding the humanitarian spirit of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Mr Sammi Awuku appealed to the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and other organizations to support Special Needs Schools, noting that such children have unique abilities and can contribute meaningfully to national development.
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UNODC partners GFA Foundation on Prison advocacy and mentorship programme
The GFA Foundation and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have agreed to work together to advocate for anti-discrimination and the elimination of stigmatization for prisoners and prisons.
This partnership was agreed, in principle, during a meeting at the Home of Football (GFA Head Office) between the Director of the GFA Foundation and the UNODC Team led by Mr. Christoph Capelle, an Associate Expert in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the Coordinator of the prison and penal reform project in Ghana.
Welcoming the Team to the Home of Football, the Director of the GFA Foundation, Mr. Malcolm Frazier Appeadu briefed the team about the GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project which has covered 6 prisons across the country already.
He indicated that the Foundation is liaising with the Ghana Prisons Service to commence the second and third pillars of the project, which are the coaches and referees training programs as well as the advocacy and mentorship initiatives.
He said that the GFA Foundation will welcome partners for the execution of the second phase of the project which will include Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, Kumasi Central Prison, Sekondi Central Prison and three other prison facilities.
In his response, Mr. Christoph Capelle commended the GFA for the GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project which seeks to use the power of football to promote the wellbeing, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates of Ghana’s prisons into society.
Mr. Capelle said that UNODC is looking forward to a collaboration with the GFA Foundation on possible programs for both the medium and long term to support football and sports jobs and skills development in Ghana’s prisons.
He extended an invitation to the GFA Foundation to be part of an assessment of overall prison rehabilitation programmes including the use of sports by their international consultant at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison.
There will be a football match and donation of footballs, sports items and equipment to the prison facility.
Present at the meeting were Mr. Kwame Koramoah, an officer at the GFA Foundation and Integrity Office, Helena Adobea Ofori, Associate Programme Officer, UNODC and Caleb Elorm Agodzo, Administrative Officer, UNODC.
It will be recalled that in 2020, The UNODC and FIFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to tackle corruption and crime in and through sports and pledged to consider ways in which football can be used as a vehicle to strengthen youth resilience to crime and substance use through the provision of life skills training.
The MOU was renewed last year by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
News
Gomoa West: NPP, NDC supporters clash over commissioning of DRIP equipment
Supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Monday morning clashed over the commissioning of machinery for the District Road Infrastructure Project in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region.
According to Citi News sources, the conflict began when NDC supporters questioned the decision to display images of Bismark Basie Nkum, the NPP’s Gomoa West parliamentary candidate on the DRIP machinery.
This disagreement quickly escalated, almost leading to a physical altercation between the two groups.
Baisie Nkum, who doubles as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Gomoa West, further claimed that the Member of Parliament for the area, Richard Gyan Mensah, brandished a pistol and issued threats against the NPP’s local leadership.
A viral video circulating on social media captured the DCE accusing MP Richard Gyan Mensah of pulling out a gun and threatening NPP supporters during the heated incident.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
