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Ziavi Traditional Council confers citizenship on Chief of Staff
The traditional authorities of Ziavi in the Ho Municipality on Sunday conferred the status of Ziavi Citizen on Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Chief of Staff at the Office of the President.
This came after she had performed the inaugural ceremony to absorb the Ziavi Senior High Technical School (ZISTECH) which was built by the community seven years ago into the public school system.
Mama Gbloesi II of Ziavi-Dzogbe led other queens to perform the rituals to confer the Ziavi citizenship status on Madam Osei-Opare in a carnival atmosphere.
Prior to that, Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV, Paramount Chief of Ziavi eulogised The Chief of Staff and described her as a woman among women, a professional among professionals, trustworthy, reliable and a shining star in the development of Ziavi.
“For your concern shown in the absorption in ZISTECH into the public education system, I, President of Ziavi Traditional Council grant you an honorific title of Ziavi Citizen and you shall be so honoured by the Queens of Ziavi Traditional Area as such”, he added.
In response, Madam Osei-Opare said that she was highly elated by the honour bestowed on her, saying: “I gladly accept the citizenship of Ziavi.”
She pledged to demonstrate her Ziavi citizenship with significant responsibilities by contributing to the development of the area.
In that vein, the Chief of Staff gave the assurance that she would help to address some of the pressing challenges of ZISTEC such as the need for a school bus, a pick-up vehicle, dormitory blocks and help to ensure the completion of the ongoing GETFund project on the campus.
“I would like to assure you of my sincerest commitment towards ensuring the successful completion of whatever we have started together in Ziavi,” she further pledged.
Madam Osei-Opare made a personal donation of GHS 20,000 as seed money towards the establishment of ZISTECH’s Teachers’ Motivational Fund she had initiated and urged corporate bodies and patriotic individuals to support the fund vigorously.
FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, ZIAVI-DZOGBE
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113 Cardinals hold 3rd General Congregation in Rome
The 113 Cardinals present in Rome held the third General Congregation on Thursday morning, and announced who will deliver the two pre-conclave meditations.
The Cardinals decided that Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández will celebrate the Mass on the sixth day of the Novemdiales, instead of Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
They agreed that Fr. Donato Ogliari, O.S.B., Abbot of St. Paul Outside the Walls, will deliver the first meditation on Monday, and that Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher Emeritus of the Papal Household, will deliver the second meditation at the beginning of the conclave, whose starting date has not yet been decided.
The Cardinals began a conversation about the Church and the world, deciding to hold the next General Congregation on Friday morning at 9:00 AM.
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told journalists that 61,000 people have paid their respects to the late Pope Francis as of 1:00 PM on Thursday, adding that St. Peter’s Basilica should close at midnight on Thursday, unless large crowds are still queuing to enter.
Following the Pope’s funeral on Saturday, April 26, a Rosary will be held in front of the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Saturday at 9:00 PM.
Mr. Bruni said the burial service for Pope Francis will take place in private.
Starting the morning of Sunday, April 27, the faithful may begin to visit the tomb of Pope Francis at the Marian Basilica.
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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.
