Category: Study

The West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) LTD, under its livelihood support programme of scholarship and skills acquisition scheme, has so far supported 503 students in Ghana.

The company also disbursed the Cedi equivalent of about $921,000.00 to ensure the youth in their host communities had equal opportunities to develop and achieve their potential.

Dr Isaac Adjei Doku, General Manager of Corporate Affairs, made this known when the company presented scholarship awards to 49 brilliant students in the Shama district of the Western Region.

He explained that the company’s livelihood support programme consisted of two schemes, a scholarship scheme and a skills acquisition scheme. He added that the Shama presentation was the ninth batch of students under the WAPCo scholarship scheme, which he said was yielding positive results.

‘We say without any equivocation that WAPCo in partnership with host communities is impacting the lives of the youth in our host communities one batch at a time ‘

Dr Doku said in administering their livelihood programmes, they ensured that their core values of diversity and inclusion and safeguarding fair representation from each community were reflected in the selection process for the awards, adding that out of 395 scholarship awardees given so far, 195 were females.

He said WAPCo’s investment was also to ensure that their host communities had the talents for their growth and development and noted that’ research indicates that there is a significant correlation between the cognitive abilities of a population and long-term economic growth, which is more potent than simply measuring their educational attainment’.

Dr Doku indicated that over the period, WAPCo-sponsored students have pursued more than 20 courses, reflecting the diversity of interest and pool of employable talents and skills being developed in the host communities.

He mentioned Doctor of Optometry, Medicine and Surgery, Nautical Science, Petroleum Engineering, Actuarial Science, law, and Environmental and safety engineering as some of the courses the beneficiaries pursued in 13 tertiary institutions across the country in the past three years.

He said the company would in the 2022/2023 academic year spend six hundred and forty-one thousand seven hundred Ghana cedis on scholarships.

‘We are proud to say that we have so far achieved a 100 per cent completion rate as all previous recipients of the WAPCo scholarship, except those in school, have successfully completed their programme and graduated. The academic excellence of these graduates is reflective of our One WAPCo core value of operational excellence’

He added ‘We are pleased to note the recent successful completion of the 6th batch of students from their various tertiary institutions of special mention is Christopher Amoasi, from Lower Inchaban in the Shama District.

HE Studied Law at the University of Cape Coast and graduated with First Class Honours and was adjudged the overall best graduating male Law student.

Mr Ebenezer Dadzie, the DCE for Shama District Assembly explained that such a scholarship would allow the beneficiaries to unearth their hidden potential to achieve their dreams to help develop the country.

He said the scholarship scheme would help accelerate the development of human capital to impact the much-expected growth of the country.

Mr Dadzie reiterated that the Assembly would partner WAPCo to help uplift the image of the district through education.

He appealed to the company to help train the youth to spearhead the energy revolution in green energy which is cheaper to help improve the socio-economic conditions of the people.

Mr Samuel Erickson Abakah, the Member of Parliament for Shama Constituency said education remained key in building a better foundation and was hopeful that WAPCo would increase the number of awardees to benefit many more brilliant students whose parents were having socio-economic challenges in catering for them.

He advised the beneficiaries to make maximum use of the scholarship to improve their lives and that of their families.

Nana Korba Aboo III, the Queen mother of Aboadze and Nana Nka Numako IV and Graveldo Nkyirkyir commended WAPCo for the scholarship scheme and advised the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously to justify their inclusion and to pave the way for others.

Nana Kwamina Wienoo II, the acting paramount chief of Shama Traditional Council encouraged WAPCo to continue with such a livelihood empowerment programme to help the district to achieve the needed human capital development to impact the growth of the district.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) has called on religious organisations to institute functioning counselling units manned by professionals to deal with the psychological, physical, emotional and social needs of members in difficult times.

The DOVVSU observed that many faith-based organisations have some kind of counselling services, yet they lacked professionally trained counsellors and logistics to make a profound impact in case of death, divorce, natural disasters, stress, and other socio-economic difficulties.

Chief Superintendent George Appiah-Sakyi, the Central Regional Coordinator of DOVVSU of the Ghana Police Service, made the appeal at a Gender-Based and Domestic Violence (GBDV) sensitisation forum for St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church Women’s Fellowship in Cape Coast.

Taking participants through the complexities of home-related abuses and reporting procedures, he said religious counselling was important as it focused on the mind, body, and spirit of the individual.

But for faith-based principles of forgiveness, patience, tolerance, kindness and peaceful co-existence, he said many troubled people would have remained a pale shadow of themselves and never regained self-confidence.

He stated that as much as people would want to protect their families, it must be understood that domestic violence was a crime punishable by law and for which one could be sentenced to a jail term if found culpable.

The religious community must rise to its religious responsibility and stimulate the desired motivational spirit of renewal and transformation towards effective nation building.

The growth of the faith-based organizations should be measured not only in the number of its followers, but also in the quality of its members who were dedicated to upholding the spiritual virtue of Jesus Christ and personal development, Chief Supt Appiah-Sakyi noted.

He said to help build a progressive and prosperous Ghana, religious growth must strongly anchor on the love for God and humanity.

‘The religious community must create the right environment to empower start-ups to deal with the growing youth unemployment and develop a culture of networking.

He said leveraging the competencies of their networks would help them to scale up and position their businesses to grow while dealing with emerging crisis.

On domestic violence, Chief Supt Appiah-Sakyi cautioned that husbands who intentionally cause their wives pain by refusing to eat their food risk a two-year jail or a fine of GHS6,000 as that constituted emotional abuse.

‘If your husband refuses to eat your food and that makes you unhappy and causes you emotional pain, you can report them to the police. If your husband comes home late and causes you to be unhappy, you can make a case at DOVVSU,’ he said

He warned husbands against molesting their wives in any way, even if they were being insulted, saying they should rather report their wives to the police.

He said refusal of sex was punishable under Ghanaian law, and wives should be reported if they denied their legal partners’ sex.

Chief Supt Appiah-Sakyi advised parents to report all cases related to child abuse, especially involving the girl-child, to DOVVSU and cautioned them to desist from attempting to settle defilement cases at home.

He identified other cases of domestic violence to include physical, psychological and verbal abuses, assaults, forced marriages, threats, rape, incest, sexual harassment and sodomy among others.

Madam Leticia Grant, President of St Paul’s Presby Women’s’ Fellowship, urged all women to resist domestic violence and seek appropriate redress to reduce the spate of homicide issues across the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) says over N46.2 billion matching grants is still lying unaccessed in spite of the poor state of many primary schools across the country.

Acting Executive Secretary of UBEC, Prof. Bala Zakari, disclosed this during an oversight visit to the commission by the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Presenting the 2022 capital budget implementation report, Zakari said a total sum of N162,284,117,592.96 was allocated to the states, being UBE grants between 2019 and 2022 out of which N116,072,964,294.33 was accessed by 36 states and FCT.

“The sum of N46,211,153,298.63 is the total unaccessed UBE matching grants as at April 30, 2023 by the 36 states and the FCT, representing 71.52 per cent as at April 30.

“As at the time of reporting, only 11 states accessed the 2022 matching grant fund,” he said.

Speaking on the levels of UBE matching grant accessed by states, he said in 2019, 35 states and FCT accessed 2019 matching grant, with Anambra yet to access it as of April 30.

“In 2020, 30 states and FCT accessed the matching grant. Six states namely: Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Kwara and Ogun are yet to access 2020 UBE matching grant as at April 30,” he said.

The executive secretary further stated that 29 states had accessed the 2022 matching grant projects, while seven states and FCT had yet to access it.

He said that 11 states: Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Ondo, Taraba and Zamfara had accessed the 2021 UBE matching grant, while 25 states and FCT had yet to access the 2022 grant as at April 30.

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Sen. Ibrahim Gaidam, said it was important to ensure that money released by government was used for the intended purposes.

Gaidam, represented by the Vice-Chairman of the committee, Sen. Akon Eyakenyi, said that the visit was to confirm the implementation of the 2022 appropriation and the proposal for 2023.

He called on state governors to key into the matching grants for a better and rewarding education system.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The coordinator of the Commission for Revision of the Statutes of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) for the African region, Florbela Rocha Araújo, presented last Monday in Vienna, Austria, proposals to change some articles of the organisation.

These are the articles 10 on the loss of membership and the article 7 on the procedures related to the application for membership in the organisation.

The information is contained in a press release sent to ANGOP, on

the first day of the meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Ombudsmen.

Florbela Rocha Araújo, who is also the Angolan Ombudswoman, held contacts with her counterparts to approach the parties, exchange experience institutional cooperation.

The day was marked by several meetings, such as the Executive Commission, the United Nations (UN) Working Group, the Commission for the Reform of the Statutes and the Commission of the Statutory Reform.

Also meetings with regional directors, during which, the African region met with four African directors, namely the Ombudswomen from Angola, Florbela Rocha Araújo; Kenya, Florence Kajuju; Zambia Caroline Sokoni and the acting Ombudswoman of South Africa, Kholeka Gcaleka, marked the day.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) advances at a rapid pace, Academic City University College is hosting a panel discussion on AI and its implications for Africa’s development.

The conversation will look at the current state of Artificial Intelligence, its future consequences, and how society can ensure that AI is used ethically and for the benefit of all.

From virtual assistants in our homes to the algorithms that fuel social media and online advertising, AI is increasingly becoming a part of our daily lives.

AI has the potential to improve our lives in innumerable ways, but it also poses significant concerns regarding privacy, security, and the impact on jobs and the economy.

The panel discussion, ‘The Intersection of AI and Human Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges,’ will be held on May 9, 2023.

The conversation will address a variety of themes, such as the current state of AI, the technology’s potential benefits and concerns, and how we can ensure that AI is utilised ethically.

The speakers will also examine the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the workforce and the economy, as well as the role of government and other institutions in regulating AI.

As part of the university’s initiatives to enhance technology and innovation education in Africa, Academic City is the first institution in the continent to offer degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Engineering.

The panel discussion is a component of Academic City’s larger effort to interact with the community on issues concerning technology and society.

Commenting on the event, Dr. Lucy Agyepong, Vice President, Institutional Advancement of Academic City remarked, ‘Artificial intelligence is transforming our world, and it is crucial that we have a deliberate and informed discussion about its societal implications. As a leading institution of higher education, we are pleased to host this panel and bring together experts to discuss these intricate issues.’

Deborah Kanubala, an expert in Machine Learning and the event’s moderator, emphasised the need to ensure that AI is used for the benefit of society as a whole and not just for the benefit of a select few.

She added, ‘By bringing together experts from across the field, we can explore the complex issues surrounding AI and develop solutions that prioritise the needs of all people.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Diversity and Inclusion (D and I) Committee, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Ghana Section, a non-profit organisation, has encouraged Ghanaian female students to pursue carriers in Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).

The Society in Ghana, with the 2009-year group of Old Achimotan Association (OAA ’09) in commemoration of the 2023 International Girls in ICT Day, at a day’s career seminar at the Achimota School in Accra, said empowering female students with the necessary skills, confidence and support was key to achieving their goals.

The petroleum engineers said enabling young girls to build their capacity in ICT and engineering, and also helping to bridge the gender gap in a seemingly male-dominated sector was significant.

International Girls in ICT Day, marked on the fourth Thursday in April annually, aims to inspire a global movement to increase the representation of girls and women in technology.

With over 800 female students in attendance, the 2023 Girls in ICT Day, which coincided with the seminar, was on the global theme: ‘Digital Skills for Life’.

It was, among others, to ensure that girls and young women thrived in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers through skills acquisition to become ICT users and creators in the digital world.

Mrs Sheena Owusu-Ansah, the D and I chairperson, said the committee was committed to educating through collaboration and advocate for an increase in girls and women in STEM careers.

That, she added, necessitated the commemoration of the day to celebrate girls in ICT at schools and for them to know and the various technology driven careers available to them.

Mr Godfred Nii Sowah Khartey, President of OAA ’09 and former School Prefect, speaking at the Section’s maiden edition and support to the school, urged the students to take advantage of such programmes to build successful careers.

He encouraged the students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and aspire to work in ICT in a technologically competitive environment.

Some of the female students, who asked questions about the challenges females in STEM fields faced, during a panel discussion focused on careers and the role of ICT, were advised on ways to build valuable networks, in preparation for the present technologically advanced job market.

The panel made up of Mrs Owusu-Ansah, also an Operations Geologist with Eni Ghana, Ms Ama O. Sarpong, an Exploration Team Lead with Eni Ghana and Deputy D and I Chair SPE Ghana, and Dr Mary Ansong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of International Sickle Cell Center, Ghana, challenged the female students to defy the odds despite the challenges they faced to pursue careers in ICT.

Amongst the personalities who shared their work experiences and how technology advanced their careers were Fafa Gbeho, Head of Human Resources and Senior Management Member Global Media Alliance; Kafui Afi Semeordzi, Investment Professional and Commercial Affairs Manager of Letshego Ghana, and Theresa Seyram Agbenyegah, Software Engineer, Backend Developer, Tech Community and Lead at Pyladies.

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) is a non-for-profit professional association with more than 119,000 members in 138 countries engaged in exploration and production of oil and gas and related energy resources.

SPE is a key technical and professional resource providing opportunities to exchange information at in-person and online events through training, publications, and member programs.

The SPE Ghana Section was established in September 2010 with over 300 professional members and over 4000 student members.

Source: Ghana News Agency