Sometime last two years, I engaged two friends in a conversation around the Sandema Post office; we talked about the opportunities that abound in the savanna zone of Ghana, and the seemingly tough hassle in places like Accra. At a point, we all agreed that, for young people like us to truly improve our economic fortunes, there was a rapid need to invest. Several investment ideas came up but a lot of the ideas centered on farming, one way or the other. That’s when I found out about my uncle who owned over 1,500 cattle, and Mark Woyongo’s over 800bags of rice harvest.

I grew up on an irrigation project, and was well aware of how farming enriched my late father; however, I had never paid attention it as an investment investment. However, seeing the video of Former Defense Minister cum Navrongo Central MP, Mark Woyongo talk about his life as a farmer has rekindled an interest in the area.  The obviously fulfilled Mark Woyongo who refers to his current venture as his first love is definitely an inspiration to many of us.

I will definitely be speaking with one of those friends with whom I had the discussion with; it’s unfortunate the other who goes by the name Jonathan Allou died two weeks ago. May his Soul Rest in Peace.

Farming is one lucrative venture worthy of our resources.

A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hajia Fati who assaulted a journalist at the party’s headquarters in Accra on May 4, 2018, has been fined Gh¢9000.

The Human Rights High Court on Monday December 2, 2019, fined Hajia Fati, a vociferous supporter of the NPP for the assault of Adom FM’s reporter, Akosua Sakyiwaa also known as Ohemaa Sakyiwaa Ahwenepa.

The court held that Hajia Fati violated the fundamental human rights of the reporter to free expression in the exercise of her profession as a journalist.

The court in its judgement said Hajia Fati’s action is a threat to media freedom which ought to be punished to serve as an example to others who may be minded to interfere with media freedoms.

The court also observed that protection of such rights and freedoms was critical to a properly functioning democracy.

It, however, declined to fix joint liability on the NPP explaining that the party had shown that Hajia Fati did not act on its instruction and it was also evident in the party’s open condemnation of the assault.

The court, however, noted that Hajia Fati had shown remorse and rendered apologies for her conduct. 

A criminal trial of Hajia Fati is still ongoing.

Attack

Hajia Fati attacked the journalist by slapping her because according to her, the reporter did not seek her permission before taking pictures of her whilst at the NPP headquarters on Friday, May 4, 2018.

The journalist was at the NPP headquarters on May 4, 2018 to report on the picking of nomination forms by aspiring national officers of the party.

Whilst there, a suspended First Vice-Chairman of the NPP, Mr Sammy Crabbe went there to pick forms but was asked to go and bring cash since the party was not accepting banker’s draft.

Hajia Fati who stormed the party headquarters upon hearing Sammy Crabbe had been there vowed not to allow him to pick the forms should he return.

Her outbursts created a scene and according to the journalist, in her attempt to capture proceedings with her phone, Hajia Fati pounced on her and slapped her.

The case was reported to the Nima Police for action and ended up in court.

Hajia Fati’s argument

Hajia Fati later on explained that she thought the reporter was a member of Sammy Crabbe’s camp who had been sent to take pictures for ulterior motives.

According to her, the reporter looked like an “onion seller” not a journalist as she had come to learn.

After public condemnation, Hajia Fati later rendered an apology to the journalist and the entire journalism fraternity for her behaviour.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced that the Kumasi campus of the University of Education will become an autonomous institution under the name, University of Skills and Entrepreneurial Development.

During a sod-cutting ceremony at the school for the construction of a Technical Examination Unit at the College of Technology Education which is scheduled to be completed in 12 months, President Akufo-Addo noted that plans are far advanced in making the school an autonomous institution.

He added that the school will have other satellite campuses at various colleges of education to equip students in skills training.

“These are exciting times for our country. I am expecting [that] the Ministry of Education, [and] Council for Technical and Vocational Education Training (COTVET), will work hard to deliver the project on time and on budget so that we can gather for the commissioning of this facility.”

The Students Representative Council of the school at a news conference last week said the delay in making the school autonomous was impeding academic work.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education Winneba, Rev. Fr. Prof Afful Broni who was also at the programme stated that the decision to make the Kumasi campus autonomous was a step in the right direction.

This development has been long overdue as the Minister of Education, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh on August 31, 2018, announced that Government intends to make the Kumasi and Mampong campuses of the University of Education together with eight other technical and vocational oriented Colleges of Education autonomous.

In keeping faith with the government’s commitment to quality TVET, the President through the Minister of Finance made provision for the yet to be created University in the 2019 budget statement.

UEW SRC laments delays in granting Kumasi, Mampong campuses autonomy

The Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) Kumasi campus had complained about the continuous delays in processes to make the Kumasi and Mampong campuses of the University autonomous claiming it was impeding academic work.

The student leadership cited infrastructural challenges, lack of access to internet facilities, inadequate lecture space as problems facing students at the Kumasi and Mampong campuses of the University.

The SRC argued that the bureaucracy that was hampering the speedy infrastructural developments will be curtailed if autonomy is granted to both institutions.

The executives at a news conference highlighted key challenges faced by students at the Kumasi and Mampong campuses and attributed these challenges to the delays in granting autonomy to the institutions.

SRC President for the UEW-Kumasi campus, Boateng Samuel Clinton said “it is heart-wrenching to sit here today to illustrate the problems students face as a result of the inefficiencies in the Winneba system and the uneven distribution”.