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Fairtrade Premium Committee inaugurates creche facility for Golden Exotic ladies
Fairtrade Premium Committee(FPC), a global movement which addresses the injustices of conventional trade by supporting small holder farmers and workers in plantations, has opened a creche facility for female workers of Golden Exotic Limited (GEL), Ghana’s largest exporter of Banana at Kasunya in the Shai-Osudoku area of the Greater Accra Region.
The inauguration is not only a fulfilment of a promise made to the workers but also fulfills an important tenet of the charter of GEL’s parent company, Compagnie Fruitiere.
It also fulfills GELs gender equity policy which aims to provide a congenial atmosphere at the workplace for all women.
The event, which was organized to coincide with International Women’s Day also marks a call to action to accelerate women’s equality in all spheres of human endeavor.
The GEL Fairtrade Officer, Mr. George Kporye in his address said the facility would give the workers peace of mind knowing that their children would be well taken care of whilst they are at work.
He said facilities in the creche include three spacious classrooms with modern teaching aids, washrooms, a sick bay and a breastfeeding room. It also includes teachers and nurses restrooms, headmistress office and a visitor’s waiting room, with an outdoor canteen to be added later this year.
The FPC has also provided a 30- seater bus exclusively for the use of the creche which will bring the mothers from their workplaces during break to the creche to feed their children and return them quickly to work.
He said recruitment of staff to man the facility is ongoing and should be completed soon for children to start school in May after all training, certifications and approvals have been done.
In his keynote address, the Managing Director of GEL, Mr. Benedict John Rich said an educationist has been recruited who shall be responsible for the daily running of the facility, three trained teachers in childhood education and three class attendants for the respective classes.
According to him, in 2017, GEL commissioned research into finding out the reasons for the low numbers of women employed in GEL.
Following the research, he said policies were developed to improve conditions of engagement and of work particularly for women after a consultative meeting.
He expressed confidence that the FPC would continue to apply the premium resources to similar projects in the future to enhance the general welfare and economic well- being of all GEL workers.
In a solidarity message, the Municipal Chief Executive for Shai-Osudoku, Hon. Fred Offei said the inauguration of the facility provides a significant opportunity for the women folk who would essentially remain in the organization and have access to reliable childcare for the business to benefit from a workforce that is focused, engaged and productive.
He said by providing access to childcare solutions, employers would eliminate a major source of stress, worry and distraction for their employees.
Around the globe, he said the lack of quality childcare has continued to be a major barrier to allowing parents, particularly women, to participate fully in the workforce.
He appreciated the effort of FPC at making childcare an important part of their employee effectiveness strategies
The 29th Annual Dagaaba-Frafra Friendly Games have once again demonstrated that sports can be a powerful vehicle for cultural preservation, business networking, friendship and peaceful coexistence.
Held at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra last Saturday, the games brought together members of the two ethnic groups from across Ghana and abroad for a colourful celebration under the theme, “Unity in Diversity: The Dagaaba-Frafra Model for Peaceful Co-existence.”
The event, which has evolved from a friendly football match into a major annual gathering, featured football, volleyball, sack races, lime and spoon, tug-of-peace and a penalty shootout for senior citizens.
At the end of the competitions, the Frafra won four events, while the Dagaaba secured victories in five, with the men’s soccer match ending in a draw.
The Frafra triumphed in the men’s lime and spoon, men’s sack race, women’s sack race and women’s soccer, while the Dagaaba won the women’s lime and spoon, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, women’s tug-of-peace and the senior citizens’ penalty shootout.
However, the games extended far beyond the sporting arena. The stadium grounds and surrounding spaces became a vibrant marketplace, with patrons enjoying and purchasing a variety of traditional foods, drinks and cultural products.
Local delicacies, including TZ, tubaani, bambara beans, pork, guinea fowl, local fowls, dog meat and kosie, were sold alongside traditional alcoholic beverages. Traditional dresses and other culturally inspired items also attracted buyers, turning the gathering into an important platform for small businesses and vendors to make sales while promoting northern Ghanaian culture.
The cultural exchange continued long after the final sporting contests, as patrons remained at the venue to eat, drink, socialise, dance and party well into the night.
In her remarks, the Guest of Honour, Dr Matilda Aberese-Ako, said the gathering represented much more than competition, describing the Dagaaba-Frafra relationship as a historic bond that had evolved into a modern sporting tradition and an instrument for peace.
MTN Ghana has been the headline sponsor for the games for the past 10 years.
By Gordon Wellu
By Gordon Wellu
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MTN Ghana has undertaken a tree-planting exercise at the Chipa Forest Reserve as part of its commitment to protecting the planet and support the restoration of degraded sections of the forest.
The activity forms part of the company’s 2026 Sustainability Month celebration held under the theme “Small Actions: Big Impact,” and its 30th anniversary celebration.
It was held in partnership with the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Rainforest Alliance with MTN Ghana supporting the restoration of approximately two hectares of degraded forest through the planting of 1,666 trees.
Due to the current dry weather conditions, 833 trees were planted during the exercise, with the remaining 833 to be planted when the rain commences.
The exercise brought together MTN employee volunteers, officials from the Forestry Commission and representatives of the Rainforest Alliance, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in driving environmental sustainability.
Speaking at the event, the Acting General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, emphasized the critical role trees play in sustaining life and protecting the environment.
“Trees are essential to human survival and healthy ecosystems. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, regulate temperatures, protect soil, support biodiversity and provide habitats for many species. They also conserve water, reduce erosion and help communities adapt to the effects of climate change,” she said.
The District Manager of the Tema-Ada Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission, Linda Ansah, welcomed MTN Ghana’s support, describing it as a valuable contribution to efforts aimed at restoring degraded sections of the reserve.
The Country Director of the Rainforest Alliance, Nicholas Jengri, also welcomed the partnership and emphasised the importance of collective action in addressing environmental challenges.
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