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After 35 years of rich journalism… Editor of The Spectator bows out
Mr-Emmanuel-Amponsah
Oprah Winfrey succinctly summarised the significance of discovering one’s life’s purpose when she said, “I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s unique as a fingerprint- and the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”
Having discovered and obeyed his calling in life, the longest serving member of the editorial staff of the New Times Corporation will “put down his pen” in a few days after 35 years of significant experience in the journalism field.
Everything has its appointed time, and The Spectator’s Editor, Mr. Emmanuel Amponsah, has come to the end of his work with the New Times Corporation – he has retired.
He recalls with nostalgia how he began his career as a young journalist in the era when fax machines served as the primary means of sending and receiving news reports. The experienced sports journalist recounts some of the headlines of the stories which called his byline, some common ones were; “Kumasi favours Hearts of Oak” and “Okwawu Utd can’t disturb Kotoko” which were published on 18th and 25th February, 1995 editions among other stories in The Ghanaian Times.
Portifolios
Mr. Emmanuel Amponsah was appointed the Editor of The Spectator, the weekly newspaper of the New Times Corporation (NTC), on November 2, 2020.
Until his appointment, Mr Amponsah, who is a Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) graduate was the Deputy Editor of the Ghanaian Times, the flagship newspaper of the NTC.
Before assuming the role of Deputy Editor, he was the Business Editor of the Ghanaian Times, where his job responsibilities involved selecting and analysing business and financial news for publication in the newspaper.
Prior to that, he was in charge of the Sports Desk of the Ghanaian Times and doubled as a columnist (The Watchdog) for the erstwhile Evening News.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation appointed Mr. Amponsah as the Deputy Editor of the Sporting Times in 1999 which was a weekly sports newspaper of the Corporation. He acted as the Editor of the newspaper also for a while.
Advise to young people
Mr Amponsah said one must not be an “arm chair journalist… if journalism is your passion, you must always be on the look out for stories that are of interest.”
Again, he said, a determinant of successes in the field of journalism was the ability of the reporter to have and maintain reliable sources of information. This, he said, could be achieved by writing or reporting credible information and professionally dealing with people.
A good and passionate journalist the Editor said, must have the ability to scrutinise and criticise some misdeeds in society that are not in the general interest of the public. However, in doing so the good journalist must be constructive.
A product of GIJ and Saint Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, both in Accra, Mr Amponsah’s areas of interest include Sports, Business/Finance and Environment.
He has attended a number of national and international conferences and tournaments, and written extensively on global and local events bordering on various fields of human endeavours.
By Portia Hutton-Mills
The Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for stronger action to promote gender equity and create more opportunities for women in the workplace.
She made the call in a Facebook post after joining staff at the Presidency of Ghana to mark International Women’s Day.
The celebration was held under the theme “From Commitment to Action: Promoting Equity for Every Woman in the Workplace” and focused on recognising the achievements of women while reflecting on the work needed to ensure equal opportunities.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang extended warm wishes to women across Ghana and noted that women have always played key roles in the country’s communities and economic activities.
According to her, women in the past served as healers, traders and queen mothers who contributed to leadership and governance in traditional societies.
She explained that Ghana’s cultural history shows that women have long provided knowledge, leadership and innovation to help develop communities.
The Vice President however noted that current disparities require society to examine systems and structures that may have limited opportunities for women.
She stressed that advancing gender equity will require deliberate actions and the mentoring of young women to prepare them for leadership roles.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang recognised women whose work takes place in markets, streets and small trading spaces across the country.
According to her, these women form the backbone of local economies and continue to demonstrate resilience despite the difficult conditions they face.
She commended women working at the Presidency for their dedication and leadership and reaffirmed the need to promote respect, fairness and opportunity for every woman.
The Vice President further called on both men and women to work together to break barriers and ensure that women can fully contribute to Ghana’s development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
