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Aim Higher and Use Your Education to Serve Communities – Ambassador Maher
Ambassador of Lebanon to Ghana Mr. Maher Kheir has challenged students to use the knowledge gained through education to serve their communitites for development.
Education, the backbone of every society’s growth, he says, could transform the Ghanaian society if academics looked beyond their personal growth and served humanity.
He was speaking at an academic seminar organised by the University of Media, Arts and Communications Institute of Journalism (UniMAC-IJ) for beneficiaries of the Lebanese Scholarship Programme.
The seminar, a part of the Lebanese Community Scholarship Programme, is held annually for post-graduate students at UniMAC-IJ to deepen educational cooperation efforts between Lebanon and Ghana.
It also allowed students to present findings of their respective research, a comparative analysis on Lebanese and Ghanaian topics.
Ambassador of Lebanon HE Maher Kheir commended the students for exploring different cultures in an attempt to bridge the gap between the two countries.
Lebanon, he noted, is committed to supporting the education of brilliant-but-needy Ghanaian students.
“Education has always been central to Lebanon’s identity. It shapes minds, opens doors, and builds bridges across cultures. Through these scholarships, Lebanon shows its commitment to supporting young people who carry the promise of leadership and service” he stated.
He stressed that “this seminar is especially important for our Lebanese Community and Ghana. It is not only an academic meeting – but a space to exchange knowledge, share achievements, and to inspire one another.”
Ambassador Kheir also emphasised the need to invest in research for nation building and cultural co-operation to build bridges between peoples.
He challenged the students to “keep aiming higher, and always remember that education is not just for personal growth, but also for serving communities and humanity at large.”
On her part, Director of the Centre of Gobal Education and Collaboration (CGEC) Dr. Lawrencia Agyapong expressed gratitude for the support given to UniMAC students over the years.
She praised the continued support of the Lebanese Community for this initiative and commended Lebanese Ambassador HE Maher Kheir for launching the seminars and research program four years ago as part of the scholarship scheme, describing it as a valuable addition to academic co-operation.
To further develop their professional competencies, she appealed to the Ambassador to consider opportunities for UniMAC students to pursue internships at the Embassy.
Dean of the Graduate School Dr. Benedine Zanu extended profound appreciation to the Lebanese people for more than a decade of trustworthy relationship with UniMAC and providing access to higher education through the scholarship platform.
The enduring ties, she noted, has produced several wins including academics, scholars and industry leaders across the journalism and media fields.
She added that the seminar strengthens the fraternal bonds that Ghanaians and Lebanese share as it also gives positive prospects to the future of the scholarship.
On behalf of the Lebanese Community, Mr. Naaman Ashkar lauded the beneficiaries for honouring the confidence reposed in them by excelling with distinction in their post-graduate programme.
He assured that the Lebanese Community are committed to promoting education and will continue to support more students to access higher education in Ghana.
The participating students, Priscilla Amoah, Antoinette Osei Banahene and Richard Gyamfi Sarfo, presented different research works spanning topics such as media representation, media coverage and cultural identity of Lebanese Community.
Following the students’ presentations, Ambassador Kheir urged them to stay curious in pursuit of knowledge adding “Each one of yo has demonstrated remarkable commitment. Continue to ask questions, refine your ideas, and broaden your horizons.”
The seminar, an initiative of the Lebanese Ambassador Maher Kheir, is another window to deepen the educational and cultural co-operation between Lebanon and Ghana.
The Lebanese Scholarship Programme marked its 10* Anniversary last year with the official launch of the “Lebanese Scholarship Alumni Network(LESAN)”, a social impact organization which will undertake humanitarian projects to develop society.
The prgramme which is in its 12th
year has awarded scholarships to more thansix hundred (600) students across several schools and disciplines such as law, journalism, media, language, performing arts, public relations, and film and television production.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee and the member of parliament for Bolgatanga Central constituency, Isaac Adongo, has defended the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama, describing him as the right person to manage the country’s central bank.
According to Mr. Adongo, Ghana would have faced a difficult situation if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had not won the 2024 elections and Dr. Asiama had not been appointed governor.
Speaking in an interview with Edem Mensah-Tsotorme, Online Editor for ghanaiantimes.com.gh, Mr.Adongo said the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), including Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, only wanted to remain relevant within their party.
“Well, the NPP and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah have a job to do. They want to remain relevant in their party. I don’t begrudge them,” he said.
Mr. Adongo praised President John Dramani Mahama for appointing Dr. Asiama as Governor of the Central Bank after returning to power.
He explained that the President carefully assessed the country’s economic challenges while in opposition and chose Dr. Asiama as the best person for the role.
According to him, the governor has so far shown strong leadership at the central bank.
“I’m not saying this because I work closely with him, but sitting on the board with him, his leadership is on par,” he stated.
The lawmaker further noted that the governor understands the concerns of Ghanaians, especially regarding the rising cost of living and economic pressures.
He said government had already done the “heavy lifting” in stabilizing the economy and would now reassess some of its policies to reduce pressure on public finances.
Mr. Adongo expressed optimism that the country would not witness the same level of government expenditure from 2026 onwards.
“We’ll go back to the drawing board and consider the fiscal implications of some of the actions we have taken. I believe that from 2026, we will not see the same magnitude of expenditures,” he added.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts has clarified that it did not approve or endorse the recent Karnival Kingdom Festival held in Accra.
In a statement issued on May 7, 2026, the ministry said it did not receive any proposal, request for approval or official communication concerning the organisation of the event.
According to the ministry, it was also unaware of the processes through which the festival was allegedly approved to take place in Ghana.
“The Ministry wishes to state unequivocally that it neither endorsed, sanctioned nor authorised the staging of the event,” the statement said.
The clarification follows public criticism and discussions on social media over activities associated with the festival, including the circulation of what many described as culturally unacceptable content.
The ministry acknowledged concerns raised by sections of the public and various stakeholders regarding the conduct and nature of the event.
It explained that as the supervisory institution for the tourism, culture and creative arts sector, it expects all organisers of public festivals and entertainment events to follow established regulatory procedures and engage the relevant state institutions before holding such activities.
The ministry therefore urged organisers of tourism, cultural, entertainment and recreational events to obtain the necessary approvals before staging programmes in the country.
According to the statement, the ministry remains committed to promoting tourism and cultural activities that respect Ghana’s laws, values and cultural identity.
It added that the country’s reputation as a safe and culturally respectful destination must be protected at all times.
By: Jacob Aggrey
