Features
Engage the youth with quality, productive programmes on TV
Most Ghanaians and for that matter parents and guardians will agree with me that for the past few months, their wards, especially those in Senior High Schools (SHS) have been kept active and alive due to this popular television programme dubbed, “National Science and Mathematics Quiz” (NSMQ) competition, the last one being the finals, which took place at the premises of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on Friday, November 26, 2021, in Kumasi.
This live and attractive programme on the national television screen kept these young lads, parents and guardians, teachers, lecturers and past students of various Senior High Schools across the country, glued to their television sets to watch the programme with attentive minds as it has usually been competitive and keenly contested by representatives of various schools.
NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MATHS QUIZ AND BRAINS BEHIND
The programme had been interesting with the competitors displaying youthful exuberance, wisdom, brain racking, dexterity, smartness, intelligence and good skills among other positive attributes. The students are delight to watch and the standing ovation from their supporters speaks volume of the programme.
For the benefit of my readers, patrons and Ghanaians in general who did not know how this particular programme came about and has now gained currency on media landscape and the country in general, it is important to trace the background of how it all started to the present state.
We are told that the idea for the production of quiz programme aimed at encouraging the study of science and mathematics was not mooted at a national science fair or conference. Rather, it happened at a tennis court of the University of Ghana, Legon.
Mr Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu, then the Managing Director of Primetime, was at the court to play the game after his own heart with his playmates, the late Professor Marian Ewurama Addy and Ebenezer Kweku Awotwe. Mr Mensa-Bonsu was then curious as to why birds could stand on a live electricity wire without getting electrocuted, but humans could not do same. From Professor Awotwe’s explanation, Mr Mensa-Bonsu got the idea of putting together a quiz programme on science and mathematics. That was how it all began in 1993 since then, the National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ) has witnessed a number of exciting editions each year.
HOW POPULAR HAS THE PROGRAMME BEEN?
The programme, as we are told, is the largest running independent production on television in Ghana. It is very popular with not only its main target group- Senior High School students- but also with parents, especially with former students (Old boys and girls) who take pride in the performance of their schools on this programme. Some of the old students even pit camps in drinking bars and restaurants watching the programme collectively while they enjoyed themselves and teased one another. It has been a spectacular and delight to watch this interesting programme as it unfolds on our screens.
The objective of the NSNQ has been to promote the study of the sciences and mathematics, help students develop quick thinking and a probing scientific mind about things around them, while fostering healthy academic rivalry among senior high schools. Without doubt, these aims and objectives have been fully realised or achieved to a large extent.
The quiz, popularly referred to as “brilla” by many who have gone through the secondary school system, is by far one of the few academic events that bring all of Ghana’s secondary schools together.
INTRODUCTION OF WEST AFRICAN VERSION OF NSMQ
It will interest readers and patrons of this particular column to know that because of the popularity of the programme in Ghana, efforts were made in 2007 to introduce a West African version of the programme known as the West African Science and Mathematics Quiz for Anglophone West Africa which was launched in Accra. The maiden edition featured three teams each from Ghana and Nigeria which went down well. The maiden edition, we are told, was won by Ghana. However, due to sponsorship issues, the programme could not be sustained beyond its first year, although the organisers hope to bring the programme back in the near future.
The good news is that the Primetime programme sponsors, is expecting to build in a Science Fair component to the programme, so as to make it a more science and mathematics festival which would then become even bigger and more interesting for the students to participate in it. It is believed that this will encourage students to put what they learn in the classroom to practice and, therefore, help them to become innovative.
PAST WINNERS OF THE NSMQ
Since the programme began in 1993, the past winners have been, Prempeh College, !994, Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, 1995, Prempeh College, 1996, Opoku Ware, 1997, Achimota School, 1998, Mfantsipim , 1999, St Peters Senior Hugh School, Nkwatia, 2,000, Pope John Senior High School, 2001, Opoku Ware , 2002, Presbyterian Boys, Legon, 2003, Achimota’s Senior High School, 2004, St Peters, Nkwatia, 2005, Presbyterian Boys, Legon, 2006, St Augustine’s College, 2007, Presbyterian Boys, Legon, 2008, Presbyterian Boys, Legon 2009.
The programme went on a recess for two years, 2010, 2011, and upon resumption in 2012, Ghana Secondary Technical School, Takoradi, emerged winners. In 2013, St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School won, then Mfantsipim, 2014, Prempeh College, 2015, Adisadel College, 2016, Prempeh College, 2017, St Peter’s Senior High School, Nkwatia, 2018, St Augustine’s College, 2019, Presbyterian Boys, 2020 and Prempeh College, 2021 in that order.
Currently Presbyterian Secondary School,Legon tops the table with six wins, followed by Prempeh College with five wins. It is significant to note that this year’s competition was very keen, especially the finals in which the debutant and defending champion, Presbyterian Secondary School, Legon, came face to face with Prempeh College, the four times winners and Keta Senior High Technical School, who had shown remarkable strides from the beginning. In the final analysis, Prempeh College showed their class by emerging winners of this year’s competition. I must say that Keta Senior High Technical School deserves commendation especially, the female member of the team, Francisca Lamini, who exhibited finesse and quality in the whole competition. All the participating schools must be commended for good work done.
SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE INITIATORS OF NSMQ
In 2017, this programme was adjudged the TV programme of the year during the CIMG Award ceremony. Lest I forget, it is important to pay special tribute to the initiators of this popular and interesting educative programme for their foresight and fortitude. Although some of them are dead and gone, their spirit and souls continue to remain supreme and by now they will be turning in their graves to see that the baby they brought forth had been nurtured to grow into adulthood as this programme continues to excel across the entire country. Other professors who inherited them as quiz masters and are still active deserve a lot of praises for making the programme what it is today.
The programme sponsors as well as the television stations that continue to beam or televise the competition across the country, also deserve a lot of commendation.
THE ENTIRE BENEFITS OF THE NSMQ TO THE YOUTH
The youth of today, are often glued to television and mobile phones watching all kinds of dirty and obscene programmes as well as pornographic materials with no benefit to themselves but rather to facilitate their destruction. It is a fact that they need more of such educative programmes on our television screens for a good cause. I will use my column to appeal for more sponsorship of such educative programmes on our screens from corporate entities, well-meaning establishments and philanthropic organisations and individuals to shape the lives of our teeming youth and make them more responsible and productive.
The youth are the country’s future asset and they must be supported to grow to take up the mantle of leadership of our country. This article cannot end properly without warning those who have issued death threats against the quiz mistress, Dr. Elsie Kauffman, to be careful with their wicked plans since she did her work with perfection.
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BY CHARLES NEEQUAYE
Today, I focus on Apostle Edmund Appiah, the immediate past National Head of the Church of Pentecost (COP) in Finland, as I continue with my narration of personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The growth of COP and its contributions to positive interactions among Ghanaian migrants and others in Finland cannot be recounted without mentioning the role played by Apostle Appiah.
Apostle Appiah arrived in Finland on 10 September 2013 and took up the position as the National Head of COP in Finland until November 2020 when he moved to the UK, where he became the Area Head of the Church of Pentecost in the London South area.
Recently, Apostle Appiah visited Finland for a wedding ceremony. It was very exciting to see him or hear about his presence in Helsinki after many years. The great joy expressed by many people was simply infectious and portrayed how much Apostle Appiah is loved just as his successor, Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah.
Actually, when Apostle Appiah assumed office in Finland, he was also in charge of Denmark from 2013-2015. He became solely responsible for only Finland after 2015. It must be pointed out that Apostle Appiah has the enviable record of being the first resident pastor of the church in Finland.
The Church in Finland was established over 20 years ago, having started in September 2000 as a prayer group with a small number of devoted persons in Helsinki (see www.copfinland.fi).
Achievements as Head of COP Finland
There is no denying that under Apostle Edmund Appiah as the National Head of COP Finland, the church chalked significant progress, including re-organising the Vaasa branch of the church.
Also, branches were opened in Turku and Tampere, while a nursery assembly was started in Oulu and an innovative Online Church was established to cater especially for people scattered around Finland. The COP Finland continues to extol Apostle Appiah’s ministration and clarity on Jesus and heaven as the central focus.
A description of his ministration during the farewell service organised by the Church for Apostle Appiah said that his “unadulterated and lucid exposition on the doctrines and principles of the church deeply equipped both officers and members of the church”. This is an achievement of the Church, which has continued under Apostle Owusu Kwaah, who took over from Apostle Appiah.
The positives, the challenges, and the future of COP
Apostle Appiah expressed optimism and positivity about the Church and the future of COP in Finland.
He was highly impressed when he first arrived in Finland, despite that the church was still virtually in its infancy. “Many of the members of the church were students who worked part-time and were very busy, but they did their best and this is commendable; they indeed had the zeal”, Apostle Appiah said.
Finland’s official or state religion is Lutheranism and one is born into it. To Apostle Appiah, the emergence of other denominations such as COP has brought about diversity and multiple roles. According to the Apostle, “the COP cooperated with the Ghana Union Finland, the Asanteman and other associations, and through that many Ghanaians came to church. This was part of the missionary approach, which helped a lot”.
“We also invited many groups and personalities, including the [then] Honorary Consul [Ms Ulla Alanko, who is now retired]. It gave us leverage to curb the excesses or bad habits that people would fall into”, Apostle Appiah stated.
Concerning challenges, Apostle Appiah noted that initially there were impediments such as language barriers, while a lack of work opportunities was a major problem for members. He noted that the weather is quite severe in winter, but the members had to surmount all these challenges to ensure that they played their role well for the growth of the church.
On the future of the church, one hindrance could be how to reach out to more native Finns, but, to Apostle Appiah, the future looks good as “the kids born to Ghanaian migrants in Finland can speak the Finnish language fluently and can reach out to their peers and the society as a whole”.
Apostle Appiah’s current position
Apostle Appiah’s role in London South area where he is the Area Head of the Church of Pentecost is significant. The London South area has six districts and thousands of church members.
According to Apostle Appiah, about 85 per cent of the members in the London South community are of Ghanaian descent. This is a big number as compared to the figures in Finland. The Apostle expressed heartfelt gratitude to the many people whose support encouraged him when he worked in Finland. Thank you
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
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I experienced something on Monday, June 15, that really frustrated me. I had to go to the ministries but I could not get up early that day so I decided to pick a taxi and get to the Tuba Junction.
When I got there I realised that Traffic had built up from the Toll Booth towards Accra. After a while I got a Taxi and it was when we got to a certain spot on the road, that I realised why there was a traffic jam.
There is a short stretch of the road where each time it rains heavily, loose material run down the hill onto the road, blocking one side of the road. Vehicles from Kasoa to Accra are then forced to move into one of the lanes of those going towards Kasoa from Accra.
The two lane road from Accra to Kasoa becomes a single carriage way. That was the reason for the traffic jam from the toll booth onwards.
This has been a perineal problem and yet, no permanent solution has been found till date. The area falls under Ga South and even though, a new MCE has taken over, the technocrats are still there and so the problem is not new to them.
There is therefore no excuse for the inability of the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly to resolving the problem on that stretch of the road. Apart from the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly, another institution that must be held accountable is the Ghana Highways Authority.
The Highways Authority cannot say they are unaware of this issue. The fact that the problem falls within the area of responsibility of the Ga South Assembly, does not relieve the Ghana Highways Authority, of their responsibility of ensuring that our highways are maintained in a motorable state at all times.
A collaboration between the Ghana Highways Authority and The Ga South Municipal Assembly is required for a permanent resolution of the problem.
There was another traffic jam at a place called Atala about 250 metres to the traffic light at Old Barrier as a result of an issue similar to the one close to the toll booth, that I talked about earlier.
When we got to Weija junction, we encountered another traffic jam. The cause of this jam was a bad condition of road about 80 metres from the traffic light at Ga South Hospital heading towards Accra.
Due to the bad nature at that section of the road, vehicles are compelled to slow down resulting in a traffic jam stretching all the way to Weija Junction.
I started wondering if that short stretch of road cannot be sorted on one Sunday when traffic is usually light. When we got to the traffic light at Odorkor, there was another issue.
When the traffic light shows green, there is a slow down because there is a big pothole or should I say manhole in the outer lane, right at the traffic light. Vehicles in the outer lane are compelled to swerve into the second lane thereby causing a traffic to slow down and resulting in a traffic jam.
It is very important to take into account the effect of traffic jam on the national economy. If we are able to assess the value of the loss to the economy of the nation, I believe the issue of traffic jam will be prioritised.
Imagine persons working at various Government Organisations like Registrar General’s Department, Ghana Ports and Habours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, CEPS etc. and lives at Kasoa and whose job is to collect revenue for the state and is held up in traffic.
Just imagine the effect their lateness to work will have on the economy if you consider the delays in say clearing of goods at the port and as a result traders cannot sell their goods for government to generate the required taxes.
Let us deal with the traffic jams on our streets to promote economic growth. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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