News
Adunyame Foundation marks founder’s B’day
A group picture with Frema Adunyame and some students after the programme
The Adunyame Foundation has celebrated the birthday of its founder, Frema Adunyame, a broadcaster with more than 200 female students from Accra Newtown Basic 3 School in a heartfelt event.
The event served as a platform to showcase the foundation’s steadfast dedication to empowering young girls through the “Aketesia” Project.
The young girls had the opportunity to engage in a series of empowerment activities designed to inspire and educate them.
The celebration was not only a commemoration of Ms Adunyame’s birthday but also a reaffirmation of the foundation’s dedication to nurturing the potential of these adolescent girls.
The girls were invited to participate in activities that promoted education, self-confidence and personal development.
A highlight of the event was when the young students joined celebrant in cutting her birthday cake.
The celebration also included a shared meal, ensuring that there was enough food for all the students and staff.
Speaking at the event, Ms Adunyame emphasised her dedication to the growth and empowerment of young girls.
The Headmistress of Accra Newtown Basic 3 School, Mrs. Comfort Akayagre, expressed her gratitude to the Adunyame Foundation for its commitment to the cause.
She also emphasised the importance of external support in shaping the lives of these young girls and remarked that “sometimes, school alone and the efforts of parents may not be enough.”
“We are always grateful to receive such support and attention. We hope that more individuals and corporate bodies will follow the foundation’s lead in empowering our girls,” she added
By Alfred Nii Ardey
Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem has today revealed in Parliament that special audit has uncovered over payments for transportation of grains in respect of the dry spell expenditure.
According to the Deputy Minister, Under the Farmer Food Relief and Recovery Programme, a transportation company was contracted to transport 134,000 metric tonnes of maize and rice to farmers across the country at a contract sum of GH¢115.2 million.
Even though the company transported only 35,000 metric tonnes which should have costed GH¢30.9 million, the company was paid GH¢50 million.
In addition to this payment, the company was given 7,311 metric tonnes of rice equivalent to 14,622 bags of 50kg rice, which amounts to GH¢11.7 million in lieu of cash for no work done. This brings total payment to GH¢61.7 million.
As a result, the Auditor-General accordingly rejected an amount of GH¢65.2 million that was requested by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture as additional payment to the said transport company.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, has revealed that thousands of tonnes of food supplied under government’s 2024 dry spell intervention cannot be accounted for after a special audit.
According to him, the audit found discrepancies in the supply of rice and maize purchased by the Government of Ghana to support farmers and vulnerable communities affected by the dry spell.
He explained that government paid for 34,000 metric tonnes of rice to help address the impact of the dry spell. However, records from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture show that only 24,000 metric tonnes were received and distributed.
He noted that about 10,000 metric tonnes of rice remain unaccounted for even though the full quantity had already been paid for by the state.
The deputy minister also disclosed that government had contracted a company to supply 100,000 metric tonnes of maize as part of the intervention.
He said the Ministry of Food and Agriculture submitted Stores Receipt Advice as proof that the full quantity of maize valued at GH¢771.2 million had been delivered. The document was presented to the Ministry of Finance to facilitate payment.
However, the audit revealed that only 11,900 metric tonnes of maize were actually supplied and distributed.
He further stated that the Stores Receipt Advice used to support the payment was accompanied by a checklist certified by the internal auditor of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
The findings form part of a special audit conducted to review government expenditure related to the dry spell response in 2024.
By Jacob Aggrey
