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African youth blend dialogue, art to push for environmental accountability
The 2025 African Youth Conference on Natural Resources and Environmental Governance (AYC-NREG) opened in Accra with a colourful mix of policy dialogue, poetry, dance and cultural performances.
The three-day gathering was held on the theme “Transforming Africa’s Natural Resource Governance through Youth-Led Solutions.
It brought together over 2,000 young leaders, policymakers, civil society actors and environmental experts.
Beyond speeches and panel discussions, participants used creative expressions, spoken word on climate justice, dance dramatisations of deforestation, and music on clean energy—to capture the urgency of environmental sustainability.
Performers blended culture with advocacy, reminding participants that protecting the environment was both a moral duty and a survival strategy.
Mr Mohammed Saani, Adams Director at the Ministry of Youth and Empowerment, urged the youth to view themselves not only as beneficiaries but as custodians of Africa’s resources.
He stressed that while Africa was blessed with oil, gold, timber and new minerals like lithium, poor governance has stifled development.
Mr Oko Nerquaye Tetteh board member of the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND), called for stronger youth-led innovations in renewable energy, reforestation and waste recycling.
Panels on responsible mining, climate financing and green entrepreneurship emphasised the need for policies that empower young people to lead change.
They urged governments to establish frameworks that make leaders more accountable to citizens, particularly the youth, in how resources are managed.
By Benedicta Gyimaah Folley
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Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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