News
Aspire Educational Complex climax literacy day with costume craze
The Aspire Educational Complex in Koforidua recently concluded its Literacy Month, which began in November, with an exciting event dubbed ‘Costume Craze: Rep Your Favourite Book Character Day.’
The celebration saw both learners and teachers showcase their creativity by dressing as popular characters from books, cartoons, and traditional folklore.
Costumes ranged from Captain America, Snow White, Princess Elsa, and Spiderman to traditional icons like Kwaku Ananse and Ntikuma.
The event began with a lively red-carpet walk, where learners proudly displayed their chosen characters.
A key highlight of the day was a drama performance based on ‘The Dilemma of a Ghost,’ a story exploring cultural identity and challenges faced by an African American student who marries a ‘white’ woman and introduces her to traditional African customs.
The performance emphasised the importance of understanding and embracing cultural diversity.
Learners were also introduced to proper table manners during a delightful continental dinner, and engaged in photo shoots to capture memories of the special day.
Mrs Regina Ankomah Mensah, Head of the Pre-School Department, explained that the event was part of the school’s Literacy Month, aimed at fostering a love for reading and learning among students.
She highlighted that the initiative aligned with UNESCO’s International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on September 8, to promote reading, writing, and effective communication.
Aspire Educational Complex dedicated the entire month of November to literacy under the theme: ‘Reading Every Day Takes Illiteracy Away.’
Activities included a book fair encouraging students to purchase and read books, the “Get Caught Reading Everywhere” campaign with the slogan “Dear Time” (Drop Everything and Read), and creative competitions such as a Colour Spelling Bee and Text Reading Challenge.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
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
