News
‘Bridge ICT gap between urban, rural youth’
Even though Ghana has advanced in terms of Information Communication Technology (ICT), there still exist a gap between rural and urban folks when it comes to access to and usage of ICT facilities and the internet, Ms Mercy Dakogri, a Girl-Child Coordinator with the Community Development Alliance, has said.
She made this observation in an interview with The Spectator recently.
According to Ms Dakogri, in the Upper West Region, issues such as poor mobile network connectivity, unavailability of mobile network, inability to afford smart phones and other gadgets that enable internet connectivity, among others have contributed to widening the gap between the rural and the urban folks.
She said the inequalities are believed to worsen when girls are involved because many of the rural girls are unable to access and use the internet in rural areas as most of them do not own smart phones and other internet gadgets.
Ms Dakogri, has therefore called on government and stakeholders to bridge the digital gap between the rural and urban folks in this regard.
She said particular effort should be made to bridge the gap between the two areas to ensure that internet and ICT facilities were made available to indigenes, particularly girls.
According to her, most of the rural communities did not have network connectivity and said those that did, were still faced with network challenges and poor internet connectivity.
She explained that aside the network connectivity, access to basic computers even at the school level in most rural communities in the region was a challenge and prevented children from having access to ICT facilities early enough.
“In this day and era, many schools in rural communities do not have computers or ICT labs so pupils go through the entire basic education and have no idea how a computer even looks like and these are people who are going to compete on the job market with others from bigger towns and cities”, she lamented.
She expressed the belief that deliberate effort to make ICT facilities available at least will be a starting point for bridging the gap as it will ensure that rural folks have access to ICT equipment.
This according to her will help the country meet the goal 10 of the sustainable development goals which focused on reducing inequalities in all spheres of life and called for efforts to bridge the wide ICT gaps between the country’s rural and urban folks.
She was of the opinion that if government and other development agents invested in ICT and internet in rural areas, it would lead to innovative ways of thinking and doing things so that people did not depend on government for employment.
From Lydia Darlington
Fordjour, Wa
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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