News
Fashion designer reaches out to Hour of Grace Orphanage
A popular fashion designer in the New Juaben Municipality of the Eastern Region, Mrs Doris Bonney, has appealed to the public to show love to the vulnerable, especially children in the various orphanages in this era of COVID-19 pandemic.
According to her, there was nothing more noble than somebody spending a little time with the children in the orphanages and sharing life experiences and gifts with them.
She said, “None of the children at the orphanages decided on their own to be there, but circumstances have done so, and it is, therefore, important that we (society) get back to care for them.”
Mrs Bonney made the appeal when she presented food items and soft drinks to the staff and children of the Hour of Grace Orphanage near Huhunya on Wednesday.
The programme, which was part of her 45th birthday celebration, offered her the opportunity to visit the children and share her experiences in life with them.
She ate with the inmates and urged them to be respectful to everybody they came into contact to enable them receive the blessings of God to grow to become good and law abiding citizens of Ghana, in future.
Speaking to the Spectator on the reasons for celebrating her birthday at the orphanage, Mrs Bonney said, “Birthdays are happy and impactful occasions children always look forward to either from their friends, parents or themselves because they know that it would be filled with gifts, new dresses, and special food that they can share with friends.”
It is unfortunate that most orphans and the homeless people do not experience such special events, hence my decision to celebrate my birthday with the orphanage children.
“It is a great joy to celebrate your birthday with such underprivileged kids because it gives an idea of how to plan for your life,” she said.
She urged the public, especially the well-to-do in society not to be overwhelmed by their social status but rather be impressed by how they put smiles on the faces of the vulnerable.
Mrs Bonney said most of her birthdays had been celebrated in orphanages in places such as Bawjiase, Assin Fosu and Koforidua.
“Let us become windows to the orphans to enable them realise that they are not different but children of Ghana,” she added.
The Director of the orphanage, Mr Lawrence Gbengor, thanked Mrs Bonney for the gesture and appealed for support for the children.
He said the role of the society was to give the vulnerable children a helping hand to enable them feel comfortable in the environment they had found themselves in.
He said that Mrs Bonney would be counted among the people who cared for needy children in the society.
By Samuel Opare Lartey
A new international whitepaper on democracy in Africa has placed Ghana’s Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, at the centre of a major research study on the role of opposition parties in strengthening democratic governance across the continent.
The study is being conducted by the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP) in partnership with the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Ghana.
It uses Ghana’s 2025/2026 parliamentary session as a case study to examine how opposition parties can contribute to peace, development and democratic stability.
President of the ACCP, Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, said the research forms part of a wider continental project aimed at identifying successful governance models in Africa.
He explained that the chamber is interested in promoting positive African stories and finding practical democratic systems that other countries can adopt.
Mr. Dwomoh-Doyen said political differences should not create division or hostility among leaders and citizens.
He stated that despite belonging to different political sides, people must work together in the interest of national development.
According to him, Ghana’s democratic journey and parliamentary system made the country an important case for the study.
The whitepaper, titled “A Strong and Responsible Opposition in Africa: A Ghanaian Case Study (2025/2026 Review)”, reviews the Minority Leader’s parliamentary activities, including his statements, motions and media engagements.
Researchers are also conducting public opinion surveys in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale as part of the study.
Head of ACCP’s Liberia branch, Dr. Murphy T. Jackson, said African countries should formally recognise and support the office of the Leader of the Opposition through legal structures and institutional resources.
He noted that such systems would help reduce the chances of unconstitutional changes of government on the continent.
Head of Research at ACCP Ghana, David Adofo, described Ghana’s opposition institution as one of the strongest in Africa.
He said although the current research focuses on Ghana, future studies would examine opposition institutions in other African countries.
Deputy Secretary General of UPF-Ghana, Tegha King, stressed the importance of a responsible opposition in national development.
Speaking on behalf of the Universal Peace Federation and the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), he said opposition parties should not be seen as enemies of progress.
According to him, respectful debate, alternative policy ideas and cross-party dialogue are necessary for strong democratic institutions and national peace.
The research comes at a time when some African countries are experiencing political instability and military takeovers.
Despite these challenges, Ghana continues to be recognised as one of Africa’s stable democracies, having recorded several peaceful transfers of power since 1992.
The completed whitepaper will later be submitted to an international peer-reviewed journal, while the abstract has already been made available upon request.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NuGhana Expat Center to launch ‘AfroTango Platform’ to support diasporans in Ghana and Africa — Nana Kofi Opoku-Agyemang
The Executive Director of the NuGhana International Expat Center, Nana Kofi Opoku-Agyemang, has disclosed that the organisation is preparing to launch the “AfroTango Platform” to support diasporans with integration in Ghana and across Africa.
According to him, the platform is intended to help diasporans navigate African systems, which many often find difficult to understand after relocating from Western countries.
“The AfroTango Platform will provide a structured bridge, offering orientation, vetted service referrals, and a trusted community to help them integrate smoothly for business or relocation,” he said.
Mr. Opoku-Agyemang made the disclosure while speaking about a proposal submitted by the NuGhana International Expat Center to the government of President John Dramani Mahama for the establishment of a specialised multi-agency Diaspora Protection and Human Capital Task Force.
According to their statement, the proposal has been submitted to the President and shared with key institutions, including the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), the Ministry of the Interior, the Office of National Security, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of Diaspora Affairs, and the Black Star Experience Secretariat.
Mr. Opoku-Agyemang explained that the proposed task force would help protect diasporans and foreign nationals from organised fraud and exploitation while also helping the country benefit from their expertise, investments, and professional skills.
He noted that many diasporans relocating to Ghana often face challenges such as land disputes, business fraud, and difficulties finding trusted people to guide them through local systems.
President of the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP), Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, who endorsed the proposal, described the initiative as timely and necessary.
According to him, the leadership of NuGhana understands the realities and expectations of diasporans because of their experience living in Western countries.
He appealed to the government to consider the proposal seriously, stating that it could help protect lives and investments while encouraging more diasporans to contribute to national development.
The statement identified key challenges facing diasporans, including organised land and business scams, the absence of a unified system to engage skilled professionals entering the country, and fears over investment security.
Some diasporans who spoke on condition of anonymity also welcomed the initiative and said a state-backed protection system would give them more confidence to relocate and invest in Ghana.
NuGhana said it has already built a human capital and risk database over the past four years to catalogue diasporans and foreign nationals according to their professions, skills, investment interests, and reported incidents.
The organisation added that it is ready to engage the President’s designated team to demonstrate its database and begin a pilot phase of the proposed framework.
By: Jacob Aggrey
