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GNAT Executives hold bilateral discussions with NTC management
The 246,000 teachers across the country are expected to see an improvement in their working conditions and general wellbeing as projected by the new executives of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
The executives, among other things, intend to improve stakeholder engagement, good corporate governance, professional development and enhanced remuneration for teachers.
The acquistion of the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre by the association is also expected to be ease the financial burden associated with treatment of cancer and cancer related illnesses by members.
Reverend Isaac Owusu, the GNAT National President, made these remarks when the association paid a courtsey call on the Management of New Times Corporation (NTC) in Accra on Tuesday.
The visit was to officially introduce the newly elected national executives to the management of NTC and discuss possible areas of collaboration between the two entities.
The five newly elected national executives of GNAT who would serve a four-year term are: Reverend Isaac Owusu, National President, Mrs Lucy Amanda Asamoa, Vice President; Mr Ransford K.N Lolih, Treasurer; Mr John Owusu Mensah, 1st Trustee and Ms Mercy Nabia Sagbil as the 2nd Trustee.
Mr Daniel Affadu and Mr Kwame Dagbandow, Deputy Secretaries; and Mr Nicholas Taylor, Head of Administration and Organisation and other members of the association accompanied them.
Reverend Isaac Owusu gave the assurance that the new executives would build on the good works of its predecessors.
“The newly elected officers have a huge task but we would work in the interest of members to make GNAT continue to stay relevant”, he said.
Mrs Lucy Amanda Asamoa, said that the association had made some remarkable strides in the past 90 years and urged members to honour their monthly obligations to the Teachers’ Fund.
The Managing Director of New Times Corporation, Mr. Martin Adu-Owusu congratulated the new officers and assured them of the NTC’s unflinching support for the association.
“Gone were the days when the saying was that the teachers’ rewards were in heaven, the status quo does not hold today, I am urging you to work hard to ensure that welfare and wellbeing of teachers are enhanced,” he said.
Mr David Agbenu, Editor of the Ghanaian Times, urged GNAT to address any challenges that may disrupt academic work in future.
Mr Emmanuel Amponsah, Editor of The Spectator advised the executives to work assiduously for the interest of all its members and jealously guard the image of the association.
By Portia Hutton-Mills & Richael Ammah
ODORGONNO Senior High School (SHS) has won the maiden 2026 Senior High School Plastic Waste Reuse Innovation Awards, organised among five SHSs in Accra to promote plastic waste recycling and reuse.
Odorgonno SHS received a cash prize of GH¢8,000 after securing 97 points. Accra Senior High School placed second with 96 points and received GH¢4,000, while O’Reilly SHS placed third with 90 points and received GH¢2,000.
Forces Senior High Technical School placed fourth with 83 points, while St John’s Grammar SHS came fifth with 72 points. Both schools received GH¢1,000 each as cash prizes.
Outstanding students from the participating school clubs were also recognised with gold medals and certificates. St John’s Grammar SHS received five plastic recovery cages as the school with the highest volume of recovered plastic waste.
The awards formed part of the CSIR-Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR) Schools Plastics Recovery Project, an initiative aimed at promoting plastic waste recovery, responsible environmental practices and the productive use of recovered materials.
The project included educational campaigns in all five participating schools, the provision of metal cages for plastic source segregation, an educational excursion to a Miniplast recycling factory and a plastics challenge that encouraged innovative reuse of plastic waste.
The Project Lead and Senior Research Scientist at CSIR-IIR, Dr Boniface Yeboah Antwi, said the project demonstrated how young people could become active contributors to solving Ghana’s environmental challenges while providing financial incentives to sustain their efforts.
He said when schools generated income from recovered materials, they could support the maintenance of collection infrastructure, reinforce responsible waste management and instil an entrepreneurial mindset in students.
Dr Antwi explained that within the first month, the participating schools recovered 1.5 tonnes, or 1,500 kilogrammes, of plastic waste—equivalent to the weight of approximately 15,000 one-litre water bottles.
He said the recovery generated GH¢2,000 in revenue for the schools, demonstrating that plastic waste could become a source of value rather than an environmental burden.
The Group Head of General Operations at OmniBSIC Bank, Mr Dominic Donkoh, urged the participating schools to sustain their plastic waste segregation, collection and sales activities.
He said the proceeds could support school environmental clubs and other worthwhile initiatives while providing students with practical lessons in saving, budgeting and responsible financial management.
“We encourage students to apply the financial literacy lessons acquired during this engagement. Learn to manage the proceeds from your recycling activities responsibly, appreciate the importance of saving, and explore innovative ways to create both environmental and financial value,” he added.
–GNA
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Parents have been urged to prioritise girls’ education over early marriage to protect them from losing their childhood, education and opportunities for a better future.
The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Girl Child Coordinator, Madam Margaret Blay, said child marriage disrupted girls’ education, threatened their health and well-being, and limited their ability to realise their full potential.
“Keep her in school, not in a man’s house,” she urged parents, stressing the need for families and communities to protect girls’ right to education and personal development.
She made the call in a welcome address at the 2026 celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, held under the theme: “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
Madam Blay said ending child marriage required collective action from parents, teachers, traditional leaders, government institutions and communities to ensure that girls were protected and given the opportunity to pursue their aspirations.
She noted that child marriage often forced girls out of school before they were physically, emotionally and socially prepared for the responsibilities associated with marriage.
She said investing in girls’ rights was not merely a moral obligation but also an investment in the future of communities and the nation.
According to her, girls who remained in school, had their voices heard and received the necessary support could grow into leaders, professionals, innovators and active contributors to national development.
Madam Blay called on teachers to protect girls’ access to education, create supportive learning environments and empower them to express themselves confidently.
She also appealed to traditional leaders to help address harmful cultural practices and social norms that denied girls opportunities to develop their potential.
The government and relevant institutions, she said, must strengthen the enforcement of child protection laws to ensure that every girl received adequate protection.
She further urged communities to speak out against child marriage, report cases and work together to create safe environments where girls could learn, grow and thrive.
Madam Blay said every girl deserved the freedom to dream, acquire an education and determine her own future.
She expressed the hope that the celebration would strengthen stakeholders’ collective resolve to end child marriage and invest in the rights, education and future of every girl.
Madam Karen Ama Moses, Assembly Member for the Takoradi Railway and Harbour Electoral Area, said keeping girls in school would lead to enlightened mothers, well-informed families, resilient communities and, ultimately, a better Ghana.
She stressed that no child should be forced into marriage, adding that “every child must have the freedom to learn, grow, dream and choose her future.”
Some of the schoolchildren expressed concern that their parents did not always listen to their concerns during difficult times, while others said some children were exposed to abuse and early marriage.
Madam Henrietta Quabu, the Metropolitan School Health Coordinator, urged children experiencing abuse or any situation that threatened their well-being to report to the police, the Department of Social Welfare, the media, their teachers or the Metropolitan Education Directorate for assistance.
— GNA
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