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Hayford Siaw Appointed Member of International Advisory Board of Book Aid International
Hayford Siaw
The Chief Executive of the Ghana Library Authority has been appointed as a member of the International Advisory Board of Book Aid International.
Book Aid International, founded in 1954 is an international charity with headquarters in London. The charity provides books and supports libraries around the world. Every year, the charity sends books to public and community libraries as well as libraries in prisons, refugee camps, hospitals, schools, and universities.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was the charity’s patron from 1966 until his death in April 2021. Her Majesty The Queen Consort, formerly Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall has since May 2022 become the Patron of the charity. The Board is chaired by The Rt Hon. Lord Boateng, the first UK’s Black Cabinet Minister.
Hayford Siaw was appointed by H E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo- President of the Republic of Ghana in December 2017 as Chief Executive of GhLA. Prior to his appointment into public service, he founded Volunteer Partnerships for West Africa that successfully worked with development partners from around the world setting up projects in Education, Health, and Youth Development. Hayford has been supported on various initiatives by UN Agencies, European Union, Global Fund for Children(USA), Reach for Change, Sweden, and many others. He is also the founder of Damang Community School and the award-winning Street Library Project.
At GhLA, he has led unparalleled institutional growth by expanding the network of libraries from 61 to 114 and books on shelves from 349,941 to 1,275,894. In 2021, GhLA was declared Library of the Year by the London International Book Fair Excellence Award. The United Nations Public Service Awards Programme also awarded GhLA for its innovation and inclusive approach to promoting technology education in Ghana.
Hayford Siaw currently also serves as a trustee of Central Aid, the charity arm of International Central Gospel Church (ICGC). He is a 92Y Ford Motors Fellow and a Change Leader of Reach for Change. In 2018, Hayford was awarded as the 15th Commonwealth Points of Light by Queen Elizabeth II. Hayford has received education and training from the University of Ghana Business School, Sikkim Manipal University, Oxford University, and Columbia University. -GNA
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
