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IPR Ghana Inaugurates Northern Belt Chapter
The Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana, has officially inaugurated its Northern Belt Chapter.
The establishment of the chapter with a ceremony at the GNAT Hall in Tamale contributes to strengthening and enhancing the national presence of the Institute. It also bringsprofessional Public Relations practice closer to stakeholders in Northern Ghana.
The ceremony was attended by Public Relations Practitioners from the Northern Belt of the country, namely, the Upper East, Upper West, North East, Northern, and Savannah regions.
Representing the national leadership alongside the Vice President were Madam Solace Akomeah, APR, Honorary Secretary, and Mr. Gabriel Ankrah, APR, Treasurer, who reaffirmed the Executive Committee’s commitment to fostering growth, unity, and collaboration among members across all regions.
The inauguration is one of the activities marking the annual IPR Ghana Month celebrations and the global observance of World Public Relations Day (WPRD) 2025 (16/7/25), which is being marked under the theme “Building Bridges & Navigating Polarisation.”
Delivering the inaugural address, Donald Gwira, Vice President of IPR Ghana, commended members and stakeholders for their dedication to advancing public relations in the northern regions, describing the day as a proud and defining moment for the Institute.
“The creation of the Northern Belt is more than a geographic expansion. It is a strategic move that aligns with our broader vision of inclusivity and capacity building,” Mr. Gwira stated.
He said, “We believe that public relations must reflect the diversity and unity of Ghana, and that every PR professional, regardless of location, should have access to the tools, networks, and opportunities to grow and contribute meaningfully to national development.”
The Northern Belt Chapter is meant to serve as a platform for professional engagement, mentorship, policy advocacy, and knowledge-sharing.
Mr. Gwira also highlighted the relevance of the theme for this year’s World PR Day, urging practitioners to “lead with empathy, communicate with clarity, and act with integrity, serving as connectors in a fragmented society.”
Mr. Gwira further congratulated the members of the Northern Belt on this milestone and encouraged them to embrace their roles as ethical advocates and nation builders.
As part of the Institute’s ongoing efforts to strengthen professional networks and global collaborations, Mr. Gwira also announced that Accra will host the Public Relations Knowledge Sharing Conference from 1st to 3rd October 2025.
This high-level event will be organised under the joint auspices of the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana, the African Public Relations Association (APRA), and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).
The conference will bring together leading professionals, academics, and policymakers from across Africa and beyond to discuss trends, share insights, and chart the future of strategic communication.
“Together, we move forward,” Mr. Gwira concluded, pledging continued support from the Executive Committee and Governing Council.
The Institute of Public Relations, Ghana, is the recognized professional body mandated to regulate, develop, and promote excellence in public relations and strategic communication practice in Ghana.
Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodioo Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, has assured the Accra Street Academy of his support in achieving its mission of uplifting vulnerable children within the community to break the cycle of poverty. “Without the needed support, your efforts may go round in circles due to the enormity of the task. This should not be left on the shoulders of the Academy alone. You need support from both government and the private sector. With that, the Academy would be in a good position to shape the future of these children on the streets,” he said.
The Accra Street Academy, originally formed in 1985 as a boxing arena, now serves as a school for deprived children, with most of its population numbering hundreds of pupils being neglected children from the streets of Jamestown and its environs. Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie made these remarks at the annual stakeholders’ meeting and fundraising event held over the weekend under the theme “Empowering Street Children: Health and Wellness.” The event is one of the Academy’s annual programmes, organized to raise funds and other forms of support to aid the school in catering to the needs of the children and holding its Christmas get-together.
According to the MP, it is worth noting that these children are taught and provided with two meals and a snack daily through the support of benevolent members of society. In view of this, he promised to facilitate the acquisition of documents needed for the construction of an Astroturf within the school’s premises. He noted that “every child has the right to play, and therefore I pledged to do my best to secure the needed documents” for the project to commence.
The legislator disclosed that over the years, the academic programmes of the Accra Street Academy have transformed children surviving on the streets into successful adults. He therefore urged other members of society to partner with the school to “help pupils rise higher for a better Ghana.” In the 2025/26 academic year, 22 pupils were absorbed by the Accra Metro Education Directorate as they transitioned into various Junior High Schools, while still returning to the Accra Street Academy for academic support.
Ms. Yvonne Abba-Opoku, a chartered governance advisor and senior executive in the nonprofit and charity sector, stated that the best gift to give a child was education.
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Mrs Regina Kudom, Senior Midwifery Officer at the New Atuabo Health Centre in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, has urged expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinic regularly for safe delivery.
She revealed that “in Tarkwa and its environs many pregnant women prefer staying at prayer camps, we are not against that, you can be there, but when your time is up for your antenatal session make sure you attend.”
Mrs Kudom gave the advice when the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) observed the World Prematurity Day with pregnant women at New Atuabo, Huniso and Awudua health centres.
World Prematurity Day falls on November 17, every year, and it is celebrated to raise awareness about the challenges faced by pre-term babies and their families.
She said research suggested that sex during pregnancy could soften the cervix and potentially aid in labour preparation.
“That is the reason why we encourage pregnant women to have sex with their partners, if they do not have any health implications,” she added.
Mrs Kudom appealed to the GFGF to upgrade the New Atuabo health centre as the current structure was too small because they received many patients daily.
Madam Ayishetu Mohammed, Project Coordinator for GFGF, explained that they received donations from Project C. U. R. E and the items were given to health facilities in their operational area.
She stated that they noticed there were baby dresses, sanitary pads, and baby apparel, so they decided to distribute them among expectant mothers in three of their host communities.
Madam Mohammed said because the foundation was interested in preventive care, they brought a midwife from the Tarkwa Mine hospital to educate the pregnant women.
She extolled the midwives in New Atuabo health centre for the education they gave to the pregnant women and implored them to heed to the advice given during antenatal visits to reduce maternal deaths in the Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley Municipalities.
Mr Paa Kwasi Egan, Deputy Chief Physician Assistance, emphasised that a pregnant woman being anemic meant she was not eating a balance diet, and added that, “Some of these women do not have money to buy food or visit antenatal clinics.”
He said when men follow their wives for antenatal visits, they would be educated extensively on why they should provide funds for their pregnant wives.
Mr Egan, therefore, encouraged all men to be involved in their pregnant wives’ antenatal care appointments so they could learn more about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. – GNA
