News
‘Patronise local foods to boost economy’
The Eastern Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs Juliana Abbeyquaye has urged Ghanaians to patronise locally manufactured foods to help build a stable and better economy.
She said patronising such local food stuffs would help support local farmers financially and promote agricultural development in the country.
“Purchasing fresh local foods from your typical markets instead of those huge supermarkets that import most of their foods will help place money in the hands of local farmers and build the local economy as well.” She added.
Mrs Abbeyquaye said these when she addressed participants at a cooking competition organised by the Eastern Regional Centre for National Culture (CNC) with support from Onga, last Wednesday.
The cooking competition was for organised groups including the Beads Market Association, Wood Workers Association, Garment Traders Association among many others who were tasked to prepare different Ghanaian dishes.
At the end of the competition, Beads Market Association emerged first, Ghana Association of Visual Arts chalked second and the third position was won by the Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association.
The winners received prizes including souvenirs from the Onga company.
She said that by buying and eating local foods, Ghanaian would be helping to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.”
Speaking on child’s development, Mrs. Abbeyquaye stated that to guarantee a bright future for the young generations, there was the need for parents to focus on the nutrition of their children, by patronising local foods that would give the children the right nutrition to grow well.
She noted that in the era of COVID-19, it was essential for Ghanaians to boost their immune system by eating local foods to ensure their overall wellbeing.
On his part, the Acting Eastern Regional Director of CNC, Mr Peter Marfo also said there was the need for parents to patronise the country’s local foods and introduce same to their children, not only for health benefits but to also preserve and promote the country’s culture by encouraging their children to make good use of Ghana foods.
“Food gives a clue to any person’s culture and we know that our culture is a way of life of a group of people,” he said.
He added that recently, the influx of foreign foods was worrying adding that it did not only compromise our health but made the country lose its foreign exchange.
He said as a Centre established to promote the nation’s culture, they were ready to partner with organisations to promote the culture of the country.
He expressed appreciation to Onga for their support and thanked all the Associations for actively participating in the competition.
From David Kodjo, Koforidua
President John Dramani Mahama has visited the Akosombo Dam to assess the impact of a fire incident at a substation operated by the Ghana Grid Company.
The fire is reported to have caused the loss of more than 1,000 megawatts from the national power grid, affecting electricity supply in parts of the country.
During the visit, he inspected ongoing restoration works and received briefings from engineers on efforts to restore power. He commended them for what he described as a swift and professional response to the situation.
According to him, the government remains committed to restoring stable electricity supply as quickly as possible.
He added that steps are also being taken to strengthen the resilience of Ghana’s energy infrastructure to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Ghana Grid Company has not yet provided a detailed timeline for full restoration, but work is ongoing to bring affected systems back on stream.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, says he and his deputy have publicly filed their annual tax returns to demonstrate leadership and encourage compliance among citizens.
In a facebook post, he explained that the move was meant to show that public officials must lead by example when it comes to fulfilling civic duties.
“Leadership must be demonstrated, not declared,” he said.
He commended Ghanaian taxpayers for their continued contribution to national development, noting that tax compliance plays a key role in sustaining government activities.
According to him, paying taxes is both a legal and moral responsibility. He stressed that all citizens, including public officials, professionals, and businesses, are equal before the law and must meet their tax obligations.
He added that tax revenue is essential for funding key sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security.
The minister praised the Ghana Revenue Authority for its work, especially during the ongoing Tax and Good Governance Month in April. He said the initiative helps to educate the public and promote voluntary compliance.
He urged the authority to intensify public education and continue reforms aimed at simplifying tax processes, reducing compliance costs, and improving transparency.
He further encouraged individuals and businesses that are yet to file their returns to do so promptly, adding that support systems and digital platforms are available to assist them.
He said building a strong tax culture would strengthen the country’s economy, improve accountability, and promote fairness in society.
By: Jacob Aggrey
