Hot!
Re-opening of SHSs on Monday, June 22 Govt rolls out COVID-19 safety protocols …as President tasks CHASS to ensure strict adherence
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS) to ensure that the coronavirus (COVID-19) safety protocols are strictly adhered to when schools resume on Monday, June 22, 2020
In a meeting with the members of CHASS at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday, President Akufo-Addo stressed the need for the heads of the schools to ensure that students, teachers and non-teaching staff wear facemasks, observe social distancing protocols and practise good hygiene.
Following the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country, school activities in all educational institutions across the country were suspended on March 16, 2020.
The government has lifted the ban and has asked final year students in the universities, senior and junior high schools to return to school and complete their academic education, while observing the safety protocols.
Already university students have resumed lectures. Final year students in the lower educational institutions are expected to go back to school on Monday.
In all, about 800,000 people comprising students, teachers, and non-teaching staff are expected in school from Monday. The government has taken a decision to supply 2.4 million facemasks to the various schools.
“We need to do whatever we can to ensure the pandemic does not undermine the prospect of students,” he said, adding, “it’s not going to be easy because you are going to operate in different circumstances.”
President Akufo-Addo said the government would not relent on its efforts to fight against the COVID-19 but added that “there is a need to find a way to open up societies and get back to normal.”
The Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, said by Sunday, all the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) would have been distributed to the various schools.
In the five northern regions, he said distribution will be done by the Ghana Airforce, and added that distribution in the other regions will be done through “trucking system”.
The Senior Minister said the zones established by the Ministry of Education in its administration of education in the country will be used for the distribution of the PPEs.
“There are five categories of beneficiaries of these PPEs. All students, teaching staff, non-teaching staff, all invigilators, are going to be beneficiaries of the PPEs. Meaning we are going to include the district education officers and all the people who are going to be responsible for administering education and examinations,” he said.
Mr Osafo-Maafo said nobody in the education system will be left out in the distribution of the PPEs.
Source: Ghanaian Times
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
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
