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RLEQ Foundation donates GH₵500k to fight Opioid abuse among youth
The Chief Executive Officer of RLEQ Group and founder of the RLEQ Foundation, Richard Nii Armah Quaye, has donated GH₵500,000 to the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment to support the fight against opioid abuse among Ghanaian youth.
Speaking at the ministry during the presentation, Mr. Quaye commended the ministry for its efforts in improving the lives of young people under the current minister’s leadership.
He noted that a few weeks ago, the minister had called on him to support efforts to combat rape and opioid abuse.
Mr. Quaye stated that as a young entrepreneur employing over 4,000 Ghanaian youth, with an average age of 26 years, he had a vested interest in youth development.
He said his experiences across Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone, had shown how opioid abuse could impair young people both mentally and physically, making them unfit for productive work.
He warned that Ghana risked taking the same path if the issue was not addressed urgently, describing the situation as a national threat.
He stressed that the country’s economic fortunes depended on its youth and called for significant attention to be given to the problem.
Explaining the role of his foundation, Mr. Quaye said the RLEQ Foundation was established to provide social justice to deprived, forgotten, and marginalised communities.
He added that apart from creating jobs, the foundation had set up food banks in the Greater Accra Region, with plans to expand to all regions.
According to him, the initiative aimed to support people who were unemployed and could not afford basic necessities, thereby reducing the likelihood of them turning to drugs for comfort.
Mr. Quaye indicated that the foundation was committed to working closely with the ministry to address opioid abuse among those already affected.
He said the GH₵500,000 donation demonstrated the foundation’s commitment and unwavering support in the fight against opioid abuse and rape.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
