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U.S. Ambassador urges protection of shea parklands in northern belt

The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs. Stephanie S. Sullivan, recently joined His Majesty Buipewura Abdoulai Jinapor II and members of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) to commemorate Shea Day with a tree planting event within the grounds of the Yagbonwura Jakpa’s Palace at Damongo.


The event was part of the Action for Shea Parklands initiative, which was launched in 2020 to preserve and protect the shea parklands across West Africa.


The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has supported women’s cooperatives across northern Ghana to plant 15,000 shea trees during the month of July, recognised as “shea month.”
Ambassador Sullivan, who launched the Action for Shea Parklands initiative in 2020, emphasised the critical need to protect shea parklands and take progressive action to reverse the effects of degradation.


“It is imperative that communities lead action at the local level – restoration begins with a clear understanding of your landscape and your needs. Each one of us here must then take action to promote climate resilience, and tree planting is a positive first step.

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“The task is more complex than simply planting trees. The restorative process requires our long-term investment in the management and growth of the trees we plant today and into the future,” she stated.


She further expressed the U.S. government’s commitment to contribute to global climate solutions, highlighting the U.S. return to the Paris Climate Agreement. The United States supports the global one trillion tree initiative, which seeks to conserve, restore, and grow one trillion trees by 2030.


Throughout the month of July, USAID is partnering with the GSA to mobilise stakeholders across the globe to act now and preserve the shea parklands.


USAID is supporting GSA members to undertake cross-regional activities such as tree planting, parkland management training, advocacy, and social media campaigns in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, and Togo under the Sustainable Shea Initiative (SSI).

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The Sustainable Shea Initiative is an $18 million, five-year programme that promotes the sustainable expansion of the shea industry in Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Mali, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, as well as increases the incomes of hundreds of thousands of rural women.


In Ghana, 20,000 trees will be planted across five northern regions this year alone.
About Global Shea Alliance:The Global Shea Alliance is a non-profit industry association with 560 members from 35 countries including women’s groups, brands and retailers, suppliers and NGOs.


Through public-private partnership, the GSA promotes industry sustainability, quality practices and standards, and demand for shea in food and cosmetics.


The USAID/West Africa mission is to promote social and economic well-being in the region.
Spanning 21 countries, USAID/West Africa designs and implements programmes with West African partners to strengthen systems of non-violent conflict management, support economic growth, and expand quality health services.

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God Almighty is incomparable to the Universe – It is an error to reference God as His creation

I have heard people liken God Almighty to the universe. Some have often referred to Him as the universe. It has become a norm in the circular world to reference God Almighty as the universe.

For instance, pop culture has equated or replaced God with the universe, and this has become a normal thing, used in traditional and social media posts. Individual narratives that require the mention of a higher power or authority will usually invoke the universe as that power.

Often, most celebrities from all spheres of life praise the universe for the good things that happen to them and also direct their fear to the uni­verse as paying them back for their bad choices. When things don’t go their way, they wonder if the universe is teaching them a lesson or simply has other plans (Szterszky, 2018).

Even professing Christians at times speak of the universe rewarding or punishing them, or else teaching them a lesson instead of referencing God Almighty. Some pray to the universe instead of God.

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Biblically, equating or referencing God to the Universe is an error. God is much higher and bigger than the universe because He created the universe. This article examines some biblical scrip­tures that highlight this error.

The universe is everything that exist anywhere and forms part of God’s creation. The synonyms for the universe include population, existence, creation, world, cosmos and macrocosm. These are the handiworks of God and should not be equated to God.

On the other hand, God Almighty is the creator, not a creation, he created the world, the cosmos, the terrestrial beings and we cannot trade His glory with that of His creation. It is an error that needs to be corrected (Genesis 1:1-31).

God is the ultimate and eternal creator, while the universe is seen as a vast and finite creation. God is generally considered to be beyond the universe, encompassing it and existing inde­pendently, while the universe is viewed as a product of God’s creation and sub­ject to the laws of nature and time.

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While God is described as infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, and eternal, His attributes show that He exists out­side of the universe and is not a part of the physical world. God is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe. God is believed to have created the universe from nothing and continues to maintain its existence and order. John 1:1-5).

The universe on the other hand, is viewed as a finite, physical system governed by natural laws. It is seen as a product of God’s creation and subject to the constraints of space and time. Science explores the natural laws and processes that govern the universe. While science explains to some extent how the universe works, it has not been able to address the existence or nature of God.

The following scriptures explain the attributes of God that distinguishes Him from His creation.

The book of Colossians 1:15-20(AMP) says of Jesus, the Incomparable Christ:

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15. “He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.

16. For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or domin­ions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him.

17. And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, co­hesive force of the universe.] [Proverbs 8:22-31]

18. He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything. [1 Corinthians 15:20]

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19. For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son),

20. and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

In the book of Romans 1: 19 – 28 (AMP) it is said:

19 For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them.

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20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attri­butes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His hand­iworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], [Ps. 19: 1-4.]

21 Because when they knew and recognised Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened.

22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].

23 And by them the glory and majes­ty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.

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24 Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin],

25 Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it). [Jer. 2:11.]

26 For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affec­tions and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one,

27 And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another–men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.

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28 And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and con­demned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome,

We cannot trade the glory of God with that of His creation. If you must give glory to God, do so and don’t equate it to the universe. The universe by itself cannot do anything for you. It is under the control of the Supreme Being, God Almighty who created it and controls it. God will not trade His glory for anything because He is All in All.

Recognise God and His divinity, deity and authority and give Him the honour due Him. It is either God to whom you give honour or something else. When you are tempted to equate good things, remember it should be to God Almighty and not to the universe. May God give us all understanding of who He is and that we know Him for ourselves.

End.

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Rev. Dr R. Esi Asante is an Assistant Pastor at the Upcity Church Interna­tional in Accra. She is also a lecturer with the Faculty of Management at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.

By Rev. Dr R. Esi Asante (PhD)

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Ashanti Regional REGSEC bans use of motorbikes after 7pm until further notice

The Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council has expressed its deep sorrow over the death of Alhaji Abdul-Malik Azenbge, the Chief of Kusaase, who was shot and killed at Asewase on Tuesday, 22nd July 2025.

In reaction to this tragic incident, the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, 24th July 2025 to assess the situation and take immediate action to maintain peace in the region.

After the meeting, REGSEC announced that motorbikes would no longer be allowed on the roads after 7:00pm until further notice.

In a press release signed by the Ashanti regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Frank Amoakohene made it clear that the use of unlicensed motorbikes or those without lights was strictly prohibited.

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Additionally, they ordered an immediate suspension of the inter-tribal football competition that was ongoing in the region.

Another measure announced was a temporary ban on motorbike riders wearing smocks. According to REGSEC, some individuals have been using smocks to hide weapons, and this posed a serious security threat.

To ensure public safety and prevent further violence, REGSEC said there would be a strong security presence in identified hotspot areas.

It indicated that both police officers and military personnel would be deployed to help protect lives and property.

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The Council assured the public of the government’s firm commitment to maintaining law and order.

They noted that everything was being done to find and arrest those responsible for the killing of the chief.

They called on the general public to cooperate with security agencies and share any credible information that could help with investigations. REGSEC emphasized that they remain fully committed to their mandate of keeping the region safe and peaceful.

By Jacob Aggrey

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