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U/W Region triumphs in Scouts Regional Challenge
The Upper West Regional Scout team has emerged overall winners of the Scouts Regional Challenge organised by the Scout and Guide Fellowship Ghana (SGF-Gh) in Kumasi.
The four day tent camp which began on Thursday and concluded on Sunday was held under the theme “Reuniting Through Friendly Competition.”
It brought together scout teams from twelve regions to compete in activities aimed at promoting discipline, teamwork and leadership among young people.
Participating regions were Ashanti, Central, Savanna, Greater Accra, Eastern, Northern, Volta, Bono, Bono East, Upper West, Western and Ahafo.
Activities during the camp included Capture the Flag, which tested strategy and teamwork, the Survival Challenge that assessed practical survival and emergency response skills, and the Crab Catcher challenge, which focused on agility and coordination.
Scouts also took part in a Treasure Hunt that required navigation and problem solving skills, as well as the Smartness in Good Order competition that evaluated personal appearance, camp organisation and discipline.
Aside points awarded for the various activities, teams received additional marks for coordination, discipline, respect for orders and overall conduct throughout the camp.
At the end of the competition, the Upper West Regional Scout team took home a cash prize of GHC10,000. Abdul Mumin Iddriss of the Greater Accra team was adjudged the Most Disciplined Scout and received a cash award, while other regions also won prizes for outstanding performances in the various activities.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief of Heman, in the Ashanti Region, Nana Wiafe Apau Ababio, commended the Scout and Guide Fellowship Ghana for its contribution to scouting and the training of the youth through the movement.
He encouraged the scouts to take advantage of opportunities provided by such programmes to learn, build character and develop themselves for the betterment of the nation.
He also urged them to uphold discipline, respect authority and remain committed to the values of service and patriotism.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the National President of the Fellowship, Mr Andrew Botchwey, said the regional challenge was introduced to reinforce the core values of scouting, particularly discipline, service and leadership.
He explained that bringing scouts from different regions together through structured competition helped to build mutual respect, strengthen national unity and prepare young people to become responsible citizens.
The Executive Secretary of the Fellowship, Ms Stephanie Birikorang, said the camp had provided a practical learning environment where scouts were able to apply the principles they were taught in their various formations.
She noted that the Fellowship remained committed to using such programmes to nurture young people, promote positive values and contribute to youth development and national cohesion.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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Member of Parliament for Kpandai constituency, Matthew Nyindam, has argued that he would have defeated the National Democratic Congress candidate if a rerun election had been held, insisting that his loss was a battle against the power of the state rather than a fair contest.
Nyindam explained that his legal challenge to the 2024 parliamentary election was based on irregularities in four polling stations.
He noted that his team expected the court to address those specific concerns, not to order a fresh election across the entire constituency.
According to him, the decision to rerun the election confirmed what he described as a long standing pattern of unfair conduct by the NDC in Kpandai.
He added that he anticipated the chance to appeal the ruling but was surprised when Parliament later declared his seat vacant.
Nyindam stressed that the declaration of the seat left him feeling unfairly treated.
He maintained that he won the election clearly and believed the process that followed was aimed at removing him from Parliament prematurely.
He further stated that the situation turned into a contest between himself and the state.
He explained that running against the full weight of government made the election difficult, as ministers, MPs, chief executives and other officials were actively involved in campaigning, with resources flowing into the constituency.
Despite these challenges, Nyindam expressed confidence in his political strength, stating that under normal circumstances he would have beaten his opponent comfortably.
He added that he ultimately left the outcome in the hands of God, believing that destiny would determine whether he returned to Parliament.
Nyindam concluded that although the experience was painful, he believes it will serve a greater purpose in his political journey.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, has admitted that the party did not achieve its desired results in the Ashanti Region during the 2024 general election but maintained that the region remained the party’s strongest support base.
Addressing the media after a post election review, Wontumi said the party quickly set up a regional committee to investigate the reasons for the loss and to propose solutions.
He explained that a subcommittee was tasked to study what went wrong and recommend ways to improve future performance.
According to him, the committee’s report highlighted both the party’s mistakes and areas that need improvement.
He noted that the party has taken lessons from the findings and is ready to make changes.
Wontumi stressed that he learns quickly and is committed to applying the recommendations.
He emphasized that despite not meeting expectations, votes from the Ashanti Region significantly contributed to the party’s overall national performance.
He explained that the region pushed the party to the final figures it recorded in the 2024 election and still produced more votes than any other region.
Wontumi added that a post mortem of the results would show that the Ashanti Region performed better than others, even though the party fell short of its target.
He described the region’s effort as commendable.
He said the party now understands what voters in the Ashanti Region expect and assured them that the NPP will engage them better and work to meet their needs in future elections.
By: Jacob Aggrey
