News
UDS student transforms learning in deprived Ashanti community with locally-made school furniture
A student of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Mr Ganiu Salifu Luri, has brought relief and renewed hope to pupils and teachers of Asare Nkwanta, a deprived community in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region, by mobilising residents to manufacture urgently needed school furniture.
Until this intervention, nearly 70 school children in the community endured the discomfort of sitting and lying on the bare floor during lessons, while teachers struggled without desks on which to carry out their work.
The lack of basic learning and teaching resources had long been a barrier to effective education delivery in the community.
Mr Luri, who is serving in Asare Nkwanta as part of the University’s Third Trimester Field Practical Programme (TTFPP), said the situation deeply moved him when he arrived.
Determined to make a difference, he established a community-based initiative named ‘Equip to Excel,’ aimed at mobilising local residents to address the pressing furniture deficit in the school.
Through his foundation, Mr Luri encouraged community members to contribute wood and other materials, after which he personally undertook the carpentry work to produce desks and tables for the school.
His efforts culminated in a formal presentation of the newly manufactured furniture to the school during an assessment visit by his supervisors, including Dr Hardi Shahadu of UDS.
Community elders and school management described the intervention as a game-changer for education in Asare Nkwanta.
“This has solved one of the most urgent challenges in our school. The children can now learn in comfort, and teachers can work more effectively,” an elder remarked during the handing over ceremony.
Asare Nkwanta is one of many underserved communities in the Sekyere Central District, grappling with inadequate infrastructure, limited educational resources, and socioeconomic challenges.
The TTFPP, a flagship component of UDS’academic calendar sends students to such rural and peri-urban areas to live, work, and identify development needs while implementing practical solutions that leave lasting impact.
Mr Luri’s initiative is one of many innovative projects being undertaken by UDS students across Ghana under the TTFPP.
In various communities, these students have addressed issues ranging from sanitation and water supply to health education and skills training with each project tailored to the needs identified in their host communities.
The Vice-Chancellor of UDS has often described the TTFPP as “the University’s most distinctive contribution to Ghana’s development,” combining academic learning with community service to nurture socially responsible graduates while delivering real change at the grassroots.
For Asare Nkwanta, the desks built through the dedication of a young university student now stand as a lasting reminder that with vision, collaboration, and determination, even the most deprived communities can take steps toward educational transformation.
Credit:https:uds.edu.gh/news
News
Declare a state of emergency in parts of the country affected by illegal mining – Coalition Against Galamsey to Mahama
The Coalition Against Galamsey is asking President John Mahama to declare a state of emergency in areas badly affected by illegal mining.
According to the Convenor of the Coalition, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, the situation has gone beyond control and requires urgent action to save lives and protect the environment.
He explained that the Constitution allows a state of emergency to be declared when the actions of criminals threaten essential resources such as water, safety, and the survival of communities.
He said illegal miners were destroying water bodies and depriving large communities of clean drinking water, which is an “essential of life.”
Dr. Ashigbey stressed that the call was not for the entire country, but only for parts of Ghana where the destruction is severe.
He added that declaring a state of emergency in these areas will give government the legal power to act quickly and decisively.
He also called on the President to provide clear timelines and targets to guide the fight against galamsey.
This, he said, would help demonstrate government’s seriousness and commitment to ending the menace.
The Coalition insisted that declaring a state of emergency was no longer a last resort but an immediate step needed to save Ghanaians and protect the future of the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
The Ghana Bar Association must be non-partisan in the discharge of their duties – Dominic Ayine urges
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Ayine, has called on the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to remain non-partisan in the discharge of its duties.
He said the credibility of the legal profession would be at risk if the bar allowed itself to be influenced by political interests.
Speaking at the GBA 2025/ 2026 annual general conference, Dr. Ayine reminded members that their first allegiance was to the Constitution and the Republic, not to any government or opposition party.
He stressed that for over three decades, the GBA had played an important role in helping the Supreme Court interpret and enforce the law, but outside the courtroom, its advocacy had often lacked consistency.
Dr. Ayine pointed to past cases such as the 2015 petition against the former CHRAJ Chairperson, Loretta Lamptey, and the 2017 petition for the removal of Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, where the bar remained silent.
He noted that the association only found its voice during the petition against former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, a stance he said coincided with the position of the opposition.
He questioned why the bar acted differently in those situations, especially since all three cases involved women of repute who held positions in key constitutional bodies.
Dr. Ayine urged the GBA to be the conscience of the republic, saying lawyers must defend the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and the rights of citizens regardless of which political party was in power.
He warned against inviting foreign interference in Ghana’s constitutional matters, saying international collaboration should be limited to professional exchanges and not politics.
He further encouraged the GBA to promote integrity among its members, strengthen pro bono services to support the poor, and embrace digital reforms such as e-filing and electronic court records to modernize the justice system.
According to him, the destiny of Ghana is tied to the integrity of the legal profession.
He added that if lawyers stand firm, the country will also stand firm, but if they falter, the republic will stumble.
By: Jacob Aggrey
