People & Lifestyle
Kojo Jones Appeals To Ghanaians To Consider A National Agenda
The founder, of the KJM foundation Mr. Emmanuel Kojo Jones-Mensah during his speech at the recent water project commissioning at Dawatrim in the eastern region on 30th January 2022, passionately expressed his concerns about the unsustainable development faced by most African countries. He strongly believes that most African countries do not have a central blueprint for national development.
He mentioned that a national development plan or a national agenda in place serves as a blueprint to guide national development. This will force African states to focus more on national development rather than developmental plans set to only benefit political parties or for political credit, thus the manifesto approach.
A national agenda that spells out a 25 or 50-year plan for the country with regards to infrastructural development, educational policies, and health-related issues, will serve as a guide for whichever party in power and would further confer on them the responsibility to ensure developments are undertaken within these plans.
Undoubtedly, there could be the existence of good leaders but until the focus is shifted from a partisan approach towards a national approach, we would as a country continue to experience setbacks in development.
Mr. Jones-Mensah stated that the KJM foundation was set up on three core mandates; Provision of potable Water, Educational support, and Youth Empowerment and since its inception has undertaken several water projects all over the country and supported some youths in both formal and informal education.
The foundation is passionate about the livelihood of others believes that every life matters and has made it a mission to give hope to the despaired as such, has partnered with various institutions and individuals to support education in Ghana, to ensure that educational facilities are improved within various communities, whiles providing learning materials to help enhance the educational environment of students within less privileged communities.
On the 4th of January, 2022 the foundation also launched a scholarship scheme which is aimed at supporting SHS graduates who have gained admission into the university.
The five beneficiaries which included four students who had gained admission into the University of Ghana Legon, and a student from the University of Professional Studies, Accra received a scholarship that covers the full payment of their tuition from now till the completion of their tertiary education.
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This selfless act certainly lifts the burden of parents struggling to raise money for tuition. Other youths have equally benefited from the KJM foundation entrepreneurship fund, empowering them to establish their businesses, a step towards the reduction of the high rate of unemployment, through the KJM foundation youth empowerment project, this initiative seeks to empower and encourage the youth to regain control of their lives, by acquiring entrepreneurship skills.
The approach comprises personal coaching with an entrepreneurial mindset and digital support.
Emphasizing the advantages of a National Agenda, he explained that a national agenda in place could be used as an instrument to monitor the progress of developmental projects, measure the effectiveness of policies, and identify growth rates in the various sectors. He referred to the success stories of Dubai and China.
Casting an admirable eye on Dubai, after they adopted and launched a national agenda in 2010; UAE vision 2021, we can all testify that their growth has been tremendous.
The agenda which charted the next stage of UAE’s journey from 2010 to 2021, was aimed to position the UAE among the best countries in the world by their Golden Jubilee in 2021.
In the year 2014, Sheikh Mohammed launched a seven-year National Agenda to guide efforts towards the vision 2021.
An agenda which specified various work programs, centered around six national priorities of the country, as a key focus of government strategy in the subsequent years and 52 national key performance indicators in the sectors of education, healthcare, economy, police and security, justice, social housing infrastructure, and government services; having the six priorities ensuring a unified society and well-maintained identity, safe public and fair judiciary, competitive knowledge economy, first-rate education system. World-class healthcare sustainable environment and infrastructure.
The key performance indicators were used as long-term instruments to measure performance outcomes of each of the national priorities.
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a long-term undertaking, which puts forward high requirements on the sustainability of related policies and actions.
Studying the China National Sustainable Communities (CNSCs) policy implemented over 30 years and its effects on achieving SDGs, it’s obvious that we need to understand the scope of sustainable development more broadly and how sustained actions can produce positive effects under the right objectives.
Ever since China began to restructure its economy in 1978, GDP growth has been averagely recorded at 10 percent a year and more than 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty.
There have equally been significant improvements in access to health, education, and other services over the same period. China can now be classified as an upper-middle-income country.
China pushed its sustainable development forward in three major areas; the eradication of extreme poverty, building of an “ecological civilization” and contributing to global climate and sustainability.
By committing to eliminating extreme poverty by 2020, the country has worked to lift 50 million people out of poverty through targeted policy measures.
The measures that were put in place aided in the identification of peoples living in abject poverty and the origins that explained why they were still confined. The results from then till now have been very outstanding.
What are our priorities as a country? Do we have a national plan for our health care system, for education, security, housing deficit, growth of our economy, infrastructural development, entrepreneurship, climate change, food security and agriculture, and potable drinking water?
Our population keeps increasing, shouldn’t there be a measure to ensure the development of adequate infrastructure?
To illustrate with regards to education, is there a possibility we can define our national agenda to reflect real sustainable educational structures which will include a comprehensive plan for all stakeholders within the primary, secondary, tertiary, and vocational educational ladder, he asked.
How do we build adequate and functional educational facilities and infrastructure to support the quality of education we intend to provide?
How do we subsidize the cost of education, if free education is what we need as a nation, how do we make financial provision for this? We have to critically look into this approach to ensure its feasibility.
Mr. Jones-Mensah reiterated the need for our country to consider the compilation of an all-inclusive national agenda with policies, designed and structured by all stakeholders, political parties, the media, the Religious council leaders, business environment, Ghanaians within the various tiers of the economy; high, middle and low, both home and abroad, artisans, students.
This national agenda should be governed by realistic Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the outcomes and results of these policies after implementation.
This would be a representation of our priorities as a nation hence, political parties would be compelled to draft their manifestos and developmental ideas having the National Agenda in focus, which will mean that the national agenda becomes the skeletal framework, structure, or pillar on which they build the flesh of their manifestos for the development of our country.
For several years, we have been a country ruled by the manifestos and ideas of political parties, without the consideration of the general need of the country. The National agenda would serve as a blueprint for the achievement of our Sustainable Development Goals.
This is a wake-up call to all patrons both home and abroad it’s time to push for a National Development Agenda. After all these years of attaining independence, it’s time to change the narrative to ensure accountability and progress, this is a wake-up call, let’s push for a National Development Agenda.
People & Lifestyle
HAVE YOUR BATH AT LEAST TWICE DAILY DURING MENSTRUATION – DIANA HOPESON ADMONISHES YOUNG GIRLS
Mrs Diana Hopeson ( Akiwumi ) the formal MUSIGA president and a renowned gospel musician who made her mark in the early 90s with hit songs winning many National and International awards admonishes young girls to try take their bath at least two times daily during their menstrual cycle.
Joining over 400 both young girls and boys at the Ashiaman Senior High School to mark this years World Menstrual Hygiene Day Commemoration, she stressed on the need for a complete healthier menstrual management by these teenage girls bearing in mind that bathing their body is an essential part of menstrual hygiene.
A collaborative effort from the Bonabear Foundation Ghana under the auspices of the Special Monitoring Missions of the International Human Rights Commission Ghana in partnership with the SHEP Department of the Ashaiman Municipal Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service and WO YE BRA Schools Project this year engaged the Pupils of the AshaiSec to mark the all important date on the UN calendar.
Mrs Hopeson on the theme of this years commemoration dubbed “ Making Menstruation a normal Fact of Life by 2030” also explained on the main need for every girl to know that “Menstruation leads to Procreation” therefore every growing girl must not be ashamed of her Menstruation and that it’s a normal thing. She lamented on how she felt during her “Menarche” at age 12 and the funny experiences she went through that time. Mrs Hopeson has been the project Ambassador two years running to the MENSTRUATE 2 PROCREATE initiative with a few of her friends mobilizing support for the project.
HAVE YOUR BATH AT LEAST TWICE DAILY DURING MENSTRUATION – DIANA HOPESON ADMONISHES YOUNG GIRLS
The Founder and the Project Lead of the Bonabear Foundation Ghana who doubles as the Commissioner for the Special Monitoring Missions of IHRC Ghana- Amb Dr Bernard Kofi Bonarparte in his speech added his voice to the call to totally scrap off all Taxes on Sanitary Materials and pleaded with the Government to consider implementing policies to make Sanitary materials in the Schools more accessible and free mostly in deprived communities a cross the country.
He reiterated that , it is about time Menstruation is considered as a Human Rights issue and as such the need to put in measures to ensure every girl is not denied of this Right. The need to easy access to water in the various Schools is also a contributing factor for ensuring a clean , safe and healthier society.
HAVE YOUR BATH AT LEAST TWICE DAILY DURING MENSTRUATION – DIANA HOPESON ADMONISHES YOUNG GIRLS
The Amb , also called on various corporate bodies to partner organizations and civil societies that have embarked on this journey to ensure that Ghana does not fail to achieve the agenda 2030 of the UNSDG.
All participants received free Disposable and Reusable Pads and were trained on the management of those with live demonstration from the male students of the School by the help of the School Nurse and the Lead Facilitator for the WO YE BRA SCHOOL Project-Ms Jennifer Moffat as The head Mistress of the School Madam Jemimah Quarshie and her staff received the team warmly.
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People & Lifestyle
Zeepay MD crowned Africa Fintech Leader of the Year two times running at Ghana CEO Summit 2023
Andrew Takyi-Appiah, the Managing Director (MD) of Zeepay, a leading mobile financial services company, has emerged Africa’s Fintech Leader of the Year for the second year in a row at the recently held 2023 edition of the CEO Summit.
The prestigious award was presented to him before a gathering of more than 500 of his peers, was an acknowledgement of his instrumental role in the growth and advancement of Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic landscape.
Mr. Takyi-Appiah emerged victorious amidst stiff competition from prominent figures in the fintech industry, and the award reflects the high satisfaction of users with Zeepay’s platforms and services.
Expressing his gratitude at the event which had as its theme: ‘Economic Sovereignty, Sustainable Corporate Governance, Digital Industrial Transformation: New Paths for Growth and Prosperity. A Private-Public Sector CEO Dialogue & Learning’, Mr. Takyi-Appiah stated, “Winning this award is a testament to all that African youth are Capable of and have what it takes to build global business. It means that we the youth in Ghana must be taken seriously as we have indeed taken our destiny into our hands to contribute to build a better Ghana.”
Prior to co-founding Zeepay in 2016, Mr. Takyi-Appiah held key positions at renowned organizations such as UT Bank Ghana, PwC Ghana, PwC UK, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, and GTBank.
With an annual turnover of approximately US$900 million as of 2021, Zeepay has established itself as the largest cross-border remittance aggregator in Africa. Mr. Takyi-Appiah emphasized that this accolade is a testament to the strength of Ghana’s fintech regulations and legal systems, which have contributed to the rise of companies like Zeepay.
“Our customers should expect an improved business, an increase in our distribution network and availability. Going forward our customers should expect affordability in terms of reduced cash-out fees and more product innovation. I would like to dedicate the award to all our customers and staff for believing in the dream and driving it to this growth. I feel great and excited about the additional new markets we have added to the mobile money business,” Mr. Takyi-Appiah added.
This comes as Zeepay also emerged as the number-one company in Ghana at the 19th Club 100 awards. The recognition underscores Zeepay’s exceptional performance and its significant contribution to the nation’s economic growth.
The feat was attributed to the ingenuity of CEO Andrew Takyi-Appiah and as Zeepay’s vision is to expand its presence in the fintech and mobile money space beyond Ghana.
With its innovative mobile financial services, Zeepay has been revolutionizing the remittance and mobile money sectors. The company’s impressive growth and strategic approach have propelled it to the forefront of Ghana’s business landscape. By clinching the top position in the Ghana Club 100 rankings, Zeepay has solidified its status as a key player in the country’s corporate sphere.
As Zeepay looks toward the future, it aims to leverage its success to further establish itself as a dominant force in fintech and mobile money across Africa. With CEO Andrew Takyi-Appiah at the helm, the company is poised to unlock new opportunities and drive financial inclusion on the continent.
People & Lifestyle
From Lemonade Finance to LemFi: International Payments for Everyone
In a bold move to further its commitment to providing international payments for everyone and better serve its expanding community, Lemonade Finance announces its rebranding to LemFi. The decision to change the name was driven by a desire to simplify and capture the essence of the company’s vision and to differentiate itself in the evolving financial services landscape.
Lemonade Finance was founded in 2020 with a simple vision,to empower immigrants seeking to achieve more in their lives. The company delivers its services through an app that enables users to send money to 10+ countries.
LemFi is licensed as an Electronic Money Institution with the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, under the name RightCard Payment Services. It is also registered as a Money Service Business by the Financial Transactions and Report Analysis Centre in Canada.
“The name we started with was Lemonade Finance. And as our app gained popularity, our reach expanded across multiple countries, and we became the vital link between families and loved ones separated by distance,” explains Ridwan Olalere, the CEO and Co-Founder.
However, the company’s growth and evolution demanded a name that would resonate even more deeply with its purpose while embracing the uniqueness of its community. Through extensive collaboration with the team and community, the decision to rebrand was made to better encapsulate the vision of providing a more inclusive and efficient means for people to send money home.
Introducing LemFi, a name that embodies the spirit of No Borders, No Barriers and no BS. The new name reflects the company’s dedication to simplicity, agility, and accessibility while retaining its commitment to facilitating seamless financial transactions for its users.
“Our new name, ‘LEMFI,’ represents our unwavering dedication to breaking down barriers and transcending borders,” says Ridwan. “It symbolises the strength and resilience of our community and allows us to carve our own unique meaning within it.”
The rebrand also comes with an expansion of vision. Hitherto, the goal was to power “International Payments for immigrants globally”; now LemFi aims to deliver “International Payments for Everyone”.This commitment will be demonstrated by unveiling an exciting lineup of product updates in the coming weeks and months.
The LemFi team thanks its valued users for their continued support and invites them to embark on this new chapter together. As LemFi, the company will continue building a product and expand to more countries in the coming weeks, empowering individuals to confidently pursue their dreams.
The company’s new website and social media channels will now be:
Website:www.lemfi.com
Facebook: UseLemfi
Instagram: @UseLemfi
Twitter: @UseLemfi
Email:support@lemfi.com
People & Lifestyle
YouTube’s Alex Okosi Highlights The Need For A Comprehensive Digital Trade Strategy For Africa
YouTube’s Managing Director, Emerging Markets, EMEA, Alex Okosi, was among the key speakers at the Africa Debate 2023, which took place on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the Guildhall in London.
Okosi’s session, titled “Building a Comprehensive Digital Trade Strategy for Africa,” highlighted the challenges facing Africa in terms of digital infrastructure despite advancements in digital trade and e-commerce. He debated the best path forward for a digital trade strategy, with a focus on the 7th protocol of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on e-commerce.
Joining Okosi on the panel were Michelle Chivunga, a Digital Trade Expert for AfCFTA and Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Global Policy House, who moderated the session, as well as Wayne Hennessy-Barrett, Chief Executive Officer, 4G Capital; Peter Njonjo, Chief Executive Officer, Twiga Foods; Toulay Oueslati, Head of Trade Finance & Commodity Trade Finance, Bank of Africa United Kingdom and Hardy Pemhiwa, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Cassava Technologies.
Organized by Invest Africa, a leading business and investment platform with over sixty years of experience on the continent, and in partnership with Africa Finance Corporation, the event was in its 9th year and focused on Africa’s trade profile through a comprehensive programme of talks, discussions, and networking opportunities.
“I believe that digital trade has the potential to transform Africa’s economy and improve trade relations with the rest of the world. However, to achieve this goal, we need to address the challenges of infrastructure development, regulatory frameworks, and digital skills training,” Okosi said.
The panel discussion explored the future of African trade and how the private sector can best support and prepare for a more integrated and competitive African trade environment.
“Collaboration between governments, businesses, and financial institutions is crucial in creating an enabling environment for digital trade. This includes developing regulatory frameworks, financing solutions, and digital infrastructure,” Okosi added.
Okosi is a highly experienced television, content, and tech executive with over 25 years of experience building successful businesses and brands globally. He has a track record of identifying and scaling new business opportunities, generating multi-million-dollar revenue streams, and delivering profitable growth.
Currently serving as Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA, Okosi has been instrumental in driving the platform’s growth across key verticals, including music, gaming, TV/film, kids & family, news, and sports. In 2022, Okosi was named one of the UK Powerlist’s 100 most influential people of black heritage for the second year in a row.
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