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OPINION: Why Ghanaian women must join the ‘womanism’ movement and not feminism

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Last week, I lost a very good friend to feminism. I’m not surprised that it happened. She has always been a strong black woman who loved her freedom and cared very little about what others thought of her. Since these are some of the characteristics of the movement/ lifestyle, it was only natural they merged.

Anyway, she’s discovered feminism and believes that it needs to be promoted. She seeks to explain why such a strong and important movement in many parts of the first world receives such strong opposition from her people. By her people I mean, Ghanaians.

Indeed, there is a high level of distaste for the word feminism among Ghanaians. It’s such a bitter pill that even the women for who the prescription is for, reject to swallow. On social media, women and even some men who push the feminist movement have encountered hostile reception. The abuse is constant. Name-calling and vile attacks on appearance are rife. Most of these abuses are unprintable.

So why is there such hostile behavior towards feminists and supporters of the movement? After all, my friend proved how early writers such as Ama Attah Aidoo, in previous decades, have championed this in their literary works. My friend thinks it might be because the Ghanaian man does not want to relinquish the power that he has over the woman. Maybe because the Ghanaian man sees it as a struggle for power and losing means becoming dominated by his woman. Or is it because some- who am I kidding, most if not all the feminists seem to hate men?

My friend explains that though some of the women hate men, the movement is much more than that. She convinces me that feminism is about removing social norms and structures that impede, infringe and suppress women. Those that restrict women from achieving their life goals and living fulfilled lives just like their male counterparts. Honestly, I see nothing wrong with such a movement that has such goals. Yet, I’m sad because I lost my friend to feminism.

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Maybe I’m sad because my friend doesn’t know the root of the movement she just joined. The root of a movement is very important because it’s the foundation on which the movement is built. Anything that wants to survive needs a foundation.  A building that has a weak foundation will eventually collapse. The feminist movement was borne out of a struggle between the white man and the white woman. For centuries the white woman was oppressed by her man. He controlled every aspect of her life. Anything she got was because her man gave it to her or allowed her to have. An example was the right to vote. The white woman’s desire for more liberties from the white man led to this movement. The white woman started demanding, fighting, and debating for more freedom from her man. She then realized that she needed numbers to attract the attention of the white man hence recruited the black woman slave. She never saw the black woman as an equal; she just needed her to add up the numbers and the voice. No surprise the most vocal feminists in the world are black. That’s not a strong foundation for you my black friend.

Also, the movement has always been about the power struggle. Women want the power to control their own lives and possibly dish out the same medicine to the men if the opportunity presents itself. After all, these men have tormented us for years so why not do the same to them? Now here is why I’m sad. The white woman may be struggling with the white man for power but is it the same for the black woman and her man? Think about this. The black man has never dominated the black woman. Regardless of what they want to make you believe, the black man has never had power over the black woman. In America, the black man and his woman were slaves. There was no dominance there. In Africa, there were gender roles, not dominance. I can agree that we have sexism and gender stereotypes. But is it domination?  My friend may not

know that as a matter of fact, the black woman is the only race who dominates her man. Yes, you heard right. No other race has women doing better than men except blacks. See, there are more educated and more successful black women in America than black men. Facts!!!

I’m sure my friend has no idea that the feminist movement is a tool by whites to dominate the black man. Let’s go back to America again. During the period of the black power movement, the black family was a strong unit. They (whites) decided to divide and conquer. Economically, they removed the factories from the inner cities. The factory was how black the man earned his living and by closing them down, they hurt him financially. A man who cannot provide is irrelevant to a woman! They went a step further and replaced skill-based education from schools with knowledge-based. This made the black man solely dependent on the white man for employment and survival. Let’s not forget the influx of crack cocaine in black neighborhoods to destroy them. Now, these young black men won’t get skill education, can’t get jobs, turn to crack which either kills them or lands them in prison. The black man thus becomes irrelevant to his woman. I can go on and on.

Today in America, we have black women being the least desired and last to marry. The white, Asian, other races’ men don’t want them. Their own black man will choose a white or Latino woman over them. The black man is also economically irrelevant to the black woman. If he’s not selling drugs, the chances are that the woman earns more than him. He’s probably gone to prison too. Then there is also the promotion of single motherhood amongst black women. It goes on and on and on.

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OPINION: The misrepresentation of feminists in the Ghanaian media and why it must stop!

I will agree with my lost friend on something though. The black man has many times been the facilitator of her struggle. Issues such as rape and sexual harassment, women objectification, archaic cultural practices like FGM, child marriage and others must be dealt with. However, are these social issues equal to oppression and domination by the black man? I believe not. The tag “black feminist” to me is a painful paradox. They just adopted an alien concept and are trying to fit it into the African context. The sad truth is that the white woman you call your sister in the struggle doesn’t and will never understand your struggle. You have nothing in common aside from the same reproductive organ. You cannot align yourself with someone who doesn’t understand your struggle.

What Africa needs now is Womanism and not Feminism (they will attack me and say that I’m telling them what to do). Empower our girls and remove old cultural roles (come on guys we live in a different world than our forefathers); we can’t be doing the same old things. We need to focus on the family and develop modern roles for parents in their children’s lives. The African woman must champion other women to become achievers and role models for our daughters. It’s high time our daughters not only have female entertainers as role models. We need to build strong women and not angry women. And guys, we will only be strong men if we have powerful women.

So yes, I wish my friend had joined Womanism instead of Feminism. At the end of the day, I love her and wish her all the best. Hopefully, she’s not too lost in the feminism rabbit hole.

BY: Nii-Ayi Mojo

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OldSwat features Unsigned and Talented artist; Quame Rhymz on “Obrefour”

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Obrefour

Ghana-born Belgian music producer known as OldSwat has started an initiative to give unheard, talented and unsigned artists the platform to share their stories with the world. “Obrefour” featuring Quame Rhymz is the first single off this project. The 14-track project titled “The Discovery” album features 14 talented up-and-coming artists from Ghana. (more…)

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Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD Leads GHS 600 million Note Programme Listing for Kasapreko Co. PLC on Ghana Fixed Income Market

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Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG) in a strategic partnership as a joint lead arranger has lauded Kasapreko Co. Plc, an indigenous beverage manufacturer, for its ambitious growth plans following the official listing of the Series 1 GHS 600 million Note Programme on the Ghana Fixed Income Market (GFIM).

The funds raised will bolster Kasapreko Co. Plc’s working capital, financing capital expenditures such as operational expansion, and refinancing short-term debts.

Speaking at a joint press briefing in Accra, the Managing Director of CBG, Mr. Daniel Wilson Addo, emphasized the significance of the transaction, indicating that this is the first time an indigenous Ghanaian Bank has worked with an indigenous manufacturing company to raise funding from local pension funds in the public market. This signifies fostering strong partnerships among indigenous companies to overcome financing challenges innovatively. 

He added that the funding which is at a cost significantly lower than the Ghana Reference Rate (GRR) for borrowing will cushion Kasapreko Co. Plc’s operations significantly.

He underlined the importance of addressing risks associated with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) while encouraging financial institutions and industries to develop financial structures that meet the evolving risks effectively.

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Mr. Addo stated, “This transaction is a testament to our overriding ambition to make an impact in the communities in which we operate. We stand with you in good times or in bad times”.

According to Mr. Addo, the support for Kasapreko Co. Plc highlights the economic impact of CBG’s lending philosophy.

The Managing Director of Kasapreko Co. Plc, Mr. Richard Adjei, welcomed the innovative financing source, describing it as a relatively cheaper capital and sustainable solution for business growth.

Mr. Adjei expressed his gratitude towards CBG for enabling them to explore alternatives beyond traditional Banks. With the infusion, Kasapreko Co. Plc aims to expand production capacity and enhance its participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), having already exported products to Kenya and South Africa.

In attendance were Management members of the Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG) including the Deputy Managing Director of Operations and Technology, Mr. Thairu Ndungu; Deputy Managing Director of Corporate Resources, Madam Nana Ama Poku and Director of Finance and Strategy, Mr. Charles Appiah and other senior executives of the Bank.

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Mr. Gregg Pitt, Deputy Managing Director; Mr. Humphrey Hessel-Appiah, Finance Director; Mr. Gerald Bonsu, Commercial Director; and Mr. Isaac Adjei, a Board Member, all of Kasapreko Co. Plc were also present.

Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG) is wholly owned by the Government of Ghana and operates as a universal Bank with 114 branches in 13 regions of Ghana. The Bank has strong government support, a large SME client network, and a pool of diverse talent.

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Telecel Ghana Network Update

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Telecel Ghana has multiple sources of internet services through SAT3, WACS, ACE, and submarine fibre links to other international providers.

On the 12th of March 2024, Telecel Ghana lost internet capacity provided by WACS subsea cable, and immediately switched to ACE to maintain service.

On 14th March 2024, Telecel Ghana lost internet connectivity from its remaining providers SAT3 and ACE due to a cut in their undersea cables. This resulted in the disruption of data services on Mobile and Fixed networks.

Telecel Ghana has now secured new internet capacity and is progressively adding more capacities through local and international partners, including other Telecel subsidiaries. This, is in addition to local caching solutions which are enabling access to some content services such as YouTube, Facebook, Netflix etc.

Telecel Ghana sincerely appreciates the patience and understanding of its customers during this period. All customers will be refunded accordingly. 

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Please note that information circulating on social media platforms about the disconnection of Telecel Ghana due to debts owed is false and should be disregarded.

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SuperSport to air 13th African Games on DStv & GOtv from March 19

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SuperSport International have confirmed that the ongoing 13th African Games will telecast on DStv and GOtv from 19th to 23rd March 2024.

The broadcast will cover a wide range of sports disciplines. Given that this is also an Olympics year, the athletics, track, and field which began today may be the most significant sport fans across the continent would love to follow.

Currently Nigeria and South Africa, led by Egypt (first), are ranked second and third, respectively, on the medal standings.

Ahead of the live feed on your DStv and GOtv starting tomorrow 19th March 2024, SuperSport is streaming live the games on the DStv Stream and GOtv Stream apps.  Subsequently from tomorrow the broadcast would be open on DStv 248 (Variety 4) (DStv) and GOtv channel 131 (Select 2).

The 13th African Games are already delivering unforgettable experiences, reconnect your decoder to be part of a celebration of diverse sporting talent and cultural unity live from Accra Ghana.

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Hollard Ghana Empowers Student Entrepreneurs with Second Edition of Streetwise Finance Business Challenge.

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Hollard Ghana, the country’s favourite insurer, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life, awards Jnelp Innovations, a student entrepreneur, with GHC 40,000 as funding at the just-ended Hollard Streetwise Finance Entrepreneurship Business Challenge held at the University of Cape Coast. 

In collaboration with the University of Ghana Business School and the University of Cape Coast, the grant-based program showcased ten talented student-led businesses that presented their business ideas to a distinguished panel of judges in a bid to secure funding. Zenags Organics won the second-place prize of GHC 20,000, and Career Path won the third-place award of GHC 10,000.

Speaking on the essence of the event, Alexander Osei Mensah, General Manager of Operations at Hollard Insurance, described the initiative as a testament to the insurance group’s efforts to nurture entrepreneurial spirit and innovation among the youth.

“As a company that does well by doing good, our purpose is to bridge the gap between the corporate world and academia. Being an entrepreneurially driven company, Hollard believes in enabling its community to create better futures. Since universities are essential in nation-building and the training ground for business leaders, we focus on engaging tertiary students to ensure they are enabled to succeed in the future with Hollard’s support. In doing so, we aim to inspire more students to explore opportunities that will lead to successful employment upon graduation, particularly through entrepreneurship,” Alex added.GROUP HSBC

Portia Sackey, the founder of Jnelp Innovations, expressed her satisfaction with the event’s outcome, stating, “We are thrilled to be winners of the Hollard Streetwise Finance Business Challenge.   We are grateful to Hollard Ghana for this opportunity to help small businesses thrive. With this funding, we will expand our business by investing in research and development for our skin product and purchasing a tricycle and two extra automatic filling machines to enable us to meet the demanding markets with our products”. 

The success of the second edition of the Streetwise Finance Business Challenge reinforces Hollard Ghana’s commitment to fostering economic growth and empowering the next generation of business leaders. The company remains dedicated to supporting initiatives that contribute to the overall development of Ghana’s entrepreneurial landscape. Student startup businesses participating in the competition include Overseas, Gamkrib, Delsoy Foods, Shuttle Track, Prifrimps Food, Geia Technology, and Firefly I.O.

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Keren Arthur, PhD, the Director of the D-Hub, urged the winners to be strategic in their decisions while remembering that entrepreneurship is an experimental process. 

“Adopt a step-by-step process for using funds and know that entrepreneurship requires a small-scale pilot before major investment. To the other businesses who competed, don’t give up. This event has added to your story, and I hope this will make you stronger and even more committed to taking the ideas forward. The doors of the D-Hub are always open to help you chart the next chapter of your story,” she added.

 

The country’s favourite insurance group is Hollard Ghana, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance. The group combines its deep local knowledge of the market, having previously operated in Ghana for 25 years as Metropolitan Insurance, with the world-class expertise of an international insurance brand in 18 countries worldwide. With feet firmly planted on Ghanaian soil but headquartered in South Africa, Hollard delivers innovative insurance solutions customised to the unique risks Ghanaians face. Hollard offers various life and general insurance products, including funeral, personal accident, motor, business, travel, home, and more, and can be reached via 0307000599. Beyond various nationwide office branches and Hollard 2U franchise shops, Ghanaians can find Hollard at Shell Fuel Station Welcome Shops, Melcom stores and online at www.hollard.com.gh, www.melcom.com/hollard-insurance and www.jumia.com.gh for all their insurance needs.

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Team South Africa withdraws hockey from African Games due to poor pitch conditions

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South Africa’s hockey teams have decided to withdraw from the 2023 African Games hockey competition due to concerns regarding the poor quality of the pitch at Theodosia Okoh stadium in Accra. (more…)

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