Category: Daily Guide Network

Former Second Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia, who is also the Chair of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC) and the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Dr. John Mikail Kvistan have jointly called for a shift in the climate change narrative among women and the youth in Africa.

The call was made at the end of a two-day AFRIWOCC 2025 in Accra.

At the end of the two-day intensive dialogue, a communiqué aimed at empowering Africa’s youth and women in the climate fight was signed by both dignitaries.

The cornerstone of the document ‘is a call for a decisive shift in Africa’s climate change narrative from one of victimhood to one of agency and resilience, particularly for its youth and women.’

The communiqué, issued under the conference theme ‘Young Voices, Innovative Ideas, Greater Impact for Africa,’ directly addresses the key challenges identified during the sessions. It acknowledges that African women, youth, and children suffer most adverse effects of climate change.

Key barriers highlighted include a lack of knowledge and skills for effective advocacy, restricted access to green financing for innovative ideas, and the environmental and health hazards of traditional cooking fuels.

To address these challenges, the communiqué outlines a series of recommendations targeting all levels of society:

For governments and leaders, the document urges national governments, regional bodies, and development partners to actualise previous commitments on financing green initiatives and ensuring the meaningful participation of youth and women in climate governance. Leaders are called upon to support young people with increased funding and training, and to begin teaching technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) early in their national Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curricula. An inclusive, multi-sectoral approach to promoting clean cooking is also strongly recommended.

In a significant call for self-empowerment, the communiqué advises young people and women to be deliberate about building their own capacities through research and skill development. This is aimed at boosting the confidence of decision-makers and green financers in their ability to lead on policy and project implementation. It also encourages youth entrepreneurs to better understand their markets and effectively mobilise capital to build scalable green businesses.

The communiqué also emphasises that climate action is a collective responsibility. It calls on climate activists to simplify their messaging using creative means to reach wider audiences, including children. It also urges everyone to value and reclaim indigenous ancestral knowledge on environmental conservation and to get involved through small, intentional actions like planting a tree or recycling.

The conference was co-hosted by AFRIWOCC and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Ghana and was sponsored by the SIGRA project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, and Zenith Bank. The communiqué now serves as a guiding document for stakeholders to advance environmental justice and sustainable development across the continent, with Africa’s youth and women at the forefront.

AFRIWOCC is a continental platform that convenes policymakers, youth leaders, women entrepreneurs, innovators, and development partners to accelerate youth and women’s inclusion in governance, leadership, and sustainable development.

Accra has hosted it’s first C40 Cities Regional Leadership Masterclass on climate finance and governance, bringing together political leaders, development partners, and private sector players to discuss how African cities can secure funding and scale up climate action.

The three-day programme, which was held at the Accra City Hotel began on September 30 and ended on October 2, 2025.

The masterclass was organised under the C40 Cities’ Urban Climate Action Programme (UCAP) with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The sessions focused on strengthening governance, unlocking climate finance, and developing projects that deliver lasting impact in cities.

The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, in his speech revealed that the city faced serious challenges including flooding, rising temperatures, and pressure from rapid urban growth.

He explained that the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was implementing measures such as better waste management, flood control projects, and clean energy promotion.

However, he stressed that the scale of the risks required stronger coordination and more funding.

‘The complexity of these climate risks demands urgent access to finance and closer collaboration. This masterclass is a vital platform to address barriers to climate funding, strengthen governance, and mobilize resources that reflect the priorities of Accra,’ he noted.

C40’s Regional Director for Africa, Anthony Okoth, stated that African cities faced growing threats from rising temperatures, flooding, water scarcity, and other climate-related risks.

He stressed that with rapidly growing urban populations, political leaders had a central role in shaping policies and partnerships to protect vulnerable communities while promoting green economic growth.

‘Accra is already setting an example in West Africa by boosting energy efficiency, adopting solar power in public buildings, and reforming waste management policies. This kind of leadership shows what cities can achieve when they combine vision with action’ he explained.

The outcomes of the Accra session are expected to guide upcoming masterclasses in Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Nairobi, and Tshwane, aimed at building a network of African leaders committed to climate resilience.

A tragic accident on the Agona-Tano Dumase highway has claimed the lives of five people and left several others injured late Thursday night.

The crash, which occurred around 11:45 p.m. on October 9, 2025, involved a VIP Jeoun bus travelling from Yeji to Kade and a Toyota Yaris private car heading from Kona to Tano Dumase.

According to eyewitness accounts, the accident happened near Kona in the Sekyere South District of the Ashanti Region when the VIP bus driver allegedly attempted to overtake another vehicle at top speed, resulting in a head-on collision with the oncoming Toyota Yaris.

The impact was severe, completely wrecking the Toyota Yaris and instantly killing all five occupants on board. Eyewitnesses disclosed that the driver of the Toyota Yaris was a pastor who was returning home after an evening church service with some members of his congregation.

Photos from the scene showed the Toyota Yaris with its roof caved in, windows shattered, and parts of the car scattered across the highway. The front and top portions of the VIP bus also sustained extensive damage.

Police personnel reportedly arrived at the scene shortly after the accident but were unable to conduct any immediate rescue operations, leaving the injured passengers in the VIP bus stranded for some time before emergency assistance arrived.

The bodies of the deceased have been conveyed to the morgue, while the injured are receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

The police have commenced investigations into the cause of the accident.

The first-ever Elite U17 Girls Championship, introduced under FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme (TDS), is set to kick off from October 14 to 19, 2025.

The national competition will feature teams from all ten football regions, grouped into two zones, as they battle for the championship title.

In a bid to nurture young officiating talent, matches will be handled by referees from the ‘Catch Them Young’ initiative – a programme designed to train and inspire the next generation of referees.

The championship aims to scout, train, and develop promising young female footballers, providing a pathway for future stars to progress through the ranks of Ghanaian and international football.

ALL ROADS in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, led to the Heroes Park at the Baba Yara Stadium, the venue of Mrs. Elizabeth Agyeman’s funeral rites, last Saturday afternoon.

The deceased, an accomplished woman, was also known as ‘Nana Agyeiwaa’. She was the wife of the late Nana Akwasi Agyeman, the longest serving Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) boss and a royal of the Golden Stool of Asanteman.

Top dignitaries including former President John Agyekum Kufuor and former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, were present at the event.

President John Dramani Mahama, who is currently on an international assignment in the People’s Republic of China and his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, a business mogul, sent a delegation to represent them.

Ken Adjei, the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources; Sammy Gyamfi, GoldBod boss; Sam Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations as well as other National Democratic Congress (NDC) government officials graced the event.

The solemn programme also attracted top traditional leaders from Asanteman and other parts of the country, who were all there to give a befitting farewell to a woman, widely regarded as generous and a mother-for-all.

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Chief Executive, Ofori-Agyeman Boadi aka ‘Zuba’, Sam Pyne, the immediate-past KMA boss, former and present government officials, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and others, were also present.

The well-attended funeral rites was characterised by the singing of dirges as well as drumming and dancing to traditional Asante mourning songs. Muskets were widely fired, indicating the mood of mourning.

Mrs. Elizabeth Agyeman left behind prominent children, including Dr. Agyeman, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Nana Prempeh, Nana Bonsu, Ing Nana Atta Poku Agyeman, Kumasi Urban Roads Boss, Nana Akua, and Attaa Pokua.

Earlier on Thursday, the mortal remains of the deceased were interred during a private ceremony at a cemetery in Kwaman, her hometown, which was witnessed by family members, children and some selected people.

GCB Bank Plc has officially outdoored Sheagles Soar, a groundbreaking women’s leadership development initiative aimed at dismantling barriers, repairing the ‘broken rung,’ and creating pathways for more women to rise into leadership positions within the country’s banking industry.

The Sheagles Soar initiative is anchored on a 3Ps framework – Professional, Personal, and Partnerships – offering holistic support to women at various stages of their leadership journey.

Speaking at the launch, the Managing Director of GCB Bank Plc, Farihan Alhassan, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to advancing women’s leadership.

‘It is not about replacing men with women, but about forging a leadership culture where everyone thrives and contributes fully,’ he stated.

Mr. Alhassan further emphasised the importance of the initiative, noting that it would go a long way in building competence and confidence among women within the banking and finance industry.

‘This holistic programme builds competence, confidence, and connectivity, equipping women to lead with authenticity, influence agendas, and leave a lasting legacy,’ he added.

Mr. Peter Yao Bosrotsi, Manager of HR Business Partnering at GCB Bank Plc, also highlighted the vision behind the initiative.

‘Sheagles Soar is a testament to GCB’s commitment to strengthening the leadership pipeline and creating equal opportunities for women to rise to the top. It seeks to reshape our culture to embrace inclusion, confidence, and influence,’ he said.

The programme opened with a spoken word performance by Emmanuella Kuffour Banafo, Acting Lead, Talent Management, which set the tone for the evening.

A highlight of the event was an interactive live coaching session led by Grace Krobo-Edusei, CEO of the Grace Centre for Growth and Excellence, where participants engaged in practical strategies for leadership growth and navigating workplace dynamics.

The event climaxed with the official unveiling of Sheagles Soar, marked by a special video presentation and fireworks display symbolising the Bank’s bold step toward transforming leadership culture.

This was followed by a symbolic signing of the HeForShe Pledge Book by Professor Joshua Alabi, Board Chairman of GCB Bank Plc, underscoring the importance of male allyship in advancing inclusion.

In his remarks, Prof. Alabi reaffirmed the Board’s dedication to promoting women’s participation in executive leadership.

‘At GCB Bank, we have drawn a clear programme of action to drive women’s inclusivity at the highest levels of our organisation,’ he said.

‘Our goal is to improve women’s representation on the Executive Committee by at least 30% by 2028. Initiatives like Sheagles Soar will be central to achieving this transformation,’ he added.

The Sheagles Soar initiative provides coaching circles, career development pathways, and allyship structures modelled after the UN’s HeForShe principle. It prepares women for progressive leadership roles at various levels such as supervisory Level, management level and executive Level.

The company explained that the supervisory level focuses on self-leadership, communication, and team coordination; the management level builds strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and agility; and the executive level hones vision-setting, enterprise leadership, and boardroom readiness.

The Chief Commercial Operations Officer of Mobile Money Limited, Abdul Razak Issaka Ali, has urged the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to embrace rather than fear financial technology (fintech) innovations, particularly in the area of cross-border payment solutions, which he says hold enormous potential to drive financial inclusion and regional trade.

Mr. Ali expressed frustration that the country’s efforts to achieve seamless cross-border mobile money interoperability had stalled.

According to him, despite years of discussions and pilot projects, the implementation of regulatory frameworks to support such initiatives remains slow and uncertain, leaving private sector innovation ‘trapped in a loop of caution and bureaucracy.’

‘Government should not be scared to try new innovations within reasonable limits. The sandbox framework already allows for experimentation under supervision. So let’s move a little faster,’ he said.

Cross-Border Payment

Mr. Ali noted that while the government has been championing cross-border payment integration, the development of regulations to guide private sector participation has become what he described as a ‘cat-and-mouse journey.’

He explained that there appears to be uncertainty within the BoG over whether to move forward with cross-border mobile money solutions, largely due to perceived risks around capital flows, exchange rates, and potential misuse.

He made the remarks during a high-level panel discussion on the theme ‘From Exclusion to Inclusion – DPI and Inclusive Development in Africa.’

A Controlled Fintech Experiment

Mr. Ali’s comments come against the backdrop of the Bank of Ghana’s ongoing sandbox programme, which includes a pilot by Brij Fintech Ghana, a licensed Payment Service Provider (PSP).

The BrijX pilot, which began live testing in February 2025, is a Business-to-Business (B2B) currency swap platform designed to facilitate direct exchanges between the Ghanaian cedi and the Nigerian naira.

The system eliminates the need for forex markets or physical fund transfers across borders, a breakthrough that could significantly lower remittance costs and improve settlement efficiency between Ghana and Nigeria.

Approved in 2024, the pilot began with MoMo customers and is expected to expand to include G-Money users.

Safeguards to Maintain Integrity

To ensure the pilot’s safety and integrity, the BoG has set transaction and participation limits, along with a defined testing period.

The sandbox framework also incorporates Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, alongside consumer protection measures, to mitigate potential risks.

These controls, the Bank explained, are essential to understanding how innovative fintech products behave under real-world conditions before being rolled out on a national or regional scale.

However, Mr. Ali believes the existence of such safeguards should give regulators more confidence to accelerate progress rather than slow it down.

Call for Clear Regulatory Direction

Mr. Ali appealed to the BoG to provide a clear regulatory direction for cross-border mobile money transactions, especially for projects already piloted under the sandbox framework.

He stressed that uncertainty discourages private sector investment and innovation in an area where Ghana has the potential to lead the sub-region.

He added that cross-border mobile money is no longer a futuristic concept, citing examples in East Africa where regulatory innovation has enabled platforms such as M-Pesa to facilitate real-time regional transactions across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Digital Infrastructure and Financial Inclusion

The panel discussion also explored how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including digital identity, payment systems, and data-sharing frameworks, can deepen inclusion and economic participation across Africa.

Mr. Ali emphasised that for Ghana and the sub-region to fully benefit from digital public goods, regulatory flexibility and public-private collaboration must be strengthened.

Serwaa Amihere’s mother, Mrs. Lydia Tetteh, has set the record straight about her daughters, including Maame Afua Gyamfua, clarifying they share the same father.

Mrs. Lydia Tetteh, mother of Serwaa Amihere and Maame Afua Gyamfua, made a heartfelt revelation during a surprise party celebrating Serwaa’s recent call to the bar.

She addressed the long-standing speculation about her daughters’ parentage, stating that despite their different surnames, they share the same father.

‘Many people think that Maame Gyamfua and Serwaa are from different fathers, which is not true. They have the same father and have grown by each other since the day they were born,’ she disclosed.

Maame Afua Gyamfua, also known as Mami Oh My Hair, is the younger sister of Serwaa Amihere, a broadcast journalist turned lawyer. They share a close bond, and Maame Afua often shares updates about her personal life, including photos of her daughter, on social media.

The Young Scientists Programme of the Wildlife and Human Resources Organisation (WHRO), in partnership with advocacy groups, has launched an initiative using arts to raise awareness on the impact of pollution on Ghana’s coastal communities.

The initiative, supported by A Rocha Ghana, GMES Africa Projects, Nature Today Ghana, and the Presbyterian Education Unit, engaged students in using paintings and other artistic expressions to help protect the environment.

Participating schools, including La Presbyterian Senior High School and Osu Presbyterian Senior High School, through interactive sessions discussed issues ranging from biodiversity protection, responsible environmental behavior, and the use of satellite-based Earth Observation tools to monitor ecosystems.

According to the organizers, the interactive sessions was aimed at arousing public interest as well as inspiring greater commitment to environmental conservation across the country.

Beyond artistic expression, the students also participated in an essay competition on topics including personal responsibility to collective community action in protecting the environment.

The judges lauded the work of 20 students especially students from La Presbyterian SHS who subsequently organized a beach clean up exercise demonstrating their commitment to help protect the environment.

All participants received certificates and public recognition, while eight outstanding students were also awarded cash prizes, educational materials, and branded merchandise for their efforts.

Daniel Quarshie of GMES Africa Projects, commended the students for their enthusiasm and strong understanding of environmental conservation, particularly the use of satelite based technology as a tool to protect the country’s natural resources.

Jannah-Firdaus Alhussein of Wildlife and Human Resources Organisation (WHRO), described the programme as a powerful tool for inspiring young people to ‘protect, restore, and sustain the country’s environment.’

Dr. Andrews Agyekumhene, Executive Director of Wildlife and Human Resources Organisation emphasized that the school-based initiative highlights the vital role the youths play in supporting the country to address pollution especially along the coast.

He noted that through creativity and knowledge , the students had proven that meaningful change can begin in the classroom and extend to address broader societal challenges.

The British Council’s TeachingEnglish programme will hold a free, three-day online conference from October 9 to 11, 2025, to celebrate World Teachers’ Day.

The conference is themed ‘Global Voices, Future Focus.’ Over three inspiring days, participants will have the chance to connect with peers from every continent, share experiences, and gain practical skills that can be applied immediately in their classrooms.

This dynamic professional development event goes beyond theory-it’s an immersive learning experience that blends cutting-edge ideas with real-world classroom practice.

All sessions are led by experienced English language teachers and teacher educators who understand the challenges and opportunities of today’s teaching environments. Participants will explore fresh approaches to digital teaching, managing multilingual classrooms, integrating sustainability education, and embedding 21st-century skills into everyday lessons.

World Teachers’ Day 2025 will unfold across three thematic days:

9 October – Professional Development and Digital Tools

Sessions include:

Rethinking Professional Development in a Connected World (Plenary, Cecilia Nobre)

Top Tips for Reflective Practice (Anestin Lum Chi)

Using AI to Boost Confidence (Man Wu)

Digital Storytelling and Multimedia Projects (Mary Rose Banaag)

10 October – Multilingualism and 21st-Century Skills

Sessions include:

Multilingual Approaches in the Classroom (Panel: Amol Padwad, Yiviri Tombir, Adrienn Szlapak)

Classroom Management in Multilingual Classes (Aung Min Paing)

Design Thinking in Projects (Ana Lucía Castells Ruiz)

Integrating 21st-Century Skills (Sherly Hephzibah)

11 October – Sustainability and Language Skills

Sessions include:

Making Sustainability Part of Daily Practice (Plenary, Christopher Graham)

Role Play to Teach Climate Change (Iman Hassan Zain)

Vocabulary Games for Problem Solving (Iyab? Adebimpe Akintola)

Boosting Learner Engagement in Speaking Activities (Inga Mdivani)

Nii Doodo Dodoo, Country Director of British Council Ghana, commented:

‘This event is a fantastic opportunity for teachers in [country] to access global thought leadership on English language teaching-from AI innovation to sustainability in teaching, all for free. We especially encourage educators to register, learn, and connect with peers internationally. All attendees will receive a professional development certificate from the British Council.’

Speaking about the planned event, Michael Connolly, Director of English and School Education at the British Council, added: ‘At the British Council, we’re proud to connect, inspire, and empower English teachers around the globe. This conference, themed ‘Global Voices, Future Focus,’ is a celebration of our shared commitment to professional growth, inclusivity, and innovation in the classroom. We unite educators from every continent to explore themes like digital teaching, multilingual approaches, climate action, and 21st-century skills toward a more progressive future for learners around the world.’

Alison Devine, Head of English Connects, commented: ‘The conference captures the very essence of what TeachingEnglish achieves as a global hub for English educators. The TeachingEnglish online platform enables teachers to connect, reflect, and grow. We plan to extend this to the conference, where our experienced panelists will speak about digital innovation while exploring multilingualism and 21st-century skills. For us, this fuels teachers’ professional development, creativity, and global community.’