Climate change has emerged as a defining global challenge, necessitating coordinated efforts from all nations to combat its effects and secure a sustainable future for the planet. In this regard, every country must take decisive action to address their greenhouse gas emissions. Ghana, like many others, faces this pressing concern and has identified the transport […]
The Seventh Day Adventist College of Education held its 13th congregation ceremony at the College’s chapel on Thursday, 13th July 2023, with the theme “Empowering the 21st Century Teacher with Technology and Life-long Learning Skills: The Role of Colleges of Education.” The Acting Principal of the College, Dr. Cecilia Ofosuaa Odame, emphasized that education is […]
Eid-Al-Adha: Commemorating Prophet Ibrahim’s Obedience and Sacrifice Eid-Al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, is a significant Islamic celebration that honors Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering obedience to Allah and his willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as an act of devotion. This annual festival brings together hundreds of Muslims from Koforidua and its surrounding areas, […]
The World Drug Day was commemorated in the Eastern Region on June 26, 2023, under the theme “People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention.” The event took place at the Apenteng Hall in Koforidua. Representing the Honorable Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. John Donkor, the Regional Coordinating Director for the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, delivered […]
The 12th International Applied Research and Technology Fair took place on Thursday 22nd June 2023, at the Koforidua Technical University. In attendance was the Hon. Eastern Regional Minister. The Regional Minister, Hon. Seth Kwame Acheampong, in addressing the audience emphasized the importance of research, innovation, and technology transfer in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). […]
It was a clear day for the launch of the program at the SDA College of Education in Koforidua as the rains spared us for the occasion. The event witnessed active participation from various Traditional Authorities, led by the Paramount Chief of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Oti Boateng III, alongside other sub-chiefs. Additionally, […]
The Epic Centre Association in partnership with the Ghana Education service, National Youth Authority and Gender Ministry opened a bakery for Young persons at Boti in the Yilo Krobo District coupled with a ceremony organized for youth who have successfully undergone skill training in dressmaking and hairdressing.
The inauguration of the Eastern Regional Audit Committees of the Ghana Health Service was held in Koforidua, the Regional Capital. The event which took place concurrently nationwide on the 9th of May, 2023 under the leadership of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) was aimed at strengthening transparency, good governance, and accountability in the use of […]
The Honourable Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong has implored organised labour to be guided by the data on compensation whenever they sit around the negotiation table to push for wage adjustments. He observed that this has become imperative given the fact that the current country’s economic situation was not in the best of shape due to global economic challenges.
While accepting that workers deserve an improved condition of service, he encouraged them to collectively work together with the government to shore up domestic revenue and grow the economy to provide the fiscal space needed to improve their remuneration. He consequently called on the National Tripartite Committee and the Public Sector Joint Standing Negotiating Committee to ensure that negotiations for pay and compensations are based not only on the cost of living and productivity indicators but also on the ability-to-pay indicators such as domestic revenue performance and budget constraints.
Speaking on the theme for this year’s celebration, “Protecting incomes and Pensions in the era of Economic crises: Our responsibility”, Hon. Acheampong indicated that the adverse global developments such as COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine have impacted severely the exchange rate and inflation with the overall effect of weakening the real incomes of people in Ghana as being witnessed in other parts of the world. This he said, has negatively affected the living standards of workers in the country and the outside world. He noted that the rising petroleum prices, escalating food prices, rise in general cost of living and above all reduced income and real income levels had negative effects on the living standards of the citizenry.
He urged organised labour to continue to resolve issues through dialogue and indicated that “agitations on the labour front in any jurisdiction have the potential of impacting negatively on productivity and making compensation payments unsustainable, if not well managed; ……….; It is not pleasant to witness such situations as it is also not the wish of government that they even crop up”.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to resolving the country’s economic crisis, adding that the government had made considerable progress in securing a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to the minister, government mitigation measures such as cutting discretionary expenditures of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by 30%, salaries of government Appointees reduced by 30% and fuel coupon allocation reduced by 50% were some of the measures adopted to turn around the current economy into a desired one anticipated.
He consequently congratulated workers for their dedication to serving Mother Ghana and encouraged them to continue to have hope in the government as she works hard to ensure macroeconomic stability for the much-needed growth and development to better the lives of the people in the country.
Reading the General Secretary of Trade Union Congress’ (TUC) speech, the Regional Secretary of the Union, Mrs. Phyllis Agyemang urged the government to find and implement programmes and policies that would ensure sustainable development rather than resort to the IMF programme which has over the years proven not to be the solution of the country’s problems.
“The reason Ghana has had to seek IMF support almost every three years is largely due to the flaws in the way our economy has been managed based on the new liberal market ideology,” she said, adding that “the IMF programme can never take us out of this crisis; our history of engagements with the IMF provides ample evidence that IMF sponsored programmes and policies cannot change our economic circumstances; another IMF programme will only impose more economic burden on us”.
She expressed the belief that government can lead the country out of the economic challenges without the IMF bailout through prudent spending. “We have to change the situation ourselves as Ghanaians; we believe strongly that government can lead us out of this crisis, and the government can do so by cutting expenditure on non-essentials including the need to stop spending on a National Cathedral” she emphasised. She also called on the government to reduce the size of the government by reducing the current number of Ministers and Deputy Ministers serving in the government.
The event brought in high-profile personalities to Jubilee Park who participated and celebrated workers. Some of the personalities include some Eminent Clergy, Traditional Authorities, Heads of Security Services, Heads of Departments and Institutions and Labour Unions,
The Honourable Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong has met with the Vice Chancellors, Registrars, Presidents, and top management of tertiary institutions in the region to extend collaboration between the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council (ERCC) and the Tertiary Institutions in the region to help develop human capacity and bridge the gap between the academia and the practitioners.
The interface which was aimed at strengthening the relationship between the two parties was expected to give an insight into the Programmes offered in the various institutions and to establish the possibility of getting lecturers as Resource Persons for particular topics for ERCC training programmes; creating opportunities for staff to access short courses on the side of RCC and to offer practical opportunities for students to link theory and practice through internships and special visiting arrangement on the side of the academic intuitions.
In his statement, Hon. Acheampong indicated that ERCC brings to the table, a strong grasp of unique and relevant work experience in diverse areas, including but not limited to Public Administration, Planning (both Spatial and Development), Public Financial Management (including Budgeting, Accounting, Auditing), Human Resource Management, Agriculture, Social Development, Procurement and Contract Management (including Works, Goods & Services, etc) and leadership support and encouraged the institutions to bring their years of experience to bear to ensure total development of the region.
The two-day stakeholder engagement held at the Residency saw the Universities, Colleges of Education, and Health Training institutions making presentations on the programme of studies, and areas of possible collaboration between the institutions and the ERCC. They also offered a platform for knowledge sharing.
Consequently, it was agreed that a committee or secretariat be established with the composition of representatives from the academia and ERCC to facilitate bi-annual meetings which were agreed upon by the two parties.