MTN Ghana Invites Entries For 25th Anniversary Bright Media Awards Competition
MTN Ghana has launched its 25th Anniversary Bright Media Awards Competition to reward Ghanaian journalists. The Bright Media Awards Competition will reward journalists across the country for their immense contribution to the growth of the business through storytelling. The competition is part of activities being organised to commemorate MTN’s 25th anniversary celebration. Journalists are invited to submit entries on the topic: MTN Ghana – 25 Years of Brightening Lives. The rules of the competition are as follows: The competition is open to all Ghanaian journalists working in print, online media/digital, radio and television. Use of digital multimedia approaches/presentation will be an advantage Entries must be original works not previously published or broadcasted Print and online – article of not more than 1000 words. Radio – Audio documentary or magazine programme of not more than five minutes Video submission must be a short video/ documentary or magazine programme of not more than five minutes There will be a special award for best photographic presentation on the theme. Photographers/photojournalists are encouraged to send photos with captions and contexts. There is a limit of two entries per person. Awards prizes Overall winner will receive up to 25,000 cedis worth of prizes, including cash, digital device, plaque and other gifts. Category winners will also receive up to 10,000 cedis worth of prizes including cash prize, digital device and plaque. There will be special awards/consolation prizes as well. All entries are to be submitted digitally via brightmediaawards@mtn.com and the deadline for submission of entries is 5pm on November 25, 2021. Speaking on behalf of the Chief Corporate Services Officer of MTN Ghana, Nana Kofi Asare, Senior Manager, Commercial Legal said, “the media have been key to the success of the business; they have shared our stories with Ghanaians for the past 25 years. Through them we have kept our stakeholders and customers updated and informed on our operations and plans, and as we celebrate 25 years, it is only right that we include them in the celebrations and reward them for their good work”, he added. MTN launched its 25th anniversary in June 2021 to commemorate the company’s operations in Ghana. Several activities have been organized to celebrate customers, partners for their support and loyalty over the past 25 years. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
GES to supply large quantity of science equipment and chemicals to NAVASCO—Dr. Bawumia
Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed, that the Ghana Education Service( will also be supplying a large quantity of science equipment and chemicals to NAVASCO next week. The Vice President Dr. Bawumia gave the assurance to students of NAVASCO during his speech to mark the school’s 60th Anniversary celebrations. Dr. Bawumia also revealed some government contributions especially in terms of providing quality education and providing a conducive environment for teaching and learning. “Government is committed to providing quality education and providing a conducive environment for teaching and learning, especially in this age of the fourth industrial revolution. That is why we have provided free Wifi in 710 Senior High Schools across the country, including NAVASCO. There is also free Wifi in 46 Colleges of Education, and 13 public universities. 350,000 laptops have also been supplied to teachers across the country. We will be doing even more to make teaching and learning more accessible and in tune with modern trends. He said Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
NAVASCO: Shun acts of vandalism, recklessness and defiance to School authority-Dr. Bawumia to Nabians
Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has admonished students of Navrongo Senior High School (NAVASCO) campus in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region not to get involved in any act of vandalism. Apexnewsgh.com reports The Vice President Dr. Bawumia offered free advice to the student of NAVASCO as part of his speech to mark the school’s 60th Anniversary celebrations. “You must shun all negative activities and invest your time and energies in acquiring goods of the mind -imagination, knowledge, and creativity- and the development of your capabilities and skills for the future. Acts of vandalism, recklessness and defiance to School authority would not make you a proud NABIA and certainly not a good citizen of Ghana. He advised “Let me also admonish students on the use of mobile phones and the internet. Our digital and educational revolution requires the use of these instruments. But, they must never become inseparable companions and distractions to you. The mobile phone, even though has positives, some students often use them for the negative activities and spend more time on the phone to the detriment of their studies. Let us embrace the technological progress for academic excellence. Dr. Bawumia Admonished Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Support us to maintain law and order – IGP to journalists
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), COP George Akuffo Dampare, has told the media to partner the Police in ensuring law and order in the country. He said this at engagement with senior editors in Accra on Thursday November 4. In series of tweets after the engagement he said “He, therefore, called on them to use their powerful platforms to partner with the Police in the maintenance of law and order and to collectively confront issues affecting the security of the country.” “He assured the media that the Police Administration is determined to deliver on its constitutional mandate. The Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, chaired the meeting and he was supported by members of the Police Management Board.” “Ghana Police Service Meets Editors and Media Partners The Ghana Police Service continued its strategic stakeholder engagements, yesterday, Thursday, November 4, 2021, with a meeting between the Police Administration and editors, media managers and partners” “The President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr. Roland Affail Monney, moderated the event. Also in attendance were some other Senior Police Officers from the Greater Accra and the Tema Regional Police Commands.” —3news. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
FULL TEXT: Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s Public Lecture On Digitization
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia delivered a public lecture on Ghana’s digital economy and how the government has used digitization to achieve many milestones by addressing some social and economic issues. The lecture, which happened at the Ashesi University, was on the topic “Using digitisation to transform an economy – The Ghana story”. Read the full lecture below: Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak at Ashesi University this evening. This is one of the leading and most sought-after universities in Ghana and Africa. Congratulations to the founder and President, Patrick Awuah, to the faculty, staff and students for such an accomplishment in under 2 decades with all its teething challenges. Download Bawumia’s Ashesi Digitisation Lecture Nov1 Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Release GETFund monies to enable them pay contractors – Ofori-Atta told
Member of Parliament for Buem, Mr Kofi Adams, has asked the Finance Minister Mr Ken Ofori-Atta to release funds to the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to enable them pay contractors. According to him, the inability of GETFund to pay the contractors has resulted in abandoned projects all over the country. Mr Adams explained that it came out from a meeting officials of the GETFund had with Parliament that the Ministry of Finance had failed to release their funds. He noted that despite government using GETFUnd as collateral for loans, works continue to stall on educational projects. He told TV3 in an interview that “Unfortunately, contractors who we thought would be paid out of this seven billion [facility] that was raised through this means are still complaining of not being paid and looking at from last time till now. “If we will continue to have a situation where these very contractors are not returning to site because they feel that they are owed for works already done and certificates so presented. “It is unfortunate because the thinking was that with that huge resources available now, we will be able to complete all these projects. But that it is not happening and the funds now have to be paying every other time for these very facility that has already been taken but we are not seeing the effect of this facility in the completion of projects. That is why I am particularly worried. “The last time GETFund came to parliament it looks more like it was the Ministry of Finance that is not releasing the moneys to them,” he said. Last week, the Minority in parliament served notice that they would initiate a probe into a $1.5 billion security that was approved for the GETFund to undertake completion of critical educational facilities. Parliament in 2018 approved the $1.5 billion loan for the GETFund to support the development of educational infrastructure. This was amidst objections raised by the Minority. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmakers insisted that they could not back the loan agreement because they were unaware of the lender of the facility. Dr. Anthony Osei Akoto, the then Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation, said the minority members had been informed about the lender. He went ahead to announce to the House who the lender was – CAL Bank. “Mr Speaker, let us be honest with ourselves, other than that, we will be setting examples that we cannot continue to follow” he added. But the minority, despite boycotting the passage, say they will probe this loan facility. Dr Clement Apaak, Deputy Ranking member, Education Committee of Parliament told journalists after a tour of some uncompleted projects in the country on Tuesday October 19 2021 that “We are all aware of the inadequacy of infrastructure which is why the obnoxious double track system was introduced. “So, when we have structures like this, 90 per cent complete, at a cost of 9 million cedis and yet we cannot complete it for students to have access to education , for classroom sizes to be reduced, for communities to have hope that their wards are going to benefit from the free senior high school, clearly, we cannot forgive government. “Because the 1.5 billion dollars that GETFund was securitised to obtain was supposed to help complete what they themselves described as essential educational infrastructure and they indicated in their memo to parliament to that was to address the increased number of students who have come on stream as a result of the coming into being of the free SHS policy, so why is this here. “Is it that we don’t have the money? What have they done with the 1.5billion that we securitised the GETFund for? Is it not time they come to parliament to account for how many of the critical educational infrastructure they have completed so that we know there is value for money in a community such as this which doesn’t even have a secondary school. Is it fair?” —3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Cybersecurity month: MTN educates public on securing home, office and devices
Nothing is more important in this year’s cybersecurity month, than a focus on ways to cyber secure one’s home and office as working, learning and connecting virtually has become the new normal amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, Covid-19 has made working from home the order of the day, and that has given rise to the need for businesses to establish digital links between the office and homes of individual workers via cyberspace for work to go on, while ensuring employer safety. This gives no business comfort, because in doing so, they risk exposing trade secrets and classified information to the outside world through transfer of information between the office and the home. Whereas working from home was initially viewed as something that was going to impact productivity negatively, it has proven rather beneficial to many businesses, in that, when people work from home, they tend to work even beyond normal working hours, while attending to other home responsibilities. But it still does not take away the security risk that could pose to businesses. There are however very simple ways to secure homes and office, as well as the cyberspace that facilitate communication between the two locations to prevent hacks and interception of classified information. Beside the compelling reason for the working from home to remain amid Covid-19, the new normal now is digital and virtual; so many businesses and individual continue to do many hitherto offline financial transactions, not online. This obviously comes with its own risks of individuals and businesses having their bank and or mobile money wallets details exposed to cyberfraudsters if not well protected. Telecoms market leader, MTN Ghana has therefore put forward a number of ways Ghanaians could effectively secure their homes and offices and prevent any digital exposure and a compromise of the cyberspace between the office and the home. Passwords Firstly, MTN emphasizes the need for one to secure their wireless networks by changing the default administrator password to one’s internet router or any wireless access point, and also give each device and online account its own unique password. “Use a strong and unique password for each device and online account to make it difficult for outsiders to hack you device and or online account and access your vital information,” it said. Connected devices It also urges Ghanaian to ensure that they know all the devices connected to their wireless home network and be sure all those devices are trust. This is important because with a wireless home network like the MTN TurboNet for instance, several individual devices like phones, tablets, laptops and even smart televisions could be connected to it. Sometimes even visitors are given the access to the wireless network and any of the devices could be doing any activity that can pose a risk to others. Indeed, a visitor’s device connected to the TurboNet of this writer once did an online transaction payable with airtime and the system charged the fee, not the airtime of the person who did the transaction, but on the airtime on the TurboNet without the knowledge of yours truly. So it is important to know what each connected device is doing at any time. Regular backup It is also important, according to MTN, to ensure regular backup of important information so that one can always have access to missing information incase of a hack or any challenges. A number of ways to back include saving information on Google Drive. iCloud and or other online channels like in one’s email. The way to do this back ups can be found in phone settings, depending on the phone one uses. What to do is to do a Google Search on “how to backup information online” and follow the lead to do so. You are the shield It is important to remember that fraudster often capitalize on social engineering rather than technical know-how to commit their fraudster. In other words, the attack is mostly targeted at the individual, rather than the networks complex technical platform. In many experiences today, mobile money fraud, WhatsApp account hacks and many others are targeted at individuals and the fraudsters only succeed when the individual display naivity, gullibility and or greed. So the best shield or protection for each person online is the person himself. Each person needs to be vigilant and highly alert to hack and fraud attempts, which come hard on daily basis and in different forms. MTN therefore proposes a few simple tips to enable Ghanaians be on the alert regularly and avoid becoming victims of cyber fraud. No one is off limits The first thing to do is to avoid the wrong mindset that says “it can’t happen to me”. No one is off limits. In less than one week, yours truly had three attempts by fraudsters seeking to hijack my WhatsApp account. A former telecoms executive recently made a post of Facebook telling of how her mobile money wallet and WhatsApp accounts were hacked by a clever fraudster pretending to be a staff of a telco. The fraudster capitalized solely on her gullibility by making her trust him. She only realized it after they had done some damage to her. No one is off limits! Two-step verification Secondly, use two-step verification on all your online accounts – WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and others. What this does is that whenever someone tries to hack your account, the service provide would always send you a secret code (often six digits) and inform you that your account is being re-set. The fraudster would call you and pretend to be helping you by asking you to mention the code to to them. But NEVER-repeat-NEVER mention the secret code to them or anyone for that matter. If you do, your account is gone for good. Bot links Some people are fond of clicking every link they see online – whether on WhatsApp, Facebook, email, Twitter and what-have-you. It is important to be circumspect on what links to click because several of those link can
Ranks in GES and their attached salaries and allowances paid teachers
To be a teacher in Ghana comes with a lot of benefits although the majority complain about the monthly salaries paid to them monthly. The Ghana Education Service (GES) does not only pay salaries to teachers in the various ranks but also pays some deserving allowances to teachers. This post is to enlighten and encourage younger ones who have the interest to work with the GES as teachers in the near future not to give up their dreams because there are major benefits that many teachers won’t disclose to them. This article will mainly throw more light on teachers’ salaries and allowances received by teachers in each of the GES ranks. Firstly, let’s take a look at the ranks and their salaries and look at the allowances in the latter part. GES RANKS OF TEACHERS AND THEIR ATTACHED SALARIES The following are the ranks in the Ghana Education Service (GES). A rank is a hierarchical arrangement of positions in the GES. It is vital to note that in the teaching fraternity, workers’ salaries are determined by ranks. There are ten ranks in the GES. From the top (Highest) to downwards (Lowest) are the ranks. Note that the salaries mentioned in this article start at Grade Base. Grade Base means the initial salaries the below-mentioned ranks receive but as time goes on, every year their steps increase with corresponding money addition. The salary levels start at 25.1, 24.1., 20.1, 18.1. 16.1…etc. Kindly note that these analyses were made in line with the 2021 Single Spine Salary Structure released by the Ministry of Finance. Director General Deputy Director Assistant Director I Assistant Director II Principal Superintendent Senior Superintendent I Senior Superintendent II Superintendent II Superintendent I Teacher DIRECTOR-GENERAL The Director-General is the rank highest in the GES. The rank is based on political appointment by a sitting government upon recommendations by the GES Council. This means that whoever is appointed as a Director General serves for a maximum of four (4) years and then leaves office with the particular government that appointed him/her. The Director-General of GES performs special functions which lead to the implementation of better educational policies in the country. Aside from the above, the DG of GES seeks the promotion, upgrading, and recruitment of graduates from both universities and colleges. The DG is also responsible for negotiating with the government for better conditions of service such as payment of salaries and allowances to teachers. The DG of GES is paid good allowances such as clothing allowances, travel allowances, etc. The salary level of the DG is 25 with an annual salary of GHS75, 050.10. Dividing the annual salary by the 12 months will be equal to GHS6,254.175. Hence the monthly gross salary of the DG of GES is GHS6,254.175. NOTE: Gross salary is the monthly amount salary paid by the Controller And Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) without any deduction. After deductions are made, the amount paid to you is known as the NET SALARY. DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL The Deputy Director-General is the next in command in the absence of the Director-General. In GES, there are two deputy directors. We have the deputy director in charge of quality and assurance and the deputy director in charge of management service. Their sole responsibility is to provide technical and administrative support to the Director-General which will intend to help the Ghana Education Service to achieve its targets. They, therefore, help to coordinate the activities of other divisions under the GES. The salary level of the Deputy Director-General of GES is 24 with an annual salary of GHS65,581.98. Dividing the figure by 12 months will be GHS 5,465.165. This means that the DD receives GHS 5,465.165 as a monthly salary. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR I The responsibility of Assistant Director I is to track the progress of policies implemented by the Ministry of Education. One will have to serve under the Assistant Director II rank for 3 years before qualifying to be promoted to the above rank. Before one can be promoted after he/she has written and passed the annual promotion aptitude test conducted by the GES. The average salary level of this rank is 20 with an annual salary of GHS37,600.45. Dividing this by 12 months will give you GHS3,133.370 as monthly gross. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR II The above rank serves as an assistant to Assistant Director I. They provide assistance to Assistant Director I as they help in discharging the duties and responsibilities. Before one qualifies for the above rank, he/she must serve a minimum of three (3) years as a Principal Superintendent in GES. The salary level of GES staff on this rank is 18 with an annual gross salary of GHS29,1999.72. This means that the monthly gross salary is GHS2,433.31. PRINCIPAL SUPERINTENDENT The Principal Superintendent (PS) rank is attained in GES when one serves for a minimum of 5-years or more under the Senior Superintendent I rank. However, persons who get recruited using their degree certificate are put on the above rank without having to pass through the senior superintendent rank. They are put in charge of managing schools in the circuits and they are also responsible for managing the classrooms. The salary level for the above rank is 16 with an annual gross of GHS23,852.14. Dividing this by 12 months will give you a monthly salary gross of GHS1,987.678. SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT I A teacher qualifies to be put on this rank when he/she has served under the senior superintendent II rank for four (4) years with encouraging work output. They are usually diploma holders from the college of education. Teachers under this rank are placed on the salary level of 15. The annual gross is GHS21,197.30 with a monthly gross of GHS1,766.441. SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT II Teachers who are diploma holders are rightly put on this rank after recruitment by the GES. They are mainly college graduates who graduate with diploma certificates. SALARY LEVEL: 14. ANNUAL GROSS: GHS18,837.96. MONTHLY GROSS: GHS1,569.83 TEACHERT his rank covers unprofessional persons in the GES. Unprofessional here mean individuals who did not study or read education as a course but have found their way to work with the GES. These can be individuals
Free SHS not funded by LGBTQI countries — MoE Deputy PRO
The Deputy Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Education says that propaganda being churned out by opponents that the funding of the Free SHS program will halt if Ghana’s Parliament passed the proposed anti-LGBTQ bill should be ignored. Mr. Yaw Opoku-Mensah in a media engagement with some journalists in Kumasi said currently, the Free SHS programme is being funded by the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) which is proceeds from the country’s oil resources. He noted that the Free SHS and school feeding programmes are wholly funded by the government of Ghana and not donor-funded by LGBTQ countries as being reported by some online portals. He assured parents and stakeholders that the Free Senior High School initiative is a generational legacy and government will continue to provide the needed resources to keep it running for the benefit of all. Providing an update on the fire that gutted the boys’ dormitory of the Nyinahin Catholic Senior High School (SHS) in the Atwima Mponua District in the Ashanti Region, the Deputy PRO says an investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire and culprits found will be dealt with as prescribed by the law. —Modernghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
MTN Bright Scholarship beneficiaries graduate with flying colours
Three beneficiaries of the MTN Bright Scholarship, who pursued various degree programmes at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), have graduated with flying colours. Adinani Dikono, who pursued BSC Accounting and Finance, Solomon Ofori Kwafo, BSC Actuarial Science and Ebo Krampah, BSC Accounting and Finance all graduated with Second Class Upper during the 13th Congregation of the University in Accra. Solomon Ofori Kwafo made MTN Ghana proud by emerging as the Best Graduating Student of Actuarial Science. The three were among the first batch of 100 scholarships awarded in 2018 to students in public tertiary institutions. The three graduate beneficiaries of the scholarship programme thanked MTN Ghana for investing in their future and promised the telecom company board, management, and staff that they wouldn’t disappoint them. “Without the MTN’s scholarships, most of us would have deferred our courses due to financial difficulties,” they said. Adinani Dikono, who hails from a village in the Upper West Region, said he was fortunate to have had the support of MTN Ghana to complete his course. He appealed to the telecommunications giant to continue to help needy but brilliant students achieve their dreams in life. “I consider myself lucky coming from a village in the Upper West Region, and I believe a lot more people will need the help of MTN,” he added. MTN Bright Scholarship was initiated in 2018 to fulfil a commitment MTN made to Ghanaians during the commemoration of its 20th Anniversary in 2016. So far, 300 scholarships have been awarded to students in public tertiary institutions across the country for 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years. The Scholarship provides badly needed financial assistance to needy and brilliant students in public tertiary institutions. It covers the cost of tuition, accommodation, a stipend for books and other relevant reading materials for the entire duration of their studies. —myjoyonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093