MTN Pulse ‘Just Be Series’, Creates Platform for over 500 Young Entrepreneurs to Interact and Develop Their Passions into Businesses
MTN Ghana Pulse in partnership with Ahaspora Professionals Network hosted over 500 young entrepreneurs at the second edition of ‘MTN Pulse Just Be Series’. The event themed ‘The Chase – Living your Passion’ targeted young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 – 30 years, to discuss how to ignite entrepreneurship with strategies and skills to scale passions for profit. Regina Honu, founder and CEO of Soronko Academy and Tech Needs Girls was the keynote speaker and she shared her story of how she fell in love with technology and coding at a younger age. Upon realizing that only 3 percent of ICT graduates worldwide are women with limited support for them, she founded Tech Needs Girls, a non-profit organization that teaches girls coding and provides mentorship. Regina in her delivery said, she never knew she could be an entrepreneur because she was shy and risk-averse. When asked by the moderator, Apiorkor, how she balances work and family Regina answered, “You have to prioritize and find a supportive partner”. Regina’s parting advice was, “Don’t be afraid to go for what you want when you decide to move, put one foot in front of the other and take action”. Sharing varying thoughts on how people could succeed in their quest to become entrepreneurs, panelists Stephanie Adu, CEO of Colorbox Cosmetics, Ekow Mclean, founder of The Suit Guy, a virtual suit store, and Mabel Simpson Team lead at mSimps, an accessory manufacturing company, shared real life experiences on how they turned their passion into business and the successes chalked so far. Stephanie’s passion for makeup was unearthed in her teenage years when she sold cosmetics in various departmental shops in the USA and UK. She quit her job as an investment banker and moved to Ghana in 2014 to explore how to create a quality luxury brand for women of color. When asked what her biggest challenge was, she said, “My biggest challenge is learning to trust myself, finding the right people that can believe in my dreams; and learning how to manage people in the right way to make sure they are helping me to grow”. Mabel Simpson always had a love for art and studied visual arts in senior high school and Communication Design at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology for her undergraduate studies. She reiterated the lack of support from her parents at the initial stages, but with perseverance, she taught herself how to sew to meet a client’s deadline. Mabel’s journey reflects a challenge many entrepreneurs and startups face: getting buy-in and building a trusted brand. She emphasized the need for a CEO to understand all the different aspects of their operations. Ekow Maclean’s entrepreneurial journey started with his knack for wearing suits. Even in university, he wore a suit every chance he got which earned him the nickname “The Suit Guy ”. Ekow’ s vibrant persona has evolved into the brand, which occurred when he created a personal Instagram page and called it “The Suit Guy”. Bootstrapping is something many entrepreneurs must do to get started; he started his company with GHS 300 from his National Service stipend. He advised participants to “Wear their brand” and leverage storytelling to market their product. Senior Manager for Consumer Marketing at MTN, Nana Asantewaa Amegashie, expressed her satisfaction with the impact the organization is making through its partnership with Ahaspora to empower youth in entrepreneurship. She said, “MTN will continue to develop solutions that will enable the youth to be more efficient in running their businesses and also gain access to the broader markets through the power of technology”. The second edition of MTN Pulse ‘Just Be Series’ reached 31 people in person and 596 viewers virtually. The hybrid event was streamed live on MTN Ghana and Ahaspora’s Facebook and YouTube channels. As a follow up to the event, Ahaspora is organizing a three-session virtual incubator program to provide participants with in-depth resources and tools that will help them thrive in entrepreneurship. The MTN Pulse ‘Just Be’ series is an empowerment program targeted at the youth and it is part of the MTN Ghana’s initiative to empower and groom the youth to be business-oriented. It is also being organized as part of activities to mark MTN’s 25th Anniversary celebrations. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Thomas Duanab DCEship confirmation hits 100% confirmation at once
Assembly Members at the Talensi District have given massive endorsement to Thomas Duanab the President’s nominee for the area. Apexnewsgh.com reports Mr. Duanab secured 100 percent approval from all the 30 Assembly Members/ government appointees who were qualified to go through the process. Before now, Mr. Duanab was the 2016 and 2020 Parliamentary Candidate for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the Talensi Constituency. However, he expressed excitement after the confirmation, as he pledged to operate an open door administration to the people of Talensi. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Bongo: Assembly Members Honored Rita Atanga With 100% Endorsement
Rita Atanga, the President’s nominee for Bongo District of the Upper East Region, has enjoyed a 100 percent endorsement from the Assembly members. Apexnewsgh.com reports All 54 members of the Assembly made up of elected and government appointees eligible to cast their votes, voted YES in favor of Madam Atanga as President’s Representative in Bongo District. Meanwhile, the massive endorsement of Madam Atanga came after some dialogue and it was proposed by the Assembly Members to confirm her by popular acclamation which was rejected by the official of the Electoral Commission (EC). Madam Atanga is becoming the first woman in the Bongo district to occupy the office of District Chief Executive (DCE). However, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bongo Constituency Edward Bawa was also seen present pleading with assembly members to vote massively for the president’s nominee. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Go back to court, I don’t think your chief arbitrator is giving you fair treatment —Paul Danka gives free advice to Yenyeya Mining Enterprise
John Paul Danka a Communication Team member of the Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who doubles as a native of Talensi District of the Upper East Region has advised Yenyeya Mining Enterprise an aggrieved registered small scale mining company operating in Gbane Community to proceed back to court. Apexnewsgh.com reports According to a brief history between Yenyeya Mining Enterprise and Shaanxi Mining Limited now known as EARL International. It is public knowledge that Shaanxi mining now Earl International Group (GH) Gold Mining Limited came into Gbane community of Talensi through Yenyeya the owner of the concession they currently occupied. It is also public knowledge that Shaanxi Mining was brought in to give Yenyeya a mining support service. It is also public knowledge that these two entities have worked together as partners since 2008. However, the latest development causing albatross per what is out there in the public domain got to do with the Chinese moving into a large-scale mining business under the name “Earl International Group (GH) Gold Mining Limited” through the back door which has been described as a strategy of taking over the concession that belonged to Yenyeya (his Ghanaian employer). Yenyeya Mining Enterprise later went to court praying for “an independent professional auditor” to audit the “mining operations and other related activities” that have been carried out inside the Yenyeya Mining Enterprise’s concession from 2008 to date. However, the Plaintiff is also praying the High Court to pronounce a restraining order “in the nature of a perpetual injunction” stopping Earl International Group (GH) Gold Mining Limited “from doing illegal mining and related activities” in the Yenyeya Mining Enterprise’s small-scale concession and from entering the concession until the court case is over. Yenyeya Mining Enterprise further seek “relief for damages resulting from injury caused to Plaintiff’s rights by the willful and malicious conversion of Plaintiff’s ownership of its small-scale mining concession by the defendants”. It is also looking for relief for “damages sustained from injury to Plaintiff’s property resulting from breach of contract and the unauthorized and wrongful exercise of control over Plaintiff’s concession by the defendants”. But according to Mr. Danka who was speaking on Dreams FM Morning Show monitored by Apexnewsgh.com on October 8, 2021, the actions exhibited so far by the regional minister who happens to be the arbitrator between the mining partners has not shown any atom of equal fairness to Yenyeya Mining Enterprise. “I was expecting that time the sector/regional minister will be giving the commentary and even before the company that are coming in are given there prospective licensing and what have you per whichever stage they have gotten to MOU should have been signed with the assembly and our Tidaan and Chiefs been parts of these MOUs. “Because our land tenant system here they should remember, is different from any other land system here in the country depending on where you found yourself. In Talensi, we know that Tindaana’s own lands so they need to be part of parcel of these MOUs and to appreciate exactly what the mining Companies have brought”. “And here is the situation, the politicians is usual of them, we will come and speak big big grammer, introduce the miners to you chiefs and what have you and they will leave you and whatever they have signed for the companies and what the companies are giving them in return, they have taken their share and they are gone. And remember, an appointment is not forever”. “So, I am expecting that by now, we should have been talking about MOU been signed by the assembly and telling the people of Talensi what they intend to do for us in 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years 20 years as they mine, so that we can track their activities. This is what they called, (we are learning from the past). But what they did, is the same thing. The repeated has been happening. Those coming to chief created an impression that they are the best, but they can’t be at the site to know the damage and how activities will affect the people on the ground. That is the situation we are still confronted with” “You see, the companies they have mentioned their names apart from I think Cardinal Resource that am aware that they had their own concession. ”This company that they went to visit for instance… Why are we doing this to ourselves? You see, the regional minister mislead the sector minister. Because we all know that where he went and met EARL is not for EARL. Shaanxi is no more Shaanxi because Shaanxi should have even moved their things long ago. You see, in all these happenings, I blamed Yenyeya, I still don’t know what they are waiting for. They are your employees, you didn’t even need to wait for these people to come and write to them to leave because the law is no more working. Once you have been told to demobilize and leave, so be it. EARL claimed they have paid compensation to other people close to 16 square acre, you should have gone to meet them there. Do you meet Cardinal Resource in somebody’s concession? He questioned And you see, the matter is at court concerning certain unfilled agreements they have not done and you the Regional Minister requested for an out of court settlement, you are now the Chief arbitrator of this case and you know that there is an injunction that no one should enter the place and no one should use the place. So, how then did you the Chief arbitrator get up and be following one party? When you know that we have not solved the problem, the problem is not been solved, we have not finished. For me, I will advise Yenyeya, they should go back to the court because, the way and manner the chief arbitrator is acting, I don’t think they will get any fair treatment from him. They should go back
Bawku West: Issahaku Ahmed Tahiru gets one-touch confirmation by assembly members
President nominee for Bawku West of the Upper East Region Issahaku Ahmed Tahiru has received a one-touch endorsement by the Bawku West assembly members. Apexnewsgh.com reports Mr. Tahiru, is one of the newly nominated District Chief Executive (DCE) in the Akufo-Addo second administration. The confirmation of Mr. Tahiru as DCE came immediately of the Presiding Member (PM) Awini Asaana Zakaria was elected by the assembly members. However, after the swearing-in of the newly elected Presiding Member, the Electoral Commission (EC) official present gave the room for the voting of District Chief Executive nominee who was later confirmed by the assembly members with a 37 YES and 12 NO voting which automatically sees him through as the confirmed President representative in the Bawku West District. Addressing members of the Assembly and the people of Bawku West, Mr. Tahiru expressed excitement with the level of love shown to him by the assembly members. He says, his doors will be open to all for better development in the district. Meanwhile, the former Deputy Upper East Regional Minister Fuseini Adongo, the Bawku West MP Cletus Avoka, the former Upper East NPP Regional Chairman Mr. Murtala, the Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu some other dignitaries were all present to contribute their quota. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Nabdam: President’s Nominee received overwhelming endorsement
The 19 Assembly Members/government appointees of the Nabdam District Assembly of the Upper East Region have unanimously given the President’s nominee for the position of District Chief Executive (DCE) Agnes Anamoo 100% endorsement. Apexnewsgh.com reports The first attempt to confirm the Nabdam DCE nominee went bizarre after the regrettable disappointment by some assembly members who voted against her approval as District Chief Executive (DCE). Meanwhile, before confirming Madam Anamoo as the President’s nominee for the Nabdam District, Wongnab Francis Mbire a constituency secretary who also contested the Dceship position and Moses Mba Dee, a polling secretary at Kugre, who also contested as an assembly member and lost at the Kotindadig electoral area were relieved from their positions as government appointees, as Thomas Kugoug a constituency treasurer and Veronica Barik were appointed as a replacement into the assembly as government appointees. However, after the swearing-in of the newly appointed government appointees, the 19 assembly members unanimously gave the re-nominated Agnes Anomoo 100% endorsements. “I am deeply honored and humbled by the confidence that His Excellency the President has reposed in me and the gesture of unison that Hon. Members of this august House have demonstrated today” I consider the trust you have placed in me sacred and I will give my all to justify confidence. It is a moment of personal honor and responsibility. There has never been a more humbling moment in my life than this” She described her confirmation as a victory for all as she dedicated the moment to all those who struggled and sacrificed by making her confirmation possible. The member of Parliament/Chiefs and the people of Nabdam were massively present at the scene to witness the confirmation event on Thursday, October 7, 2021 at the assembly hall. They were all excited at the peaceful confirmation grounds. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Former DCE for Bolgatanga East ‘fingers’ U/E Regional Minister over rejection of Binduri DCE nominee
Message by former DCE for Bolgatanga East, Emmanuel Abugre Abole to Regional Minister Hello Hon RM, I have read from other platforms that the Binduri candidate who is your District candidate could not make it. Is there any explanation to this rather embarrassing twist of events? Two weeks ago, in your office, you admonished us to do our best to ensure our various candidates are endorsed and by that wanted to prevent me from traveling to Cape Coast to re-engage with my institution until the candidate was confirmed. I did my homework to ensure that open and known saboteur received 100% while I was away. How come you failed woefully to put your house in order and therefore bringing this shame to the President? I personally smell your hand in this unfortunate happening. You have teamed up with the Regional Chairman to cause more harm to the Party. After the Regional Chairman was motivated with some beatings his candidate got 100%. Congratulations to those who gave him that spontaneous treatment I hope you are not heading in that direction. God have mercy on NPP in Upper East and save us from destroyers like you and the Chairman. Good night and sound sleep —A1Radioonline Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Binduri: Assembly Members Elected Presiding Member and Smartly Voted Against President Nominee
The Binduri District of the Upper East Region has failed in the first attempt to confirm the President’s nominee for the position of District Chief Executive (DCE) in the area but succeeded in electing Atilata Ndeogo Salifu as Presiding Member Apexnewsgh.com reports Mr. Ayinga Abagre Yakubu the incumbent DCE for the Binduri District Assembly is one of the former appointees from the first Akufo-Addo’s administration who enjoys a re-nomination from President in his current MMDCEs nominees in the region. However, before the unsuccessful confirmation of the DCE, the Assembly deem it necessary to elect a Presiding Member to stir the affair of the Assembly. But unfortunately, that process became a success after 3 good attempts by the Assembly Members which consumed about 7hours of people’s precious time. The Presiding Member-elect for the Atilata Ndeogo Salifu after the election, used the platform to apologize to everyone present for the unfortunate delay and frustrations witnessed during the process, as he extends his gratitude to all and sundry for supporting his candidate as the Presiding Member for the Binduri District. He further promised to cooperate accordingly with the District Chief Executive (DCE) if confirmed and his colleague’s assembly members for the development of the district. Ironically, when the opportunity came for the confirmation of the President’s nominee Ayinga Abagre Yakubu who happened to be the incumbent DCE in the area, both the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu and the Member of Parliament for the Binduri Abanga Abdulai was given an opportunity to give a short speech of conviction to the Assembly Members. However, it appears the plea from the two Binduri Statesmen could not do the magic as expected because the 17 Assembly Members which includes government appointees voted 10 YES and 7 NO which automatically makes it impossible for the President’s nominee to go through. Per the constitution, the Assembly will reconvene within 10 days for the opportunity to approve or disapprove Mr. Ayinga Abagre Yakubu. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093