2nd edition of HOMOFEST launched

(Mrs. Ofosu Agyare delivering the keynote address to launch the Homofest)

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts last Friday launched its 2nd edition of the Homofest under the theme “Unity and Development” at the Foyer of the National Theatre.
The main objective of the Homofest is to afford the chiefs and the people of Ga-Dangbe an opportunity to showcase their rich, diverse culture and creative arts potentials to both the local and the International Community for socio-economic development.

Speaking at the launch, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts noted that, the festival was used to bring all Ga-Dangbe Chiefs and Queen mothers under one umbrella in a historic nature, and also serve as a means for people to reflect on their past, settle on their differences, forgive one another and to show love.

She then commended the Ministries of Local Government and the Rural Development and Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, the Greater Accra Regional coordinatingCouncil, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly ,all Assemblies in the Greater Accra Region, the Regional House of Chiefs and other Stakeholders for supporting for Ministry to create this festival.

In his speech, Hon. NiiLanteVanderpuije, Deputy Minister of Local and Rural Development, stated that, “the core values of the Ga tradition is fading, as some cultural events are retrogressing due to adulteration by the youth”.
He therefore stressed on the need for the tenets of the Ga culture to be inculcated into the training of children, adding that schools at various levels should incorporate cultural studies into their curriculum. “The Homofest is to showcase rich and unadulterated cultural events to revive the cultural conscience of the Ga-Dangbe people”, he reiterated.

The Homofest is to climax the celebrations of the Homowo Festival of the People of Ga-Dangbe after all the various stools namely Tema, Nungua, Osu, Teshie, La, Prampram, Ningo, Ga Mashie have all completed their individual celebrations.

Here are some pictures of attendees the launch;

DEMAND FOR WRIST WATCHES DECLINE…..as mobile phone business booms

Through the advent of technology, a lot of things have evolved with time, from fashion to the food we eat. This has gone a long way in our strong desire for the use of mobile phones over watches in telling the time.

History of watches
In the past, the medium used in telling the time was the crowing of the cock and the sun, in the mornings and the afternoons respectively, but it was a bit challenging because if you miss the cock crowing in the morning, the only time you would get to know the time again is when the sun set.
Notwithstanding the fact that people struggled to patronize wrist watches in the past, due to how expensive it was, which allowed the affluent and the middle income earners to have access to it.
Watches were highly commended because it was believed to add some touch to the dressing of both ladies and gentlemen.

Watches in the markets
There are different types of watches on the Ghanaian markets counting from
The leather watch, bracelet form- like type of watch and the rubber type which are bluffing and attractive to put on.
It also has several brand names like the Rolex, Gucci, Hermes Bul-gari among others which are the latest brands on the market and are quite expensive though there are imitations to serve the same purpose.

Lifestyles
These days the patronage of cell phones has taken over the markets of most appliances because of some multi- functional purposes it comes with, such as cameras, video recorders, radio, scanners, internet access and even television
Modernization has given way to technology and other forms of watches and clocks were designed to suit the preference of every taste. Little did we know that the use of mobile phones will one day replace wrist watches?
In an exclusive interview, Enoch Baah, a banker expressed that he normally sought to his handset as a means of telling the time since watches nowadays look bulky in size and finds it unease when wearing it.
Another lady also hinted that she has different kinds of watches to suit every occasion and anytime she wears it, it makes her feel complete as a woman.

Sales
Most watch vendors this reporter interviewed complained about the low sales of the purchasing of watches nowadays. Kwame Boahene, a watch seller and repairer at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, said that for the past two years there has been low sales of the purchase of wrist watches which has made it difficult for him to fend for his family. He added that customers fail to collect their repaired watches after he has incurred extra cost on them.
Also the low sales of watches have become a blessing in disguise for some phone vendors and repairers. Nana Kofi who has been in the phone business for 10 years, noted:” there has been a boom in my business since customers visit my shop to repair their phones frequently and want the early looking at it’s multi-functional purpose “
Although people do not patronize wrist watches as they use to do, it stills adds some sort of confidence to people who use them and gives them some respect.

HOW TO CONTROL YOUR MIND TO WORK FOR YOU

Have you ever wondered why things are not moving in the direction you want? It’s because of the kind of mindset you have, which is yielding you to unsatisfied results. It’s a choice to live in wealth or poverty, failure or success, death or life, depending on what you engulf in your system.
There are instances that we find ourselves in bizarre circumstances which we find it difficult to opt out because we have failed to think deep into which path to take. In our social circles we encounter people who have climbed the ladder of success, not because they are exceptionally intelligent or have a special IQ, but they have a winning mentality.
Are you struggling with your grades? Do you think it’s too late for you in life? Are your peers ahead of you in life?
Don’t worry here are 3 steps to unleash your dreams with your mindset;

•The winning mindset
It’s possible to achieve your set goals with a sure chance of winning, if you have the winning mentality. Someone will ask how? It works because your mental cavity has process the word “winning” in that space ,so you realize that your efforts is catapulted into winning.
However, you can also achieve that if you forgo the lapses you’ve encountered in the past to fulfill what’s ahead.
One fact about the attitude of winning is you don’t stop till you win and its quite challenging because in the cause of it you face some impediment on the way, but your source of inspiration comes from your way of thinking.
The winning mindset has a determined spirit.

•The discipline mindset
Discipline is very important in fulfilling any task, because without it, one can never attain the desired results he /she needs.
Self discipline involves a lot because you tend to invest your time, resources and energy into whatever you wish to accomplish.
An indiscipline mindset is bound to fail because it fails to make sacrifices for the set goals and purpose.
How do you expect to pass your examinations without proper planning and effective studies? You are sometimes compelled to sacrifice your night sleeps in order to come up with good grades.
Promotion at your job doesn’t come cheap, though some are awarded promotion on biases. Having a discipline mindset can lead you to your promotion, because hard work pays.

•The optimistic Mindset
Research has shown that man’s true reflection is based on the thoughts processes, so you should be particular with the intake of things you feed your mind with. Always have a positive mindset, though negative thoughts may conflicts along the line, and just allow positive thoughts to dominate your mind because the more you practice that you would see positive results.

VLISCO AMBASADDOR TOURS NETHERLANDS

The Vlisco Ambassador, Elizabeth Patterson, joined other Vlisco ambassadors across Africa on an exclusive 3-day trip to the Netherlands as part of their prize for winning Vlisco Women’s Month 2015.
During her trip, Elizabeth got to enjoy the sights of Netherlands and visited the Vlisco factory in Helmond, to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the authentic Dutch wax fabrics are made.

Here are her experiences and insights she shared about the trip which took place earlier this month:

• You recently returned from a trip to Holland with the other Vlisco Ambassadors, visiting the home of Vlisco - How was the experience?
I enjoyed the opportunity to visit Holland again, meet with the other 5 ambassadors, learn their stories, and about their journeys. We got a tour of the Holland factory and several workshops and tutorials, which I believe made us all true connoisseurs of style by the end of the trip.

• What was the highlight of the trip for you?
The highlights of the trip were meeting and engaging with the other ambassadors and the surprise horseback riding activity on the third day. I had not been on a horse since my teenage years in high school. It was great to literally get back on the horse after so many years.

• How was it interacting with the other Ambassadors from Africa?
This was very good. I connected with Dotun from Nigeria the most as we were partners for "the path to being a heroine" workshop which allowed us to share professional and personal stories with one another.

• What insight did you gain about Vlisco during your trip?
The trip allowed me to broaden my knowledge of the Vlisco brand more. Touring the factory gave us a visual of the attention to detail that goes into the making of a single fabric- from design to mass printing and distribution. One of Vlisco's pillars is to be innovative and forward thinking - this was seen in the fact that they have collections for the next 3 quarters of 2015, 2016, and 2017! The design team is constantly thinking ahead and creating unique colour combinations that no other brand has.

• How would you sum up the trip in one sentence?
The trip was the official beginning of my journey as Vlisco's Ghana brand ambassador and I learned a great deal to become a true connoisseur of style.

• Anything else to add about the trip?
Meeting with the Vlisco staff and team was equally good for me and the other ambassadors. We observed the dedication the teams have for the Vlisco brand.

Elizabeth is the founder and executive director of the Girls Education Initiative of Ghana (GEIG) whose mission is to provide academic and financial support for girls including applicants with special needs, so they may access secondary, higher education, and professional opportunities.
Below are some of the pix of her trip with the other ambasaddors;

FATHERFEST @ 5-Health Concern Ghana Celebrates

The Executive Director,Mrs Aboagye delivering a speech at the event.

Health Concern Ghana, a non-governmental organization last week marked its 5th annual Fathers’ Day celebration dubbed; “Fathers: Key Actors in Improving Maternal and Neonatal Health”, at the Victory Presbyterian Church in Accra.
The programme was centered on engaging fathers to improve maternal and neonatal health, because the organization believed that fathers, right from conception plays integral part to the health of both mother and child.
Other activities also included fathers cooking completion, health screening, bounty castle, football gala and a launch of “Save a mother, Save a new born Campaign”.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Health Concern Ghana, Mrs. Mary Aboagye, said that every year there were about four million neonatal deaths worldwide, of which infections form( 36%),pre-term( 28%) and birth asphyxia( 23%).
Besides, she noted said “these newborn death’s occur in developing countries whiles most die at homes against a background of poverty, sub-optimum care seeking and weak health systems”, adding that two-thirds of those deaths could be prevented.
She advised fathers to find time to accompany their spouses to antenatal clinic and stressed the need for fathers to be educated on conception, pregnancy, delivery and childcare.
A representative for the Minister of Health, George Kumi Kyeremeh, hinted that statistics from the Social Welfare of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit(DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service revealed that the number of fathers noted to be irresponsible had risen over the past three years, with fathers mistreating their wives during pregnancy
He appealed to all fathers to renew their commitment to their civic, religious and traditional responsibilities by supporting their spouses at home.
Fatherfest is an initiative of Health Concern Ghana with a three-fold mission; to acknowledge the role of fathers in the society, create an avenue for people, show appreciation to their fathers and equip fathers to assume their role effectively.

THE RETURNS OF AN UNFORGIVING HEART

I was mesmerized when I joined my Sunday School Children’s service department to observe what the children have been studying in their class.
Actually, I was assigned by my pastor to monitor how the Sunday school teachers go about in delivering their role as teachers.
As I sat in my small corner, watching the children sung tuneful songs of worship and praise, I watched in awe to see how these children knelt down with their hands up, worshipping God.
I pondered over their actions for while, and thought they did not know what they are about since they were young.
A few minutes later, the Sunday School teacher asked them the relevance of the “ Holy Spirit”, a couple of kids gave their answers but one answer drew my attention, just as I was leaving to join the adult church, a petite 6 year old boy answered, “As Christians and believers of God, we are suppose to have a forgiving heart when we make the holy spirit available in our lives and related it to the popular adage that goes like “To err is human but to forgive is divine”.
The statement made by the little boy sent chills down my spine because his tone was so discerning and deep, I took my mind back to recent publications in the dailies which have headlines such as; “ WOMAN BURNT FINGERS OF CHILD FOR STEALING”, “HUSBAND STAB WIFE FOR CHEATING”,WIFE CHOOPED HUSBAND’S MANHOOD FOR FLIRTING”.
Yes they have done you wrong, but do two wrongs make a right?. The truth of the matter is there is no relevance in paying back the wrongful acts of somebody, is best to make God the judge of all situations.
I called a friend and asked of her the plans for her dad towards the father’s day celebration, in fact I did not like her response because there were no excitements in her voice unlike how she called me on mother’s day to inform me of her intentions.
I asked her why she is not celebrating her dad and she disclosed to me; “My dad abandoned my mum when I was five months old, I just came into contact with him when I completed medical school”.
Humanly speaking, it’s very hurting to experience such a dreadful act by nobody other than your own blood, and urged her to forgive her dad and show him earnest love, because at the end of the day her dad will be drawn in guilt and shame.
I shared with her how research has proven that harboring resentment could lead to severe heart ache and blood pressure.
Am not scaring you folks, but how does it feel to see someone who has offended you?
Why would a normal human being commit such an unpardonable offense to a person?
If these culprit knew the essence of Forgiving one another at a tender age the harm meted on these victims would reduced. The subject of Forgiving should be taught in our homes, churches and school because they are places we normally engage our children.
Can you imagine how the world would have been, if we all knew the significance of forgiving one another, there would have been peace and harmony.
My dear brothers and sisters lets all champion this course to exhibit the habit of MAGNANIMITY.
Oops ,I forgot to wish you a happy Fathers’ Day,guess you had a package for your dad because we are still in the fathers’ day month.
Anyway Happy belated Fathers’ Day to all fathers in the world and potential fathers.

SSNIT DONATES GH¢ 206,440

The Social Security and the National Insurance Trust (SSNIT, has donated a cheque of GH¢206,440.00 to the Burns Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra in support of the victims f the June 3 twin disaster incident.
The corporate Affairs manager, Miss Eva Amegashie disclosed that the donation is part of their corporate social responsibility as an organisation.

Ms.Eva Amegashie(right)presenting the cheque to the Deputy Director of Nurses Ethel Odei- Lartey