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Over 70,000 people estimated to be living with HIV in Ashanti Region

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A Ghana Aids Commission report from 2022 estimated that 72,429 people in Ghana's Ashanti Region were living with HIV. However, only 26,006 of these individuals were receiving life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment through local health facilities. This left 46,421 people who were either undiagnosed or had stopped treatment.  Mr. Dennis Bandoh, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Focal Person for HIV/AIDS, provided more recent data to the Ghana News Agency. He disclosed that in the first three quarters of 2023, the region saw 4,618 new HIV cases. This represented a concerning 2.1% rise from the previous year. HIV testing in Ashanti occurs through two main programs. One focuses on preventing mother-to-child transmission, targeting pregnant women. The other offers general testing for non-pregnant individuals. Under these initiatives, 681 pregnant women and 3,937 others tested HIV-positive. A major challenge, according to Mr. Bandoh, is that men rarely test voluntarily due to reluctance. So
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CETAG Opposes Proposal to Abolish Licensure Exams for Teacher Trainees

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  CETAG, the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana, has expressed its disagreement with John Mahama's proposal to eliminate licensure exams for teacher trainees. CETAG asserts that these exams are essential for assessing the competence and quality of aspiring teachers, and therefore should not be abolished. During his 'Building Ghana Tour' in the Bono Region, John Mahama vowed to abolish licensure exams for teacher trainees, arguing that subjecting them to additional assessments is unnecessary for qualification. In contrast to Mahama's stance, CETAG firmly believes that licensure exams play a crucial role in evaluating the competency of teacher trainees and should not be eliminated. CETAG stresses the significance of licensure exams in upholding teaching standards and ensuring the proficiency of future educators. According to the association, these exams are a necessary measure to maintain quality in the teaching profession. President Himah urges the imple
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EduWatch Calls for Restoration of Entrance Exams and Interviews for College of Education admission.

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  The Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) has called for the reintroduction of entrance exams and interviews for individuals seeking admission into public Colleges of Education in Ghana. EduWatch argues that these measures serve as important quality filters during the selection process and should not have been abolished. Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of EduWatch, expressed this viewpoint in response to John Dramani Mahama's announcement that his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), plans to eliminate the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) if they come into power. Mahama believes that the GTLE is unnecessary since teachers already undergo exams at different stages of their training. He also promised automatic job placement for teacher trainee graduates, ensuring employment for all. However, EduWatch disagrees with Mahama and supports the licensing of teachers. Asare emphasizes that any approach to teacher training and licensing should prioritize the assurance of
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Bank of Ghana Warns Against Dealing with Unapproved Money Transfer Organisations

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  The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has issued a warning against engaging with unapproved Money Transfer Organisations (MTOs) operating in the remittance and Ghana Forex Market.  The BoG specifically mentioned several organizations, including LEMFI, WISE, TRANSFER GO, XOOM-A PAYPAL SERVICE, SENDWALU, BOSS REVOLUTION, BTC-AZA FINANCE, and SUPERSONIC, that lack approval from the bank.  The public, banks, Dedicated Electronic Money Issuers (DEMI), and Enhanced Payment Service Providers (EPSP) are cautioned to refrain from dealing with these unapproved institutions.  The BoG emphasized the need for approved MTOs to conduct foreign exchange flows solely through their partner institutions and comply with all operational guidelines. Non-compliance may lead to severe sanctions, including license withdrawal for the breaching institution.
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Pass an Act to prohibit mining in all forest reserves - OccupyGhana and Media Coalition Against Galamsey to Parliament

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OccupyGhana and the Media Coalition Against Galamsey are urging Parliament to pass an Act that prohibits all mining activities in forest reserves and biodiversity areas in Ghana.  They believe that such legislation is necessary to protect these important national areas. The groups issued a statement following reports of mining rights being granted or recognized in the Kakum forest.  They call for the revocation of existing regulations that allow mining in forest reserves and suggest involving the Forestry Commission, Lands Commission, and public engagement in decisions regarding the cessation of forest reserves.  They also demand the cancellation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument (EI 144 of 2022) that revoked the forest reserve status of the Achimota Forest.
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BECE 2023: Subject Results of 315 Candidates cancelled for bringing Foreign Materials into the examination hall

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  The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has recently released the provisional results for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) conducted in 2023, for both school and private candidates. These results are now available online for access. In Accra, Ghana, it has been reported that 312 school candidates and 3 private candidates have had their subject results cancelled. This action was taken due to their involvement in bringing foreign materials into the examination hall or colluding with other candidates. To access the results, school candidates will receive their individual results through their respective schools. This will be done through the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Directors of Education. On the other hand, private candidates can directly access their results on the official website of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) at www.waecgh.org. Additionally, school candidates also have the option to check their results online on the council's
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Big relief for parents: Harmonized prospectus for SHS freshers

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  The Ghana Education Service (GES) has introduced a groundbreaking initiative called the 'National Prospectus' for senior high and technical schools in the country. This harmonized prospectus aims to provide clarity and eliminate ambiguity regarding the requirements for incoming first-year students Under this new arrangement, all schools are expected to adhere strictly to the national prospectus without imposing any additional items beyond what has been officially prescribed. This means that parents will no longer have to wait until the rollout of the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) before shopping for their children's school supplies. The national prospectus is categorized into two main sections: basic needs and cleaning materials. The first category, 'Category A,' includes essential items such as a hard body suitcase or trunk, a chop box or hard plastic container, toiletries, beddings, school-specific footwear, undergarments, cutlery, a
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