AHASPORA AT 10-GHANA ACTION FORUM

 “Been to”, “Returnee”, now “Ahasporans”… Ahaspora has taken on a different meaning for Ghanaians who have been abroad and returned home

Paraphrasing the words of renowned Ghanaian Comedian and Actor, KSM, “They used to be referred to as“Been To’s” then I coined the term “Returnee” then next I hear “Ahasporans… where did that come from? Truth is, Ahasporans are very different from Been To’s and Returnees, as they come back home with a global view, but also with open minds, leveraging their hosts who never left, and ultimately looking to make a difference.”

True words could not have been spoken about the core value and mission of Ahaspora, a not-for-profit organisation formed 10 years ago to promote Brain Gain, by supporting the returnee transition, galvanising those who have been abroad and returned home to make a difference, and building a bridge between those who left and those at home. The name “Aha” Twi word for “here” and, “Spora” stem of diaspora, aptly depicts the very essence of the organization and its members – “Here from the Diaspora” and befitting our motto “Here to Matter.”

What started as a dream on a return journey to Ghana from the USA in June 2010 for Ghanaian young professional, Christabel Dadzie, an International Development professional, turned into multiple complaints about a somewhat broken system in 2011, later evolved into a solution-orientated organization which today:

• Boasts of over 2000 members;
• Has successfully mentored over 1,500 mentees in partnership with Ashesi University in Ghana, Yale and Brown University in the USA;
• Has partnered with corporate and government agencies, including GHL Bank (now FNB), Hollard Insurance, Ghana Tourism Development Board, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President executing diaspora engagement activities;
• Collaborated with MTN and German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA) on entrepreneurship and career development for Ghanaians;
• Raised funds and donated for various communities in GhanaIn addition to its outreach work, Ahaspora serves as a bridge between home and abroad, supporting returnees to find jobs, housing, and settle down at home with the use of its listserv network, and finally brings together like-minded individuals to give back to society through participating in policy decision making.

  With this backdrop, as part of its 10 year celebration, Ahaspora together with its partners GH-PAC and Diaspora Drive are organizing ‘Ghana Action Forum’,  a thought-leadership, people-centred, action-oriented event, on 29 and 30 December, 2021 at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra. This is going to be a hybrid event on day one and day two, virtual only.

  The event programme is intentionally curated to cover topics of interest to “Ahasporans” and “Diasporans” including; A New Frontier for Ghana; Trade and SME development; Leveraging Diaspora Human Capital; Youth Employability and skills; Green Investments; Boosting Arts and Culture through Storytelling, among others. Distinguished speakers include Mr. Selorm Adadevoh, CEO, MTN Ghana; Mr. Akwasi Awua-Ababio, Director, Diaspora Affairs, Office of the President; Ms. Lucy Quist,Managing Director, Morgan Stanley; Mr. Akwasi Agyemang, CEO, Ghana Tourism Agency; Ms. Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, Executive Director, Ghana Enterprise Agency; Ms. Nicole Amarteifio, Executive Producer, An African City among others.

  We will culminate the celebration with a night of Ghanaian excellence, showcasing music, dinner and dancing on the evening of 30th December at the Fitzgerald Garden in Cantonments, Accra.

  Support and sponsorship for the upcoming event has been overwhelming with key organisations including; Enterprise Group, Fidelity Bank, ExpressPay, British High Commission, SNV, UNCDF and The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).

  For more information about the Ghana Action Forum and to purchase tickets visit www.ghactionforum.com or call: +233 (0) 50 5989813

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Ghana MPs brawl in parliament over mobile money tax

 A brawl has broken out in Ghana’s parliament during a late-night session over a contentious government-proposed levy on electronic transactions.

MPs shoved, pushed and threw punches at each other, while others tried to stop the fighting.

The chaos started after opposition MPs rushed forward to prevent Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu from leaving his seat to vote, local media reports.

He was chairing the session, which was then adjourned because of the disorder.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the proposed levy of 1.75% on electronic transactions, which includes mobile-money payments.

It says it will hit low-income people and those outside the formal banking sector.

But Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Artta has said it is necessary to widen the tax net, arguing that it could raise an extra 6.9bn Ghanaian cedi ($1.15bn; £870m) next year.

The parliamentary session began on Monday morning and broke up after midnight, the local Graphic newspaper reports.

It tweeted video footage of the chaos:

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

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Many Ghanaians have expressed disappointment at the behaviour of their MPs, saying they ought to be role models – not behaving immaturely.

The deputy speaker’s vote was seen as crucial as parliament has been heavily divided over the proposed tax. He is from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The NDC said that as he was chairing the session he could not vote.

The proposed levy was approved by parliament’s finance committee by 13 votes to 12, but only after its chairman cast the decisive vote in favour of the proposal, the Graphic says.

Parliament convened again on Tuesday, but MPs did not vote on the proposed levy after agreeing to adjourn the session to January.

Ghanaian politics has been fractious since last year’s election, when the NDC and the NPP obtained 137 parliamentary seats each.

One seat is held by an independent, who has thrown his weight behind the NPP, giving it the edge.

In January, soldiers entered parliament to end a brawl among MPs over the election of a speaker – the NDC’s Alban Bagbin was elected to the post, after some NPP members voted for him rather than their party’s candidate, Mike Oquaye.

Mr Bagbin was not present during the chaotic session on Monday, leaving Mr Owusu from the NPP in the speaker’s chair.

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Brawls in other parliaments:

Turkish MPs traded blows earlier this month after an opposition MP was allegedly insulted

Armenian MPs fought three times in two days in August – one broke out after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian was called a “lying populist”

Armenian parliament sees third brawl in just two days

India’s upper chamber was described as “war-like” during an altercation in August over contentious legislation

Pakistani MPs sustained minor injuries in June after lawmakers traded blows and threw books at each other

A Bolivian MP complained that her hair was grabbed by another MP during a brawl in June that also saw other lawmakers involved in a fist-fight

Lawmakers in the Pan-African Parliament punched, kicked and made death threats during a session in South Africa in June

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Harvey Parker: Fears growing for student missing since Friday

 Fears are growing for a student missing since he left a nightclub on Friday.

Harvey Parker, 20, from Lambeth, south London, was last seen leaving Heaven by Charing Cross station in Westminster at about midnight on Friday.

The University of York student is mixed race with short, black hair, is 5ft 8in (1.73m) tall and of slight build.

The Met Police said calls to his phone have gone unanswered and that there was “nothing to indicate any reason for him to go missing”.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

A friend said the University of York music student had been to a Little Simz concert in Brixton, south London, before going to Heaven nightclub.

The University of York tweeted that people are “very concerned about our missing student Harvey Parker”.

Det Sgt Dick Nation said. “We are not aware of any reason why he should not be in contact with his family.

“Both his family and police are extremely worried by his disappearance and we are asking for anyone who may have seen Harvey after he left the club, or has any other information, to call police immediately.”

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Covid: Firms urge PM for clarity on restrictions over Christmas

 Hospitality and entertainment firms are calling for a clear decision from the government on whether to expect further Covid restrictions in England in the coming days.

Boris Johnson did not announce any new measures on Monday, but said data was being reviewed “hour by hour”.

Labour’s London mayor Sadiq Khan warned time was running out.

The chancellor met business leaders who want financial support on Monday evening, minister Stephen Barclay said.

He said the government would “say more” about these discussions later and also urged people to have a “cautious” Christmas.

Meanwhile, the health secretary is understood to want people with Covid to isolate for seven days, instead of 10.

Sajid Javid is thought to be in favour of doing this – if clinical advice supports the change – to help ease potential staff shortages across the NHS and other organisations.

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With just four days until Christmas, people are looking forward to spending the festive season with loved ones after many missed out last year, when restrictions were brought in just before Christmas.

BBC political correspondent Damian Grammaticas said it now seemed unlikely that new restrictions could be enacted in England before Christmas.

But hospitality and entertainment businesses were facing critical decisions in the coming hours about whether to go ahead with or cancel events over the holiday period, he added.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, a former member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this was the most “difficult and uncertain time” since March 2020.

Omicron’s transmission was “eye-wateringly high”, he said, adding that the variant’s rapid spread was driving its impact more than its severity.

Amid ongoing uncertainty about the severity of Omicron, he said it was reasonable to pause for 24 to 36 hours until that data emerges.

But he said if hospitalisations were rising at that stage, the government would have to act – perhaps with more draconian measures than if they had acted a few days ago.

The continuing sharp rise in UK case numbers is already affecting events across the country:

• The New Year’s Eve celebration in London’s Trafalgar Square for 6,500 key workers and members of the public is cancelled in the “interests of public safety”
• The Queen calls off her traditional festive stay at Sandringham as a precaution and will stay at Windsor
• London’s Natural History Museum and Edinburgh Castle temporarily close due to coronavirus-related staff shortages
• Almost half of London’s major theatres cancel performances this weekend including Hamilton, Wicked and The Lion King
• Premier League and English Football League clubs will fulfil their festive fixtures despite disruption as players test positive

Former government chief scientific adviser Sir Mark Walport warned that the true number of daily Covid infections was more likely to be between 300,000 and 400,000, as only about a third of cases were being identified.

He told BBC Breakfast delaying any decision on restrictions was “potentially very problematic” as rising cases meant some hospitalisations and deaths were already “baked into the system”.

In London – which is ahead of the curve on Omicron cases – hospitalisations have risen by about a third in a week, he said.

Boris Johnson: “We will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public”

After a two-hour cabinet meeting on Monday, the prime minister said the government was “looking at all kinds of things” to keep the Omicron variant under control and “ruled nothing out”.

There were still some things “we need to be clearer about before we decide to go further”, he added.

Ministers have argued that more information about the new variant is needed to justify the economic impact of any restrictions.

Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg said that instead of imposing restrictions, the government should trust people to make the right decisions to protect their families, reports the Times.

• Tory MPs demand answers on Christmas Covid plans
• Scotland considering whether to cancel major events
• ‘A fourth lockdown would be devastating’

Last Christmas, large parts of south-east England were banned from mixing with other households, while for the rest of England, Scotland and Wales, people were only allowed to mix indoors on Christmas Day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged people to cancel some of their holiday plans as the Omicron variant spreads globally.

“An event cancelled is better than a life cancelled,” said WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

On Monday, a further 91,743 Covid cases were reported across the UK – the second highest daily total on record.

The high case numbers have meant many people are now off work and self-isolating – while others have cancelled bookings or events to try to avoid becoming infected in the run-up to Christmas, hitting businesses hard.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality which represents more than 700 bars, hotels and leisure venues, said some had lost about half of their usual December trade.

She said businesses were now “in limbo” and needed notice of any changes looked at next week ahead of the New Year.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also called for the government to provide support to the hospitality, retail and culture sectors – warning that millions of livelihoods depended on them.

Labour has called for the government to publish its contingency plan to deal with staff shortages in essential services due to rising case numbers.

The party’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said “dithering and delay” had caused disruption throughout the pandemic.

Without early interventions the UK would see a wave of infections over the next few months, according to Sage scientist Prof Andrew Hayward, which could lead to staffing problems becoming “much, much more severe” and make essential services “difficult to manage”.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has criticised Mr Johnson’s “indecision”, arguing he was providing chaos and confusion when clarity and reassurance was needed.

Nicola Sturgeon says she wants “people to have clarity about what we are expecting of them” ahead of Christmas Day

The UK’s devolved nations have been setting their own Covid guidelines ahead of Christmas.

• In Scotland, people have been advised to reduce their contacts as much as possible, but have not been asked to cancel Christmas plans. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said this advice would not change
• In Wales, spectators will be banned from all sports events from 26 December and ministers will meet later to discuss post-Christmas hospitality restrictions
• In Northern Ireland, the executive will meet on Wednesday to discuss current restrictions, which include a limit of 30 people from different households mixing in homes.

Leaked notes from Sage suggest that, without intervention beyond current Plan B rules in England, hospital admissions could reach 3,000 a day.

And the BBC has been told that civil servants have produced three options for future Covid measures, ranging in severity from low to medium and high.

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Alt-J’s Thom Sonny Green: From shielding to getting back on tour

 “Who knows what will happen if I catch Covid again? But anything I have to do to get back out on stage, I’ll do it.”

A rare genetic condition has meant that, like millions of others, Alt-J drummer Thom Sonny Green has spent a lot of the pandemic shielding.

But in February he’ll be going back out on tour with his Mercury Prize-winning band – playing stadiums and arenas across the US and UK.

“We’re just going to have to be extra vigilant. Whatever we have to do, that’s what we’ll do, because it’ll be so worth it just to get on stage again,” he says.

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Thom is classed as clinically extremely vulnerable because his genetic condition meant he had to have a kidney transplant, when he was at university.

To stop his body rejecting the new kidney, he takes drugs designed to suppress his immune system – and this leaves him at a higher risk than normal of having complications from something like Covid.

Thom tells Radio 1 Newsbeat he had a “pretty bad” Covid infection this summer.

“I spent a week in hospital and then the symptoms dragged on for three or four months.

“I’m actually fortunate that I’m ok and I’m back to normal, but I don’t want that to happen again.”

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

Alt-J’s 32-date US tour starts in February. They’re playing nine dates in the UK in May

The live music industry has been hit hard by Covid, with artists cancelling tours and music venues shutting for months during lockdowns.

One recent report suggests one in three jobs in the British music industry were lost from 2019 to 2020.

Restrictions on live music were lifted in the UK in the summer, and since then loads of bands have announced tour dates or festival appearances for 2022.

But self-isolation can still cause disruption, with Ed Sheeran one of the most recent artists to have to cancel performances after testing positive.

As if to hammer the risks home, in the build up to our interview, Alt-J’s keyboardist, Gus Unger-Hamilton, tested positive for Covid.

Image caption,

Thom’s bandmate Gus (left) is currently self-isolating in his garden shed, after catching Covid himself

Thom and the rest of the band, from Leeds, will stick to lots of safety measures to reduce the risk of infection while they’re touring – such as wearing face masks and sanitising their hands while in venues.

And while Thom will keep in regular contact with his doctor, he says the risk of touring will be worth it.

“I just can’t worry about it anymore. I’ve got none of that energy left,” he says.

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“Obviously I don’t want to get it and I don’t want to spread it, but I’m trying to live my life as much as possible.

“The tour is doable, and being able to play live again would be such a gift.”

The band’s latest single, Get Better, tells the story of someone losing a loved one during the pandemic.

“It’s the first time that we’ve ever really written a song that directly deals with something in the news,” Gus says.

“In the past, we’ve steered clear of writing songs that were too grounded in current events.

“But it speaks to the momentousness of this of this event, this pandemic, that if there was going to be one thing that did make us write a song about what’s happening in the world, it was going to be this.”

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