[Ghanaian Chronicle]The Alumni of Mensah Saarbah Hall of the University of Ghana will celebrate this year's FARMERS DAY with a grand "MPUSUO" session at the Hall's Loggia on Friday, 6th December, 2013.

[Ghanaian Chronicle]The annual ritual of National Farmers Day is here with us again, and the People's National Convention (PNC) extends our utmost gratitude to the farmers of Ghana for keeping our nation alive with their hard work and sacrifices that has not only aided the nutritional needs of the population, but also contributed to the economic life of the nation.

[Africa Top Sports]The Black Stars once again suffer a tragedy with watery eyes. After having suffered the death of Chelsea defender Michael Essien father among others, the latest tragic news is the passing away of defender Solomon Asante mother. Mother Monica Danwaka joined ancestors on Thursday at Sefwi Wiawsi in the Western Region of Ghana after failing to heal a short illness.

[Africa Top Sports]In a meeting with FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke ahead of the 2014 World Cup draw, Ghana Minister of Sports Elvis Afriyie Ankrah insist on the nation's gratitude to FIFA and Egyptian authorities for the safety and security enjoyed in Cairo during their World Cup qualifier against the Pharaohs.

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Jewish Daily ForwardIn the WorldPhilly.comThe Obama administration is "currently engaged" in behind-the-scenes discussions to win the release of U.S. government subcontractor Alan Gross, jailed in Cuba for the last four years, according to Secretary of State John Kerry. Kerry, who engaged in ...DeWayne Wickham: Obama thaws relations between US and CubaThe Oshkosh NorthwesternAmerican Alan Gross Imprisoned in Cuba Since 2009, Begs Obama for HelpOpposing ViewsAlan Gross Faces Death in Cuba if Obama Doesn't Change Approach, says wifeHavana TimesWPRO -Prensa Latina -Latin American Herald Tribuneall 82 news articles »

A Somali lawmaker was killed in a car bombing Friday morning near the presidential palace in the country's capital, a separate lawmaker said.

Nelson Mandela's funeral plans - a day by day breakdown

Ghana U20 striker Francis Narh has left Tunisian side Club Africain over contract obligation failures, GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively confirm.

  History was made on November 5, 2004, when Madam Efua Frimpomaa was crowned the National Best Farmer during the 20th National Farmers Day Awards in Ho in the Volta Region. As of the time, the 75-year-old Madam Efua Frimpomaa (she is now 84 years) from Agona Nkum in the Central Region beamed with smiles as she was decorated with a sash by former President John Agyekum Kufuor. Her prize was a fully furnished 400-million cedi three-bedroom house to be built at a place of her choice.   That year, the second and third best national farmers were Nana Kwaku Siaw I, 33, of Kumah Farms complex in the Ashanti Region and Mr Mahamadu Mbila Asaki, 49, from Zebilla in the Bawku-West District in the Upper-East Region. The mother of 11, Madam Efua Frimpomaa, was also the Central Regional and Agona District Overall Best Farmer for 1993 and 1990 respectively. Having received the baton from the 2003 winner, Mr Adjei Twum Bandoh of Sekyere East District in the Ashanti Region, Madam Efua Frimpomaa became the first woman to receive the award since its inception in 1985. Since her reign as the first female to be crowned the National Best Farmer, no female has been crowned the ultimate prize in farming in the country. Although some females have won awards in the various categories and even as regional best farmers, the ultimate award has been won only once by a female out of the 28 persons who have been named. Constituting about 50 per cent of active labour in the agricultural sector, women are well noted for their significant role in the agricultural sector. However, their efforts have been recognised on very few occasions.   The factors  The reasons why women remain at the backroom of the National Farmers Day Awards are not far-fetched. There are several factors which to contribute to the place of  women in the agricultural sector. One reason is the cultural beliefs in Ghana which place more emphasis on men than women.  Another has to do with landownership. In many places women do not have access to land.  Most of the cultural practices which inhibit the progress of women and also place a limitation on them need to be changed. It is amazing that women are not even allowed to be members of the regional and national houses of chiefs.  Women’s contributions are not always ignored but rather due to the fact that they are seen to be just supporting their husbands, the glory is always given to their husbands. Again, the continuous use of manual technologies also deter women, as farming with manual technologies demand strength and energy.  It is time efforts  were made to introduce more simple technologies to women and educate them on the best practices to make farming more attractive to them. Unless some arrangements are made to recognise and encourage the contributions of women in the agricultural sector, women would still remain on the fringes of National Best Farmers Awards.  

South Africans have been paying tribute to their former leader, Nelson Mandela, who has died at the age of 95.

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  In December 1986, when the first winner of the National Best Farmer Awards walked home with a preset radio, two machetes and a pair of wellington boots at Osino in the Eastern Region, the prizes were considered enviable. About three decades on, the National Best Farmer receives a house constructed at a location of his or her choice at a cost of between GH¢600, 000 and GH¢1 million as part of the government’s efforts at motivating farmers and fishermen in the country to increase their output.  The National Farmers Day Awards were instituted in 1985 by the PNDC government to honour farmers and fishermen in recognition of their positive response to the government’s call for increased food production following poor agricultural yields in 1982 and 1983 caused by an unprecedented incidence of bush fire.  Today, the nation marks the 29th edition of the awards which have so far rewarded about 1600 farmers throughout the country. From preset radio to house  Gradually the awards have evolved since their inception due to the year-to-year upgrading of prizes for hardworking farmers. From 1985 when the government announced the ultimate prize of two machetes, a pair of Wellington boots and a wooden radio set, the competition to win the highest award — the overall best farmer — has been very keen. The second person to become the national best farmer in 1987, Mr Thomas Ahima from the Brong Ahafo Region, received farming equipment, in addition to what his predecessor had picked up. Subsequently, before the awards could hit the decade mark, some new prizes, such as bicycles, motorcycles, power tillers and cash, were introduced. The 1993 winner at the ninth Farmers Day at Akuse, which was on the theme, “An efficient marketing system – A booster to sustained agriculture and industrial growth", Nana Aforo Kwao II from the Western Region, received an improved prize. Then the government included vehicles such as pickups and tractors to widen the smiles on the faces of the winners. However, as if to make good the saying that the best was yet to come, in 2001 the government announced that national best farmers from that year would receive three-bedroom houses. For the first time since the commencement of the awards for farmers, Nana Mathew Akwesi Bonsu, 51, was handed over the keys to his house when he was named the National Best Farmer in 2001. A year later, Mr Abudu Takora-Tubu, a 65-year-old farmer from Adudukrom in the Upper Denkyira District in the Central Region, also got a GH¢30,000 for being the best farmer in 2002. At a ceremony in Cape Coast to mark the 19th National Farmers Day in 2003, Kwabena Adjei Twum Bandoh, a 54-year-old accountant and Managing Director of Bandoh Commercial Farms, was crowned the best farmer and asked to choose a location of his choice where his three-bedroom house would be constructed. In 2004, the only woman to have ever won the awards, Madam Afua Frimponmaa, a widow and mother of 11 from Agona Nkum in the Central Region, received the keys to a GH¢60,000 three-bedroom flat at the Beach Drive at Krokrobite near Accra . But the ultimate prize has been increased since, as from 2005 to 2010 the three-bedroom houses were furnished for the winners who also received pick-up vehicles. In 2011, Mr Ignatius Agbo, a 56-year-old farmer in the Upper Denkyira East municipality, who was winner on the 27th Farmers Day, in addition to the house, received a generator, a laptop and a modem to help him access the Internet. He also had a life insurance cover and enjoyed a fully paid trip to India where he interacted with farmers in that country to learn from them. The youngest award winner, Mr Lamuel Quarshie Martey, a 38-year-old farmer from Ningo Prampram, was named the best farmer in 2012 when the ceremony was held at Abokobi in the Ga East District.  For his prize, Mr Martey was told he would be the proud owner of a three-bedroom house to be constructed at a place of his choice, a generator and an insurance package. Call for review of awards  In the past years, private companies, individuals and organisations have supported the Minsitry of Agriculture with cash, vehicles and other items which are used as  prizes for the farmers. The three-bedroom house is currently sponsored by the Agricultural Development Bank. The Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition is not happy with the awards scheme for the farmers which is aimed at bringing all farmers together to foster unity and cooperation, as well as appreciate efforts of farmers. The Coordinator of the coalition, Mr Ibrahim Akabila, urged the government to review the awards scheme by setting annual production targets for the various crops by which the farmers would be accessed. He also suggested that provision for credit facilities for the farmers be included in the awards to encourage and help them meet their annual targets. Mr Akabila was of the view that such a move would create a level playing field for all farmers to avoid the situation where some hardworking farmers did not get the needed recognition. President of award winners  Philip Abayori, President of the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association, is happy that the prizes for the winners have improved significantly and that second and third prizes winners also receive pickups and water pumps to advance their work. He said since the inception of the awards, they had achieved the aim for which they were instituted by eroding the negative perception about farming and honouring the farmers. He said the farmers were being rewarded for their continued dedication to production.  “It is also a good thing that the day has been set aside as a holiday; it reinforces the fact that farmers are important and deserve to be honoured,” he said. He explained that the awards scheme considered farmers who were doing agriculture as a business and not for mere subsistence.   From a wooden preset radio to a well-furnished house, it is believed that the prizes for the gallant farmers who work hard to ensure that aagriculture still continues to be the backbone of Ghana’s economy will continue to improve as Ghana keeps on celebrating its dear farmers.  

  The Accra High Court has convicted five leaders of the Musama Disco Christo Church and fined them a total of GH¢25,000 for contempt of court. The convicts, Rev. Juba Molda Jehu Appiah, Rev. H. K. Baah, Rev. Mockna Jeeba Fiifi Jehu Appiah, Rev. P. K Boamah and Rev. P.K. Charles Ampoful would each serve a month’s prison term if they fail to pay the fines. They were ordered to pay GH¢5,000 each. The court, presided over by Mr Justice E. F. Dzakpasu, however, acquitted and discharged three others. They were Rev. James Kinkosa Addae, Rev. Issac Begyina and Rev. M. B. Adu Quansah. Court restraint On August 22, 2012, the High Court restrained the church from celebrating its Peace Festival 2012 or from organising any religious activities. When the restraining order lapsed on August 31, 2012, the Agona Swedru District Police Commander also served a Circuit Court order for interim injunction on the church to prohibit it from carrying out “any festival” or “religious activity” at the headquarters of the church at Musano for 10 days. The convicts on September 2, 2012 disobeyed the restraining orders and led the church to hold its normal Sunday worship service. Sentencing Handing down the sentence, the court observed that the activity offended the Circuit Court order prohibiting the church from observing any religious activity within the period of 10 days, beginning from August 31, 2012. “It was not left to the church during that period to observe what it terms a ‘normal worship service’ which is a religious activity at any rate within the contemplation of the court,” the court stated. The court was of the view that the circuit court had aimed at preventing any untoward mishap in the event the church or a section of it had congregated anytime during the period for any religious activity, be it the Peace Festival properly so-called, or an aspect of it.  

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