According to him, if President Akufo Addo sees young critics as unqualified to criticise him as far as the country’s history is concerned, then he (Akufo Addo) should not have read his speech at all; ‘unless he (Akufo Addo) was born in 1771’

President Akufo-Addo said at the ‘Ghana: 60 Years On’ Unity Ball 2017 that “this has been a very strange week. On Monday, I made a speech to the country which I tried to speak about how we became Ghana. And like everything I say, it has ended up in controversy. But that is how it should be. A politician who doesn’t generate controversy is a dull politician…The amusing part of it is that the people who did not live through the independence era – young people who came much after – claim that I distorted the history of Ghana and belittled the role of Kwame Nkrumah. The one man there who actually lived through the era, who was here in Ghana at the time, embraced me as having enhanced the image of Kwame Nkrumah. And that tells you everything about Ghanaian politics. That is President Mugabe. He gave me a big hug,”

In response, Kwesi Pratt said: “if that were the case, what was President Akufo-Addo doing talking about the bond of 1844. If people who did not live through the independence struggle have no right to appreciate history and to comment on history, then what was President Akufo Addo doing commenting on the bond of 1844 or the Aborigines right protection society? Perhaps unknown to all of us, our president was born in 1771 because if you accept this logic, then only a person born in perhaps 1771 could have read the speech that he read. In appreciating history, you don’t have to be a methuselah to be able to do that. And this jibe at young people is very interesting.”

The renowned journalist was contributing to a panel discussion on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji.

source: peacefm

She bemoaned the lack of adequate teaching and learning materials which are key ingredients in providing quality education for the current crop of pupils and students who are considered Ghana’s future.

She noted that, this has made teaching quite unattractive and has appealed to government and other stakeholders to adequately resource teachers.

“Government and for that matter Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) are major stakeholders in education in Tema, responsible for providing school infrastructure, adequate textbooks,” she said.

According to her, it is only when these logistics are provided that teaching and learning could be effective.

She made these remarks in her speech at the 60th independence anniversary parade held in Tema.

Margaret Frempong-Kore also urged government to provide the aforementioned adequately and in time.

She is hoping that teachers will be resourced professionally and materially, so that they will be able to work well in order to make their profession attractive.

The Education Director pleaded with parents who are major stakeholders to invest in their wards with their time, energy and material resources.

Since the youth are considered the country’s future, she encouraged them to remain focused and learn hard as it is the only way of planning for a future of opportunities.

Margaret Frempong-Kore maintained that it is when these are fulfilled that the child can grow into an adult capable of contributing positively towards the development of Ghana.

Meanwhile, at Ashaiman, Municipal Education Director, Patty Assan asked Ghanaians not to belittle the power of education as it can help eradicate child marriage, streetism, poverty and a host of child related issues.

She touched on the need to engage key stakeholders to equip those in school with ICT and vocational training to be self-employed.

Although she believes teachers are ready to do the necessary sacrifices, their efforts will be in vain if parents, guardians and religious leaders do not compliment teachers’ effort with their experience.

In contributing his bit, Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey has promised that each of the 20 schools that participated in the parade yesterday at Ashaiman will get 500 pieces of exercise book.

Ghana/Adom News/Louisa Ayensu-Peters/Kwame Yankah