GMA beat over 29 other international PR agencies to win the much sought-after award. The event witnessed winners from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Middle-East and Pacific.

GMA’s recognition was based on the use of innovative ideas through its subsidiary, YFM, the number one urban radio station in Ghana to champion a creative internal communication campaign dubbed #YVENGERS that effectively engaged personnel across the company.

YFM, the award winning radio station wanted to strengthen the team bond and spark some excitement between DJ’s, Presenters, Technicians and Management among others with the #YVENGERS Campaign. The campaign was initiated a week to the premier of the the Avengers Infinity War Movie to target staff and patrons of YFM on social media where artworks of most employees of the company were designed to depict a character from the Avenger Movie franchise.

The #YVENGERS campaign engaged over 4,000 young Ghanaians on Twitter who found the artwork interesting and continued to talk about it after the campaign. #YVENGERS was number one on the trend list for the first week and among the top five during the second week.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Media Alliance, Mr. Ernest Boateng, who received the award in Barcelona on Friday 19th October 2018 said, “the award which was made possible by our innovative staff, is another achievement in the journey of this company. Team bonding among the staff of GMA has also contributed to our great journey. GMA promotes such qualities through fun filled campaigns and being recognized internationally for this, makes us all proud to be a part of the GMA family.”

Mr. Boateng dedicated the award to all staff of the company for their contributions in growing the company. GMA has over the years been recognized both locally and internationally, for its outstanding contribution in the PR and Media industry.

On his part, Eddy Blay, Programmes Manager for YFM commended the team for the recognition, adding, “We are elated on being recognized with an International award. We are truly humbled and honored to win in this category. We dedicate this award to all our audience and social media followers for their support to the Station.”

The annual IPRA Golden World Awards (GWA) initiative, established in 1990, recognizes excellence in Public Relations practice worldwide in a variety of categories. Recipients of the award take particular pride in the recognition granted to their entry as meeting international standards of excellence in Public Relations. It fulfills this aim through networking opportunities, its code of conduct, and intellectual leadership of the profession. With several years of experience, IPRA, recognized by the United Nations, is now present throughout the world wherever Public Relations is practiced.

GMA is an Integrated Communications and Media Company with over 20 years experience in PR, Events Management, Digital Marketing, Broadcasting (YFM, Happy FM and e.tv Ghana), Creatives and Production.
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Source: Global Media Alliance

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While at it, one of the road users told Citi News’ Caleb Kudah that the worsening traffic jam has compelled him and his family to move out of the area.

Though the stretch is a shorter route for many residents of East Legon, Adjiriganor and its environs to Accra and vice versa, the old tunnel, which only allows one stream of oncoming vehicles at a time, has made the rather short route more notorious for heavy traffic jams.

“I am going to Spintex, we have a warehouse there, but I have spent two hours in traffic this morning. We are moving from our house at East Legon Adjiriganor to Spintex just because of the traffic. We want to be closer to our work place. We heard in the news the tunnel will be complete in June and we don’t want to waste that much time” Hafiz lamented.

The contractors of the project are yet to announce when the tunnel will be opened to traffic.

Listen to the full report: 

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By: Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to him, it behooves on city authorities to enforce sanitation laws, educate citizens and provide the needed support to prevent littering, and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in open spaces to ensure a cleaner city.

The Archbishop said this when the Mayor of Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, called on him to discuss strategies by the Assembly to deal with the city’s sanitation challenges and sign the Clean Accra Charter.

The Clean Accra Charter is a set of guiding ethos to advance the vision of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa.

The charter “recognises  that  residents neighbours, workers, institutions and visitors to the city  have a fundamental obligation to put forward their best efforts on daily basis to ensure a clean, healthy and safe environment in Accra, now and in the future.”

It also  commits citizens to be “watchdogs against insanitary and disorderly development activities in Accra, and report  these to the notice of city authorities for immediate action” as well as ” waste prevention, reduction, reuse, recycling , organised disposal of refuse and proper use of public spaces.”

Charles Palmer-Buckle urged citizens to be conscious of the negative impacts of droping a plastic on the environment, and admonished all to desist from the practice.

” Scientifically, when you drop a plastic it takes a 100 years to decompose and so if we have over 2 million people littering the streets of Accra then you can understand the seriousness of the problem, ” he said, adding that   laws must be enforced.

The Archbishop stressed the need for synergy in order to work for the greater good of the people and pledge to support  the AMA  to ensure a clean Accra.

“My Pope came out with a document some few years ago titled ‘Care for our Common Home’… He talked about sanitation, climate change and a whole lot of challenges. So we have it as a responsibility and  duty to conscientise our people to care for our common home. We have as many as 22 Catholic churches and over 4000 members in Greater Accra. I owe it a responsibility to the AMA to be ready and willing to collaborate and contribute on any project that involves the people,” he said.

“I will quickly inform all my priests in Accra to talk about sanitation issues during their sermons as part of efforts to complement the assembly’s public education measures because it is our responsibility,” he added.

Mohammed Adjei Sowah thanked the Archbishop for his commitment towards the Clean Accra Project, and observed that the signing of the charter reaffirms the Catholic church’s commitment to a Clean environment.

“Religious leaders are a major influence in society and we want to plead with you, to add sanitation issues as part of your delivering either in sermons or wherever you find yourselves,” he appealed.

Mohammed Adjei Sowah also informed the Archbishop of measures to beautify the city of Accra, in the coming days.

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Source: AMA

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The event, held at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra, had in attendance, the Minister for Tourism and Creative Arts, Catherine Afeku, among others.

Addressing the graduates, the CEO of 2nd Image International, Nikki Boa-Amponsem, challenged them to put the skills acquired to good use and be guided by quality standards in the Industry.

About 2nd Image

2nd Image Hair and Beauty Therapy Academy is committed to preparing interested persons for exciting, successful careers in cosmetology and beauty therapy and fashion.

The students at the academy are taught to develop professional work habits and attitudes necessary to acquire and maintain employment skills and knowledge in the beauty industry.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The items included clothes, stationery, groceries, detergents and sanitary wear, among other things.

The donation formed part of the group’s initiative to put smiles on the faces of the foster children as they celebrated Good Friday.

Presenting the items on behalf of the group, the women commissioner for UPSA GRASAG, Patience Besiree Monfakye, said the move is to fulfill what the Holy Scriptures said about giving alms to the needy.

“As a leader of this group, we believe in giving which the Bible speaks of and putting smiles on the faces of these children as we observe the death of Christ. We know these items will boost their morale and reduce the beggary at various foster homes.”

Miss Besiree Monfankye pledged the group’s continuous support for the foster home to enable the children to realize their full potential and called for the support of corporate bodies to achieve this laudable initiative.

Receiving the items on behalf of Christ Faith Foster Home, Mr. Abraham Danso,  a coordinator at the home, expressed gratitude to UPSA GRASAG for the donation,  and noted that the items will be put to good use.

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By: Philip Nii Lartey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to DCOI Eric Afari, the Service is putting measures in place, including the training of its staff, to ensure that they are able to deal with the increased numbers at the Airport once the new terminal is operational.

He added that the terminal will consolidate the command’s ambition of making the Kotoka International Airport the number one airport in the sub-region.

The Ghana Airports Company Limited earlier reported that the project will be completed this April.

“Let me touch on our readiness for terminal 3. We are near completion of P3. The command is bracing for expanded operations at the terminal. The Immigration ICT setup at the new terminal is almost complete with the installation of workstations at both the arrival and departure halls,” he said.

“Officers are currently undergoing intensive intelligence training, training in customer care and ICT proficiency courses. This is to adequately prepare the Command to meet the high standard of performance expected at Terminal 3.”

DCOI Afari called on Ghanaians to register for the e-gate system that was inaugurated in March.

He stated that the launch of the e-gate would address the congestion issues at the Airport.

“With the inauguration of the e-gate at the KIA on Friday, 23 March 2018 by the Minister of Communications in the presence of the Minister of Aviation, the stage is set to enrol Ghanaians onto the e-gate.The Command, therefore, wishes to invite all Ghanaian travellers who patronise the KIA to register or enrol onto the e-gate facility,” he said.

“Our records are that 57% of travellers using the KIA are Ghanaians. If this number is successfully enrolled onto the e-gate, the congestion at the arrival and departure halls during peak hours will substantially reduce.”

He also added that the Command increased revenue by over 60% in 2017, compared to the same period in 2016.

DCOI Eric Afari was speaking at the Frafraha foster home where the Service donated food items and ten thousand Ghana cedis to the Home.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citinewsroom.com/Ghana

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Speaking at this year’s Asafotu Easter Festival of the people in Abutia-Kloe over the weekend, the Association’s acting General Secretary, Michael K. Wayo, bemoaned the activities of illegal lumbers in the forest in the full glare of Field Officers of the Commission, a situation he said is depleting the forest and denying the natives the socio-economic benefits of the game reserve.

“The land has been turned into a goldmine for settlers and illegal chainsaw operators thus depleting the otherwise virgin land. There is the wanton destruction of the Forest Reserve coupled with illegal harvest of rosewood and poaching of animals in the forest with impunity in the full glare of Wildlife Officials. We the people of Abutia have one message for the government; give our land back to us because it is not being used for its intended purpose.”

He insisted that development would be enhanced in the area, if the people are given full control over the management of the forest.

He said the Association is drafting  some regulations which include the imposition of fines for various offences in the forest which would soon be promulgated by the Traditional Council for further action by the District Assembly.

The Paramount Chief of the area, Togbega Abutia Kodzo Gidi V, who backed the call, asked that the Forestry Officials vacate the sanctuary if they cannot deal with the illegal activities.

Covering about 32,020 hectares of forest land, the Kalakpa Game Reserve traverses two traditional areas; Adaklu and Abutia, and it is home for wild animals such as buffaloes, antelopes, baboons and smaller mammals.

Before it became a forest reserve in 1975, it was a hunting ground for the locals.

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By: King Nobert Akpabli/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Cede control of Kalakpa Game Reserve to chiefs – Group demands appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the initiative will equip journalist with specialized training and skills about diverse subject areas relevant in aiding journalist to become independent and neutral arbitrators of government policies and dealing in the  ‘public court of opinion’.

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Mr Hamid said situations where most journalists depended on only politicians to comment on issues bordering the country without having a fair understanding of the problems do not help the citizenry in decision making hence the initiative.

He disclosed this at a media engagement with journalists in the Upper East Region on Friday.

Even though the minister did not disclose when the initiative will commence, journalist across the country will be selected to be trained by international institutions and organisations.

“So I am begging journalist to upgrade their knowledge but on our part as government, we have resolved that we will help you in that endeavor.

we are currently in talks with so many interested international bodies and trading organizations to once a while allow us(government) to pick some of our journalist across the country for training so that journalist can get the opportunity to upgrade their knowledge”.

“Frankly, I admit that many journalists in our country cannot afford the money to undertake such training and upgrading themselves. So we believe that as a government we should have a contribution towards this course so that we can have journalists who have informed themselves and therefore capable of moderating and writing on national issues”.

Mr Hamid added that the scraping of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) levy in the second cycle institutions by the government was to prevent heads of SHSs from using the “backdoor to charge monies that will almost look like fees”.

He also hinted that the government in the coming weeks would launch the ‘One Village One Dam’ project where hundreds of communities in the three regions of the north would witness the construction of dugouts for dry season farming.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the Commission, it has completed the public hearings in the proposed regions which include Northern, Volta, Western and Northern Regions.

[contextly_sidebar id=”cCpXFWn8IusoeAHmAhYCnWMeAyfjqFHf”]“Having completed the public hearings in the regions, the Commission is now embarking on the third and final phase of its consultations. During this phase, the Commission will hold public hearings in Accra from the 5th to the 10th of April 2018. These hearings will be held at the Accra International conference Centre” a statement signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Jacob Saah stated.

The statement said the “hearings are to afford those who were unable to appear at the regional public hearings, but who would still want to make submissions to the Commission an opportunity to do so.”

The Commission of Inquiry into the Creation of New Regions commenced work after its inauguration by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, on 19th October 2017.

After the Commission’s work, part of the Northern Region is expected to be a new region, as well as the northern part of the Western Region, splitting of the Brong Ahafo Region, and Oti Region to be carved out of the Volta Region.

The Commission was tasked to establish whether there was a need and substantial demand for the creation of  the new regions, based on petitions received by the President, and advice from the Council of State as required by Article 5 of the 1992 Constitution.

“The first phase involved consultations with the Chiefs and Opinion Leaders who had submitted petitions to H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. These consultations were in-camera at the Castle, Osu, from 21st to 29th November and 5th December, 2017.”

The Commission subsequently held public hearings in all the affected regions.

The Commission in the statement also said apart from the hearings, any member of the public who wishes to submit a memoranda to the Commission, could do so “by forwarding hard and soft copies to the Secretary, Commission Of Inquiry Into The Creation Of New Regions, Castle–Osu, Accra or via *Email: [email protected] on or before close of work, Friday, 13th April, 2018.”

Below is the commission’s schedule in Accra:  

Click here for the full statement from the Commission

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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The event, which was held at the Independence Square in Accra was characterized by mass public prayer, praise, worship and miracles.

Most of the attendees who were clad in red and black clothes dedicated time for prayer for the country.

The Founder and Presiding Bishop of the church, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, led the teeming crowd to pray for Ghana’s political and spiritual leadership.

The congregation prayed for mercy and grace for the leaders of the country and for all in authority after which prayer was offered for the salvation of 2 million people worldwide.

He also declared blessings on the congregation and prayed for healing for the ailing congregants present.

The service was spiced with song ministrations from a reported 9,000-member choir who sang of the cross and salvation.

About 5,000 dancers also took to the stage to minister with their skill.

Evangelist Dag Heward-Mills, who delivered a brief sermon titled “Who is Jesus Christ?”, stressed on the benefit and value of the death of Christ to Christians.

The mammoth congregation was baffled with testimonies of healings and deliverance.

A seventy-one year-old man testified with joy as he explained that his blurred vision had been healed and saw clearly. His testimony was followed by screams of joy from the congregation. He commented that, “It is a great thing to serve the Lord.”

A woman who could not walk for two years came forward with her daughter testifying that she could now walk.

For six years one man who had not been able to eat said he was able to swallow a sausage roll without throwing up. His wife was there to confirm his claim.

In her account, she said prior to the service, she had a dream. In the dream, she met the wife of Bishop Dag Heward-Mills who asked her to see Evangelist Dag to pray for him.

After not being able to see since Senior High School, an SHS graduate shared an emotional testimony of how her eyes were able to see after the prayer for healing.

The Evangelist also prayed that she gains admission as her condition had affected her entry into the university.

The service, dubbed the ‘Good Friday Miracle Service’, is the fourth in a series since the LCI initiated the annual programme in 2015.

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By: citinewsroom.com/Ghana

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