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TV3 assures reality shows contestants of support

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The Management of TV3 has maintained it will not relent on its commitment to winners and contestants of the station’s reality shows.

Head of Corporate Communications, Nicholina Annor-Adjei, gave the assurance Friday, following claims by a former contestant of season 5 of TV3 Mentor reality show that she together with her colleagues were neglected by the station.

But Ms Annor-Adjei told tv3network.com that the station would always provide the needed support to talents that are unearthed on its platform.

“We take such allegations seriously and we are going to look into it. Once we’ve fully investigated the matter we will do the needful and release a formal position in due course,” she assured.

TV3 over the years has established itself as a leader in television entertainment, with a line-up of a number of reality shows, including Mentor, Talented Kidz, Ghana’s Most Beautiful, and Celebrations.

Currently, many have availed themselves to be auditioned for the Season 5 of Ghana’s Most Strongestcontest.

By Nana Afrane Asante|3news.com|Ghana

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Ekeng

The funeral of Cameroon international Patrick Ekeng has been held in Yaounde, following his death during a league match in Romania on 6 May.

Ekeng died aged 26 of a suspected heart attack after collapsing on the pitch playing for Dinamo Bucharest.

Cameroon players past and present attended the service, and gave support to Ekeng’s wife and family.

The country’s sports minister Bidoung Kpwatt also attended, representing Cameroon’s president Paul Biya.

Ekeng’s brother Jacques Ekeng, paid tribute to “Patou” as he was known.

“He gave more love to his friends than to his family. That is Patrick, he was generous,” Jacques Ekeng said.

“No matter the beauty, riches and cars, you cannot be saved from death,” he told his brother’s friends.

“My brother is dead with a smile, and this is what comforts me.”

Ekeng’s club Dinamo Bucharest said they would honour the player’s memory by sending the Romanian Cup to his family in Cameroon if they win the trophy.

The 13-time winners face CFR Cluj in the postponed final on 17 May.

Source: BBC

Colombia seizes record cocaine haul

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Much of the haul was wrapped and ready for sale
Much of the haul was wrapped and ready for sale

Police in Colombia say they have seized their largest ever domestic haul of illegal drugs – nearly eight tonnes of cocaine.

The drugs had been hidden on a banana plantation near the north-western coastal town of Turbo.

President Juan Manuel Santos congratulated officers on Twitter, saying: “Operation in Turbo seized the greatest amount in our history.”

Police say the drugs belonged to Clan Usuga, a criminal gang.

Three suspects were arrested and another three escaped, a statement read.

Nearly 1.5 tonnes of the drugs had been wrapped and were “ready to go out to the export market”, Defence Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said.

It was the largest seizure of cocaine on Colombian territory although there may have been slightly larger cocaine seizures at sea, he added.

Clan Usuga is mainly engaged in drug trafficking but has also been accused of extortion, illegal mining, forced disappearances and murder, correspondents say.

Colombian police estimate the gang has about 2,000 active members.

Over the past five years, the security forces have captured 6,700 members of the group.

Earlier this month, the Colombian government said it would launch air raids against gangs involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining.

The new strategy specifically targets three gangs – Clan Usuga, Los Pelusos and Los Puntilleros.

Source: BBC

Both NPP, NDC have failed in fight against corruption – PC Appiah Ofori

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corruptionAn anti-corruption crusader, Paul Collins Appiah Ofori has accused the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) and now National Democratic Congress (NDC) governments of doing little to fight corruption.

The former Member of Parliament for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Constituency says “the NPP did not fight corruption and the NDC is not fighting corruption because all the Auditor-General’s report says corruption is going on in the country”.

Commenting on the perceived corruption in the country on Onua FM’s ‘Yen Sempa’, Mr. P. C. Appiah Ofori said “none of them fought corruption because between 2001 and 2008 when Kufuor was the President, there was corruption, today is NDC and there its corruption”.

The Anti-Corruption crusader explained that “those involved in corruption are not the politicians but those who are working in the public sector. They are the ones stealing the states money but they are not prosecuted and that is my worry”.

He said “Auditor-General reports indicts these people but they are not prosecuted”, saying, if they are punished, it will put fear into the people but this is the situation where they are not punished”.

Story by Kweku Antwi-Otoo/Onua FM

Afenyo-Markin demands dissolution of UEW Council

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UEW

Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency Alexander Afenyo-Markin has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and the Ministry of Education to dissolve the Academic Council of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) with immediate effect.

The lawmaker, in whose constituency the university is located, says the tenure of the Council elapsed way back in 2013.

He contends that the Council has been taking decisions, nonetheless.

Mr Afenyo-Markin expressed these sentiments and the consequent appeal on TV3’s New Day on Monday, May 16.

He says that the Council’s recent decisions like award of degrees and the appointment of a vice chancellor have all been made in contravention of Section VIII of Act 679 (2004).

‘Embarassing’

The private legal practitioner hinted that some members of the public are considering a legal action against the university and that could have an “embarrassing” implication for the university.

“Mr President, the Chief of Staff and Ministry of Education, quickly rectify the situation and appoint a new Council to quickly run the university.

“It is illegal a Council remains in office after its term of office has expired for over three years.”

By Emmmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana

Twitter: @kwame_amoh

Bawumia commissions boreholes, public toilet for Adoagyiri, Sagnarigu

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Bawumia water

Vice Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has commissioned four borehole projects for the people of Adoagyiri in fulfilment of a promise made in February by himself.

NPP’s Presidential Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo had also promised to fund the development of the four boreholes to help bring relief to the people of Adoagyiri, who have been facing an acute water crisis since 2015.

Two of the boreholes were developed in the Adoagyiri township while the other two were developed in Adoagyiri Zongo.

With residents facing the worst water crisis in decades, Dr. Bawumia paid a visit to Adoagyiri and its environs on February 19 to ascertain for himself, the seriousness of the situation, what had accounted for the hardships the people had been burdened with and to interact with residents on how they were coping with the current dire times.

Dr. Bawumia, who expressed deep concern for the plight of the people, immediately pledged that NPP will fund the development of four boreholes for the community to act as an emergency relief to the crisis, which had completely disrupted life for residents and especially women and children.

“On behalf of Nana Akufo-Addo, we are happy to have been able to contribute our little quota to help the people of the area and help bring relief,” he said.

“We thank the Chiefs and People of Nsawam and Adoagyiri also for your cooperation which made this project possible.”

Member of Parliament of Nsawam-Adoagyir Constituency Frank Annoh Dompreh, who accompanied Dr. Bawumia, was excited that Dr. Bawumia and Nana Akufo-Addo had come to the aid of the people in their most desperate time and urged the constituents to rally fully behind NPP’s presidential ticket and vote massively for Nana Akufo-Addo as the NPP had demonstrated that it cared and would obviously do more once elected into office.

The Queenmother for Nsawam, Nana Awoyaa Amankwah, who is Acting as Head of the Traditional Council, was elated about the development of the boreholes and thanked Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia for the show of concern and for delivering on their pledge.

“We were suffering so much but thanks to you, I can now get water to drink and to bath. With what you have done, I know you can do bigger things for us and this is why I will support you wherever you go,” Nana Hemaa Awoyaa Amankwah said.

Dr. Bawumia, together with MP for the Akwapim South Constituency, Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah, also commissioned another borehole in Dego, a community in the Akwapim South Constituency, which was also facing severe water issues.

Even though Dego was not part of the original pledge, the chiefs and elders of the town made an appeal to Dr. Bawumia on hearing of his pledge to Adoagyiri.

Speaking at Dego, Dr. Bawumia noted that with the unprecedented resources that had come into the country in the last seven years, the state should have been able to solve such basic issues to make life comfortable for the people of Ghana; but that due to corruption and mismanagement, the people of Ghana were now faced with unbearable suffering and worsening in the state of amenities and social services.

Sagnarigu Chief & people thankful to Dr. Bawumia for KVIP

On Saturday, Dr. Bawumia also commissioned a public toilet – fully funded by himself – for the people of Sagnarigu in the Northern Region.

The Chief of Sagnarigu, Naa Yakubu Abdullai, has expressed utmost gratitude to Dr. Bawumia, for delivering on his promise and putting up a KVIP for residents of the Sagnarigu Community in the Tamale Metropolis who had lived without such a basic necessity for years despite several complaints to the government.

“I thank you so much for this great gesture. You have shown that you are a man who fulfils his promises and my people thank you for this big gift and for the speed in putting it up. Thank you and God will continue to bless you for what you have done for Sagnarigu even in opposition,” Naa Yakubu Abdullai said.

The Chief made these comments at the Commissioning of the KVIP, which was put up in a matter of months after the chief, elders and people of the community appealed to Dr. Bawumia to help the community get a public toilet during a visit to the Community in January this year.

Despite the fact that the chief, elders and people requested Dr. Bawumia to help the community in this regard if elected as Vice-President, Dr. Bawumia realising the need for this basic amenity immediately, pledged to fund the construction of the Public Toilet immediately.

Addressing a large crowd of residents, who gathered to witness the commissioning of the public toilet, speaker after speaker, noted the inability of the government to build the facility for the area and pointed to a six-year old uncompleted building which was supposed to be a public toilet put up by the government, but which had been abandoned for years despite the desperate plight of the people.

Source: tv3network.com|Ghana

BBC’s bribery question was completely irrelevant – Akomea

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Akomea

Communications Director of NPP, Nana Akomea does not appear impressed by a question posed by the BBC about bribery to President John Mahama.

The President was recently asked if he has taken bribe before, but he answered in the negative, not after a short repartee.

But Nana Akomea told 3FM/TV3’s NEW DAY on Saturday, the answer should have been obvious to the journalist: Mahama would not admit to taking bribe.

“There have been people who have been convicted and come out to say they are still innocent so you don’t expect the president to say yes. That question really was completely irrelevant”.

The NPP Communications Director is also not convinced President Mahama’s hand would be clean when it comes to corruption.

He further rubbished assertions by the president that he has not been directly involved in the award of contracts in the public sector.

“The president said he had never been involved in direct procurement and so he wasn’t in position to be offered bribe. That statement will be taken with a pinch of salt by many Ghanaians because we know for a fact that, at least in one instance where he has directed that a contract be given to a particular company and so that statement is not entirely true.”

Nana Akomea observed that expectations of Ghanaians on the fight against corruption by the Mahama government have not been met.

“The president’s comments were that he was doing the best that he can to fight corruption but you see, if you go onto the streets and speak to as many Ghanaians as you want, their main worry will be corruption. So he may think he is doing all that he can but expectations by Ghanaians from his government to fight corruption has not been met”.
Source: 3FM |tv3network.com

You need well-functioning govt to succeed – Konadu tells women

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KonaduFormer First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has charged women to demand reduction in corruption as well as a well-functioning government for doors of opportunity to open to them.

In a statement to mark the 31st December Women’s Movement anniversary, Mrs. Rawlings called on women to speak out against ills in governance, community and the society.

The 31st December Women’s Movement is a development oriented organisation that was started in 1982 when Ghana was going through a revolution

As the President of the Movement, she believes when that is done, it will go a long way to build the country.

“As women we need to demand a well-functioning government, a fair playing business climate, a fair distribution of resources, reduced level of corruption and a country with sound security for everyone.

“When these aspects are improved, it will reduce the vulnerability of women and children in Ghana and open the doors of opportunity for us all.

Mrs. Rawlings also took the opportunity congratulate women and well-wishers of the Movement.

The 31st December Women’s Movement is a development oriented organisation that was started in 1982 when Ghana was going through a revolution.

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings was recently endorsed for the second time by the National Democratic Party to run as a presidential candidate for the 2016 elections on its ticket.

Source: tv3network.com / Ghana

Man United’s final-day game cancelled due to bomb scare

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Man United

Manchester United’s final-day match against Bournemouth has been called off because of a suspect package.

Two stands – the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and the Stretford End – were evacuated before the home game against Bournemouth and sniffer dogs brought in to search the stands.

Kick-off, due at 15:00 BST, was delayed and shortly afterwards the match was abandoned on police advice.

Security personnel are supervising fans exiting the stadium.

An “operation red code” alert was heard over the tannoy at 14:40 BST and the players who were warming up left the field.

The club announced: “Due to the discovery of a suspect package in the north-west quadrant of the ground, the match has been abandoned for today on police advice.

“People in the stadium are advised to remain in their seats while the forecourt is cleared of fans evacuated from the stadium. Further announcements will be made as soon as possible.”

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward spoke to Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore about the game being called off, BBC Sport’s football correspondent Phil McNulty said.

The Premier League said it was looking to rearrange the match as soon as possible.

Source: BBC

Menstruation saves girl from being killed for rituals

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ritualsThe menstruation of a 15 –year- old girl saved her from being kidnapped for ritual purpose by unknown assailants in the Wassa Amenfi East District of the Western Region.

The mother of the victim, Madam Esther Ankomah, told the media on Friday that her daughter was kidnapped by unknown people last Monday, May 9, at Wassa Akropong around 1700 hours when she was attending choir meeting.

She said, the daughter told her after the rescue that the kidnappers took her to an unknown location, however, when the assailants were undressing her, they noticed that she was in her menstrual period, therefore, the fetish priest told them she was not suitable for the rituals because her condition so she was sent back.

However, to avoid the Police from tracking them, she said the kidnappers blinded-folded her with black handkerchief and left her at a nearby school at Wassa Akropong on Tuesday May 10 and called her parents to come for her using the victim’s phone.

The District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Isaac Kumnipa, stated that although the victim’s mother reported the missing of her daughter on that fateful day they received information about the girl’s discovery the next day.

Therefore, he said, the Police gave the victim’s parents medical forms to attend hospital for medical examination but the girl declined to go.

“In this case, we cannot compel her to go to hospital because that’s her human rights, therefore the Police cannot ascertain the truth in the reported kidnap,” he stated.

ASP Kumnipa, however, advised Ghanaians to be vigilant, especially when approached by strangers for assistance since they cannot easily verify their intentions.

Source GNA

Gov’t disburses GHC284,000 to traders in Brong Ahafo

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tradersGovernment has disbursed GHC284,000 to 290 traders and market women in the Brong Ahafo Region for the expansion of their businesses.

Access to loan facilities to boost businesses in the Brong Ahafo Region has been a challenge for most traders, particularly women. High cost of borrowing has been a disincentive to many of them.

It is against this background that the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, facilitated the disbursement of the loan through the MASLOC. The beneficiaries are to repay in six months with a two per cent interest.

The money is to help some of the beneficiaries to start their own businesses and existing ones to expand their business in order to help take care of their families

Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, Sedina Tamakloe Attionu entreated all beneficiaries to pay back on time to enable MASLOC expand the programme to other regions.

She therefore urged them to put the money into good use and work hard so as to repay on time, and asked them to save their profit they could to expand their businesses

MASLOC provides micro and small loans for start-ups and small businesses with fast, easy and accessible microcredit and small loans to grow and expand businesses.

By 3news.com|Ghana

Greenstreet slams NDC, NPP for rendering many Ghanaians disabled

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Greenstreet.jpg2The flag-bearer of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet has stated that the inability to access basic social amenities and services has rendered many able Ghanaians disabled.

Speaking in Wa in the Upper West region as part of his Apam Foforͻ (New Testament) tour, he explained, “the inability to pay school fees, get access to healthcare, or getting a paid job to care for one’s self were all disabilities.”
The large number of unemployed Ghanaians, he pointed out, shows a high number of persons disabled by their circumstances.

The Greenstreet 2016 campaign tour of “Apam Foforͻ” hit the capital of the Upper West region, Wa on Friday, May 13, 2016, where the sacred covenant is translated in Walla as “Mwini-Sumbu”.

He was in the region with a delegation that included the party’s Chairman and Leader, Prof Edmund N. Delle, Campaign Strategist, Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr and other national and regional.

The team paid a courtesy call on the Yeri-Naa (Chief of the Muslim Community), the regional Chief Imam, and the Maulvi of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement. The team described each visit as refreshing with crying calls for a return to Nkrumaist principles of self-reliance that led to job creation for the teeming unemployed youth and women in the era Ghana’s first president.

Mr. Greenstreet and his entourage held a mini rally at one of the crowded markets in the region where the presidential candidate explained the “Apam Foforͻ” catchphrase.

“NDC and NPP have given politicians a very bad name because they had both failed Ghanaians with their broken promises and the failure to offer hope to them…the NDC should be removed from office but never should the replacement be the NPP. Ghana’s only hope is the CPP, the Akokͻ party!”

Mr. Greenstreet said the CPP administration would provide the enabling environment and the needed regulatory framework that would lead to the establishment of factories that would add value to local raw materials.
Among the large crowd at the market were some physically challenged persons who were elated to see the CPP presidential candidate in wheels, which they said was an encouragement that they also have a huge contribution to make to the nation’s development process.

Many of them pledged their unflinching support for him and promised to go all out to campaign for Mr. Greenstreet because he understood their condition better than the other candidates.

 

Source: tv3network.com | Ghana 

‘Jihadists’ killed Hezbollah commander

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Mustafa Amine Badreddine was involved in Hezbollah military operations for years
Mustafa Amine Badreddine was involved in Hezbollah military operations for years

Hezbollah’s top military commander in Syria, Mustafa Amine Badreddine, was killed in artillery fire by jihadists, the Lebanese group says.

Badreddine’s death near Damascus airport was announced on Friday and initially blamed on Israel, Hezbollah’s chief enemy.

Badreddine was believed to have run all Hezbollah’s military operations in Syria since 2011.

Thousands of Hezbollah troops are supporting President Bashar al-Assad.

This has pitted it against several groups of anti-Assad rebels – from so-called Islamic State (IS) to the al-Nusra Front.

Without naming any group, the Hezbollah statement said: “Investigations have showed that the explosion, which targeted one of our bases near Damascus International Airport, and which led to the martyrdom of commander Mustafa Badreddine, was the result of artillery bombardment carried out by takfiri groups in the area.”

Takfiri is used to describe militants who believe Muslim society has reverted to a state of non-belief.

However, the BBC’s Arab Affairs Editor Sebastian Usher says questions still remain over Badreddine’s death.

A monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said there had been no recorded shelling or firing in the area for more than a week, although Hezbollah has not said when Badreddine died.

Many political assassinations involving Lebanese and Syrian political figures have remained unsolved, our correspondent says.

 

Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem (speaking) at the funeral on 12 MayThousands attended Badreddine’s funeral in Beirut            —- AFP

The Lebanese Shia Islamist movement has played a major role in helping Iran, its main military and financial backer, to prop up the government of President Assad since the uprising erupted in 2011.

Thousands of Hezbollah fighters are assisting government forces on battlefields across Syria, particularly those near the Lebanese border, and hundreds are believed to have been killed.

The Hezbollah statement said Badreddine’s death “will increase our determination… to continue the fight against these criminal gangs and defeat them”.

Hariri link

Born in 1961, Badreddine is believed to have been a senior figure in Hezbollah’s military wing. He was a cousin and brother-in-law of Imad Mughniyeh, who was the military wing’s chief until his assassination by car bomb in Damascus in 2008.

According to one report, a Hezbollah member interrogated by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), described Badreddine as “more dangerous” than Mughniyeh, who was “his teacher in terrorism”.

General view on the explosion scene in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday Feb. 14, 2005, where former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed in a massive bomb explosionFormer Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri was killed in a huge explosion in Beirut in February 2005

They are alleged to have worked together on the October 1983 bombing of the US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut that killed 241 people.

Badreddine is reported to have sat on Hezbollah’s Shura Council and served as an adviser to the group’s overall leader Hassan Nasrallah.

The group was established in the wake of the Israeli occupation of Lebanon in the early 1980s, and has called for the “obliteration” of Israel.

Badreddine was also charged with masterminding the assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri in Beirut in 2005.

An indictment from the ongoing Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague details Badreddine’s role in bombings in Kuwait in 1983, that targeted the French and US embassies and other facilities, and killed six people.

He was sentenced to death over the attacks, but later escaped from prison.

Meet TV3’s Paa Kwesi Asare, once known as ‘Frank Lampard’ because of his football skills

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Paa Kwesi AsareA graduate from the University of Ghana with a degree in Sociology and Political Science, TV3’s news anchor Paa Kwesi Asare (PKA) is the first runner-up of the coveted BBC Komla Dumor maiden award.

Online journalist Nana Afrane Asante (NAA) got up close and personal with the former Citi FM, Joy FM and Starr FM news presenter.

Below is the interaction that ensued between them:

NAA: What motivates you?

PKA: I guess it’s when I see successful young people especially young entrepreneurs who are making it big…it kind of motivates me and makes me feel like there is hope for the youth.

NAA: What are your hobbies?

PKA: My hobbies are listening to music, watching football and reading as well and when I say reading I do not have any particular thing so it’s basically anything I get hold of.

NAA: What is your favourite music?

PKA: I love reggae and every day for me is Bob Marley.

NAA: Your first car?

PKA: My first car is a Nissan Sunny and that is what I’m still using. I bought it brand new and it’s not exactly a sleek vehicle but it’s very durable and less more consuming so for someone like me who is not a super rich person, starting off with a Nissan Sunny obviously is the best.

NAA: Your first job?

PKA: My first real paying job was at Citi FM in 2009 and I was still in my final year at the university.

NAA: Your first kiss?

PKA: I don’t remember. It must have been way back

NAA: Favourite fashion item?

PKA: I love perfumes and if perfumes are fashion then I will say I’m in love with perfumes.

NAA: Your favourite radio or TV station?

PKA: Of course television is TV3 and with radio it used to be Joy FM but now I listen to Citi a lot.

NAA: Favourite sport?

PKA: Football

NAA: Favorite team?

PKA: Asante Kotoko

NAA: Favorite player?

PKA: Frank Lampard. Once upon a time I used to play football. My name was Frank Akwesi Lampard.

NAA: What will be your ideal place for a holiday?

PKA: I would love to go to the Bahamas, Hawaii

NAA: First thing you do when you wake up?

PKA: I do a little thinking in bed and then I listen to radio

NAA: Last thing you do before going to bed?

PKA: I watch TV

NAA: Who are some of your role models?

PKA: A few businessmen inspire me like Prince Kofi Amoabeng because of his UT story, Sam Jonah, Ibrahim Mahama and his story on how he started which gives me a lot of inspiration and also Addo Kuffuor inspires me.

Credit: Nana Afrane Asante|tv3network.com

Two SHS students represent Ghana at ROBOFEST 2016 in US

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ROBOFESTTwo Ghanaian senior high school students are representing Ghana at this year’s ROBOFEST, an annual international robotics competition, at the Lawrence Technological University, Michigan in the United States of America.

The two, Kofi from Prempeh College in Kumasi and Benedict Amoako, from Presec Boys’ Senior High School in Accra were selected to represent Ghana after emerging winners of the ROBOGOLF challenge, a robotics competition put together by the Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation.

The team is currently at the Lawrence Technological University to face competition from USA, Canada, China, Columbia, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Mexico, and South Africa.

rob

Robofest is a festival of competitions and events with autonomous robots that encourages students to have fun while learning principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, and math (STEM) and Computer Science. Students design, construct, and program the robots. Any robotics kits are allowed in the construction of robots.

By Edward Balami|3news.com|Ghana