VODAFONE GHANA REWARDS CUSTOMERS THROUGH EXCITING CALL PACKAGES

 In a bid to continue providing exciting value offers to reward its customers, Vodafone Ghana has evolved the Double bonus offering into the Double value package. The Double bonus offer which is still on-going gives new customers a 100% bonus credit on all top ups.   The Double Value offer is aimed at customers who have come to the end of their 90 day Double Bonus welcome package and want to continue experiencing the unbeatable value for money they get on the Vodafone network. 

The double value offer gives customers a 100% bonus on GHC 2 and above top ups for a 30 day subscription for just GHC 1.99.  The bonus amount is valid in that 30 day period and can be used to call all networks, browsing on the internet, on net SMS and international calls. 

The Double Value offer gives customers real value for their money, as it is tailored to address the different usage needs and behaviors of customers, thereby giving them the freedom and flexibility they want.

Vodafone Ghana is at the forefront in the telecoms market in respect of offering true value to customers by developing call packages that allows customers the opportunity to put the bonus credit to multiple uses. Vodafone is the only network that offers the longest validity period for its customers. The minimum validity period for any of its offers is seven (7) days. For double value for example, it gives a 30 day validity period which is unmatched on the market.

To activate the Double Value offer, Customers are required to dial 5050. They are instantly charged the corresponding monthly fee of GHC 1.99 and have access to the offer for 30 days. Bonus credit accumulated can be used within the 30 day period but is however not transferable to the following month. Blackberry & data bundle subscribers are eligible for the offer.

“We are constantly tuned into the needs and expectations of our customers.  As a customer-obsessed company, we are always creating value packages for our customers that will meet their lifestyles and usage needs and gives them the freedom that they deserve. We are currently the only network that is leading the way in providing true value to our customers. One of our strongest areas we are proud of as a company is our unmatched offers that always take the telecoms market by storm. We are convinced that the double value promotion and other promotional packages will meet the expectations of our customers because they are catered to their dynamic needs.” shared Carmen Bruce-Annan, Head of Corporate Communications at Vodafone Ghana.

POTAG CALLS FOR PEACE TO PREVAIL ON C-POLY CAMPUS



U. Stonewell Tetteh (Secretary C-Poly POTAG)

By: Kwamina Bamfo-Agyei

The Cape Coast branch of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) has dissociated itself from statements made to the media by some concerned lecturers in the Cape Coast Polytechnic about the appointment of a new Rector for the School.
The polytechnic has not had a Rector for the past year after Professor Kwame Nkum resigned his position.

Two groups, the Concerned Staff and the Concerned Patriots have called on government to revoke the appointment of Dr. Lawrence Atepor as they claim he is not competent enough to run the affairs of the school.

In light of this, POTAG has said it does not recognize any group calling itself ‘Concerned staff’ and appealed for the right procedure of appointment of a Rector to take place.

The Local Secretary of POTAG, Stonewell Tetteh told Central Press it is unfortunate for the two concerned staff to indicate that Dr. Lawrence Atepor is from the Volta region so he should not be given the appointment.

"The concerned staff are made of two teachers of the institution namely Messrs Emmanuel Offei Appiah and Tsatsu McCarthy, so it is not true that it is the whole community that is actually agitating.

"The Polytechnic Community is not on fire as it has been perceived; everything is running normally.

“The former rector, Professor Robert Kwame Nkum, was not chased out of the Polytechnic as the two concerned parties were purporting.

"He resigned his post on his own volition. POTAG respects the ongoing process set up by the Polytechnic Council, through the search committee to get a qualified rector for the Polytechnic.

“As we speak today, nobody has been appointed yet but we believe that the committee that has been set up is doing its work and is actually in the process of getting us a new rector.

"POTAG wishes to advice our two colleagues to channel any grievance they have through the appropriate channel to get their issues addressed”.

 

In a related development, the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the Cape Coast Polytechnic has called on the President to revoke the appointment of its Registrar, Nimaku Danquah.

The SRC claims Nimaku Danquah’s alleged leaking of the decision of the search committee on the appointment of a new Rector to some teaching staff was unprofessional and deserved sanction.

According to the SRC, the Registrar disclosed confidential information to the staff who used it at a press conference to call on the President to dissolve the Polytechnic council and the search committee.

The SRC President of Cape Coast Polytechnic, Emmanuel Asamoah Bohin noted that for the past four years the school had not seen development in-terms of infrastructure and academic affairs since Nimaku Danquah took the leadership role of Registrar.

He indicated that “the President has got nothing to do with this issue, the Council has constituted a search committee in line with the rule of law, and they should respect the rules and let the structures work.

"NDC has got nothing to do with this. Insults being rained on the council chairman, we are not in for that. We need a Rector now”.

SRC President, Emmanuel Asamoah Bohin

PRESS RELEASE FROM C-POLY ALUMNI

Samuel Kwame Ansah (Prof) President

This is the first time the Cape Coast Polytechnic Alumni Association is coming out on the issues in the media that are in fact destroying the image of the Polytechnic. 

This has become necessary because this is not the first time such issues aimed at wounding the integrity of the very respectable individuals in the Polytechnic have come up.  It is therefore about time that group or groups behind these uncivilised acts are condemned so that they desist from such deviant behaviours.

This time around it is a two-member group calling itself Concerned Staff of Cape Coast Polytechnic and another group calling itself the Concerned Patriots of Cape Coast.  Since the two groups are all talking about the same issue at the same time, we have a good reason to believe that it is one group with different names or one is a shadow of the other.

We know that there are laid down channels for grievance resolution.  So we are entreating the concerned staff to resort to that instead of what they are doing.  If they do not believe in the systems prescribed by the statutes of this Polytechnic, then they must leave our school to wherever they want.  After all, nobody is begging them to be in the school.  Moreover, Cape Coast Polytechnic can be with or without them. The Polytechnic is a higher institution of learning and as such issues ought to be dealt with in a civilized manner to serve as example to other lower institutions.

We also like to encourage parents who are worried about the safety of their wards in this institution that, all is well in the Polytechnic.  So they should allow their wards to come to school.

Finally, we will like the management of the Polytechnic to also come out and condemn such uncivilized acts of the members of staff. Otherwise it will paint a picture as if they are part of this act.  Again, we would like to see a disciplinary action taken against such people who disregard the provisions of the statutes so that it will serve as a deterrent to those who want to destroy our school and leave us in shame.

We also like to use this opportunity to congratulate the new executives-elect of our Alumni Association. It is our hope that they will work extra harder to redeem the image our Polytechnic.

Long live Cape Coast Polytechnic, Long live Ghana.

Contact:  Mr. Samuel K. Ansah                                  National President                                                        
 0246769673                                                        

Mr. Jonas Ekow Yankah

Local President(C-Poly Branch)
0244171130

IS THERE MORE POTENTIAL FOR SURFING IN GHANA?

By Cameron Henderson

A surfer in action

Surfing these days is a worldwide sporting phenomenon, having etched itself into sporting and recreational culture worldwide it has become an incredibly well known activity participated in many different countries around the world.

The origins of surfing are still shrouded in uncertainty, as there have been many accounts from European explorers and foreign travelers as to the birthplace of surfing culture. Primitive surfing activities have been said to of been enjoyed by native people in Hawaii, Tahiti and Polynesia, reported on by explorers such as Captain James Cook and Lieutenant James King, who visited these islands in the pacific during the 1700s. In addition to these accounts by European explorers, citizens of Peru, a country riddled with stories of ancient civilization dating back thousands of years, have suggested that surfing may have originated on the north shores of their coastline up to thousands of years ago.

Whatever the case may be, it is apparent that since the introduction of surfing into the limelight by famous Hawaiian Olympic swimming gold-medalist, Duke Kahanamoku, the sport has taken off worldwide in the popular form it is known for today. Duke travelled the world in the early 1900s, bringing the sport of surfing out of Hawaii and pioneering it across the world, introducing foreign countries in the beauty and elegance of riding waves.

Over the years surfing has evolved rapidly into the sport it is today, now a multi-billion dollar enterprise consisting of fashion outlets, film companies, television coverage, corporate sponsorships, professional competitions and international publicity that one could not comprehend one hundred years ago when it just found itself crawling out onto the world stage.

While surfing is such a popular sport in so many countries, however, we at Central Press decided it was about time to investigate whether Ghana had the potential to become a driving force in the explosion of surf culture around the world.

Busua Beach, one of Ghana's most popular surf beaches

It is commonly reported that Ghana, more than most countries in the Western region of Africa, is lucky enough to possess a string of beautiful, untouched coastlines, which in this day and age are hard to find. The popular international surfing website, globalsurfers.com, has many reviews and public comments on the potential for surfing in Ghana, and it seems that there are many tourists who enjoy visiting the local beaches and enjoying the swell here.

While it seems that many surfers enjoy visiting Ghana to experience the waves, uncrowded coastlines and amazing culture of the nation, Central Press did not discover a great deal of local passion for the sport. It seems that majority of people who come here discover that Ghana is one of the last places on earth where tropical surfing is still a reality; perfect waves, empty line-ups and amazing weather, one can’t really go wrong. Though it seems that more local promotion of the sport throughout Ghana would be beneficial to the population.

The Ghana Surfing Association, Ghana’s official surfing body, is responsible for all surfing events and publicity regimes centered on surfing throughout the nation. Currently they are responsible for administration of Ghana’s national surf team, consisting of three Ghanaian surfers, who have competed in competitions around Ghana and also in Cote d’Ivoire. While it is clear there is a passion for surfing amongst these three individuals and the official body that runs the team, there definitely needs to be greater publicity surrounding the potential for surfing to be a major sport in Ghana.

Surfing is an enjoyable activity, both for leisure and for sporting fitness, so Ghanaian people should embrace its uprising as they are blessed with the benefits of perfect surf conditions throughout majority of their nation’s coastline. Ghana has the potential to be a nation highly involved in the explosion of this worldwide phenomenon and it is high time that surfing emerges from a minor, underground movement into a widespread form of leisurely activity through Ghana, possibly bring Ghana onto the world stage in the not to distant future.

CENTRAL PRESS ACKNOWLEDGES LOCAL SUPPORT FROM OTHER MEDIA HOUSES

By Cameron Henderson (Projects Abroad)

Central Press this week hosted a small gathering of media houses and foreign volunteers to thank them for 18 months of the continued support in establishing the newspaper to the point it is at today.

The Editor of Central Press, Kwamina Bamfo-Agyei, invited distinguished members of media houses, representatives from Projects Abroad, and his current Central Press volunteers to a small celebration of Central Press Newspaper’s ever-improving status in Ghana’s media industry. Guests were treated to a short presentation from Kwamina Bamfo-Agyei as well as acknowledgements from Central Press Newspaper for their ever-continual support in bringing the newspaper and its stories to the airwaves around Ghana, instilling the brand of Central Press into the minds of the people.

Representatives from Radio Central, Yes FM, ATL FM, Ahomke FM and Eagle FM were all present at the event, receiving certificates of appreciation from Tom Davis of Projects Abroad, the man behind Central Press Newspaper’s financial support. Kwamina Bamfo-Agyei spoke about the amazing support that Projects Abroad has given him and the newspaper since it’s beginning in January 2010, acknowledging Tom Davis the Country Director of Projects Abroad in particular for providing both financial assistance in establishing the newspaper as well as the opportunity for foreign volunteers to come and write stories for Central Press to publish.

Kwamina Bamfo-Agyei explained that he was appreciative of volunteer support and that it assisted in improving the paper due to the neutral political stance of volunteers, who obviously coming from a foreign nation are not aware of Ghana’s politics and will write stories without any bias, an important aspect of Central Press Newspaper’s attitude towards reporting.

Central Press is the only newspaper in all of Ghana that is not based in Accra, a tribute to the hard work and passion that Kwamina Bamfo-Agyei and the Central Press team have towards the project.

 Establishing itself as a voice for development stories in the Central Region, Central Press has evolved from a monthly newspaper to a fortnightly publication, with the editor now looking to making it a weekly publication in the not too distant future.

The ongoing and ever growing support from other local media houses such as radio and TV stations has allowed the news of Central Press to reach a wider audience over the last 18 months and this support is a reflection of the quality and honesty behind the topics that the paper writes about. 

The event also acted as a send off for three volunteers, Oliver Griffin, Rebecca Cooke and Ryan Millward, who have been working for Central Press over the last few weeks and months. Central Press took the time to thank them for their contribution to the paper and allowed all three of them to give a short talk about their experiences in Ghana.

In thanking everyone Kwamina hosted a luncheon for all attending the event to show his appreciation and hopes that, their support will continue as Central Press grows bigger and bigger in the not too distant future. 

RADIO PRESENTERS CALLED TO RESEARCH

By Cameron Henderson (Projects Abroad)

Radio presenters have been urged to carry out effective research to enhance their service delivery in the media.

Frederick Ofuri-Nuako, aka DJ Mystic Man, revealed this to Central Press Newspaper when we caught up with him at Radio Central this week.

Frederick Ofuri-Nuako, aka DJ Mystic Man, has been a radio disc jockey for 12 years now. A graduate of the University of Cape Coast between 1999-2002, Mystic Man was studying B.Ed Social science with a major in economics and management. His interest in DJing started before he attended university and during his time of study and then teaching at Aggrey Senior High School he developed his passion for the radio game. Leading a double life, Mystic Man worked his day job at the school while also holding a solid position as the drive time presenter at GBC.

“I’d close from school, and then come to play the drive over here, the moment I’d stop teaching I’d have to rush to the studio to come and present the drive from 4 until 6”.

Clearly leading a busy lifestyle, we asked Mystic what inspired him to lead such a demanding career path. “I am always someone who is interested in giving information to people”. From information on world news to local events happening around town, Mystic is clearly a man passionate for making a difference to the community in a positive way. During his drive time show on GBC he opens the phone lines, allowing listeners to call in and inform the public on incidents such as accidents and other hazards to watch out for while travelling around the region. He is also interested in the environment and uses his show as an avenue for distributing good advice on successful upkeep of the general environment so all the people can benefit.

 Mystic is also responsible for running the GBC chart show on Saturdays, ‘Hits of the Week’, which airs from 2-4pm. The show features all the hottest music in Ghana at the moment with Hip-life and Gospel beats regularly dominating the airwaves. Mystic is dedicated to bringing the most popular new music to the charts show every week, playing the top 20 hits in various genres that are loved by the people of Ghana, “we try to come all over Ghana, to ask them what is going on in the area of music”.

His dedication can also be seen through his personal commitment travelling to markets around the Central Region and asking questions of salespeople who sell music CDs about what their highest selling items are each week, gaining an insight into what styles of music are being purchased by people in Ghana and how the trends change from week to week. He also seeks information from other popular media outlets to keep up to date with what music they are also playing to their listeners.

Mystic also enjoys looking up information on the internet for the Saturday show about popular international celebrities, giving the opportunity for Ghanaians to hear some international gossip, adding a little bit of excitement to the show while breaking up the airplay between songs. All this dedication is paying off to ‘Hits of the Week’ because it is currently one of the hottest programs in town at the moment, with the listenership increasing every week.

“The sky is the limit!” exclaims Mystic when asked if he has any aspirations for his future. Even after so long at GBC he had not made his position permanent until recently as he was still teaching. But looking towards the future and his passion for radio, Mystic explains, “the job is about talent, if you have talent you cannot press it down you have to let it come up”. He says this having just finished his teaching job, explaining that while he enjoys teaching he wants his information to reach a wider audience and radio is the best way that will happen for him as he broadens his career at GBC, expanding the amount of shows he is doing.

The undeniable passion Mystic has for his job truly shines through in the way he conducts himself professionally though Central Press was interested to discover how he made time for himself and his family while maintaining such a hectic career. He doubles up as a producer for the GBC morning show on weekdays too, so he is always at the studio from 7-10am, organising programmes and lining up interviews with professional sources in whatever field the day’s stories will be about, then he returns later in the day for his drive time slots as well.

“I am married with 2 kids, one is 2 and a half and the other is 4 and a half years old”, Mystic reveals to us. He says he spends time with his children and his wife in the day between his morning show and his drive time show. He is thankful to have a phone with internet connection, meaning he can research the latest stories conveniently and leisurely at home when he has the time, allowing him to spend more time with his family while he is on the go.

To any upcoming or aspiring radio presenters Mystic advises that they must have a passion and a drive behind what they do, with a willingness to always be thinking about the work they are doing, even when not at work.

“If you want to be a radio person, and you want to go higher in the area of radio you have to do a lot of research, its not about you and your style of music, the style is part of it but anybody at all can just go to the market and buy a cassette or CD, you can get everything to buy”, he explains.

The people that listen to the radio are not just looking for music and Mystic believes that in order to make it in radio presenting, you need to do more research and actually analyse and source what people want to find out about. It is the responsibility of a radio presenter, he believes, to give to the people information that reflects their society and discuss issues that affect their day-to-day lives.

“Its not about sitting down, just playing music and then turning off, you have to move a little bit higher”, and a little bit higher is where we see Mystic Man going in the future, because in his own words, the sky is the limit.

HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE AT CAPE COAST BOAT RACE

By Oliver Griffin

Recently, the CENTRAL PRESS news team was fortunate enough to be given special access to watch this year’s Cape Coast Festival boat race. However, from the vantage point on the jetty it was easy to notice the multitude of police officers walking among the crowd. Was this a necessity, or an authoritarian overreaction to a problem that never occurred?

Festivals are always charged with emotion, and the Cape Coast Festival of 2011 has been no exception. Crowds gather in large numbers in often cramped surroundings, all eager to see the main attraction and, at times, tempers can fray leading to trouble. Despite these potential causes for trouble, there was very little crowd disturbance at the boat race, which pits four teams from the Cape Coast area against each other. Therefore, the high number of police officers at the race did seem to be largely disproportionate to the problem posed. Officers used heavy handed tactics to move through the crowd and to jostle members of the assembled press and associated media who were simply trying to record the day’s events.  In one incident, a woman and her children were roughly pushed past the press section as they simply tried to cross from one side of the observation stands to the other. At CENTRAL PRESS, we ask, is this level of force necessary? All of the problems we saw take place on the day of the race were started by over reacting police officials who were clearly jittery that some problems might take place. Indeed, it seems that we were not the only ones who noticed as between rounds of racing one of the local chiefs came down to talk to the police to urge restraint.   

Despite these problems, the race was a huge success. In the end, hundreds, if not thousands of people turned out to see the race and support the teams that were racing and to take part in the day’s festivities. The race involves rowing in teams, as quickly as possible, from one side of the lagoon to the other, and back again. The boats themselves are similar in size and shape to the boats that the local fisher folk use to make their daily catch.  Observing the race were people from all over Ghana, the Cape Coast area, Chiefs and many different representatives from the media.

Over all, the day was a good; people were able to enjoy the race and a large turnout helped to create a fantastic and excited atmosphere, as vibrant as the festival costumes that were present at the boat race. The police did a good job over all but need to remember that people don't go to these events to cause trouble - festival problems can be solved with a kind word and firm advise. Physical force should be, and must be, a last resort.

Fishing Festival Forecasts Good Harvest

By Rebecca Cooke

A heavy and expectant crowd surrounded Cape Coast Lagoon to gleefully engage in the annual casting of the fisherman's net into the water.

For generations the casting of the fisherman’s net has been a symbol of local prosperity in harvesting. If the fish are caught in the net then it forecasts an abundant harvest for the coming year. If none become entrapped in the net then the locals will have a sparse harvest for the following twelve months.

The surrounding sandy beach and palm trees were a serene yet festive setting for the flourish of colours and faces that covered the area around the lagoon.

The sun beat down on the site of the lagoon and the sky became a canvas of blue, which was welcome but uncharacteristic of the weather in the recent weeks.

The event took place after the festivities of the annual boat-race, just meters away from the scene of the ceremonial fishing. Crowds of people, after clapping, cheering and chanting at the boat-race became mellowed as they ambled across the road to the lagoon.  

A buzz of excitement, anticipation and expectancy rippled throughout the crowded beachfront almost in perfect coincidence with the crashing of the seas waves on the beach, as onlookers observed the ceremonial fisherman enter the waters with his net ready to be cast and an air of prophecy ensue.

Chiefs, locals and those who had travelled some distance gathered together practically shoulder to shoulder to partake in the festival’s prestigious event waited with baited breath to see the outcome of this year’s harvest ritual.

The climax of the event played out to a soundtrack of chants and cheers and the fisherman pulled his net out of the water triumphantly with an abundance of fish floundering in its entanglement.The Cape Coast Festival and its events will continue through to the end of the week and the ceremonial fishing certainly had cast a veil of prosperity and good will amongst the coastal town and its residents as they may look forward to a strong and healthy harvest this year.