President Akufo-Addo (middle) with Most Rev. Awotwe Pratt and Delegates

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on workers to eschew the habit​ of using working hours for prayer sessions. He said the economic transformation the nation desired would not be possible if workers continued to spend working hours on prayers.

"We come to work and spend the first hour and more not on the job we are paid to do but on prayers. We go to all night prayers and come to work the next​ day tired and unfit for the purpose."

"We take out a week for every funeral and expect our businesses to thrive because we evoke the name of the Almighty."​

Speaking at the International Conference on Entrepreneurship, Business and Technology in Accra yesterday, President Akufo-Addo said the nation would attain its desired level of development through hard work and positive working attitudes, not miracles.​

"The Good Book says there is a time and place for everything. We cannot, and should not, continue to hide behind religiosity to indulge in the practice that has characterised our attitude to work," he said. 

The President urged churches and mosques to help in the advocacy for the attitudinal change needed to build a new economy.

According to him, something fundamental​ had gone wrong because people had been conditioned to believe that the government was the only source of employment in the country.

He said for instance, most university graduates saw the Custom Division as the most attractive jobs because officials of Customs were able to build houses faster than cocoa farmers.

"In my life time, cocoa farmers have gone from the rich and powerful people in the societies to the poor and unappreciated," he said​ and added that an official at COCOBOD were more likeky to be richer and respected than a cocoa farmer.

President Akufo-Addo noted that farmers, especially cocoa growers, would be treated with respect under his government to enable them contribute to the country's economic growth.​

"Successful economies depend on entrepreneurs running successful businesses. It is time to take entrepreneurship seriously," he said.

Aside creating the environment for businesses to grow, he said his government would run an efficient and competent public service.​

He said the private sector had become an attractive source of making money in the country and expressed the commitment to reverse that trend.​

"When the public service becomes an attractive source of money making, we must acknowledge that are in the wrong order,"​

President Akufo-Addo said the recent budget indicated that the government was ready to strengthen businesses and urged academic institutions to review their content and train students capable​ of finding solutions facing the country.

The Presiding Bishop​ of the Methodist Church, Most rev. Bishop Titus Awotwe-Pratt, said for businesses to flourish, there should be a system of government which minimised  impunity, promoted rule of law, and reduced corruption.

He urged the ​participants to deliberate and come out with workable solutions to the challenges facing entrepreneurship in the country.

The conference was sponsored by the Methodist University College.​

By Yaw Kyei

Source: ghanaiantimes.com​

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Seven Great Princess Academy has held its first ever Cultural Day to celebrate various tribes, traditions and cultures of the students. The day celebrated under the theme, "unearthing cultural talent", was opened to parents and the general public.

There were cultural dance performances, poetry recitals, individual tribe presentation and a talk on cultural diversity from international students from the United Kingdom, United States, Spain, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Gabon in addition to the cultural display by the various tribes in Ghana.​

In her welcome address the Deputy Director of the Academy Mrs. Patience Brown spoke on the importance of the event to the growth of the children, saying that the school's ​success hinges on three cardinal principles, that is education, sports and culture.

"The bedrock of the Seven ​Great Princess Academy is bringing out the hidden talents in the individual while in school and education would be more meaningful, hence we are instituting the Cultural Day celebration."

She stated that this was one guiding principle that the school thrived on since its inception over three decades ago.​

According to Mrs. Brown research had shown that students who attend schools with diverse population develop a firm understanding of the perspectives of children from different backgrounds and learn to function very well in multicultural as well as multi-ethnic environment.

"it is for this and other reasons that we deemed it fit to expose our students to see beyond their culture, to learn to understand and respect other people's culture, which in a way helps prepare them for citizenship in a multicultural democracy," she said.​

The acting Executive Secretary of the National Council of Persons with Disability Ms Amanorbea Dodoo who was the guest of honour expressed excitement at the display put out by the students, adding that the exposure to other cultures was important​ for the children's growth.

"The splendid display of culture from our brothers and sisters from international community cannot be overemphasised​, it is very important for children to know more about their culture and that of others in a very practical way which help them relate and understand better," she said.

While congratulating the academy's management for instituting the Cultural Day​ celebration to help the students in that light, she lauded parents for expressing keen interest in their children's extra-curricular activities.

By Raymond Ackumey

Source: ghanaiantimes​.com

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