COMING UP!>>Episode #72 (Season 4; Ep.7): Time with the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)

Episode #72

(Season 4; Ep.7):  

Time with the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)

Season 4 is STILL on the theme of “making money for Africa”.

We commenced the Season unpacking the nitty-gritty of the Creative Economy, and concluded that Film, more than any other cog in the Creative Economy wheel, was probably the most dominant within that Economy. In episode 2, we appreciated how, if managed properly, Sports could become the biggest employer in Ghana, the sub region, and the Continent.

In episode 3, we started to treat the all-important topic of customer service, concluding that, Ghana can achieve an “insanely customer-centric culture” as seen in the West, but it takes exposure and training of frontline staff to do that.

In episode 4, we concluded that East Africa continues to rise, while episode 5 helped demystify Africa’s agriculture under the AU’s flagship programme of CAADP, concluding that issues around Agribusiness and nutrition will dominate discussions around Agriculture after the 12^th CAADP Partnership Platform meeting that was held in Accra mid-April. Last week in episode 6, we piggy-backed on the *UNCTAD E-Commerce week* that took place from 18-22 April concluding the show on Cyber-crime with the shocking conclusion that Ghana’s Cyber-awareness is at a shockingly low threshold.

This week, we spend time with the Accra-based West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), which is no stranger to Africa in Focus.

We ask two major questions:

First, WACSI has issued a number of recent publications that merit significant discussion. What is the rationale behind the books?

Secondly, now that the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drug policy is over, whither the centrality of WACSI’s support for civil society activism on drug policy in West Africa? WACSI was instrumental back in February 2015 in convening the West Africa Commission on Drugs to join the rest of civil society in the region to begin unpacking CSO responses to drug policy.

What does the future hold for WACSI post-UNGASS, and what are some of its upcoming activities we should look out for?

Join us if you can at 2.05pm on 27 April, 2016.

Call us on the following numbers

+233(0)289.000.931

Guest in the studio:

ØIsaac Hubert Arthur, Head of Knowledge Management, WACSI

   

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*more details will be available soon on www.africainfocusradioshow.org ; africainfocusshow.blogspot.com.

*Follow the conversations on #AfricainFocus on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14.

Tweet Emmanuel ahead of time on www.twitter.com/ekbensah, using #africainfocus.

Call Radio XYZ93.1FM on 0289.000.931 / 0289.931.000.

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COMING UP!>>Ep.36: West Africa Drug Policy Network, & Analysis of Bill to transform Ghana’s Narcotics Board (NACOB) into a Commission

36th Edition:  

West Africa Drug Policy Network, & Analysis of Bill to transform Ghana’s Narcotics Board (NACOB) into a Commission

It will be recalled that Ep.31 of the Show looked at the necessity of civil society intervention in drug  policy in West Africa. Subsequently, the Ghana Chapter of the newly-established Network (WaDruPoNe), which is backed by the Kofi Annan Foundation’s West Africa Commission on Drugs, held a meeting 25 February to chart the way forward on the Network’s advocacy.

In this second programme on civil society advocacy around drug policy in West Africa, we want to use the 36^th edition of “Africa in Focus” to begin a very critical and important conversation on two things.

First: the implications of a transformation of the erstwhile Narcotics Control Board into a Narcotics Control Commission, and what that augurs for treatment of those hooked onto drugs. Advocates from the newly-established WaDruPoNe believe the Bill to sustain the old and repressive focus of “war on drugs”, which targets the small fish by imposing long and harsh sentences on them, in lieu of treating them as addicts in need of assistance by clinicians, psychologists, and public health professionals.

Second: the Network’s call on members of the public and CSOs to support the call to SUPPORT NOT PUNISH drug users, with an equally-urgent call for a holistic review of the Bill before ratification by Parliament.

To this end, we will be speaking to two technical experts from the Ghana Chapter of the Network on the show to help speak to these issues, as well as a reformed drug user who can help speak to the necessity of drug policy reform.

Join us if you can at 1pm on 17 March, 2015.

Guiding questions

• Why is an analysis of the new Narcotics Control Commission Bill (transform Narcotics Board into a Commission) important?
• Does the bill address harm reduction strategies?
• Is the NCC Bill what one may call a progressive one?
• Despite the 2014 “Not Just in Transit” report by the West Africa Commission on Drugs, why have governments been slow in treating drug use as a public health issue?
• How universal will the current bill address the needs of every Ghanaian drug user regardless of their socio-economic status?

Guests in the studio:

Ø  Maria-Goretti Ane, Barrister/Solicitor & Regional Consultant, International Drug Policy Consortium

Ø  Mohammed A Adamu ,  Founder/CEO WABHARM Foundation(GH)

Ø  Christian “Lion” Lokko, Public Relations Officer, REMAR

On the line:

·        Macmillan Prentice, Standards Officer, Ghana Standards Authority @13h15

·        Kobby Blay, EbolaWatch @13h30

Coming up on 31st Edition:>> "Role of Civil Society around Drug Policy in West Africa"

31^st Edition:  

Role of Civil Society around Drug Policy in West Africa

We want to use the thirty-first edition of the Africa in Focus show to reprise the issue of drug policy in West Africa, which we commenced in Episode 25 of AIF when we spoke to Araba Arhin, a former official of the WACD.

The WACD, West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) and the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) – in partnership with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, Kofi Annan Foundation and USAID – is organising a “Civil Society Workshop on Drug Policy in West Africa”.

This two-day workshop will build on previous meetings in West Africa to further develop the capacity of civil society representatives in the region on the issues of drug policy, drug prevention and treatment, harm reduction, security and governance and effective advocacy.

The workshop is the first of two proposed workshops (the second taking place in September or October 2015) – and forms part of a regional project to outreach and disseminate the recommendations from the WACD report, as well as being part of the collaborative efforts to create a West African CSO Drug Policy Network.

To this end, we will be speaking to two high-level participants who can help us better-understand the concepts; challenges; opportunities around civil society participation in drug policy in West Africa. In many respects, this two-day meeting is blazing the trail on this kind of discussion, and we are certain to build on it over time.

Also in the show, we will speak to Marjorie Abdin of the CAADP National Team to give us an insight into some of the challenges bedeviling that team as it seeks to promote the AU’s CAADP programme on agriculture. What are the challenges, and opportunities that need to be confronted?

Join us if you can at 1pm on 10 February, 2015.

Guests in the studio:

Ø  Jamie Bridge, Senior Policy & Operations Manager, International Drug Policy Consortium, UK

Ø  Adeolu Ogunrombi, Commissioner, West African Commission on Drugs

Ø  Kobby Blay, EbolaWatch @14h30

On the line:

·        Marjorie Abdin , Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters/CAADP National Team @13h20

STORIFY: Coverage of WACSI-WACSOF First Annual Conference on post-2015 Strategy & ECOWAS Vision 2020

PODCAST -- Africa in Focus: "State of Civil Society in West Africa post-2015 Agenda" (10 June, 2014)

From Emmanuel K: "Please find a link to the latest edition of the "Africa in Focus" show, which aired on Radio XYZ93.1 fm on Tuesday 10 June at 13h10. As Ghana has been identified as a middle-income country, aid flows to the country will diminish significantly with a number of major donors that will begin to set deadlines for the end of their aid frameworks. In this light, civil society will need to answer the question as to where CSOs, as a vital part of society, will continue to find funding in the future. Guests included: - **Executive Director of WACSI Nana -- Asantewa Afadzinu **OSIWA Programme Manager in Charge of Law, Justice and Human Rights -- Afia Asantewaa Asare-Kyei **STAR Ghana's Mary Tobbin-Osei Tune in at 13h10 GMT (1:00pm Ghana Time) EVERY Tuesday. We're also streaming live www.radioxyzonline.com.  Contact us Facebook on: http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz and radio XYZ 93.1FM. Tweet us @africainfocus14 and @ekbensah. Listen to us on #MultiTVChannel29. Thanks! HOW TO CONTACT "AFRICA IN FOCUS" 1. Google plus BUSINESS PAGE :http://gplus.to/contactafricainfocusxyz 2. Google plus COMMUNITY: http://gplus.to/africainfocusonradioxyz 3. Google plus Profile: http://gplus.to/africainfocusongoogleplus *Email: africainfocusonradioxyz AT gmail.com *FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz *Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14, using #AfricainFocus #radioxyz"" Click here to view (Emmanuel K shared these files using Dropbox. Enjoy!) © 2014 Dropbox

“Africa in Focus” Show on Radio XYZ93.1 FM returns with a discussion on Africa’s integration

“Africa in Focus” Show on Radio XYZ93.1 FM returns with a discussion on Africa’s integration

By E.K.Bensah Jr

After almost two weeks of being off air, the one-month old “Africa in Focus” show is back with a bang on Radio xyz93.1 fm.

In the last edition on 3 June, 2014, Emmanuel hosted two people in the studio. These were Ashesi University’s Dr. Lloyd Amoah, and Capacity Building Development Officer of the West Africa Civil Society Institute(WACSI) Charles Van Dyck.

On the line in Addis were Dr.Joseph Atta-Mensah of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and Mkhululi Ncube, former UNECA official-turned-entrepreneur in his own country of Zimbabwe.

The show sought to interrogate the question of whether Africa is integrating. The general consensus at the end of the show clearly showed there is a lot of work to be done on sensitizing Africans to the urgency of building Africa’s integration process.

As explained by the UNECA’s Dr.Joseph Atta-Mensah, there are a number of milestones that have been chalked along the road to Africa’s integration. These include the Sirte Declaration on 1999 that sought to fast-track integration. He concedes there remains much to be done – even if leaders are slowly and surely recognizing the necessity of integration.

 Mkhu Ncube related to the audience how the East African Business Council works very efficiently – as does the one for the COMESA sub-region (populated by 19 member countries). He confessed that though he is a national of the SADC region, he cannot vouch for the efficiency of a Business Council in that part of the world. Without a doubt, though, he believes the private sector is going to have to take charge on Africa’s integration, because governments are never going to automatically give that space.

We learnt from Dr.Amoah, who has recently penned a book on Africa’s telecommunications, that there are only three member countries – Ghana; Nigeria; and Rwanda – that have so-called TelChams, or Telecommunications Chambers. By virtue of Ghana’s small market being populated by six telcos, this country was always going to be an important test-case on TelChams. Nigeria’s is the largest, though not necessarily the most efficient. With regard to Rwanda, we find this to be an interesting case in the sense that that country is seeking to position itself as the cyber-gateway to East Africa. This is certainly something many African countries can learn from—as well as leveraging on the immense potential that telcos offer to help create synergy in Africa’s integration. All that said, it is pitiful to have only three member countries out of a whopping fifty-four be the only ones to have TelChams.

WACSI’s Charles VanDyck stressed the fact that African integration is a “bread-and-butter” issue, and that African peoples are already integrating. It is time governments began to domesticate the many protocols they are quick to sign, and ensure that Africans feel well-integrated. Even if West Africa has made commendable effort on free movement, clearly, much still needs to be done.

ENDs

Coming up on 10 June, 2014 edition of "Africa in Focus": "The State of Civil Society in West Africa post-2015"

As 2015 approaches with increasing celerity, it is time for civil society to prepare itself for the post-2015 agenda. This debate is important in the light of the fact that 2015 is the year when an important examination of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be had. What this means is that a serious analysis on how far and how deeply civil society has acted around the fight for the MDGs will be open for discussion and reflection in the development sector community.

As Ghana has been identified as a middle-income country, aid flows to the country will diminish significantly with a number of major donors that will begin to set deadlines for the end of their aid frameworks. In this light, civil society will need to answer the question as to where CSOs, as a vital part of society, will continue to find funding in the future.

Guests include:

-         Executive Director of WACSI Nana -- Asantewa Afadzinu

-        OSIWA Programme Manager in Charge of Law, Justice and Human Rights -- Afia Asantewaa Asare-Kyei

--        STAR Ghana’s Mary Tobbinosei

Tune in at 13h10 GMT (1:00pm Ghana Time). We’re also streaming live www.radioxyzonline.com. Contact us Facebook on:

 http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz and radio XYZ 93.1FM. Tweet us @africainfocus14 and @ekbensah. Listen to us on #MultiTVChannel29. Thanks!

HOW TO CONTACT "AFRICA IN FOCUS"

1. Google plus BUSINESS PAGE:http://gplus.to/contactafricainfocusxyz
2. Google plus COMMUNITY: http://gplus.to/africainfocusonradioxyz
3. Google plus Profile: http://gplus.to/africainfocusongoogleplus

*Email: africainfocusonradioxyz AT gmail.com
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*Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14, using #AfricainFocus #radioxyz

Coming up on 3 June, 2014 edition of "Africa in Focus": "How far is Africa integrating?"

Emmanuel K Bensah Jr will be live on air on Africa in Focus Show - Radio XYZ 93.1FM Tuesday at 13h00 GMT exploring how far Africa has integrated.

Earlier in May, Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration declared the month of May "Regional Integration month". The real question "Africa in Focus" show is asking Tuesday 3 June 2014 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm is,

‘How far is Africa integrating along the lines of intra-African trade; energy; telecommunications; and business ventures?

We shall be finding out whether Africa truly is integrating when there is now a closer relationship between Africa and China?

Guests include:

-         An official of the UN Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA) from Addis Ababa (Joseph Attah-Mensah)

-         Counter-terrorism Expert (Temitope Olodo)

-         An academic from Ashesi University here in Accra (Dr.Lloyd Amoah)

-         A former UNECA official who now works in his home country of Zimbabwe encouraging business for his countrymen. (Mkhululi Ncube)

-         An official from the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) (Charles Kojo VanDyck)

Tune in at 13h00 GMT (1:00pm Ghana Time). We’re also streaming live www.radioxyzonline.com. Contact us Facebook on:

 http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz and radio XYZ 93.1FM. Tweet us @africainfocus14 and @ekbensah. Listen to us on #MultiTVChannel29. Thanks!

HOW TO CONTACT "AFRICA IN FOCUS"

1. Google plus BUSINESS PAGE:http://gplus.to/contactafricainfocusxyz
2. Google plus COMMUNITY: http://gplus.to/africaonradioxyz
3. Google plus Profile: http://gplus.to/africainfocusongoogleplus

*Email: africainfocusonradioxyz AT gmail.com
*FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz
*Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14, using #AfricainFocus #radioxyz

THE MEDIA HAS A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY ON PEACE & SECURITY- WACSI director

By Elizabeth Owusu-Kissi, AIF News Reporter

The Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), Mrs. Nana Asantewa Afadzinu in her response to a question asked by the host of the “Africa In Focus” Show, Emmanuel K Bensah Jr, said, the media – as part of the civil society – has a major role to play in setting the agenda on the issue of ‘Peace and Security’ in Africa in relation to the subject ‘Responsibility to Protect’.

The interview session, which was held at Eastgate Hotel – a platinum sponsor of the Africa In Focus show --, solicited the facts and realities on ground on issues affecting Africa.

Mrs. Afadzinu said, the primary responsibility to protect the citizens of a country lies with the State. However, the media, including other parts of civil society groups, play salient roles in communicating and creating awareness on ordinary people’s right of protection. She added that it is important the media exerts pressure on the government to protect their rights and the public.

Addressing the issue of Boko Haram, Nana said Boko Haram is a threat not only to Nigeria but also to Africa as a whole because the term ‘Boko Haram’ can not only be found in Nigeria alone but its roots can be traced in most communities in Africa; hence the need to fight the canker as a general problem facing Africa and not Nigeria alone.

She explains ‘ it’s a regional problem and must be dealt with at all levels including the communities’. She added we must involve the community and address the economic, social and political issues emulating into this canker we face as Boko Haram.

Pressed on what to do to prevent people’s right from being violated, she explained “We need more than NGOs to help; we need political bodies, religious bodies along with the media in the civil society to help set the agenda to protect.”

ENDs

Countdown to the Maiden Edition of "Africa in Focus" on 6 May: Research & Communications Team Meet

It was with with more-than-bated breath that the Research & Communications Unit/Business Desk of Radio XYZ's "Africa in Focus" show met 2 May, 2014 at Eastgate Hotel to prepare for the very-first edition of the show on 6 May.

With sponsors in West Africa Civil Society Institute(WACSI) officially on board to take the programme to even greater heights, the Unit was happy to have interacted with key WACSI staff who paved the way on the future of the partnership. 

There was general reporting of activities, and a lot of exciting information-exchange on developments during the past week, including on the just-ended Pan-African Conference on Inequalities that was held here in Accra.

The Research & Comms Unit meets every week at Eastgate Hotel with the Business Desk to monitor and evaluate previous editions of AIF show; progress on the direction of the research component of the "Africa in Focus" show; the state of communication instruments (facebook; twitter; google plus community); how far weekly activities are contributing to enriching the Unit's monitoring of African integration dynamics of ECOWAS; the AU; and Africa's engagement with members of the Global South. 

Finally, the meetings seek to undertake innovative strategies to further-educate the public on Africa's development.