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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Podcasts of last 10 Episodes of "Africa in Focus"

22 July, 2014: Energy Security in West Africa

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ba3ahd0ab0jjps4/AFRICA%20IN%20FOCUS%20%2022-07-14.mp3

Kindly find a podcast of the 22 July edition of "Africa in Focus", which interrogated the question that:

"understanding energy security is important because the reliable supply of commercial energy services is critical for growing economies in West Africa. Just like people elsewhere, citizens in West Africa seek a higher standard of living, which is only possible with access to commercially-sustainable energy services.

Yet, most of the region lack the energy infrastructure needed to meet demand, although resources such as oil, gas, hydro and coal are available and there are opportunities for modern use of biomass and other renewables such as wind and solar"

Other Questions answered:
• What is energy security, and how is it prosecuted in West Africa? (ERERA)
• What are some of the threats to energy security in (West) Africa? (ERERA/GIABA)
• How can energy security be maintained? (ERERA)
• What are the regional & continental responses to countering challenges to energy security? (ERERA/GIABA)"

Guests included:

Ø  Uwem Thompson, Communications Officer, Ecowas Regional Energy Regulatory Electricity Authority (ERERA), Accra

Ø  Stella Attakpah, Programmes Manager, Intergovernmental  Action Group Against Money-Laundering(GIABA), Dakar [on the line from Vienna, Austria]

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

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

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

Coming up on 20 May 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 this month, 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 today, Tuesday 20th May 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)

-         RwandAir (Ignatius Ahimbisibwe)

-         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

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.