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NewsTranscript
00:00 Hello, good morning to you. Welcome to this edition of Newsdesk with me Bernice Abu-Bedoulan.
00:05 Sina Headlines Electoral Commission begins limited voters registration exercise today at the district level.
00:12 We'll take you to some of the centers to get a sense of how the exercise is panning out.
00:18 An ad hoc committee investigating the alleged plot to remove the IGP from office resumed sit-in this morning
00:26 and I hope to speak to key witnesses including the IGP himself who cross over to the committee for live updates.
00:33 And selection of schools by 2023 BSE candidates for the computerized school selection placement begins.
00:44 If you're a parent or student and you're wondering what to do, please stay with us as we engage coordinators at the placement center for more.
00:52 And after losing her one-year-old daughter to cancer, one woman decides to wage a war against the disease to whisk other children from the jaws of death.
01:03 There's more in today's edition of Stories of Hope.
01:07 My little girl, she had rhabdomyosarcoma at one year, four months.
01:14 And we went through the treatment here in Kuala Lumpur and we did some of our treatments, you know, extended, came back, we finished it and unfortunately she collapsed.
01:25 You want to stay with us for details of these and more PLOS Business.
01:33 [Music]
01:58 We are coming to you live from our studios in Cookham, Limerick, also live on DSTV and GoTV and around the world via myjoyonline.com.
02:06 Thanks for your company. The details now.
02:08 The Electoral Commission, EC, has commenced enrollment of new voters onto the National Register today despite a series of court suits against that process.
02:17 The National Democratic Congress, NDC and four other political parties on Thursday, September 7, sued the EC over its insistence on conducting the registration exercise at its district offices.
02:30 But in a statement signed by acting Public Affairs Head, the Commission is going ahead as planned.
02:37 Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bosman-Osiris says steps have been taken to capture all eligible voters.
02:43 My colleague James Aveji has been visiting some of the centers here and Accra joins us live with more.
02:48 Hello James, what have you witnessed at these centers?
02:50 Sorry James, if you can hear me, kindly speak up a bit. It's quite difficult hearing you.
03:04 Much better.
03:09 I was saying that we are currently at the EC's own headquarters in Accra where we have about four districts here.
03:23 We have the Iowa State West, Iowa State Central as well as the Otecrolith District. All four of them are divided in the EC's own headquarters.
03:37 The exercise is currently ongoing. I don't know if you can see behind me, there are about dozens of persons already gathered here.
03:46 It's about two hours into the registration process. They are already gathered here from various...
03:52 ...locations waiting to undergo the process. I have been interacting with some of them earlier, especially the NDC Parliamentary candidate for the Iowa State West Wagon constituency, John Dumelo.
04:13 He was here earlier in interaction with us. He indicated that his focus is on the university students from the Lagoon campus as well as the private universities.
04:26 Those are his targets in order to get them here to register. He indicates that he's been using his personal vehicle as well as some support from the party, from the national level...
04:39 ...providing some logistics for them in order to be able to get the registrant to the premises in order to register for their card.
04:52 That is what is ongoing here. Thankfully, we have with us here the MP for Iowa State West Wagon, Honorable Seram Al-Hassan.
05:03 She's here with us, also monitoring the process. We would want to have a quick interaction with her on her initial impression about the program so far and what the subsequent days hold for her in the registration.
05:19 Honorable, thank you so much for your time. First of all, it's been almost two hours already. What's your initial impression about the process?
05:27 I can say so far, so very good. It's been smooth and it's encouraging. I mean, what I'm seeing the youth here, what I see them do here is so encouraging.
05:42 You can see that they are eager and ready for this exercise. It is their civil responsibility and I am encouraged by their enthusiasm and their readiness to go through the process.
05:57 There were conversations, for instance, about proximity of the places, calling for decentralization and all of that. Personally, how are you facilitating the registration process of your constituents, those that the premises might not be closer to them?
06:16 Fortunately, for those here within the constituency, it's not too far for them. But we are facilitating it. Logistics are available, buses for those who can't come by themselves so that we convey them here.
06:35 We live in a constituency that hosts seven tertiary institutions and most of them are on vacation. So that is the challenge. But even that, 7th December 2024, if we continue with the timetable they have now, it means they are going to be on campus.
07:00 So it is our responsibility to facilitate it and support them to come and register here so that on that day it's safe for them.
07:14 We have made provisions for them to come and register. So those of you hearing me, let me use the opportunity and your platform to remind them across the country, Lagos students across the country, buses are available in all your constituencies to come and register here.
07:43 To reduce the number of people and of students who will be travelling all the way back to their various constituencies to vote on that day.
07:52 So we've done that and they have coordinators across the regions and the constituencies.
08:03 So Bernice, that is the MP for Ayiawasoo West Wagon, Honourable Sarah Malhassan, on what she's been doing in order to get her constituents to come to the premises here to register.
08:18 So far that's what is happening from the two big political parties. John Dumeiro earlier indicated to us that he's also put together some logistics from his personal initiative as well as support from the party as a whole.
08:35 So that's what the two major political parties have been up to as far as the registration process is concerned.
08:42 Right, James, so just a bit of clarity for me because initially it was quite difficult to hear exactly what you were saying.
08:49 Did you say you had visited the Koleklote and the other constituencies you mentioned or you said that at the district that you are, these are the various constituencies that must come there for their registration?
09:07 Just clarify that for me, please.
09:14 OK, so the district here where we are now, which is the premises of the Electoral Commission's old headquarters, houses four constituencies where we have the Ayiawasoo West Wagon,
09:30 we have Ayiawasoo East, Ayiawasoo Central as well as Kote Koleklote constituencies. So those four constituencies are expected to come here to come and vote.
09:42 So what you have behind me is the Ayiawasoo West constituency. We have Ayiawasoo East across us. If you go further, you find Ayiawasoo Central and then you have the Kote Koleklote constituency also somewhere further, closer to the NCC office.
10:03 And so all of those four constituencies are supposed to converge here in order to get their voter ID cards.
10:13 So it depends that those who have just turned 18 within these constituencies are aware or it appears that it's been left to the political parties to rally these young people and bring them to the district offices themselves.
10:33 OK, so what it means is that it is now the duty of the political parties, that's the indication we get, that it is now the duty of the political parties to more or less whip those that they think are their supporters
10:48 or as much as they can get amongst these newly turned 18 or 19 year olds who want to register afresh for their cards. Because in my interaction with some of them, what they tell us is that they got calls from party executives from the area branch level as well as the constituency levels
11:12 telling them what they need to do or where they need to go and then register. And so the location of buses have also been made known to them on where to catch the buses to reach here to register.
11:27 I have also seen some online platforms that have been developed by some of the political parties that they share amongst their executives at the constituency level to share amongst their citizenry to help them locate their constituencies.
11:46 And so those as well as phone numbers are put out there by the political parties to reach to in order to know exactly where you are. And so if you are located in and around Accra or the constituencies I have mentioned, the four constituencies I have mentioned, but you do not know exactly where it is,
12:06 they reach out to those numbers or for those of them on social media, I am told the addresses, quotes are shared on various social media platforms that they come across, WhatsApp groups and all of that. They use that, enter their locations and then the platform tells them where they can get the easy district office to vote.
12:29 And so that's what the political parties are doing. It looks like apart from the public education in getting the specific district you need to vote, it's now on the help of the political parties to get the people to their places. That's the indication we get.
12:46 Right, James we'll leave it here for now. Allow you to monitor a few other district offices of the Electoral Commission where the limited voter registration exercise is happening across the country.
13:04 That's my colleague James Avedjie who came to us from the premises of the EC's old headquarters. It houses about four constituencies and so he briefly explained to us the different points within the premises where each constituency is registering its new eligible voters.
13:25 But let's hear from Mr. Bosman Asare who is the Deputy Commissioner at the Electoral Commission explaining why the Commission is going ahead as planned despite some legal cases pending.
13:40 What the Electoral Commission is saying is that registration at the district level will achieve our objective of ensuring a very competitive election.
13:50 Currently, the discussions and the analysis we've done, we are very much convinced that Ghanaians who want to register and take part in the district level election this year and those who also want to register and join to ensure they are already ageing, they will come in their numbers to come and register.
14:07 But if we receive information contrary to that, the EC will go back to the drawing board. But currently, on the basis of the evidence, we are convinced that registration at the district level will ensure the integrity of our register.
14:26 Well, in response to this, a Deputy Ranking Member on the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament, Francis Susu, says that the decision by the EC to go ahead despite legal suits against it for this registration exercise is ridiculous.
14:43 Well, I think it's a bit ridiculous for the Electoral Commission to go ahead despite the concerns raised. You would recall that the concerns were many. One of them was the need for a guarantor system and then the reliance solely on the Ghana card.
15:08 [No audio]
15:28 Apologies for the loss in sound there, but you heard Francis Xavier Susu. He's an NDC MP and also a Deputy Ranking on the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament saying that it's ridiculous for the EC to go ahead with the limited voters registration exercise despite some pending court cases.
15:45 Away from that, witnesses involved in the leak tape allegedly planning the removal of the IGP, Georgia Kufu Dampari, have started arriving for the continuation of the parliamentary probe into that issue.
15:59 My colleague Samuel Mbura is in Parliament. He joins us live with the latest. Samuel, just run us through those who have arrived so far and what today's hearing is going to look like.
16:13 [No audio]
16:20 Too bad we lost Samuel there, but Samuel Mbura is alive in Parliament for us. The Ad Hoc Committee looking into that alleged clause to oust the IGP continues its hearing today.
16:33 We're told that the persons who started their testimonies when the committee started searching will continue and then the IGP himself will be given the opportunity to respond to some of the allegations made against him.
16:49 We're told that that is likely going to be in the camera. Samuel Mbura joins us again. Samuel, just run us through the persons who have come so far for the continuation of that hearing and what today's hearing is likely going to look like.
17:04 [No audio]
17:10 Well, Ben, so far we have two of the witnesses that have arrived at the Parliament House here ahead of the hearing. Earlier we had Superintendent George Asare and then COP Alex Mensah.
17:28 So these are the two witnesses out of the four that have arrived. Bougry Nabo hasn't arrived yet. We know Superintendent Eric Emmanuel Jebi is also expected to appear before the committee.
17:44 One of the big shots is the IGP Akufu Dampari. He himself hasn't arrived, but his lawyer Kwame John is here with his team. I asked him briefly about his client, whether his client was coming, and he confirmed to me that yes, the IGP himself has been extended an invitation, so he should be coming in a moment from now.
18:05 But at the moment, the IGP hasn't arrived, but we have some of the members of the ad hoc committee also seated at the conference room waiting for it to begin. So at the moment, it hasn't started. They are still waiting for the full house for it to begin.
18:20 But it's going to be an in-camera hearing. In an earlier interview, Mr. Atachia Grant-Terrasi indicated that at a point in time of the hearing, they may grant public audience, but at the moment, the media has not been granted access to the main hall there.
18:37 So it's almost 10.30, but the exercise or the probe has not begun. We are waiting for the IGP, Bougrin Ndabu, and Emmanuel Eric Jebi to arrive for this hearing to begin.
18:52 And Samuel, have we been told if that is going to be the manner in which the hearing will happen, or is it specific to the appearance of the IGP? And I'm referring to the in-camera hearing.
19:14 So it is going to depend on the responses that the witness will be giving, per what the committee chairman, Mr. Samuel Atachia, said. So the IGP will be given the opportunity to respond to the allegations.
19:30 We understand there will be cross-examination of the witnesses as well. So the in-camera hearing, or the view on the in-camera hearing, will be lifted based on the responses or the sensitive nature of the information that the witnesses will be giving before the committee.
19:49 With regards to the IGP specifically, it is not quite clear whether aspects of his testimony will come to public domain or not. So we are still waiting for the guidelines or the terms and preferences for this particular hearing to begin.
20:06 But what I'm told is that some of the police management board members are here to support the IGP. Recently I saw one of them in his car, and the IGP car is also approaching Parliament here.
20:19 So I can confirm that the IGP and his team are headed towards Parliament here for them to start this exercise.
20:27 But he is doing that with the support of some of his police management board who are here to support. You know, they were part of those who took the decision to have interdicted, the reverse interdiction that they did on the officers that appeared before the committee.
20:43 So it is a fact that the IGP is appearing. He is also coming with some of the members of the police management board for the hearing as scheduled by the ad hoc committee.
20:57 Still see in our shots, it appears the IGP has arrived in Parliament. And if you just joined us, it's a continuous coverage of this ad hoc committee hearing on the alleged plot to remove the IGP, George Okufudam Pari, from office.
21:14 As you may be aware, some of the witnesses have started testifying already. We heard from COP Alexander Mensah, who said or referred to the IGP as the worst ever to have been IGP since he became an officer.
21:30 In fact, he referenced 30 years. It appears that's not the IGP. No, that's not him. I'm sure we'll be expecting him shortly. So let's cross over to Samuel Mbura, if we can get a sense of who has appeared.
21:47 He has definitely supported his boss. But I'm sure he will not talk to me because we know how the police service acts.
21:54 We lost our feed there and Samuel Mbura was just trying to get a word there from this officer, he says, has come to support his boss, IGP George Okufudam Pari.
22:12 We will be letting you in on what happens in Parliament. We are told that this is likely going to be largely an in-camera hearing, but we definitely will bring you all the updates. Samuel Mbura is stationed for us there in Parliament.
22:31 Thank you so much for staying on News Desk. We brought you an update on the limited voter registration exercise of the EC. And then we took you to Parliament as well.
22:41 The ad hoc committee hearing, the alleged plot to oust the IGP is continuing here. It's now time to have a very important conversation, especially for those of you who just participated in the BEC, because it was chaotic and frustrating for some parents and 2022 BEC candidates while they tried to secure placement in their choice of schools using the computerized school selection and placement system.
23:10 Now, hundreds of students had to do self-placements with the support of officials at the placement centers. Now, the challenge was blamed on systemic hiccups resulting from the placement system as well as failure on part of parents and students to do due diligence during the selection at the school level.
23:31 It took weeks for affected students to be successfully placed. To avert a recurrence, the Ghana Education Service is urging parents and school authorities to take keen interest in the selection process.
23:44 And so in taking that keen interest, what exactly is expected of them regarding adhering to the guidelines? I'm joined today in studio by the National Coordinator of the Computerized School Selection and Placement Center, Mr. Mark Sasumensa.
24:01 Hello, good morning to you. Good morning. It's a pleasure to have you here. It's also a pleasure just to be in your studio. Right. This is very important for a lot of young people.
24:09 Yes. I mean, they just wrote BEC, they're excited to further their education. Some of them are hit with massive disappointments. And sometimes, really, it's not their fault. Classic example is the Wesley Girls High School situation.
24:24 So there are some who choose Wesley Girls High School and they think they've chosen Cape Coast, but they've actually chosen Kumasi.
24:30 We have a lot of Wesley Girls in various places across the country. Exactly. And there's one in Accra. Okay. So it's a challenge. And you usually have to deal with and handle some of these emotional situations.
24:41 Some of them are also legitimate because you've admitted in times past that even your system has had challenges. You've started a sensitization program. I know that letters at the district level have been written to some institutions for...
24:56 Not some institutions. All institutions. All the district JHS schools across the country. So we have about almost 19,000 JHS schools in Ghana. Just one to 19,000 JHS schools in Ghana.
25:13 And we have about 928 schools that we'll be placing students into. This year, those who completed, that is August 11th, they are around 600,714 students.
25:28 And they'll be going into the 928 schools. And these 928 schools include the STEM schools, which are five. We have the senior high technical schools. We have the TVET schools.
25:43 And we have the senior high schools. And let me tell you, I think that this time around, it's not only Ghana Education Service that has the schools. TVET too. Because students also are going into TVET schools and the STEM schools.
26:00 You understand? So they are not only going to Ghana Education Schools. They are also going to TVET schools.
26:06 Schools under TVET. Right.
26:08 So under TVET, we have about 220 schools under TVET.
26:12 Okay, so that makes it what, 1,100?
26:14 No, all the 928.
26:17 Okay, fair enough. So usually the challenge for many parents is how to go about the process. During my time, it was quite different, right?
26:29 Which year was that?
26:30 Oh, you want to expose me? Anyway, it was in the early 2000s. I selected, I think, three schools. And then, yeah, three schools.
26:44 Four.
26:46 Was it four?
26:47 Yes, it was four.
26:48 It was? Okay, well. But now I understand they are selecting how many, six?
26:52 Six initial, five after the six.
26:56 Wow. So that doesn't make it cumbersome for you.
27:00 It doesn't make it cumbersome.
27:01 So in all of those 11 schools you selected?
27:04 Yes, I will explain it to you and you will understand where we are coming from.
27:07 Okay.
27:08 I will tell you that since 2017 that we came to the CSSPS, there have been a number of reviews that we do since 2017.
27:21 And I will ask you, why do we do the reviews? We do the reviews to address certain challenges that we envisaged the previous year.
27:30 You understand it. So if you come out with that, as a result of that, we have had quite a number of reviews, like the 30% public equity,
27:42 whereby every vacancy that is declared from every secondary school, 30% must come from the public JHS schools.
27:52 In that region?
27:54 Across the country.
27:55 Across the country, okay.
27:56 It's not in that region. That policy is outmoded.
28:00 Okay.
28:01 We also had, as you were saying, when we came in 2016, they were choosing four schools.
28:10 Right now it was five schools. It came to the six schools. Then here we are. You understand it.
28:16 All these reviews that we've been doing is to ensure that at least we bring equity, fairness into the system.
28:23 Well, I think, here's what I think you're doing. Tell me if I'm right or wrong.
28:27 I think you're making the net big enough so that if you don't get your first choice, your second choice, your third choice,
28:32 you may get your eleventh choice, so that you people don't have a headache of saying,
28:36 because the narrower it is, the more difficult it is to please the students.
28:40 Very well. I think that is what we are trying to do.
28:43 So you're outsmarting everybody.
28:44 We are not outsmarting anybody. You know what? For example, last year.
28:48 Before maybe, let's start before maybe we come to, let's say, the selection.
28:53 There's a lot to discuss.
28:54 Yes, the selection itself. You understand it.
28:59 For instance, last year, when we did the automatic placement,
29:04 we had about 68.4 percent people getting their six schools, getting their schools,
29:11 that they want to see schools that is selected.
29:14 About 31 or so point something percent couldn't have access to any of the six schools.
29:21 It gives pressure to the minister. It gives pressure to the other two director generals,
29:26 that is TVA services, Ghana Education Services. You understand it.
29:30 It gives pressure to the CSSPS coordinator. It gives pressure to the free access coordinator.
29:35 You understand it. And it gives pressure to what? The general public.
29:39 Because if you don't get access to any of your six schools that you chose,
29:44 then you have to resort to maybe self-placement.
29:47 So, in this way, we just want to make sure that at least by the time that we release the results,
29:52 when there's at least 90 percent of students will be able to get access to the schools that they choose.
29:59 Eleven schools.
30:01 Why is your arm so much on the interview?
30:08 The other thing for me is, and I'll reference my time as well,
30:11 because a lot is happening in this short period.
30:14 So many changes, for which reason it's important that we sensitize the public.
30:19 Schools are selected according to the grade of the school. Do we still do it that way?
30:25 According to the grade.
30:27 So, for example, I couldn't choose a grade B school for my first choice.
30:34 You couldn't choose a grade B school for your first choice.
30:36 Do you understand what I'm saying? So the schools are classified, right?
30:39 Yes, they are categorized.
30:40 So, can I choose a grade A school as my eleventh choice?
30:45 You can, yes. That is why in explaining all these issues,
30:50 maybe definitely I'll answer most of the questions.
30:55 So, if you allow me to go through, you understand, if you allow me to run through,
30:59 I believe definitely all these questions that maybe you may be asking me, maybe I'll be answering them.
31:05 So, this year, as I told you, good morning, the general public again.
31:13 I think this year there has been a review in connection with the school selection and placement.
31:18 Well, this year we have about 928 schools in all the school register.
31:27 All these things that I'm saying are in the school register.
31:30 This one. And all these schools, by the dint of the Honorable Minister,
31:38 all these registers have been printed to all the GHS heads across the country.
31:44 Both private and public?
31:46 Yes, both private and public. So they'll be able to just get access to this school register.
31:51 Alright.
31:52 And use them as a reference point in selecting their schools.
31:57 So, this year, they are supposed to select initial six and last five.
32:05 Good. The initial six, as I told you, I'm going to give you the statistics of the whole thing.
32:12 We have about, in the category A schools, we have 92 schools.
32:17 The 92 schools comprise of the STEM school, which is five.
32:22 We have 34 schools for the TVE schools, and the rest are for the Senior High Technical Schools and Senior High Schools.
32:34 So, in category A, we have 992 schools. 92 schools.
32:43 You are supposed to choose only one school from category A.
32:48 Alright.
32:50 In category B, we have 260 schools. 260 schools in category B.
33:01 I said 260 schools. The maximum that you can choose from category B schools is two.
33:09 That place, we have 34 schools for TVE schools.
33:13 34 schools for TVE schools. The rest are Senior High Technical Schools and Senior High Schools.
33:20 The category C, we have 574 schools in category C.
33:26 154 schools for TVE schools. The rest are what?
33:32 The rest are for the others. SHS, TS and SHS.
33:35 Very good. The maximum that you can choose from that is five.
33:39 Okay.
33:40 So, for instance, if I assess myself, I see that, no, for me, my performance, I believe that I can do well in the exams.
33:49 Therefore, I have assessed my performance. Therefore, maybe I would like to choose all my five schools from category C and choose one compulsory day school.
33:59 And we have category D. I told you that the schools are categorized into four categories. A, B, C and D.
34:05 And the category D comprises of all the 928 schools that we have in Ghana.
34:10 Because every school has day boarding. Every school in Ghana.
34:17 Therefore, you choose a school 16 kilometers radius within your catchment area.
34:24 So, you must select one compulsory day school or all the schools that are in appendix 3.
34:36 Those schools are called the special boarding schools.
34:39 Why are these special boarding schools?
34:41 Because for the last three years, we have seen that those schools, after the automatic placement system, vacancies still exist.
34:48 Both day and boarding.
34:50 Are you saying, because I know there are some schools that don't have boarding facilities.
34:54 You just said all schools have day and boarding.
34:57 I'm sorry for me to just repeat it again.
35:00 We have the community day schools.
35:03 But what I mean to say is, every school is either day or boarding.
35:09 I hope you understand that. Good.
35:11 So, for the special boarding schools, if the school that you choose falls within the special boarding schools, which comprises 122 schools, you can choose it as either day or boarding.
35:23 So, you are supposed to choose initially six schools in all.
35:27 But when you choose a school, one of the things that you should remember is that you should choose a residential status or a board and a program attached to the school that you choose.
35:40 Residential status, whether you want to be a day or what? Boarding.
35:44 It doesn't matter which school it is.
35:47 Okay, so let me give you an example. Infantiman Girls.
35:50 I know, the last time I checked, I don't know if Infantiman does day now.
35:54 But when I was there, it was boarding when I was there.
35:59 Infantiman does day.
36:01 Okay, so I'm just giving an example.
36:03 So, it's just an example.
36:05 There are schools that do only boarding. They don't do day.
36:08 Every school has a day facility.
36:14 So now, even in Wesley Girls, they have day.
36:17 Really?
36:18 Yeah, for example, I attended St. Peter's. When I was in St. Peter's, we were not doing day. But right now, we are doing day.
36:24 Okay, that's fair enough. So, you've told us how to select for the initial six.
36:29 In category A, you must choose only one school. Category B, two schools. Category C, five schools.
36:34 Maximum of five schools.
36:36 So, I can make a decision that my first six, I have one, one, four.
36:42 Yeah, one school from category A, one from category B, and four from category C.
36:48 You can't choose because you must choose compulsory day school.
36:52 Okay.
36:53 So, you can choose three.
36:54 Compulsory day school is category D.
36:55 D. So, you must choose three schools from category C and one compulsory day school.
36:59 So now, the most important question for me here is, so this is the initial six.
37:05 Six initials.
37:06 With the additional five, do I still apply that same principle? One from category A, do you still apply that same principle?
37:13 Yes, I will come there. But let me explain the initial six because there are a lot of issues there.
37:21 There are a lot of things that parents and general public candidates must take notice.
37:25 Because some of the students, when they choose their school, mostly they don't select the residency and the program.
37:33 And the residency and the program is very, very important.
37:36 If you ignore that, that means your selection is incomplete.
37:40 You understand? That's why I just want to just...
37:43 So, just make sure you select a program, which is general arts, science, visual arts, whatever program you want.
37:49 And residency status.
37:50 Whether you prefer day or boarding.
37:52 Alright, so that's established.
37:53 But let me also hammer out that, on the program, every school, every school or every program is represented by what? A code.
38:02 Okay.
38:03 It's not just general arts. For example, general arts is 501. You understand?
38:07 So, when you are choosing your school, you must make sure that your code commensurates with the program that you have chosen.
38:15 You don't want some people just to interchange it.
38:17 And later they will come and blame us that we have actually maybe made a mistake.
38:21 I hope you understand it.
38:23 That is why all these things that I'm saying are in the school.
38:26 Contained in the booklet.
38:27 They are contained in the school.
38:28 This is called a school register.
38:30 They are contained in the school register.
38:32 So, it will give you the accurate data of how you select your schools.
38:36 Okay. Now, run us through the additional five.
38:39 Yes. So, the additional five, you can see it in the school register, page 122, appendix 4.
38:52 Appendix 4 in the page 122.
38:55 Now, it also says that candidates must select for five schools in all.
39:01 You see in the appendix, one category A school, two category B school, and at least two category C school.
39:11 I'll let you continue, but allow me.
39:14 So, must this, must the schools in this section be different from the first one?
39:20 Yes.
39:21 You can't repeat.
39:22 You can't repeat. I was about to say that.
39:25 You can't repeat whatsoever.
39:28 Because even if you repeat, the platform or the system will reject it because you have repeated the school.
39:35 The idea is that you want to make sure that at least, if you don't get access to any of your six,
39:41 your additional six that you have chosen, we will use the five also to run and give you admission.
39:49 Is my information invalid or is the process invalid if I do not fill in the additional five?
39:59 It's invalid.
40:01 So, it's a mask.
40:02 It's a mask.
40:03 It's compulsory.
40:04 It's compulsory.
40:05 So, if you fail to select the additional five, the system will reject it.
40:14 So, this is important and we're just giving you a clear idea of the principle that you mentioned.
40:21 Yes, program. You must select your program and residential address.
40:26 But let me tell you that definitely all the schools in the cluster, those cluster schools, I think there are 406 schools.
40:38 It is not every category A school that you find in the world, the second initial six.
40:45 You understand that?
40:46 The second initial five, the second five that you choose.
40:52 All the A schools are around, let's say, about eight or ten.
40:58 All right. So, now you're introducing another element that I need clarity on.
41:02 So, the schools have been given a list of schools.
41:06 And the list of schools you just mentioned to us, category A schools are 92.
41:11 That is fulfilling the initial six.
41:14 When it comes to the five, the additional five, there is another list.
41:20 They are in a cluster.
41:22 Another cluster where the category A schools here are eight.
41:26 I wouldn't say more than eight. It will not be more than eight.
41:29 About eight.
41:30 Yes, about eight.
41:31 Okay. So, all the schools have this data.
41:35 Right. Now, the reason I'm asking this information is that the CSSPS portal.
41:42 Yes, CSSPS.
41:43 CSSPS portal.
41:44 Yeah.
41:45 As a parent, I can go through with my child.
41:48 Yes.
41:49 But I don't have the list. Or will I find it on the internet when I open the portal? Is it available?
41:56 Yes, I will give you free ssh.net.
42:01 So, if you're a parent here and you don't want to leave the school selection of your child to the school authorities
42:10 and you want to go through the portal yourself or do that yourself, you need to go to free ssh.net.
42:18 So, find the list of schools that your child…
42:21 The school register is there.
42:23 Okay. So, the school register will help you understand.
42:25 We have a video that will help parents, general public to select the school.
42:32 Right.
42:33 Please, your name again.
42:35 Bennis.
42:36 Bennis. Even if you want me to leave some to maybe the Joy FM in case people just want to contact you for this.
42:42 You're welcome.
42:43 I will be able to leave it. I can leave the video behind. I can leave the school register behind so that those people
42:50 who don't have access to these things, they can contact you.
42:55 Because I think that you are a point of contact.
42:57 Right. We need to wrap up quickly. So, what are we doing for the places that have difficulty in accessing data services?
43:04 Our brothers and sisters.
43:05 And that is why we have printed this.
43:08 So, they will fill the forms. I'm talking about… because the entries have to be done digitally.
43:13 Yes.
43:14 Or do they have to fill a paper form?
43:16 In their schools, in their various GHS schools.
43:20 So, the schools would now input it digitally?
43:23 Yes.
43:24 But what is the guarantee that when my child and I take this form…
43:29 Because I know the question.
43:31 Because it's a very legitimate question.
43:33 Because when they fill it, I will come out later and we do something called test for confirmation.
43:39 You know the test for confirmation?
43:40 Okay. So, how do you do that?
43:42 The test for confirmation is that when we were doing the registration for all the BEC candidates,
43:50 we asked them to provide a compulsory phone numbers.
43:54 Okay.
43:55 You understand?
43:56 So, you are going to call all of them?
43:57 No. We are going to send test messages to all of them.
44:00 I am maybe candidate Benes…
44:04 Abubaydula.
44:05 Abubaydula. Okay. Good.
44:06 So, these are your data that we have in our system.
44:12 Then we send all the data that we have in our system to you.
44:15 Okay.
44:16 And this is before the selection starts?
44:18 This is before the placement starts, not selection.
44:21 The placement, you are right.
44:22 So, does it mean then that I have the opportunity to rectify and come through?
44:26 Yes.
44:27 Alright. Fantastic.
44:28 So, that is called a test for confirmation.
44:29 I think that we initiated this, I think last year, last two years.
44:35 Then we have also the call center that we will also be working.
44:38 So, I have told you that these are some of the reviews that we have done in the placement system
44:42 to bring fairness into the system.
44:44 I hope you understand it.
44:45 Right.
44:46 So, we will also give you a dedicated number.
44:50 Right.
44:51 In case you have a problem…
44:52 Can you just drop the number?
44:53 The number, I think that the number is not…
44:55 The number, I think that we are now working on it.
44:57 No, we have the last year's number.
44:59 But let us see whether we will use the last year's number because sometimes you can change…
45:02 Alright, Mr. Sassim, I would really have loved for us to go because there are so many questions.
45:07 But we have run out of time.
45:08 Thank you so much for your time.
45:10 Thank you.
45:11 He is the coordinator of the school selection placement system and he has been sharing with us
45:17 very important details you need to know.
45:19 So, this year you are choosing 11 schools basically.
45:22 Some of the schools have already started taking the data from the students.
45:27 Is that allowed?
45:28 No.
45:29 Okay.
45:30 Let me give you the dates that they have to.
45:32 They will start the selection from 17th to 22nd of this month.
45:39 Okay.
45:40 Do you understand?
45:41 From 17th to 22nd.
45:42 Yes, from today up to 17th, they are doing the sensitization in the various regions,
45:47 various schools across the country.
45:49 So, our men are on the ground doing the sensitization.
45:52 Please, this selection you are talking about, does it include entry into the system or is it just for the paperwork?
45:58 To the heads of the schools.
46:00 Because I know schools that have done that already.
46:02 So, we will talk about that behind the scenes.
46:05 But you can reach out on freeshs.net.
46:08 We are taking a quick breather for business.
46:10 Sorry I had to rush you.
46:11 But we will be addressing all the issues as and when they come up.
46:15 [Music]
46:20 Hello, good morning.
46:21 Welcome to the business segment on Joy News Desk with me, Pius Kujubaka.
46:25 Access Bank Ghana has stated that it will continue to support players in the tourism and creative arts to create jobs and attract tourists in the country.
46:32 The bank made the disclosure after it premiered its online movie series named All Walks of Life.
46:38 Speaking to Joy Business Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana, Olumide Olatunji said,
46:43 "The creative arts industry is an important area that needs investment to employ more people."
46:48 There is more in this report.
46:51 The series puts Access Bank in the light as a lifestyle choice for everyone,
46:56 no matter the social bracket, to build a strong retail banking franchise for its customers.
47:01 According to Managing Director of the bank, Olumide Olatunji,
47:04 Ghana could make more income from the creative arts centre if the needed investment is made available for content creators.
47:11 What we are doing here tonight is to celebrate Ghanaian artists that have contributed immensely to the development of the creative sector here in Ghana.
47:19 It's a strategy for us in Ghana, in Access Bank, and it's part of what we are celebrating, African talent to the world.
47:26 Access Bank continues to support the creative industry in Ghana,
47:30 and today is a testament as a result of all the interesting things that we are doing.
47:34 So I invite you to come watch the movie with us, and I'm sure if you're not a customer of Access Bank,
47:38 today you'll definitely make up your mind to begin to bank with Access Bank.
47:42 The online TV series is made up of 13 episodes.
47:46 In the first season, the series will stream online and on Access Bank's YouTube channel.
47:51 On her part, Executive Director for Retail and Digital Banking at Access Bank, Pearl Nkrumah said,
47:57 the series reflects the values of the bank.
47:59 The name resounds a lot with our vision, all walks of life.
48:04 In Access Bank, we don't leave anyone behind.
48:07 We ensure that everything that we do, we are educating everyone,
48:13 by rallying people behind what they love most.
48:16 In Ghana, we love our movies, we love the creatives, we love seeing the youth entrepreneurship prospering.
48:25 And this is how we have put this movie together, to send message to all,
48:30 that no matter the journey, no matter the life event, anything that you want to participate,
48:35 or anything that you want to do, Access Bank will ensure that we fulfill that dream for you.
48:41 Now, the Ekimakuwa Maruro Bank in the Ashanti region is working at introducing online lending facilities
48:49 to ease the difficulty in accessing loans for business purposes.
48:52 There is more in this report.
48:54 The 2021 financial year, loans and advances of Ekimakuwa Maruro Bank grew from 39.1 million CDs to 44.6 million CDs.
49:06 Profit margins grew to 7 million CDs in the year and a review arise from 5.9 million CDs posted in 2020.
49:15 In ensuring convenience of customers in accessing services, the bank is promoting the use of its mobile application.
49:23 CEO Samuel Bonsusetre says the necessary processes are in place to introduce soft loans on mobile application services.
49:33 You agree with me that there are mobile vendors even behind our bedroom window.
49:39 And so, the convenience is maximum.
49:42 And that is why we have introduced this mobile app, and we will deepen the outreach of the mobile app.
49:47 And we are introducing other products, which will allow you to even take a soft loan with your mobile app.
49:54 Cyber attacks have become the biggest threat to digitalization in various sectors of the economy, including banking.
50:03 Mr. Setsure says measures are in place to ensure customer safety on the digital platforms.
50:09 And Akumo Kongumo Rural Bank has its own software that it is running.
50:15 We have a dedicated data center from where we operate our systems.
50:21 And we have made sure that we have put in place all the cybersecurity requirements of the Bank of Ghana.
50:28 So you can be rest assured that when you use our digital channels, you will be well protected.
50:36 Meanwhile, the Akumo Kongumo Rural Bank has launched its 40th anniversary.
50:42 Various activities are in place to ensure customer satisfaction from now till December 2023.
50:49 For Joy News, Nanaia Ojima reporting.
50:53 And that's it for business. I am Pius Kujo Baka.
51:00 (Music)