OUR REF: NARNGO/GH/GC/22 DATE: Monday December 12 , 2022
THE NEWS EDITOR
PRESS RELEASE : FREE SHS – TO REVIEW OR NOT TO REVIEW?
I have been following for some time now, with great interest the subject question on Free SHS- To Review or not to Review?. This is the time we need to give other critical strategic thinkers hearing and opportunity.
Below are some of the worrying and interesting headlines in the social media, such as:
General News of Thursday, 14 July 2022 Source: www.ghanaweb.com
IMF bailout: Time to evaluate feasibility of Free SHS, other flagship programmes – NPP MP
General News of Thursday, 14 July 2022 Source: starrfm.com.gh
Free SHS: Headmasters ‘beg’ churches to help feed hungry students
Source: Citi Newsroom : July 12, 2022
Food shortage: Feeding component of Free SHS must be reviewed – Eduwatch
From KOJO EMMANUEL, pulse.com.gh - July 8, 2022 1:45 PM
Food crisis hits Free SHS as government owes food suppliers over GH¢500 million
May 10, 2022 - The Publisher
Food suppliers to withdraw services to Free SHS over a GHC500m gov’t debt.
STARR FM May 14, 2021
Free SHS: Schools run out of food as govt’s funds delay
February 9, 2022- The Herald
Free SHS students nationwide left hungry ….as food vendors refuse to supply; school authorities afraid to talk
TV3 – July 12, 2022
EduWatch worried over government’s failure to address SHS food shortage in budget review
And General News of Monday, 21 November 2022. Source: GNA
'Blanket' Free SHS unsustainable – Prof. Addae-Mensah
General News of Monday, 12 December 2022 Source: www.ghanaweb.com
School feeding programme must be overhauled immediately – NPP MP just to mention but few.
I wish to officially join this discussion as a parent and a social worker by indicating and making my point that it is NOT necessary to REVIEW SHS POLICY but rather we need PROPER Strategic Development Plans at all levels. The Free SHS should not be reviewed but needs a proper working documents at all levels, hence proper strategic plans, to be facilitated by NARNGO and Partners, with collaboration from Government.
The major challenge and problem is Feeding the students as a result of Government’s inability to release funding on timely basis to the schools. We have solution to this challenge when given the chance and opportunity by Government. My team and I do not fancy criticizing for criticism sake but rather offering solutions to problems.
Joseph’s gift in interpreting dreams gave him the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and after that he became the Prime Minister of Egypt and was the leader and implementer of Egypt’s 14 year Strategic Plan.
As one of the Josephs in Ghana, a critical strategic positive thinker, a believer of gargantuan social interventions, and problem solving strategist, there is a way out and solution if only we shall be given the opportunity.
We live in times and seasons and during times and seasons there are the Josephs, God has given to every nation, including Ghana and we need to look for them and task them to come up with their strategies to solve the problems.
God Almighty in His own wisdom has blessed Ghana with Talents, Gifts, Brains, Experts, and Professionals who are critical generational strategic thinkers like Joseph but as to whether we are making good use of all of them is another issue for discussion. Since govt cannot solve all the problems alone, govt must open up for lofty ideas.
I am of the view that we can even extend the feeding issue to cover all our schools in both the 1st and 2nd Circle Schools as well as tertiary levels in both public and private and also feed the jobless, widows, orphans, single parents and senior citizens among others in our communities (i.e. Primary Schools, Junior High Schools, Free Senior High Schools, Training Colleges, and Universities etc. ) through Planting for Food and Jobs concept.
Complementing each others efforts, giving chance to other strategic thinkers to bring their ideas and concepts on board, and thinking outside the box, is the way to think, consider, go and adopt in the supreme interest of Ghana.
Yours in the Service of Ghana.
KOFI LUCAS – 0244405632 / 0208184447
(National President & Project Strategist )
SECTION “B
1.Description of the institution
BRIEF HISTORY
NARNGO (Network of Associations of Registered NGOs in Ghana) is a registered NGO (registration no. G-19, 533) that has been incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and as an NGO. It works in the best interests and welfare of the citizens and the community as a whole. The NGO's policy is to collaborate closely with the government and all government agencies to help disseminate the government's policies, programs, and projects to the grassroots throughout the country. The Board of Directors is planning a nationwide tour to establish regional, metropolitan, municipal, district, and sub-district structures and branches.
Network of Associations of Registered NGOs in Ghana shall oversee, supervise, monitor and coordinate activities of NGOs registered under it, to ensure integrity, transparency, and accountability as well as value for money.
TRACK RECORD / SOME PROJECTS CARRIED OUT
In 2009, the Network of Associations of Registered NGOs in Ghana collaborated with local councils of churches in the former Brong Ahafo Region's Atebubu, Sene, Pru, Nkoranza North, and Nkoranza South Districts to educate the public about HIV/AIDS with funding from the Ghana AIDs Commission.Network of Associations of Registered NGOs in Ghana did organize Strategic development plan sensitization seminar for Ashanti Region Assemblies of God Pastors and their Wives at Grace Assemblies of God, Kwadaso on 05 /03 / 2010 where Mr. Lucas was the Guest Speaker.
From the 20th to the 30th of July, 2010, the NGO organized strategic development plan seminars for Assemblies of God Pastors and Departmental Church Leaders of the Ashanti Region Assemblies of God office, with Mr. Lucas as the Guest Speaker. From the 20th to the 30th of July, 2010, the NGO organized strategic development plan seminars for Assemblies of God Pastors and Departmental Church Leaders of the Ashanti Region Assemblies of God office, with Mr. Lucas as the Guest Speaker.In 2010, similar workshops on strategic development plan were organized by the NGO for Assemblies of God Pastors and Departmental Leaders by the Brong Ahafo Regional Assemblies of God office for Five Districts from 16th August to 21st August 2010 and the Guest Speaker was Mr. Lucas.
On Friday, November 18, 2011, the NGO organized a strategic development planning sensitization seminar for Greater Accra Regional Assemblies of God Pastors and their Wives at Evangel Assemblies of God, Adabraka, with Mr. Lucas as the Guest Speaker.In 2011, similar workshops on strategic development plan were organized by the NGO for Assemblies of God Pastors and Departmental Church Leaders by the Greater Regional Assemblies of God office for Fourteen Districts from 14/ 12 / 2011 to 18 / 02 / 2012 and the Guest Speaker was Mr. Lucas.
In 2012, the NGO, represented by Mr. Kofi Lucas as the Project Consultant, assisted in raising Gh100,000 to enable the Police Administration's Community Policing Unit (CPU) to organize a national launching at the State House and four conferences that year.In 2012, The NGO represented by Mr Kofi Lucas was the programme coordinator and strategist for the 2012 general elections in Ghana for the training of 16,000 security agencies nationwide to ensure peace before, during and after the elections which was funded by the British High Commission / UKaid in Ghana.
On May 7, 2013, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) directed the DG-Administration to form a Police Technical Committee to meet the NGO's delegation (Mr.Lucas and his team), listen to them, ask questions, and advise the Police Administration on the way forward; a PowerPoint presentation was made to the Police Technical Committee at the Conference Hall, fifth floor, Police Headquarters in relation to raising funds to review and develop the Strategic Development Plan.
Mr. Kofi Lucas, representing the NGOs, made a PowerPoint presentation of a proposed Ghana Prisons Service Agricultural Expansion Project nationwide in November 2014 at the headquarters of Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) conference hall.
Mr. Kofi Lucas received funding of 50,000 Ghana cedis (GH50,000.00) from Dizengoff Ghana Ltd in 2015 through the NGO to conduct a feasibility tour to the Prisons regional farms; the trip to six (6) regions was made up of: two Senior Officers from Ghana Prisons Service Headquarters as leaders; Mr. Kofi Lucas representing Network of Associations of Registered NGOs in Ghana & The General Manager - Agric Division from Dizengoff Ghana as the Technical advisor. The purpose of the feasibility tour was to ascertain the technical, monetary and physical viability of the proposed Ghana Prisons Service Agricultural Expansion Project nationwide. Just to mention a few.
In 2018, Mr. Kofi Lucas, representing the NGO, made a PowerPoint presentation to the Police Management Advisory Board (POMAB) at the Conference Hall, fifth floor, Police Headquarters, in relation to raising funds to review and develop the Ghana Police Strategic Development Plan and its implementation, among other things.
KOFI LUCAS – 0244405632 / 0208184447
(National President & Project Strategist )