Kwaku Kesse Akess

As the school term ends in Ghana, a familiar pattern resumes. From south to the North, parents enroll their children in "vacation classes"—extra lessons, remedial sessions, that fill the long breaks. The concern driving this practice is real and urgent. Ghana's 2025 WASSCE results showed a sharp decline, with Core Mathematics passes dropping from 66.86% in 2024 to 48.73%, and Social Studies from 71.53% to 55.82%. Furthermore, the 2024 National Standardised Test revealed that only about 60% of Primary Four learners met minimum proficiency in reading, and 65% in mathematics. Due to this, vacation classes appear as a logical solution. However, the central question is not whether they should exist, but how they should be organized to truly benefit learners without causing harm. A well-planned vacation programme is purposeful, moderate, and learner-centred. It addresses specific learning gaps, supports targeted groups and measures real improvement. But when poorly managed, it ...

A popular internet legend has captured the imagination of students worldwide: the story of Roberto Nevilis, an Italian teacher who supposedly invented homework in 1905 as a punishment for his students. Social media posts and even some educational institutions have perpetuated this tale, with one school confidently declaring, "The Person Who Invented Homework Was An Italian Teacher Named 'Roberto Nevilis'. He Invented Homework In 1905 As A Punishment For His Students." However, historical research has thoroughly debunked this myth. There are no historical records, Italian educational archives, or credible academic sources that mention Roberto Nevilis. Historians and fact-checkers have consistently proven this story to be an urban legend with no factual basis. In fact, evidence shows that homework existed long before 1905—California even banned homework for students under 15 in 1901, four years before Nevilis supposedly invented it. The True Ancient Origins of Homework ...

Ghana has often been described as a beacon of democracy in Africa, hasn't it? For over three decades, the country has enjoyed a reputation for peaceful elections, constitutional governance, and the smooth transfer of political power. However, recent developments suggest that the foundations of this democracy are facing serious challenges. Democracy is not only about voting during elections; it is also about respecting the rule of law, protecting citizens' rights, ensuring accountability, and allowing people to express their opinions freely. Unfortunately, some actions by political actors, institutions, and individuals appear to threaten these democratic values. If citizens cannot freely speak, question leaders, or demand accountability, then democracy itself becomes endangered. One major concern is the increasing political tension and division among Ghanaians. Instead of focusing on national development, some politicians often engage in insults, propaganda, and personal attacks...

Across Ghana's basic, secondary and tertiary institutions, a troubling pattern has resurfaced in public discourse: sexual relationships and abuse between educators and the students entrusted to their care. Indeed, recent events have thrust this crisis back into the national spotlight. In June 2026, a viral video allegedly showing a science teacher at Bole Senior High School with a final-year female student in a science laboratory prompted the Ghana Education Service (GES) to interdict the teacher and open investigations. More recently, in August 2026, Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) was rocked by unrest after students accused the headteacher, Mr. Abdulai Zakaria, of sexual misconduct — allegations that reportedly included forced intercourse, inappropriate advances, and the burial of a foetus linked to a claimed abortion. It is important to stress that these allegations against Mr Zakaria remain unverified by authorities and are still under investigation; nonetheless, the...

In 2024, more than sixty percent of political conversations on Ghanaian social media reportedly turned into personal attacks instead of meaningful discussions about policy. When one party communicator labels an opponent a “certified drug addict,” and the response is “clueless thief,” a serious question arises: Is this the Ghana we inherited—a country where political opponents wish death on one another, rank entire ethnic groups as unfit for leadership, and threaten activists with violence? What used to be occasional campaign insults has now become a daily flood of toxic language. It feels like the final straw for Ghanaian civility. My position is clear: political insults are not harmless entertainment; they are eating away at the pride of the nation. If we care about Ghana’s future, we must confront this problem directly, refuse to normalize abusive speech, and act quickly before words lead to consequences we cannot undo. The constant exchange of insults between the NDC and NPP has gon...

A language may die if there are no people to speak it. Ghana is home to over 80 indigenous languages, with Twi spoken by nearly half of the population as either a first or second language. Nevertheless, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, a respected televangelist, has declared that establishing a radio or TV station in Accra that broadcasts in Twi is “absolute nonsense.” This statement, captured in an interview with UTV over the weekend, is not merely an offhand opinion. It is a reckless provocation that dismisses the linguistic identity of millions of Ghanaians and threatens the fragile threads of national cohesion. I firmly and unreservedly declare: Rev. Dr. Tetteh’s comment is divisive, elitist, and dangerous. By labeling the use of Twi -- a language spoken by the Akan ethnic group and understood across all regions - as “nonsense,” he directly insults the heritage, dignity, and daily reality of countless citizens. Such rhetoric, coming from a man of God, does not stay within church walls. It...

The Ghanaian football community is in mourning today following the devastating loss of 20-year-old Dominic Frimpong, a promising young winger who was tragically killed when armed attackers opened fire on the Berekum Chelsea team bus. According to reports, the incident occurred on April 12, 2026, as the team was returning from an away match against FC Samartex. Traveling along the Bibiani-Goaso road, the bus was ambushed by masked gunmen who opened fire on the vehicle. In the chaos that followed, the driver attempted to speed away from the attack, but Frimpong sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Another player also suffered injuries in the assault. Frimpong, a talented winger on loan from Aduana FC to Berekum Chelsea, was just beginning to make his mark in the Ghanaian Premier League. His death has sent shockwaves through the sport, with teammates, coaches, and fans struggling to process the senseless violence. Berekum Chelsea confirmed the heartbreaking news via their official Facebook pag...

Access reliable online resources providing teachers with useful website links:  1. GESMIS (GES) https://gesmis.org/dashboard/admin/login.php 2. NTC Teacher's Portal  https://tpg.ntc.gov.gh/account/login/teacher 3. Emis Census (MoE) https://census.moegh.com 4. Payslip  https://gogepayservices.com 5. GoG PV Validation  https://gogepv.com 6.   GESOPS  https://www.gespensions.com.gh/crm/member/login.php 8. SSNIT https://portal.ssnit.org.gh/login

Why AKWAABA and not Oobakɛ by aggrieved Ga(s)

You vanished when you blossomed in your prime Unknown To you, they had planned your extinct Seeing how callously they wished you journeyed far You fell for their antics one fateful 17/18 October 2021 While you had gladly merryd among them. To my naked eyes seeing you lie prostate I was overwhelmed with rivers of tears Thought they would washed you ashore back to life Then it dawned on me it was the final bid Who would have thought of your flash extinct? Hearing You speak to the masses on what you love doing Indeed, man is callously wicked Sleep well my friend, love and flesh, Sleep well, steve! My blood brother, now a memory! Journey on, dead shepherd, with your parents, sister, uncle and granny. But don't,  don't let the wicked any iota of peace till they have tasted of their handiwork.  Journey on,  Steve,. You dead shepherd! 

THE OLD COVENANT AND THE NEW COVENANT COMPARED Hebrews 9:1-28 focuses on the fact that the Old Covenant featured aspects meant only as symbols of the "true" high priesthood of Christ. Since Christ's sacrifice is more powerful and performed in a better place, it is more effective in securing our salvation than the sacrifices of animals. "Priestly service in the tabernacle under the Old Covenant was a remarkable feat. When those things had been prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services/rituals. But into the second part, the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance. His entrance into the second part was not for fellowship, but only for atonement. The atoning blood was first for his own sins and then for the sins of his people." Access to the Holiest of All was thus severely restricted. Even when someone could enter, ...

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reiterated the commitment of his government to completing the “Agenda 111” Hospital Project, whose sod he cut in August 2021. According to President Akufo-Addo, thus far, eighty-six (86) district hospitals, two (2) regional psychiatric hospitals, and the western regional hospital are ongoing, which are all at various levels of completion. Speaking at the commissioning of the St. Michael’s Specialist Hospital, on Saturday, 30th September 2023, at Abeka Lapaz, the President stated that “the average completion rate of the eighty-nine (89) ongoing projects is fifty-two percent (52%), with work at some of the sites being seventy to eighty percent complete.” He told the gathering that the construction of these 89 hospitals are being undertaken by indigenous Ghanaian contractors, who have provided direct and indirect jobs to Ghanaians. “There is an average number of one hundred and twenty (120) workers on each construction site, ...

Countries change their names for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, it's  for political purposes or to encourage a sense of national pride . The switch might be motivated by marketing considerations and occasionally it could be the result of a royal decree. Here are some of them: Gold Coast → Ghana 🇬🇭 (1957) Swaziland → Eswatini 🇸🇿 (2018) Ivory Coast → Cote d'Ivoire 🇨🇮 (1986) Tanganyika and Zanzibar → Tanzania 🇹🇿 (1964) Upper Volta → Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 (1984) Southern Rhodesia → Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 (1980) Northern Rhodesia → Zambia 🇿🇲 (1964) Zaire → DR Congo 🇨🇩 (1997) Dahomey Republic → Benin Republic 🇧🇯 (1975) Dahomey Republic → Benin Republic (1975): 🇧🇯  Reason: To discard the colonial-era name and honor the historical Kingdom. Southern Rhodesia → Zimbabwe (1980): 🇿🇼  Reason: Gained independence from British colonial rule and adopted the name "Zimbabwe" to reflect its historical and cultural heritage. "Zimbabwe" means "Great House of Stone....

Apostle Dr. Michael Kwabena Ntumy, the former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost Worldwide from 1998 to 2008 got retired from active ministry today in Germany after serving in full time ministry for 39 years. In a colourful event to mark his retirement saw the current chair of the church, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye, grace the occasion with some executive members.  Still with an iota of hope to convalesce from his immobility, Apostle Ntumy rocked his wheelchair clouded by his family and members to bid him farewell. He recently celebrated his 65th birthday. His woes started after his tenure as the chairman of the church of Pentecost.   Recounting his ordeal, Apostle Dr. Ntumy opine how he underwent a surgical operation on his cervical spine where doctors told him he would lose the use of his hands and feet between three to six days after the surgery but things went south as predicted and has now resulted in the use of an electric wheelchair for his daily business. He recounted how he...

Prostate cancer is a worrying condition for men and can be life-threatening if left untreated. The rise of prostate cancer these days is overwhelming and men need to be aware of the risk factors, causes, and symptoms. Here is everything you must know: Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that affects the prostate, a small gland in the male reproductive system. The prostate gland is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Its function is to produce the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. It is the most common type of cancer in men. Many prostate cancers grow slowly and are confined to the prostate gland, where they may not cause serious harm. However, while some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or even no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly. The exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown, but many factors may increase the risk of developing the disease. These include: •Age: Prostate cancer is most common i...

She is not a Ghanaian. She is not American. She is not a Nigerian. She is a Cameronian. Do you know her? Her name is Okawa Shaznay, a Nollywood actress from Cameron and the first from her country to successfully break into Nollywood with her role in the blockbuster movie titled "Iyore" starring alongside Rita Dominic and Joseph Benjamin. Okawa Shaznay was born on May 6, 1986, in Bamenda Northwest Region, Cameroon. She is currently 37 years old. She hails from Bamenda, Cameroon. Okawa Shaznay received her secondary school education at Presbyterian Secondary School Mankon, Bamenda, Cameroon. After completing her secondary education, she relocated to the United States with her family in 2005 to pursue her higher education where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting from Texas Southern University in 2009. In 2016, she became prominent after playing the lead role in the hit TV series Delilah: The Mysterious Case of Delilah Ambrose. Her film debut was "Maste...

Skip to content Akess Blogs Many men come to the hospital with concerns about seeing blood in their semen when they ejaculate. It’s a condition called Haematospermia and yes, you should be worried if you experience that too. Read more to learn about the causes and symptoms: Haematospermia is a term that means blood in semen. It is quite a rare condition observed among men and can occur at any age as long as you can produce sperm. The key symptom is seeing blood in your semen and it may appear red or pink or may be mixed in with the semen in a way that is not easily visible. Other accompanying symptoms can be: •Pain during ejaculation. •Pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis. •Painful urination. •penile discharge. •Fever and a racing pulse or increased blood pressure. •Painful areas on and around the penis. These accompanying symptoms of Haematospermia may also appear as that of STIs which can also be cause. The main causes of Heamatospermia are: •Prostate problems: •Infection: •Cancer: •T...

Yvonne Nelson, one of Ghana’s favourite screen goddess in her book ‘I Am Not Yvonne Nelson’, revealed some mysteries to the glare of the Ghanaian populace. As captured in chapter 8 of her biography launched on Sunday, June 18, 2023 the Ghanaian actress revealed that one of Ghana’s artist based in Tema put her in a family way and that incident happened in 2010. In her narrative, she mentioned that the said rapper was Michael Owusu Addo popularly known as Sarkodie, the Ghanaian musician who is now an icon and a multiple award winner.