Education
Architecture Students Advocate EDGE Green Building Certification
Three talented architecture students from the Central University in Accra have urged stakeholders in the building industry to adopt EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) to design and certify more sustainable buildings. According to them, EDGE is easy to use and guides the best ways to improve the energy and water efficiency of buildings.
David Gifat Ampiaw, Olufemi Abodunrin and Cheryl Omani-Baah were the talented young architects selected and fully sponsored by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to attend the 2019 GBCSA green building convention in Capetown earlier this month.
Having navigated the EDGE Green Building tool to design sustainable housing projects the students had the opportunity to hear from world-class green building experts during the event in South Africa. The project was funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) with technical support provided by SGS and thinkstep in the UK.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the students reflected upon their experiences and learning during the competition and event. They gained greater understanding of the need for the building industry to act urgently to design better buildings in Ghana that are resource efficient.
Ninnette Quao Fio, a lecturer at the Architecture Department of the Central University, accompanied her students to the conference to experience first-hand how professionals using EDGE to certify their buildings will help achieve a better built environment.
An innovation of IFC, EDGE is an online platform and certification system, which helps building professionals to determine the most cost-effective options for designing green within a local climate context. EDGE can be used for new construction, existing buildings and major retrofits.
EDGE requires 20 percent less energy and water use, as well as 20 percent less embodied energy in materials compared to a base case building. Builders who certify with EDGE gain a promotional advantage, with customers benefiting from lower utility bills.
The Importance of Green Buildings
Mr Ampiaw urged stakeholders in the building industry to design green to ensure that the existence of unborn generations are not jeopardised.
“We need to think about the future. If you look at what’s happening in the housing sector, most professionals are not focused on green design. The question must be asked: ‘is what you are designing actually going to help the environment?’”
Mr Ampiaw recounted that one of the topics at the conference focused on consistency. “What I learned is that being sustainable is not enough. We have to give back to the environment by designing positive buildings that contribute through harvesting what nature has provided while restricting the materials needed for structures.”
Mr Ampiaw added that the effect of not designing sustainably will be seen by the next generation as incompatible with best business practice.
Creating a Dialogue on Green Buildings
Mr Abodunrin urged Ghanaian students and stakeholders in the building industry to join the global trend towards a more sustainable future. Ghanaian architecture students needed to connect to the conversation on green buildings, he said.
“Green technology products are heading to Africa at cheaper rates and without the knowledge of their harmful effects. Africa is still asleep on this topic,” Mr Abodunrin said.
EDGE as the Future
The built environment is expected to double by 2050 due to high population growth and urbanisation trends. This has serious implications for global warming, as buildings already generate 19 percent of energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and consume 40 percent of electricity.
To address the opportunity for green buildings, Switzerland, through its State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), provided funding for IFC’s EDGE program in Ghana.
The intention is to have a generational impact by increasing the use of EDGE to encourage greener building practices.
The first EDGE-certified buildings in Ghana include the Atlantic Tower by Wahhab Estate Co. Ltd in the Airport City enclave of Accra, as well as the new Tema Port Expansion Project and the Terminal 3 at the harbor.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes, the Obajana Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has distributed some educational materials to some pupils in Kogi State.
The items shared to the beneficiaries included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.
The General Manager for the Social Performance Department of Dangote Cement at Obajana Plant, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the materials were donated days after Dangote Cement distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.
He noted that, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, and it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.
He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and are implemented through sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials,” the cement firm said.
The Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Mr Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for the gesture.
The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.
The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.
