Category: General

Mr Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, says the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 will be passed before the House goes on recess for the festive holidays. The House is expected to rise on Friday, December 22, 2023, for the yuletide. The object of the Bill is to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian Family Values proscribe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer?(LGBTQ+) and related activities. Commenting on the recent creations by both the Majority and Minority Caucuses of the House about the Bill, Mr Bagbin said: 'The bill will see the light of day before the House rises for the Christmas and New Year break.' '…Honourable Members, I know that nobody in this House is opposed to the bill, and I know the bill will see the light of day before we rise because the people of Ghana are expecting us to pass the bill before we go on recess. Failure to do so will have serious consequences on members as they want to advance in their political careers,' Mr Bagbin said. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, the sponsors of the Bill accused the Majority in Parliament of sabotaging the passage of the Bill. This was a result of Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker who was presiding over proceedings refusing a request from the Caucus for the Bill to be taken at the consideration stage. Mr Samuel Nartey George, one of the sponsors of the Private Members Bill and a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps alleged the Majority Caucus were being deliberate and frustrating the processes needed to have the Bill passed. He said: 'The next strategy the proponents of the bill adopt will be to name and shame the Majority of MPs who have allegedly been influenced by persons with an interest in the promotion of LGBT activities in the country.' In a reaction, the Majority Caucus led by Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, the Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committe e, denied the allegations at a press conference in Parliament House on Thursday, December 7, 2023. He, however, alleged that Mr George was aware of the issues causing the delays in the passage of the Bill. Source: Ghana News Agency

A Geological Survey research revealing large clay deposits in the South Tongu District, which could be explored for the next 200 years, has compelled the district to invite investors to explore the natural resource. The Tefle, Vume, Lolito, Sokpoe, Atitekpo, Agbokope, Kudzragbe, Adutor and Agordomi communities host the clay which could also be exploited for production of ceramic products for both local and foreign markets. Madam Mabel Akorfa Suitor, Assistant Development Planning Officer, South Tongu District, during the sixth Volta Trade and Investment Fair in Ho, said the district was opened and ever ready to welcome investors to help exploit the clay deposits. She said there were also classic hotels and resorts which provided serene environment for relaxation and conferences including the Villa Cisneros Resort, Holy Trinity SPA and Health Farm, Sogakope Beach Resort and Shekinah Glory Hotel and Annex. Madam Suitor said the Lower Volta Bridge, 650 metres long (longest bridge in Ghana) over the river Vo lta was an attraction as well as the Avu Lagoon where endangered amphibian antelope; Sitatunga could be found. She said the West African Football Academy (WAFA) was a sport tourist potential in the district. Madam Suitor said cattle rearing were predominant in the district due to the absence of tsetsefly, abundance of short grasses and low rainfall pattern. She said other livestock reared included chicken, goat, sheep, piggery, guinea fowl and duck which were on subsistence basis except cattle, poultry and few others undertaken for commercial purposes. Madam Suitor said more investment in the rearing sector was likely to create enough wealth to improve the living conditions of the people in the district. She said aquaculture was undertaken in various sections of the Lower Volta River, another major investment potential. She said enormous potential also existed for commercial production and exportation of mango to both local and foreign market adding that gari production and processing also existed in th e district. Madam Suitor said rice and sugarcane cultivation existed in the district where sugarcane was sold at raw state and distilled into local gin. She said it was the hope that the Volta Trade and Investment Fair would become a yearly occasion to support the regional economy and reassure investor community about the profitability of their investments in South Tongu. Source: Ghana News Agency

Shimpanda, Kavango East Region - A 24-year-old woman, Justina Kapango Mudumbi, tragically lost her life after being struck by lightning in Shimpanda village in the Kavango East Region on Thursday. The incident occurred around 17h00, as confirmed by the Namibian Police Force Crime Investigation Coordinator in the region, Deputy Commissioner Bonifatius Kanyetu, who spoke to Nampa on Friday.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), Mudumbi was carrying her two-year-old child on her back when the incident happened. She, along with two other women, had reportedly taken shelter under a tree during a rainstorm. Mudumbi was pronounced dead at the scene. The two other women and the baby survived the lightning strike but required immediate medical attention. They were rushed to the Rundu State Hospital for treatment.

Following the incident, Mudumbi's body was transported to the Rundu State Hospital mortuary. Her family has been notified, and police investigations into the matter are ongoing.

Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, the Minister of Health has said efforts were made thus far in raising awareness about non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the implementation of preventive measures, but there was still much work to be done. 'To achieve this, we must foster strong partnerships between the government, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, academia, and the private sector. 'By working together, we can implement comprehensive strategies that encompass prevention, early detection, treatment, and support for those affected by NCDs,' he stated. Mr Agyemang-Manu said this in a speech read on his behalf by Dr Baffour Awuah, the Acting Director, Technical Coordinator of the Ministry of Health when the Ghana NCD Alliance (GhNCDA) held its 6th National High-Level Meeting in Accra. The meeting was on the theme: 'Building a Coordinated Front to Bridge the NCD and Mental Health Response Gaps to Achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Ghana.' The event is the GhNCDA annual flagship programme , which aimed at pitching thematic areas of NCDs as a national priority for a well-informed multi-sectorial response. The Alliance held this year's programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation - Ghana. It was supported by Pharm Access and the World Vision Ghana to extensively engage stakeholders to fashion a direction for the national response guided by the National Health Policy, National NCD Policy, and the National NCD Strategy. The Minister stated that wellness centres can be the norm instead of exception to detect and promptly address the burden of the diseases as we see in the country, adding that; 'Our approach should be multifaceted, focusing on promoting healthy lifestyles, ensuring access to quality health services, and strengthening health systems.' He urged stakeholders to leverage their collective expertise and resources to develop innovative solutions and interventions that address the unique challenges faced by the communities. Dr Augustina Charw ay-Felli, a Neurologist and a fellow of the African Academy of Neurology who gave the keynote address on the theme, said every single one was important stakeholder in helping to bridge the gaps in NCD and mental health. 'Together from different angles and different approaches to the same problem we can move forward,' she stated. Dr Charway-Felli said the WHO definition of health reads; 'it is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing; and another component, financial wellbeing and not merely the absent of disease and infirmity. 'If we look at health from these perspectives then we will understand how precious it is for every single one of us and how much we need to do to maintain it.' Madam Joana Ansong, Technical Officer, NCD Risk factors at the WHO-Ghana said the 2011 political declaration recognised the importance of UHC, especially through primary healthcare and social protection mechanism to provide access to health services for all. 'The recognition of critical importance of reducin g the level of exposure of modifiable risk factors to NCDs while strengthening the capacity of individuals and populations to make healthier choices and follow lifestyle partners that foster good health cannot be over-emphasised,' she stated. Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, the Chairperson of GhNCDA in a welcoming address said the theme underpinned the challenges confronting the individual and collective roles in addressing the menace of NCDs and the need for greater inclusion and participation as effective stewards of the future. 'Our interactions today should be for academia, industry and all other stakeholders to enable them provide sustainable and effective solutions to achieving a healthier global population free from preventable medical conditions, notably mental health.' Source: Ghana News Agency

the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has entreated its subscribers to constantly practise the new APP designed for easy healthcare transactions under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The App named MyNHIS is an online application to assist clients of the Insurance scheme for the renewal of health insurance cards, registrations and linking of insurance numbers to the national identity card. Mr., Geprge Opong-Dankwah, Bono East Regional Director of the NHIA made the encouragement at a sensitization programme by workers of the scheme through the principal streets of the Bono East Regional capital, Techiman on Thursday to educate subscribers and the public on the use of the APP for easy assessment to healthcare delivery in the Region. Mr. Opong-Dankwah explained that the reason for introducing the APP was to encourage people to enroll in the scheme without any difficulties, and again to help cut down the number of days and hours spent for just renewal and registrations. He stressed that with the new App people with smart mobile phones could do the transactions saying the move was to compliment governments digitization drive aimed at making life easier and accessible to everyone. Mr .Opong-Dankwah said this during a float at Techiman as part of activities to mark the scheme's 20 year's anniversary of holistic healthcare delivery to Ghanaian. He announced that from next year the Authority would intensify its efforts to ensure everyone benefited from the scheme saying Bono East was so joyous over the 20 year's success story of the scheme and would continue to work harder to extend the scheme for every Ghanaian to have access to quality healthcare. Mr. Oppong Darkwa said even though the region had seven administrative districts and four Municipalities, the scheme operated in seven health insurance districts because some districts and Municipal offices superintended over other districts in the region. He urged workers to work hard to sustain the scheme and advised the public to support and jo in the scheme for quality healthcare delivery. Source: Ghana News Agency