Category: General

Ms Pauline Mensah, a Senior Midwife at the Essikado Government Hospital, has called on the youth and married women, in particular, to avoid making emergency contraceptives an everyday activity. She explained that emergency contraceptives, which should be taken once or twice in a year, had been programmed with lots of chemical compounds to act faster in cases where one had had unprotected sex and knew that the act may result in unwanted pregnancy. Meanwhile, there are routine birth control models administered in hospitals under proper counselling for birth control and even unprotected sex, which might result in contracting sexually transmitted diseases. These include the pills, injectables, implants and condoms. The Senior Midwife expressed worry over the abuse of emergency contraceptives said such abuses had the tendency to expose many women to cervical and other forms of cancers with scary health consequences. 'The abuse among our girls and married women of late gives concern for more education to avert the trend…,' she added. Educating on cervical cancer in particular, Ms Mensah said advised women to once every year undergo screening and counselling to help in early detection to help save lives. She mentioned the human papillomavirus, long term use of emergency birth control bills, sexual history, hereditary, smoking and Weak immune system as predisposing factors. Ms Mensah, however, called on girls and women to avoid multiple male partners to prevent contracting the disease. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Institute for Energy Security (IES) has asked the government to resource the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) effectively to increase revenue. The Institute noted that resolving technical and commercial losses incurred by the Company would be ideal in raking in more revenue for the ECG's operations than to introduce a tax handle. The call follows government's announcement of a 15 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity consumption for residential customers exceeding the maximum consumption level for lifeline units. Mr Andrew Agyapa Mercer, Deputy Energy Minister, has explained that the decision by government, though was a 'difficult one', was necessary to help clear off debts owed independent power producers. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Nana Amoasi VII, Executive Director, IES said: 'We must ensure that technical losses are brought down to the nearest minimum.' 'They [ECG] should look for the smart metres that are capable to communicate right, able to detect theft, and put in the right transformers and right cables in the distribution lines,' Nana Amoasi VII said. On the implementation of policies, he noted that over the past few years the government had made and passed polices and regulations for the power sector by 'always putting the cart before the horse'. That, he explained was not a good way to have the buy-in of the populace, therefore, called on the government to engage the citizenry and be transparent with all stakeholders, and be receptive to alternative views to make the energy sector robust. 'It will be a smart thing for government to reverse this decision because it's not going to help the sector, it is counter-productive,' the IES Executive Director said. Unions, including the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) have all opposed the implementation of the 15 per cent VAT on electricity, citing its adverse impact on the economy. 'GUTA firmly believes that the introduction of these additional costs will burden businesses, e xacerbating the already high cost of doing business in the country,' said, Dr Joseph Obeng, President, GUTA. Speaking on a local radio station, Mr Joshua Ansah, Deputy Secretary-General, TUC, said the VAT on electricity would exacerbate the socio-economic hardships of Ghanaians. 'The government has not informed us, neither have we met with them to officially tell us their intention to withdraw the tax. We only heard it on social media, and trust me, we will not rely on social media to make decisions,' he said. He said the Union was still preparing to embark on its intended demonstration till it received official assurance form government on the withdrawal of the tax. Source: Ghana News Agency

Okapya Livestock Development Centre Manager, Sheuyange Tuhafeni has encouraged northern subsistence cattle farmers to start growing buffalo grass for their cattle instead of buying it from commercial farmers at a high price. Tuhafeni said during a demonstration to farmers on how to plant buffalo grass at Okapya in the Nehale Lya Mpingana constituency of Oshikoto that buffalo grass is favoured by livestock and farmers lack the knowledge on how to plant and grow it. 'Our farmers do not invest in growing this grass but it is the favourite of our animals. Instead they buy it from commercial farmers at a high price,' said Tuhafeni. He urged local farmers to visit the centre so that they can be trained on how to grow and harvest the buffalo grass. He added that the grass has a lifespan of 40 years and only grows during the rainy season. One of the objectives of the centre, he noted, is to train indigenous farmers from north of the red line who are not familiar with livestock farming. 'We focus mostly on livest ock farming and livestock marketing such as dehorning, castration, animal health, feeding and animal grazing, and train farmers on how to produce animal feed,' Tuhafeni said. The centre also works to conserve indigenous cattle such as the Sanga breed, and to train the community in all aspects of farming. Established in 2015, Okapya Livestock Development Centre falls under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to empower formerly disadvantaged communities in terms of farming. Source: The Namibia Press Agency The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has appealed to the leadership of the New Force Movement, a political movement, to prioritise the welfare of journalists in its policies and programmes. The GJA mentioned working conditions, remuneration, and safety of journalists as among key issues that should find space in the manifesto of the Movement as it prepared to contest the 2024 presidential election. Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President, GJA, made the appeal when Nana Kwame Bediako, leader, New Force Movement and his team paid a courtesy call on the leadership of the GJA in Accra on Tuesday. The GJA President said low remuneration of journalists was a major concern and called for a national dialogue to discuss measures to improve the working conditions of journalists. 'Working conditions of Journalists is a collective responsibility. All stakeholders should look at improving the situation to ensure professionalism. 'Journalists need to be paid well. The media deserve better… journalists deserve good re muneration,' he said. Mr Dwumfour welcomed plans by the New Force Movement to industrialise the country and create jobs, and urged the leadership to stick to the goals and work towards making the country prosperous. He urged the Movement to support efforts for peaceful elections and maintain positive relationship with the media. 'We assure you fair, adequate, and unbiased reportage,' Mr Dwumfour said. Nana Bediako recently announced his presidential ambition and declared his intention to contest the 2024 presidential election. During the meeting, Nana Bediako outlined wide ranging measures, focusing on industrialising all regions of the country to create sustainable jobs for the youth. He promised to introduce what he termed as Industrial Regional Evolution to decentralise industrialisation beyond the Greater Accra Region to cover the 15 other regions. Nana Bediako said he would create industrial hubs to support the country's industrialisation agenda and 'bring speed to the economy'. He said he would also invest in railway development to support easy movement of goods and services across the country. 'We should stop the exploitation of Africa. The youth should gain value from our own resources. As citizens, we are entitled to the usage of our own resources,' he said. Touching on his policies for the media, Nana Bediako said he had already established the Ghana Media Fund to support the welfare of journalists. He said his vision was to see the expansion of Ghana's media beyond the continent to push the African agenda and promote the interest of the continent. 'Africa needs to share news among ourselves. The more we do, the more we become successful,' Nana Bediako said. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Bia East District Assembly in the Western North Region, in collaboration with Safety-Net Programme, a non-governmental organisation, has presented 8000 coconut seedlings to famers in the area for free to augment their output. Mr Nicholas Yayin Kupog, the Bia District Chief Executive, handing over the seedlings to the District Agriculture Officer for onward distribution to the farmers, said the Government was committed to supporting farmers with alternative livelihoods, as well as improving upon the agricultural sector to produce more for exports. He lauded the Government for the initiative, noting that the coconut, in some few years, would aid the economic conditions of the beneficiaries and their families. The DCE entreated the beneficiary farmers to plant the seedlings and nurture them, especially during the dry season, to sustain their growth. He asked the residents to have faith in the Government since the current administration had brought much development to the district. Mr Kupog announced tha t palm seedlings would soon be distributed to the farmers to ensure a variety of crops in the area instead of farmers solely depending on cocoa production. Mr Charles Ennin, the Bia East District Director of Food and Agriculture, who received the seedlings, said Agric officers in the various communities would assist the farmers to plant the seedlings to meet acceptable standards. Some of the farmers commended the Government for the gesture and pledged to follow laid down practices to plant the seedlings. They said the coconut would go a long way to support them during the off-cocoa season. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has thanked God for giving her another chance to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as its Parliamentary Candidate in the Ablekuma West Constituency for the December 7 poll. Mrs Owusu-Ekuful was retained by the Party in the Constituency as Parliamentary Candidate for the fourth time in its primaries held on January 27, this year. She secured an impressive 817 votes of the total valid votes cast to beat off competition from her contender, Mr Robert Kwesi Nicole, who polled 241 votes. Speaking at a thanksgiving service held at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, Dansoman, on Sunday, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful attributed her success to the glory of God. She said: 'I give thanks to God who has guided me from my young age to today. And I am optimistic that He will continue to shine His face in my life, and wherever I go, I will not stop to follow Him, I will continue to praise His name because it is Him who has been my helper. 'God has helped my family and I and we will continue to thank Him and w orship Him with everything we have. If you rely on God, He will not disappoint you.' Mrs Owusu-Ekuful was accompained by her husband and other family members, Constituency executives, friends and well-wishers. Delivery a sermon, Reverend Mrs Naa Ayorkor Djanie, indicated that negative traits such as self-centredness, disobedience to rules and regulations and hard heartedness, were major problems the Church and country grappled with, today. She emphasised the need for Christians to eschew those negative traits to propel the Church, the community and the country to growth. The sermon was on the topic: 'Jesus Has Power Over Sickness'. Rev Djanie said: 'We are compromising on our faith too much and that's why we are sick.' The Church used the opportunity to re-inaugurate a reconstituted 32-member choir, comprising 20 females and 12 males. Rev Djanie, who is also the Presbytery Chaplain for Ga West, urged them to live a modest life worthy of emulation and accept that, their work was for God. Rev Tetteh Suo mi Akunor, District Minister for the Dansoman District of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, explained that the reconstitution of the Choir was a way of sanitising it to make it more disciplined and relevant. He entreated the new choristers to uphold integrity, study the word of God and be more prayerful to enable them to positively impact the lives of others. Source: Ghana News Agency