Month: September 2023

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Delta Command, advises motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations to stem crashes on highways during and after the ember months.

Mr Bassey Eshiet, the Sector Commander of FRSC Delta Command, gave the advice on Thursday at the flag-off of Ember Months Campaign 2023 entitled: “Speed Thrills, Speed Kills, Drive Responsibly and Avoid Overloading”.

According to him, toward the end of every year, the volume of traffic increases, coupled with high incidences of road traffic infractions.

“These infractions include route violation, excessive speeding, dangerous driving, wrongful overtaking, overloading, drunk driving, drivers fatigue and making call while driving.

“These risk factors result in Road Traffic Crashes with fatalities, and the high vehicular volume due to surge in movement of people results in traffic gridlock, fatigue and sometimes road traffic crash amongst others.

“The Corps’ determination to check these trends and ensure free flow of traffic culminated in 2023 Ember Months Road Safety Campaign prior to the commencement of year 2023 End of Year Special Patrol Operation from December 2023 to January 2024.

“The aim of the campaign is to immensely reduce crashes and to ensure as much as possible the elimination of death from crashes that may occur if any,” he said.

Eshiet noted that the higher the speed of a vehicle, the shorter the time a driver had to stop and avoid a crash adding that speeding contributed to the severity of the impact when a collision occurs.

According to him, controlling vehicle speed can prevent crashes and reduce the impact when they do occur, lessening the severity of injuries sustained by the victim.

“What is obvious to you may not be to others, most people don’t think `Road Safety’ as long as they have a good vehicle and a reasonable stretch of road.

“A car travelling at 50km/h will typically require 13 metres to stop, while a car travelling at 40km/h will stop in less than 8.5 metres.

“An increase in average speed of 1 km/h typically results in a 37 per cent higher risk of a crash involving injury, with a four per cent to five per cent increase for crashes that result in fatalities.

“For car occupants in a crash with an impact speed of 80km/h, the likelihood of death is 20 times what it would have been at an impact speed of 30km/h.

“The relationship between speed and injury severity is particularly critical for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

“Pedestrians have been shown to have a 90 per cent chance of survival when struck by a car travelling at 30km/h or below, but less than 50 per cent chance of surviving an impact at 45km/h.

“Pedestrians have almost no chance of surviving an impact of 80km/h,” he said.

The Delta Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by Vincent Ehiwario, Director, Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), identified lack of maintenance culture as a major cause of crashes on the road

“Many people fail to engage in simple maintenance check and servicing of their vehicle such as the brakes, tyres, steering etc.

“It is important to check these things because they are major causes of road crashes, and checking them can prevent loss of lives and properties,” he said.

Mr Silas Omobude, Assistant Director, Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), warned motorists to desist from illicit use of drugs on steering, drunk-driving during and after the “ember” month.

“Most of the road crashes that occur during the `ember’ months are caused by bad attitudes of drivers.

“Drunk-driving and illicit use of drugs are not allowed during, before and after ’ember’ months.

“Motorists should ensure effective functioning of the steering system, headlights, brake, wipers and tyres, for safety,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau on Friday in Abuja called for more recognition of the nursing profession, saying the practitioners are relegated to the background.

The governor made the call at the presentation of a book titled: “Challenges and Triumph of the Nursing Profession in Nigeria” written by Prof. Kola Oyedepo.

According to Mutfwang, the centrality of the nursing profession to the health sector cannot be overemphasised and the contribution of the profession is enormous.

He therefore called on policy makers, trainers and stakeholders to make sure that they promote the profession to fulfil its mandate.

“Nurses are very central in the healthcare delivery system, midwives are very central to the issue of birth. We must make sure that the professionalism in the sector is enhanced in every way that is possible.

“I want to congratulate the author of this book for giving the nurses further tools

to work. As governors, we are going to ensure that the health sector is looked at comprehensively.

“This is to make sure that the nursing profession within the health sector is given its pride of place, we are going to make policy pronouncements. We are going to invest in training to enhance the profession in our state,” he said.

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Dr Faruk Abubakar, noted that nurses play a pivotal role in the healthcare delivery.

Represented by Mr Emmanuel Udontre, Director, Planning Research and Statistics, NMCN, Abubakar said that nurses have the autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or well and in all settings.

According to him, advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research, participation in shaping health policy and patients, health system management and education are key roles of nurses.

He called on government at all levels to begin to show more care to the nurses for the big role they perform in the healthcare system.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of of Health (FMoH), Mrs Daju Kachallom, also stated that the nursing and Midwifery profession occupies a unique and vital place within the healthcare system.

Represented by Mrs Francisca Okafor, Director of Nursing, FMoH, Kachallom said that nurses and midwives are compassionate, skilled and tireless professionals.

She said they are often the first and last point of care for patients, stressing that they must be treated with dignity.

Kachallom stated that they provide comfort in times of distress, guidance during moment of uncertainty and skilful assistance during the most critical phases of life.

She thanked the author of the book for dishing out such enormous knowledge in the medical profession.

The book author disclosed that he was motivated to write the book to encourage practitioners of nursing and midwifery to be committed to the profession and to seek for more knowledge.

The professor added that he was also motivated to write the book so that people will give more recognition to the practitioners of nursing profession, saying that nurses give 70 to 75 per cent assistance to the medical profession.

Oyedepo who was responding to the allegation of nurses of not being part of President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees, blamed the nurses saying that they are not projecting themselves well as it ought to be.

According to him, nurses have a lot of information that could revive the healthcare but they are not projecting such information in the right direction, hence they are relegated to the background.

“Information is power but when this is not given out in the right direction, there is bound to be setback.

“Nurses have a lot of information but they are not projecting them out, there is a lot of advocacy they need to be doing to make them to be recognised.

“If you don’t say I am here, nobody will recognise you. Out of the three professions in the health fields, pharmacy, nursing and medicine, nurses carry almost 70 per cent of the healthcare workers population.

“They are not showing up but they want to be in power, this is why the people in power just ignore them ,” Oyedepo said.

He called on nurses and midwives to make use of his book to garner more knowledge about the profession and way out of the challenges confronting it.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in partnership with Statistics Denmark has launched StatsBank Academic and Hackathon, 2023 for university students to raise awareness of the GSS StatsBank and to promote the use of census data for policy-relevant research. The event, held at University for Development Studies (UDS), was to enable students to innovate and explore unique opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, and team-building skills. The GSS StatsBank is the first online database for accessing disaggregated census statistics and to maximise the value of the data and statistics in its possession. Dr Faustina Frempong-Ainguah, Deputy Government Statistician, speaking during the launch, said the StatsBank was repository for macroeconomic indicators and in the long-term would provide data platform on other censuses and surveys. She said it currently has over 350 million statistics including indicators from the 2021 Population and Housing Census and a comprehensive set of macro-economic indicators. She said Ghana was the first African nation to offer such a comprehensive, locally hosted tool with census data, adding GSS would expand the dataset on StatsBank platform to include other censuses and surveys in the coming months. Professor Seidu Al-Hassan, Vice-chancellor of UDS, said an effective data system helped government, policymakers, and organisations to improve upon the quality of life of people, especially in the rural areas and to also enhance development. He said improving quality was first and foremost among the reasons organisations should be using data which would support them to measure the problems and take actions for solutions.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) has provided apprenticeship tools and equipment worth GhC140,000.00 to the Sunyani Youth Development Association (SYDA). Including quantities of electric sewing machines and other artisanal tools, the machines are to support the Association in the implementation of its phase-two Integrated Skill Project aimed at providing employable skill training for vulnerable young people. The Association’s skill project covers kente weaving, smock sewing, fashion, cosmetology, bicycle repairs, auto-mechanics, bead craft, hair dressing (cream), hair dressing (braid), aluminum fabrication, solar energy technology, wood technology (carpentry) and visual arts. Speaking at a presentation ceremony held in Sunyani, Ambassador Gorge Kumi, a member of the GIIF, said he was optimistic the machines would well-position the Association to enroll more of the unemployed youth to benefit from the skills training. He noted employable skills training had the potential to tackle the nation’s unemployment situation, create wealth and reduce poverty and therefore commended the Association for its vision and innovation in helping to create jobs for the youth. Mr Kumi, a former envoy to Nigeria under former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s administration entreated the youth to capitalise on the Association’s novelty, enroll and benefit from the training to fetch themselves jobs. Mr John Ansu Kumi, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive said the government through the Assembly and the Member of Parliament were doing everything possible to tackle the development needs of the people in the municipality. Mr Kumi said he was highly elated and overwhelmed about the activities of the SYDA which would help reduce unemployment in the municipality, and therefore invited the Association to engage the Assembly on issues bordering the holistic development of the municipality. He assured the Assembly’s readiness to support the Association to achieve its visions and aspirations and urged the youth in the municipality to avoid unhealthy lifestyles and channel their exuberances into productive activities. According to Mr Atta Akoto Snr, the President of the SYDA, the association, formed in 2015, sought to break the barriers of impossibilities in its quest to enhance youth development in the municipality and parts of the Bono Region. He paid glowing tribute to the late Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II, the Paramount Chief of Sunyani Traditional Area who inspired the formation of the Association and supported its activities at that time. ‘The SYDA hub seeks to create concepts and support for apprentices to unearth innovation and creativity that are capable of solving our problems and also sustain entrepreneurship development,’ Mr Akoto Snr. stated. Highlighting some of its activities, he said the Association had plans to launch its ‘green solution for entrepreneurship development project,’ which sought to create awareness on green energy, as a solution to sustain entrepreneurship development. Additionally, the Association in partnership with the Manna Education Development Foundation, an NGO would soon construct a crèche to absorb children of trainees who become impediments in their mothers training. This strategy would enable all apprentices to go through the skill training to improve their productivity and make them self-sufficient. Mr Akoto Snr. expressed appreciation to the GIIF for the support and expressed the hope that other state and non-state actors, organisations and corporate bodies would come to the aid of the Association to train more of the unemployed vulnerable people in the area.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Institute of Architects has expressed disgust about the country’s-built environment, disregarding building regulations and codes and other statutory documents. According to the Institute, something ought to be done urgently to stem the uncontrolled nature of development that did not respect the statutory documents governing the management of the built environment. Mr Foster Osae-Akonnor, the President of the Institute raised the concern when he was speaking at a town hall meeting organised by the Institute in Sunyani, as part of activities to mark the 60th anniversary celebration of the institution on the theme, ‘the Architect and the Community’. The day’s meeting was attended by Heads of Departments and Agencies, representatives of District and Municipal Assemblies and planning officers as well as traditional leaders and representatives of religious organisations. It aimed at discussing pertinent issues affecting the region and further strategizing for a better built environment that would promote the health and well-being of the people. Accordingly, Mr Osae-Akonnor explained the Institute would soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bono Regional Coordinating Council (BARCC), because of the region’s development into a business hub. The medium to long term outcome and benefits of the MoU, he explained, would lead to a built environment livable, developed sustainably and created the much needed economic prosperity in the region. This would eventually lead to the overall health and well-being of the inhabitants in the region, Mr Osae-Akonnor stated, saying all the 12 political-administrative municipalities/districts in the region would also countersign the MoU. Highlighting the roles of architects towards holistic national development, Mr Osae-Akonnor underlined the need to design or modulate space for human habitation, saying ‘this entails not only designing and specification, but contract administration involving supervision and eventually post occupancy evaluation.’ As architects, he said the Bono Region and Sunyani had to become a beautiful, vibrant, and sustainable city considering the opportunities in the area of economic, socio-cultural, physical development and environmental attributes. ‘But this can only happen if all of us put our minds to it, have a vision for the development of the physical environment (built environment) of the entire region without leaving behind any of the 12 administrative capitals of the Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs)’, Mr Osae-Akonnor stated. He therefore called for effective collaboration between the Institute and the RCC and entreated the MDAs in the region to send drone footages covering their entire boundaries that would serve as the base material for a Master Plan for the MoU. Already Mr Osae-Akonnor said similar meetings had been held in six regions including Ashanti, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, and Oti Regions. The Institute would further hold meetings in the Western, Western North, Eastern and Greater Accra Regions by the end of the year and continued with that of Bono East, Savannah, Central, Ahafo and North East Regions in 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A 27-year-old small scale miner, who allegedly connived with his brother-in-law to steal gold worth GH?30,000 from a gold buying shop, at Nsuaem has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in hard labour by the Tarkwa District Magistrate court one. Emmanuel Mensah, charged with conspiracy and stealing pleaded guilty. Mensah’s accomplice, Adu Quaye, is however at large. Prosecuting, Sergeant Douglas Addae, narrated to the court presided over by Mr Charles Owusu Nsiah that the complainant, Severin Mouity is a gold buyer residing at Nsuaem, in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, with the accused person living in the same vicinity. He said the complainant owned a gold buying shop, few meters away from Royal Midway hotel, in Nsuaem. According to Sergeant Addae, on December 5, last year, complainant received gold valued at GH?30,000 from customers and kept same in a drawer after the day’s work. He said on December 6, 2022, the complainant reported for work only to detect that thieves had broken into his office through the ceiling and made away with the gold. Prosecution said complainant rushed to the Nsuaem Police station and lodged a complaint. Sergeant Addae said during investigations, the accused person’s name came up and the Police invaded his place of abode, but they were told he had traveled. The court heard that Mensah went into hiding till luck eluded him and he was arrested by the Agona Police on September 11, 2023. The Prosecutor said during investigations, accused person admitted that he stole the gold from the complainant’s shop with his brother-in-law, Adu Quaye, and they sold it for GH?2,700 of which he had GH?1,200 as his share. He said the convict further said he went and sort refuge at Alabankata his grandmother’s hometown, a community along the Dixcove road in the Western Region. Sergeant Addae said the Police have mounted a search to arrest Adu Quaye for prosecution.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Department of Social Welfare with support from UNICEF Ghana has trained selected Probation Officers at a two-day workshop on the updated Probation Desk Manual. The training is aimed at increasing the knowledge and skills of the probation officers on the instructions and guidance of the probation best practices. A statement from the Department of Social Welfare copied to the Ghana News Agency said the workshop also sought to build the capacity of probation officers on the probation desk manual and increase the number of trained probation officers at the community level in anticipation of the passage of the Community Service Act 2023. Probation service is a statutory criminal justice service that supervises high-risk offenders released into the community. Social Welfare officers who defend children’s rights in court provide probation services in the country. Dr. Afisah Zakaria, Chief Director of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, in a remark made on her behalf by Rev. Dr. Comfort Asare, Director for the Department of Social Welfare, said the Probation Desk Manual served as a valuable tool to help the officers carry out their duties professionally and effectively as it had laws and policies in it. She urged the officers to impart the acquired knowledge on the manual to their colleagues at the office on return. Ms Stella Mawusi Mawuto, the Volta Regional Social Welfare Director, who chaired the training workshop advised the Officers not to relent on the challenges surrounding their field of work but use the limited resources available to yield good results. Ms Hilda Mensah, a representative from UNICEF-Ghana encouraged the Probation officers to share experiences and expertise to enable them to use the manual as a weapon in their field of work and also fight for rights of children and women in the society The Probation Officers of the Department of Social Welfare play a significant role in the criminal justice system by safeguarding children’s rights and assisting the police in locating the juveniles’ parents, guardians, and relatives. About 70 probation officers from the southern sector and four Facilitators making the total of 74 participants from the Volta, Central, Western, Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Eastern Regions were trained on the probation desk manual.

Source: Ghana News Agency