Day: December 18, 2023

A total of 1,111 people comprising 1,087 males and 24 females are candidates contesting in the Tuesday District Level Elections (DLE) in the Northern Region.

Mr Lucas Yiryel, Northern Regional Director, Electoral Commission (EC), who gave the figures in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tamale on Monday, said there were 25 unopposed electoral areas, adding all was set for the elections in areas where there were contests for Assembly Members, and Unit Committee Members.

He said the Commission had received all materials necessary to carry out the elections and trained officers, who were to work at the polling stations as well as electoral areas.

He noted that materials were being distributed to farther locations ahead of the elections.

Mr Yiryel said getting materials to the hinterlands in the region had been quite challenging, as some communities were far from the districts, adding that the remote nature of the roads usually delayed materials reaching their destination to start on time and
therefore accounted for delays in declaring results on stipulated closing time.

He urged the electorate to exercise their franchise towards getting representatives of their choice at the district level, who would channel grievances through the right medium to the national level for redress.

He appealed to all eligible voters to go in their numbers and vote in their respective districts.

He underscored the importance of the DLE, saying it enabled the selection of local leaders, who made by-laws that affected the development of communities.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has advised the public, especially children, pregnant women, older adults, persons with pre-existing heart and lung disease, to mask up to keep safe in the dusty dry air.

The Agency has also cautioned susceptible persons to limit outdoor activities, noting that the pollution levels could trigger allergic reactions and worsen conditions, including asthma.

Madam Francisca Martey, Deputy Director and Head of Research and Applied Meteorology at the Agency, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that it had observed the occurrence of dry air in the atmosphere with high levels of dust pollutants, originating from the Sahel region.

She said the weather condition could span be experiencd until the latter part of December.

In Accra, analysis of data collected early December 2023 made available to the GNA by the Breathe Accra Project showed high levels of pollution at all monitoring locations in the country.

Professor Kofi Amegah, the Breathe Accra Project Lead, told the GNA that
Madina Zongo Junction, Agbogbloshie, Makola, Nima and Chorkor were recording dangerously high levels.

He said the main constituent of the dust was Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 – fine (smaller) particles, which could penetrate deep into the respiratory and cardiovascular system and hence hazardous to health.

PMs are seen and unseen tiny pieces of solids or liquids in the air. The particles include, dust, dirt, soot, smoke. Breathing in these particles can be harmful to one’s health.

Professor Amegah, also an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Cape Coast, said per the Air Quality Index (AQI), the ideal or good air quality should be between the range of zero to 50 on the index.

AQI from 51 to 100 is moderate even though there may be some health concerns for a small unusually sensitive individuals like children under five.

Professor Amegah asked the public to consume antioxidant-rich foods, including fruits and vegetables during the period to mitigate the air pollution exposure effects o
n one’s health.

Mrs Florence Kuukye, Director, Metro Public Health Department of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, advised the public not to compound the high levels of air pollution with open burning.

She said aside the two national laws, the AMA’s byelaw 2017 prohibited people from engaging in open burning of waste materials.

‘Under the AMA law for instance, a person commits an offence when found to be engaged in open burning and when found culpable, one is likely to pay a penalty of not less than 100 penalty units (not less than GHS 1,200/USD 100) and not more than 150 penalty units, or sentenced to prison from three to six months or both,’ she explained.

Dr Mary Enyram Ashinyo, Deputy Director, Institutional Care Division, Ghana Health Service, speaking at a forum earlier this year, about air pollution situation, said individuals who exposed themselves to particles emitted into the atmosphere risked contracting respiratory-related diseases.

She said persons, who were already suffering from breathing d
ifficulties and other respiratory diseases could compound their conditions if they ignored precautionary measures during this period.

Already, a section of the public the GNA spoke to last week complained of respiratory conditions, including cold and flu.

Mr Vincent Newton, a father of four, said within the week, his children and wife contracted flu and had to go for medication to ameliorate the symptoms.

‘My son who is asthmatic was not able to write two of his end of term examination papers due to the condition,’ he said.

In 2019, approximately 3,000 premature deaths were attributed to air pollution in Accra.

At the country level, air pollution related deaths (23,792) exceed those from malaria (21,597), tuberculosis (10,222), and HIV/AIDS (14,620) in the same year.

The data above shows the financial cost of air pollution related premature mortality and absenteeism in 2019 and the projected impacts under a business-as-usual scenario, according to Clean Air Fund.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament has asked the youth to have faith in the country’s current democratic system and strive to enhance and protect it.

‘As we celebrate 30 years of Uninterrupted Parliamentary Democracy, I wish to urge the youth in particular not to falter in their faith in our current democratic order but work towards sustaining and improving it.’

Mr Bagbin said this in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Camilo Pwamang, Deputy Clerk of Parliament during a mock Parliament in Ho, in the Volta Region.

He stated that the nation established a system of governance in the 1992 Constitution that guaranteed prosperity, equality of opportunity, and liberty for all, while maintaining national cohesion and sustainable growth.

The engagement formed part of Parliament’s 30th anniversary celebration dubbed: ‘Thirty (30) Years of Parliamentary Democracy Under the Fourth Republic: The Journey Thus Far.’

Mr Bagbin added that for the past 30 years, Parliament and its support services
had advanced significantly, which remained crucial for all citizens, especially the younger ones, to have a thorough understanding of the history of the nation’s democratic transition.

He emphasised the significance of the fora as it provided a platform for the youth to learn and grow into accepting the country’s democratic culture as the only choice and advancing national development.

Mr Bagbin stated that one key channel through which Parliament had engaged the youth, was the Youth Parliament which was introduced more than 20 years ago to instill in the youth a democratic culture for nation building.

The Speaker also stated that as the Fourth Republic, Parliament was the first and the only one in the nation’s history to reach adulthood which must be protected and given the best possible care to flourish.

Mr Bagbin said continuous education and public awareness were essential in making the Fourth Republic sustainable by allowing citizens to know about the significance of sustainability and national devel
opment.

He added that over the course of the Fourth Republic, Parliament has developed and enjoyed a productive working relation with its allied institutions including CSOs, the media, NCCE, CHRAJ and ISD which helped inform and educate the public about the business of Parliament.

These institutions, he said, supported Parliament and the Parliamentary Service as well as Members of Parliament to build capacities relevant to their multiple mandates and functions of law making, oversight representation and deliberations.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Chiefs and people of Bongo Traditional Area in the Upper East Region have climaxed this year’s Azambene festival with the launch of a fund to help end open defecation by the end of 2024.

The fund dubbed, ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Fund’ is to be managed by a non-partisan committee, comprising various organisations and the Bongo District Assembly, would help vulnerable households in the district who cannot afford to build a toilet facility or latrine to own one.

The fund would also be used to help provide WASH facilities, particularly toilet facilities at public places such as marketplaces, and lorry stations among other public places to ensure places of convenience.

All proceeds from this year’s Azambene festival held on the theme: ‘Improving Access to WASH Services: The Role of Traditional Leaders and the People,’ had been channelled into the fund whose bank account would be opened at the Maltaaba Rural Bank in the district.

The move by the Bongo Traditional Area led by Naba Baba Salifu Atama
le Lemyaarum, the Paramount Chief of the Traditional Area, was to support the efforts of development partners, particularly, WaterAid Ghana, a WASH-focused organisation to end open defection.

WaterAid Ghana is implementing a five-year strategic project in the Bongo District to ensure access to safe drinking water, good sanitation and hygiene for all as well as to help fight the high fluoride issue which had been a bane in the district.

Addressing a durbar characterised by a rich cultural display from various cultural troops across the Traditional Area, Naba Lemyaarum appealed to indigenes and philanthropists both in Ghana and the diaspora to contribute to the fund to help realise the goal.

‘The theme for the durbar has become necessary since Bongo has been chosen by WaterAid Ghana to support us in providing potable water and managing our sanitation and hygiene for a better life and good health.

‘In that regard, there is a need for us the chiefs, queen mothers and everyone to show our commitment. So, we ha
ve decided to use this durbar and subsequent durbars to contribute to a WASH fund that will take care of sanitation and hygiene issues in the district,’ he pledged.

The Paramount Chief stressed that ‘we are committed to ending open defecation by the end of 2024,’ adding that it would be meaningless to have potable water while polluting the same water and the environment through faecal matter from open defection.

He asked the people of the district to place the development of the district above a partisan lens and contribute significantly to the fund and other development needs of the district to improve the life of the people.

Ms Ewurabena Yanyi-Akofur, Country Director of WaterAid Ghana, commended Naba Lemyaarum for leading the fight against open defecation in the area through the establishment of the WASH fund.

She noted that the fund would serve as a beacon of hope for those communities still grappling with access to dignified sanitation facilities.

She said access to WASH services was not only a huma
n rights issue but a global call to strengthen efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goal six, which emphasizes access to water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030.

Ms Rita Atanga, the District Chief Executive for the area, said out of the 168 communities in the district, only 63 had been declared open defecation-free and urged for collective efforts to address the menace.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Yassir International Foundation (YIF), a non-governmental organisation in collaboration with ASOHOM has donated stationery to Amoraf Science and Technology School to enhance teaching and learning.

The items included Text books, Note and Exercise Books, Mathematical sets, Pens, coloured pencils, erasers and a bag of rice.

Mr. Seidu Yassir, Founder of YIF, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the donations were to alleviate the plight of young girls in the Zongo communities to access education.

He said, ‘I came with the intention that I want to support only five children but when I came, I met more than five children that really need some help so we are looking forward of coming back to assist the others as well.’

‘Though I can’t solve every problem, I will at least bring down the situation and sooner I will be dealing with the Ghana Education Science soon.’

He said, the theme for the project was ‘The struggle for women or girls right in out Zongo communities.’

Mr. Suleman Salisu, the Assistant Headmast
er of the school, who received the items and handed them over to the headmaster and the girls expressed gratitude to the Organisation and called on other individuals, corporate entities to come on board.

He said, ‘For a long time we have been here helping the abled, disabled, and orphans, without any support but today, we thanked YIF who came to our aid.’

‘We really appreciate them a lot and we make sure we will use those items in successful manner, Amoraf needs more help we pray that YIF continue to support us.’

He added, ‘our children most of them are orphans, some of their parents cannot afford to pay anything so the school has chosen to help those girls who cannot afford to go to school and are sitting home.’

Mrs. Memuna Vanderpure one of the parents also thanked the foundation for the kind gesture.

‘We thank Yassir Foundation for the donation and pray that God continues to bless them to support us and the other needy.’

She said, ‘These days it is hard to purchase books but with this donation it wou
ld go far because it came at a right time.’
Source: Ghana News Agency

The 2023 edition of Ghana’s Media Capacity Enhancement Programme (MCEP) has opened in Accra to equip journalists with essential skills and knowledge to enhance their work.

The Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who opened the event at the University of Media, Arts and Communications (UniMAC) on Monday, emphasised the pivotal role the training would have on journalists in shaping the future of the media and the country’s democracy.

He stated that the training was not just a routine programme but one with vital investments in the future of the Ghanaian media and Ghana’s democracy.

The Minister highlighted the unparalleled influence of the media in shaping the national agenda and guiding public discourse on various subjects.

He expressed concern over the lack of formal training among many journalists, noting that though articulate and well-intentioned, a majority of them had not undergone formal journalistic training.

The knowledge gap includes essential aspects such as ethics, responsibiliti
es, contemporary practices, and nuances of the journalism profession.

The opening ceremony attracted media personalities including Professor Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo, Chairman of the Working Committee and Vice Chancellor of UniMAC, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Andrew Edwin-Arthur, President of Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), and Cecil Sunkwa-Mills, President of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA).

Prof. Kwansah-Aidoo highlighted the significant opportunities the capacity enhancement programme would have for journalists by enhancing and improving their skill sets.

He expressed the need for media practitioners to continuously build their capacity to address and rectify pertinent issues in the profession.

Mr Dwumfour, on his part, commended the Working Committee for organising the training programme and expressed the hope that the number of journalists participating would increase in future sessions.

He urged journalists to avoid partisan stances and adhere to the ethics of the profession.

‘Be mindful of the role of the media in our democratic dispensation, Mr Edwin-Arthur said, while advocating the need for increased attention and financial support from the Government to the media.

He said the media served as an indispensable ally for the country’s democracy, thus, playing a vital role in informing the public, facilitating discourse and holding duty-bearers accountable.

Mr Sunkwa-Mills urged journalists and media owners to prioritise the protection and preservation of the unity and stability of the country, especially as the nation prepared for a general election next year.

He underscored the need for journalists to put the country first in reporting on national issues.

The second edition of the MCEP focuses on training 42 journalists, selected from various media houses across the country.

The programme aims to have a broad and positive influence on the overall standards and practices of journalism
in the country by drawing participants from diverse media organisations and training them on six different journalism modules in a four-day session.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North Constituency has underscored need for concerted efforts by all relevant stakeholders to ensure that girls attain higher education in the country.

He said girls attaining higher education contributed significantly to the country’s socio-economic drive whilst reducing gender-based violence in the communities.

He made the call while addressing participants at the launch of the tertiary young women awards held in Tamale.

Mr Suhuyini said there were high numbers of girls at the basic school level, but the numbers reduced drastically at the tertiary level.

The event was organised by Media Integrated Network, a youth-led NGO, in collaboration with the Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Youth Authority and AfriTec.

Mr Alhassan Alhassan, Executive Director of Media Integrated Network, said the awards were to honour some outstanding tertiary young students for their contributions towards promoting sustainable development in the cou
ntry.

He said it was also to recognise some innovations and businesses initiated by tertiary students.

Mr Alhassan said nominations for the awards would open in January for all women in the various tertiary institutions in the Northern Region.

He explained, ‘The categories for nomination will include outstanding tertiary women in entrepreneurship and outstanding tertiary women in leadership.’

Dr Arnold Mashud Abukari, Executive Director of AfriTech, an NGO, said honouring women’s contribution to national development was crucial to bridging the gap between women and their male counterparts in terms of decision-making.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has urged the public to opt for the cylinder recirculation model (CRM) for convenience, safety and affordability.

They should also adhere to safety measures in LPG usage to avoid gas-related explosions and resultant injuries and deaths.

The Head of the Department for Consumer Services, Mrs Eunice Budu Nyarko, made the call at a CRM and gas safety sensitization workshop at the Mt. Olivet Methodist Church in Dansoman, a suburb of Accra.

A team from the Corporate Affairs and Gas Directorates conducted the sensitization exercise.

Mrs Budu Nyarko, who led the team, explained the rationale for its rollout and indicated that the policy would, among other things, improve access to LPG and ensure safety in its use and entreated the congregants to be abreast of LPG safety tips to prevent explosions and resultant damage to life and property.

After the presentation, the team interacted with the members of the congregation and distributed leaflets and other educative materials
on the subject to them.
Source: Ghana News Agency

A blazing fire on Monday morning, swept through parts of the Racecourse Market in Kumasi, destroying merchandize running into millions of Ghana cedis.

The deadly fire, according to eyewitnesses, affected about 70 shops, which have many items in stock.

The fire, according to some of the affected traders, started from one of the shops around 0700 hours Monday morning, and later spread to other shops, destroying wares.

Though the cause of the fire was still not known at the time of filing this story, some of the traders suspected it might have come from the shop of one trader who was cooking at that time with a gas cylinder.

One of the victims told the Ghana News Agency that, she had lost about GHC 100,000.00 worth of goods to the fire.

‘I deal in clothing and pomades, my wholesale shop which I restocked on Friday and all the items have been ravaged by the fire causing major financial burden to my business, ‘she stated.

Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, who rushed to the scene had a hectic t
ime putting the fire under control.

Mr Henry Giwah, Ashanti Regional Fire Commander told journalists, five fire tenders were dispatched to the scene immediately they received the information on the incident.

He however, pointed out that, lack of fire hydrant in the market made it difficult for them to get access to water to control the fire.

‘We must deploy five fire tenders, because of lack of hydrants at the facility.

‘We could have stopped the fire immediately if there were water hydrants available at the market,’ he told reporters.

Mr Giwah confirmed that there had not been any casualty at the scene, saying the Service had commenced investigations to identify the cause of the fire outbreak.
Source: Ghana News Agency

A book of condolence will open on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, in memory of the late Amma Serwah Bame Busia.

The Sofoase Yefri, Nkwaduano Yefri royal families, and Pampaaso family of Wenchi in the Bono Region confirmed on Monday the passing of their beloved.

The late Obaapanyin Amma Bame Busia was a matriarch of the Sofoase Yefri royal family of Wenchi, a former member of the Council of State, and an NPP Council of Elders member.

A statement signed by Abusuapanyin Obeng Gyan Busia and copied to the Ghana News Agency stated that the sad incident of Bame Busia’s death occurred at the Nyaho Medical Centre on 12th December 2023, after a protracted illness.

‘Friends, sympathisers, and well-wishers who intend to visit the family and offer their condolences may do so on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at her Abelemkpe residence from 11am to 4pm each day,’ the statement said.

Amma Busia, who was aged 87, was a key member of the NPP and served as both the first and third National Vice Chairperson.
Source: Gha
na News Agency