Month: December 2023

Strong and effective collaborations between relevant stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies have been identified as a key element in the fight against illicit trade in tobacco and tobacco products in the country.

This came to light during a capacity building workshop organised by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for law enforcement agencies on the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

Ghana in 2021 ratified the Protocol and implementation started in 2022, and speakers at the training stressed that without collaboration it would be difficult for the country to effectively deal with the situation.

The training was held at Akanu in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region, and brought together officials from Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Revenue Authority, and National Investigations Bureau.

Others were from Narcotics Control Commission, Attorney Generals Department, Economic and Organised Crime Office, National Security, Environmental Protection Agency and their French
Counterparts at the Border

Dr Joana Ansong, Programmes Officer, Non-Communicable Diseases/Risk Factors, World Health Organisation, said the role of law enforcement agencies in the implementation of the Protocol was extremely important hence the training to orient them and build their capacity.

Dr Ansong said smuggling was by far the most significant type of illegal trade in tobacco and tobacco products, and cigarettes were amongst the commonly seized goods, and the global revenue potential from eliminating cigarettes estimated at US$47 billion.

The Programmes Officer said every stakeholder, including the citizens, must support the government to reduce the issue of illicit trade in tobacco products in the country to the barest minimum.

She said illicit trade in tobacco products reduced government revenue, weakened security, fostered corruption and organised crime and was also a serious threat to public health, thus the need for concerted effort to curb the situation.

Dr Mrs Olivia Agyekumwaa Boateng, Dire
ctor, Tobacco and Substances of Abuse Directorate of FDA, disclosed that there two forms of tobacco, the smoked tobacco and the smokeless tobacco.

Mrs Boateng said as a regulator they would not relent on their efforts to enforce various policies to reduce the prevalence of these products in the country as they posed a great threat to the public.

She said there was no safe form of tobacco use, so irrespective of how one used it, there were dangers as the substances contained in them were very toxic and carcinogenic.

Mr Gordon Akurugu, Volta Regional Director of FDA, said strategies being used in recent times to transport such products into the country were ‘wonderful’ so collaboration was key.

He disclosed that dealers in the products were now hiding the products in the bags of school children to cross the border, and some women were also being used to transport the products.

Mr Akurugu said FDA now ran a 24-hour operation at the borders in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, and that detention i
n tobacco products was much at Kpoglo and Aflao borders compared to other borders.

He told Ghana News Agency the training was to offer a common platform for the law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to share their experiences and enhanced collaboration for effective combat of the situation.

Dr Lex Kombat, Assistant Commissioner, Ghana Revenue Authority, noted that illicit trade in tobacco and tobacco products could promote international criminal activities.

He appealed to the citizens to join the fight against illicit trade in tobacco and tobacco products by volunteering information to relevant and appropriate authorities for action.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, the Chief Justice, has called on traditional leaders to support the establishment of a database on land administration to aid justice delivery

She said the present land administration regime ‘presented a huge blockade to justice delivery’ as the ownerships were customary law based, greatly affecting the nation’s economic growth.

The Chief Justice was opening the 2023 Chief Justice’s Forum in Ho, which was on the theme: ‘Building the Pillars of Justice’.

She noted the support of chiefs was required in the development of a credible record of land ownership, which would aid timely resolution of land issues to promote economic growth.

‘Allow me on this occasion to touch on an aspect of justice delivery that is presenting huge blockade to the administration of justice and investment within our society. The subject of land administration. The subject of the proper administration of land and ownership has now become an extremely sour point, that the courts need the active atte
ntion of our houses of chiefs and ethnic leaderships on.

‘Whether land ownership is traced to clans, families or stools, this is invariably a matter of custody, and invariably a matter of fact determined only by clear and cogent evidence presented by leaders of the stools or families that the lands belong to’.

‘When evidence is compromised by inconsistencies, contradictions and alleged parallel lines of leadership, investors become trapped within these consistencies and contradictions. They are carried over to courts to resolve issues that have arisen out of these inconsistencies and contradictions, and citizens, who only wish to plan their lives and pursue wealth creation, becomes victims of the pains caused by unclear land ownership lines.

‘It is my deep and sincere cry to the houses of chiefs to begin to pay close attention to creating clear records of ownership of lands within the various paramountcies – whether the land ownership is vested in families, clans or stools.

‘As custodians of customs, plea
se allow the courts to look to you for support in building this pillar of justice-a database of land ownership in our country. This will assist in early and prompt resolution of what has become an almost excruciating path of justice delivery, and a huge disincentive to investments in the country for both citizens and foreigners, individuals and corporate bodies alike

‘This situation is clearly shaking the ethical foundations of economic growth of our country, and we must pay attention to it,’ she said.

The Chief Justice stressed the role of traditional leaders in an effective land ownership and administration system, saying, ‘we must try to create a legal system that understands the unique circumstances and challenges faced by us as Ghanians – in this case a society in which the most precious asset for human living, land, is primarily vested in people groups and not the state or individuals.

‘By placing collective consciousness of the impact of the way land ownership is being managed by communities at the
center of deliberations at the level of traditional leadership, traditional leaders can ensure that we render the obligation to deliver justice as not just a cold and personal concept to be understood only by the court, but the collaborative leadership based effort that brings prosperity to the people’.

The annual Chief Justice Forum has become a stage for deliberation and input to grow justice the country, and brings together various stakeholders including attorneys, security agencies, traditional leaders and civil society organisations.

The Chief Justice said an ethical culture of fairness and equity by all stakeholders was required in meeting the aspired realms of justice for the country, and which also required cooperation, collaboration, and accountability.

She said the culture of rule of law needed to be fostered to be able to ensure order and promote stability and safety and confidence.

The Chief Justice noted how legal knowledge would empower citizens on their rights and responsibilities, and furt
her called to ‘collectively embrace’ electronic court processes for effective justice delivery.

The forum was chaired by Togbe Tepre Hodo, President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, who commended the forum initiative, and said it would go a long way to enhance confidence in the nation’s justice administration.

‘To most Ghanaians justice is still a half open and a half closed book, and it is only when such forums are organised that the everyday person gets to appreciate what justice delivery is all about,’ he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Emmanuel Dzakpasu, Anloga District Coordinating Director, in the Volta Region, says the district is ripe for investment and has appealed to the business community to consider the area for investment and doing business.

He said a lot of investment opportunities abound in the area as the district was blessed with arable lands for agriculture and tourism potential which could be harnessed for development.

Mr Dzakpasu said this when the Anloga District Assembly took it turn at the Sixth Volta Trade and Investment Fair to showcase investment potential within the area.

He said the arable lands in the area were good for cultivating maize, sugar cane, and rice, tomatoes, onion, shallot, okro, and pepper.

The Coordinating Director said the area had been noted as being one of the highest producers of shallot and tomatoes in the country.

Mr Dzakpasu said the district was also noted for commercial cultivation of sugar cane which was being processed into local gin in commercial quantities in Shime Areas.

Investm
ent potential also abounds around fishing due to the sea and the lagoon and the sea is extremely rich in predatory fishes such as barracuda, sharks, blue marlin, salt fish, horse mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and sardinella.

The Co-ordinator said there was variety of shell fish, including crabs, squid, or cuttle fish, lobsters and shrimps and other sea creatures such as dolphins in the sea ecosystem.

At Bomigo, which is at the western side of the district stood about 15 million metric tonnes of clay deposits, he said, and this could be turned into a major industry for the production for hollow bricks, roofing tiles, dinner wares, and plumbing fixtures thereby creating opportunities for jobs creation.

‘The availability of straw in large quantities is also another potential for the weaving of numerous straw products such as local mat and punch. Opportunities exist for the extraction and processing of coconut into coconut oil for both domestic and foreign markets.’

On the tourism potential, Mr Dzakpasu said
the high waves from the sea were ideal for surf riding and wind surfing, and the windy atmosphere within the area was also good for building recreational facilities along the beach for tourists.

The Atorkor Slave Market, one of the ancient slave markets in the Volta Region and the Cape St. Paul’s Light House at Woe were beautiful tourist sites in the district, he said.

Mr Dzakpasu also mentioned the Anlo-Keta wetlands, which served as Ramsar site and host several migratory birds that fly and patronise the Mediterranean and the South Atlantic flyway as another tourism potential.

He said the district had very clean and unique golden beaches in the country, which could offer places of relaxation to tourists and recorded a lot of seasonal sea turtles which came onshore to lay eggs for hatching annually during the months of August and March and this provided beautiful scenes to behold.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Sunyani Municipal Assembly has honoured 12 deserving farmers for their contributions towards increased food productivity in the Municipality.

Mr Frank Kwadwo Ayisi, a-49-year-old Farmer at Nanketiwa, near Wawasua was adjudged the overall Municipal Best Farmer.

He is into crops and livestock and has 7,000 layers, 2,400 cockerels, 1,500 Siso birds, 2,000 broilers, 15 turkey, 13 sheep, 24 goats and 52 cattle.

Mr Ayisi has acres of varieties of vegetable farms and economic crops including cashew, coconut, oil palm, cocoa, mango and agro-forestry as well as food stuffs.

For his prize, he received a tricycle (motor king) machine and some cutlasses.

Mr Tijani Ahmed, 37 years and a farmer at Tanoano was the second-best farmer and he received a polytank, tabletop refrigerator and cutlasses.

He also has 3,500 layers, 15 sheep, 17 cattle, 30 local birds, 500 guinea fowls and acres of food and economic crops.

A 61-year-old female farmer, Mrs Theresah Adu Boateng, from Kwasimfum, was the second runner up and s
he received a tabletop refrigerator, spraying machine, cutlasses and wellington boots.

Mrs Baoteng also has 300 layers, 12 cockerels, nine goats, 12 local birds as well as acres of food and economic crops.

Special awards were also given to best female, promising, cocoa, cashew and compact farmers and they also received similar awards ranging from cutlasses, wax print, spraying machines, key bar soap and wellingtons boots.

Addressing the farmers at a durbar held at Antwikrom in the Municipality, Mr John Ansu Kumi, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, stressed the government’s commitment to modernise agriculture and to make farming more attractive for the youth.

He advised the farmers to take advantage of the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PfFJs) programme, farmers had the opportunity to access credit facilities and asked those who had still not registered to do so.

Mr Kumi praised the gallant farmers for their contributions towards strengthening national food productivity, saying the go
vernment really appreciated and recognized the immeasurable contributions of farmers towards turning the nation’s economy round.

Earlier, Mr Patrick Dela Newman, the Sunyani Municipal Director of Agriculture, called on the farmers to take farming as a business venture, access credit and expand their farms.

He also commended the farmers for their contributions to enhanced food productivity in the municipality, Bono Region and the nation by extension.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, the Chief Justice of the Republic, has bemoaned the present state of land administration in the country and its effect on investors.

She said investors got caught in the mire of ownership contestations and this was costing the nation its economic development and urged stakeholders, including traditional leaders, to consider the effects.

The Chief Justice raised the alarm in Ho on Thursday while opening the 2023 Chief Justice Forum and called on the traditional authorities to partner the Judicial service in building a database of all land ownership for prompt adjudication.

‘Allow me on this occasion to touch on an aspect of justice delivery that is presenting huge blockade to the administration of justice and investment within our society – The subject of land administration. The subject of the proper administration of land and ownership has now become an extremely sour point, that the courts need the active attention of our houses of chiefs and ethnic leaderships on.

‘W
hen evidence is compromised by inconsistencies, contradictions and alleged parallel lines of leadership, investors become trapped within these consistencies and contradictions. They are carried over to courts to resolve issues that have arisen out of these inconsistencies and contradictions, and citizens, who only wish to plan their lives and pursue wealth creation, becomes victims of the pains caused by unclear land ownership lines.

‘It is my deep and sincere cry to the houses of chiefs to begin to pay close attention to creating clear records of ownership of lands within the various paramountcies – whether the land ownership is vested in families, clans or stools.

‘As custodians of customs, please allow the courts to look to you for support in building this pillar of justice-a database of land ownership in our country. This will assist in early and prompt resolution of what has become an almost excruciating path of justice delivery, and a huge disincentive to investments in the country for both citizens a
nd foreigners, individuals and corporate bodies alike

‘This situation is clearly shaking the ethical foundations of economic growth of our country, and we must pay attention to it,’ she said.

The Chief Justice Forum was on the theme: ‘Building the Pillars of Justice,’ and had in attendance various stakeholders, including traditional leaders and civil society organisations.

The Chief Justice called for an ethical culture of fairness and equity by all and said also the culture of rule of law should be revered to be able to ensure stability and safety and confidence.

She said the Judicial Service worked at advancing its electronic justice initiative, and which should be ‘collectively embraced’ for more effective justice delivery.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Kofitsey Martin Nyahe, the Municipal Chief Executive for Akatsi South, has said the government would continue to play key roles in ensuring the growth of the agricultural sector.

The theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience’ according to him, played a double role of government, primarily to ensure growth in the agriculture sector.

Mr Nyahe made the remarks at Akatsi during the 39th Farmers’ Day Celebration, which was marked across the country.

He stated that the move would enhance the sensitisation of Ghanaians on the need to use any sustainable and environmentally safe means possible to produce more than they could consume ‘even in the face of adversities.’

He said the Planting for Food and Jobs programme ensured food security to Ghanaians by offering input subsidies to farmers, providing good quality extension services, linking farmers to ready markets, and providing farmers with free organic and inorganic pesticides to control insec
t pests in their farms.

Mr Nyahe further stated that there were no recorded cases of total maize farm destruction by Fall Army Worms due to the interventions by government.

‘The pesticides distributed covered 1, 080 acres of maize farms, and a total of 195 farmers benefited from this intervention.’

He revealed that rice, maize, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and other commodity farmers were engaged through training and extension services delivery.

Mr Nyahe also indicated that the Municipality benefited from the Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ) Flagship Programme where the Agric Department took delivery of 50 piglets as credit in kind.

‘These piglets, distributed to 10 farmers in 2021 have so far multiplied and as it stands today, a total of 117 piglets have been recovered and redistributed to 32 farmers,’ he added.

Mr Charles Grunitzky, the Akatsi South Municipal Director of the Department of Agriculture, on his part, said the Department would continue to offer Smart Solutions that required the use of moder
n technology to increase the quality and quantity of commodities.

A total of nine award categories have been formed for the various winners for each category.

These include Best Crop Farmer, Best Livestock Farmer, Best Physically Challenged Farmer, Best Rice Farmer, Best Poultry Farmer, Best Youth Farmer, and Best Schools in School Gardening.

Simon Kpogo, a 59-year-old farmer and carpenter from Klokpe, was adjudged the overall Municipal Best Farmer during the event.

Items such as Tricycle, cloths, fertilizers, cutlasses, Wellington boots, hoes, spraying machines, wheelbarrows, agro-chemicals, and others were presented to the awardees.

Several dignitaries witnessed the event, which was held at the Duawodome Basic School park.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Silver Ojakol, Chief of Staff, AfCFTA Secretariat, has challenged the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) to take advantage of the automobile industry value-chain under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and leverage on non-originating parts of vehicles to justify inclusion.

He said about 40 per cent of vehicle parts were up for grabs in the automobile value-chain in addition to agro-processing and pharmaceutical sectors and urged AGI to expand its scope and explore rules of origin to advantage.

He urged the AGI to identify entry points in the value-chain of these sectors, which are in tandem with the aspirations of AfCFTA.

Mr Ojakol disclosed these during the 63rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Ghana Industries and the first to be held in the Volta region.

It was under the theme: ‘Industrialization Through Sustainable and Efficient Supply Chains.’

He said there was a value chain fund for development and expansion of businesses with the availability of US$1 billion for
the automobile sector in Africa.

Through the Afreximbank, Mr Ojakol said an amount of US$1 Billion was committed to the Adjustment Fund to catalyse short-term disruptions from the implementation of the Agreement.

He said the Adjustment Fund was a critical instrument in the realisation of the AfCFTA and consisted of the Base Fund, the General Fund, and the Credit Fund with resources expected to increase to US$40 billion over the next five to 10 years, available to the private sector to scale-up businesses.

The Chief of Staff said two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs); one with the United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Equity Bank, each valued at US$6 billion, set aside for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and a quantum available for Ghana amount to US$75 million.

He said discussions have been activated with Africa’s commercial banks, including ABSA Bank, ECOBANK and Zenith bank and before concluding it ABSA has rolled-out an initiative towards the value -chain development, which he commended.

‘We have to use
the AfCFTA to lift-up our businesses. And if we are to lift our businesses, it means that we have to upscale our production, we have to up our game, we have to up our innovation, we have to up entrepreneurship and we have to have everything that makes a business grow.

We have to use the AfCFTA as a tool that lifts our businesses to the one that we can be able to up scale everything that we are doing,’ Mr Ojakol added.

He said Africa’s population stood at 1.3 billion with additional 260 million living in the diaspora with population projections by 2050, thus in the next 27 years to 2.5 billion and 3 billion with the diasporan figure and between 60-70 per cent of the population being 35 years old.

He said 54 member states had signed the agreement with 47 ratifying by their Parliaments with gross domestic product (GDP) now at US$3.3 Trillion and expected to rise to US$7 trillion by 2035.

Mr Ojakol said AfCFTA was looking up to the private sector, entrepreneurship, innovation, right investment, right trade an
d right development in the continent and this must succeed.

He Ghana led the political independence in 1957 and must lead the economic independence of the continent and the siting of the AfCFTA Headquarters Secretariat in Accra must lead from the front.

Madam Audrey Abakah, Director of SME, Agency Banking and Partnerships, ASBA bank told the Ghana News Agency, its ‘Absa SME loan’ at 10 per cent is a special offer of incredibly low interest rate to women SMEs, agribusinesses within the agricultural value chain, youth-owned businesses and fintechs seeking to expand their businesses and create jobs.

She said ABSA was looking at young entrepreneurs up to 35 years and its clients could access up to GHS 1 million collateral-free loan to augment working capital but up to GHS 11 million loan for business growth is collaterised.

Dr Humphrey Ayim-Darke, President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), said AGI would strengthen its advocacy efforts towards sustainable industrialisation, knowledge exchange on
best practices and provide platforms for collaborations.

He said, ‘We will continue to work hand-in-hand with government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders to create an ecosystem that foster innovation, efficiency and sustainability.’

AGI as part of its AGM has donated assorted humanitarian relief items to flood victims in the Volta region.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has increased the minimum paid up capital for both existing and new entrant Credit Bureaus to GHS6 million from the previous GHS500,000.

This took effect from November 20, 2023, with existing credit bureaus having up to January 2025, to meet the new minimum paid up capital.

The Central Bank in a statement said the increment is to strengthen the country’s credit reporting regime, well capitalised investment by credit bureaus.

It also stated that such capital increment would help maintain a robust information technology infrastructure and systems and provide effective credit reporting services.

‘All credit bureaus and prospective applicants for credit bureau licenses should take note and be guided accordingly,’ the statement stated.

‘Non-compliance with the new minimum paid up capital requirement shall be dealt with in accordance with Section 11 (1) (e) of the Credit Reporting Act, 2007 (Act 726),’ the statement noted.

Thus, the Bank shall revoke the licence of the credit bureau b
ecause it had ceased to satisfy the requirements on minimum capital for the establishment.

The revision, the Central Bank said was done in accordance with Section 18 (3) of the Credit Reporting Act, 2007 (Act 726).

Credit bureaus are commercial entities that collect information from financial and non-financial institutions, including microfinance and credit card companies, and provide consumer credit information.

Their operations are a prerequisite for ensuring transparent credit information to ensure sound risk management and financial stability, as financial and non-financial institutions draw on their reporting systems to screen borrowers.

Regulators, like the Bank of Ghana, also rely on credit information from bureaus to understand the interconnected credit risks faced by borrowers and financial institutions, and to conduct oversight functions.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Humphrey Ayim-Darke, President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), says the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) has affected many businesses severely during the year.

He said it had resulted in heavy impairment losses on government securities, investor confidence and the introduction of the new revenue measures in 2023.

Dr Ayim-Darke made these known in an address at the 63rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the first to be held in the Volta region.

It was under the theme: ‘Industrialization Through Sustainable and Efficient Supply Chains.’

Dr Ayim-Darke said the AGI was not left out in the DDEP discussions since it constituted a team of financial experts to discuss and make recommendations to government.

He said the AGI also made recommendations regarding measures to mitigate the impact of the debt exchange on businesses, especially the financial sector and added that ‘AGI submitted a position paper on the DDEP to government.’

Dr Ayim-Darke
said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) considered the AGI an important private sector group in Ghana.

‘The IMF team held high-level meetings with our AGI Executives to explore the views of Captains of Industry in addressing the challenges facing the economy’.

He said the IMF also discussed considerations for a comprehensive reform package, to restore macroeconomic stability and anchor debt sustainability.

Dr Ayim-Darke said the level of utility increment and re-categorisation of water users by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) as experienced in 2022 put many of the businesses, especially those in the beverage sector, under pressure.

He said they were happy that they made good headway in the tariff negotiations that appeared to be in limbo from the onset.

‘If government is able to maintain macroeconomic stability, some of the significant changes in tariffs levels and price hikes we currently experience, will be a thing of the past.’

Mr Silver Ojakol, Chief of Staff, AfCFTA Secretariat
, said Ghana must lead the economic independence of the continent since it had led the political independence and most importantly hosting the AfCFTA Secretariat.

He said all governments in the African continent had massively supported the AfCFTA and there was the need to optimise the support received from them.

Mr Kwasi Ofori-Antwi, Representative of the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, said the AGM served as a platform to discuss issues affecting the industrial landscape of the economy and to exhibit locally manufactured goods and services.

He said they also served as channels for giving guidance for the strategic positioning of local industries for global competitiveness.

Mr Hammond said government had been pursuing an industrial transformation agenda, which was seeking to transform the industrial landscape of the Ghanaian economy and proud to state that the AGI had played a critical role in pursuing the agenda.

He said industrialisation was a key driver of economic growth and
development, but it also came with challenges, such as environmental degradation, resource depletion and social inequality.

Mr Hammond said there were challenges such as pollution, emissions, congestion and delays due to inefficient supply chains, which harmed the environment and society and reduced the profitability and performance of businesses.

Dr Archibald Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, acknowledged the cordial existing partnership between the AGI and the Regional Coordinating Council hoping that all benefits to accrue from the staging of its AGM must remain in the region.

He commended the tenacity and hardwork of Mr Dela Gadzanku, AGI Chairman of Eastern, Volta and Oti regions, who is basking in his father’s footsteps as an industrialist and former member of AGI.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A total of 1,386 people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are currently on anti-retroviral treatment in the Ningo-Prampram District.

Madam Gifty Ofori Ansah, the Ningo-Prampram District Director of Health Service, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency that three of them were pregnant women.

Madam Ansah said that for the entire year 2022, the district recorded 330 HIV-positive cases, made up of 108 males and 222 females.

She indicated that comparing half-year to half-year, the district recorded a decrease in cases, as it documented 203 in 2022 compared to the 130 positive cases that were seen in the first half of 2023.

She revealed that out of a total of 1,789 pregnant women tested in the first half of 2023, 19 came out positive, compared to 18, and 58 seen for 2022 and 2021, respectively.

She said out of 739 pregnant women who were retested for HIV at 34 weeks of gestation, three were found to be positive.

The Health Director observed that while in the first half, 17 of the p
regnant women had already tested HIV positive before getting pregnant in the first half of 2023. In 2022, around the same period, 26 of them knew their positive status ahead of their pregnancies.

She said to commemorate World AIDS Day, the district had embarked on a series of awareness creation and testing for fishermen at the Ningo seashore, religious organisations, farmers’ day durbar, and identifiable groupings.

She added that sensitization on HIV would also be carried out at out-patient departments, antenatal clinics, clinical care, and child welfare clinics, as well as during home visits.

Madam Ansah advised the public against stigmatising people living with HIV, noting that the virus could not be transmitted by mere social contact.

She noted that showing them love and support rather than stigmatising them would encourage them to access care without any limitation.

‘When an HIV-positive person on ART achieves viral suppression, the risk of HIV transmission is zero. Instead of stigmatising and discri
minating against PLHIV, I encourage the public to rather take steps to get tested for HIV and get to know their status,’ she stated.

She said all must get tested and those on treatment must be supported to achieve viral suppression to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to other people, adding that by so doing, new infections could be prevented for the realisation of the global target of eliminating AIDS by 2030.

Source: Ghana News Agency