Day: June 2, 2024

AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine has celebrated this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day with girls from Basic and Senior High Schools in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.

The Mine called on all stakeholders to work together to address the barriers that hindered access to hygienic menstrual products.

Poor menstrual hygiene, according to the Mine, did not only affect the well-being of women and girls but also undermined their educational opportunities and social status.

‘Together for a Period Friendly World’, is the theme for this year’s celebration.

At a durbar organized by operators of the Mine to commemorate the event in Akyempim, Mrs Rose Amoah, Senior Manager Finance, in a speech read on behalf of the Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine, noted that menstrual hygiene was a fundamental issue that required collective action and partnership to address effectively.

She explained that the Mine was devoted in playing her part in promoting menstrual hygiene and breaking down the barriers that stood
in the way of a period friendly world.

Over the last two years, the Mine, in collaboration with GIZ, had consistently distributed free sanitary pads to adolescent girls in eight basic schools within the Mine’s catchment communities every month, in line with their commitment to ensure that no adolescent girl missed school.

Mrs Amoah said last year week-long activities were implemented to mark menstrual hygiene day, where they reached out to adolescent girls from the basic schools and sensitized them on menstrual hygiene.

Additionally, she noted that with support of the Apinto Divisional Stool Queen Mother, community-level fora were organized to sensitize parents on the role of effective parenting in the successful upbringing of girls.

‘Iduapriem Mine organised a training programme for the School Health and Girl Child Coordinators to equip them with the necessary skills for effective menstrual hygiene management so they could continue with monthly education.

‘As part of our Basic Education Improvement Prog
ramme, we have also piloted girl friendly washrooms in two of our host community basic schools to address the unique needs of adolescent girls. I want to thank our partners: GIZ, Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate, Ghana Education Service, traditional authorities and the media for their continuous support,’ Mrs Amoah added.

A Midwife at Bankyiem Health Center, Madam Rhoda Gyetuah, educated the girls on what they needed to know about safe and hygienic menstruation.

Mrs Agnes Esi Quanson, the Municipal Education Health Promotion Coordinator for the Ghana Education Service, reminded religious leaders not to prevent girls or women who menstruated from worshipping the Supreme being in church and mosque.

She said, ‘menstruation is not a disgrace or disease, you can worship your God truthfully and menstruate neatly at the same time because it is through menstruation that we procreate.’

The programme brought together students, queen mothers, health workers, staff of the Mine and other women groups while s
anitary pads were distributed to all the students by the Mine.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Winslow Foundation in the United States of America?(USA), together with the Nuelson Foundation of Sekondi-Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana, is to construct a library complex at Mpohor-Mampong, in the Mpohor District of the Western Region of Ghana.?

The project, expected to be completed by December 2024, has a seed capital of $2,500 provided by the Winslow Foundation Board of Directors and some private donors in the USA.

The Mampong township has a population of about 1,500 people, with a student population of 300 from kindergarten to the Junior High School level.

Dr. Ann Araba Sam, Director of the Winslow Foundation, at the groundbreaking ceremony, noted how libraries played an important role in quality education delivery and the holistic brain development of every individual.

Dr. Sam said helping the individual to have?access to information brought about enlightenment, self realisation and also developing the fullest potential for poverty alleviation.

She explained that the Foundation had a lo
t of requests for support but Mampong and another school in the Eastern Region were chosen because of a comprehensive project submitted by Nuelson Foundation of Ghana.?

She said the Foundation was prepared to partner similar foundations in Ghana with clear and good objectives, which have a high sense of alleviating the suffering of people, especially children of our deprived towns and villages.

She mentioned that the Winslow Foundation had been in existence for the past four years supporting the educational needs of some communities in Ghana.

‘We have provided books, constructed libraries and stocked them with books, provided funds to support the educational needs of some communities, among others,’ she added.

Mr. Paul Yereyor, Headteacher of Mampong M/A Basic School, added that the library would enhance effective learning.

According to him, education is the gateway to knowledge; ‘our principal aim as a school, is to teach these children in a manner in which they can learn best and to mold their characte
r.’

He advised parents to take care of their children’s needs, especially regarding their education, to enable them to focus on their learning.

‘I will encourage you students to read more; the more you read, the more you improve upon your vocabulary,’ he added.

Nana Kwabena Ofobi, Chief of Mampong, who gave the land for the construction of the library, expressed gratitude to Dr. Sam for choosing the town.

‘This project will go on smoothly. We will use communal labour to support the construction of this library in order for work to be completed on schedule,’ he said.

Mr. Seth Bampong, Assembly Member of Botodwina-Mampong Electoral Area, was also grateful to the Winslow Foundation for the support.

He mentioned that the town has no access to potable water and toilet facilities.

‘This is quite disturbing since most people defecate in the bush. We will appeal to philanthropists and other corporate bodies to support us in this direction,’ he added.?

Also present at the ceremony were: Mr. Emmanuel Dadson and
Mr. David Komlagah, President and Director of the Nuelson Foundation respectively; Pastor Joshua Dadzie and Mrs. Nancy Evelyn Sam-Dadzie, both local representatives of the Winslow Foundation.?

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Sunyani-based WENSAH Foundation International, a nom-government organisation (NGO), in collaboration with Electroland Ghana Ltd has donated 240 pieces of sanitary pads to pupils of Nyamaah Basic School in the Sunyani Municipality.

Additionally, the two organisations sensitised the schoolchildren on menstruation and menstrual hygiene to commemorate the 2024 World Menstrual Hygiene Day observed on the theme: ‘together for a period friendly world.’

Mr. Osei Amponsah, the Chief Executive Officer, WENSAH Foundation International, added his voice to calls by the government and policymakers to make menstrual products affordable and easily accessible to girls.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of the presentation held at the school’s premises in Sunyani, Mr. Amponsah noted that many teenage girls were unable to afford sanitary pads because of high prices of the products.

The high cost of sanitary pads and other menstrual health and hygiene products is pushing many girls to opt
for unhygienic alternatives.

Mr. Amponsah explained the foundation aimed at providing comprehensive welfare support services to the needy, alleviating poverty, providing access to necessities, and empowering individuals and communities to lead dignified lives.

The foundation is also committed to promoting sustainable development and fostering a culture of compassion and solidarity.

Madam Adizah Ibrahim, the Marketing Manager, Electroland Ghana Ltd, an organization engaged in electrical appliances, advised the school children to concentrate on their books and learn hard to become useful adults and not liabilities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Wisdom Klu Agbeko, the Assembly Member of Vui-Tetekope Electoral area in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region, has urged the youth to appreciate the spirit of participating in communal labour to foster progress and development.

This, he said, would inculcate in them, the zeal of patriotism and voluntarism for community development.

Mr Agbeko, in an interaction with the Ghana News Agency, during a communal labour held at Tetekope, urged the public to get united towards community development to help uplift the area.

‘For some time now, l have noticed that the spirit of communism has vanished among the youth due to the introduction of some foreign cultures that engulfed the system. Thankfully things are changing for the best.’

Mr Agbeko further stated that community development should be a collective responsibility for all in other to address several pressing challenges.

He charged stakeholders such as community leaders, religious leaders, youth leaders, and others should share the same vision on th
e promotion of communal labour among the youth.

‘Communal labour is an act of assembling to carry out an activity that would benefit the entire community, and this should be everybody’s dream.’

Mr Agbeko expressed satisfaction about how the youth of the area have started patronising and endorsing the various forms of communal labour, which he said would help keep the streets hygienic.

Mr Agbeko appealed to all to embrace unity, and togetherness and champion tolerance for peaceful coexistence.

Some participants, the GNA engaged during the exercise, expressed happiness about the communal practice.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Bono Regional Coordinating Council (BRCC) says it strictly follows the laid down procedures in auctioning some government vehicles in the region.

A statement issued and signed by Mr. Andrews Mensah, the Bono Regional Coordinating Director, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, said the auction of the RCC trucks was conducted ‘in full compliance with the Procurement Act.’

The statement followed concerns raised by the Constituency Communication Officers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bono Region over the auction of the vehicles.

According to the communicators, until the BRCC explained the circumstances that led to the auction of the government’s tipper trucks, earth moving machines, pay loaders and road rollers allocated to the council, they were not in any position to defend the party in the region.

However, the communicators had since rescinded their decision.

The statement emphasised the BRCC commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in government businesses, es
pecially the handling of state assets, saying ‘all protocols were followed meticulously in the auction of the government vehicles.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Staff of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), as part of their 2024 Community Day, have spent time with the pupils and teachers of the Kanvilli R/C School in Tamale to build a kid friendly latrine, provide a 3,000-liter water tank, six gallons of liquid soap and tools for maintaining a clean environment.

They also leveled the school’s playground and installed tippy taps, using the opportunity to sensitise the pupils, teachers and parents on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and social cohesion.

On Community Day each year, the men and women of CRS, an international humanitarian NGO, step out into the communities where their offices are located and in the spirit of volunteerism contribute to improving the wellbeing of the community.

Mr Festus Fofie, Director, WASH Programme, CRS, who spoke about the essence of the CRS’ Community Day in an interaction with the press at the school, said it was ‘For us to live our values, as staff of CRS, and by our values; our values of bringing transformational change, enhanci
ng human dignity and protecting the poor and vulnerable in the world.’

Mr Fofie said by enhancing the WASH status of the school, ‘We are ensuring that at a very young age, the children are practising proper hand washing, which they will carry with them throughout their lives.’

He urged school authorities ‘To put in every measure they can to ensure the proper operation and maintenance of the toilet facility we are building for them so that we don’t come back a year or two afterwards and the toilet is no longer in use.’

He also urged teachers to continue to dedicate ‘Their time, their skills and their knowledge to teaching the children because the children are the future of the country, the future of the world, and we have to build them up to become very responsible and very impactful leaders for us in the country.’

Madam Alice Memuna Kanjoriba, Assistant Headmistress in-charge of Kindergarten, Kanvili R/C School Complex, described the gesture as a great relief to the school, saying the lack of, especially
toilet facility at the school, was a source of worry to school authorities.

She said, ‘We are actually yearning for this. The latrine will bring a great change because they are young children. They walk from here to the other side to free themselves. Some come back. Some don’t even come. So, it’s a great relief. They will no longer go out to free themselves. The playground is safe for them now. When they play, they learn.’

Meanwhile, the Accra office team of CRS also marked the CRS’ Community Day at the Accra Weija Leprosarium by donating food items to the facility, among other activities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

WaterAid Ghana, a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) focused organisation, has urged the government to ensure that menstrual hygiene products are accessible and affordable to all women and girls to accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It said despite the progress made, menstrual hygiene management remained a major challenge for women and girls especially those in rural communities and attributed the cause to the inaccessibility and expensive nature of menstrual hygiene products such as sanitary pads.

‘We commend the government for its recent decision to remove taxes on locally manufactured sanitary products. This is a significant step forward and demonstrates a commitment to addressing menstrual hygiene challenges. However, we must recognize that this alone is not enough.

‘We need to ensure that these products are not only tax-free but also affordable and accessible to every girl and woman, regardless of their economic background,’ Ms Fauzia Aliu, Advocacy Campaigns, and
Inclusion Manager, WaterAid Ghana, made the call at Bolgatanga during the commemoration of this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day.

It was organised by WaterAid Ghana and held on the theme ‘Period Friendly Ghana’ and brought together various stakeholders including government officials, traditional authorities, and school children.

It was part of the Sexual Health and Reproductive Education (SHARE) project being implemented by a consortium led by Right to Play, Forum for African Women Educationalists, FHI360 and WaterAid Ghana with funding support from Global Affairs Canada.

Ms Aliu indicated that menstrual hygiene was not just about women’s issue but a human right, public health, and economic issue, which had been shrouded in silence for far too long.

She therefore called for collective efforts from all stakeholders to address the issue and enhance the rights of women and girls to achieve gender parity.

‘The lack of education about menstruation, persistent cultural taboos, limited access to affordable and hygi
enic menstrual products, and inadequate sanitation facilities all contribute to a cycle of poverty and inequality.

‘These barriers not only undermine the health and dignity of women and girls but also restrict their educational and economic opportunities,’

The Advocacy Campaigns and Inclusion Manager reiterated the commitment of WaterAid Ghana to bridging the gender gap through education, collaboration with stakeholders to make menstrual hygiene products accessible and affordable, provision of improved sanitation facilities such as toilets as well as influence policy direction to achieve sustainable development.

‘When we talk about creating a ‘Period Friendly Ghana,’ we envision a country where every girl can attend school without fear or shame, where women can work and participate fully in society, and where no one is held back by something as natural as menstruation’ she emphasised.

Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, the Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, suggested that free provision of sa
nitary pads should be integrated into the government’s flagship programme, the Free Senior High School as part of measures to promote menstrual hygiene among young girls.

‘This is because a lot of the girls come from poor homes and it is always difficult to come by sanitary pads and some are forced to give themselves out to boys in order to get money to buy sanitary pads and end up getting pregnant,’ he added.

In a speech read on his behalf, Dr Bin Salih, the Upper East Regional Minister, said menstrual hygiene was a development concern and stakeholders must work together to ensure that girls and women lived dignified and empowered lives.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Bank of Ghana has been impacted by the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) as it seeks recapitalization from development partners, a report disclosed.

The BOG, in its 2023 annual financial report, disclosed that DDEP had affected its balance sheet.?

Thus, the bank had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to secure early recapitalization in the medium-to-long term.

This, according to the report, was within the context of the second review of the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, which concluded on April 12, 2024.?

The report said a Memorandum of Understanding between the Bank of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance on how the recapitalization is to be executed is expected to be signed by the end of the third quarter.?

The report also noted a number of growing concerns for the Central Bank, which included a loss of GHS10.50 billion for 2023 as the total liabilities of the bank and its subsidiaries exceeded its total assets by GHS65.36 billion.?

To avert these losses, the repo
rt also disclosed a number of measures the bank will undertake.?

The measures include ‘refraining from monetary financing of the government’s budget. In this regard, the Bank will continue to adhere to the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding on zero financing of the budget signed between the Bank of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance on April 26, 2023.

The bank will continue with policy measures aimed at optimising the Bank of Ghana’s investment portfolio and operating cost mix to bolster efficiency and profitability.’

The report also disclosed that the board of the bank expected that steadfast implementation of these policy steps, along with fiscal rectitude and continued maintenance of a tight monetary policy stance, would provide enough basis for continued operational policy efficiency and the existence of the bank.?

Source: Ghana News Agency