Day: June 2, 2024

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Auctioneer calls for peaceful elections


Mr. Samson Adjei Adjetey, an auctioneer, has called on Ghanaians to vote for candidates capable of ensuring peaceful elections for national development.

He said the social partners played a crucial role in defending and upholding the constitution’s ideals, adding that, ‘we are therefore to maintain the integrity, professionalism and discipline in the lead-up to the December polls.’

Mr. Adjetey made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday.

He said politics should not unduly polarize us, adding that elections are about making choices from available personalities and policies, the fact that we have different preferences should not make us enemies.

‘We are brothers and sisters who would continue living together in the only country that we have after the elections,’ Mr. Adjetey said.

The licensed auctioneer appealed to politicians to be mindful of their speech during political campaigns to ensure that they did not create confusion in the country.

Recognizing the potential tensi
ons that could arise before, during and after such a critical time, Mr. Adjetey emphasised the importance of unity and respect in the run-up to the elections.

‘With this call for harmony, Ghanaians are encouraged to engage in peaceful dialogue and ensure a democratic process that strengthens the nation’s future,’ he said.

Mr. Adjetey called on traditional rulers to use their positions to promote peace before, during and after the elections, saying that, ‘a country without peace faces developmental challenges. ‘

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Report reveals 36 per cent shortfall in ECG’s payments for Gas in 2023


A report by the Public Interest Accountability Committee(PIAC) reveals a 36 percent shortfall in the Electricity Company of Ghana’s payments in accordance with the cash waterfall mechanism (CWM) for gas in 2023.

In the 2023 edition of the report, PIAC disclosed that ECG paid an approximate amount of GHS 250 million as against an expected payment of GHS 385 million.?

The report showed that the outstanding debts to be paid by ECG for gas used for the year 2023 were GHS 140 million.?

The Cash Waterfall Mechanism (CWM) and Natural Gas Clearinghouse (NGCH) set out the principles, methodology, and processes for determining and disbursing tariff revenue collected by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to various beneficiaries along the electricity value chain.

Accordingly, Ghana National Gas Company Limited (GNGLC),? Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC), and other stakeholders in the value chain are paid directly by CWM as a percentage of the invoice amount submitted for each month.

The report said that a
lthough allocations were made in the months of July and August, ECG did not make payments for those allocations.?

The report said PIAC observed that GNGLC’s indebtedness to GNPC continued to rise despite the use of the Cash Waterfall Mechanism to address the legacy debts.

The report noted that this trend, if not mitigated, could impair the operational viability of GNGLC.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Amin Adam kicks against Africa’s heavy investment in foreign lands


Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, has kicked against African governments investing significantly in foreign financial institutions using money earned from its most resource-rich sectors.

Rather, he called for the establishment of Regional Funds to draw financial resources for infrastructure development to propel intra-Africa trade, and help solve the recurring economic crisis on the continent.

The Minister, while indicating that the country had enough resources, bemoaned the rate at which many countries saved money in international financial institutions, depriving the continent of needed funds for development.

He was speaking with the media on the margins of the just ended 2024 African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings in Nairobi, Kenya.

‘Some of our African countries are holding our reserves in international banks; Ghana’s Petroleum Holding Funds are invested in US bonds, Nigeria is keeping their oil money in foreign accounts, but why?’ he quizzed.

‘We need to create regional Funds
, so that beyond the African Development Fund and what we get from the international financial world, we also pull resources to together to set up Regional Funds,’ he said.

The Regional Funds, he said, could be sector-specific, like having an African Fund for Energy Development, which would draw resources, including pension funds, to support direct investment in infrastructure.

That, Dr Amin Adam, said would significantly improve the weaknesses in infrastructure and connectivity and catapult the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

Reflecting on the state of trade on the continent, he stated that there was room to improve on intra-continental trade, which figures from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) implementation is estimated at 15 per cent of global trade.

In the energy sector, for example, he said those funds could be used to develop the energy pools by connecting the West, East and Central African power pools, to make power cheaper and available to peopl
e and businesses.

‘It doesn’t make sense when Ghana has 90 per cent access to electricity and the next-door neighbour has 30 per cent, Ghana’s Finance Minister said, and called for a swift change in that regard.

While indicating that there was the need to trade petroleum products within the continent, he asked, ‘how do trade in petroleum products if you don’t have the ports?’

He called on African governments to deepen collaborations to develop ports, roads, railway infrastructure, focused on interconnectedness, saying, ‘that’s how we can boost trade amongst ourselves.’

In 2007, the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF) was launched in Accra, Ghana during a summit by the African Union to mobilise resources to finance the continent’s infrastructure development.

The latest on the PAIDF as cited on the website of the African Development Bank, only provides information on the nature of the Fund.

It states that the Fund would have a 15-year life, with investment period of eight years from the da
te of the launch, and a seven-year time horizon per investment to build, develop, and grow each investment before exit.

It noted that the regional investment would be in securities of companies that own, control, operate of manage infrastructure, and infrastructure-related assets, and may also participate in joint ventures with corporate and government partners.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Fairtrade Africa empowers cocoa sector women with gender training


Fairtrade Africa, through its Sustainable, Democratic, and Inclusive Cocoa Cooperatives in West Africa Project, has held a graduation ceremony for 26 students who received gender training at the Women’s School of Leadership.

The graduates, all women, comprised producers, farmers, and cooperatives, received training that equipped them with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to realize their full potential and make informed decisions about their future.

This gender training initiative is a significant step towards promoting gender equality in the cocoa sector as it empowers women to take on leadership roles and contribute to decision-making processes within the sector.

Ms. Madeline Muga, Strategy and Impact Director at Fairtrade Africa, attended the graduation ceremony in Koforidua, the eastern regional capital, where she addressed the newly passed trainees.

She explained that the Sustainable Democratic Inclusive Cocoa Cooperatives in West Africa Project is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Developmen
t Cooperation (NORAD) with support from SPAR and NorgesGruppen.

She said the training formed part of Fairtrade Africa’s efforts to address the historical marginalization of women in the cocoa industry and promote sustainable development.

She said 65 percent of women in the workforce constituted the agricultural sector and ensure food security in the country.

However, their significant roles remained marginalized, relegated to the production end of the value chain, with limited access to decision-making spaces and economic opportunities.

Thus, Ms Muga noted the organisation recognised the importance of empowering women and youth to create an inclusive work environment where all genders and ages have a voice in shaping their future.

‘Through initiatives like the Women’s School of Leadership, we are equipping women and youth with the skills and knowledge needed to take on leadership roles and participate in decision-making processes,’ she said.

She urged the government, Civil Society Organisations, busines
ses, and individuals to prioritize women and youth empowerment as a key driver of inclusive and equitable progress.

She also called on stakeholders to support the empowerment of women and youth as a catalyst for positive change.

In her capacity as Gender and Inclusion Officer, Ms. Gloria Tompoli, Gender and Inclusion Officer at Fairtrade Africa in in Ghana’s NORAD Project, engaged with the beneficiaries and trained them under the Women’s School of Leadership, empowering them to become ambassadors and leaders who can inspire and train other women on leadership and gender equity.

The graduates received certificates of participation in the Sustainable, Democratic and Inclusive Cocoa Cooperatives in West Africa Project, a testament to their commitment to promoting gender equality and social inclusion in the cocoa sector.

Fairtrade is part of the global Fairtrade movement and a membership organisation representing over 1.44 million farmers and workers across 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Source
: Ghana News Agency

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You’ll be free from co-payment from June – NHIS assures Ketu South residents


The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Ketu South office has assured residents that effective June 1, 2024, illegal payments (co-payments) at credentialed health facilities will stop.

Co-payment is the illegal practice of credentialed healthcare service providers charging a valid NHIS card holder a fee for services or medicines/treatments provided that are covered under the NHIS benefits package contrary to the country’s insurance model which does not permit that subscribers share the cost for services covered by the scheme.

Mr. Jarvis Coffie, acting Manager, Ketu South NHIS, who made the pronouncement urged residents to get enrolled onto the 20-year-old scheme to visit healthcare providers not only to seek treatment but for checkups to safeguard their health.

He said the days one had to first think about money before thinking access to healthcare was long gone.

Speaking during a community durbar and mobile clinic at Aflao to climax neonatal jaundice awareness month, he said there were promotional a
nd preventive interventions happening at the scheme, including a crusade against co-payment.

The scheme, as part of its growth and evolution, intends to among others, prioritise the health and happiness of subscribers stressing, ‘from 1st June, co-payment will be over.’

‘Parliament has some months ago approved the National Health Insurance Authority Allocation Formula for 2024 in which some funding provisions were provided for some interventions.

‘I can assure you of a funding support to absorb the potential increment of service tariffs arising out of the review of the NHIS Tariffs with the hope to end the illegal charges at healthcare facilities.’

Mr Coffie said apart from funding allocation to review NHIS service and medicine tariffs, seemingly accounting for issues of co-payments, there were also allocations to support renal patients and collaborate to register children aged six to 14 for Ghana cards.

Other support is to implement free annual health checks for Ghanaians and, to support the implementat
ion of Medical Health Insurance for all visitors into the country.

The acting Manager encouraged non-members to register under the scheme while entreating those with expired cards to renew them to enjoy the benefits of equitable access and financial coverage for basic health care services.

Dr. Alphonse Makafui Dzakpasu, Medical Superintendent, Ketu South Municipal Hospital, Aflao who gave an address on the role of the Municipal Hospital in achieving universal health coverage (UHC) said they were dedicated to reducing disparities and ensuring that every member of the community received the highest standard of care.

That, he said, informed their services, ranging from 24-hour emergency care to specialised clinics – improving health equity, enhancing the quality of their services and sending healthcare closer to people to ensure a healthier future for their community.

Dr. Dzakpasu highlighted the importance of NHIS card to achieving the UHC which he deemed a fundamental right, ensuring that every individual
has access to the needed healthcare without suffering financial hardship.

‘I urge each of you to take an active role in your health. Early detection and treatment can significantly improve health outcomes, so please do not hesitate to seek medical advice when needed.

Additionally, I encourage everyone to register with health insurance. It provides a safety net that ensures you can access the necessary healthcare services without unnecessary financial stress,’ Dr. Dzakpasu said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Ketu South Hospital marks neonatal jaundice awareness with durbar, health screening


The Ketu South Municipal Hospital (KSMH), Aflao has organised a community durbar and medical outreach to climax neonatal jaundice awareness month.

The event was meant to promote effective awareness on jaundice in newborns, stakeholder engagement and service showcasing through medical outreach, talks from health professionals and stakeholders on timely detection and treatment of the condition.

Dr Roch Sotindjo, Specialist Gynaecologist, KSMH in an address charged everyone including healthcare workers, parents, and the community to play active roles in addressing neonatal jaundice to ensure that newborn babies received the care they needed to thrive.

He emphasised the need for all stakeholders to be united against the disease in newborns saying, though neonatal jaundice was a treatable condition, it required a united effort from all to avoid the devastating consequences of its neglect.

Dr Sotindjo also stressed on the importance for awareness, education, and access to quality healthcare noting, only through
that could caregivers or parents detect the signs of jaundice in their babies to seek medical attention and treatment for them so they could thrive and reach their full potential.

Mr David Yao Agbokpe, Ketu South Municipal Director of Health Services said the week-long celebration saw various activities including raising awareness on the condition, common among babies within the first 28 days of birth, caused by the building up of bilirubin, a chemical the human body makes when it breaks down old red blood cells, causing the yellowing of baby’s skin and whites of its eyes.

He believed that with the knowledge, collaboration, and commitment, they could significantly improve the health outcomes of newborns in the municipality as well as ‘create a healthier future for all our newborns.’

Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Member of Parliament of Ketu South expressed her readiness to support health delivery in the municipality and thanked the health professionals for their vital roles in improving healthcare in the area
.

She called on residents to always seek medical attention when sick and not attribute everything to evil spirits or curses, thus, seeking spiritual remedies rather than medical care, and resorting to various products being advertised on the airwaves saying, ‘God has given wisdom to the health professionals so that they can care for you when you’re sick.’

Friday’s event chaired by Torgbui Anubo IV, Senior Divisional Chief of Aflao Traditional Area, had about 300 community members, mostly aged men and women screened for various health conditions such as blood sugar, body mass index and Tuberculosis with the reigning diagnosis being hypertension.

Some attendees in an interview with Ghana News Agency expressed their gratitude to the healthcare team for the education and services rendered, Madam Gomashie for supplying boxes of Zincovite tablets for them and to Ketu South National Health Insurance Scheme for the free renewal of their cards.

Mr Samuel Lantei Aryee, one of them said he had no idea he was coming
to such an interactive and educative programme and that ‘in addition, I got my health status checked and received medication for free. They told me when I finish taking my medication, I should visit the hospital for further checks. It’s such an experience.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

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FHUC donates sanitary pads to students to mark world menstrual hygiene day


As part of activities to mark the world Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024, the Family Health University College, comprising the Family Health Hospital, Medical School, and Nursing and Midwifery Schools, donated over 1,500 packets of sanitary pads to students.

The recipients were from the Ledzokuku Municipal Authority (LEKMA) Southern Cluster of Schools.

The gesture according to the President of the Family Health Medical Students’ Association, Mr Abeeku Zuriel Idun, was to mitigate the distress some girls go through during their menstrual periods.

Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed worldwide on 28th May each year, is a day dedicated to raising awareness on the difficulties women and girls face during menstruation.

Various stakeholders, including health professionals, gender activists, educators, NGOs, and conscientious citizens, strive to provide education and support to eradicate period poverty and its detrimental effects.

The theme for this year is ‘Together for a period-friendly World,’ which envisions a world
free from the stigma and taboos associated with menstruation.

At the event which was held at the Presbyterian Church Hall, Teshie, the LEKMA Municipal Director of Education, Mrs. Theresa Tetteh, emphasized the need for more support for girls to manage their periods safely and confidently.

She expressed gratitude to the Family Health University College and urged other organizations, donors, and the public to follow suit and support girls in underprivileged communities struggling to access menstrual products.

Dr. Gifty Ofori Ansah, the LEKMA Health Director, called for prioritizing menstrual hygiene policy in the government’s Girl Child Education agenda and encouraged girls to seek professional help and guidance from their counsellors and teachers about menstrual hygiene challenges.

Dr. Naa Adorkor Sodzi-Tettey, a lecturer, and Clinical Coordinator at the Family Health Medical School, educated the girls on menstruation and safe practices emphasizing that menstruation was a natural and normal process and sho
uld not be stigmatised.

She called on the LEKMA Municipal Director of Education to prioritise and improve washroom facilities. ‘We cannot educate girls every year to change their pads regularly and wash their hands after changing when there is no decent place in the school for doing that: no privacy, no water, no soap’ she said.

She called for innovative and sustainable solutions for a period-friendly world for girls and told the students that there was no shame in using reusable materials for their periods if the reusables were washed well, dried, and reused.

She demonstrated the use of a reusable menstrual product that was being produced by some entrepreneurs and NGO’s and encouraged their patronage.

Over 600 girls from 17 Junior and Senior High Schools from the LEKMA Southern Cluster of Schools benefited from the interaction with the staff and students of Family Health University College on acceptable menstrual practices. The students expressed their gratitude for the sanitary pads and the education th
ey received.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Study your menstrual cycle to avoid embarrassment – Midwifery Officer


Madam Mary Azika, a Senior Midwifery Officer (SMO) at the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound at Daporitindongo, in the Bolgatanga Municipality, has admonished young girls to study their menstrual cycle to avoid soiling themselves in public.

She said it was embarrassing for females who unexpectedly menstruated in public and soil themselves and stressed the need for women, especially young girls within the menstruation age to know their cycle and manage themselves properly to avoid any embarrassment in public.

She explained that menstruation is the monthly blood flow from the vagina of a female, which was part of the development stages of life of females, ‘So if a female has her menstrual flow, it shows that she is a woman, and everything is normal with her.’

Madam Azika, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at her facility to mark the International Menstrual Hygiene Day, insisted that ‘If a young girl starts to menstruate, she should know her cycle so that she d
oes not mess herself up in public.’

The International Menstrual Hygiene Day is marked annually on May 28, to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene.

This year’s celebration is on the theme: ‘#PeriodFriendlyWorld.’

Madam Azika advised women who menstruated to endeavour to always get their sanitary pads in readiness for their menses, ‘If they know they would menstruate in two or three days time, they should at least keep some sanitary pads in their bags so that at any point in time they get a flow, they will not mess themselves up’.

Touching on personal hygiene during menstruation, the SMO emphasized the need for females who menstruated to bath twice a day and change their sanitary pad anything it was wet.

She said it was not hygienic to bath once and use the same sanitary pad for the whole day, ‘Normally, when we advise them to bath twice a day, they think that once they put the pad on in the morning after bathing, they have to leave it on until they bath again in the evening and change.

‘No,
that is wrong, they must change the pad anytime it gets wet, and properly wash their hands after changing the pad. They should also dispose the used pad properly,’ Madam Azika advised.

She acknowledged that education on proper disposal of used sanitary pads had been adhered to, and said it was not common to see used sanitary pads in the environment.

She urged family members, especially fathers to support their girl children with sanitary pads monthly to enable them to go through the menstrual cycle successfully, ‘We want the men to get involved. They should not think that is only women who should buy pads for their girl children.’

Madam Azika further admonished women who missed their menses to immediately report to the nearest health facility for care, and said for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, it was important for expectant mothers to visit the facility for care.

‘If they keep the pregnancy and visit the facility by 20, 24 or 30 weeks, they will miss a lot of the services we render to pregnant women,’
the SMO advised.

Source: Ghana News Agency