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Driver fined GHc900.00 for traffic offences  

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By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi, GNA  

Abuakwa (Ash) Jan 28, GNA- A 58-year-old driver has been fined GHc900.00 by the Asante Abuakwa circuit court in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality for breaking four traffic regulations at Sofoline in the Kwadaso Municipality. 

 Atta Poku pleaded guilty to failing to give way to a motorcade siren leading the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, causing danger to other road users, using unapproved light and unapproved roof rack.   

He was convicted on his own plea by the court presided by Mrs Philomena Asiedu and will serve a 46-month jail term in default of the fine. 

Police Chief Inspector Richard Amissah, prosecuting told the court that, the complainant in the case was the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Frank Abrokwah, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander. 

He said, on January 25, this year, at about 1:00pm, the Commander and his three other officers attended an official duty at Nkawie and were returning to Kumasi. 

Upon reaching Asuoyeboah, the team spotted the convict driving his sprinter bus with registration number AS 2912-12 in traffic and was signaled to give way, but he failed and upon all warnings he obstructed their movement till they reached Sofoline. 

Prosecution said, the Regional Commander instructed the duty men at Sofoline to arrest the convict and hand him over to the Kumasi Central Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) for further action. 

According to the Prosecution, inspection made on the vehicle indicated that the convict used unapproved light and roof bar, and these offences were pointed out to him and after investigation, he was processed, charged, and brought before the court. 

GNA 

KOM/LAA

Jan. 28, 2025 

After Rangers’ victory amidst Chelsea and Napoli transfer rumours, Alejandro Garnacho delivers a message to Manchester United supporters.

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After Manchester United defeated Rangers 2-1, Alejandro Garnacho, who is still being linked to a departure, issued a message to supporters.

Since Ruben Amorim took over as manager, Garnacho and Marcus Rashford have been linked to leaving Manchester United in January. As the Blues continue to experiment with their finest frontline, Chelsea and Napoli are reportedly in discussions to recruit Garnacho this January. Meanwhile, Gli Azzurri is looking to replace Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has joined Paris Saint-Germain.

Manchester United have all but confirmed their place in the Europa League round of 16 as Bruno Fernandes’ stoppage-time winner gave the Red Devils a win over Rangers after the Scottish side looked to have snatched a draw in the 88th minute. Garnacho then sent a message to fans after the game which could perhaps be interpreted as a potential farewell message.

On Instagram, Garnacho posted photos from the win over the Rangers with the caption: “Strong team performance. Thank you, Old Trafford.”

Fans must wait and see if Garnacho does move on before the January transfer window closes. Amorim refused to rule out an exit after the Rangers win, with the winger believed to prefer to stay in the Premier League if he does depart Old Trafford.

Make appointments in accordance with provisions in the Affirmative Action Act – President told.

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President John Dramani Mahama has been urged to adhere to provisions in the Affirmative Action Act 2024 (Act 1121) in his appointments for ministerial and other positions to ensure gender balance in his government.


He should appoint 39 women into managerial and decision-making offices to meet the 30 per cent quota by 2026 as clearly defined in the Act.


These were contained in a statement issued by Defence for Children International Ghana (DCI-Ghana) on the appointments made so far by the President as he puts together his government.


The statement signed by Ms. Faustina Prempeh, Programmes Manager of DCI, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, appealed to the President to appoint at least 79 women including young women to lead the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the 261 districts.


The government must also consciously integrate gender equity into the educational curriculum from the basic to tertiary level as defined under schedule three of the Act to eliminate gender inequalities, discrimination and stereotypes against girls and young women.


It said the passage of the Affirmative Action Act is a feather in the cap of Ghana, but its implementation was the most critical aspect that must be prioritised to achieve the objective of enacting the law.


Women representation in governance, according to the statement, had been very low over the past decades perpetrated by gender inequality, which manifests in discrimination in governance, education, socio-cultural settings and families.


Representation of women in parliament under the Fourth Republic has never gone beyond 15 per cent despite women constituting the larger portion of the national population, the statement highlighted.


It is against this background that DCI-Ghana wants the President to rectify the anomaly especially with the passage of the Affirmative Action Act by appointing more women into decision-making positions.


The statement congratulated Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang for being the first female to become the Vice President of Ghana and urged her to use her office to champion the cause of girls and young women who look up to her in the pursuit of their dreams.


DCI-Ghana is the implementer of the “She Leads” Project which sought to increase sustained influence of girls and young women in decision-making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions.

Ashaiman residents appeal for construction of roads.

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Some residents of the Ashaiman municipality have raised concerns over the impact of dusty roads on their health, businesses, and overall quality of life.


They expressed frustration with the municipal assembly authorities and the central government, demanding accountability for the taxes collected and urging swift intervention to improve road conditions in the area.


They said health hazards and business losses, which were consequences of the emanating dust from the roads, were having a toll on their lives, adding that many of them were experiencing serious health challenges such as respiratory issues.


The residents also criticised authorities for their inaction, despite repeated promises during election campaigns that the roads would be constructed for them.


Mrs. Rakel Ibrahim, a trader in beverages since 2016, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that “the dust doesn’t just make our products look old and unattractive; it also discourages customers from buying.”


“Whenever someone sees dusty bottles, they think the products are expired. We constantly must clean, sometimes scrubbing with sponges just to make them presentable,” she explained.


Mrs. Ibrahim emphasised the challenges of maintaining cleanliness in such conditions, saying, “Even if you bathe before work, by the time you arrive, your clothes are covered in dust, making it look like you haven’t bathed. It’s embarrassing and affects my image as a trader.”


She said as a mother, the situation was particularly difficult for parents, stressing that “I wear a nose mask, but I have a baby, and it’s impossible to fully protect myself or my child. The dust is collapsing my business,” she said, visibly frustrated.


Mr. Mohamed Iddrisu, a dealer in electrical appliances, paints, and hardware, raised similar concerns. “Every day, I sweep and clean, but the dust always returns. It makes my items look old, and customers often complain or refuse to buy.”


He said continuous effort to maintain cleanliness was exhausting, adding that “We pay taxes, yet the assembly has done nothing to improve the situation.”


According to him, “They know the state of the road. Why aren’t they fixing it? They should use the revenue to construct proper roads so we can work in better conditions.”


Miss Juliet Kyei, a shoe dealer, also shared her struggles, explaining how the dust had damaged her stock and health, noting that “The dust makes our items look old and expired, so customers often refuse to buy it.

It is collapsing our business; even the minimum profit I hope to make I don’t get because customers complain about the state of the products.”


She said the dust had taken a toll on her health, saying, “I cough so much that sometimes there is blood in it. I get catarrh every day, and all my children are even infected. When I wear a nose mask, it is hard to breathe and still end up coughing,” she lamented.


Ms Mavis Adobea, a dress and accessories dealer, said constant cleaning was required to keep her shop presentable.


“My shop is full of dust no matter how many times I clean it. When eating, the food turns dusty, and our clothes get dirty every day; it is exhausting and affects our profits and our health,’ she said.


Miss Adobea said the government’s inaction has worsened their plight and therefore appealed to the authorities to come to their aid.

Kwabena Mintah Akandoh appointed as Minister of Health-designate.

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President John Dramani Mahama has appointed Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh as the Minister of Health-designate. 

 
Mr. Akandoh, the Member of Parliament for Juaboso Constituency in the Western North Region, was part of the third batch of ministerial nominees announced on January 21, 2025.  


His appointment awaits parliamentary approval, fulfilling the President’s commitment to releasing all ministerial nominees within 14 days of his inauguration. 


Mr. Akandoh has served four terms as MP for Juaboso since 2013, having been re-elected in 2016, 2020, and 2024.  


Before his nomination, he was the ranking member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, giving him significant experience in the sector’s challenges. 


Born on June 19, 1980, in Sefwi Antobia, Western North Region, Mr. Akandoh holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Mathematics from the University of Cape Coast and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Mountcrest University College.  


He also earned a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Natural Resources Law from the University of Ghana. 
Before entering politics, Mr. Akandoh served as Assistant Director in charge of the National Voluntary Programme at the National Service Scheme’s headquarters in Accra. 

African must adopt transformative health strategies to eliminate cervical cancer – CDA CONSULT.

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The Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA CONSULT) on Thursday urged African governments to adopt transformative health strategies to eliminate cervical cancer, stressing “We cannot afford to lose more lives to this preventable disease.” 


Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Executive Director of CDA CONSULT, explained that in a bid to eliminate cervical cancer in Africa by 2030, African governments must prioritize holistic healthcare and implement mass Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes to combat the disease on the continent.  


“It’s time for Africa to come together and take concrete steps to eradicate it,” Mr. Ameyibor stated during an engagement organized by CDA CONSULT in collaboration with a preventive health NGO, Lifeline Haven Company Limited, and Caritas Christi Hospital as part of activities to mark the 2025 Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. 


Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, with Africa bearing a disproportionate burden. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 70,000 cervical cancer deaths could be averted annually in Africa if efforts to eliminate the disease are intensified. 


Mr Ameyibor commended 29 African countries for incorporating HPV vaccination into their national vaccination programmes, but expressed frustration over the slow pace of efforts to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030.  


He challenged the remaining African countries to treat the issue with urgency and trigger the necessary legal and policy reforms to ensure HPV vaccination becomes part of their national immunization systems. 


The CDA CONSULT Executive Director stressed that to achieve the goal of eliminating cervical cancer in Africa by 2030, there was an urgent need to upscale HPV vaccination, improve cervical cancer screening, strengthen healthcare systems, and promote awareness and education. 


Mr. Ameyibor emphasized the importance of collective action, saying, “We must work together to eliminate cervical cancer in Africa. Governments, healthcare providers, and communities must prioritize this issue and take concrete steps to prevent, detect, and treat cervical cancer.” 


He explained that CDA CONSULT, in collaboration with partners, had launched a five-year advocacy project aimed at lobbying the government to make HPV vaccination free in Ghana.  
The project also seeks to create awareness about cervical cancer and promote holistic healthcare approaches.  


It called on both international and local companies to support CDA CONSULT in attaining its goals.  
He said as part of its five-year advocacy plan, CDA CONSULT has rolled out a comprehensive cervical cancer awareness programme across Ghana, which includes conducting cervical cancer awareness workshops in all 16 regional capitals and extending the awareness advocacy to about 60 percent of district capitals. 


Mr. Ameyibor, who is a development communication advocate, stressed that the CDA CONSULT would also organize workshops for health professionals on holistic healthcare approaches to cervical cancer prevention, detection, and treatment and train media practitioners on sensitive health reporting to promote accurate and stigma-free coverage of cervical cancer issues. 


He said these initiatives aim to educate communities, healthcare providers, and media practitioners about cervical cancer, its causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies.  


He also stressed the need to increase access to HPV vaccination, particularly for girls and women in rural and underserved areas, and enhance screening programmes to detect cervical cancer early, when it is more treatable. 


“Build robust healthcare systems that can provide comprehensive care, including prevention, detection, and treatment of cervical cancer, and educate communities about cervical cancer, its causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies. 


“By working together and adopting a multi-faceted approach, Ghana and Africa can make significant strides in eliminating cervical cancer and save thousands of lives. 


“By promoting awareness, improving healthcare services, and encouraging sensitive media reporting, CDA CONSULT hopes to contribute significantly to eliminating cervical cancer in Ghana and beyond,” Mr Ameyibor stated. 

VDF congratulates Mahama’s appointees from the Volta Region.

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The Volta Development Forum (VDF), a development-oriented not-for-profit agency, has congratulated the Voltarians appointed so far by President John Dramani Mahama to serve in his government. 


Dr. Prince Kofi Kludjeson, President of the VDF in a press release, wish the appointees well in their new endeavours. 


The illustrious sons and daughters of Volta Region appointed so far by the President include Mr James Gunu, Mr Prosper Bani, Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, Mr Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, Madam Dzifa Gomashie, Mr Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, Afetsi Awoonor, Stan Xoese Dogbe, Wisdom Deku and Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle. 


“As a development-oriented organization with unwavering commitment to championing development interventions in Volta region and beyond, we look forward to working closely with you to build Volta and the Ghana we want,” the release signed by Dr Kludjeson said. 

God is interested in both the spiritual and physical wellbeing of Christians -Rev. Agbi.God is interested in both the spiritual and physical wellbeing of Christians -Rev. Agbi.God is interested in both the spiritual and physical wellbeing of Christians -Rev. Agbi.

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Reverend Richard Mawufemor Agbi, Pastor in charge of the Global Evangelical Church, Kingdom Life Chapel, Adaklu Kodzobi Wednesday reminded Christians that God was not only interested in their spiritual wellbeing but also their physical wellbeing. 


He advised them to lead hygienic lifestyles and keep their environments clean as enshrined in the Bible. 
Rev. Agbi stated this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Adaklu Kodzobi in the Adaklu district during the sanitation week celebration of the people. 


The celebration will be climaxed with a durbar and inauguration of a sanitation committee on Saturday, 25th January. 


Rev. Agbi quoting Deuteronomy chapter 23 verse 10 to 14 said God knew the implications of unhygienic and insanitary conditions that was why He advised His people to take good care of their bodies and refrain from open defecation. 


He stated that often most Christians prayed, fasted and studied the word of God but did not take the cleanliness of their surroundings seriously. 


Rev. Agbi, who is also an educationist, said the outbreak of most diseases in our communities today was due to insanitary environments and unhygienic lifestyles. 


He bemoaned that some people even Christians were still practicing open defecation and dumping their refuse in gutters and open places thereby defeating the sanitation laws of both God and man. 

 
“Gutters in some communities are choked with waste water and plastics which had become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. 


“Sadly, enough Christians are the perpetrators of this unfortunate practices,” he said.  
Rev. Agbi reminded the people that “cleanliness is next to godliness” so Christians should try as much as possible to abhor dirt. 


He also advised that instead of leaving plastic wastes to be flying around they should always burn them 
He called for the enforcement of sanitation bylaws in all communities to safeguard the people from diseases like cholera, malaria and typhoid.

 
Rev. Agbi stated that God did not dwell in filthy environments and that He would not hear their prayers for healing if they contracted diseases that were due to unhygienic lifestyles and insanitary conditions. 
He praised the leadership of the community for their untiring efforts to make the community clean. 

Sunyani SDA hospital honours outstanding staff, health workers.

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The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) hospital in the Sunyani Metropolis has honoured outstanding staff and health workers for their hard work and dedicated services in 2024. 
 
The awardees were picked from the various departments and units of the hospital, and they received citations and well framed photographs of themselves at a thanksgiving service held at the hospital’s premises in Sunyani. 
 
In a sermon, Pastor Maxwell Obour Boateng Awuah, the President of the Midwest Ghana Conference of the SDA Church and the Board Chair of the Hospital commended the awardees for their hard work. 
 
He said the health work was a divine call and urged, especially health workers of the facility to serve with compassion, humility, diligence and confidence, to improve quality health outcomes. 
 
Pastor Awuah reminded the nurses and other personnel that they were not only health workers, but also comforters and asked them to always remain sensitive to the plight of their clients and worked to touch their hearts. 
 
He also cautioned them against the extensive use of social media in working hours and urged them to use the internet productively to improve quality healthcare delivery. 
 
“We must also try and sacrifice our time for our clients because they look on us to live”, Pastor Awuah stated. 
 
Mr Enoch Nketia, the Administrator of the Hospital, said the facility had chalked significant successes, saying it had not recorded any maternal death in the past four years. 
 
Additionally, the facility recorded more than 700,000 Out-Patient Department (OPD) cases between 2014 and 2024. 
 
Established in 2005 with only four hospital beds, Mr Nketia said the facility now had 96 beds, standard emergency ward, antenatal clinic, and maternity ward, female and male wards, records and health information unit, theatre, laboratory, accounts, eye and physiotherapy units. 
 
In all, he said the facility had 15 private wards and three consulting rooms, saying its pathology unit also offered histopathology, cancer diagnosis and cytology. 

Eastern Region Ready to Commence Vetting of MDCE Nominees

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Mr. Baba Jamal Konneh, Eastern Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said the region is ready to vet the 277 individuals who have applied for Municipal and District Chief Executive positions across the 33 assemblies in the region.

The nomination period for filing applications began on January 9, 2025, and closed on January 18, 2025.

Mr. Konneh told the Ghana News Agency in Koforidua that the region would commence the vetting process on January 22, 24, and 27, 2025, respectively in Koforidua.

He reminded the aspirants to bring along their original party identification (ID) cards, copies of the nomination form, copies of their Curriculum Vitae (CV), and original certificates from their secondary education.

The directives for the vetting process state that applicants were to appear with only two supporters.

It is prohibited for applicants to transport supporters to the vetting grounds.

Additionally, wearing applicant T-shirts and showcasing posters or placards are not allowed at the vetting grounds.

Moreover, noisemaking, including the use of sound systems, is prohibited. Each constituency is allowed to send only two executives to observe the process and assist with inquiries.