Pg. 18 (Metro) Sat. Jan. 12/08
Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
THE Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) has directed the contractor working on the Achimota-Ofankor road to water the road to ease the dusty pollution that was currently being experienced as a result of the dry Harmattan winds.
The contractors, China Railway Corporation, were on Monday directed through a letter by the GHA to increase the amount of water that was being used to wet the road, which had been under construction since November, 2006.
The project is expected to be completed by May, 2009.
The Chief Director of Feeder Roads, Mr Eric Oduro-Konadu, who disclosed this in an interview on Tuesday, said work on the road was on course to meet the deadline.
Since the on-set of the hamattan season, commuters on that route and residents of the area have been experiencing serious dusty winds emanating from the construction site as the contractors fail to put enough water on the road to minimise the dust.
The worse affected are passengers of commercial vehicles who do not have the luxury of rolling up their windows to enjoy air-conditioners and most of them resort to covering their nostrils with their handkerchiefs while those who sit by the windows close them. This often results in arguments among the passengers some of whom say the dust would rather remain in the vehicle and therefore the windows should be opened.
Mr Oduro-Konadu said the GHA was aware of the dusty situation and was mindful of the health consequences that it posed to commuters and people living around the area.
He said when completed, the project would have three inter-changes; one in front of Peace FM, the other at Tantra Hills junction and the other at Ofankor.
Currently, Mr Oduro-Konadu said, when viewed by an ordinary person, the level of work would seem confusing, but explained that they were currently working on the inter-changes.
He said footbridges would also be provided so that commuters would be able to move from one end to the other without any difficulties.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
'Review law'
Pg 3. (Jan. 11/08)
Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
A Doctor at the Korle-Bu Fevers Unit in Accra, Dr Joseph Oliver-Commey, has called for a review of the law on patient-doctor confidentiality in cases involving persons infected with HIV and their partners.
He said most often doctors were unable to protect partners who were not infected with the virus because of the law.
Dr Oliver-Commey said this at a three-day HIV training for about 30 female journalists from the Greater Accra, Eastern and Western regions organised by Women Media and Change (WOMEC).
According to him, when they got to know their HIV status, many partners refused to disclose it to their partners who might not be infected.
The worst scenario, he said, involved people who were planning to get married, adding that “most often infected partners refuse to disclose their status to their future spouses and because of the patient-doctor confidentiality law that binds doctors and their patients, it becomes difficult for doctors to caution such partners”.
He said what made the situation worse was that there was no law to punish people who deliberately infected their partners and, therefore, the doctors ended up bearing the brunt of the problem, after the other person found out the HIV status of his or her partner.
He said at the global level the issue of confidentiality was being reviewed to protect uninfected partners and said Ghana should also take such a step if the country wanted to reduce the number of new infections with regard to HIV.
He said another issue concerned pregnant women who, most often, got to know their HIV status when they attended antenatal clinics and, therefore, had the option to disclose their status to their spouses or not.
Dr Oliver-Commey said the issue of disclosure should be made known to both partners in such cases to prevent new or re-infections.
Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
A Doctor at the Korle-Bu Fevers Unit in Accra, Dr Joseph Oliver-Commey, has called for a review of the law on patient-doctor confidentiality in cases involving persons infected with HIV and their partners.
He said most often doctors were unable to protect partners who were not infected with the virus because of the law.
Dr Oliver-Commey said this at a three-day HIV training for about 30 female journalists from the Greater Accra, Eastern and Western regions organised by Women Media and Change (WOMEC).
According to him, when they got to know their HIV status, many partners refused to disclose it to their partners who might not be infected.
The worst scenario, he said, involved people who were planning to get married, adding that “most often infected partners refuse to disclose their status to their future spouses and because of the patient-doctor confidentiality law that binds doctors and their patients, it becomes difficult for doctors to caution such partners”.
He said what made the situation worse was that there was no law to punish people who deliberately infected their partners and, therefore, the doctors ended up bearing the brunt of the problem, after the other person found out the HIV status of his or her partner.
He said at the global level the issue of confidentiality was being reviewed to protect uninfected partners and said Ghana should also take such a step if the country wanted to reduce the number of new infections with regard to HIV.
He said another issue concerned pregnant women who, most often, got to know their HIV status when they attended antenatal clinics and, therefore, had the option to disclose their status to their spouses or not.
Dr Oliver-Commey said the issue of disclosure should be made known to both partners in such cases to prevent new or re-infections.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
WHO representative lauds Ghana
Pg 36 (Jan. 10/08)
Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Ghana, Dr Joaquim Saweka, has said that Ghana is on course with its efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger from the country.
He noted that the overall progress made towards poverty reduction in the country was impressive, saying that “Ghana is doing quite well in that direction”.
Dr Saweka said that was an indication that the country was likely to achieve one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which called on countries to “Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” by reducing by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day and people who suffered from hunger by 2015.
Dr Saweka, who said this in an interview in Accra, however, noted that the country was not likely to achieve goals four and five of the MDGs which call on countries to “Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among children under five” and “Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio”, respectively.
He, therefore, called for a scaling up of initiatives geared towards achieving those goals.
Dr Saweka said it was difficult to determine whether it was the reality on the ground or the tool used by international organisations to measure the country’s infant and maternal mortality rates that accounted for the country’s inability to achieve those goals.
According to the 2006 revision of the United Nations World Population Prospects Report, for the period 2005 to 2010, Ghana’s infant mortality rate is 56.6/1,000 and under-five mortality rate is 89.6. It ranked the country 50th among 195 countries in the world.
However, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook last year ranked the country’s infant mortality rate at 52nd among 221 countries, with a rate of 53.56/1,000. The current world infant mortality rate is 49.4, according to the United Nations, and 43.52, according to the CIA World Factbook.
The maternal mortality rate of the country, according to the WHO, is 540/100,000, while a recent survey in the country put it at 214/100,000.
Dr Saweka was, however, hopeful that if the local survey was a true reflection of what was on the ground, then the country would be able to achieve target five of the set goals.
The under-five mortality rate of the country for the past five years had been stagnating, he said, and noted that there was the need for the initiatives undertaken in the areas of neonatal morbidity, pneumonia, malnutrition and malaria, which were identified as the major causes of under-five mortality in the country, to be improved.
Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Ghana, Dr Joaquim Saweka, has said that Ghana is on course with its efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger from the country.
He noted that the overall progress made towards poverty reduction in the country was impressive, saying that “Ghana is doing quite well in that direction”.
Dr Saweka said that was an indication that the country was likely to achieve one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which called on countries to “Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” by reducing by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day and people who suffered from hunger by 2015.
Dr Saweka, who said this in an interview in Accra, however, noted that the country was not likely to achieve goals four and five of the MDGs which call on countries to “Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among children under five” and “Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio”, respectively.
He, therefore, called for a scaling up of initiatives geared towards achieving those goals.
Dr Saweka said it was difficult to determine whether it was the reality on the ground or the tool used by international organisations to measure the country’s infant and maternal mortality rates that accounted for the country’s inability to achieve those goals.
According to the 2006 revision of the United Nations World Population Prospects Report, for the period 2005 to 2010, Ghana’s infant mortality rate is 56.6/1,000 and under-five mortality rate is 89.6. It ranked the country 50th among 195 countries in the world.
However, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook last year ranked the country’s infant mortality rate at 52nd among 221 countries, with a rate of 53.56/1,000. The current world infant mortality rate is 49.4, according to the United Nations, and 43.52, according to the CIA World Factbook.
The maternal mortality rate of the country, according to the WHO, is 540/100,000, while a recent survey in the country put it at 214/100,000.
Dr Saweka was, however, hopeful that if the local survey was a true reflection of what was on the ground, then the country would be able to achieve target five of the set goals.
The under-five mortality rate of the country for the past five years had been stagnating, he said, and noted that there was the need for the initiatives undertaken in the areas of neonatal morbidity, pneumonia, malnutrition and malaria, which were identified as the major causes of under-five mortality in the country, to be improved.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Coalition to help implement Domestic Violence Law
Pg. 11 ... Jan. 08/08
Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
The Domestic Violence (DV) Law was passed by Parliament in February last year to protect victims of domestic violence in the country.
The victims of domestic violence are men, women and children but it has been identified that most victims of domestic violence are women, majority of who fail to report such violence to the police due to poverty, family ties and other social and economic issues.
Although it is generally agreed that men also suffer some form of violence in the domestic settings, violence against women far outweighs that against men.
To make the implementation of the provisions of the DV Law effective to cater adequately for the interest of victims of domestic violence, the Domestic Violence Coalition in conjunction with the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs is in the process of finalising a national implementation policy document.
The document will help streamline activities of the various stakeholders and also give them guidelines and directives to facilitate the implementation process.
The Co-ordinator of the DV Coalition, Mr Adolf Awuku Bekoe, in an interview, was optimistic that by the end of January 2008, the document will be inaugurated by MOWAC.
He said when completed, the document, which reached its final stages of compilation at the end of last year, will place emphasis on the various roles to be played by the various agencies involved in the implementation of the law, as well as outline the roles and responsibilities of the DV Law Management Board, which he said was yet to be inaugurated.
Mr Bekoe was optimistic that Parliament would adopt the implementation document, stressing that, that was the only way to regulate activities of the various stakeholders of the law.
He said when finalised, the document would consist of a national plan of action and describe the details of activities to be undertaken under the law, as well as spell out the plan of action for the attainment of the objectives of the law.
Mr Bekoe said since the passage of the law, the coalition had undertaken various educational programmes for the successful implementation of the DV Law, and indicated that this would be sustained to enlighten all on the various provisions.
He said the coalition had organised a consultative seminar for regional officers of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) from all the 11 regional commands of the service, and added that the exercise was used to iron out some of the difficulties that the police faced in terms of handling issues on domestic violence.
Copies of the DV Law, he also said, had been made available to all DOVVSU officers to ensure that they were abreast with provisions of the law.
According to him, the coalition currently seeks to hold a national consultation dialogue this year to bring together the judiciary, police and prison officers and other stakeholders to discuss the law dispassionately for its successful implementation.
He conceded that there was still much to be done and that the coalition would start massive educational campaigns in the various communities this year to inform more people about the law.
Mr Bekoe also said the coalition intended to sensitise more men to feel comfortable to report abuses they suffered in the domestic setting to the police.
The coalition will also strengthen its structures, infrastructure and logistics to be able to take up the challenge of championing the cause for the successful implementation of the law.
He said the major challenge confronting the coalition was lack of funds, but pointed out that, that would not to deter the coalition from undertaking its activities.
He said the coalition would fall on its internally generated funds as well as count on the support of MOWAC, where most funds from donor agencies were channelled.
He was hopeful that MOWAC would make funds available to organisations whose work directly impacted on issues and/or victims of domestic violence.
Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
The Domestic Violence (DV) Law was passed by Parliament in February last year to protect victims of domestic violence in the country.
The victims of domestic violence are men, women and children but it has been identified that most victims of domestic violence are women, majority of who fail to report such violence to the police due to poverty, family ties and other social and economic issues.
Although it is generally agreed that men also suffer some form of violence in the domestic settings, violence against women far outweighs that against men.
To make the implementation of the provisions of the DV Law effective to cater adequately for the interest of victims of domestic violence, the Domestic Violence Coalition in conjunction with the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs is in the process of finalising a national implementation policy document.
The document will help streamline activities of the various stakeholders and also give them guidelines and directives to facilitate the implementation process.
The Co-ordinator of the DV Coalition, Mr Adolf Awuku Bekoe, in an interview, was optimistic that by the end of January 2008, the document will be inaugurated by MOWAC.
He said when completed, the document, which reached its final stages of compilation at the end of last year, will place emphasis on the various roles to be played by the various agencies involved in the implementation of the law, as well as outline the roles and responsibilities of the DV Law Management Board, which he said was yet to be inaugurated.
Mr Bekoe was optimistic that Parliament would adopt the implementation document, stressing that, that was the only way to regulate activities of the various stakeholders of the law.
He said when finalised, the document would consist of a national plan of action and describe the details of activities to be undertaken under the law, as well as spell out the plan of action for the attainment of the objectives of the law.
Mr Bekoe said since the passage of the law, the coalition had undertaken various educational programmes for the successful implementation of the DV Law, and indicated that this would be sustained to enlighten all on the various provisions.
He said the coalition had organised a consultative seminar for regional officers of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) from all the 11 regional commands of the service, and added that the exercise was used to iron out some of the difficulties that the police faced in terms of handling issues on domestic violence.
Copies of the DV Law, he also said, had been made available to all DOVVSU officers to ensure that they were abreast with provisions of the law.
According to him, the coalition currently seeks to hold a national consultation dialogue this year to bring together the judiciary, police and prison officers and other stakeholders to discuss the law dispassionately for its successful implementation.
He conceded that there was still much to be done and that the coalition would start massive educational campaigns in the various communities this year to inform more people about the law.
Mr Bekoe also said the coalition intended to sensitise more men to feel comfortable to report abuses they suffered in the domestic setting to the police.
The coalition will also strengthen its structures, infrastructure and logistics to be able to take up the challenge of championing the cause for the successful implementation of the law.
He said the major challenge confronting the coalition was lack of funds, but pointed out that, that would not to deter the coalition from undertaking its activities.
He said the coalition would fall on its internally generated funds as well as count on the support of MOWAC, where most funds from donor agencies were channelled.
He was hopeful that MOWAC would make funds available to organisations whose work directly impacted on issues and/or victims of domestic violence.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Women urged to participate in elections
Sat. Jan.5/08 (page 11)
Story: Salome Donkor & Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
Women’s groups, individuals and organisations have advised women to actively take part in this year’s elections to enhance the representation of women in the decision-making process of the country.
A statement issued by the Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, urged all women to actively take part in the vibrant political activities which would characterise the presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
The statement also called on women to offer themselves for political positions to increase women’s participation in politics.
The minister on behalf of all women and children of Ghana and on behalf of the ministry wished Ghanaians a happy and prosperous New Year.
She said “as we begin a new year, it is my prayer that God will grant us peace in our homes and communities so that we can all develop to our full potential and ultimately contribute towards developing our dear nation”.
She entreated all parents to take good care of their children and also give them good education so that “their children would be able to take good care of them and our nation, when we are old”.
She also urged children to take their studies seriously and to stay away from trouble.
She further urged all women to continue to work hard “as we have done in the past year in contributing to eradicating poverty, empowering ourselves and improving the standard of living in our homes and our nation”.
Hajia Alima also called on all to join in the fight against domestic violence, abuse and HIV/AIDS.
The Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Mrs Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, said 2007 was significant for women human rights in Ghana.
She said the passage of the Domestic Violence Law (DV Law) in February last year and a number of educational programmes by gender activists on critical areas of gender equality, equity and women empowerment concerns at all levels, were positive steps towards improving the status of women.
Touching on this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections, Mrs Dwamena-Aboagye urged women to gear themselves up and see how best they could participate in the process.
She added her voice to earlier calls on aspirants of the various political parties contesting in the 2008 general election to consider choosing women as their running mates.
She also described the approval given by the Cabinet for the adoption of a gender-responsive budgeting guideline by all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as a positive effort to give a further boost to women’s participation in the taking of economic decisions.
She said since men and women suffered poverty differently, the system would help strengthen women’s participation in economic decision-making through their engagement in budgetary processes, and enhance the incorporation of gender into economic governance and leadership processes.
Mrs Dwamena-Aboagye also spoke about preparatory meetings billed to take place in the country on the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which was signed by over 100 ministers, heads of agencies and other senior officials representing donor and recipient governments and multilateral aid organisations on March 2, 2005.
She said such meetings would provide a platform for donors and recipients to look at the development agenda of recipients and set out an agenda to make aid more effective and efficient to help developing countries' governments to formulate and implement their own national development plans, using their own prioritisation, planning and implementation systems wherever possible, stressing that the interest of the vulnerable groups would be catered for.
Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, the convener of the Network for Women’s Right in Ghana (NETRIGHT), said although a lot had been done, there was still the need to do more advocacy work to promote the rights of women.
She also said efforts must be made to step up initiatives to operationalise the DV Act to achieve the desired objectives.
Story: Salome Donkor & Rebecca Quaicoe Duho
Women’s groups, individuals and organisations have advised women to actively take part in this year’s elections to enhance the representation of women in the decision-making process of the country.
A statement issued by the Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, urged all women to actively take part in the vibrant political activities which would characterise the presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
The statement also called on women to offer themselves for political positions to increase women’s participation in politics.
The minister on behalf of all women and children of Ghana and on behalf of the ministry wished Ghanaians a happy and prosperous New Year.
She said “as we begin a new year, it is my prayer that God will grant us peace in our homes and communities so that we can all develop to our full potential and ultimately contribute towards developing our dear nation”.
She entreated all parents to take good care of their children and also give them good education so that “their children would be able to take good care of them and our nation, when we are old”.
She also urged children to take their studies seriously and to stay away from trouble.
She further urged all women to continue to work hard “as we have done in the past year in contributing to eradicating poverty, empowering ourselves and improving the standard of living in our homes and our nation”.
Hajia Alima also called on all to join in the fight against domestic violence, abuse and HIV/AIDS.
The Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Mrs Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, said 2007 was significant for women human rights in Ghana.
She said the passage of the Domestic Violence Law (DV Law) in February last year and a number of educational programmes by gender activists on critical areas of gender equality, equity and women empowerment concerns at all levels, were positive steps towards improving the status of women.
Touching on this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections, Mrs Dwamena-Aboagye urged women to gear themselves up and see how best they could participate in the process.
She added her voice to earlier calls on aspirants of the various political parties contesting in the 2008 general election to consider choosing women as their running mates.
She also described the approval given by the Cabinet for the adoption of a gender-responsive budgeting guideline by all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as a positive effort to give a further boost to women’s participation in the taking of economic decisions.
She said since men and women suffered poverty differently, the system would help strengthen women’s participation in economic decision-making through their engagement in budgetary processes, and enhance the incorporation of gender into economic governance and leadership processes.
Mrs Dwamena-Aboagye also spoke about preparatory meetings billed to take place in the country on the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which was signed by over 100 ministers, heads of agencies and other senior officials representing donor and recipient governments and multilateral aid organisations on March 2, 2005.
She said such meetings would provide a platform for donors and recipients to look at the development agenda of recipients and set out an agenda to make aid more effective and efficient to help developing countries' governments to formulate and implement their own national development plans, using their own prioritisation, planning and implementation systems wherever possible, stressing that the interest of the vulnerable groups would be catered for.
Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, the convener of the Network for Women’s Right in Ghana (NETRIGHT), said although a lot had been done, there was still the need to do more advocacy work to promote the rights of women.
She also said efforts must be made to step up initiatives to operationalise the DV Act to achieve the desired objectives.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Executive Committee for pharmacists inaugurated (pg 16) Jan. 04/08
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Ghana, Dr Joaquim Saweka, has said access to medicine in the country should be considered as a human right.
Dr Saweka said this when eight Standing Executive Committee members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) were inaugurated into office in Accra yesterday.
Medicine, he said, was fundamental to the good performance of the health care delivery system of a country and that its availability in health facilities and the public’s access to it, contributed to maintaining the population’s confidence and trust in the health care delivery system.
He said although effective medicines existed in countries including Ghana, millions of people particularly in sub-Saharan Africa continued to experience a heavy burden of infectious diseases and were also increasingly afflicted with chronic non-communicable diseases.
Dr Saweka, therefore, said better management of the available medicines would contribute to a better health system, adding that an efficient procurement would also greatly contribute to achieving a better health system.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr (Mrs) Gladys Ashitey, who represented the sector minister, Major Courage Quashigah (retd), said the government had kept and would continue to keep faith with health professionals by ensuring that “we create a conducive environment for you to give of your best”.
She said with enhancements in rebuilding the health infrastructure, “we expect that you will also push the boundaries of excellence in the delivery of service to the people of Ghana”.
Dr Ashitey said the emphasis of the health sector was shifting from managing sickness and diseases to ensuring that people stayed healthy, adding that “this shift underpins our regenerative health programme”.
She said for the health sector, regenerative health and nutrition was a means by which “we can create wealth through health”, adding that no group of professionals were better placed within the community to carry this message than pharmacist.
The newly inducted President of the PSGH, Dr Alex Dodoo, in an address called for the need for issues relating to pharmaceutical care to be given proper attention if the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was to be sustainable.
He reiterated an earlier call for the complete separation of dispensing and prescribing services under the scheme, as well as the re-examination of public sector prescribing and dispensing.
Outlining his vision for the next two years, Dr Dodoo said his main focus would be in the building of the image of the PSGH and public health, and fostering international collaborations.
The Chairman of the Pharmacy Council, Mr Harry Abutiati, swore the eight members into office. Other members of the executive are Mrs Nana Yaa Nartey, treasurer; Mr Philip W. O. Anum, editor; and Messrs Franklin Acheampong, Ernest Aboagye, Kenneth Atabu Agbodza and Kofi Abu as executive members;
Dr Mrs Frances Thelma K. Owusu-Daaku was sworn in as Vice-President, in absentia.
Dr Saweka said this when eight Standing Executive Committee members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) were inaugurated into office in Accra yesterday.
Medicine, he said, was fundamental to the good performance of the health care delivery system of a country and that its availability in health facilities and the public’s access to it, contributed to maintaining the population’s confidence and trust in the health care delivery system.
He said although effective medicines existed in countries including Ghana, millions of people particularly in sub-Saharan Africa continued to experience a heavy burden of infectious diseases and were also increasingly afflicted with chronic non-communicable diseases.
Dr Saweka, therefore, said better management of the available medicines would contribute to a better health system, adding that an efficient procurement would also greatly contribute to achieving a better health system.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr (Mrs) Gladys Ashitey, who represented the sector minister, Major Courage Quashigah (retd), said the government had kept and would continue to keep faith with health professionals by ensuring that “we create a conducive environment for you to give of your best”.
She said with enhancements in rebuilding the health infrastructure, “we expect that you will also push the boundaries of excellence in the delivery of service to the people of Ghana”.
Dr Ashitey said the emphasis of the health sector was shifting from managing sickness and diseases to ensuring that people stayed healthy, adding that “this shift underpins our regenerative health programme”.
She said for the health sector, regenerative health and nutrition was a means by which “we can create wealth through health”, adding that no group of professionals were better placed within the community to carry this message than pharmacist.
The newly inducted President of the PSGH, Dr Alex Dodoo, in an address called for the need for issues relating to pharmaceutical care to be given proper attention if the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was to be sustainable.
He reiterated an earlier call for the complete separation of dispensing and prescribing services under the scheme, as well as the re-examination of public sector prescribing and dispensing.
Outlining his vision for the next two years, Dr Dodoo said his main focus would be in the building of the image of the PSGH and public health, and fostering international collaborations.
The Chairman of the Pharmacy Council, Mr Harry Abutiati, swore the eight members into office. Other members of the executive are Mrs Nana Yaa Nartey, treasurer; Mr Philip W. O. Anum, editor; and Messrs Franklin Acheampong, Ernest Aboagye, Kenneth Atabu Agbodza and Kofi Abu as executive members;
Dr Mrs Frances Thelma K. Owusu-Daaku was sworn in as Vice-President, in absentia.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Code of conduct on school management (edu) Dec. 14/07
A Code of Conduct, which is part of a national campaign to eradicate corruption in the management of schools as well as instil anti-corruption measures in the minds of schoolchildren, is currently before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education and the Ghana Education Service.
When adopted, the Code of Conduct, which is a proposal submitted by the International Campaign for Corruption-Free Schools, will serve as a guideline to educate schoolchildren in their formative stages on the need to stay clear of corruption.
This was made known by the Director of the International Campaign for Corruption-Free Schools, Mr Baffour Dokyi Amoa, at a press conference in Accra.
The Corruption-Free Schools campaign was launched in Ghana in 2003 by Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, then a Minister for Education.
Currently, there are 14 fun clubs in primary, secondary and tertiary schools across the country.
The campaign programme has also been extended to such other African countries as Nigeria, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Togo and Burkina Faso.
Mr Amoa said to fight corruption in schools, it behoved society and indeed governments to tackle the conditions that promoted corruption head-on.
He mentioned some of the conditions in schools as the number of applicants in relation to the quota to be admitted, examinations which were due before full coverage of syllabus, challenges of supervision in the face of poor remuneration and the lack of/poor incentives for teachers.
Mr Amoa mentioned other factors as competition among schools for high performance and recognition, pressure put on students by parents to perform, desire for high grades that did not commensurate with output and the lack of social security and poverty.
He said the campaign provided the platform for pupils and students within the sub-region to debate among themselves on issues relating to corruption in schools and the way forward.
The General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Reverend Fred Deegbe, said there was the need to tackle the issue of corruption from the formative stages of life before the canker of corruption could be eradicated from any society.
He said corruption did not help, but rather destroyed a nation and, therefore, there was the need for all to come together to fight it, saying that “we should keep on fighting corruption like malaria till it is completely eradicated”.
When adopted, the Code of Conduct, which is a proposal submitted by the International Campaign for Corruption-Free Schools, will serve as a guideline to educate schoolchildren in their formative stages on the need to stay clear of corruption.
This was made known by the Director of the International Campaign for Corruption-Free Schools, Mr Baffour Dokyi Amoa, at a press conference in Accra.
The Corruption-Free Schools campaign was launched in Ghana in 2003 by Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, then a Minister for Education.
Currently, there are 14 fun clubs in primary, secondary and tertiary schools across the country.
The campaign programme has also been extended to such other African countries as Nigeria, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Togo and Burkina Faso.
Mr Amoa said to fight corruption in schools, it behoved society and indeed governments to tackle the conditions that promoted corruption head-on.
He mentioned some of the conditions in schools as the number of applicants in relation to the quota to be admitted, examinations which were due before full coverage of syllabus, challenges of supervision in the face of poor remuneration and the lack of/poor incentives for teachers.
Mr Amoa mentioned other factors as competition among schools for high performance and recognition, pressure put on students by parents to perform, desire for high grades that did not commensurate with output and the lack of social security and poverty.
He said the campaign provided the platform for pupils and students within the sub-region to debate among themselves on issues relating to corruption in schools and the way forward.
The General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Reverend Fred Deegbe, said there was the need to tackle the issue of corruption from the formative stages of life before the canker of corruption could be eradicated from any society.
He said corruption did not help, but rather destroyed a nation and, therefore, there was the need for all to come together to fight it, saying that “we should keep on fighting corruption like malaria till it is completely eradicated”.
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