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Why you should open up carefully in a new relationship
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could trust the motives of every person you met? In a perfect world, you could meet a new friend, tell them all your darkest secrets, and know that they would be there through thick and thin.
Sadly, many people pay a considerable price when they’re too trusting of others. While you may have all the right motives, some people only use others because they want something in return.
Thankfully, there are people in this world that will be a true friend. They will stand beside you no matter what life throws your way.
But if you tend to divulge too much too quickly when meeting someone, you need to be careful. Here are some reasons why you should open up carefully when entering new relationships.
Secrets
Let’s assume that you met a lovely lady and shared a night of drinks and laughter. During this period, you felt so comfortable that you started telling her about all the pains of your past. You’ve placed yourself in a very vulnerable position by exposing yourself heart to her.
She can take that information and file it in the back of her mind for future reference or use it to get ahead in life. What if this woman was trying to push you out of your position at the office? Any dirt you give here could be used against you.
Though life doesn’t function like a court of law, keep in mind that anything you say can and will be used against you. When you keep that mindset, then you will monitor what you say. Never tell anyone anything that you are afraid they will repeat. No wonder it’s said that gossip can be as cruel as the grave.
Obscure reasons
Maybe you have money, or you hold a prestigious position. Anyone new in your life might not be there for the right reasons.
You must open up carefully when it’s someone that knows you have authority or clout, and they want to use that to their advantage. They can use words as sweet as honey and pretend to be your best friend. The sad fact is that they are only in the relationship to see what they can get.
Vulnerability
No one likes to be vulnerable and exposed. Even if a friendship starts on the right foot, what if things go sour later on? Anything you’ve said can be used against you.
What if you told your girlfriend that you once tried a serious drug while in college? You never became hooked on the drug, and you didn’t even like how it made you feel. However, they put their spin on it, and the story becomes worse.
It could go around your place of employment, house of faith, or group of friends, that you have a drug problem. When you tell secrets, they are open to interpretation. Your view of things may not be how someone else views it, and it can end in disaster.
Push others away
What if you have a past that isn’t the best? Nobody is perfect. You could have a divorce, affairs, past drug abuse, bankruptcy, and all sorts of things that you’ve dealt with in life. What could happen if you don’t open up carefully?
Could you scare others away? What would happen to a new friend if they found out your deepest darkest secrets? Would they still want to be friends with you?
No law says you have to open up about your life. You can choose what you divulge to your friends, and some secrets should remain buried.
Trust takes time
It takes months or even years to build the kind of relationships that last a lifetime. Don’t be so eager to dive right into a friendship. Whether you’re dating someone new or have a new best friend to hang out with, be careful and allow yourself time to build trust.
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Youth urged to take proactive stance on ozone depletion
•Mr Joseph Amankwah, first counting from, some officials from EPA and UNDP in group picture with the student
Mr Joseph Amankwah, the Director of Ozone Layer and Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has urged the youth to take a proactive stance on issues related to ozone depletion, emphasising that their future would be most affected by its consequences.
Speaking during a student engagement event at the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, he highlighted the critical role young people played in tackling climate-related challenges.
Mr Amankwah explained that human activities, such as the use of certain chemicals, were significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and driving climate change.
He said it was important to educate the youth on these issues, encouraging them to share this knowledge with their families to foster a broader understanding and active participation in climate action.
He urged the education sector to integrate lessons on the ozone layer, the causes of its depletion, and its links to climate change into the curriculum.
The event, organised by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to foster environmental awareness and promote a sense of responsibility among young people.
Mr Amankwah noted that ozone layer depletion was affecting everyone, including children, as it alters weather patterns and threatens the natural environment.
He highlighted the need for young people to develop ‘green skills’ to adapt to the challenges of climate change and to understand ways to combat it.
He added that World Ozone Day, observed every September, would focus on youth engagement in environmental issues, to help them understand the long-term consequences of ozone depletion and climate change.
Mr Amankwah also discussed the harmful impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major chemical contributor to ozone depletion.
He explained that household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners were common sources of CFC emissions in Ghana.
Many uncertified technicians work on these appliances, often releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere due to improper handling, he noted.
To address this, he urged appliance repairers to obtain proper certification and training, emphasising that unqualified repairs not only harm the environment but also endangered public health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman,
Koforidua
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Small-scale miners schooled on health hazards of mining with mercury
Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants
Some Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in the Ashanti and Central regions have been sensitised on the potential health dangers humans are exposed to with the use of mercury in gold processing.
The sensitisation which was organised by PlanetGOLD Ghana project was to raise awareness about the negative impacts on the use of mercury in mining activities.
According to the PlanetGOLD Ghana Project Coordinator, Mr Lovelace Sarpong, the use of mercury in artisanal small-scale mining pose health challenges that affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys; and may be fatal.
Some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that benefited from the exercise were Amansie Central, Asante Akim North, Amansie South, Amansie West, Bekwai, and Adansi North in the Ashanti Region, and Upper Denkyira East (Dunkwa-on-Offin) and Upper Denkyira West (Diaso) in the Central Region.
Additionally, he said inorganic salts of mercury were corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
He stated that the PlanetGOLD Project has conducted several initiatives to raise awareness on reducing mercury exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold mining actors in the country.
It was to promote mercury-free mining practices in line with Ghana’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, support the formalisation of the ASGM sector while advocating the adoption of the CRAFT Code and responsible supply chains, and raise awareness on the availability of mercury-free alternatives.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area Head for Konongo, Mr Dawood Abbas, underscored the importance of government’s environmental regulations and EPA’s role in ensuring compliance within the ASGM sector.
He encouraged miners to prioritise environmental stewardship to gain community trust and secure a Social License to Operate (SLO) and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to enforce its commitments under the Minamata Convention.
BY Cecilia Lagba Yada
