The Industrial and Com­mercial Workers Union (ICU) on Friday held the Greater Accra Regional Youth and Women’s Conference to build a strategic network.

The conference which brought together representa­tives of the Union was a great opportunity for ICU Ghana to make its voice heard on poli­cies that were crucial to the development of the country.

The platform was also used to elect new officers for the Greater Accra Branch of The ICU Ghana to mark its 12th National Quadrennial Confer­ence in August.

The General Secretary of the ICU Ghana, Mr Morgan Ay­awine, called on government to assist the two state-owned media organisation, New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Spectator and The Ghanaian Times newspapers and Graphic Com­munication Group Limited (GCGL).

“The two state-owned media played major roles in disseminating government policies, educating, enter­taining and informing the public of the happenings in the world,” he added.

He said ICU Ghana would also raise issues about the recapitalisation of the two organisations with the sector minister.

Mr Ayawine disclosed that the ADB and NIB banks were also going through the same ordeal but government inter­vened and urged government to do same for the two state-owned organisations.

He stressed on equal part­nership between unions and employers, saying the capital and labour were crucial to create, produce and generate funds.

The General Secretary advised the various branches of the association to suggest solutions on socio-economic issues such as employment for discussions.

The newly-elected mem­bers who were sworn in by the General Secretary, Mr Morgan Ayawine includes Be­linda Cochrane-chairman, Eric Ekow Turkson-Vice chairman and Moses Kwaku Otoo-Sec­retary.

Others were Charles Akomea-Financial Secretary, Charles Biden- Executive Member, Diana Asiedu-Wom­en’s Representative and Samuella A. Brago-Youth Representative.

The chairman of the Greater Accra Branch of the ICU Ghana, Belinda Cochrane thanked the leadership for contributing to the success of the union.

She added that the con­ference was to prepare for the 12th National Quadren­nial Conference and also to take stock of the activities of the branch for the past years and discuss issues on the ground.

In a proactive move to strengthen collaboration within the health sector, the Minister for Health,  Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has convened an emergency meeting with the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions (COHHETI) across the country. 

The meeting aimed to deepen engagement between the Ministry and key stakeholders responsible for training health professionals.

The session provided a platform for open dialogue on the challenges facing health training institutions, the quality of healthcare education, and the strategic direction of human resource development in the sector.

Addressing the stakeholders, Mr. Akandoh emphasized the importance of fostering strong and cordial relationships between the Ministry and training institutions to ensure a well-coordinated and responsive healthcare system.

He indicated that the purpose of the meeting was also to collaborate, discuss concerns, and find practical solutions that would benefit not only the institutions but also the Ghanaian people who rely on the healthcare system.

The President of COHHETI, Madam Margaret Mary Alacoque welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and necessary. She raised concerns about transportation challenges, accreditation delays, staffing shortages, and the general conditions and status of service for Health Training Institutions (HTIs). She also shared innovative strategies that some institutions have adopted to improve training outcomes.

In his response, Mr.Akandoh assured participants of the Ministry’s commitment to addressing their concerns and announced plans to enhance coordination and follow-ups. 

He added that the Ministry would soon introduce policy reforms aimed at improving standards in health education and ensuring alignment with national health priorities. 

These reforms include reducing the cost of admission, implementing automatic code generation for applicants, and clarifying leadership roles within HTIs.