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Adolescents cautioned against abusing emergency contraceptives
Using emergency contraceptives the wrong way or for the wrong purpose can be detrimental to one’s health, a medical expert has cautioned women and young girls.
Mrs Gifty Maloe Nartey, a Physician Assistant, explained that, abusing emergency contraceptives could delay ovulation, and disrupt menstrual cycle.
She disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The Spectator on Monday.
Mrs Nartey said emergency contraceptives were not to be taken often, because it served as an emergency bed control pill, hence the need for women, particularly adolescent girls, to plan their sex lives well to avoid encountering problems.
She admonished adolescent girls who were in school to abstain from unplanned sex because that could lead to different problems emanating from teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and diseases, among others.
According to Mrs Nartey, adolescent girls must know the consequences associated with unprotected sex to make informed choices about their sex life and health.
She stressed that, adolescent girls must be educated on the correct use of device or drug used to prevent pregnancy to help in saving them from unwanted pregnancies.
She said the use of prescribed contraceptives would rather help adolescent girls to make informed choices for their sexual and reproductive health rights.
Mrs. Nartey who doubles as a Social and Behavioural Scientist said, “Using contraceptives the right way would enable adolescent girls stay in school to complete their academic pursuits successfully and become good citizens in the future.”
She observed that, “there were various types of contraceptives on the market and each of them had side effect, so it was appropriate to always consult the Family Planning Unit at any registered health facility to be given the best method that was suitable for the body.”
“The proper method of using contraceptives would not in any way trigger health complications, disorders and also affect an adolescent girl’s fertility,” she assured.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
