News
‘All masks are not equal’
As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc, experts maintain that if all people wear nose masks and observe other safety protocols, the pandemic could be brought under control.
But there seems to be argument over which masks are most effective. There are suggestions that some masks may actually spread the virus than not wearing one at all.
It is common to see some people in public using handkerchiefs, as nose masks.
According to Mr Kalvin Odonkor, a nurse and health blogger, “some people really don’t understand that not all face coverings are equal, and that there are some that are going to be more or less effective”.
He said given the rate of droplet transmission, people must stop covering their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs, bandana and other materials.
“All masks are not equal; some are of inferior quality and this could be dangerous. I think that many people are just wearing these face coverings not realising that they are meant to serve a purpose” he said.
For those who are still confused about why masks are necessary, he noted that asymptomatic spread was one of the factors to keep in mind.
He said that, there were many people out there who did not know that they were infected, and that face shields or nose masks helped to reduce contracting the disease from those who did not show any signs or symptoms.
“If everybody knew their status, that would be a different story, but the fact of the matter is that most people don’t know whether they’re infected or not,” he said.
By Geoffrey Buta
News
Sunon Asogli: IPPs yet to reach an agreement with govt – Apetorgbor
Independent power producer Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited has rejected accusations from the government of acting in bad faith, following remarks by Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam criticizing the company for shutting down its 560-megawatt power plant amid ongoing debt negotiations.
Sunon Asogli, in a statement on October 16, announced the plant’s closure, attributing the decision to the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) significant outstanding debt of $259 million, excluding fuel costs, as of September 2024.
The unpaid amount created severe financial strain for the power producer, hindering its ability to maintain normal operations.
The shutdown led to widespread power outages across various parts of Ghana, with many communities experiencing unreliable electricity supply.
In response, the government moved quickly to renegotiate terms with Sunon Asogli to restore stability to the national power grid.
Sunon Asogli maintains that the plant’s closure was a necessary action due to escalating operational costs and insufficient working capital.
Dr. Elikplim Apetorgbor, CEO of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, defended Sunon Asogli’s decision, contending that the government had not upheld its financial commitments, which left the company with few options.
The company’s leadership reiterated that they remain open to negotiations to find a lasting solution to the debt issue and ensure consistent power supply across the country.
“I am not aware when we have agreed to sign restructuring terms with anyone. We are still negotiating. No one goes into a negotiation to lose. It is always a win-win affair. And he [Amin Adam] has always maintained a position that if you will not accept this, I am not going to pay you. And even if we are signing, what it means is that we have reached a meeting point. But to the best of my knowledge, there is nothing like that. We are not there yet.
“He [the Finance Minister] has promised countless times to make payment to Sunon Asogli but he has not honoured those obligations or those promises. But today he’s saying that somebody is acting in bad faith. What is worse than that? You owe me about $259 million.
“Give me $60 million out of that for us to negotiate about the $2 million. And you are saying this is bad faith. We are faced with a challenge. We lack the working capital to resume operation or to continue operation.”
Source: citinewsroom.com/
News
CONFIRMED: GFP’s presidential candidate Akua Donkor passes on
A family source has confirmed that the presidential candidate of the Ghana Freedom Party, Akua Donkor has passed on.
She died on Monday night at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, according to the family source.
She first reported at the Nsawam Government Hospital in the Eastern Region with respiratory issues.
She was referred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital) in Accra.
She reportedly got to Ridge around 7pm and by 10pm on Monday, she was gone.
Madam Akua Donkor was personally present at an Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in Accra last two weeks, where she gained public attention for expressing her unhappiness with what she termed as derogatory comments about her qualifications as a presidential candidate for Election 2024.
She was particularly not happy with what she said was continuous derogatory remarks about her qualification as a presidential candidate, considering she was not educated in a school classroom.
Madam Akua Donkor founded the GFP in 2011 and got it registered in 2012.
This was after she attempted an election as an Assembly member a number of times and failed at her native Kwabre in the Ashanti Region.
In 2004, she filed to contest as a Member of Parliament at Kwabre East in the Ashanti Region and competed with the late Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, a former Judicial Secretary and former Ashanti Regional Minister.
After two unsuccessful elections in 2004 and 2008 as an MP, and determined to move her political career a notch higher, she moved up into the presidential race and formed the GFP in 2011.
She filed to contest the 2024 presidential elections on the ticket of the GFP and has been attending all IPAC meetings herself.
With her passing, her running mate in 2024 presidential election, Kwabena Agyeman Appiah Kubi known in the media as Roman Fada, is now expected to step into her shoes.
Source: www.graphic.com.gh
