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Couple jailed for human trafficking

A 40-year-old fishmonger and her 63-year-old fiance (boyfriend) a fisherman, have been convicted and jailed by a Ho High Court for child trafficking.

The fishmonger, Madam Aku Kedevi would spend 10 years in prison whist her boyfriend, Mr. Michael Boti would also spend eight years behind bars.

The convicts are said to have earned a “lot of income” from their illegal business of trafficking children aged between nine and 16 years from one village to another in the Volta Region and “rented” them out to engage in fishing and selling of fish to the detriment of their education.

Though they pleaded not guilty to the offences of conspiracy and human trafficking, the court presided by Mr Justice Eric Baah, a Supervising High Court Judge, found their conduct quite reprehensible and jailed them accordingly after a full trial.

The court again ordered Madam Kedevi and Mr Boti (convicts) to pay GH¢ 5,000.00 to each of the nine victims (children) for subjecting them to inhuman treatment and also denying them their right to education.

The arrest of the two lovebirds stemmed from a phone call by one of the trafficked children who was sent to take a mobile phone to someone in the community and took advantage of the errand to call his aunt at Wegbe and narrated the ordeal he and his younger brother of nine years were going through leading to their rescue.

A State Attorney, Mr Andrews D. Adugu told the court that Madam Kedevi and Mr. Boti were residents of Kpoviedzi and Akpokiife island respectively who, between 2015 and 2017 succeeded in trafficking nine children including a Nigerian and two girls from their homes to locations far away to work on the Volta Lake and outside the lake.

According to the State Prosecutor, the convicts exploited the children by collecting huge sums of money from some fishermen and fishmongers before releasing the children to work for them on and outside the Volta Lake.

Mr Adugu, said that in one instance, Madam Kedevi convinced the uncle of a 15-year-old boy who was attending school at Wegbe, near Hohoe, to allow him to come and spend his holidays with her at Ehi in the Ketu North District.

The prosecution said that Kedevi then took the boy to Ehi for some days before transporting him to Boti at Akpoklikofe, near Kete-Krachi, under the pretext of buying text books for him but instead collected an amount of GH¢ 4,000.00 from Boti under an agreement that the boy would work for him for five years.

The prosecution stated that after collecting the money, Kedevi then sneaked out, leaving the boy behind. The next day, the victim was forced into fishing and worked on daily basis for three years.

As if that was not enough, Madam Kedevi later brought the nine-year-old brother of the victim to the same place where he was also forced into enslaved labour.

The prosecution said that Madam Kedevi again recruited seven children between the ages of nine and 16 from Ehi to Boti at Akpoklikofe to work as fishermen and fishmongers.

However, on May 16, 2018, the police, acting on intelligence, carried out an operation and rescued two of the children on the island who gave out information leading to the rescue of the other children.

All the children told the police that, Kedevi convinced their parents that she would send them to school and look after them.

The prosecution said that Kedevi in her caution statement admitted that she recruited the children from Ehi for the fishing business at Akpoklikofe but said that she did so with the consent of their parents. This was corroborated by the second convict, Mr Boti.

From Alberto Mario Noretti, Ho

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Zipline, GHS reduce maternal mortality in Ashanti Region by 56.4% – Study

A recent impact assessment study on aerial logistics to improve maternal health and emergencies has revealed a remarkable reduction in maternal mortality by 56.4% in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Zipline and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

This was revealed at the National Ghana Health Service Research Conference organized by the Ghana Health Service in partnership with Zipline. The study, which focused on the impact of aerial logistics in healthcare, also noted a 19.9% increase in antenatal visits and a 25% rise in in-facility births, signaling a significant boost in maternal health outcomes.

The success according to the study is attributed to the on-demand availability of blood and essential medical supplies provided by Zipline’s innovative drone delivery system. This consistent access to critical resources has increased patient confidence in the healthcare system, encouraging more mothers to seek necessary care throughout their pregnancies.

Speaking on the highlight of the study, the Research Officer at Ashanti Regional Health Directorate stated, “the significant decrease in maternal mortality we’ve seen is a clear indication of the vital role that reliable access to medical supplies plays in healthcare. The ability to deliver blood and essential medicines exactly when they’re needed has transformed how mothers in the Ashanti Region perceive and engage with the healthcare system.”

“It’s an achievement that speaks to the importance of introducing technology in healthcare delivery. Mothers now feel more confident in seeking care, knowing that they will receive the support they need throughout their pregnancies,”he stated.

The study examined data from 191 health facilities, including hospitals, health centers, and Community-based Health and Planning Services (CHPS) Compounds. Among these, 99 facilities were served by Zipline’s aerial logistics, while 91 were not. The research employed adjusted rates for various key indicators, such as antenatal consultations, emergency visits, referrals, live births, hysterectomies, maternal deaths, and neonatal deaths, as the main dependent variables.

The qualitative aspect of the study aimed to describe and analyze the changes in satisfaction levels among healthcare providers and patients, perceived quality of care in maternal health and emergencies, and experiences related to the use of aerial logistics. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 patients and 23 healthcare providers at the participating facilities.

Globally, maternal mortality remains a critical public health challenge, with stark disparities between high-income and low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of maternal deaths occur in LMICs, often due to preventable causes. In Ghana, particularly in the Ashanti Region, the problem is critical, reflecting the broader challenges faced across the African continent. Beyond this, socio-economic, geographic, and infrastructural factors intensify the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions to improve maternal health outcomes.

As maternal mortality continues to pose a challenge in low-to-middle-income countries, the success seen in Ghana’s Ashanti Region offers a promising model for other regions and nations striving to improve maternal health outcomes through innovative solutions.

Zipline is poised to continue leading the way in revolutionizing healthcare delivery, ensuring that every mother has access to the life-saving resources, no matter where she lives.

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Traders, ‘Okada’ riders take over Circle pavement

• Korle-Bu CEO with staff of Nivaansh MediQas

Activities of traders and drug addicts are contributing to make the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange (Circle) area very uncomfortable and unsafe for commuters.

Day in and out, pedestrians are ‘ejected’ from the pavement created for their safety as traders preferred to sell their wares on that space.

Staff of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) showcasing their work

That hinders the free movement of the pedestrians.

The small space left for the pedestrians are also shared with ‘Okada’ riders.

As if these woes are not enough for a commuter on a single day, they also have to navigate carefully to avoid clashes with drug addicts and the mentally challenged.