News
Don’t hesitate to sign the passed Affirmative Action Bill- Della Sowah tells President Akuffo Addo
Member of Parliament for the people of Kpando and former Deputy Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Della Sowah has urged the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to append his signature to the passed Affirmative Action Bill without hesitation.
According to her, this would be an expression of interest by the President in issues regarding women.
The Parliament of Ghana on Tuesday passed the Affirmative Action, Gender Equity Bill 2024 after many years of consideration.
The purpose of the bill is to effectively address social, cultural, economic and political gender imbalances in the country, stemming from historical discrimination against women and persistent patriarchal socio-cultural systems and norms.
The bill also seeks to ensure gender equity in both the public and private sector.
Speaking to a section of the Media Della Sowah said that she doesn’t want to see this passed Bill end up like the others the President refused to sign.
She called on all well-meaning gender activists to constantly knock on the doors of the president to ensure that he appended his signature to the passed bill.
According to her, regardless of the state of the bill, it is a step in the right direction in addressing issues of inequalities amongst different genders.
The Member of Parliament added that it would ensure that a significant number of women hold key positions in governance, public life, and decision-making, ultimately improving the lives of women across the country.
Della Sowah commended Parliament for the good work done in their quest to create a just society to liberate and elevate women to their rightful place in society.
She also thanked the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for his guidance and role, adding that without him it wouldn’t have been possible.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
News
GFP founder Akua Donkor passes on
Akua Donkor
The founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Madam Akua Donkor, has passed away.
She died at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on Monday, October 28 at 72.
Reports gathered by The Spectator indicated that she was diagnosed with respiratory issues at the Nsawam Government Hospital and was referred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital where she died.
Known for her spirited presence in Ghanaian politics, Akua Donkor was a staunch advocate for the rights of farmers and women.
Her bold and outspoken demeanour enabled her to capture public attention and significantly impact the grassroots communities she aimed to represent.
Throughout her political journey, she distinguished herself by running for the presidency multiple ti mes, demonstrating remarkable resilience despite financial challenges.
Akua Donkor was listed as the third candidate on the ballot for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Her political career began with her election as the Assemblywoman for Herman in the Ashanti region, and she made her first bid for the presidency in 2012 as an independent candidate.
She was, however, disqualified by the Electoral Commission in 2012 and 2016 for the reason that she did not meet the eligibility requirements.
News
Stop using breast enhancing creams …they expose females to breast cancer
Mrs Enyonam Abiti making a presentation
Women have been cautioned to stop using of breast enhancing creams which is said to contain estrogen, predisposing them to the breast cancer disease.
Using such creams over time increases estrogen levels in patrons of such products thereby exposing them to the disease.
Estrogen is a type of sex hormone responsible for development and regulation of female reproductive system and secondary sex chart.
Mrs Enyonam Abiti, a medical officer at Madina Pentecost Hospital, said this at a day’s seminar and breast cancer awareness creation day at Sunyani in the Bono Region.
The programme, organised by the Bono Regional office of COCOBOD, forms part of activities to mark this year’s World Breast Cancer Day celebrations held every year in October.
Some staff of COCOBOD and women in cocoa farming used the opportunity to have their breast screened.
Mrs Abiti during a presentation revealed that one in every eight women was diagnosed of breast cancer while 1 from 1,000 men contract the disease.
She noted that early detection and regular screening was the surest way to salvage the situation.
She mentioned that habits such as excessive smoking and alcohol intake predisposes women to breast cancer.
Moreover, she added that people advanced in age, past history, past ovarian cancer case as well as young girls that menstruate early, among others stands the risk of contracting the disease.
The Bono Regional Administrator of COCOBOD, Michael Paddy Kwesi Asumanu, stated that the decision to organise the breast screening was to ensure that women in cocoa farming were healthy at all times to go about their farming activities in order to increase productivity.
“We don’t want a situation where our women in cocoa farming are infected with breast cancer disease to jeopardise the cocoa sector,” he said.
According him, the Regional Office of COCOBOD in partnership with the Bono Regional Teaching hospital would organised screening for about 4,000 women on October 31, 2024 at Goaso in the Ahafo Region.
The move, he said, was part of their corporate social responsibility towards women as the world mark breast cancer awareness creation this month.
Some of the women who spoke to The Spectator commended COCOBOD for the gesture and called on other institutions of state to emulate the example.
The organisers later held a float on the principal streets of Sunyani to create awareness on the breast cancer disease.
From Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani
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