News
Don’t misuse ‘laughing gas’ – FDA cautions public
• Laughing gas is used in some pubs
The public has been cautioned against the misuse of Nitrous Oxide gas also known as ‘laughing gas’ due to its extremely hazardous effects.
Abusers of Nitrous Oxide gas are prone to suffocating and loss of consciousness whilst long-term recreational use (abusers) could also compromise the immune system, cause low blood pressure, heart attack and anaemia.
In a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) Ms Delese Mimi Darko, she said the misuse of the ‘laughing gas’ could also cause mental and neurological disorders (hand and foot numbness and limb spasms), depression and incontinence.
The Authority said its attention had been drawn to the abuse or misuse of Nitrous Oxide gas at nightclubs and parties in the forms of balloons and canisters to induce euphoria and laughter.
The FDA has thus strongly admonished nightclubs, pubs and party organisers to desist from the inappropriate use of Nitrous Oxide gas in their facilities. The public is also thereby urged to promptly report to the Authority on the abuse of Nitrous Oxide gas at such facilities.
The Authority has pledged to collaborate with other relevant stakeholder agencies to address the emerging safety concerns.
In the meantime, the FDA assures the public of its commitment in ensuring public health and safety through continuous public education, engagement and sensitisation of the public on the risks of substances of abuse.
According to the FDA, Nitrous Oxide gas is used as a propellent and a preservative in the food industry and as a medical anaesthetic analgesic.
By Spectator Reporter
News
Ghana-Colombia strengthens ties through diplomatic engagement
In an important diplomatic engagement, the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Daniel Garces Carabali paid a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, at his office in Accra to discuss some key areas of collaboration.
The meeting focused on pressing issues, including security, decongestion of Ghana’s prisons, prison reform programmes, training programmes, improving the welfare of prisoners and enhancing disaster management in the country.
The courtesy call underscores the growing bilateral ties between Ghana and Colombia, building on previous engagements, such as the visit of the Colombian Vice President to Ghana in 2023.
The meeting demonstrates the commitment of both nations to fostering cooperation and addressing shared challenges.
News
Ghana to host African Catholic Journalists from August 10
The Union Catholique Africaine de la Presse (UCAP), also known as the African Catholic Union of the Press, in collaboration with the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana (CAMP-G), is set to host its prestigious Triennial Congress from August 10 to 17 August, 2025.
The programme would be held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Legon, Accra, Ghana.
This landmark event, the most significant gathering of Catholic journalists in Africa, will bring together media professionals, researchers, and experts in digital technology from across the continent and beyond.
The theme for the Congress is: “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Congress Highlights
The UCAP Congress 2025 will feature discussions and deliberations on critical issues arising from or related to integral human development, particularly within the framework of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Some of the key sub-themes to be addressed include:Corporate Social Responsibility in Managing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Values, Deploying AI in Eco-friendly Business Start-ups in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges, Technology and the Reprogramming of Social Reality, Distortion of Reality in Social and Digital Media, Ecological Education and Action Against Unsustainable Exploitation of Natural Resources, and Media and the Promotion of the Recommendations of the Synod on Synodality in Africa.
Participants will include media professionals from both ecclesiastical and lay organisations, media researchers and academics, representatives from the Vatican, government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the digital technology sector.
Objectives of the Congress
The primary goal of this Congress is to strengthen the capacities of media professionals and educate the public on the necessity of preserving human values amid rapid technological progress. Specific objectives include; Training 100 media practitioners in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, with a focus on balancing innovation and human values.
This will include promoting ethics and bioethics in technical research and technological innovations through media.
Advocating for human values such as respect for life, human dignity, charity, solidarity, and human rights and assessing the impact of technological progress to better understand the challenges, risks, and opportunities presented by AI will be part of the objectives.
UCAP is a continental organisation dedicated to promoting communication within the Catholic Church and its partners in Africa. With a mission to foster spiritual growth, collaboration, and responsible journalism, UCAP works to spread the Gospel, uphold human values, and support developmental initiatives across Africa and beyond.
UCAP is an independent, autonomous, non-political, and non-profit organisation comprising African Catholic journalists, communicators, academics, researchers, and institutions in various media fields.
