News
Don’t politicise COVID-19 combat—MP
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ayawaso Central Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Henry Quartey, has cautioned against politicisation of governments effort in addressing threats posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to him, the disease was no respecter of persons and does not discriminate between the rich and the poor or party colours, and it behove on the citizenry to rally behind the government to win the war against the virus.
Mr Quartey cautioned yesterday when in collaboration with the Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to traders at the Mallam Atta Market in the constituency.
The items which include hand gloves, nose masks, hand washing soaps and hand sanitisers were to replenish the stock already supplied by the assembly a fortnight ago.
Mr Quartey, who is also the Deputy Minister for the Interior, indicated that “the constituency and the whole country will be the end losers if collective efforts are not made as a people with a common destiny to wage a united front and relentless war against the common enemy which is the virus”.
The devastating nature of the disease, the minister stated must not be taken for granted, and charged the residents especially the traders to strictly adhere to all existing precautionary measures and hygienic protocols to avoid contracting the virus.
“The devastating nature of the pandemic must not be taken for granted and I urge the constituents to complement governments effort by strictly adhering to all existing precautionary measures and hygienic protocols and also ensure that you stay at home when you do not have anything doing outside the comfort of your homes, we must tackle the pandemic head-on and defeat it once and for all.”
Mr Quartey admonished parents against allowing their children to loiter as they could easily contract the disease, and hinted of provision of more PPE supplies, and stated that the planned demolition of part of the market had been shelved.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Mohammed Quaye, urged the traders to ensure that the PPE are always used in their daily activities and also insisted that their patrons wash their hands before entering the market or buying anything from them.
By Lawrence Vomafa-Akpalu
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
