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Menstruation is natural, normal phase of life …School children told on Menstrual Hygiene Day
Naa Amaley Tesaa (I) addressing the audience
Four institutions have collaborated to mark this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day with a short celebration at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral in Accra.
These are the Ga Mantse Foundation, Adwinsa Publications and the Father Campell SVD Foundation under the auspices of His Royal Majesty (HRM) King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse and President of the Ga Traditional Council.
It was celebrated under the theme ‘Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030.’
The Day, which falls on May 28, is to break taboos and increase public understanding of the value of proper management of menstrual hygiene (MHM).
In a speech delivered on behalf of the Ga Mantse, Queen Mother Naa Ameley Tesaa I of the Teiko Tsuru We Abola emphasised that menstruation is a normal and natural part of life and should never be a barrier to one’s goals, aspirations, or education. She also advised the young girls to accept this stage of life with dignity.
She added that the Ga Mantse Foundation was dedicated to raising awareness and education to empower young women and girls.
“I want to urge each and every one of you to learn about menstrual hygiene, support one another and advocate for gender equality. Your understanding and support will pave the way for a healthier and well informed community,” she said.
Dr. Evelyn Tawiah, a retired medical professional, said that eradicating the stigma associated with menstruation was imperative, and that menstrual hygiene day should be observed.
“It is time to make menstruation normal so that it will not be like when one is menstruating, she cannot go to school or go somewhere,” the speaker continued, adding that it was time to normalise menstruation as a part of daily life.
According to Ms. Joyce Akyere Adu, a representative of Adwinsa Publications, a company that supports children’s education, menstruation was taboo in the community and rarely discussed.
She added that the company has been sponsoring such programmes for the past six years and felt compelled to support the celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day.
She urged young people, parents in particular, to stay in strong relationships with their children and teach them self-care techniques instead of allowing their wards to feel that having a period is a social taboo.
Offering her perspective, Ms. Heritage 2023 Francisca Agama advised the teenagers on self-care, saying, “If you do not like bathing, ensure to bathe at least twice in a day when you are menstruating.”
She also reminded them to properly dispose of their used pads by packing them in a polythene bag rather than flushing them down the toilet.
She advised the young girls to get enough of exercise, eat a lot of fruits, drink lots of water, and get adequate sleep when they experience menstrual cramps.
By Elizabeth Agyeibea Ackon
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Youth urged to take proactive stance on ozone depletion
•Mr Joseph Amankwah, first counting from, some officials from EPA and UNDP in group picture with the student
Mr Joseph Amankwah, the Director of Ozone Layer and Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has urged the youth to take a proactive stance on issues related to ozone depletion, emphasising that their future would be most affected by its consequences.
Speaking during a student engagement event at the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, he highlighted the critical role young people played in tackling climate-related challenges.
Mr Amankwah explained that human activities, such as the use of certain chemicals, were significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and driving climate change.
He said it was important to educate the youth on these issues, encouraging them to share this knowledge with their families to foster a broader understanding and active participation in climate action.
He urged the education sector to integrate lessons on the ozone layer, the causes of its depletion, and its links to climate change into the curriculum.
The event, organised by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to foster environmental awareness and promote a sense of responsibility among young people.
Mr Amankwah noted that ozone layer depletion was affecting everyone, including children, as it alters weather patterns and threatens the natural environment.
He highlighted the need for young people to develop ‘green skills’ to adapt to the challenges of climate change and to understand ways to combat it.
He added that World Ozone Day, observed every September, would focus on youth engagement in environmental issues, to help them understand the long-term consequences of ozone depletion and climate change.
Mr Amankwah also discussed the harmful impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major chemical contributor to ozone depletion.
He explained that household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners were common sources of CFC emissions in Ghana.
Many uncertified technicians work on these appliances, often releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere due to improper handling, he noted.
To address this, he urged appliance repairers to obtain proper certification and training, emphasising that unqualified repairs not only harm the environment but also endangered public health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman,
Koforidua
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Small-scale miners schooled on health hazards of mining with mercury
Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants
Some Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in the Ashanti and Central regions have been sensitised on the potential health dangers humans are exposed to with the use of mercury in gold processing.
The sensitisation which was organised by PlanetGOLD Ghana project was to raise awareness about the negative impacts on the use of mercury in mining activities.
According to the PlanetGOLD Ghana Project Coordinator, Mr Lovelace Sarpong, the use of mercury in artisanal small-scale mining pose health challenges that affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys; and may be fatal.
Some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that benefited from the exercise were Amansie Central, Asante Akim North, Amansie South, Amansie West, Bekwai, and Adansi North in the Ashanti Region, and Upper Denkyira East (Dunkwa-on-Offin) and Upper Denkyira West (Diaso) in the Central Region.
Additionally, he said inorganic salts of mercury were corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
He stated that the PlanetGOLD Project has conducted several initiatives to raise awareness on reducing mercury exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold mining actors in the country.
It was to promote mercury-free mining practices in line with Ghana’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, support the formalisation of the ASGM sector while advocating the adoption of the CRAFT Code and responsible supply chains, and raise awareness on the availability of mercury-free alternatives.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area Head for Konongo, Mr Dawood Abbas, underscored the importance of government’s environmental regulations and EPA’s role in ensuring compliance within the ASGM sector.
He encouraged miners to prioritise environmental stewardship to gain community trust and secure a Social License to Operate (SLO) and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to enforce its commitments under the Minamata Convention.
BY Cecilia Lagba Yada
