News
Phase one of nationwide voter registration exercise – the twists and turns
After a long tussle of the political parties over whether or not the Electoral Commission (EC) should compile a new voters register, the exercise finally took off across the country on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
Phase one of the exercise, which is expected to last six days, progressed steadily in some areas whilst some registration centres encountered technical hitches.
As expected, some residents queued at dawn for the exercise with the hope of going home with their cards on time. However, technical delays caused some people to stay longer than anticipated.
A major concern was how officials were going to ensure safety during the exercise while controlling participants amid the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Though some registrants adhered to social distancing and other safety protocols at the designated centres, those who monitored the commencement of the exercise observed that other individuals threw caution to the wind.
Officials, as promised, had put in place the necessary safety measures ahead of the exercise but observers said non-compliance of social distancing guidelines was evident at some centres.
Of course, thermometer guns were available to arrest those with extremely high temperatures and suspected symptoms of COVID-19.
Our photographer, Ms Lizzy Okai, was at some registration centres in the Ablekuma West Constituency in Accra, where no major incidents were recorded at the time of her visit.
The long queues were obvious but registration officers performed their duties without hindrance. Special seats were made available to the aged as the exercise proceeded. Majority of those spotted at the centre wore nose masks, and were patient enough for their turn.
Despite initial concerns, some registrants expressed satisfaction about the exercise as they walked home with their new voter identification cards.
Those who were yet to take part in the exercise, however, urged the authorities to fix the challenges ahead of the second round of the exercise scheduled from August 1 to August 6, 2020.
By Spectator Reporter
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