News
Philanthropist supports 700 people to get NHIS card
A philanthropist, Mr Mickydary Yakubu has financed over 700 Ghanaians to obtain the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card at a total cost of GHC 28.320.00.
The cost included the registration fee, transportation fare from their localities to where the NHIS cards were issued, and hotel accommodation.
The beneficiaries are from Jamasi in the Ashanti Region, Zaagum, Yuga, Yakura, in the North East Region, and Douri in the Upper East Region respectively.
Mr Mickydary Yakubu who is also the Founder of Maloa Foundation, Ghana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which assisted the poor people during the COVID-19 lock down, said he was moved to go to the aid of people who were living in poverty and could not afford the cost involved to obtain the NHIS card.
He said despite its immense benefits, there were many people who could not afford the means to obtain the NHIS card.
Mr Yakubu explained that since the NHIS issuing centres were not located in the towns where the beneficiaries lived, it became difficult for these people who were mostly peasant farmers to obtain the card from their own resources.
He said, ” I always want to put smiles on the faces of people who naturally would not have the means to repay for the services received.”
Mr Yakubu said there was nothing more refreshing than to reach out to the less privileged in society.
He said people should not be self-centered, but try to think about the welfare of others in dire need of vital support to make life more meaningful.
Mr Yakubu said he started the project to prepare NHIS cards for people in 2016 and was still poised to continue to lend his support to the vulnerable.
He intimated that he had planned a mammoth blood donation exercise to be held at Hohoe in the Volta Region to support the National Blood Bank.
Mr Yakubu said his objective was to help cultivate the habit in the citizens to willingly donate blood to save lives.
By Raymond Kyekye
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