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Physicians trained on principles of safe care for children

The participants

A three-day course which aims to provide physicians with refresher training in the essentials of paediatric and anaesthesia to deliver safe care to patients has taken off here.

The course emphasises the principles of safe care for children, in particular, assessment, vigilance and competence in essential skills.

About 40 physicians were selected from Ghana,The Gambia, Nigeria and Liberia.

It was organised by the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthetists(WFSA) in collaboration with Smile Train,world’s largest cleft foundation, Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland(AAGBI).

Dr. Adele Elizabeth King,Course Coordinator, in an interview, mentioned the importance of upholding International Standards for safe practices of anesthesia and paediatrics towards promoting patient safety.

According to the Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist, the International Standards had been developed on behalf of WFSA, and adherence to that would go a long way to ensure proper management of even emergency cases.

She said the training aimed at equipping participants with the essential skills and knowledge to deliver safe care to their patients, even in low-resource settings.

The participants,she said, were expected to train their colleagues in their various countries to ensure best practices in conformity with international standards.

“We want to make this training or education sustainable to ensure that the local people are able to deliver to save the local population…it is all about safe care for children”, she said.

Mrs. Nkeiruka Obi, Vice President and Regional Director,A frica of Smile Train, noted that children’s cases were bit complicated and there was the need for adequate and special care for them.

She said the course was very important because the participants would be in a better position to provide safe care for children in their various countries.

She appealed to the participants to do everything possible to train their colleagues in their respective countries.

She mentioned that by six months time, the first ever Centre of Excellence for Surgery of children with cleft lip and palate would be ready for use.

The six-storey Centre, constructed at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, would be the first of its kind in the whole of Africa to provide corrective surgery for children with cleft lip and palate.

From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi

News

Ex-GIIF CEO and Prof. Ameyaw-Ekumfi charged over $2m Sky Train fiasco

The Attorney General’s Office has formally charged former Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) CEO Solomon Asamoah and ex-board chairman Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Ekumfi for their roles in the controversial Accra Sky Train project, which allegedly cost the state $2 million without authorisation.

The charges, filed today at the High Court (Criminal Division), include wilfully causing financial loss to the state under the Criminal Offences Act, conspiracy to commit crime through intentional dissipation of public funds, and intentional dissipation of public funds under the Public Property Protection Decree.

Prosecutors allege that in February 2019, the accused authorised a $2 million payment from GIIF to Africa Investor Holdings Limited for preliminary work on the Sky Train project – a system that was never built. The payment was reportedly made without proper board approval.

The Sky Train project, initiated in 2018 as a public-private partnership for an urban rail system in Accra, involved a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Railways Development, Africa Investor Holdings, and GIIF. However, investigations revealed the $2 million disbursement lacked proper due diligence and violated GIIF’s governance protocols.

Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine stated the accused acted outside their mandate, causing significant financial harm to the state. “The payment was unauthorised, and the project never materialised. This is a clear case of financial misconduct,” the filing stated.

The case will proceed in the High Court, with the AG’s office indicating some GIIF board members have agreed to testify as prosecution witnesses.

This prosecution forms part of the government’s broader crackdown on financial malfeasance, following earlier warnings of pending charges in the Sky Train and NSS ghost names scandals.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

News

Interdict Sammy Gyamfi immediately to allow for investigations – NPP urges Mahama

The National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, has called on President John Mahama to immediately interdict Mr Sammy Gyamfi from his role as acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), to allow for investigations into his conduct following his public gifting of dollars to a self-lifestyle preacher.

The incident in question occurred on Saturday, May 10, 2025, when Mr Gyamfi was seen in widely circulated videos gifting bundles of US dollars to controversial evangelist Nana Agradaa while seated in his Range Rover.

Speaking at a news conference held by the party on Tuesday, May 13, Mr Boakye emphasised the need for consistency in leadership and accountability, pointing to recent controversies involving senior public officials.

“We also call on the President to immediately interdict Mr Sammy Gyamfi as acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board — or at least, he should interdict him pending the conduct of the investigation by the criminal investigation authorities of the state,” Boakye said.

Drawing a sharp comparison with a previous incident involving former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah, Boakye noted that Madam Dapaah was compelled to resign after reports emerged of large sums of money allegedly stolen from her residence, despite her long-standing public service and reputable family background.

“We cannot but remember when huge sums of money were reported to have been stolen from the residence of Madam Cecilia Dapaah, a woman who had worked in high places for over forty years before the incident — an MP since 2001, a deputy minister and a minister — married to a well-known, wealthy architect and consultant with nearly sixty years’ experience,” he remarked.

Boakye highlighted that under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Madam Dapaah stepped aside promptly, enabling thorough investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

“Investigations were duly conducted by the OSP against Madam Cecilia Dapaah and her husband after what the OSP described as seven months of extensive investigation and four months of collaborative inquiry,” he added.

The NPP is now demanding similar action from President Mahama in the interest of transparency, good governance, and public trust.

Source: Myjoyonline.com