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‘Prioritise children’s diet to prevent malnutrition’
Dr Ankrah
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Arise Foods Limited, Dr. Nana AchiaaAnkrah,has identified the poor dieting among children as a contributory factor that affect the development of children and leads to nutritional deficiencies.
According to the pharmacist, it is essential to provide children with appropriate nutrition at the right times and in proper proportions to foster their complete growth and well-being.
In her opinion, the food a child consumes could serve as either the safest and essential medicine or could even be poison.
Speaking to The Spectator, Dr. Ankrah emphasised the importance of closely monitoring the nutritional benefits in a child’s diet, as it holds the potential to curb malnutrition.
She mentioned iron, calcium, zinc, and protein as key nutritional values to consider when preparing a child’s meal.
Highlighting iron as an essential nutritional benefit, the pharmacist said iron aids in the production of haemoglobin (blood), which supports brain function.
She said iron helps maintain a healthy immune system, increases energy production, and reduces fatigue.
Dr. Ankrah explained that calcium plays a crucial role in building strong bones and teeth, contributing to proper muscle function.
Calcium, she said, aids in blood clotting, hormone secretion, and various enzyme activities within the human system.
The pharmacist mentioned that, zinc plays a role in promoting general immune health and facilitating wound healing, while also contributing to the maintenance of healthy skin.
“Most importantly, zinc aids in metabolism and contributes to normal growth and development of children,” Dr. Ankrah expressed.
Describing protein as a nutritional benefit, Dr. Ankrah said it helps in the growth and repair of body tissues, healthy muscles, skin, hair, and nails.
She said protein supports the production of enzymes, hormones, and antibodies that help maintain a healthy immune system.
By Alfred Ankrah
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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
