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Provide children with education, protect them from early sex …Gender expert urges parents in UWR
Madam Charity Bature (with microphone), addressing the community members
The Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Charity Bature, has called on parents to take responsibility for their wards to help prevent teenage pregnancy and school dropout.
She said parents were responsible for providing for their children in terms of food, clothing, and shelter; however, some parents rather encouraged their wards to go outside and provide for themselves, which in some cases leads to teenage pregnancy.
Madam Charity Bature made the call at a community engagement on Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) organised by the Club of Children and Youth in Broadcasting (CYIB-Curious Minds) in partnership with Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Funds (UNICEF) at Kagu in the Wa Municipality.
She said the high increase in school dropouts was worrying, and parents needed to take action to ensure children became responsible as they grew.
Madam Charity Bature urged parents and community leaders to encourage their pregnant girls to go back to school after delivery to carve a better future for themselves and their babies.
“Let’s own up to our responsibilities as parents and train our children to become successful in the future. We need to have time to educate our girl child at home. When you have no time for the child, the child becomes infl uenced by peers and, in the end, becomes pregnant and a school dropout,” she said.
She stressed the need for parents to desist from marrying off their children and rather provide them with education and also protect them from early sex.
She encouraged young people, especially women and children, to speak up on issues that affected them.
She advised girls in the community to take their education very seriously and urged the chiefs to strengthen measures to curb the menace of school dropouts.
The Project Coordinator of CYIB-Curious Minds, Mr. Kingsley Obeng-Kyereh, said the engagement sought to create a platform to interact with children, parents, and community leaders to understand their challenges and also educate them on the need to be responsible for their children.
He said the best role model for a child was the parents, and he urged parents to live an exemplary life for their wards to emulate.
Mr. Kingsley Obeng-Kyereh said lack of parental care for children was one of the causes of teenage pregnancies and child marriage and encouraged parents to double their efforts in catering for their children to help curb the situation.
He said Curious Minds sought to ensure that children and youth were well informed and participated in decision-making on issues affecting them by sharing information, building partnerships, and generating knowledge.
From Rafia Abdul Razak, Wa
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GBBF assistant treasurer, Aurora Commodore-Toppar eyes GOC Treasure slot at Elective Congress on Saturday
The Assistant treasurer of the Ghana Basketball Federation (GBBF), Madam Aurora Commodore-Toppar, has set her sights on becoming the next assistant treasurer of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) at the upcoming Elective Congress on Saturday.
The daughter of the former Chief Executive Officer of Accra Hearts of Oak, Mr. Emmanuel Martey Commodore-Mensah, will be vying for the position against Bernard Quartey of the Ghana Boxing Federation and Edward Patrick Nii Lante Banerman of the Handball Association of Ghana.
Having had her nomination approved by the GOC’s Electoral Commission, the well-seasoned banker, with over 15 years of rich working experience, believes she is well-suited and positioned to help structure the finances of this esteemed organisation.
In a chat with Spectator Sports, the captain of the bronze-winning 2024 University of Ghana basketball team at the 11th African University Games in Zaire, Nigeria, revealed her commitment to effective and accurate financial management, growth, and development of all associated sports federations.
She said, “I am committed to the growth of the GOC, and I want to offer my financial knowledge to aid in ensuring that the GOC operates with the highest standards of financial governance and set-up.”
According to her, the mission is to help promote the GOC’s agenda widely, and having served for over two decades in sports—especially basketball—in various capacities and roles, she believes this experience will help protect the GOC’s finances.
“If elected as assistant treasurer, I will do my utmost, together with the treasurer, to manage the GOC’s finances, including accounting and financial reporting among others,” she added.
According to her, “Accurate financial record-keeping has been a problem across the board; I will help eradicate this issue.”
Aurora Commodore-Toppar stands for transparency, hard work, and an inclusive work culture, she further added.
The former Aburi Girls’ Secondary School basketball team captain has played pivotal roles in improving sports in the country—especially basketball—including being a member of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2023 Africa Games, an LOC member for the recently concluded Hoop Rave SHS competition, a project lead for FIBA’s “Her World, Her Rules” initiative, chair for the 2024 Fetu Afahye Basketball Tournament, and founder of the Stomp De Yard Basketball Tournament, among others.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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113 Cardinals hold 3rd General Congregation in Rome
The 113 Cardinals present in Rome held the third General Congregation on Thursday morning, and announced who will deliver the two pre-conclave meditations.
The Cardinals decided that Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández will celebrate the Mass on the sixth day of the Novemdiales, instead of Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
They agreed that Fr. Donato Ogliari, O.S.B., Abbot of St. Paul Outside the Walls, will deliver the first meditation on Monday, and that Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher Emeritus of the Papal Household, will deliver the second meditation at the beginning of the conclave, whose starting date has not yet been decided.
The Cardinals began a conversation about the Church and the world, deciding to hold the next General Congregation on Friday morning at 9:00 AM.
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told journalists that 61,000 people have paid their respects to the late Pope Francis as of 1:00 PM on Thursday, adding that St. Peter’s Basilica should close at midnight on Thursday, unless large crowds are still queuing to enter.
Following the Pope’s funeral on Saturday, April 26, a Rosary will be held in front of the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Saturday at 9:00 PM.
Mr. Bruni said the burial service for Pope Francis will take place in private.
Starting the morning of Sunday, April 27, the faithful may begin to visit the tomb of Pope Francis at the Marian Basilica.
