News
School building collapses on pupils
A pupil of the Sumborun Basic School in the Sissala East Municipality suffered a head injury, after a log from their classroom shed fell on them, following the collapse of the building on the children.
Checks by the GNA revealed that the affected pupil, Zaachi Hanawu, a primary one pupil, had since been treated and discharged from the community clinic.
Mr Dangor File, the Assemblyman of the Sumboru electoral area, told the GNA that the school’s structure, which had been under construction by the Northern Development Authority (NDA) had stalled for the last four years.
He said the pupils, aged between six and eight, participated in the re-construction of the classroom sheds, to save them from the harsh weather conditions, because their parents refused to participate in the constant ritual of repairs whenever school resumed from vacation, claiming they were occupied with their farming activities.
Mr Dangor stated that unfortunately, while gathering tree branches and other leaves to cover the uncompleted structure, one of the logs fell on a pupil, injuring her on the head, whilst others sustained minor injuries.
Mr Fuseini Batong Yakubu, the Sisalla East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), confirmed that he had earlier sought NDA’s assistance to complete some abandoned projects in the area, which included the three-unit classroom block in Sumborun, which was yet to be roofed and stocked for the school.
He said the uncompleted projects dotted around the Municipality included a doctor’s bungalow and maternity ward at Welembelle, the Banu Police post, Lilixia Kindergarten block, the Dangi classroom block, a three-unit classroom block at Dolunbizon, the Bujan maternity ward, Kuroboi CHIPs compound and the Challu community centre. –GNA
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
