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Schools are not re-opening now… consultations are ongoing on easing restrictions – Info Minister
The government has clarified that it has no plans of re-opening schools anytime soon until it has exhausted all consultations there is, to ensure a safe environment for both students and teachers.
The Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah debunking reports that government intends to re-open educational institutions that have remained shut since March this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, maintained that, “what we are doing is consultation on what it takes to re-open schools.”
“If there has been a misspeak anywhere, just to put it in its right context, we are not re-opening schools. Rather, we are holding consultations as part of the potential easing of the general restrictions that we are living under,” he stressed.
The Minister who made the statement at a press briefing in Accra yesterday used the opportunity to elicit a national conversation on how to get life back to normal amidst dealing with the global pandemic.
According to him, “the world is realising that measures like lockdowns and restrictions cannot continue in perpetuity and we would have to learn to live with the new normal.”
Thus, government needed broader views from the citizenry to make a firm decision moving forward, for the benefit of all, while ensuring that gains made in the fight against COVID-19 were not disrupted.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah who took notice of the rising public sentiments on whether or not to allow students back to school advised that “we channel these apprehensions and worries towards answering the question; what does it take, what should be the indication of the good time, what would be the best way to protect teachers, non-teachers and students if we are to open up at some point?”.
“The government believes that as a nation we can do many things if we put our mind to it and we invite the nation to engage in this conversation looking at the fact that there is no vaccine, we do not know when exactly one will be validated and we will have to live with this,” he said.
Touching on the Madagascar COVID-19 cure, Mr Nkrumah reiterated that government had not received the drug yet contrary to media reports claiming so.
“The reports that Ghana has requested for or that we have received and we are testing a cure from Madagascar is incorrect. What we have said is that they have reached out to us as they have done with many other countries and what we will do is to test it.
“We will take it through the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Centre for Plant Medicine before making a decision on it,” he said.
Many teacher unions and educational organisations have warned against the re-opening of schools should President Akufo-Addo decide not to extend the 31st May deadline on ban on social gatherings.
According to the groups, conditions are not rife for the safe reopening of schools given that the spread of COVID-19 remains very exponential in the country.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
Entertainment
Demolition of Fantasy Dome unfair — Mark Okraku-Mantey
Months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction at the Ghana International Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, has expressed concern over the manner the facility was destroyed.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with Andy Dosty, Mr Okraku-Mantey criticised the handling of the dome’s dismantling, suggesting that it could have been done without causing damage.
“I don’t think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. The structure was a prefab but I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it. It is unfair to him (owner). Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad,” he stated.
When asked about any punitive measure against the workers responsible for the destruction, Mr Okraku-Mantey clarified that the Trade Fair does not fall under his ministry.
He said he had previously contacted the owner, Leslie Quaynor, to discuss relocating the dome, and even suggested the National Museum as a potential site, though it was too small.
The demolition of the 20,000-seater Fantasy Dome occurred on March 16, 2024.
According to Dr Agnes Adu, CEO of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, the action was taken after multiple notices were given to Quaynor to vacate the premises for redevelopment, as per their tenancy agreement.
Dr Adu noted that all previous tenants had complied except for the Fantasy Dome.
Quaynor, in an interview with JoyNews, confirmed that his lease had ended, and was in the process of relocating the dome.
He had requested an extension, which was denied, leading him to seek a writ and an injunction from an Accra High Court to halt the demolition.
Despite this, the demolition proceeded, causing significant damage to the structure.
Quaynor described the incident as a major setback, not only for his business but also for the entertainment industry, which relies on venues like the Fantasy Dome.
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Youth urged to take proactive stance on ozone depletion
•Mr Joseph Amankwah, first counting from, some officials from EPA and UNDP in group picture with the student
Mr Joseph Amankwah, the Director of Ozone Layer and Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has urged the youth to take a proactive stance on issues related to ozone depletion, emphasising that their future would be most affected by its consequences.
Speaking during a student engagement event at the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, he highlighted the critical role young people played in tackling climate-related challenges.
Mr Amankwah explained that human activities, such as the use of certain chemicals, were significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and driving climate change.
He said it was important to educate the youth on these issues, encouraging them to share this knowledge with their families to foster a broader understanding and active participation in climate action.
He urged the education sector to integrate lessons on the ozone layer, the causes of its depletion, and its links to climate change into the curriculum.
The event, organised by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to foster environmental awareness and promote a sense of responsibility among young people.
Mr Amankwah noted that ozone layer depletion was affecting everyone, including children, as it alters weather patterns and threatens the natural environment.
He highlighted the need for young people to develop ‘green skills’ to adapt to the challenges of climate change and to understand ways to combat it.
He added that World Ozone Day, observed every September, would focus on youth engagement in environmental issues, to help them understand the long-term consequences of ozone depletion and climate change.
Mr Amankwah also discussed the harmful impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major chemical contributor to ozone depletion.
He explained that household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners were common sources of CFC emissions in Ghana.
Many uncertified technicians work on these appliances, often releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere due to improper handling, he noted.
To address this, he urged appliance repairers to obtain proper certification and training, emphasising that unqualified repairs not only harm the environment but also endangered public health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman,
Koforidua
