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Smoke from wood fuel harmful to pregnant women

• A woman smoking fish the traditional way

A woman smoking fish the traditional way

 The Sekyere South District Health Promotion Officer, Ashanti Region, Mr Joseph Aso­re, has warned that wood fuel smoke poses significant health risks, par­ticularly for vulnerable groups like pregnant women.

He said prolonged exposure to smoke from charcoal and firewood could increase the risk of low birth weight and infant mortality.

It could also exacerbate underlying health conditions such as asthma and lead to respiratory tract infections, reduced lung function and even heart failure.

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Speaking at the National Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) awareness and sensitisation campaign in Jamasi, Mr Asore said,” pregnant women are particularly at high risk, putting their lives and their unborn children at risk.”

”In most cases, it affects babies to the extent that it becomes visible in their weight. The normal weight of a newborn starts from 2.5kg, but due to these risks, some children are born weighing less, which has lasting implications for them from an early stage,“ he explained.

The national campaign, being executed in collaboration with the Oil Sustainability Programme (OSP), an initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Energy, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), and Digicraft Advertising/Brand Man­agement, includes market sensitisa­tion, community durbar and town-hall meetings.

A community durbar was held at the Jamasi Community Centre, where participants were urged to support the initiative.

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Speaking at the event, the Assis­tant Headmaster of Administration at Adu Gyamfi Senior High School and Chairman of the occasion, Mr Emmanuel Eshun, praised the NPA’s CRM, calling it a valuable opportu­nity.

“This initiative allows you to easily exchange your old cylinder for a new filled cylinder at an exchange point, making it a hassle-free process that benefits everyone.”

He said smoke from wood fuel was harmful to pregnant women, calling on all to use LPG.

The Twafohene of Jamasi, Nana Kofi, expressed his appreciation to the NPA and partners for bringing the awareness to Jamasi and its envi­rons.

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“We thank all of you for bringing this durbar to Jamasi. Our forests have been severely damaged by fires, and we welcome the introduction of gas as a safer alternative for cook­ing, which I believe will help protect our forests and environment,” he added.

In a presentation on CRM, a Su­pervisor from the Gas Directorate of the NPA, Johnson Gbagbo Jnr, gave comprehensive insights into CRM and shed more light on the policy.

Addressing the challenge of access­ing gas refilling stations in Jamasi and why CRM was necessary, he said “since there’s no gas refilling station in Jamasi, people travel to Agona to refill their cylinders and incur trans­portation cost.

The NPA and, by extension, the government has introduced this scheme to bring gas closer to you all. Under this scheme, the exchange points will be at various strategic centres for you to have easy access to gas without spending much or no money at all on transport.”

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A short drama was performed to highlight the health risks associated with continuous inhalation of smoke and the need for residents to take immediate action in embracing the CRM and adopting the safe use of LPG.

The Ghana National Fire Service conducted a demonstration on the appropriate actions to take in the event of an LPG-related incident.

The team concluded the regional campaign with a town-hall meet­ing in Bekwai and interacted with vendors, drivers, and residents in the Kumasi Metropolis, emphasising the importance of safe LPG use and the essence of the CRM.

Addressing consumers at a town-hall meeting in Bekwai, Head of Consumer Services at the NPA, Mrs Eunice Budu Nyarko, urged the public to regularly check the cylinder rub­ber seals (washers) around the valves and the connecting hoses to see if they were worn out or damaged.

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The hoses serve as the gas distri­bution line between the cylinder and the cooker.

She encouraged consumers not to repair damaged hoses and rubber seals (washers) by themselves but rather take the cylinders to nearest LPG dealers for a safety check and replacement.

Additionally, hoses should be se­cured with proper hose clips.

Mrs Nyarko urged the public to keep liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders outside the kitchen to pre­vent explosion and resultant injury, death and property damage.

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She said the cylinders should be placed on wooden platforms with roofs to prevent foot ring rusting or damaged from direct sunlight, rain and tampering. –GNA

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 Intake of ‘Gobe’ can prevent heart diseases —Nutritionists

Gari and beans is good for the heart
Gari and beans is good for the heart

Nutritionists have advised Ghanaians to eat more beans-based meals, including the popular local dish, gari and beans, also known as ‘Gobe’ to prevent heart diseases. They said incidenc­es of obesity and cancer could be minimised with the regular intake of beans meals.

At a programme in Accra to mark the World Pulses ( Beans) Day on Monday, Mr Wise Chukudi Letsa, Nu­tritionist and Dietician, who spoke on the topic: ‘Beans: The Super Food for Healthy Living and Healthy Farmlands,’ admonished Ghanaians to include beans in their diets.

Mr Letsa said beans was rich in protein, fibre, vitamins, miner­als, irons and other nutrients and contained just a little fat. Mr Letsa, a Nutritionist with Lets Consult, stated that the presence of those nutrients in beans explained why its intake could prevent heart diseases and other ailments, hence the need to consume it regularly.

The event, dubbed: ‘Meatless Monday’ was organised by the Com­munications Initiative for Change (CIC), a Ghanaian non-profit organ­isation.

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The ‘Meatless Monday’ is an initiative aimed at encouraging Ghanaians to reduce their intake of meat by taking in more beans-based meals on every Monday of a week.

It was launched after the United Nations in 2019, set aside Febru­ary 10 to celebrate and encourage the consumption of pulses (beans) worldwide. This year’s celebration was hinged on the theme: ‘Bringing Diversity to Agrifood Systems.’

Mr Peter Agbovi, National Secre­tary, Chefs Association of Ghana, said a variety of meals could be prepared with beans, which include Waakye (rice and beans), Kose (beans paste made into cakes), Ayikple, Aboboi, Tuo Zaafi, Akyeke, and kakro.

He encouraged Ghanaians to con­sume more of those foods to stay healthy.

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Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey, the Ex­ecutive Director, CIC, indicated that even if people could not eat beans-based meals regularly, efforts should be made to consume them every Monday.

He said that was the essence of the introduction of the ‘Meatless Monday’ initiative. -GNA

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 Restore beauty of Kwame Nkrumah Circle area / State of Kwame Nkrumah Circle an eyesore!

A homeless man sleeping in the sand close to the removed blocks
A homeless man sleeping in the sand close to the removed blocks

Small size quarry stones fixed at open spac­es under the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange was to leave the place open and free from activities of beggars and other activities of the homeless.

By the way the stones were fixed, it makes the area, particularly the VIP and Neoplan Station stretch of the Interchange, inhabit­able by the destitute.

But a walk through the area currently suggest the opposite.

At the median where pavement blocks have been taken over by these home­less and destitute, the area has been turned into a hotel where a number of these unfortunate ones have com­fortably laid their mattress­es and other stuff to rest from the day’s activities.

They have crossed over to the SSNIT and Kaneshie Station area with their activ­ities and have removed the quarry stones which were to ward them off the place to enable them find spaces to sleep comfortably.

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The pavement blocks re­moved from different loca­tions under the interchange now serves as foundations on which beds were laid and in some cases, mosquito nets erected.

Their continued pres­ence is not only creating a nuisance for commuters but marring the beauty and serenity of the place.

Sadly, the activities of these deprived fellows have been ignored while the numbers keep increasing day by day.

The Spectator finds the development very worrying and calls on the responsible authorities to clear the area to restore the beauty and serenity of the area.

 By Victor A. Buxton

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