News
Street Academy supports over 4,000 children to school with learning material
A section of the children receiving their books
Street Academy, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has presented over 4,000 learning materials to more than 400 pupils in Accra to motivate them to learn as they return to school.
The learning materials, worth over GH¢45,000.00 include exercise books, pens, pencils, erasers, among others.
It was supported by Nii Boi Abbey and Ms Melani Lea Mennella, a Human Rights lawyer and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Seapro Trade.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ataa Lartey, Executive Director of the Street Academy, said the support was in line with the institution’s mission to use education, culture, and sports to expose the hidden talents of the less fortunate children living on the streets of Accra.
He said the books would also serve as motivation for the pupils to remain committed to education and “know that someone cares and loves them.”
Ataa Lartey added that, “as schools reopened last Tuesday, September 10, the students will be equipped with the materials at hand to start their academic work.”
According to him, the Academy submits names of children to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to be enrolled into the public school, adding that “this year we have sent 18 children to the public school and it is the responsibility of the school to provide them with learning materials.”
He therefore encouraged the children to focus on their academic work to become better citizens and contribute to Ghana’s development agenda.
Ms Melani Mennella said every child had the right to education and therefore, there was the need to support them in school.
She said the learning materials would reduce the burden on parents as most of them found it difficult to provide their wards with learning materials when school reopened, and urged the students to make good use of the items as education was the key to success.
The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Academy, saying that the materials would help them study better and keep up with class exercises.
The Street Academy is a three-year bridge programme preparing students for mainstream education, the public school system, and vocational training.
Committed to the most vulnerable children, the Street Academy is 100 per cent free, sponsoring books, uniforms, and two meals a day. –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
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