News
Take interest in science subjects — Mrs Phyllis Otu
Ghanaian students have been encouraged to take keen interest in the study of science subjects in order to help in the development of the country.
Mrs. Phyllis Otu, the Head of Department (HoD), Science Laboratory Technology Department (SLTD), Accra Technical University (ATU), was addressing 113 Junior High School students who received a day’s practical laboratory training at the university.
She said her presence and other females in science-related fields were enough proof to erase the erroneous opinion that science was difficult and, therefore, should be reserved for boys.
She said the programme was aimed at igniting in the youth the passion for science, adding that the department would in the future follow up to the schools to find out how the students fared in the practical training received, and identify some of their challenges.
Mrs Otu said the department offered all science courses in the university and asked the students to remain focused in their studies but eschew negative tendencies and over relying on social media to the detriment of making use of their precious time.
The programme under the auspices of Science Laboratory Technology Department (SLTD), of the Accra Technical University in collaboration with ignite Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics (iSTEM), a research group which assists students in research activities, drew students from Calvary Methodist JHS 1, Reverend Lartey Adotey Memorial School, both at Adabraka, and Labone SDA School, Accra..
The programme was under the theme “Contributing to the Scientific and Technological base of the Nation.”
The students who were divided into groups, were taught the components used in the preparation of alcohol, sanitizer, the extraction of DNA from banana and how to build a circuit to produce light.
Mr Bright Azumah, a lecturer in Biochemistry at ATU, and one of the facilitators who taught the students how to connect a battery to an L.E.D light source, use electrical energy to produce heat and mechanical energy among others, said the lessons learnt formed the foundation of building electrical devices including smart phones, building their own software and coming out with many inventions.
Mr Ayi Joshua Oku, the President of Science Laboratory Technology, ATU, reiterated the need for more students to study science and technology since it provided a lot of options and benefits to the nation.
Three participants, Alia Yusif and Nadia Ahmed both students of Labone SDA School and Barikisu Abubakar of Reverend Lartey Adotey Memorial School, were grateful for the hands-on-laboratory experience they received, adding that they had been inspired to pursue science at the higher level.
By Raymond Kyekye
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
