News
Wassa Amenfi West records first COVID-19 case
The Wassa Amenfi West Municipality in the Western Region has recorded it first case of COVID-19 since the pandemic broke in the country.
The suspected case came from a trader at the Asankragwa market, who tested positive at a hospital in Takoradi, at midnight on Monday, Ghanaian Times source revealed.
The source indicated that the woman had no travel history, and her samples were taken two weeks ago, and that contact tracing had begun.
Meanwhile, a report by the Western Regional Director of Health Service, Dr Jacob Mahama, and his team, dated May 26, 2020, indicated that the region over the past 48 hours, had recorded 18 new positive cases increasing the regional figure from 334 to 352.
Earlier, as at May 25, the number of recoveries in the region stood at six, one dead, 57 new positive cases and 53 suspected cases,
The report indicated that “major highlights screening at the entry points showed that cumulative total screened was 766,209; total screened for the past 24 hours 14,208; number of case with temperatures less than 38 degrees Celcius, zero; those with temperatures more than 38 degrees Celcius, nine; number of positive cases one and four negative cases.”
It reported that for positive cases, Sekondi-Takoradi recorded 137, Tarkwa-Nsuaem, 104, Effia-Kwesimintsim, 37; Prestea-Hun Valley, 31; Ahanta West, 15; Nzema East, 10; Ellembelle, six; Shama and Mpoho, four each, Wassa Amenfi West and Wassa East, one each, while Wassa Amenfi East and Wassa Amenfi Central zero cases each.
For the negative cases, Wassa Amenfi Central tallied the lowest of zero with Tarkwa-Nsuaem recording the highest of 1,718 out of the total of 4,010.
The report showed that Tarkwa-Nsuaem has the highest number of pending cases of 762, followed by STMA, 443, with Wassa East recording the lowest of one out of the 2,234 cases.
The report indicated that suspected cases stood at 1,500, contact cases 5,227, contact tracing 4,744 with 6,244 regional total sample taken, noting that pending results were 2,234.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service Directorate had announced a snap visit to the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolitan area, to assist the region in stemming the increasing rates of new positive cases recorded over the past 48 hours.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, TAKORADI
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