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We’ll not put students, teachers, non teaching staff at risk -President assures parents

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged parents whose wards are preparing to sit for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) this year to remain calm as the students return to school to prepare for the examination.

“I assure all parents and guardians that the government will not put the 750,000 students, teachers and non-teaching staff, who will be returning to school from tomorrow, at risk. We have made all the required provisions to protect them whilst in school,” he said

In a televised address to the nation on measures being taken by the government to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the President said the government has put adequate measures to prevent an outbreak or spread of the pandemic in the schools.

About 532,000 final year Junior High School (JHS) students in 17,439 schools across the country returned to school Monday, June 29, 2020 to prepare to sit for the BECE.

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As the country’s COVID-19 case count continues to increase, some parents have expressed concern over the safety of their wards following government’s decision to open schools for BECE candidates to prepare for their exams.

President Akufo-Addo said the government is determined to protect the lives of all students, teachers and other workers who will be going back to school.

In consultation with the Conference of Heads of Basic Schools and Regional and District Directors of Education and Health, he said the government has put in place the relevant measures to safeguard the lives of students and teachers.

President Akufo-Addo indicated that all Junior High Schools across the country have been fumigated and disinfected to ensure the safety of the students, teaching and non-teaching staff

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Each basic school has been mapped to a health facility where care will be provided to the sick by nurses assigned to these schools, he said. 

The President said 45,000 Veronica buckets, 90,000 gallons of liquid soap, 90,000 rolls of tissue paper, 40,000 thermometer guns, 750,000 pieces of 200 litres of sanitisers, and 2.2 million reusable face masks have been procured and distributed to the 17, 439 schools across the country.

President Akufo-Addo noted that though there are few hitches during the reopening of the universities and senior high schools, he is impressed with the level of compliance to the enhanced hygiene and social distancing protocols by authorities and students in those institutions. 

He expressed the government’s determination to ensure the same level of conformity in the Junior High Schools, and noted that all head teachers and their teaching staff will be taken through a COVID-19 sensitisation programme aimed at ensuring that hygiene and safety protocols are clearly spelt and relayed to students accordingly.

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“It bears repeating, however, that they must all adhere strictly to enhanced personal hygiene and social distancing protocols, regularly wash their hands with soap under running water, refrain from shaking hands and hugging, and wear masks to protect themselves and others,” he said

Source: Ghanaian Times

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Small-scale miners schooled on health hazards of mining with mercury

• Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants

Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants

Some Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in the Ashanti and Central regions have been sensitised on the potential health dangers humans are exposed to with the use of mercu­ry in gold processing.

The sensitisation which was or­ganised by PlanetGOLD Ghana proj­ect was to raise awareness about the negative impacts on the use of mercury in mining activities.

According to the PlanetGOLD Ghana Project Coordinator, Mr Lovelace Sar­pong, the use of mercury in artisanal small-scale mining pose health challeng­es that affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys; and may be fatal.

Some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that benefited from the exercise were Amansie Central, Asante Akim North, Amansie South, Amansie West, Bekwai, and Adansi North in the Ashanti Region, and Upper Denkyira East (Dunkwa-on-Offin) and Upper Denkyira West (Diaso) in the Central Region.

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Additionally, he said inorganic salts of mercury were corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.

He stated that the PlanetGOLD Project has conducted several ini­tiatives to raise awareness on reducing mercury exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold mining actors in the country.

It was to promote mercury-free mining practices in line with Ghana’s obligations under the Minamata Con­vention on Mercury, support the for­malisation of the ASGM sector while advocating the adoption of the CRAFT Code and responsible supply chains, and raise awareness on the availabili­ty of mercury-free alternatives.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area Head for Konongo, Mr Dawood Abbas, underscored the importance of government’s environ­mental regulations and EPA’s role in ensuring compliance within the ASGM sector.

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He encouraged miners to prioritise environmental stewardship to gain community trust and secure a Social License to Operate (SLO) and reaf­firmed the Agency’s commitment to enforce its commitments under the Minamata Convention.

 BY Cecilia Lagba Yada

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Stonebwoy releases sixth studio album ‘Up & Running’

Ghanaian multiple award-winning musician, Stonebwoy is out with his sixth studio album dubbed ‘Up & Running.’

As part of the release Stonebwoy performed various songs on the album to patrons at a special listening party last night.

The listening party held at the Alora Beach in Accra brought together Industry players, musicians, actors, corporate Ghana, diplomats and fans of Stonebwoy among others.

The album is made up of songs like, Memories, Pray For Me, Jejereje, Overload remix, Shine, Psalm 23, Betta Tin, Your Body, Geography, Shine, Lovely Weather, Jiggle and White, Ekelebe and Fvck Up Summer.

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 ‘Up & Running’ features the top musicians such as Duncan Mighty, Ir Sais, Spice, Amaria BB, Jahmiel, 10TIK, Larruso, Chi Ching Ching, Kaylan Arnold, and Blvk H3ro, Wyclef Jean and ODUMODUBLVCK.

The album, which includes diverse songs for different target markets, shows Stonebwoy’s calculated effort to reach out to wider and new audiences around the world.

Stonebwoy is expected to hit the road in a global tour with his new album, ‘Up & Running.’

The colourful event was attended by industry personalities like Fred Nuamah, Andy Dosty, Keche, Bullgod, Nadia Buari, Nana McBrown,Kwaw Kese,Robert Klah,D-Black, Larusso and many others.

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By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

Enjoy the album below

UP & RUNNIN6 – ALBUM OUT NOW! ♨️

stonebwoy.lnk.to/UXR6

#UPXRUNNIN6 #UPXRUNNIN6Album

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