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Why Valentine is all about Red
• Shops are selling anything red
Valentine’s Day or St. Valentine’s Day is when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts on February 14.
with red
Whether it is pending the evening with someone special or buying them gifts, Valentine’s Day is a celebratory day for many. But the question is why is the colour red associated to the occasion unlike other events such as Christmas (which is red and green)?
Weeks before the celebration, shelves of stores are decorated in red, white, and pink.
Red is usually the colour associated with Valentine’s Day but you rarely see Valentine’s Day decorations with just red. This colour is almost always flanked by pink and white.
One of the simple reasons why red is connected to love (and to St. Valentine’s Day) is the fact that it is the same color of blood and of the heart.
This connection to love is part of why some countries, including China and India, encourage brides to wear red to their weddings. White is traditionally associated with purity and innocence.
On its own, white symbolises purity but its combination with red is significant when it comes to Valentine’s Day, too. The colour combination of red and white is often thought to symbolise unity, which offers another explanation.
Scientists have even deduced that the colour red evokes some of the strongest feelings in us, just by sight. Both men and women are more attractive to the other sex when the colour red is in the picture. So, it is no surprise that the vibrant and intense colour has become a symbol of St. Valentine’s Day.
The history of Valentine’s Day and the story of its patron saint are shrouded in mystery. One legend holds that Valentine was responsible for passing notes between incarcerated Christian lovers and performing marriages between them. Another holds that he became romantically involved with a woman whose sight he had restored, sending her a note signed, “From your Valentine.”
Although the true origin of the holiday remains vague, Valentine’s Day was not celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century.
In Ghana, the day is celebrated to promote the consumption of chocolate and other cocoa products among the population. This initiative was spearheaded by the then tourism minister, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey (of blessed memory) in 2007 who announced that Val’s Day would be replaced by the celebration of chocolate.
The idea has caught on with Ghanaians, as many buy chocolates and other cocoa products for their loved ones on February 14, aside red clothing, flowers, teddy bears, and wine.
By Yunusah Essandoh
News
ICU holds Greater Accra regional youth, women confab
The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) on Friday held the Greater Accra Regional Youth and Women’s Conference to build a strategic network.
The conference which brought together representatives of the Union was a great opportunity for ICU Ghana to make its voice heard on policies that were crucial to the development of the country.
The platform was also used to elect new officers for the Greater Accra Branch of The ICU Ghana to mark its 12th National Quadrennial Conference in August.
The General Secretary of the ICU Ghana, Mr Morgan Ayawine, called on government to assist the two state-owned media organisation, New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Spectator and The Ghanaian Times newspapers and Graphic Communication Group Limited (GCGL).
“The two state-owned media played major roles in disseminating government policies, educating, entertaining and informing the public of the happenings in the world,” he added.
He said ICU Ghana would also raise issues about the recapitalisation of the two organisations with the sector minister.
Mr Ayawine disclosed that the ADB and NIB banks were also going through the same ordeal but government intervened and urged government to do same for the two state-owned organisations.
He stressed on equal partnership between unions and employers, saying the capital and labour were crucial to create, produce and generate funds.
The General Secretary advised the various branches of the association to suggest solutions on socio-economic issues such as employment for discussions.
The newly-elected members who were sworn in by the General Secretary, Mr Morgan Ayawine includes Belinda Cochrane-chairman, Eric Ekow Turkson-Vice chairman and Moses Kwaku Otoo-Secretary.
Others were Charles Akomea-Financial Secretary, Charles Biden- Executive Member, Diana Asiedu-Women’s Representative and Samuella A. Brago-Youth Representative.
The chairman of the Greater Accra Branch of the ICU Ghana, Belinda Cochrane thanked the leadership for contributing to the success of the union.
She added that the conference was to prepare for the 12th National Quadrennial Conference and also to take stock of the activities of the branch for the past years and discuss issues on the ground.
News
Minister for Health holds emergency stakeholder meeting with principals and directors of Health Training Institutions
In a proactive move to strengthen collaboration within the health sector, the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has convened an emergency meeting with the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions (COHHETI) across the country.
The meeting aimed to deepen engagement between the Ministry and key stakeholders responsible for training health professionals.
The session provided a platform for open dialogue on the challenges facing health training institutions, the quality of healthcare education, and the strategic direction of human resource development in the sector.
Addressing the stakeholders, Mr. Akandoh emphasized the importance of fostering strong and cordial relationships between the Ministry and training institutions to ensure a well-coordinated and responsive healthcare system.
He indicated that the purpose of the meeting was also to collaborate, discuss concerns, and find practical solutions that would benefit not only the institutions but also the Ghanaian people who rely on the healthcare system.
The President of COHHETI, Madam Margaret Mary Alacoque welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and necessary. She raised concerns about transportation challenges, accreditation delays, staffing shortages, and the general conditions and status of service for Health Training Institutions (HTIs). She also shared innovative strategies that some institutions have adopted to improve training outcomes.
In his response, Mr.Akandoh assured participants of the Ministry’s commitment to addressing their concerns and announced plans to enhance coordination and follow-ups.
He added that the Ministry would soon introduce policy reforms aimed at improving standards in health education and ensuring alignment with national health priorities.
These reforms include reducing the cost of admission, implementing automatic code generation for applicants, and clarifying leadership roles within HTIs.
