News
Work begins on newborn unit for Tamale West Hospital
Work has commenced on the construction of a Newborn Care Unit for the Tamale West Hospital in the Northern Region.
The project, being constructed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with support from the Italian National Committee was expected to be completed in six months.
When completed, the facility will hold a kangaroo room, neonatologist, pharmacy unit, therapy, consulting, general and mother’s room.
Performing the sod-cutting ceremony here on Friday, the Chief of Field at the Tamale office of UNICEF, Madam Margaret Gwada, said the project was to improve the quality of care for mothers and babies in critical conditions in the area, especially during this pandemic.
“As we cut the sod for commencement of this construction, we join the world to celebrate World Environment Day on the theme; ‘Time for Nature’, with a focus on its role in providing the essential infrastructure that supports life on earth and human development,” she said.
She said UNICEF was privileged to support the Ghana Health Service in the provision of the facility, with funding from the Italian National Committee to save the lives of children, she added.
Dr John Bertson Eleeza, the Northern Regional Health Director commended UNICEF for taking up the challenge to help save lives of mothers and babies with the provision of Newborn Care Unit.
Dr Patrick Bampoe, the Medical Superintendent at the Tamale West Hospital, told Ghanaian Times that the construction of the facility was timely for the department, adding that it would ease the pressure on midwives in providing quality services for expectant mothers and babies to survive.
Source: Ghanaian Times
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
