THE Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) has revived the celebration of Women’s Week as part of efforts by the government to create an awareness on women’s rights and encourage women’s participation in decision-making procedures and relevant activities, crucial to women’s welfare.
Activities highlighting this year’s event, include a float through the principal streets of Accra, which was organised on April 17, a press conference, clean-up exercises in the regions and districts, the launch of the Annie Jiaggie Memorial lectures and a forum to climax the programme today (Tuesday).
In line with the requirement which emanated from the United Nations General Assembly in 1975, during which the UN designated that year as International Women's Year, and the following decade devoted to sustain National, Regional and International efforts to implement the World Plan of Action, which emanated from the UN Conference on Women in Mexico, Ghana established the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD), in 1975.
Since then, Women's Week had been marked in Ghana by week-long activities in every April to commemorate the establishment of the women's machinery, until 2001, when it was stopped.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, the Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Ms Akua Sena Dansua, called on men to live up to their parental responsibility by supporting their spouses in the upbringing of the children.
She attributed the increasing cases of anti-social vices involving children to parental irresponsibility particularly on the part of men.
She said if men lived up to their obligations in the families, child streetism coupled with child prostitution could be abated.
Ms Dansua said this at a press conference in Accra yesterday to commemorate this year’s women’s week celebration and also used the opportunity to launch the “Annie Jiagge Memorial Lectures”.
She said most men tended to idle about when they realised that their wives were industrious and hardworking.
She therefore appealed to men to support such women in the upbringing of their children.
Explaining the “Annie Jiagge Lecture”, Ms Dansua described the late Supreme Court Judge as an instrumentalist who helped in setting up the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD) in the country.
She said the late Justice also set the stage for United Nations Treaties and Conventions which spearheaded the empowerment of women.
Ms Sena Dansua said world conferences on women had contributed to the progressive strengthening of the legal, economic , social and political spheres and roles of African women.
According to her, the African Union General Assembly, following up proposals made at an extraordinary meeting of ministers of gender and women affairs in December 2008 IN Maseru, Lesotho declared “2010-2020” as an African Women’s Decade.
She said the African Women’s Decade offered the opportunity to link up with women at the grass-roots and also focus on the implementation of all, protocols, treaties and conventions adopted by member states.
She said as part of preparations towards the African Women’s Decade, meetings would be held for ministers of gender machineries in Gambia in the first week of May and November this year, to finalise frameworks and propose strategies, including benchmarks and mechanisms to ensure the enforcement of decisions taken regarding the decade.
Ms Dansua said these developments would require the development of adequate data and indicators and the building of capacities of national and women and gender machineries.
In an open forum after the conference the minister gave the press the opportunity to ask questions concerning women and children.
Responding to questions posed by some journalists during the press conference, the minister said her ministry would work relentlessly with child-related organisations, departments and agencies to address the increasing rate of child trafficking and child prostitution in the country.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Twins Foundation calls on Chief Imam
THE Ghana Twins Foundation has called on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, to lead in the campaign against exploitation of twins as instruments for begging in the country.
A delegation from the foundation which made the appeal during a courtesy call on the Chief Imam in Accra said there was an increase in the spate of twin beggars who were mostly from the Moslem community.
The courtesy call, led by Ms Zeena Abou-Jaoude, the President of the foundation, was intended to draw the Chief Imam's attention to the phenomenon of begging by twins and elicit his support to ameliorate the canker.
Ms Abou-Jaoude said the practice by some parents using their twins to beg for alms should be perceived as a national concern, since begging exposed the children to dangers and deprived them of the appropriate shelter, health care and basic education.
She said the practice had deprived most vulnerable children the opportunity to develop their potential and contribute to national development.
"Most of these women, who migrated from northern Ghana, are Moslems who have been made by soothsayers to believe that they should use their twins to beg for alms or else their children will die. In order to save the lives of these children, these women would have to resort to begging on the streets for money,” she said.
Ms Abou-Jaoude said as a national icon and an authority in the Islam, the Chief Imam's voice would help to draw the attention of the government and other stakeholders to the plight of such deprived children.
On behalf of the Chief Imam, the Spokesperson, Mr M.G. Mohammed, said the exploitation of children, particularly twins, was a problem which needed urgent attention.
He said measures were being put in place by the Muslim Council to set up a foundation to cater for the youth who needed quality education.
He commended the foundation for the initiative and assured them of the council's commitment to support the campaign.
Picture: The Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, M.G. Mohammed (middle). On his left is the President of the Ghana Twins Foundation, Ms Zeena Abou-Jaoude, and her twin sister, Ms Maya Abou-Jaoude, in a group picture with some other members of the foundation.
Picture saved on machine 139 as Twins.
A delegation from the foundation which made the appeal during a courtesy call on the Chief Imam in Accra said there was an increase in the spate of twin beggars who were mostly from the Moslem community.
The courtesy call, led by Ms Zeena Abou-Jaoude, the President of the foundation, was intended to draw the Chief Imam's attention to the phenomenon of begging by twins and elicit his support to ameliorate the canker.
Ms Abou-Jaoude said the practice by some parents using their twins to beg for alms should be perceived as a national concern, since begging exposed the children to dangers and deprived them of the appropriate shelter, health care and basic education.
She said the practice had deprived most vulnerable children the opportunity to develop their potential and contribute to national development.
"Most of these women, who migrated from northern Ghana, are Moslems who have been made by soothsayers to believe that they should use their twins to beg for alms or else their children will die. In order to save the lives of these children, these women would have to resort to begging on the streets for money,” she said.
Ms Abou-Jaoude said as a national icon and an authority in the Islam, the Chief Imam's voice would help to draw the attention of the government and other stakeholders to the plight of such deprived children.
On behalf of the Chief Imam, the Spokesperson, Mr M.G. Mohammed, said the exploitation of children, particularly twins, was a problem which needed urgent attention.
He said measures were being put in place by the Muslim Council to set up a foundation to cater for the youth who needed quality education.
He commended the foundation for the initiative and assured them of the council's commitment to support the campaign.
Picture: The Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, M.G. Mohammed (middle). On his left is the President of the Ghana Twins Foundation, Ms Zeena Abou-Jaoude, and her twin sister, Ms Maya Abou-Jaoude, in a group picture with some other members of the foundation.
Picture saved on machine 139 as Twins.
HIV prevalence rate drops
THE national prevalence rate of HIV has dropped from 1.9 per cent to 1.7 per cent, the sentinel survey report for 2008 has revealed.
This is the second consecutive drop in the HIV prevalence. The only time the HIV prevalence has dropped consecutively was in 2004 and 2005.
The Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), Dr Nii Akwei Addo, made this known at the dissemination of the 2008 HIV sentinel survey report in Accra last Tuesday.
The Eastern Region is still the region with the highest prevalence, with 4.2 per cent, while the Northern Region has the lowest rate of 1.1 per cent.
All the regions, with the exception of the Eastern Region, recorded a decrease in the prevalence from the 2007 rates.
The Upper West Region recorded the highest decline from 3.3 per cent in 2007 to 1.6 per cent in 2008, representing a decrease of 52 per cent.
The Volta, Western and Upper East regions witnessed consistent decline in their prevalence since 2006.
According to the report, the prevalence in 2008 ranged from 0.0 per cent in North Tongu, which is a rural site, to 8.0 per cent in Agomanya, which is an urban site.
The report stated that only Agomanya had prevalence above five per cent, the threshold at which the pandemic is considered to have gained epidemic proportion.
The report again indicated that there were no urban sites with prevalence below one per cent. On the other hand, there were three rural sites with prevalence below one per cent as observed in 2007.
It again stated that the median HIV prevalence for 2008 was 2.2 per cent
However, HIV prevalence in urban areas was higher than it was in the rural areas. The mean HIV prevalence of urban communities was 2.6 per cent compared to 2.3 per cent in rural areas.
The highest prevalence was recorded between ages 25 and 29, which represented 3.0 per cent and the least, representing 1.2 per cent, was between ages 15 and 19.
Prevalence among the youth between ages 15 and 24, which was used as a maker for new infections, was 1.9 per cent.
The national median HIV prevalence which increased in 2005 after declining for two consecutive years had declined in 2008 to 2.2 per cent, a level below what was observed in 2000 and the lowest in nine years.
Prior to 2004, there had been a steady increase from 2.3 per cent in 2000 to 3.6 per cent in 2003. The 2008 report represented a 15.4 per cent decline in prevalence from 2007.
The median syphilis prevalence for 2008 was 3.8 per cent. Syphilis stereotype had, therefore, decreased from last years 5.1 per cent.
Central Region maintained its position as the region with the highest syphilis prevalence, with an increase in rate from 18.6 per cent to 20.5 per cent.
The region with the lowest syphilis prevalence was the Northern Region, following a decline prevalence from 2.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent.
Syphilis prevalence ranged from zero per cent in North Tongu and Builsa to 30.5 per cent in Asikuma Odoben Brakwa, all rural sites.
Seventeen sites, including Asikuma Odoben Brakwa recorded an increase from 2007 prevalence; four sites, namely Mampong, Navrongo, Wenchi and North Tongu maintained the same level of prevalence and the remaining 19 recorded a decrease.
North Tongu maintained its zero prevalence for the fourth time since 2005, with Cape Coast, Assin Fosu, Sefwi Asafo and Asikuma Odoben Brakwa remaining in the top five highest prevalence since 2005.
Dr Akwei Addo said HIV prevalence among STI clients ???? almost doubled from 5.7 per cent to 10.5 per cent in 2008 due to increases in both sites.
He said the Adabraka STI site recorded a prevalence of 15 per cent, while Kumasi STI site recorded 6.5 per cent.
He said the prevalence among females was still higher compared to males who had 11.8 per cent and 7.8 per cent respectively.
He said the highest prevalence among females was between ages 35 and 39, representing 15.9 per cent.
The Minister of Health, Dr Sipa-Adjah Yankey, however, indicated that the HIV prevalence among ANC clients which increased in 2006 after declining in 2004 and 2005 had declined again in 2008, following last year’s decline to its lowest in nine years.
He believed that this year’s reduction had established Ghana’s epidemic as stable with an inclination to retract.
He said the need to sustain the prevention education targeted at the youth and other groups held good prospects for contributing to further decline in the overall prevalence.
“A single case of HIV anywhere is HIV everywhere. We must, therefore, not be complacent. Indeed, the trend curve shown reveals a similar downward trend in previous years. We as a people did not capitalise on the initial decline to strengthen efforts at further reduction, only to see an increase in the prevalence subsequently”.
“We have not won the race yet, and will only win if we, at least, keep the current tempo at responding to the epidemic or preferably, increase efforts at reducing new infections in the country. The fact that syphilis is in the country is worrying and must be of concern to all of us,” he said.
This is the second consecutive drop in the HIV prevalence. The only time the HIV prevalence has dropped consecutively was in 2004 and 2005.
The Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), Dr Nii Akwei Addo, made this known at the dissemination of the 2008 HIV sentinel survey report in Accra last Tuesday.
The Eastern Region is still the region with the highest prevalence, with 4.2 per cent, while the Northern Region has the lowest rate of 1.1 per cent.
All the regions, with the exception of the Eastern Region, recorded a decrease in the prevalence from the 2007 rates.
The Upper West Region recorded the highest decline from 3.3 per cent in 2007 to 1.6 per cent in 2008, representing a decrease of 52 per cent.
The Volta, Western and Upper East regions witnessed consistent decline in their prevalence since 2006.
According to the report, the prevalence in 2008 ranged from 0.0 per cent in North Tongu, which is a rural site, to 8.0 per cent in Agomanya, which is an urban site.
The report stated that only Agomanya had prevalence above five per cent, the threshold at which the pandemic is considered to have gained epidemic proportion.
The report again indicated that there were no urban sites with prevalence below one per cent. On the other hand, there were three rural sites with prevalence below one per cent as observed in 2007.
It again stated that the median HIV prevalence for 2008 was 2.2 per cent
However, HIV prevalence in urban areas was higher than it was in the rural areas. The mean HIV prevalence of urban communities was 2.6 per cent compared to 2.3 per cent in rural areas.
The highest prevalence was recorded between ages 25 and 29, which represented 3.0 per cent and the least, representing 1.2 per cent, was between ages 15 and 19.
Prevalence among the youth between ages 15 and 24, which was used as a maker for new infections, was 1.9 per cent.
The national median HIV prevalence which increased in 2005 after declining for two consecutive years had declined in 2008 to 2.2 per cent, a level below what was observed in 2000 and the lowest in nine years.
Prior to 2004, there had been a steady increase from 2.3 per cent in 2000 to 3.6 per cent in 2003. The 2008 report represented a 15.4 per cent decline in prevalence from 2007.
The median syphilis prevalence for 2008 was 3.8 per cent. Syphilis stereotype had, therefore, decreased from last years 5.1 per cent.
Central Region maintained its position as the region with the highest syphilis prevalence, with an increase in rate from 18.6 per cent to 20.5 per cent.
The region with the lowest syphilis prevalence was the Northern Region, following a decline prevalence from 2.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent.
Syphilis prevalence ranged from zero per cent in North Tongu and Builsa to 30.5 per cent in Asikuma Odoben Brakwa, all rural sites.
Seventeen sites, including Asikuma Odoben Brakwa recorded an increase from 2007 prevalence; four sites, namely Mampong, Navrongo, Wenchi and North Tongu maintained the same level of prevalence and the remaining 19 recorded a decrease.
North Tongu maintained its zero prevalence for the fourth time since 2005, with Cape Coast, Assin Fosu, Sefwi Asafo and Asikuma Odoben Brakwa remaining in the top five highest prevalence since 2005.
Dr Akwei Addo said HIV prevalence among STI clients ???? almost doubled from 5.7 per cent to 10.5 per cent in 2008 due to increases in both sites.
He said the Adabraka STI site recorded a prevalence of 15 per cent, while Kumasi STI site recorded 6.5 per cent.
He said the prevalence among females was still higher compared to males who had 11.8 per cent and 7.8 per cent respectively.
He said the highest prevalence among females was between ages 35 and 39, representing 15.9 per cent.
The Minister of Health, Dr Sipa-Adjah Yankey, however, indicated that the HIV prevalence among ANC clients which increased in 2006 after declining in 2004 and 2005 had declined again in 2008, following last year’s decline to its lowest in nine years.
He believed that this year’s reduction had established Ghana’s epidemic as stable with an inclination to retract.
He said the need to sustain the prevention education targeted at the youth and other groups held good prospects for contributing to further decline in the overall prevalence.
“A single case of HIV anywhere is HIV everywhere. We must, therefore, not be complacent. Indeed, the trend curve shown reveals a similar downward trend in previous years. We as a people did not capitalise on the initial decline to strengthen efforts at further reduction, only to see an increase in the prevalence subsequently”.
“We have not won the race yet, and will only win if we, at least, keep the current tempo at responding to the epidemic or preferably, increase efforts at reducing new infections in the country. The fact that syphilis is in the country is worrying and must be of concern to all of us,” he said.
Tourism ministry to develop historical sites in Ga Mashie
THE Ministry of Tourism has launched a project aimed at developing the Ussher Fort, the James Fort, the Brazil House and the Jacobus House, all historical monuments in Accra, into tourist attractions.
Under the project, the area where these historical monuments stand will also be given a facelift.
Additionally, the project will improve general sanitation and enhance economic activities in the Ga Mashie area.
It also seeks to rehabilitate the Ussher Fort as envisaged by the Ussher Fort Restoration Project proposal which was prepared in August 2007.
At a sensitisation seminar on improving tourism in Ga Mashie, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, said despite the availability of a lot of tourist facilities in the community, Ga Mashie did not seem to be on the tourism map of Ghana.
She said even though the first port of call in Ghana by foreign tourists was Accra, very few people visited the area.
She noted that a critical look at the community would reveal a rich cultural heritage manifested by its tangible structures consisting of forts, mansions, lodges, warehouses and former headquarters of prosperous European and African trading companies.
She added that religious ceremonies, festivals, traditional music and dance could also be utilised to benefit the community through tourism.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah commended UNESCO-Ghana and the European Commission for facilitating and financing the first phase of the Ussher Fort project.
She also commended the Brazilian Embassy in Ghana for funding the rehabilitation of the Brazil House into a spectacular edifice.
The Project Director of the Ga Mashie Development Agency, Mr Gabriel Nii Teiko Tagoe, said the transfer of the activities at the James Town Harbour to the Tema Harbour in 1967 caused the former to lose its economic base, without compensation or the possibility to expand geographically.
He said the basic social needs of the communities were far from being satisfactory, saying that the living conditions of most inhabitants were even worse than the poorest current rural standards.
“The small-scale economic activities which survived barely made it possible for the population to sustain itself. Water is still difficult to access, roads are in bad condition, the sewerage system is only scantily existing, drainage is largely inadequate, garbage litters the streets and the sanitary situation is deplorable. Thus, once a vibrant area, Old Accra is classified today in current planning documents as a slum,” he lamented.
Under the project, the area where these historical monuments stand will also be given a facelift.
Additionally, the project will improve general sanitation and enhance economic activities in the Ga Mashie area.
It also seeks to rehabilitate the Ussher Fort as envisaged by the Ussher Fort Restoration Project proposal which was prepared in August 2007.
At a sensitisation seminar on improving tourism in Ga Mashie, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, said despite the availability of a lot of tourist facilities in the community, Ga Mashie did not seem to be on the tourism map of Ghana.
She said even though the first port of call in Ghana by foreign tourists was Accra, very few people visited the area.
She noted that a critical look at the community would reveal a rich cultural heritage manifested by its tangible structures consisting of forts, mansions, lodges, warehouses and former headquarters of prosperous European and African trading companies.
She added that religious ceremonies, festivals, traditional music and dance could also be utilised to benefit the community through tourism.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah commended UNESCO-Ghana and the European Commission for facilitating and financing the first phase of the Ussher Fort project.
She also commended the Brazilian Embassy in Ghana for funding the rehabilitation of the Brazil House into a spectacular edifice.
The Project Director of the Ga Mashie Development Agency, Mr Gabriel Nii Teiko Tagoe, said the transfer of the activities at the James Town Harbour to the Tema Harbour in 1967 caused the former to lose its economic base, without compensation or the possibility to expand geographically.
He said the basic social needs of the communities were far from being satisfactory, saying that the living conditions of most inhabitants were even worse than the poorest current rural standards.
“The small-scale economic activities which survived barely made it possible for the population to sustain itself. Water is still difficult to access, roads are in bad condition, the sewerage system is only scantily existing, drainage is largely inadequate, garbage litters the streets and the sanitary situation is deplorable. Thus, once a vibrant area, Old Accra is classified today in current planning documents as a slum,” he lamented.
Inauguration
A SEVEN-MEMBER Professional Managerial Staff Union (PMSU) of the National Investment Bank (NIB) has been inaugurated in Accra with a call on them to help improve the image of the bank.
Mr E. V. Obeng-Adu, the immediate past chairman of the PMSU, who made the call entreated staff of the bank to be cautious of what they say and also desist from sending information to the public without seeking approval from the appropriate authorities.
He said although the bank’s recent past had been characterised by financial difficulties it was able to make modest gains during its last negotiations.
“We were able to chalk modest gains such as lobbying management for the institution of the “Chain of Command” in some of the departments and negotiating for the purchase of brand new vehicles for its interested members, a scheme which is still being pursued to benefit all who are interested”, he said.
Mr Obeng-Adu said due to the cordial relationship that existed between the former union and the management, the bank had the opportunity of enjoying industrial peace.
The new union chairman, Mr Robert Owusu, appealed to the new union executives and the staff to endeavour to work with zeal in order to increase the productivity and profitability of the bank.
He said the union was committed to maintaining the existing cordial relationship with the management and would therefore continue to offer good suggestions for the betterment of the bank.
“We shall as much as possible avoid confrontational stands with management and rather use dialogue in all our dealings with management”, he said.
He appealed to the staff to show enthusiasm in union affairs by attending all meetings and other social gatherings.
Mr Owusu commended the Industrial and Commercial Union (ICU) which is the mother union for its tremendous support to the union and the bank.
Oher members of the new executive are Mr Kwadwo Kwakye Gyan (Vice Chairman), Mr Patrick Ebo Kittoe (Secretary), Mrs Comfort Arkoh (Assistant Secretary), Mr Matthew Amporful (Financial Secretary), Mr Benson Ankomah (Assistant Financial Secretary) and Mr Peter Yeboah-Okore.
Picture: The old and new union executives in a group picture after the inauguration.
Mr E. V. Obeng-Adu, the immediate past chairman of the PMSU, who made the call entreated staff of the bank to be cautious of what they say and also desist from sending information to the public without seeking approval from the appropriate authorities.
He said although the bank’s recent past had been characterised by financial difficulties it was able to make modest gains during its last negotiations.
“We were able to chalk modest gains such as lobbying management for the institution of the “Chain of Command” in some of the departments and negotiating for the purchase of brand new vehicles for its interested members, a scheme which is still being pursued to benefit all who are interested”, he said.
Mr Obeng-Adu said due to the cordial relationship that existed between the former union and the management, the bank had the opportunity of enjoying industrial peace.
The new union chairman, Mr Robert Owusu, appealed to the new union executives and the staff to endeavour to work with zeal in order to increase the productivity and profitability of the bank.
He said the union was committed to maintaining the existing cordial relationship with the management and would therefore continue to offer good suggestions for the betterment of the bank.
“We shall as much as possible avoid confrontational stands with management and rather use dialogue in all our dealings with management”, he said.
He appealed to the staff to show enthusiasm in union affairs by attending all meetings and other social gatherings.
Mr Owusu commended the Industrial and Commercial Union (ICU) which is the mother union for its tremendous support to the union and the bank.
Oher members of the new executive are Mr Kwadwo Kwakye Gyan (Vice Chairman), Mr Patrick Ebo Kittoe (Secretary), Mrs Comfort Arkoh (Assistant Secretary), Mr Matthew Amporful (Financial Secretary), Mr Benson Ankomah (Assistant Financial Secretary) and Mr Peter Yeboah-Okore.
Picture: The old and new union executives in a group picture after the inauguration.
Tourism sector needs improvement - minister
The Minister of Tourism, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, has called on operators in the tourism industry to improve upon their service delivery to enhance the image of the industry.
The move, she said, was also to attract more tourists and create a competitive edge that would allow the country to compete effectively with other African nations.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said this at a ceremony where the Hotel Catering and Tourism Training Institute (HOTCATT) was handed over to the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra on Wednesday.
She said for the industry to achieve its objectives, it was important for the operators to employ skilled human resource personnel to serve the needs of tourists.
“For the past five years Ghana has experienced consistent increase in its inbound traveller number and this has been attributed to political stability, relatively peaceful environment and the friendliness of Ghanaians. Coupled with government’s ability of creating an enabling environment for private sector investment, it is expected that investment in the tourism sector will pick up to make Ghana a business and tourist destination,” she said.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said the ministry could not get the government to increase its subvention to HOTCATT and the only alternative was for the ministry to integrate HOTCATT into GIMPA.
She said the integration into GIMPA was not a new idea because the former National Institutional Renewal Programme (NIRP) recommended it in 2002 after an evaluation of the institute but what was lacking at that time was the political will to implement it.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said the objective of the integration was to ensure that the human resource capacity required for tourism development was in line with demands of the industry to make the human resource more professional to ensure Ghana’s competitiveness in the tourism market.
She said it was unacceptable to believe that only 15 per cent of employees in the industry had received any formal professional training.
She, therefore, appealed to GIMPA to live up to expectation by turning HOTCATT round in the shortest possible time to become a centre of excellence.
The Rector of GIMPA, Professor Yaw Agyeman Badu, said the effective management of any business was measured by the productivity of its employees.
He said in the tourism industry productivity was measured in terms of guests satisfaction, employee satisfaction and investor satisfaction and in order to achieve these, there was the need to have a careful balance of employee effectiveness and efficiency, which could only be attained through a well organised training programme.
He said because the industry was a labour-intensive one there was the need to improve productivity without sacrificing the need for investing in employees.
Professor Agyeman Badu said the institute would develop programmes such as skills training, supervisory training, management training and executive training to help improve the sector.
He welcomed the government’s pledge to assist the institute in accessing the GETFund and funds from other funding agencies to help achieve the institute’s goal of establishing a National Hospitality and Tourism Training School.
He urged the ministry to expedite action on the takeover of EREDEC Hotel, especially on the issue of the severance packages for the staff.
“While the staff appear to be in limbo, the facilities are running down at a fast pace. On our part we are poised to integrate both HOTCATT and EREDEC Hotel into our current hospitality programmes and will work with all stakeholders such as the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) to form the new National Hospitality and Tourism Training School,” Prof. Agemang Badu said.
He assured the staff of HOTCATT that they would enjoy the privileges due GIMPA staff.
The acting Director of HOTCATT, Ms Fati Dakubu, said service providers needed skills to provide quality and professional training to deliver sustainable and quality standards to strengthen the sector.
She said tourism and hospitality were very vibrant and as such service providers needed to follow the trend in order to meet customer demands.
She commended the ministry and GIMPA for their support.
The move, she said, was also to attract more tourists and create a competitive edge that would allow the country to compete effectively with other African nations.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said this at a ceremony where the Hotel Catering and Tourism Training Institute (HOTCATT) was handed over to the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra on Wednesday.
She said for the industry to achieve its objectives, it was important for the operators to employ skilled human resource personnel to serve the needs of tourists.
“For the past five years Ghana has experienced consistent increase in its inbound traveller number and this has been attributed to political stability, relatively peaceful environment and the friendliness of Ghanaians. Coupled with government’s ability of creating an enabling environment for private sector investment, it is expected that investment in the tourism sector will pick up to make Ghana a business and tourist destination,” she said.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said the ministry could not get the government to increase its subvention to HOTCATT and the only alternative was for the ministry to integrate HOTCATT into GIMPA.
She said the integration into GIMPA was not a new idea because the former National Institutional Renewal Programme (NIRP) recommended it in 2002 after an evaluation of the institute but what was lacking at that time was the political will to implement it.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said the objective of the integration was to ensure that the human resource capacity required for tourism development was in line with demands of the industry to make the human resource more professional to ensure Ghana’s competitiveness in the tourism market.
She said it was unacceptable to believe that only 15 per cent of employees in the industry had received any formal professional training.
She, therefore, appealed to GIMPA to live up to expectation by turning HOTCATT round in the shortest possible time to become a centre of excellence.
The Rector of GIMPA, Professor Yaw Agyeman Badu, said the effective management of any business was measured by the productivity of its employees.
He said in the tourism industry productivity was measured in terms of guests satisfaction, employee satisfaction and investor satisfaction and in order to achieve these, there was the need to have a careful balance of employee effectiveness and efficiency, which could only be attained through a well organised training programme.
He said because the industry was a labour-intensive one there was the need to improve productivity without sacrificing the need for investing in employees.
Professor Agyeman Badu said the institute would develop programmes such as skills training, supervisory training, management training and executive training to help improve the sector.
He welcomed the government’s pledge to assist the institute in accessing the GETFund and funds from other funding agencies to help achieve the institute’s goal of establishing a National Hospitality and Tourism Training School.
He urged the ministry to expedite action on the takeover of EREDEC Hotel, especially on the issue of the severance packages for the staff.
“While the staff appear to be in limbo, the facilities are running down at a fast pace. On our part we are poised to integrate both HOTCATT and EREDEC Hotel into our current hospitality programmes and will work with all stakeholders such as the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) to form the new National Hospitality and Tourism Training School,” Prof. Agemang Badu said.
He assured the staff of HOTCATT that they would enjoy the privileges due GIMPA staff.
The acting Director of HOTCATT, Ms Fati Dakubu, said service providers needed skills to provide quality and professional training to deliver sustainable and quality standards to strengthen the sector.
She said tourism and hospitality were very vibrant and as such service providers needed to follow the trend in order to meet customer demands.
She commended the ministry and GIMPA for their support.
Yileh
The government has allocated $31.9 million to be disbursed to 50 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) for the development of their respective areas.
The MMDAs were selected to benefit from the district development facility because they met the minimum conditions of a performance assessment which was conducted in 2006.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yileh Chireh, announced this when he took his turn at the Meet-the-Press Series held in Accra yesterday.
Mr Chireh explained that the first tranche of the facility would be disbursed next month while the second would be in the last quarter of the year.
He said the assessment for 2007 had been compiled and distributed to MMDAs while the next assessment would be conducted in September this year and represent the assessment for 2008.
Mr Chireh hinted that the revised Environmental Health and Sanitation Policy would soon be approved by cabinet to pave the way for its implementation.
He said when approved, some of the key challenges such as capacity development, information, education and communication, legislation and regulation, sustainable financing and cost recovery would be addressed.
Mr Chireh said the government had identified deepening local-level democracy, accelerating decentralisation and local-level development and empowerment as three main areas to promote in order to achieve good governance at the local level.
He said the ministry would also introduce a concept to be known as “ Town Hall Meetings” which would aim at creating a platform for continuous interaction between the government and communities in the districts.
He explained that the concept was to enable municipal, metropolitan and district chief executives (MMDCEs) to hold periodic meetings with people in their communities to educate them on the government’s developmental programmes and policies, and also listen to their concerns.
He said it was also to enable people at the grass roots demand accountability from those at the helm of affairs in the districts.
Mr Chireh said a broad national stakeholders conference on decentralisation would soon be held to review the 20 years of decentralisation implementation and make proposals for the way forward.
The MMDAs were selected to benefit from the district development facility because they met the minimum conditions of a performance assessment which was conducted in 2006.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yileh Chireh, announced this when he took his turn at the Meet-the-Press Series held in Accra yesterday.
Mr Chireh explained that the first tranche of the facility would be disbursed next month while the second would be in the last quarter of the year.
He said the assessment for 2007 had been compiled and distributed to MMDAs while the next assessment would be conducted in September this year and represent the assessment for 2008.
Mr Chireh hinted that the revised Environmental Health and Sanitation Policy would soon be approved by cabinet to pave the way for its implementation.
He said when approved, some of the key challenges such as capacity development, information, education and communication, legislation and regulation, sustainable financing and cost recovery would be addressed.
Mr Chireh said the government had identified deepening local-level democracy, accelerating decentralisation and local-level development and empowerment as three main areas to promote in order to achieve good governance at the local level.
He said the ministry would also introduce a concept to be known as “ Town Hall Meetings” which would aim at creating a platform for continuous interaction between the government and communities in the districts.
He explained that the concept was to enable municipal, metropolitan and district chief executives (MMDCEs) to hold periodic meetings with people in their communities to educate them on the government’s developmental programmes and policies, and also listen to their concerns.
He said it was also to enable people at the grass roots demand accountability from those at the helm of affairs in the districts.
Mr Chireh said a broad national stakeholders conference on decentralisation would soon be held to review the 20 years of decentralisation implementation and make proposals for the way forward.
(Cholera and other diseases re-surface in Accra)
Barely two weeks into the onset of the rains and damp weather conditions in some parts of the country, the Ridge Hospital in Accra has recorded more than 4,664 cases of cholera, malaria, sickle cell, asthma and diarrhoea.
A medical officer at the Outpatient Department (OPD) and Emergency Unit of the hospital, Dr Angela Oduro-Afriyie, who made this known to the Daily Graphic, said around this time ailments resulting from the rains and the damp weather were very common.
She said most patients with diarrhoea came from congested areas such as Tudu, Chorkor and Nima and attributed the problem to the lack of proper drainage and poor sanitation.
Dr Oduro-Afriyie said sanitation at such places was not good enough for the maintenance and promotion of health during such periods of the year.
She advised members of the public to desist from buying food from unhygienic places and also ensure that they always ate hot foods.
In respect of the sickle cell disease, Dr Oduro-Afriyie said the disease occurred when the blood in a person was not able to flow through the red blood cells.
She advised sicklers to endeavour to wear clothes which would keep their bodies warm and also take their medications strictly as advised by their doctors to prevent any "crisis".
She also advised asthmatic patients to avoid strong winds accompanied with dust because too much dust made breathing difficult for them.
She said the hospital had found it difficult to accommodate patients there as a result of their large number.
She said the facilities at the hospital were inadequate to take care of the increasing number of patients and indicated that the situation compelled it to ask some of the patients to go home and come back the next day.
However, Dr Oduro-Afriyie said the patients were so ill that they preferred to wait for their turn, no matter how long they waited.
A medical officer at the Outpatient Department (OPD) and Emergency Unit of the hospital, Dr Angela Oduro-Afriyie, who made this known to the Daily Graphic, said around this time ailments resulting from the rains and the damp weather were very common.
She said most patients with diarrhoea came from congested areas such as Tudu, Chorkor and Nima and attributed the problem to the lack of proper drainage and poor sanitation.
Dr Oduro-Afriyie said sanitation at such places was not good enough for the maintenance and promotion of health during such periods of the year.
She advised members of the public to desist from buying food from unhygienic places and also ensure that they always ate hot foods.
In respect of the sickle cell disease, Dr Oduro-Afriyie said the disease occurred when the blood in a person was not able to flow through the red blood cells.
She advised sicklers to endeavour to wear clothes which would keep their bodies warm and also take their medications strictly as advised by their doctors to prevent any "crisis".
She also advised asthmatic patients to avoid strong winds accompanied with dust because too much dust made breathing difficult for them.
She said the hospital had found it difficult to accommodate patients there as a result of their large number.
She said the facilities at the hospital were inadequate to take care of the increasing number of patients and indicated that the situation compelled it to ask some of the patients to go home and come back the next day.
However, Dr Oduro-Afriyie said the patients were so ill that they preferred to wait for their turn, no matter how long they waited.
(Ghanaians in 3 American cities donate two hospitals)
The Ghana@50 Thanksgiving Service Committee of the TRI-Residents of Virginia, Columbia and Maryland in the United States of America (USA) has donated 50 mattresses each to the Korle Bu Maternity Ward and the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
Presenting the items to the two hospitals, the local representative of the committee, Mr de-Best Amenu, said the idea came about when some Ghanaian pastors, based in Virginia, Maryland and Columbia, decided to organise a thanksgiving service to raise funds for the needy in Ghana.
He said fortunately, the committee was able to raise $4892.45, and part of it was used in buying the mattresses for the hospitals.
Mr Amenu said it was rather disheartening to see mothers and their new-born babies sleeping on the bare floor of the maternity ward.
He said the situation was not different at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, where patients were also seen sleeping on the cold floor without any clothes.
He believed that the new mattresses would be of immense benefit to the hospitals.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Korle Bu Maternity Ward, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services, Mrs Dora Batse, expressed her profound gratitude to the donors and hoped for more of those kind gestures.
*THE local representative of the TRI-Residents of Virginia, Columbia and Maryland, Mr de-best Amenu (3rd left) handing over some mattresses to the Deputy Director of Nursing Services of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Madam Dora Batsah (4th right), for the maternity ward of the hospital and the Accra Psychiatric Hospital on behalf of the donors.
With them are the Principal Nursing Officer, Madam Margaret Adjei (2nd left), and the Senior Nursing Officer, Mrs Doris Totime Phillips (2nd right), both of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
Presenting the items to the two hospitals, the local representative of the committee, Mr de-Best Amenu, said the idea came about when some Ghanaian pastors, based in Virginia, Maryland and Columbia, decided to organise a thanksgiving service to raise funds for the needy in Ghana.
He said fortunately, the committee was able to raise $4892.45, and part of it was used in buying the mattresses for the hospitals.
Mr Amenu said it was rather disheartening to see mothers and their new-born babies sleeping on the bare floor of the maternity ward.
He said the situation was not different at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, where patients were also seen sleeping on the cold floor without any clothes.
He believed that the new mattresses would be of immense benefit to the hospitals.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Korle Bu Maternity Ward, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services, Mrs Dora Batse, expressed her profound gratitude to the donors and hoped for more of those kind gestures.
*THE local representative of the TRI-Residents of Virginia, Columbia and Maryland, Mr de-best Amenu (3rd left) handing over some mattresses to the Deputy Director of Nursing Services of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Madam Dora Batsah (4th right), for the maternity ward of the hospital and the Accra Psychiatric Hospital on behalf of the donors.
With them are the Principal Nursing Officer, Madam Margaret Adjei (2nd left), and the Senior Nursing Officer, Mrs Doris Totime Phillips (2nd right), both of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
(Domod Aluminium holds long service awards)
Domod Aluminium Limited, producers of cookware and roofing sheets, has awarded 20 of its staff for their dedication and commitment to the company.
Each of the 20 workers received a certificate and items including flat-screen television sets, deep freezers, bags of cement, roofing sheets, gas cookers and motorbikes.
Addressing the workers, the Chief Executive Director of the company, Mrs Cecilia Kwofie, said due to the global economic crunch which had led to the loss of millions of jobs world-wide, it was important for the workers to work hard to enable the company to achieve its targets.
She advised the workers to change their attitude towards work in order to improve production, adding that "we have to change the way we work and perform better by cutting cost, improving effectiveness as well as efficiency".
The Managing Director, Mr Fred Papa Kwofie, assured the workers of the management's commitment to pursue cutting-edge strategies and actions that would make the company's products competitive on the market.
He expressed the hope that the workers would improve upon their services in the years to come.
An Executive Director of the company, Mr Anthony Kwofie, commended the workers for their achievements and encouraged them to instil the can-do spirit in themselves to enhance the growth of the company.
*The Executive Director of the company, Mr Anthony Kwofie (left), presenting a certificate and a motorbike to Mr John K. Nyamavor (right), a sectional head of the company.
Each of the 20 workers received a certificate and items including flat-screen television sets, deep freezers, bags of cement, roofing sheets, gas cookers and motorbikes.
Addressing the workers, the Chief Executive Director of the company, Mrs Cecilia Kwofie, said due to the global economic crunch which had led to the loss of millions of jobs world-wide, it was important for the workers to work hard to enable the company to achieve its targets.
She advised the workers to change their attitude towards work in order to improve production, adding that "we have to change the way we work and perform better by cutting cost, improving effectiveness as well as efficiency".
The Managing Director, Mr Fred Papa Kwofie, assured the workers of the management's commitment to pursue cutting-edge strategies and actions that would make the company's products competitive on the market.
He expressed the hope that the workers would improve upon their services in the years to come.
An Executive Director of the company, Mr Anthony Kwofie, commended the workers for their achievements and encouraged them to instil the can-do spirit in themselves to enhance the growth of the company.
*The Executive Director of the company, Mr Anthony Kwofie (left), presenting a certificate and a motorbike to Mr John K. Nyamavor (right), a sectional head of the company.
Clean-up
THE Asadu Royal Seed and Waste Management Company, last Saturday organised a clean-up exercise with residents of Ablekuma North Constituency.
The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Edward Asadu said the exercise formed part of activities marking this year’s World Environmental Day which was observed last Friday.
He said the company would soon begin spraying all choked gutters in the constituency to control the breeding of mosquitoes and spread of other sanitation related ailments.
The Marketing Officer of the company, Mr Osmat Fiifi Oppong said the company would organise regular meetings with landlords to educate residents on the need to keep their environment clean.
*Some members of the Asadu Royal Seed and Waste Management Company busy at work during the clean-up exercise.
The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Edward Asadu said the exercise formed part of activities marking this year’s World Environmental Day which was observed last Friday.
He said the company would soon begin spraying all choked gutters in the constituency to control the breeding of mosquitoes and spread of other sanitation related ailments.
The Marketing Officer of the company, Mr Osmat Fiifi Oppong said the company would organise regular meetings with landlords to educate residents on the need to keep their environment clean.
*Some members of the Asadu Royal Seed and Waste Management Company busy at work during the clean-up exercise.
Tyre
A new product capable of preventing vehicles from skidding in the event of a tyre puncture has been launched in Accra.
Known as Protectall tyre bands, the aluminium bands are fitted to the two front wheels of a car’s rig to prevent deflated wheels from skidding off the road and resulting in accidents.
At the launch, Mr Mike Aggrey, the Country Director of AutoProtect Limited, producers of Protectall tyre bands, said a puncture or a sudden deflation of tyres often caused accidents on the roads.
He said irrespective of one’s driving skills, a puncture could be fatal and without effective steering control the lives of passengers or fellow road users could be at risk.
He said the bands increased steering, braking and cornering control during such incidents, which enable drivers to bring their vehicles to a halt.
With the Protectall tyre bands, he said, drivers could travel up to 25 kilometres to a safe place before stopping to change their deflated tyres.
The Deputy Minister of Road and Transport, Mrs Dzifa Attivor, also said any initiative that had the potential to contribute to the reduction and prevention of road accidents would be supported by the ministry.
She said a study commissioned by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) in 2007 on the theme, “The Impact of Home Used Tyres on Road Traffic Accidents in Ghana” revealed that tyre blow-ups contributed three to four per cent to road accident statistics.
She said tyres were the only contact between the body of the vehicle and the ground and it was essential that vehicle stability during blow-ups became of paramount importance to motorists.
She was of the hope that the tyre bands would add another dimension to the country’s National Road Safety Strategy and would also contribute significantly to the reduction and prevention of tyre-related road accidents in the country.
Known as Protectall tyre bands, the aluminium bands are fitted to the two front wheels of a car’s rig to prevent deflated wheels from skidding off the road and resulting in accidents.
At the launch, Mr Mike Aggrey, the Country Director of AutoProtect Limited, producers of Protectall tyre bands, said a puncture or a sudden deflation of tyres often caused accidents on the roads.
He said irrespective of one’s driving skills, a puncture could be fatal and without effective steering control the lives of passengers or fellow road users could be at risk.
He said the bands increased steering, braking and cornering control during such incidents, which enable drivers to bring their vehicles to a halt.
With the Protectall tyre bands, he said, drivers could travel up to 25 kilometres to a safe place before stopping to change their deflated tyres.
The Deputy Minister of Road and Transport, Mrs Dzifa Attivor, also said any initiative that had the potential to contribute to the reduction and prevention of road accidents would be supported by the ministry.
She said a study commissioned by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) in 2007 on the theme, “The Impact of Home Used Tyres on Road Traffic Accidents in Ghana” revealed that tyre blow-ups contributed three to four per cent to road accident statistics.
She said tyres were the only contact between the body of the vehicle and the ground and it was essential that vehicle stability during blow-ups became of paramount importance to motorists.
She was of the hope that the tyre bands would add another dimension to the country’s National Road Safety Strategy and would also contribute significantly to the reduction and prevention of tyre-related road accidents in the country.
(Uncontrolled hawking on Accra streets amazing)
HAWKING has been an age-old trading practice in the major cities of the country but the rapid manner it has grown on the streets of Accra is so amazing.
At every traffic light intersection in Accra, boys and girls as little as six years, young men and women, and even old men and women, struggle for space on the streets for the attention of motorists to patronise their wares.
They sell almost everything, from cosmetics, soft drinks, iced cream, fruits, pastries and iced water to electrical gadgets, toys, clothes and every imaginable thing. But of all the items,one that strikes the attention of many motorists is yam.
That is so because it is very strange to find foodstuffs being sold on the streets like toffees, much less yam. Normally, foodstuffs are restricted to the markets and in the case of yam, there are even designated markets for their sale. That is why there are quite a number of Yam Markets in the country.
But what is more fascinating about the sale of yam on the streets is the manner they are hawked. On the Graphic Road, for instance, it is common to find young men, on a daily basis, except Sundays, criss-crossing the vehicular traffic, to sell their yam. And they do so in a style that is most confounding.
Instead of the normal practice of putting the foodstuff in a pan or container for easy carriage, these chaps pack about five yams in their stretched arms, making it difficult to use the hand for any other thing. Only God knows how they manage to cope in times of body-itching and sweat.
But to them, scratching the body or wiping sweat is the least of their worries. They must sell the yam to make ends meet, period! Once that is achieved, they can survive for the day and get back to the streets the following day.
"The reason why we do not carry the yams in head pans is because customers complain that they cannot see what we are selling and also they claim it is more attractive when we carry them in our arms", one of the yam hawkers, Fuseini, explains.
You may call it a marketing innovation, an innovation that may never be found in any literature on marketing or may be far from the grasp of many marketing students at any level.
Of course, as the adage dictates, "Nothing comes cheap", and so hawking yams in arms has its own occupational hazards, such as the infliction of bruises on the arms of the hawkers. But Fuseini still believes it is worth having those bruises.
"Although we get bruises on our arms after the day’s work, it is easier and faster carrying the yams and running after cars than using head pans", he insists.
Many of the yam hawkers used to sell yam in the north. But they later migrated to Accra in search of greener pastures, which they seem to have found in the introduction of the new yam selling technique.
While in the north, they had learnt that there are better business prospects in Accra and so they made a journey down south in groups of friends, without having the slightest idea of what the future holds for them in Accra. No relatives, no accommodation, but they were not perturbed.
"Our relatives know we are in Accra so they are not worried. We seldom visit them. We only visit when we have made enough money from the sale of yams", Abas indicates.
For these young men, Sundays are the only resting days, which they use for other social activities like visiting friends and spending sometime alone. Some of them would have wished to sell on Sundays but business is not brisk on the day because the Graphic Road is mostly empty of workers.
One thing that works in favour of the hawkers is that unlike other businesses, yam selling does not seem to have any lean season.
"We always have yam to sell. There is no particular season for the cultivation of yam in Tamale so we are never short of yam", Abas explains.
Selling yam in Accra is not an easy job though but to those chaps, it is much better in terms of profit than doing that business in Tamale. From sunrise to sunset, and as the days roll by, they are just optimistic that life will get better so long as they continue to work hard.
Although they are sometimes disturbed by the rains they believe that man must survive as long as their yams are safe from the rains.
For Najid the cool weather that quickly surfaces after the rains makes hawking fun and exciting
"Although I get disturbed when it is about to rain, I always become excited when the rain stops because the weather becomes so cool, making hawking exciting", he beams with smiles.
Abuja, a suburb of Accra, is the home of most hawkers on the Graphic road. The name Abuja might sound funny in ones ears. But this is Abuja in Ghana, precisely Accra.
Abuja certainly does not look pleasant to most people due to the haphazard arrangement of the wooden structures the residents have put up as houses. But who cares how haphazardly these structures have been put up. The only thing that matters to them is that they have a home, a place to lay their heads after a hard day’s work.
One thing which is of great concern to most motorists plying the Graphic Road is the display of yam on and near the railway during lean traffic periods.
Are these hawkers in their right senses? One might ask with his or her mouth widely opened, I suppose.
Telling these hawkers about the risks involved in selling on the railway is nothing but a folktale until what seems to be reality and not a horror movie occurs.
My question then is what is the AMA doing about this phenomenon. What is the government doing, and what is the Ghana Police Service waiting for?
Not only are these hawkers criss-crossing motorists with their disorganised movements but also the intense vehicular traffic they cause on our small but busy roads.
Our lorry parks have turned to active sales points by aggressive traders who would insult and yell at you if you mistakenly push their wares to the ground. These traders do not care about how their hugely mounted wares have been put in the middle of the road but are ready to sharpen their lips and give you a good bath of heartbreaking insults if you cause any of their wares to fall from their tables.
Why can’t a foot bridge be built for pedestrians whose walkways have been engulfed with filth and have been paraded by traders. The foot bridge would help pedestrians cross the roads without interrupting traffic flow.
At every traffic light intersection in Accra, boys and girls as little as six years, young men and women, and even old men and women, struggle for space on the streets for the attention of motorists to patronise their wares.
They sell almost everything, from cosmetics, soft drinks, iced cream, fruits, pastries and iced water to electrical gadgets, toys, clothes and every imaginable thing. But of all the items,one that strikes the attention of many motorists is yam.
That is so because it is very strange to find foodstuffs being sold on the streets like toffees, much less yam. Normally, foodstuffs are restricted to the markets and in the case of yam, there are even designated markets for their sale. That is why there are quite a number of Yam Markets in the country.
But what is more fascinating about the sale of yam on the streets is the manner they are hawked. On the Graphic Road, for instance, it is common to find young men, on a daily basis, except Sundays, criss-crossing the vehicular traffic, to sell their yam. And they do so in a style that is most confounding.
Instead of the normal practice of putting the foodstuff in a pan or container for easy carriage, these chaps pack about five yams in their stretched arms, making it difficult to use the hand for any other thing. Only God knows how they manage to cope in times of body-itching and sweat.
But to them, scratching the body or wiping sweat is the least of their worries. They must sell the yam to make ends meet, period! Once that is achieved, they can survive for the day and get back to the streets the following day.
"The reason why we do not carry the yams in head pans is because customers complain that they cannot see what we are selling and also they claim it is more attractive when we carry them in our arms", one of the yam hawkers, Fuseini, explains.
You may call it a marketing innovation, an innovation that may never be found in any literature on marketing or may be far from the grasp of many marketing students at any level.
Of course, as the adage dictates, "Nothing comes cheap", and so hawking yams in arms has its own occupational hazards, such as the infliction of bruises on the arms of the hawkers. But Fuseini still believes it is worth having those bruises.
"Although we get bruises on our arms after the day’s work, it is easier and faster carrying the yams and running after cars than using head pans", he insists.
Many of the yam hawkers used to sell yam in the north. But they later migrated to Accra in search of greener pastures, which they seem to have found in the introduction of the new yam selling technique.
While in the north, they had learnt that there are better business prospects in Accra and so they made a journey down south in groups of friends, without having the slightest idea of what the future holds for them in Accra. No relatives, no accommodation, but they were not perturbed.
"Our relatives know we are in Accra so they are not worried. We seldom visit them. We only visit when we have made enough money from the sale of yams", Abas indicates.
For these young men, Sundays are the only resting days, which they use for other social activities like visiting friends and spending sometime alone. Some of them would have wished to sell on Sundays but business is not brisk on the day because the Graphic Road is mostly empty of workers.
One thing that works in favour of the hawkers is that unlike other businesses, yam selling does not seem to have any lean season.
"We always have yam to sell. There is no particular season for the cultivation of yam in Tamale so we are never short of yam", Abas explains.
Selling yam in Accra is not an easy job though but to those chaps, it is much better in terms of profit than doing that business in Tamale. From sunrise to sunset, and as the days roll by, they are just optimistic that life will get better so long as they continue to work hard.
Although they are sometimes disturbed by the rains they believe that man must survive as long as their yams are safe from the rains.
For Najid the cool weather that quickly surfaces after the rains makes hawking fun and exciting
"Although I get disturbed when it is about to rain, I always become excited when the rain stops because the weather becomes so cool, making hawking exciting", he beams with smiles.
Abuja, a suburb of Accra, is the home of most hawkers on the Graphic road. The name Abuja might sound funny in ones ears. But this is Abuja in Ghana, precisely Accra.
Abuja certainly does not look pleasant to most people due to the haphazard arrangement of the wooden structures the residents have put up as houses. But who cares how haphazardly these structures have been put up. The only thing that matters to them is that they have a home, a place to lay their heads after a hard day’s work.
One thing which is of great concern to most motorists plying the Graphic Road is the display of yam on and near the railway during lean traffic periods.
Are these hawkers in their right senses? One might ask with his or her mouth widely opened, I suppose.
Telling these hawkers about the risks involved in selling on the railway is nothing but a folktale until what seems to be reality and not a horror movie occurs.
My question then is what is the AMA doing about this phenomenon. What is the government doing, and what is the Ghana Police Service waiting for?
Not only are these hawkers criss-crossing motorists with their disorganised movements but also the intense vehicular traffic they cause on our small but busy roads.
Our lorry parks have turned to active sales points by aggressive traders who would insult and yell at you if you mistakenly push their wares to the ground. These traders do not care about how their hugely mounted wares have been put in the middle of the road but are ready to sharpen their lips and give you a good bath of heartbreaking insults if you cause any of their wares to fall from their tables.
Why can’t a foot bridge be built for pedestrians whose walkways have been engulfed with filth and have been paraded by traders. The foot bridge would help pedestrians cross the roads without interrupting traffic flow.
(Republic Day celebration
HUNDREDS of holiday makers stormed the Labadi Beach in Accra on July 1, 2009, to celebrate Ghana’s 49th Republic Day anniversary. Most of them were, however,ignorant of the rationale behind Republic Day celebrations.
As they enjoyed the warmth of the sand at the beach and made merry, they did not have a faint idea about the essence of the occasion whose declaration as statutory public holiday presented them the platform for their relaxation.
“I know today is a holiday but I have not taken the pain to ask anyone about what the day is about because I know that holidays are meant for us to relax at home or go to the beach’’, one gentleman, who felt so ashamed to mention his name, said.
He said he felt embarrassed that he had not been able to educate his children about the essence of the Republic Day.
Another man who was spotted with his children said, “I was told by my friends that July 1, was the day that Kwame Nkrumah was shot. I did not dispute that fact because my friends read a lot and are always abreast with information”.
Lucy Adjei, a nine-year-old schoolgirl, said her class teacher announced the holiday to them in class but did not explain why it was declared a public holiday.
With a confused look on her face, Lucy’s friend, Juliet, an 11-year-old girl, was quick to respond, “No”, when she was asked to explain what the holiday meant.
One issue which was of great concern to most parents was the need for teachers and school heads to educate pupils about the essential historical event.
“Because we did not get the opportunity to go to school, we make it a responsibility by giving our children quality education. It is therefore, pathetic when our children do not know the story behind this celebration”, Mrs Ann Arku Doku, a parent said.
Some parents were of the view that History, as a subject should be taught at the basic education level and not only at the senior high school and tertiary levels.
They, therefore, called on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to adopt measures to ensure that History was taught right from the primary to the tertiary level.
Three years after becoming the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence on March 6, 1957, Ghana became a republic on July 1, 1960, earning it total independence from British dominion.
Before the attainment of a republican status, although Ghana had gained political independence, the Queen of Britain was still the ceremonial head of the nation.
As they enjoyed the warmth of the sand at the beach and made merry, they did not have a faint idea about the essence of the occasion whose declaration as statutory public holiday presented them the platform for their relaxation.
“I know today is a holiday but I have not taken the pain to ask anyone about what the day is about because I know that holidays are meant for us to relax at home or go to the beach’’, one gentleman, who felt so ashamed to mention his name, said.
He said he felt embarrassed that he had not been able to educate his children about the essence of the Republic Day.
Another man who was spotted with his children said, “I was told by my friends that July 1, was the day that Kwame Nkrumah was shot. I did not dispute that fact because my friends read a lot and are always abreast with information”.
Lucy Adjei, a nine-year-old schoolgirl, said her class teacher announced the holiday to them in class but did not explain why it was declared a public holiday.
With a confused look on her face, Lucy’s friend, Juliet, an 11-year-old girl, was quick to respond, “No”, when she was asked to explain what the holiday meant.
One issue which was of great concern to most parents was the need for teachers and school heads to educate pupils about the essential historical event.
“Because we did not get the opportunity to go to school, we make it a responsibility by giving our children quality education. It is therefore, pathetic when our children do not know the story behind this celebration”, Mrs Ann Arku Doku, a parent said.
Some parents were of the view that History, as a subject should be taught at the basic education level and not only at the senior high school and tertiary levels.
They, therefore, called on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to adopt measures to ensure that History was taught right from the primary to the tertiary level.
Three years after becoming the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence on March 6, 1957, Ghana became a republic on July 1, 1960, earning it total independence from British dominion.
Before the attainment of a republican status, although Ghana had gained political independence, the Queen of Britain was still the ceremonial head of the nation.
Write more sign language books - Educationist
The former acting Director of the Special Education Division of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mrs Dinah Kwadade, has urged authors to produce more sign language books for the deaf in order to raise their educational level.
She said because the deaf were unable to build enough language to function effectively in the educational set up, majority of them remained at the basic level.
Mrs Kwadade said this at the launch of four sign language books for the deaf in Accra last Tuesday. The books are My First Book of sign, Sign With Me My Book of Fruits and Vegetables, Bibo My Friend and Abu Goes to School
She said while a child without disabilities entered school at an early age with thousands of words and an understanding of his or her immediate environment, the deaf child entered school with a language deficit.
She said the only means of communication for such deprived children was by gestures which were only able to communicate the most basic information, and added that "knowledge and understanding of his environment and the wider world is very limited".
She advised parents to use sign language with their children immediately deafness was confirmed.
Mrs Kwadade who is also the author of some sign language books presented some of her books to the GES.
She observed that lack of information about persons with disabilities and their capabilities in books and other reading materials was discriminatory and as such did not promote the inclusion of such persons into mainstream society.
She said one way to dispel the myth and fear of disability was to read more about them and therefore advised the general public that disability was not contagious.
She expressed the hope that her books would improve the educational levels of the students.
The President of the Ghana Association of the Deaf, Mr Samuel Asare, said one major challenge that faced persons with disabilities was discrimination.
He said it was unfortunate that most teachers in schools for the deaf had difficulty in using sign language which was the natural language of the deaf.
He encouraged deaf children to use their sign books effectively to help improve their literacy and knowledge acquisition.
Mr Asare expressed the belief that the books would be of immense benefit to schools.
He appealed to the general public to assist deaf schools with educational materials.
She said because the deaf were unable to build enough language to function effectively in the educational set up, majority of them remained at the basic level.
Mrs Kwadade said this at the launch of four sign language books for the deaf in Accra last Tuesday. The books are My First Book of sign, Sign With Me My Book of Fruits and Vegetables, Bibo My Friend and Abu Goes to School
She said while a child without disabilities entered school at an early age with thousands of words and an understanding of his or her immediate environment, the deaf child entered school with a language deficit.
She said the only means of communication for such deprived children was by gestures which were only able to communicate the most basic information, and added that "knowledge and understanding of his environment and the wider world is very limited".
She advised parents to use sign language with their children immediately deafness was confirmed.
Mrs Kwadade who is also the author of some sign language books presented some of her books to the GES.
She observed that lack of information about persons with disabilities and their capabilities in books and other reading materials was discriminatory and as such did not promote the inclusion of such persons into mainstream society.
She said one way to dispel the myth and fear of disability was to read more about them and therefore advised the general public that disability was not contagious.
She expressed the hope that her books would improve the educational levels of the students.
The President of the Ghana Association of the Deaf, Mr Samuel Asare, said one major challenge that faced persons with disabilities was discrimination.
He said it was unfortunate that most teachers in schools for the deaf had difficulty in using sign language which was the natural language of the deaf.
He encouraged deaf children to use their sign books effectively to help improve their literacy and knowledge acquisition.
Mr Asare expressed the belief that the books would be of immense benefit to schools.
He appealed to the general public to assist deaf schools with educational materials.
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