Ghana Broadcasting Corporation

  The 2021 budget focused on the need to complete all previously initiated projects, consolidate the economy and continue with new programmes for the benefit of the people. The previous practice where some of the uncompleted projects were delayed for various reasons is unacceptable and must be abandoned for the progress of the country. This is good and ought to be realized because abandoned or neglected projects constitute a drain on the resources of the country. Development programmes must be well thought through before their implementation. Their implementation must also be well planned so that they will not constitute a waste of resources in the country. If this is done at all times, the entire country will benefit from a sound and maximum use of its limited resources for Ghanaians. This must therefore guide all governments, present and future for the rapid socio-economic development of the country. It is clear that government needs more revenue to be able to finance its development

  Exactly a year ago, Ghana announced the first two recorded Coronavirus cases in the country. This was after few months that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the disease a public health emergency of international concern. It became the highest level of alarm under international law. The WHO published an interactive timeline showcasing how the organization has taken action on information, science, leadership, advice, response and resourcing. A year on, Ghana’s Covid-19 death toll has reached 656, with active case standing at 4,782 with 272 new cases recorded, leading to 86,737 total confirmed cases. Experts are of the opinion that the figures might have been terrible but for the pragmatic and prudent measures put in by the Government, which was hailed across the globe. Ghana is said to have been one of the world’s best countries to have managed the spread of COVID-19 very well. Indeed, the country’s leadership with respect to the control of the pandemic has been superb.

  Poverty, it is said, is a serious disease which when it afflicts you, will not kill you easily but rather disorganises your plans and ways of living and renders you impotent. Nobody is born poor on this earth but rather, certain unforeseen circumstances give way to poverty. A touchy and heart-rendering story of an 18-year old orphan who is desirous of becoming a doctor in the future but currently facing financial challenges to support his education to realise his ambition is for some time now trending on social media. Edward Elorm Gbanaglo is said to have completed his secondary education at the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC) in Accra with seven A’s and two B’s and has gained admission into the University of Health and Allied Sciences at Ho in the Volta Region. He managed to pay his admission fees with the help of his late mother’s friends. However, Elorm, who defied all odds to make excellent grades, fears he might not be able to complete the program because he does

  Ghana last Wednesday received the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines through the WHO global vaccine-sharing program. The 600,000 doses of the Astra Zeneca Vaccines were manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, representing part of the first wave of COVID 19 vaccines headed to several low and middle-income countries. The delivery is part of the first wave of arrivals that will continue in the coming days and weeks. With this, Ghana became the first country outside India to receive COVID-19 vaccines shipped via the COVAX Facility. This is deemed a historic step towards the goal of ensuring equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, in what will be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history. The arrival of the vaccines in Ghana is said to be the first batch shipped and delivered in Africa by the COVAX Facility as part of an unprecedented effort to provide at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the

  All through its print and electronic media, Ghana has been abuzz with impassioned and well-reasoned discussions touching on whether to permit the promotion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and other related practices in the country or not. The prevailing viewpoint of leading religious, political and traditional authorities, some civil society organisations and the generality of those heard from, is that such sexual orientations or practices are alien to Ghanaian cultural norms and values. They also offend the commandments of God, be they expressed through Christian, Muslim or Traditional codes of conduct Ghanaians adhere to. But the push by certain interest groups for the normalisation of such sexual practices, often accompanied by condescending socioeconomic conditionalities or threats of sanctions for non-adherence is not a new phenomenon. Such overtures have been made at the highest levels of our national governance system with successive Heads of State of t

  No President of any country in the world operates in a vacuum.  He or she needs a set of ministers to assist in propelling the wheel of governance for an effective leadership.  That is the situation in our country now, where the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will need his team of ministers to govern the over 30 million Ghanaian people. The President is in the process of forming his government and has already put before the Appointments Committee of Parliament, a first batch of 46 ministerial nominees for vetting and consideration. So far, more twenty of them have been vetted, pending approval by Parliament. The process which started on 10th February, 2021 is expected to end on 9th March, 2021. Those vetted include Mavis Hawa Koomson, Fisheries and Agriculture Development, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Information, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Employment, Sarah Adwoa Safo, Gender, Children and Social Protection, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, Parliamentary Affairs, Godfred Dame, Attorney- General

  At a time the deadly Coronavirus pandemic is at its peak and causing a lot of havoc in the country, news filtering in from neighbouring countries indicate that on the sideline, the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is knocking on our doors asking permission to enter.  Whether this permission is granted or not depends on how Ghanaians comport themselves. The Ghana Health Service has hinted that incidents of the Ebola disease have been recorded in neighbouring Guinea with three deaths out of seven cases. A press statement issued by the Ghana Health Service on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, advised Ghanaians to take precautionary measures against the virus by protecting themselves through the avoidance of contact with blood and fluids such as urine, saliva, sweat, faeces, vomit, breast milk and semen of people who show symptoms of the disease. The symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, which are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and rash. The Ghana Health Ser

  Two harrowing experiences shared by two patients of the Covid-19 disease showed how painful it is to be a victim of the disease. There is therefore the need to pray for divine intervention to help Ghana overcome this deadly monster that has plagued this country within the shortest time. I heard the first victim of the disease was interviewed on an Accra-based radio station last week in which he narrated his harrowing condition when he was attacked by the virus. According to him, he could not recollect how he got the disease but he suspected it might have happened at a function he attended the last time somewhere in Accra. When he returned home that night he could not sleep because of the severe pains all over the body in addition to difficulty in breathing.  He therefore alerted the Covid-19 team operating in Accra who quickly responded and came to his aid.  After receiving first aid from the team, he was rushed to the Adabraka Polyclinic for further treatment.  He said the excruciat

  Despite major investments by both public and private sectors, Ghana is reportedly faced with 12 percent youth unemployment and more than 50 percent general   underemployment. This challenge could worsen if deliberate efforts are not made to create the needed job opportunities. A 2020 World Bank report titled “Youth Employment Programs in Ghana: Options for Effective Policy Making and Implementation”, has identified agribusiness, entrepreneurship, apprenticeship, construction, tourism and sports as key sectors that can offer enormous employment opportunities for the Ghanaian youth. The report which has been described as another milestone towards addressing the unemployment challenge also calls for more investments in career guidance and counseling, work-based learning, coaching, and mentoring to equip young people with the needed skills for work. The report suggests that although these are not new areas, government could maximise the impact by scaling-up these priority areas in existi

  The emergence of social media and electronic transaction services have opened the door for criminal and fraudulent practices in society which are indeed disturbing. Fraudsters have capitalised on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp among others on the internet to dupe innocent and unsuspecting people of their hard-earned money. Every now and then the fraudsters devise several ways of hacking into individual banks and mobile money accounts, sometimes under bizarre circumstances. With the subtle manner in which they go about their criminal activities, one needs to be more alert and vigilant. One of their common tricks these days is a phone call telling you that an undisclosed amount meant for somebody has wrongfully been sent to your mobile money account. They will then appeal to you to return the said money with threats to get the network provider to block your account if not returned. The way they speak, you may be convinced and will want to check your account only to see that there is nothi

  The World Health Organisation indicates that 300,000 children are diagnosed with different types of cancer each year. In the last decade, the survival rates for most types of cancer such as leukemia, brain cancer, and lymphoma in children have improved in developed countries. Up to 80 percent of the patients survive, thanks to early diagnosis, timely treatment, and advance medication. However, most children who are battling cancer live in the developing world, where their survival rate is less than 25 percent. In other words, children who find themselves in Ghana and other developing countries have lower survival rates. Ghana is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Right of the child. Article 24 requires parties to recognise the right of a child to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health and facilities for treating illnesses and rehabilitation of health. But from all indications, this is a mirage in Ghana. The country has only two hospitals- Korle-Bu and Komfo Anokye Teach