Month: December 2023

More than 2.1 million persons aged 15 to 35 were not in education, employment, or training in 2022, according to the Ghana Statistics Service (GSS).

As of the last quarter of the year, one in every five persons, 20.2 per cent, aged 15 to 35 was not in education, employment or training.

The Greater Accra Region recorded the highest rate of 26.5 per cent in the fourth quarter followed by Ashanti and Upper East with 22.9 per cent.

All 16 regions recorded double-digit figures for youth not in education, employment or training with the lowest recorded in Oti in the fourth quarter 11.2 per cent.

This was contained in the GSS released Ghana Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey – Quarter 4 2022 Labour Statistics Report.

According to the report, there were at least a quarter of a million persons who were unemployed and living in food insecure households in all four quarters of 2022.

The report noted that more than half a million persons in the labour force were unemployed and multidimensionally poor i
n the year, ranging from an estimated 550,000 in the fourth quarter to 780,000 in the first quarter.

‘The unemployment rate in the fourth quarter was 11.5 percent, the lowest recorded across all quarters in 2022.’

‘Fourth quarter unemployment rates are higher for females (12.5%) compared to males (10.3%); and higher in urban areas (14.3%) compared to rural (7.8%), patterns consistent with what was observed for the previous three quarters,’ the report added.

According to the report, two in every three, 68.1 per cent, employed persons 15 years and older in the fourth quarter were in vulnerable employment, meaning they were self-employed without employees or contributing family workers.

The report added that all regions except for the Greater Accra had more than half of the employed persons in vulnerable employment.

‘The highest rate of vulnerable employment in the fourth quarter was recorded in the North East Region with 92.1 per cent, Savannah Region 90.6 per cent, and Northern Region with 84.2 per cent,’
the report noted.

The Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey (AHIES) is the first nationally representative high-frequency household panel survey in Ghana.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) has acknowledged the enormous contribution and sacrifices that farmers make towards achieving food and nutritional security as well as contributing to economic growth.

The Association said the agricultural sector had been the backbone of the economy and

contributed significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment.

A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said over the years, veterinary services delivery systems had played a key role in reaching this milestone, by providing effective technical and advisory support for Ghanaian farmers.

The statement said it was laudable and required the application of digital and scientific approaches in an integrated way to provide solutions to challenges in the agricultural sector where every stakeholder has a critical role to play for sustainability.

It said veterinary service delivered in Ghana had resulted in a successful containment of zoonotic and transboundary animal disease outbrea
ks such as Bird Flu (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), Anthrax, Rabies, African Swine Fever (ASF), and others.

‘We however, take this opportunity to remind our farmers that the Bird Flu (AI) outbreaks are still active and government of Ghana is yet to lift the ban on movement of poultry and poultry products in the outbreaks areas’, it added.

The Association advised poultry, livestock and fish farmers on improving farm biosecurity as a means of preventing infectious diseases, and the prudent use of antibiotics to reduce the increasing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) of pathogens worldwide.

It pledged its support to farmers and all citizens, and assured them of unwavering commitment to providing quality animal health care and advice, for an improved livestock and poultry production, food security and safety in the country.

‘This would in turn contribute to the government’s resolve to drastically reduce the

importation of meat and other animal products which had caused a significant drain on our econ
omy’, it said.

It appealed to government and donor communities to increase their support

to the animal health sector through retooling of the Veterinary services and its allied

institutions such as fisheries, wildlife, private veterinary hospitals or clinics and the veterinary medical schools.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Agave Development Association, in collaboration with the Ship Owners and Agents, and Onix Data Centres associations have extended support to flood victims of 20 communities in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region.

They donated sachet water, 100 bags of 25 kg rice, sanitary towels, detergents, soft drinks and other essentials worth GHS60,000.

Sokpoe, Tefle, Fievie, Tademe, Agorme, Alikekope and 14 other communities benefited from the relief items.

Mr Wilberforce Isaac Azumah, the Chairman of Agave Development Association, said though the flood from the Akosombo Dam spillage weeks ago had receded, many of the victims still needed support to face the consequential challenges.

He assured the victims that the Association would continue to offer them the necessary support until the situation was resolved.

Mr Justice Pobee, a representative of the Ship Owners and Agents Association, called on individuals and other organisations to also support.

‘There are other victims in several communities who a
lso need support. So, I urge everyone to give a supportive hand to our brothers and sisters,’ he said.

He assured pupils and students whose education had been affected by the floods of the Organisation’s plans to map out measures to support them.

Mr Samuel Polley, the Head of Communications of Onix Data Centres, said it was the company’s responsibility to stand with communities in times of need and

expressed its commitment to supporting them to lessen their suffering.

He expressed gratitude to Romeo Hademe and Evelyn Goni of the Agave Development Association for being instrumental in ensuring that the relief items got to the most affected communities.

Mr Benjamin Amekudzi, the Assembly member for Tefle, received the items and expressed appreciation on behalf of the victims.

He assured of the fair distribution of the items and called for more support from corporate Ghana.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms Egbeegbe Anagbuno, a Senior Midwifery Officer, Krachi East District Health Centre, Oti Region, has emerged the overall most outstanding staff at the maiden Ghana Health Service Excellence Awards.

She took home a brand-new VW car, a plaque and citation for her exceptional performance in healthcare delivery.

This was followed by Mr Christian Kwadzo Vorleto, a Senior Physician Assistant, Anyanui Health Centre, Anloga District, Volta Region, as the overall best in the leadership Excellence category.

His prize is an all-expense paid trip to Dubai, a plaque and citation.

In all, 66 healthcare workers, including facilities and development partners were honoured for their outstanding performance in healthcare delivery.

The other award winners were Mr Emmanuel Atta Boakye, Ms Halimatu Sadia Halidu, Mr Micheal Dogumka Kojo, Mr Abraham Gyeru, Mr Kennedy Selorm Ekuanor, Mr Samuel Yankey, Dr Issac Kofi Darko, Mr Clement Dieyel, Mr Richard Worlako Totime, Dr Nihad Salifu, Mr Mark Anthony Azongo, Mr Emmanuel Tampah
Lensie, Mr George Alhassan, Mr Bismark Kparikpari Wononuo, and Mr Majid Sulemana.

Others were Mr Solomon Obiri, Ms Victoria Mensah, Ms Margaret Adatorwovor, Mr Iddris Musah Naparow, Ms Martha Sottie, Ezekiel Nagben Lalibo I, Mr Maxwell Avolsure Tisosgom, Dr Benjamin Yitah, Dr William Okyere Frimpong, Dr Osman Abdulai Musah, Dr Robert Amesiya, and Dr Joseph Kojo Tambil.

The rest were Mr George Opoku-Asumadu, Dr Esther Priscila Biamah Danquah, Dr Akosua Adumea Gyimah Omari-Sasu.

Development partners honoured were the World Health Organisation, USAID, KOICA, JICA, KOFIH, UNFPA, World Food Programme, Center for Diseases Control Ghana, Kokrokoo Charity Foundation, and Rebecca Foundation.

Facilities awarded were Nkoranza North Yefri Health Centre, East Gonja Municipality Salaga Health Centre, Nkwantanum Health Centre, Atebubu Hospital, Achimota Hospital, South Tongu District Hospital, Hohoe Municipal Hospital, Volta Regional Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, and Northern Regional Hospital.

All the awa
rd winners received plaques, some won chest refrigerators, motorcycles, flat screen television and tabletop fridges.

Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the First Lady, commended the award winners, saying the country owed immense gratitude.

Mrs Akufo-Addo pledged her commitment to improving healthcare in the country and called for collaboration to build a resilient healthcare system that left no one behind.

Mrs Tina Mensah, the Deputy Minister for Health, speaking on behalf of the Minister, assured that the government was committed to building a responsive and resilient healthcare system to prepare the country towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

‘The government again is committed to training more healthcare professionals to meet the evolving needs of the health sector to employ more personnel,’ she said.

Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director General, GHS, said the awards, structured at three competitive levels of district, regional and national, saw winners at the district level moving to compete at the regiona
l level, and those who won at the regional level, moving to compete at the national level for the grand ceremony.

He noted that the ward scheme launched in 2022 was designed to recognise and celebrate outstanding performance and meritorious service by individual health workers as well as health facilities to motivate them to do more and inspire others.

The Director-General said it was integral to the Service’s effort to reposition itself to enhance customer care and promote patient satisfaction in healthcare facilities.

Professor Francis Kasolo, the World Health Organisation Country Representative, congratulating the winners, pledged WHO’s continued support to the Government of Ghana and encouraged healthcare workers to continue striving for excellence.

Source: Ghana News Agency