Day: January 19, 2024

The Executive Director of Hope For Future Generation (HFFG), Mrs Cecilia Senoo, has asked the government to use the COVID-19 fund to strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly the financing of immunization services.

Mrs Senoo said once COVID-19 was no longer a public health emergency, it was necessary to channel the funds into the financing of immunization services to secure more vaccines to save the lives of the citizenry, particularly children and pregnant women.

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She said this at the launch of the Financing Immunization Advocacy Response (FAIR) Project in collaboration with Socioserve Ghana, Civil Society Organisations and partners in Accra.

The FAIR Project is an initiative with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, aimed at advocating greater domestic resource mobilisation and increased accountability to support Immunization service delivery.

The project is also to ensure timely payment of immunization obligations and also ensure that new vaccines are introduced as well as meet fi
nancial obligations.?

The Executive Director said though Ghana had made impressive strides in achieving high immunization coverage, the achievements were? largely dependent on external support, which was waning, underscoring the need for commitment to mobilise resources in financing immunization services to save the citizenry.

She said: ‘This project is a collective commitment to building a healthier, more resilient society for our children. Immunization stands as one of the most effective public health interventions in preventing countless diseases and saving human lives. It is, therefore, important to take a look at the resources we devote to it, in order to take charge of our health and safeguard the future of this country.’

Dr. Nazir Mohammed, Deputy Director, Expanded Programme on Immunization, Ghana Health Service (GHS),?noted that vaccination had helped to improve the life expectancy of Ghana’s population and had been the best investment any government could ever make.

Dr Mohhamed said Ghana had ma
de significant increase from immunization of six childhood killer diseases to 11, including malaria vaccines that was being piloted in seven regions.

He said: ‘Ghana’s immunization programme is one of the most efficient and impactful on the continent. We have achieved high routine vaccine coverage levels over the years of more than 90 per cent for most of the antigens until the recent dips being observed which are partly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine shortages.’

He said vaccination had contributed to the reduction of under-five mortality from hundred and eleven per thousand lives births (111/1000LB) in 2003 to forty per thousand Live Births (40/1000LB) in 2022 whiles infant mortality from sixty four per thousand Live Births (64/1000LB) to twenty eight per 1000 Live Births (28/1000LB) and Neonatal mortality from forty three per 1000 live births to seventeen per thousand live births (17/1oooLB) within the same period.

?The Deputy Director said the?increase in the number of vaccines and the
safety of the citizenry required an increase in resources to ensure that all eligible children were?reached to reduce zero dose and under-immunized children.

Dr?Hilda Mantebea Boye, President of the Pediatric Association of Ghana, commended HFFG for the effort in ensuring financing and availability of vaccines in the country and pledged support for the FAIR initiative.

CSOs and partners at the launch reaffirmed their commitment to support the HFFG in ensuring immunization co-financing.

A coalition, with members from the academia, Civil Society Organisations, politicians, traditional leaders, the private sector and the media, will be formed for the successful implementation of the FAIR project. ?

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has reiterated the need for the Government to stop the certificate training programme for nurses.

The Association said it was time the programmes were upgraded to degrees.

Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, the President of the GRNMA, said this at the swearing-in and induction of new national executive members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association.

The new executive members will manage the affairs of the Association for a four-year term.

The nine member executives, including Mrs Ofori-Ampofo were sworn in for a second term after having been re-elected.

They took an ‘Oath of Office’ to uphold, protect and defend the constitution of the Association and to be of good behaviour in the execution of their duties.

The executive members also took an ‘Oath of Secrecy’ not to reveal to any person any matter directly or indirectly, which shall be brought under their consideration or to knowledge in the discharge of their duties, except as mig
ht be permitted by the constitution.

Mrs Ofori-Ampofo, speaking on behalf of the team, assured members of their readiness to ensure their welfare needs were met.

‘As the nineth elected president of the GRNMA, I want to assure you that my team and I will serve you with diligence and ensure your welfare needs are catered for. We will strive to uplift the image of the nursing and midwifery profession in Ghana and beyond,’ she said.

She said the new executive would focus on the GRNMA five-year strategic plan and review it by December 2024 to be able to achieve thematic areas.

‘In 2025 we will have a new strategic plan to guide the Association moving forward, maintain good relationship with the employer, organised labour, and all international bodies the GRNMA is affiliated to.’

She challenged women in the Association to be bold and take up positions in the next election to enhance the welfare of members.

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Mrs Ofori-Ampofo said major challenges facing members were poor conditions of service, unemployed tra
inee nurses, issues of nurses’ allowance, and welfare packages and was hopeful that the government would address them.

Dr Isaac Bampoe-Addo, the Chairman of the Forum of Public Sector Registered Pension Schemes, congratulated the GRNMA for a successful election and swearing-in ceremony.

?He urged the national executive members to be ready to surmount difficult times, be bold to face challenging situations, be loyal, committed and always hold high the ideas of the Association. ?

Dr Yaw Baah, the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress, also advised the executives to exhibit high leadership quality.

The Ghana Medical Association and the Health Services Workers Union gave solidarity messages. ?

Source: Ghana News Agency

Traders at the Keta market in the Volta region have lamented the excessive cost of eggs due to the lack of poultry farms in the area.

This, they said, was affecting their businesses due to the inadequate availability of eggs in the area, compelling them to buy from other areas.

Madam Akpene Dzanado, an egg wholesaler at Keta Market, in an interaction with the Ghana News Agency, stated that they spent huge sums of money in assessing poultry farms in other areas.

‘We travelled to places such as Akatsi, Weta, and other places outside Keta and Anloga to get poultry farms to buy eggs.

She said the situation in the Keta Municipality must be given urgent attention to address the plight of those in the egg business.

Madam Dzanado, mentioned other challenges like the breakage of the eggs due to transportation, the selling of bad eggs, and others.

‘The eggs are very expensive too and traveling a long distance to buy them is also another risk.’

This, she said, called for assistance from individuals, corporate en
tities, philanthropists, and the government to set up more poultry farms in the area for easy access of the products.

Mr Dornoo Wonder, Manager of ‘Feed the Nation Farms Limited,’ a poultry farm at Akatsi in the Akatsi South Municipality, disclosed to the GNA the rise in the pricing for the eggs was due to the amount involved in purchasing poultry feeds.

He said poultry farming was a lucrative business, but the high expenses involved were a problem for those who were into it.

Mr Dornoo appealed to the government to help in the supply of poultry feeds to mitigate the excessive costs involved.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms. Joyce Asare Kissi, the Head of the Nutrition Unit of the Tema General Hospital, has cautioned parents against feeding their children porridges containing no nutrients, as it can lead to malnutrition (Kwashiorkor).

Malnutrition is a condition that results from a lack of sufficient nutrients in the body and might cause fatigue, dizziness, and growth-related problems, as well as death in severe cases.

Ms Kissi, speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, said such porridges, popularly referred to as ‘koko sakora,’ only contain carbohydrates without any other nutrients to support the children’s growing nutritional needs.

She indicated that after exclusive breastfeeding for six months, mothers and caregivers must ensure that they complement feeding with family food that contains all the recommended nutrients for the child to prevent malnutrition and other related illnesses.

The nutritionist said a little palm oil, groundnut paste, fish powder, fruits, vegetables, milk, and others must be added to t
he porridges and food of the children to provide their growing bodies with nutrients.

She expressed worry that malnutrition, or Kwashiorkor, as it is popularly referred to, still existed among children aged under five years in Ghana due to the lack of proper nutritional feeding of children.

She said her outfit received daily Kwashiorkor cases both from within Tema and surrounding districts, some of which must be admitted as the condition might have resulted in the children getting other medical conditions.

She stressed that malnutrition was a disease that could be cured; however, there is a lot of misconception around it, leading people to seek help from elsewhere and only report to the hospital when the situation had become severe, risking the life of the child.

She therefore advised mothers and caregivers to religiously feed their children with nutritious foods and follow the advice from their caregivers to avoid malnutrition and other nutritionally related sicknesses.

Ms Kissi appealed to relatives, t
raditional leaders, opinion leaders in the community, religious leaders, and relatives to encourage mothers to take their children to the hospital when they see symptoms of Kwashiorkor in children instead of waiting till it is too late.

She also appealed to non-government institutions and philanthropists to help the Tema General Hospital’s Nutrition Unit with cereals to prepare therapeutic feeds for such malnourished children, as most parents of such children find it difficult to bear the cost of treatment as it is not covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The imposition of a 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity consumption will increase the cost of doing business and ultimately the cost of living, some residents of Teme have noted.

The Ministry of Finance, in line with Sections 35 and 37, and the First Schedule (9) of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act, 2013 (ACT 870), announced that the implementation of the 15 percent VAT for residential customers of electricity commenced on January 1, 2024.

Responding to the announcement, some residents in Tema told the Ghana News Agency that the VAT implementation would only add to the already high cost of living as they would spend more on purchasing the same units of power.

Madam Vida Mensah, a trader at the Community One Market, said even though it would affect her pocket, the Government had already enacted the law and implementing it, and that she had no choice but to comply.

Electricity, she said, was an essential commodity, which people could not do away with, however ‘the good side is that it can force th
e public to conserve energy and practice efficient power usage.’

Mr Nathaniel Narh, a phone technician, said the VAT charges would add extra costs and definitely affect businesses, especially energy-intensive businesses.

‘Our spending is more than our income, and adding VAT on electricity will further strain our budget as we already have additional bills to cover, such as Water Bill,’ he added.

Mr Emmanuel Amissah Bonsu, a resident, stated that paying VAT on electricity would put a burden on consumers, especially those with low incomes but did not fall within the lifeline bracket.

He said some people were already having financial difficulties due to the current economic challenges, therefore, charging VAT on electricity will exacerbate their woes.

The VAT, according to the Ministry of Finance, is to be charged on electricity above the maximum consumption level specified for block charges for lifeline units.

The Ministry called on the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Northern Electricity Distribution
Company to liaise with the Ghana Revenue Authority to ensure its implementation as part of the Government’s Medium-Term Revenue Strategy.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Office of the Special Prosecutor says it is investigating over 152 cases of corruption at various stages.

They include an investigation into contractual arrangements between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited, a company registered in Ghana, and the Ghana Revenue Authority, as well as investigations into the appropriation, sale, and lease of state-owned lands and properties to individuals and corporate bodies since 1993.

This is in a statement signed by Mr Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor on its fourth half-yearly report.

The report covering the period from July 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, is submitted in accordance with Section 3(3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).

The report outlines achievements, challenges, and the overall commitment of the Office to combating corruption.

The statement said the Office was currently investigating three significant criminal cases and was in progress on the prosecution front.

The trials at this stage of investigation include t
he investigation of the former Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority and his brother-in-law, which is underway at the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra.

Others are the trial involving the former Chief Executive, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration of the Northern Development Authority, and the Chief Executive of A and QS Consortium Limited.

These are pending before the Criminal Division of the High Court in Tamale.

Additionally, the report stated that the trial of the President’s nominee for the position of Chief Executive of Juaben Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region was pending before the Criminal Division of the High Court, Kumasi.

Some cases according to the report, were yet to proceed to full trial, including that of a former Minister for Sanitation, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

The report said the former Minister for Sanitation’s investigations had so far shown that the case was about all
eged money laundering and structuring and may be referred to the proper agency if necessary.

The report said the case involving Mr Charles Bissue, the Secretary of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), was yet to proceed to full trial.

The statement said the Office had closed a number of cases, including the investigation into the alleged attempted bribery of the majority caucus of the Parliament by an undisclosed well-known and wealthy businessman.

‘Additionally, the case of the former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Charles Adu Boahen, as contained in an investigative documentary titled Galamsey Economy, published by the celebrated Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his associates operating under the corporate name of Tiger Eye P.I., has also been concluded,’ it said.

The Office disrupted a syndicate involved in counterfeit foreign currency production, and the case has been partially referred to the Ghana Police Service.

The statemen
t said the Office had engaged with stakeholders, including the judiciary and international agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice of the United States for collaboration to discharge its duties efficiently.

It said the Office had started preparatory work to open regional offices in Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale.

That strategic initiative, the statement said, reflected the Office’s commitment to extending its reach and impact, ensuring that the fight against corruption was not confined to specific regions, but resonated throughout the nation.

Source: Ghana News Agency