COVID-19, Ramadan and Charity [OPINION]

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April 18, 2020

By: Dawda Mohammed Kakale | OPINION |

The Coronavirus pandemic also referred to as COVID-19 to date has spread to about 209 countries across the globe and nearly 2 million people have contracted the disease with more than 100,000 deaths.

In this period of global pandemic when countries are being totally or partially locking down, keeping the citizenry indoors, with businesses not being able to open, plunging the small income earners into abject poverty and eminent starvation, as a result.

The social-economic impact of covid-19 can be quantified across all economies but to mitigate that impact, governments around the world have come out with various stimulus packages to help the less privileged in the society, individuals and corporate entities are also doing their best by providing food and other essential items to the poor in the society.

However, as Muslims are approaching the month of Ramadan, our Muslims brothers and sisters who because of this pandemic would be temporarily out of business and could not make ends meet, will continue to need the assistant of well-meaning and philanthropic corporate entities and individuals in order to be able to perform their obligatory religious duty of fasting in the month of Ramadan, which starts from the 23rd of April 2020.

WHO’s COVID-19 Dashboard, showing the spread ofthe pandemic

The fact that COVID-19 is in Ghana and some places in Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi are in partial lockdown and there is general directive by the President of the Republic to the citizenry to practice social distancing and other measures in order to contain the spread of the deadly disease, these measures will not exempt our Muslims brethren from observing the fast which has been made obligatory on them by Allah in the following verse of the Quran;

"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous" (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:183)

Giving out charity in the month of Ramadan is highly recommended and practiced by the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the following hadith: “The best charity is that given in Ramadhan.” [At-Tirmithi].

In another saying of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), he (SAW) is reported to have said, "He who feeds a fasting person will gain the same reward as he will, without decreasing from the fasting person’s rewards.” [Ahmad].

In view of the above proof of the significant of charity offers in the month of Ramadan there cannot be any other period where Muslims will have to extend their kindness to their kindred and others than in this period of COVID-19.

I am therefore appealing to the well to do and benevolent Muslims to stand out and be counted as those who also contributed their quota in mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic especially during the month of Ramadan.

This is the time for us to be compassionate to show that we care and it is not by only having many before we can extend our kind gesture to our fellow humans

The prophet Muhammad (SAW) again in this hadith is reported to have said as narrated by Adi bin Hatim “Save yourself from Hell-fire even by giving half a date-fruit in charity.”

Charity is not too small nor too big, that is why it is important to be a brother’s keeper in this trying moment as we fast in the month of Ramadan. In providing for the vulnerable we need to make our intention clear that we are giving out in order to keep people at home and to save lives this will earn the believer a substantial reward.

However, in other to achieve the objective of giving out to the needy and the overall objective of saving lives, it is important that the President’s directives for social distancing and other measures aimed at preventing the spread of the disease should be adhere to so that no person will be put at risk in the name of food sharing.

Finally, all those who have something to share should not do so in their own accord but rather they should liaise with the appropriate Agencies of the State to ensure that the right processes are followed towards the distribution of these items.

It is my fervent hope that Muslims all over the world will adjust to the situation in other to attain the maximum reward for fasting in the month of Ramadan.

Covid-19 as we all know doesn’t discriminate against anybody and it is deadly that is why it incumbent upon every individual to do his or her part in other to stay safe and to save life.

Source: Dawda Mohammed kakale, a Journalist | Email: kakale312@yahoo.com

#COVID19: Torgbui Patamia of Srogboe Donates Items In Support of Coronavirus Fight

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Volta Online

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April 17, 2020

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BY: News Desk | Voltaonlinegh.com |

A Chief of Srogboe, Torgbui Patamia IV has joined the league of traditional leaders who have taken personal initiative to provide their communities with items to support the government’s fight against the corona virus pandemic.

At a brief ceremony last Friday, the Chief with his council members presented Veronica buckets, paper tissue, hand sanitizers and liquid soaps to the community at the Aklibosu – Patamia Royal Family Community Centre in Srogboe. The items were received by the Chairman of the Town Development and Unit Committee and the Assembly Member.

The ceremony was graced by the District Chief Executive of Anloga, Mr. Seth Yormewu, representatives of Torgbui Tsikata Agbodzi II, Dufia of Srogboe and Mama Biana Dadzi I.

The DCE thanked the Chief for the great initiative and used the occasion to reiterate the need for the public to comply with the WHO protocols on personal hygiene and physical/social distancing.

Torgbui Patamia’s gesture was in line with the call made by the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr. Kofi Dzamesi for traditional authorities to add their voices to the global campaign against COVID-19 which presently puts the human race under an existential threat.

The initiative of Torgbui Patamia IV of Srogboe and other similar efforts by the Awoamefia of Anlo States, Torgbui Sri III have demonstrated how government and traditional authority can collaborate on many other developmental issues to improve livelihoods and sustain peace and development in the country. It is the fervent prayer of all that COVID-19 shall soon be a thing of the past.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

#COVID19: Pastor, Two Others, Fined Over Ghc39K for Breaching Restriction Order

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Volta Online

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April 17, 2020

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BY: Lambert Atsivor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Three persons have been slapped with a total of Ghc39,600 fine by the Kpando Circuit court for breaching the Presidential order on public gathering, Volta Online can report.

The three, Apostle Sampson Agakpe, founder of the Church of Pure Christ, and his assistants, Maxwell Dzogoedzikpe and Samuel Agakpe a pastor were arrested by the Peki Police in the South Dayi district for holding a church service with a congregation of about 50, contrary to the ban on public gathering to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Appearing in Court on Thursday, the three men were found guilty of violating the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012) and convicted on their own plea to a fine of 1,100 penalty units (Ghc13,200) each or in default, serve a 4-year jail term.

Dr. Archibald Letsa, the Volta Regional minister, who confirmed the news in an exclusive Facebook live interaction on Ex TV & Volta Online hosted by Rustum Gameli Senorgbe, said the development was a welcoming one, as he blamed the indiscipline of some citizens as a threat against the containment of the pandemic in the region.

Watch Dr. Letsa’s full Interview Here

Exclusive details obtained by Volta Online from the court, revealed that, the presiding judge, His Honour, Nana Brew further directed the prosecution led by the Detective Sergeant, Henry Doku, to have the three convicts tested for the #COVID19 before being sent to jail in case of default.

During the trial, Volta Online understands, the pastor had resisted initial attempts by the prosecutor to exclude the two church members from prosecution, as he alone cannot be held liable for an offence they all committed.

The successful prosecution of these people, comes on the back of the announcement by the Police Service, early this week that, about 406 persons have been arrested in the country for breaching the Restriction law, of which 67 of them were being prosecuted in the Volta region.

The recently enacted law, gives the President, the power to impose restrictions in an emergency situation through Executive Instrument, and also provides a sanction regime, of a fine, jail term or both.

Highlight

According to section 6 of the Act 1012, ‘A person who fails to comply with a restriction imposed under the Executive Instrument issued under subsection (1) of section 2 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 1000 penalty units and not more than 5000 penalty units or a term of imprisonment of not less than 4 years and not more than 10 years.’
A one penalty unit in monetary term is Ghc12.00, making the minimum fine in the law, Ghc12,000 and the maximum, Ghc60,000.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

CAUTION: No part of this report should be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the writer. For enquiries please call 0246411634. Thank you.

COVID-19: Social Organization Distributes Food To Homeless On The Street

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Volta Online

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April 17, 2020

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BY: News Desk | Voltaonlinegh.com |

In the wake of the novel coronal virus pandemic, Mcisidore Foundation, a benevolent organization, has been providing packets of food to people affected by the partial lockdown in Accra.

The relief items according to the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Isidore Enyonam Togbedji were his contribution towards government’s efforts to address the challenges of the pandemic.

The items include 400 loafs of bread, 100 bags of rice, 400 pack of cooked jollof rice and chicken, and 400 bottles of soft drinks.

Hundreds of daily wagers and the homeless who as a result of restrictions were not able to work to feed themselves were treated to good food and drinks.

Mr. Isidore Enyonam who lamented about the challenges faced by the people stranded on the streets, encouraged the private sector and other social organizations to collaborate with the government in managing the situation.

He said the gesture by his Foundation was largely made possible by his good friend, Kwakye O. Desmond who is the CEO of Seal Mining and Civil Limited.

The volunteers who were engaged took necessary hygienic precautions by wearing gloves and face masks and using hand sanitizers during the food distribution.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

[VIDEO] Ho Teaching Hospital Gets 40-Bed #COVID19 Isolation & Treatment Centre

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Volta Online

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April 16, 2020

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Isolation centre (4) — Inside one of the Isolation rooms

BY: Lambert Atsivor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) in the Volta region has completed the setting up of an isolation and treatment centre to handle coronavirus cases in the region.

The 40-bed capacity centre, situated in a private facility within the Ho Municipality, would house #COVID19 patients for treatment.

So far, the Region has confirmed nine cases, one of which is under treatment at the HTH, while the other 8, spreads across Aflao and Hohoe, with 6 and 2 cases, respectively.

Inside the Facility

An exclusive tour of the place by Volta Online with the some members of the Regional Public Health Emergency Management Committee, led by the Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa on Wednesday, revealed a fully equipped state-of-the-art facility, in readiness for the management of the coronavirus cases.

Highlights

The facility has a pharmacy, restrooms for doctors and nurses as well as nurses station, where there is a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) screen for caregivers to monitor patients in their individual rooms.
Each of the rooms also has a bed, an air conditioner, a 42-inch flatscreen TV, and an intercom for patients to communicate with caregivers at their station.
Hand hygiene stations were visible at facility, as its greenery precincts provides a good ambience for both front line officers and the patients to connect with nature.
There is 24/7 water and electricity supply with adequate security on site.

Comments

Dr. Emmanuel Kasu, Head of Public Health at HTH said the facility will augment the existing one at the hospital incase of a surge in postive cases.

In addition, he said the centre would also serve as the research and innovation wing of the Teaching Hospital, where new innovations will be tried and tested.

According to Dr. Kasu, staff have received adequate training and the needed logistics have also been made available for them to handle cases efficiently.

Officials of the Ho Teaching Hospital in a pose with the Minister

He noted that, an enhanced contact tracing and management technique has been adopted to identify and quarantine persons who have come into contact of the confirmed cases in the region.

On his part, the Volta Regional minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa said the completion of the treatment centre has put the region in readiness to chase out the pandemic.

He added that, three other centres have also been set for the Ketu South Municipal Hospital at Aflao, the Battor Catholic Hospital in the North Tongu District and the Hohoe Government Hospital.

The minister however called for the cooperation of the public and strict adherence to the safety protocols to help contain the spread of the virus in the region.

Meanwhile, the University of Health and Allied Sciences laboratory in Ho is set to commence the testing of #COVID19 samples in the region, following the training of its staff at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the lead COVID19 testing centre in the country.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

CAUTION: No part of this report should be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the writer. For enquiries please call 0246411634. Thank you.

#COVID19: Afadjato South MP Provides Ghc20,00 Worth of Support To Constituents

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Volta Online

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April 13, 2020

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BY: News Desk | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Afadjato South constituency in the Volta region, Madam Angela Alorwu Tay, has donated relief items and Personal Protective Equipment to help address challenges of coronavirus pandemic in the area.

The items, comprising hundred (100) Veronica buckets, cartoons of soap, thousand (1000) pieces of locally made nose masks, fifty (50) cartoons of liquid detergents, bundles of tissue paper and five hundred (500) bottles of hand sanitizer were distributed among the various Traditional areas within the constituency.

The beneficiary traditional areas were, Ve, Tafi, Nyagbo and Wodze. The items were presented to their respective Assembly Members for onward distribution.

Madam Angela Alorwu speaking during the presentation advised the residents to adhere to the various protocols by the Ghana Health Service and stick to hygienic practices such as regular washing of hands, social distancing and use of nose masks.

The chiefs and assembly members who received the items expressed gratitude to the MP for remembering them in this difficult times and extending the gesture. They promised to make good use of the items that came in handy.

The Corona virus is widely spreading globally at a fastest rate which is causing death in large numbers. The virus is being spread or transmitted from an infected person to uninfected. It usually happens with contact if an infected person.

The Volta Region has joined the list of regions in the country recording cases of the corona virus disease with nine confirmed cases recorded as of Sunday, prompting the authorities to intensify educational campaigns and surveillance to avoid further spread.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

‘Dear Ghana,’ Princess Tetteh Writes On COVID-19

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Volta Online

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March 29, 2020

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BY: Princess Lovia Tetteh | OPINION |

We have all by now been very informed about, and probably in diverse ways felt the influx of the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) which has become a widespread health emergency of global concern, with our beloved country also being a seemingly helpless victim to its spread and effects.

Today, the Ghanaian socio-political environment has become such that despite the well acclaimed democracy and Rule of Law, not just every citizen could actually voice out concerns on social problems and interventions and be heard and properly addressed. But fellow Ghanaians, in this pandemic situation, regardless of all political, social and cultural devides and the controversies related to the interventions put in place by Government, it is much more needed on our part as citizens and duty bearers to ensure these interventions draw home the much desired results we seek as a nation to reduce the deleterious devastations of Covid-19.

President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

The Head of State in a recent address announced a 100 million Dollar fund to fight the menace but so far we have not been informed on what this fund is committed to specifically achieve. Awaiting its arrival and disbursement, what is the way forward? We are in desperate times and it is sacrosanctly necessary that correspondingly, desperate measures are considered to safeguard every Ghanaian life, and all else therein.

To pull to an introspective query the efficacy of our support systems, fear and panic aren’t far fetched; but we will survive! Every Ghanaian Citizen should at this trying era subject him/herself to the health directives of strict hand hygiene, appropriate coughing and sneezing, social distancing, glove and mask use, disinfection of surfaces, voluntary check-up, helping the weak with preventive caution, and reporting ilegal immigrants. Our decision makers must not at this point in time overrate the ability of our institutions and all other duty bearers in conceptualizing solutions for this present predicament and its associated future repercussions.

We must as a matter of urgency initiate district and community based mass testing, increase public awareness and sensitization on safety and preventive measures. Our precious lives and the collective future of our nation must not be put in jeopardy.

In recent times, we have seen developed countries locked in invisible races in quests of becoming the Earth’s single superpower. In the light of this, any (of them) could be driven towards anything, be it military, bio-militia, economic, political, etc., if in their words, the end must justify the means. Contemporary medical statistics have however shown how these competitors (and other developed countries) have had enormous shares of recorded cases and Covid-19-induced deaths. Some might have already been as much prepared to lose certain proportions of their population, especially the non-active class, taking into consideration their population-control policies.

A pandemic like Covid-19 to them isn’t a bad deal then, but the recorded death tolls obviously is a great dent on their super pride and as such, others too especially Africa must be made to feel it? Fellow Ghanaians, we must thread cautiously in seeking aid from Royalties that have been stripped off stolen amulets, else we shall be victims for pacifying arrogant gods! In Africa, the virus has been woefully spread-largely by importation-and countries that are gradually fighting to climb the developed ladder are likely to have their already-struggling economies further toppled, again, and continue on perpetual aid paths crafted with beautiful adjectives.

In Ghana, we are nearing a state of self-quarantine, social distancing and national lock down. For a nation whose human resource and aggregate productive efforts largely covers the informal sector, this pandemic is not just a disaster, but a Misfortune. A complete national lock down if necessary, should be imposed with associated economic support systems and livelihood empowerment initiatives as well as continuous salary structure for both public and private sector workers, with complete longterm ban on international travel from selected countries. This however, should be subject to our future prospects of macroeconomic stability, foreing policy alignments, international commitments and sustainable development.

Covid-19 is a test of our collective seriousness as a nation, and a call to a redefinition of our conceptualization of nationhood. To win the fight against all odds even as we implement current mitigation strategies, there is the need for a well coordinated dialogue with Government, MMDAs, CSOs, the media, essential service providers, local NGOs, religious bodies, researchers and those in academia to brainstorm effective and lasting solutions to this pandemic and any of its likes in the future. Everyone is a potential victim and a potential solution.

It is very unsafe and joking-looking if the “sick and come-in approach” continues to remain our most active battle plan against Covid-19. If honestly, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research remains the only resourced Centre for the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests for a 30.4 million population, then we can definitely not make gains of progress. If it isn’t, we should as a nation activate all other available vanguards to protect ourselves and generations unborn from a possible 30 million case.

“Raise high the flag of Ghana”!

If it must be to our last breath, let us continue to fight with our strength of arm and eschew all forms of mediocrity and negative energies. Stop hiking prices of essential goods. Keep Ghana safe and put her first. From the ashes, we will rise. Together, we will survive. God bless our homeland, Ghana, and make us Great and Strong!

Source: Princess Lovia Tetteh

(Team Lead at LoveAid Foundation & Convener, Ho CSOs Platform on the SDGs)

Central Tongu District Marks Int’l Women’s Day with A Durbar

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Volta Online

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March 12, 2020

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BY: Shalom Lumor | Voltaonlinegh.com|

Stakeholders in the Central Tongu district have joined the rest of the World to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) with a durbar to sensitize the public on the promotion of the welfare and interest of young girls and women in the area.

The event which was under the auspices of a Non-governmental Organization, Global Women Development Promoters (GLOWDEP) and the Ghana Education Service, was attended by an array of people from the traditional and religious institutions, decentralized departments as well teachers and school children from selected basic schools.

Global Women Development Promoters is a non-governmental organization based in the Central Tongu district whose main aim was to promote girls education and women empowerment.

The IWD is marked globally on March 8 every year to celebrate women’s achievements from political, economic and socio-cultural space. The theme for this year’s celebration was “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights.”

As part of the durbar, a Quiz competition was organized among selected Basic schools in the area, while a radio talk show was held to sensitize the public on the relevance of the day.

Mr Henry Xevi, the Director of Education speaking at the durbar held on Wednesday, encouraged the school girls to learn hard and also fight hard to rise above any limitations that society might have set for them.

“Girls are no longer relegated to the kitchen. You can also get to the male-dominated professions” he said.

He also expressed his profound gratitude to GLOWDEP for continually contributing to girl child education in the Central Tongu District.

Madam Evelyn Agblese speaking on behalf of the Executive Director of GLOWDEP charged the participants to help in advancing gender equality in their various communities.

According to her, “There is still more room for improvement because Gender inequality continues to hold women and girls back and deprives them of basic rights and opportunities professionally.”

She also encouraged parents to guide and support their wards to attain their full potential, stressing that, “Girls can do anything on earth now. they can achieve higher goals. Do not limit them, girls are now venturing into the male-dominated professions, so help them and push them to climb the higher educational ladder.”

At end of the Quiz Competition, Kpogede Community Junior High School was adjdged Champions with 46 points and took home as their priz package, an amount of Ghc150, set of books and mathematical sets.

The second position went to Girls Model School with 39 points, who also took home GHC100 and a set of books and mathematical sets, whiles Global Junior High School placed 3rd position with 36 points and received Ghc60 with set of books.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Four Suspects In Custody Over Murder of Sogakope Assembly Man

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Volta Online

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March 8, 2020

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marcus — The late Marcus Mawutor Adzahli

BY: Lambert Atsivor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Volta Regional Police Command has announced the arrest of some four persons for their alleged involvement in the gruesome killing of Marcus Mawutor Adzahli, a popular businessman and the Assembly member for Sogakope South Electoral Area in the South Tongu District.

The suspects, whose details have not been provided, according to a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Regional Police Command on Sunday, Corporal Prince Dogbatse, said they were assisting in further investigations and would be put before court soon.

“The police is working assiduously in partnership with all relevant stakeholders to arrest anyone involved in the killing of the assemblyman and also calls on the public for support,” the statement assured.

Related Articles:

Sogakope Killing: Police Retrieved Seven Cartridges from Crime Scene

Sogakope Murder: Assembly Places GHC10k Bounty On Killers

Gruesome Killing of Popular Businessman Sparks Protest At Sogakope

Missing Riffle

The release also confirmed the arrest of two Police officers at the Sogakope Police station over a missing service riffle but denied their connection with the killing of the Assembly man.

According to the statement, investigations so far did not suggest any link betwen the missing riffle, which occurred on Saturday, March 7, 2020 and the gruesome murder incident of Sunday, March 1, 2020.

“This is only an unfortunate coincidence, and the command is resolved to get to the bottom of it,” the release stated and called for circumspection on the part of the media, as the command expresses commitment towards reviewing operational and administrative protocols at the Sogakope Police station.

Vigil

Meanwhile, hundreds of Sogakope residents on Saturday evening held a candle light vigil at the home of the slain Assembly man, to observe the one week of his killing.

Clad in red and black attires with candle lights, the mourners walked through the streets of Sogakope singing dirges before converging the deceased’s residence, where he and his family brutally attacked by unknown gunmen, leading to his untimely death.

The incident sparked a 2-Day massive protest by residents, who attacked the Police station and also blocked the Accra-Aflao transnational highway.

It took the intervention of a joint security team, including the military to restore calm to the area.

Bounty

Several personalities, such the Volta Regional minister, the Volta MPs caucus in parliament, and just this weekend, the flagbearer of NDC, Ex President John Mahama, visited the area to call for calm and also commiserate with the bereaved family.

A host of institutions and individuals, including the South Tongu District Assembly, the Volta MPs caucus and former President J.J. Rawlings, announced various sums of money, totaling over Ghc60,000 as a bounty on the head of the killers.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

IWD: Afadzato South MP Calls For Re-integration of Alleged Witches

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Volta Online

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March 8, 2020

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BY: News Desk | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Member of Parliament for Afadzato South, Madam Angela Oforiwaa Alorwu – Tay has made a passionate appeal to government to as a better of urgency close down the alleged witches camps in the North of the country and reintegrate its inmate into society.

In a statement on Sunday, March 8 to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day, the legislator bemoaned the lips service paid by successive governments to disband these camps and challenged the current government to walk the talk.

“President Akufo – Addo and the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection should use this day to give the women of this country what I believe will be the most priceless gift we will be extremely happy to have; a roadmap to re-integrate the women in these witch camps and a systemic disbanding of the camps, never to be resurrected again.”

What is International Women’s Day

The 8th of March each year has been designated as the International Women’s Day (IWD). A day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate womanhood and champion the rights of women, the world over. The 2020 commemoration is on the theme: ‘I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights.’

This is aligned with UN Women’s new multigenerational campaign, Generation Equality, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Read Afadzato South MP’s full statement below;

This year marks exactly 25 years since the adoption of the famous Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – which laid out a progressive roadmap for gender equality and had the buy in from leaders all over the world.

Unfortunately, over the last two and half decades, not much progress has been made. As a United Nation’s report published ahead of the 2020 International Women’s Day which falls today 8th March reveals, some 32 million girls are still not in school. Progress on women’s access to paid work has ground to a halt over the past 20 years as we continue to shoulder the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work. Nearly one-in-five women have faced violence from an intimate partner in the past year, fuelled by new technology, such as through cyber-harassment, for which policy solutions are largely absent. Men still control three-quarters of parliamentary seats world over and 73% of managerial positions are occupied by men.

Women constitute a paltry 13% of parliamentarians in Ghana although we are about 51% of the population. The percentage of female representation in the Akufo – Addo administration is less than 30%. And all over the country, women continue to remain underrepresented.

That is why the theme for this year’s international women’s day celebration: “I am a Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights” cannot be more crucial. Going forward, we need to see conscious efforts on the part of government and society as a whole to break down the barriers militating against women taking up leadership positions across various fields.

It’s sad that more than 13 years after processes began for the passage of an Affirmative Action Bill, no progress has been made. This bill which spells out a set of needed actions designed to correct the history of systematic discrimination and exclusion of women in the decision-making process, has been in the workings as a draft document for far too long. The draft bill which former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Nana Oye Lithur worked on and got cabinet approval for in 2016 before the NDC lost power has not been worked on by the current administration for more than 3 years now. What has been holding its introduction to parliament all these years?

There have been too many promises on this bill by the Akufo – Addo administration that hasn’t materialized. When President Akufo – Addo delivered his state of the nation address to parliament on 21st February 2017, he assured the house of his commitment to get the bill passed. Even before he gave that, former Gender Minister, Children and Social Protection Minister Otiko Afisa Djabah gave a similar assurance when she appeared before parliament’s appointment committee on 30th January 2017.

When current minister Cynthia Morrison addressed a summit organized by her ministry on 26th August 2019, she assured once again that she was working vigorously to ensure the Affirmative Action bill gets introduced to parliament and passed. On February 11, 2020, when Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu outlined the issues the house will be dealing with before the end of the year to the media, he mentioned the Affirmative Action Bill as one of the key priority ones. So, what is holding it? The continuous delay in passing this bill is unhealth, backward and undermines the collective effort of Ghanaians to create an all-inclusive society. That cycle of plenty talk and doing little must end.

I cannot end this international women’s day statement without talking about an issue that really breaks my heart; the continuous operation of witch camps in 21st Century Ghana. I saw a documentary on the operations of these camps on TV recently and I was appalled by the conditions they live in. Such facilities deprive women of their rights to develop fully and freely and ends depriving their children of education, good health and proper sanitation. Sadly, a lot of the about 1,000 women who find themselves in the about six witch camps at Boyansi, Gambaga, Gnani, Kpatinga, Kokuo and Naabuli are innocent widows who have been wrongly accused of murders they didn’t commit.

Again, successive leaders have spoken repeatedly about their commitments to get these women re-integrated in their communities so these camps can be disbanded, but sadly, its been a lot of talk. It’s about time leadership walked the talk.

President Akufo – Addo and the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection should use this day to give the women of this country what I believe will be the most priceless gift we will be extremely happy to have; a roadmap to re-integrate the women in these witch camps and a systemic disbanding of the camps, never to be resurrected again. This plan should include:
1) the establishment of a national taskforce to lead the re-integration and disbanding.
2) a dedicated budget for the taskforce which will be multi – sectorial and decentralized
3) a reasonable time frame within which the objectives will be achieved.
4) a comprehensive educational programme to sensitize residents in the various communities where these problems are endemic to desist from such cruel, criminal; and intimidatory acts.

These women don’t belong in these camps and we need to have all hands-on deck to get them out as soon as possible.

Happy international women’s day to all women. The world is so blessed to have you all.

By Angela Oforiwaa Alorwu – Tay
Member of Parliament, Afadzato South Constituency

Highlights

The facility has a pharmacy, restrooms for doctors and nurses as well as nurses station, where there is a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) screen for caregivers to monitor patients in their individual rooms.

Each of the rooms also has a bed, an air conditioner, a 42-inch flatscreen TV, and an intercom for patients to communicate with caregivers at their station.

Hand hygiene stations were visible at facility, as its greenery precincts provides a good ambience for both front line officers and the patients to connect with nature.

There is 24/7 water and electricity supply with adequate security on site.