GHANA RELAUNCHES PROGRAMME- To Promote Use of Female Condom

 Story and Picture: Zainabu Issah

THE Ministry of Health (MOH), in collaboration with the Ghana AIDS Commission, has launched a programme to promote the use of female condoms.

According to the Ghana Health Service (GHS), although the female condom was introduced in Ghana about 12 years ago, available statistics indicate that only a small percentage of the female populations use the female condom. For example, only 463 women in the Greater Accra region using the product.

Speaking at the relaunch of the female condom in Accra, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, said, “This, therefore, shows that as a nation, we need to step up our efforts financially and at the policy level to explore the viability of enhancing national female programming and address the problematic barriers that hinder the access to and use of female condoms”.

The launch which was on the theme: “Female Condom for Double Protection,” was aimed, among other things, to raise the awareness of the use of the female condom and the need for women to empower themselves and take control of their lives.

Nii Afotey-Agbo said even though the product had been in the system for a long time, its usage remained low.

He added that given the strategic advantage of female condom in reducing the risk of contracting the Human Immuno Virus (HIV), the risk of unwanted pregnancy among women and girls, there was the need to commit greater attention and resources to its promotion.

He, therefore, lauded the efforts of the MOH and its stakeholders for their efforts in promoting and encouraging the use of the female condom.

He expressed optimism that the relaunch of the female condom would carry along with it the real issues that matter most by integrating the use of female condoms into sector-wide policies and more importantly, within HIV and AIDS programming.

Nii Afotey-Agbo also expressed the hope that women would be better placed to champion the promotion of the use of the female condom in homes, families and communities at large.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health, Mr Alban Bagbin, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Appiah Denkyira, urged the male population to come on board to support the use of the female condom in the country.

He said about 1,300,000 female condoms were available in the country for distribution hence the need for every woman to gain access to the condom for use.

He said the female condom was easy to use and also increased pleasure during sexual intercourse and added that it was a good safe initiative to provide protection against unintended pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STIs).

Dr Denkyira pledged the ministry’s continuous support to ensuring healthy and clean lifestyle for all women and the general public as a whole.

In her address, the acting Executive Director of the National Population Council (NPC), MS Marian Kpakpah, called on Ghanaians, especially young men, to join in the campaign to promote the use of female condom in the country.

She said their collective effort would help reduce the high incidence of unwanted pregnancies as well as the increase of STD’s among women and young girls in the country.

She, therefore, lauded the initiative of the ministry and pledged the NPC’s support in the promotion of female condom use in the country.

The Project Coordinator of Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), Mr Nii Anan Sowah, in his remarks, expressed delight on the relaunch of the female condom and added that its use would help prevent unwanted pregnancies among young women.

He revealed that HIV infection rates were also higher in women than men and therefore urged women to take their destiny into their own hands by doing all that they could to protect themselves during sexual intercourse.

The Country Coordinator of UNAIDS, Mr Girmay Haile, in his remarks, described the relaunch of the female condom as one small chapter in the bigger picture that would help project women and also protect assets of the nation.

He also admired the country’s effort in promoting gender and women empowerment.

MORDEN ABBATOIR OPENS IN MADINA

 STORY BY ZAINABU ISSAH

THICK black smoke rises from the uncompleted building into the air clouding the building.
Bare-chested men covered in blood and dirt furiously fan and open fire fuelled by tyres to prepare slaughtered animals for the market.

Then an army of houseflies, ant and other insects oblivious of the human organised activity around attacked the pile of lifeless animals ready to be skinned.

Just beside the heap of carcass, there is stinking pool full of blackish water filled with plastics and burnt fleece.

 These are but a few of the many nauseating scenes that met one until the construction of the new ultra-modern abattoir facility at Madina in Accra.

Compared to the old slaughter house, the new abattoir is miles ahead in terms of both safety and hygiene.
Johnny’s Food and Meat Complex (as the new place is known) is a one stop shop for a tall list of agricultural produce livestock and poultry.

The well ventilated abattoir is tiled and has a slaughter room specifically for the butchering of animals. The room is immediately washed and cleaned after every slaughter to keep the place hygienic at all times.

The animal is then fleeced in an oven and then washed twice in a basin under a clean running water to have a clean skin to get the skin----‘wele’ which is a delicacy for many Ghanaians.

The carcass is then run through a cutter which is so sharp that it cuts through the bones of the animal rendering the butcher’s knife useless.

The meat is then packaged into clean plastic bags before being transported into the market.

An excited Chief Butcher at Madina Market, Mr Inusa Fuseini, was full of praises for the new abattoir.

“It is safer and more convenient. The hustle associated with the old is far reduced comparably.”

He could not resist the temptation of narrating how animals are handled at the old place.

He started: “the animals, when slaughtered, are laid on the bare floor to drain the blood from them.”

“An open fire mostly made of car tyres is then prepared. The dead animal is then placed on the fire in order to burn and brush its skin which usually lasts more than an hour.”

According to him, the carcass is again washed on the bare floor and cut into pieces to remove the unwanted substances from the animal.

Mr Inusa said the processes were also done at a fast pace in order to meet the demand of customers and
clients.

Interestingly, the health implications were not lost on him.

 “We usually don’t take many precautions on the sanitation aspect because we do not have anywhere else to operate and this building was put up by us so we do things our own way”, he explained.

The slaughtering of  meat in unhygienic conditions in the country has been a matter of concern for some time now.

Meat processed in this old dilapidated abattoir is grim hence poses a health risk to consumers.

Many Ghanaians buy meat from these butchers every day without knowing the abattoir it is coming from, sometimes compromising their health.

These situations have, therefore, made the safety of meat on the Ghanaian market; particularly those slaughtered locally, a source of concern over the years.

To stem the trend, the Chief Executive Officer of the complex, Mr Ohene Agyekum, said the abattoir was equipped with sophisticated modern facilities to ensure high quality control standard of the complex.

 In addition, the abattoir has a veterinary office, two big warehouses for the storage of food and meat produce, slaughtering and dressing departments, a parking lot for customers and a mini market.

He told the Daily Graphic that management of the abattoir was environmentally conscious hence animal waste substances was converted into gas for reuse.

According to him, slaughtered animals went through rigorous routine checks at the complex to ensure that they were clean and healthy before going to market for consumption.

“There is a department that handles the slaughtering, dressing, beef bone in, beef liver, beef burger among others,” he explained.
Additionally, the complex is intended to deal with farmers both within the poultry and the farming industry.

The abattoir also has a kraal and a pen to keep animals bought from farmers within the country and slaughtered at the abattoir by customers who placed orders.

He said the abattoir provides instant slaughtering of about five cows, 40-50 goats and sheep and 50 birds for customers daily.

“This is a whole modern farm factory. All you have to do is to come in and choose any farm produce you want and we would slaughter it for you”, he said.

Mr Agyekum further told Daily Graphic that a mini market was also under construction within the complex so as to receive and harbour market women who would want to operate and sell their wares within the complex.

This he said would improve on food security and create job opportunities for the youth who were coming out of the tertiary institutions in the country with speciality in agriculture.

Mr Agyekum therefore called on the government to provide support which would help hasten the completion of the abattoir for it to start operating fully in the country.

Butchers at the Madina Market who spoke to the Daily Graphic expressed satisfaction with the meat production at the complex.

They said the new and modern facility involved in the slaughtering and dressing of the animals had helped to improve on their meat delivery and sales.

“In the past, it took a longer time to get meat ready for sale but now we do not have to worry about the time. We get the meat when we want it”.

They also called on the government to see to it that the poultry, livestock and farming sectors in the country were well catered for and provided the necessary equipment and facility to improve the sector.

CHIEF IMAM URGES POLITICIANS

 STORY BY ZAINABU ISSAH

THE National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has called on politicians to put the interest of Ghanaians and Ghana first in all their endeavours.

He also urged them to desist from making unguarded statements which had the tendency to destabilise the country.

Sheikh Sharubutu made the call when the National Executives of the Zongo Caucus of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) paid a courtesy call on him.

They were on a tour visiting Islamic leaders in the country to seek Allah’s protection and guidance for the upcoming general elections.

The visit also provided the opportunity for the caucus to formally introduce the executive body to the Chief Imam as they embarked on a door to door campaign to seek votes for the NDC.

The Chief Imam cautioned the group to desist from unhealthy arguments during their tour as it was an easy way to start chaos.

“Always engage in healthy arguments as it helps to broaden ones knowledge in life but try as much as possible not to engage in arguments that would lead to violence as Allah frowns on violence,” he said.

Additionally, he urged Muslims in the various Zongo communities to always be guided by the principles of Islam and continue to seek Allah’s guidance and protection at all times.

He further urged Ghanaians to continue to live in peace with one another as it was healthy for socio-economic and national development.

The leader of the delegation, Alhaji Baba Sharif, said the NDC government, in its quest to prioritise education for the Muslim community, was currently paying Arabic teachers who teach in most of the Arabic schools in the country.

He also stressed government’s commitment to ensure an incident free hajj this year, adding that this year’s hajj was part of the government’s better Ghana agenda.

He urged all Ghanaians to vote massively for the NDC come December for more developments and wealth creation in the country.

The Chief Imam of Alhusunna Waljamah, Sheik Umar Ibrahim, called for enhanced education in the Zongo communities by improving on educational infrastructure and the quality of education.   

MAHAMA FUN CLUB LAUNCHED

STORY BY ZAINABU ISSAH

A fun club, known as the Mahama Fan Club, has been launched in Accra with the aim of ensuring that President John Dramani Mahama secures an overwhelming mandate from the good people of Ghana, come December 2012.

This, it said, would be done by mobilising floating voters, the youth, members from the diaspora and teen members form the various tertiary institutions to campaign vigorously for the President and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

It would also educate the people and the grass root supporters of the party on matters relating to the elections.

The club draws its membership from communities across the country and the diaspora, who believe in the ideals of the party and the President.

Speaking at the launch, the National Communications Director of the club, Mr Zimblim Saaka, said the club was initiated to demonstrate an appreciation to the NDC for all it had done for countrymen and women since the inception of the multi-party democracy under the Fourth Republican Constitution.

He said the President and the NDC had proven over the years that it had hope for the ordinary people and would lead all Ghanaians to a great future if given the mandate in 2012.

He recalled that President Mahama, during his tenure as the Chairman of the Economic Management Team, led the country to experience sustained single digit inflation, economic boom, financial reforms, gas infrastructural development among other beneficial developmental projects.

Also, President Mahama,in his position as Chairman of the Police Council, led the nation to witness sustainable peace and security and massive infrastructural development of all security agencies.

“We are convinced that new initiatives and life changing developments would be rolled out again if President Mahama should continue the phase two of the better Ghana agenda,” he explained.

Mr Saaka, however, expressed optimism that President Mahama  would deliver on his programmes and policies when given the mandate again to lead the country for the next term.

He reaffirmed the club’s commitment to peace, hence they would ensure that it would not be cowed into any diabolic agenda but rather divert its attention to win the upcoming elections.

AFRICA WORLD AIRLINE FINALLY LAUNCHED

STORY BY ZAINABU ISSAH

GHANA’S fifth domestic airline, Africa World Airline (AWA), has launched its commercial operations to boost the local economy and enhance travel by both local and foreign investors in the country.

AWA is a joint venture between the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), the Strategic African Securities (SAS), both of Ghana, and Hainan Airlines of China.
It now joins Antrak Air, CityLink, Starbow Airline and Fly 540 on the domestic airline market.

The founder of the airline, Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, said at the launch yesterday that the airline would begin its first commercial flight from Accra to Kumasi and subsequently to the other major destinations including Tamale and Takoradi.

He expressed optimism that as the market condition of the airline increased, so would the fleet of the airline.
“We expect to have a large fleet size and this will mean large operations to enable us to offer competitive fares so that our customers will have value for money,” he explained.

Togbe Afede XIV assured Ghanaians of reliability and safety on board the flight.

In his address, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Gong Jianzhong, said the establishment of AWA was an important milestone for China-Africa co-operation in the aviation sector.

He expressed confidence that with the participation of the shareholders, the airline would play an important role in promoting Ghana’s regional position as the logistics and passenger centre in West Africa.

He further affirmed the Chinese government’s readiness to work continuously and closely with the Government of Ghana to enhance mutual beneficial co-operation to create a better environment for investment.

Mr Gong also expressed optimism that China-Ghana joint ventures would contribute to the economic development of the country.

The Minister of Tourism, Madam Akua Sena Dansua, lauded the effort of the airline to boost domestic tourism in the country.

She encouraged the airline to spread its tentacles wider to the other tourism sectors in the country in order to encourage local travel in the country.

IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES TO HELP CHANGE THE ADVERTISING SECTOR

STORY BY ZAINABU ISSAH

The President of the Advertisers Association of Ghana, Mrs  Norkor Duah, has called on stakeholders in the advertising industry to implement strategies that would help meet the challenges of the sector.

This, she said would make the industry well regulated to ensure an efficient and credible advertising industry which would be devoid of unprofessional and undesirable practices.

Mrs Duah made this remarks today during a stakeholders meeting on the Advertising Industry Bill in Accra organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and BUSAC to critically study, assess and evaluate the bill before submitting it to Parliament.

The Bill when passed into law would allow the Advertising Council to regulate the practice of advertising, register practitioners and license advertising companies.

The Council would also ensure that advertising is legal, honest and fruitful and that the best interest of the consumer of advertising was protected.

The meeting was also to sensitise the public about the advertising rules and regulations and also advocate for the immediate passage of the bill into law.

She said currently, the advertising agency in the country faces several challenges which include the proliferation of advertising agencies and media organisations in the country resulting to unethical and unfair practices that tend to discredit the industry.

She said the registration and operation of advertising agencies without due recourse to any rules and regulations, lack of mechanisms for the public to report on offensive advertisements that are published in the mass media, among others were some of the malpractices being executed in the industry.

She emphasised, however, that the regulation of the advertising industry was an ongoing exercise in the various countries in the world adding that Nigeria has recently held a summit to make proposals which would regulate alcoholic beverage marketing communications in the country.

Mrs Duah, therefore urged the stakeholders to make the implementation of the bill a key priority in order to awaken the principles and objectives of the industry in the country.

Presenting the Bill, a Legislative Draft Consultant, Mrs Estelle Matilda Appiah, said as a matter of public interest, there was the need to advocate for more responsible and responsive advertising to reassure consumers who have the right to factual information.

“There should be a complaints mechanism for the public to deal with unethical advertising and advertisements that make false claims,” she said.

She also called on the Food and Drugs Authority to play a role in restraining the advertisement of drugs on television sets without approval.

CORPORATE BODIES DONATE TOWARDS FARMERS DAY

STORY BY ZAINABU ISSAH
Eleven organisations, including two insurance companies, have donated assorted items and cheques to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) towards the  28th National Farmers Day in Accra.

The event will be held at Abokobi in the Ga East municipality of the Greater Accra Region on the theme: “Grow More Food: Strengthening Farmer-Based Organisations for Marketplace Bargaining Power”.

The organisations and their presentations are: Gbe-Hanger, GH¢1,250; AP Oil and Gas, GH¢1,000; Unique Insurance Company Limited, a cheque for GH¢2,000 and insurance cover worth GH¢5,000; Quality Life Insurance company, a cheque for GH¢20,000 for the three top winners of the awards.

Others are Accra Brewery Limited (ABL), 220 cartons of assorted drinks; Allied Home Group, four track tyres and a cheque for GH¢10,000; Wynca Sunshine, spraying machines valued at  GH¢15,640, and Anointed Electricals Ghana Limited, a generator set valued at GH¢30,000.

The rest are Continental Christian Traders (CCT), GH¢5,500 worth of fishing cables, and Wienco Ghana Limited, pesticide sprayers worth GH¢20,000 and a cheque for GH¢10,000.

Donations were also made by Crocodile Machete Limited, Yara Ghana, Ghana Cement Company (GHACEM) and Best Environmental Technologies.

The Sales Officer of Crocodile Machete, Mr Frank Akosah Yiadom, presented 14 boxes of machetes worth GH¢4,300 for distribution to the farmers and a cheque for GH¢1,000 to support the organisation of the event.

The Retail Sales Manager of Yara Ghana, Mr Henry Otoo-Mensah, gave a cheque for GH¢10,000 and assorted fertilisers worth GH¢43,000.

On behalf of GHACEM, its Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director, Dr George Dawson-Ahmoah, presented GH¢1,000 bags of cement worth GH¢25,000 for the construction of farm projects such as wells and ponds.

Best Environmental Technologies also presented six gallons of RE3 poultry feed enhancer worth GH¢400 to support the farmers. This was presented by the Director of Sales of the company, Mr Patrick  P. Morttey.

A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Crops, Mr Effa Baafi, commended the organisations for their support and assured them that the donations would be used for the intended purposes.

He appealed to other corporate bodies in the country to donate towards the event.

The Technical Director of ABL, Mr Kevin Osborn, said the organisation recognised the immense contribution of farmers to the sustenance of the country, adding that a large quantity of farm produce from Ghana was used in the production of the company’s drinks.

The Marketing Director of Allied Home Group, Mr Kishore N. Mukhi, lauded the efforts of farmers, adding that they were key to the growth and development of the country.