RAMADAN CENSUS SEMINAR

A Member of the Council of State,  Madam Hajia Hajarah Ali, has urged muslims in the country to participate fully in the upcoming population census.
She observed that some muslims habitually failed to allow themselves to be counted during censuses and said they must participate in the exercise so that resources could be allocated to them when the need arose.
 Hajia Ali was speaking at a census sensitisation programme organised by the Coalition of Muslim Organisations Ghana (COMOG) in Accra at the weekend.
The programme was also to explain to Muslims the need to participate in the exercise and how it would be conducted.
A Population and Housing Census Facilitator, Mr Mohammed Frimpong, explained that the exercise would be in two forms: The household population and the non-household population.
He, therefore, requested that adequate information about families should be given in order to have a precise account after the census.
He added that the information given would not be used to result deport non-citizens in the country as was the widely held belief.
“The exercise is not about deportation. It is about knowing the number of people in the country,” he said.
In another development, an Islamic newspaper dubbed “Muslim News” was launched in Accra last Saturday to provide information on developments in the Islamic world.
The twelve page monthly newspaper would tackle issues faced by Islamic communities and also be a source of information on Islam.
The Deputy Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Ms Boya Gariba, who launched the newspaper said it came at an opportune time when several factors have culminated in rendering Ghanaian muslims vulnerable and disunited.
She added that information was the most vital tool for the development and the enhancement of all people including muslims yet the Ghanaian muslim was left in a vacuum as far as credible news and information was concerned.
“ Most Muslims know little or nothing about what is going on in the country and this is directed at them,” she said.
Ms Boya added that the newspaper as a source of information would help find practical solutions to the problems affecting muslim women, children and the less privileged in the society.

A SECTION OF MUSLIM SCHOLARS AT THE SEMINAR WITH THE MEMBER OF COUNCIL, HAJIA HAJARA ALI IN VEIL

PLAN GHANA DONATES SUPPORTS FLOOD VICTIMS

Plan Ghana, a non governmental organisation (NGO), has donated relief items to the Gomoa East District Assembly to aid inhabitants who were victims of flood that hit the country this year.
The items, which were worth Gh¢17,600, included 300 bags of rice, 100 cartons of keysoap, 1,500 sachets of powdered milk, 300 gallons of cooking oil and 300 mini bags of sugar.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Isaac Kinsley Ahunu- Armah, who received the donation on behalf of the flood victims, said the donation would be distributed fairly to all the victims.
He added that the flood remained an unfortunate event in the lives of the people because of its effect in the district.
“Our communities on that day woke up in a state of shock when we realised we were flooded. It is indeed an unforgettable event and will remain indelible on our mind.”
He, therefore, called for the support of  individuals, NGOs and corporate institutions to donate towards efforts to make life return to normal in the affected communities.
The Programme Area Manager of Plan Ghana, Mr Joseph Assan, said the donation was  to help alleviate the plight of the flood victims.
He  urged the assembly to ensure transparency in the distribution of the  items and pledged that more of the donations would follow if the items brought are distributed fairly.
Some of the items were later distributed to the people of Takiyam who were the worse affected in the district.
Speaking to Daily Graphic, Madam Duodoo, who was a victim of the flood and a resident of Takiyam, said the flood had rendered her family homeless .
“ I sleep outside while my five children spend the night with friends and relatives because our building is not safe and can collapse at anytime,” she explained.
According to NADMO, the June 2010 floods affected 1,393 people in the district with properties running into several millions destroyed.

THE DISTRICT CHIEF EXECURTIVE OFFICER RECIEVING THE ITEMS.

EXCELLENT FOUNDATION ORGANISES BLOOD DONATION

As part of its social responsibility programme, the Excellence Foundation has  organised a  blood donation exercise for the Korle Bu Blood Bank.

The donation which was done with support from Cadbury Ghana Limited was to bring to the fore, the precarious situation at the hospital’s blood bank.It was also to encourage other corporate bodies to emulate their action and support the blood bank.

The Corporate Affairs Director of the Excellence Awards Foundation, Nana Osei Afrifa, said the demand for blood was so high that people sometimes lost their lives.

“We recently have had instances in the country when tragic accidents have occurred and most of the victims die as a result of lack of blood for transfusion,” he said.
He added that if there was a constant replenishing of blood at the bank it could help save lives.

A DONNER AT THE EXCERCISE.

The Head of Laboratory of the Trust Hospital, Mrs Rosemond Bray, said the donation of blood by the foundation was very laudable since people now shy away from blood donations because of the rise of sexually transmitted diseases.

“ Unlike previously when people would hurriedly donate blood when the need arises, this time people feel reluctant to donate because of the fear that certain diseases might be found in their blood,” she said.

GRACE PETROLEUMM DONATES TO FRAFRAHA HOME

GRACE  Oil Petroleum Company Limited (GOPCL) has donated food items and an undisclosed sum of money to the Christian Faith Foster Home at Frafraha.

The items included 200 bags of sachet water, 10 packs of toilet roll, 10 bags of 25kg rice, two boxes of key soap and four gallons of cooking oil.

The Administrative Officer of GOPCL, Mr Kwame Adjei-Yeboah, said the donation was to fulfil their co-operate social responsibility to the society they resided in.
“ We are in this community and we know what comes out of it. It is therefore, right for us to give back what we receive from the people,” he said.

Mr Yeboah urged parents to think carefully before bringing children into the world.
He again requested that well-to-do Ghanaians  should come and adopt some of the children and take care of them.
“ The children’s defect is not having parents to take care of them, so it is proper for those who are well-to-do to come in and help cater for them,” he explained.

Madam Henrietta Asare Agyeman, who is a mother at the foster home, said the donation would go a way in helping to cater for the children.

She, therefore, appealed to other organisations to come to their aid.
The foster home currently has thirty children consisting of 24 boys and six girls.

                        Madam henritta reciving the items from the staff of Grace petroleum limited

LIBERIA DONATES TO LEPROSARIUM

Story: Zainabu Issah

AS part of the activities marking the 163rd anniversary celebrations of Liberia, the United Liberian Association in Ghana (ULAG) has donated assortment of food and items to the Weija Leprosarium in Accra.

The items include rice, maize, corn, beans, oil, tissues and light bulbs which are valued an amount of Gh¢1,500.

The President of the association, Mrs Julia Richards, said the donation was to complement the efforts of the people of Ghana in catering to the needy in society.She said it was also to recognise the long-standing relationship between the Republic of Liberia and Ghana.

Mr George Quanson, who received the donation on behalf of Father Campbell who is the father of the home, said the donation would go a long way in solving the needs of the Leprosarium.

Madam Glades Adobe, the Prefect of the home, received the items on behalf of her fellow inmates and thanked the organisation for their donation.

PLAN GHANA DONATES TO THREE INSTITUTIONS

PLAN Ghana, in partnership with Child Rights International(CRI) and Ghana National Coalition of the Right of the Child (GNCRC), has donated support items worth Gh¢40,000 to the Ghana Prison Service (GPS), the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service and the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) to strengthen them in the discharge of their duties.

The donation is part of a three-year project implemented by Plan Ghana with support from the European Union to prevent and combat all forms of violence against children or the youth who are in conflict with the law.

The items included computers, printers, digital cameras, photocopiers, mattresses, bednets, bedsheets, blankets, vocational training tools for tailoring, carpentry, electrical works and hairdressing, as well as raw materials for making  beads.

The programme support manager, Mr William Agyekum,  said even though the children were in conflict with the law, they also had the right to comfort and training.
"The items are to help support the children so that they would come out ready for the job market," he said.
Mr Acquah urged the institutions to use the items wisely to train the children so that they may not lag behind in the society.

The Deputy Director of DSW, Mr Lawrence Azam, said the items would equally be distributed to the various juvenile institutions under the DSW.

He added that the items would effectively be used to train the children to become better people.
A representative from DOVVSU, ASP Alichiew Abdullahi, said the donation would go a long way to  help the unit to discharge its duties.
" We would be able to keep records of our programmes and also store the data on children in the unit," he said.

The Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr Alhassan Legibo, appealed to other organisations to constantly think of the children.
"They have only offended the law but that does not make them different from the rest of us," he said.

The Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr Alhassan Legibo, receiving the items from the Programmes Support Manager of Plan Ghana, Mr William Agyekum Acquah, whilst other members of the Prisons Service look on.

PLAN GHANA, STAKEHOLDERS DISCUSS VOILENCE AGAINST CHILDEREN

Story: Zainabu Issah

PLAN Ghana in partnership with Save the Children Sweden, and other development stakeholders has organised a-four-day  youth forum on violence against children in Accra.

The forum which brought together 80 children from 16 West African countries was designed to facilitate and exchange ideas and find solutions to violence against children.

It was also to give the youth the opportunity to expand their networks to stop violence through encouragement and empowerment.

The United Nations Special Representative on Violence Against Children (UNSRSG), Ms Marta Santos Pais said the issue of violence against children was becoming very rampant as such there was the need to put up measures to eradicate it.

She added that children who were most vulnerable to these incidents were girls .
"They are sexually exploited and made to do all kinds of dirty jobs which intern affects their lives in future," she said.

Furthermore, certain cultural practices like female genital mutilation has made girls vulnerable to infections and maternal death.

" I therefore urge you all to speak up whenever you feel exploited and violated so that people would be brought to justice," she said.

Ms Pais also urged the participating countries to do well in supporting the eradication of violence against children.
"They are the future leaders and when they are exploited who would be there to play the role of future leaders," she said.
She again said children witness violence and endure physical, emotional and sexual violence everyday .
"This makes them suffer reprisals and stigmatisation because they do not know whom to report to for counselling and support," she said.

The Minister for Youth and Sports, Ms Akua Sena Dansua said for the needed attention to be given to children issues, there was the need to encourage children to report violence done them.
" You are the children who are being exploited against your will. We at the Ministry can't do anything about it unless you voice it out for those who are guilty to be punished," she said.

The Vice Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Dr Agnes Akosua Aidoo said there was the need to initiate drastic measures to address violence against children, since it could be the cause of life to and death of children.

She advised parents to ensure that punishment meted out to children for offence committed, should be reformative and not exploitative.

" You can deny the child some of his or her favourite hobbies like footballs, television, games and even visits from friends. This way you are denying the child something very important to him or her," she said.

She added that the abuse of children physically tended to remain with them until they grew. Thus also inflicting the same wounds unto other children.

Some of the participants from The Gambia, Mali and Cote d'voire gave reports on how children are abused in their countries.

 From left: A participant from Cote d'voire, the United Nations Special Representative on Voilence Against Children, Ms Marta Santos Pais, the Minster for Youth and Sports, Ms Akua Sena Dansua and a participant from senegal at the forum.