EXPRESSO DONATES TO BORSTAL HOME

Story: Zainabu Issah


MD of Expresso in suit, presenting the items to the HOME.



Some staff of Expresso, a mobile telecommunication service provider, have renovated two building facilities at the Accra Juvenile Correctional Centre at a cost of GHc 8,000.

The renovated facilities are Saint Monica’s Dormitory, which houses over  20 inmates and the draughtsmanship shop which also used train the inmates to acquire technical and vocational skills.

Additionally, they presented a bag of rice, a bag of beans, a bag of sugar, a bag of gari and 200 exercise books to the institute to help in their training.

Presenting the items, the spokesperson for the group, Mr Emmanuel Afryie Amoako said the presentation which was secured with contribution from individual staff and with the support of management formed part of Expresso’s social responsibility.



Staff of Expresso at the Borstal home,



The Counselor of the institute, DSP Dokumah Constance , commended Expresso for the kind gesture and called for continuos renovation of the institute to make the environment more welcoming to the inmates.

He added that the institute since its extinguishment had not been renovated and this had resulted in most of the facilities in the institute either outmoded or out of use.

He also said because most of the roofs of the dormitories were leaking, whenever it rained the room get flooded, making life unbearable for the inmates.

DSP Constance, also used the occasion to appeal to other organizations to come to the aid of the institute which trains juveniles in vocations of their choice so that they would be responsible members of the society.

The Juvenile Institute formerly known as Borstal home was established in 1945 to reform, rehabilitate and reintegrate juvenile delinquents into the society.

They are also given formal education and workshop training in blacksmith, welding, carpentry, tailoring among others.



ALLURE HEALTH WALK.

Story and picture: Zainabu Issah

Every year over 2000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer with alot more dying every 68 seconds worldwide.

Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai of Breast Care International  disclosed that the rate at which cancer kills was very alarming and hence the responsibility of every Ghanaian to help fight against it.

Although the disease is primarily found in women,almost one per cent of breast cancers occur in men and also at any age.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women with the exception of another type of cancer known as nonmelanoma skin cancer.

A woman with a personal history of cancer in one breast has a three- to fourfold greater risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. This refers to the risk for developing a new tumor and not a recurrence (return) of the first cancer.

About 5 per cent to 10 per cent of breast cancers are believed to be hereditary, as a result of mutations, or changes, in certain genes that are passed along in families.

Family history has long been known to be a risk factor for breast cancer. Both maternal and paternal relatives are important. The risk is highest if the affected relative developed breast cancer at a young age, had cancer in both breasts, or if she is a close relative.

Also, the use of  oral contraceptive pills means that a woman has a slightly increased risk of breast cancer than women who have never used them. This risk appears to decrease and return to normal with time once the pills are stopped.



The CEO of Allure Spa, Madam Dzibordi K Dosoo at the walk.



The breasts are however made of fat, glands, and connective (fibrous) tissue which has several lobes,and  are divided into lobules that end in the milk glands. Tiny ducts run from the many tiny glands, connect together, and end in the nipple.These ducts are where 80% of breast cancers occur and the average woman of 30 has one chance in 280 of developing breast cancer in the next 30 years.

She was speaking at the health walk organised by Allure Spa to mark their fifth anniversary celebrations and to also raise awareness about the disease by encouraging women to regularly have their health checked.

The Chief Executive Officer of Allure Spa, Madam Dzibordi K Dosoo says women contribute immensely to the development of the country and it is important that awareness is regularly created to warn them about the disease.

She added that the rate at which cancer kills is very alarming and hence the responsibility of every Ghanaian to help fight against it.
She said cancer increases in the third world countries than in the developed countries because of the daily screening and awareness that is given to the disease.



Some section of women at the walk on Saturday.



Dr Addai however encouraged regular screening exercises amongst women to help control and prevent the spread of the disease.

She also encouraged the government and organizations to invest more in researching into the disease because cancer can be cured.

Studies have showed that regular exercise may reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer but have not definitively established how much activity is needed for a significant reduction in risk. One study from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) showed that as little as one and a quarter to two and a half hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman's breast cancer risk by 18 per cent.



Boonaa Mohammed - For the love

ENERGY MINISTER URGES ELECRICAL CONTACTORS TO PROMOTE EXPERTISE

THE Minister of Energy, Mr Joe Oteng-Adjei, has urged electrical contractors to make good use of their electrical directory in order to advertise and promote their expertise.

He also encouraged them to use it as a tool to connect the entire membership of electrical contractors and the general public.

He commended the efforts of the electrical contractors for their contributions in the safety and reliability of appliances in the society.
Mr Adjei was speaking at the launch of the third edition of the electrical contractors’ Directory by the Ghana Electrical Contractors’ Association (GECA) in Accra.

The directory is to help address the concerns of the general public on the use of electrical appliances.It is also to guide the public in choosing the right electrical contractors from the association.

Mr Adjei also urged the contractors to comply with the norms, ethics and standards that were associated with the electrical profession.
“It is only by doing this that you can win the confidence of the general public and the government who would then use your service for the socio economic development of the nation,” he said.

The Minister of Water Research, Works, and Housing (MWRWH), Mr Allan Bagbin, said organising regular training programmes for the members of the association would ensure compliance with the code of conduct.

He said this was necessary due to the prominent fire outbreaks in prominent public buildings which were mostly due to electrical faults.

LAUNCHING OF THE DIRECTORY.

He added that another sure way of improving on the performance of electrical contractors was to collaborate with other professionals in the construction industry.

“ This would ensure best delivery in your work and also improve on your performance which would inturn  help eliminate fire hazards,” he said.

Mr Abongo also assured the electrical contractors the enforcement of standards for electrical designs and building codes in an appropriate revised Building Regulations of 1996 LI 1630.

The National President of GECA, Mr Joseph Walker, appealed to the MoE and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to take a look at the importation of inferior cables used for electrical works.
“ Inferior electrical cables used for constructions do not last long and this causes major electrical faults,” he said.

He also requested for the separation of electrical works from the main building works so as to ensure effective installation of electrical cables.

The  Managing Director of the Nexans Kabelmental Ghana Limited (NKGL), Dr E. K. Annan,  who was the Chairman for the occasion said the directory was an effective way of identifying with electrical contractors.
He added that the directory would help identify quality cables for building construction.



SALA PARTY FOR KAYAYEE

Story: Zainabu Issah

THE Pamela Bridgewater Project in collaboration with the Sulemana Memorial Hospital and other stakeholders have organised a ‘Sala’ party for female porters (kayayei) in Accra.The kayayei also underwent a health screening exercise and health education on how to avoid teenage pregnancy and to stay protected from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including HIV.

Mr.Yahaya Alhassan, President of the Pamela Bridgewater Project, said  because of inadequate shelter, the Kayayei are exposed to early child birth.

“ We therefore organised the party as a way of creating a platform to educate them on the dangers of these  diseases and also encourage them to practice family planning and abstinence since it is the only way they could protect themselves from these diseases,” he said.

The National Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), ACP Ms Elizabeth Dassah, said educating the kayayei would help in reducing the rate of early childbirth and their risk to HIV infection.

She said most people were more interested in the services that kayayee rendered other than their health.
“It is therefore a good initiative to have them gather  and educated on the need to abstain from sex and practice family planning,” she said.

She was not happy that less attention was given to the kayayei and called on the government to get involved in helping them to develop their talents.

The Director of the Social Response Network (SRN), Mr Lord Hamah, commended the organisation for trying to address the plight  of kayayei in the country.

He also requested for the government to try and address the economic issues of the north and also bridge the gap between the north and the south.

Mr Ben Brako, a popular musician in Ghana who was present at the occasion said the issues of  head potters in Ghana was one that was not taken seriously in the country.

He added that it was important for the government to set up funds to support the kayayee in the country and called on other organisations to support the Pamela Brigdewater project to achieve its ultimate goal of building a shelter for the kayayee in Accra.

The Journalist of the year, Mr Samuel Agyemang who was also present for the  occasion said enough attention should be given to support the kayayee in the country.

He added that shelter which was one of the major key problems of the kayayee was one that the government must clearly look into.

He said whilst the government was doing well in clearing the city of filth, it should also consider the housing of the girls and if that was achieved, then the city would be considered “clean”.

The head of the Sulemana Medical Team, Madam Elizabeth Apedo said most of them did not know what family planning was.

“Their birth intervals are very small which causes malnutrition in their children. It also affects them since their bodies do not get to recover fully from birth,” she said.

Madam Apedo advised them to desist from early child birth and concentrate more on their health and frequently visit the hospitals for medical attention.


 THE KAYAYEI GOING THROUGH MEDICAL SCREENING



The Zonal Operation Manager of Vicdoris Pharmaceuticals, Mr Ernest De-Graft Egyire says most of the kayayee are venerable to malaria since they sleep outside without mosquito net.

“We therefore are here to distribute malaria drugs to those who would be diagnosed of malaria and also distribute condoms for their protection and safety,” he said.

The party was also characterised with the distribution of food and drinks and the award of partners who have supported the organisation through their immerse contributions of which the Journalist of the year was again awarded for his story on shelter in the city.


FOOD WAS ALSO DISTRIBUTED TO THE KAYAYEI.

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR, SAMUEL AGYEMAN WAS HOUNOURED WITH A PORTRAIT  BY PAMELA BRIDGEWATER PROJECT OF THE KAYAYEI FOR HIS REVEALING STORY ON SHELTER IN THE CITY WHICH WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM FACING THE KAYAYEI IN ACCRA.

JUVENILE OFFENDERS NEED PROTECTION BY ALL

THE Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations (UN) in 1948 recognises that children need special safeguards and appropriate legal protection. It therefore proclaims that  every child should be given special care and assistance before and after birth, by reason of his/her physical and mental immaturity.

A juvenile an individual under 18 years ( a child), suspected to have committed an offence against the laws of a state is a juvenile offender. They include children who engaged in criminal and other activities which do not conform with societal norms. Juvenile justice is, therefore, the dispensation of justice involving a juvenile. This is in conformity with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations (UN) in 1948.

Although such juveniles were crime suspects, they had their rights which needed to be protected and sections of the UN Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC), 1989 states that children in conflict with the law have the right to treatment that promotes their sense of dignity and worth and take into account their age and their reintegration into society. Due to this, Ghana enacted the Juvenile Justice Act 653, 2003, to assist authorities to handle juveniles.

Addressing a media training workshop on the juvenile justice administration in the country, organised by Plan Ghana in conjunction with Child's Rights International (CRI) and the Ghana National Coalition on the Right of the Child (GNCRC) and funded by the European Union (EU), in Accra recently, a Public Prosecutor at the Attorney General's Office, Ms Getrude Aikins, was reported to have said that the UN Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC), 1989, saw the placing of juveniles in custody as a measure of last resort. However, a statement by the President of Child’s Right International (CRI), a child-related NGO, Mr Bright Appiah, indicated that from 1993 to 2003, a total of 10,488 juveniles were placed in police cells as adults while 377 under the age of 12 were detained in police cells due to the lack of remand homes. This situation he said was due to a breakdown in the implementation of laws that protected children and juvenile offenders.
Juvenile offenders have the right to be questioned before a guardian or a lawyer, the rights to hide ones identity from the media, the rights to have a guardian informed of an arrest and the right to be granted bail on mild offences.

While it is important for authorities to seek the interest of a juvenile on suspected crime before taking decisions since that formed part of his or her rights, parents and family members of juvenile offenders who are committed to serve sentences at Juvenile Correctional Centres are also encouraged to visit and help their children to reform.          

A chart with some inmates of the Juvenile Correctional Centre in Accra, however indicated that this aspect of juvenile justice and reformation,  is not easily achieved since most of them claimed that their parents have neglected them.

 Adu (not real name), a 16-year- old boy from Konongo, who is serving a two-year prison sentence said he stole three metal scrubs from a friend and  was later arrested and confined.
Because of his actions, he could not inform his parents of his arrest and when I further asked if he had been visited by any of his relations since he was imprisoned, he replied in the negative. " I have never been visited by any of my relations. I only get to talk to people when organisations come to visit us".
Another inmate, Erik (not real name) is now 18  years old. He claims to have been imprisoned falsely. He said he was alleged to have raped a girl he fell in love with.
"Because the parents of the girl are rich, they decided to punish me by saying I have raped their daughter," he explained. He also said his parents have not visited him since his incarceration, adding that “My family chose to abandon me here because they do not like me anymore. They did not give me the chance to explain what happened. I have been here for almost two years and I can no longer tell how they look like. They have chosen to abandon me here, so I would do the same".

One inmate, who gave his name as Nii, said his parents were divorced and so his mother was the one taking care of him and this four siblings. She later got sick and had to be admitted at the hospital. “As the eldest child, I had to search for money to look after her. This is how come I got involved in stealing. My luck run out one day and I was arrested, tried and imprisoned. Since then, I haven’t set my eyes on any family member, since they have not come to visit me.”
Based on the information I derived from some of the inmates during the interactions, I concluded that lack of parental care, peer pressure and even broken homes, constituted significant factors contributing to their plights.

Most of them who were not ready to talk to me about why they were in the correctional institution accused their parents for neglecting them. Others said their parents could not adequately cater for them so they had to do all menial jobs to survive, and they became responsible for their upkeep.
It is obvious that the country still had a long way to go with regards to protecting the rights and welfare of children and juvenile offenders, and to help reform them.

There is therefore,  the need for a combined effort by the police, social welfare officers, lawyers and judges, media, parents and policy makers to ensure that the interests of children, especially juvenile offenders were protected in the country.

PRESIDENT, JOHN EVANS ATTA MILLS DONATES TO MUSLIMS

The President, John Evans Atta Mills has donated food items to the National Chief Imam, the Ameer of Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission and the Chief Imam of Al-Suna Wajamat.

The Member of the Council of State, Mr Emmanuel Adzei Annan, who stood in for the President, said the donation was to wish all Muslims a happy Eidr-Fitr and for going through a successful 30 days of fasting.

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, thanked the President for his kind gesture towards the Muslim community.He also prayed for peace in the country and requested all Muslims to be at peace with one another.

He added that the Ramadan had been fruitful and that all lessons learnt in the month should be adequately implemented.

The Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Maulvi A. Wahab Adam, said the donation would effectively be distributed to needy who do not have the means to celebrate the end of the Ramadan.

He also urged Muslims to do well in giving to the needy as the month of fasting was also to inculcate in everyone the spirit of giving.


THE CHIEF IMAM, SHIEKH OSMAN NUHU SHARUBUTU (second from right) RECIEVING THE ITEMS ON BEHALF OF MUSLIMS.



The Chief Imam of the Al-Suna Wajamat, Sheikh Umar Ibrahim Imam, also thanked the President for his gesture.He assured the President of the continues support of the Muslim community towards the development of the country.

He urged the Muslim youth to build their entrepreneurial skills so that they would be self-reliant rather than waiting on the government to find them jobs.

The items donated included 90 bags of rice and nine cartons of cooking oil which was evenly distributed among the three Muslim groups.