Author: newsfilegh

Member of Parliament for Nalerigu-Gambaga,  Hajia Alima Mahama, has said the Akufo-Addo-led government is committed to industrialising rural districts in the country within the shortest possible time. She said the 2017 budget statement presented to Parliament has outlined the industrialisation plan of the government, which she urged all Ghanaians to tap into to reap the benefits what would accrue from it. Contributing to the debate on the budget in Parliament Tuesday, Hajia Mahama said money needed for such industrialisation drive has been made available. “If I were you , I would have gone to my area and mobilize my communities…

Deciding if children are ready to be left home alone can be a tricky decision. Strange as it may seem, there is no set age for leaving children at home alone. According to the child and welfare policy in Ghana, a child is a person below the age of 18 and   is still largely dependent on an adult for the necessaries of life. But most parents and caregivers have different ideas about what is okay based on their own childhood experiences, cultural expectations and economic or work stress. ‘Home alone’ or other supervisory neglect occurs when parents do not supervise…

The Charismatic Bishops’ Conference has called for the full deployment of military personnel and equipment to wipe out the menace of armed robbery, which is threatening the country’s internal security. It fears failure to deal with the menace head-on could make Ghana a dangerous place to live in as well as drive investors away. A communiqué issued by the conference Tuesday argued there is no region in the country that is currently safe from armed robbers who rape, harass and murder some of their victims. The group said wondered how Ghana could deal with terrorism and external threats if it…

The Northern Regional Minister Saeed Salifu has called for the inclusion of peace as a criterion in ranking districts on the District League Table. Better still a new league table should be constituted to challenge traditional rulers to work towards achieving peace in the Northern region, he advocated. Speaking at the Northern regional launch of the League Table in Tamale by Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with UNICEF, and Center for Democratic Development-Ghana, the minister said it is only when the traditional councils are accessed and ranked for their contribution towards peace building that the Northern Region will…

The Netherlands Embassy in Ghana, has refused to grant the Ghana Special Olympic team visas, to enable to them participate in the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria. Ghana’s 20-man contingent who were scheduled to depart the shores of the country on Monday, March 13, were left in a limbo concerning their participation. The quadrennial competition, which was opened to children with intellectual disabilities, spans from 14-25 March. Ghana was billed to participate in the floorball competition on Monday, March 20. According to a Board Member of the Special Olympic Ghana (SOG) Nana Wereko Ampim, the Netherlands Embassy…

Transport operators have kicked against suggestion by the Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference that road tolls should be increased to $1.00 equivalent as an effective measure of raising revenue for various road projects. The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) are of the view that increasing road tolls to that level would be a recipe for chaos in the country. The Conference put forth the suggestion in a communiqué signed by its General Secretary, Rev. Kwesi Deh. “Raise the tolls, at least to the level of USD1 per car. Even Zimbabwe, in its…

The Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, has assured the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of his bank’s support for the growth and development of the critical sectors of Ghana’s economy, as government seeks to return the nation back onto the path of progress and prosperity. According to Tonly Elumelu, investor confidence in Ghana is rising, following the pro-business and pro-private approach taking by the government of President Akufo-Addo. This, coupled with policy initiatives announced in the 2017 budget, is making Ghana the investment destination in the region. “We are very happy about all…

A Member of Parliament is proposing that an office is set up to provide counseling services to parliamentarians. According to the MP for Amenfi West, Eric Afful said it is dangerous that parliament does not have such a unit. The MP’s comment followed reports of several suicide cases recorded this year. The case is becoming alarming, prompting the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Mental Health Authority to reiterate calls on Parliament to decriminalize attempted suicide. In an interview with Onua Fm, Dr Akwasi Osei who heads the Authority lamented lack of patronage to counseling services, which he said is contributing…

Two Hundred Ghanaians joined the elite class of dollar millionaires in 2016, raising the tally of the High Net worth Individuals (HNWI) with US$1million or more to 2,900 people from 2,700 in 2015. According to the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2017, of these 10 individuals joined the ranks of those worth US$10M+. There was, however, no addition to the ultra-high-net-worth pool of those worth US$430m+ and the centre-dollar-millionaires worth US$100m+. The results are contained in the 2017 edition of the Knight Frank Wealth Report which was launched in Accra in partnership with Stanbic Bank’s Wealth and Investment unit. Even though…

Suicide amongst young women is on the rise. When it comes to mental health, is gender the elephant in the room? In early 2016, five teenagers from Woodstock, Ontario killed themselves in just as many months, leaving not only their family but the community as a whole bewildered with grief. “Everyone was sitting on edge. For a while there, I think we all just sat there wondering when it was going to end,” says Jenilee Ookcay, a community health worker. Across the country, suicide amongst teen girls and young women is on the rise, while male suicide in the same…