Day: May 1, 2023

A Prostate Cancer Early Detection Project has been launched to improve prostate cancer diagnosis, care and management for men aged 40 years and above in the Ghana Armed Forces.

The project, initiated by Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson and Johnson in partnership with the Ghana Armed Forces, aims at increasing awareness, screening, early detection and treatment of prostate cancer to ensure survival of patients.

Mr Henry Osei-Agyekum, Country Manager of Janssen who was speaking at the launch of the project in Accra, said the project would build the capacity of health promotion and medical officers at 24 selected military installations across the country to screen more patients and increase early detection of the disease.

He said a total of 2500 semi quantitative Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test kits for screening had been procured under the project to screen 2500 servicemen across the country.

Mr Osei-Agyekum said that would help reduce prostate cancer deaths among servicemen.

‘Once we can detect prostate cancer early and bring the diagnosed patients into care, they have a greater chance of being treated, and their quality of life will be drastically improved,’ he said.

The Country Manager of Janssen said the launch of the project was a great example of how public private partnerships could address the unmet needs of patients and strengthen healthcare systems in Ghana.

He said 50 medical officers and 34 health promotion officers would be trained on how to perform digital rectal examination to support the screening and early diagnostic activities across the country.

Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, Chief of the Defense Staff, said ‘Prostate Cancer when detected early can potentially be cured, unfortunately in our context, most cases are diagnosed late due to a low prostate cancer disease awareness among the population,’ he said.

He said the project would ensure a comprehensive uptake of prostate cancer management bills to overcome the’ Out-of-Pocket’ hurdle.

The Chief of Defense Staff said the project was in line with the national strategy for cancer control as well as the National Policy for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A sod has been cut for the construction of a food processing factory at Okobeyeyie, a farming community near Nsawam in the Eastern Region, to provide job opportunities to the people, especially the youth in the area.

Mr Isaac Kwadwo Buabeng, the Nsawam Municipal Chief Executive who joined the Adontenghene of Aburi Akuapem, Otoobour Gyan Kwasi II, to perform the sod-cutting said employment creation had been a major concern to the government, hence, its determination to implementing the One Dam, One Factory (1D1F) in the constituencies to provide jobs to the people at their doorsteps to reduce the rural-urban migration.

‘So far, the Municipality is benefiting from seven of the factories including the new food processing factory (Nii Lamptey Food Masters) to be constructed at Okobeyeyie, which would also provide income for farmers by feeding the facility with their farm produce,’ Mr Buabeng stated.

Otoobour Gyan Kwasi who offered the land for the factory and the Chairman of the occasion commended the government for the introduction of the 1D1F and urged chiefs to provide lands to support the initiative.

Nii Lamptey Lantei Botwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Nii Lamptey Food Masters in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the factory would employ 90 per cent of the youth of Okobeyeyie and its surroundings.

He advised the youth to equip themselves with employable skills so they would not become wanting in future.

Mr Botwe expressed gratitude to Otoobour Gyan Kwasi and the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Buabeng for their support for the construction of the factory.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Government will protect workers incomes, pensions – President Akufo-Addo

Government will do whatever it takes to protect workers incomes and pensions, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said.

He said this in his address to workers during the commemoration of tbe National May Day in Bolgatanga in the Upper East

The Debt Exchange Programme is critical to restoring fiscal strength of the economy, President Akufo-Addo said.

Steps are being taken to mitigate the impact of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme on the financial sector and institutions, he added.

TUC urges govt to find lasting peace to Bawku conflict; will continue to demand salary increases

Dr Yaw Baah, the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress has appealed to the Government to intensify efforts at finding lasting peace to the protracted Bawku Chieftaincy conflict.

He was speaking at the National commemoration of the May Day in Bolgatanga.

‘COVID-19 and Russian-Ukraine war only exposed the weakness of the economic fundamentals of the country.

‘We will continue to demand increment in salaries as long as inflation keeps increasing,’ Dr Yaw Baah said.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo arrives at Jubilee Park

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has arrived at the Jubilee Park in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region to address workers as part of the celebration of the national May Day.

This year’s celebration is on the theme, ‘ protecting income and pensions in a era of economic crisis; our responsibility ‘.

May 01, GNA – More than 30 workers unions of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have gathered at the Jubilee Park in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region to commemorate this year’s national May Day.

Some of the unions include Union of Industry Commerce and Finance, Public Services’ Workers Unions, National Association of Registered Midwives Ghana, Teachers and Education Workers Union, General Agricultural Workers Union, among others.

Members of the unions, clothed in union-branded T-shirts hold up banners and placards with messages depicting the urgent need for government to address their conditions of service.

Tongraan Kugbilsong Nalebetang, the Paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area and member of the Council of State, has arrived at the Jubilee Park to mark the Day.

Persons with Disability in the workforce are represented at May Day parade

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have joined in the May Day Celebration at the Jubilee Park in Bolgatanga.

Clothed in their branded T-shirts, the PWDs held Placards with inscriptions, ‘Persons with disabilities have a right to employment’, ‘Accessibility is a basic right ‘, ‘Workers with disabilities also contribute to the economy of Ghana’ and ‘It is time to end discrimination against workers with disability’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Workers in Ghana, will Monday, May 1, 2023 join their counterparts around the globe to mark this year’s May Day.

May Day is an international holiday observed in over 80 countries.

It is a commemoration of the achievements of the labour movement.

The holiday may also be known as International Worker’s Day.

For the first time in many years, the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga will host the national parade for this year’s International Workers’ Day (May Day) celebration on Monday.

A cross-section of Ghanaian workers are expected to convene in the city for the commemoration on the theme, ‘Protecting incomes and pensions in an era of economic crisis: Our responsibility.’

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia would be the special guests at this year’s celebration.

The national celebration is expected to start at 8 am and last for six hours. Regional parades would also be held to enable workers to join the celebration.

Ahead of the celebrations, various labour unions have been commending workers for contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC), in a statement issued by its Secretary General Dr Yaw Baah, congratulated all workers for their contribution to the socio-economic development of the country, saying, ‘Ayekoo to all the working people of Ghana! Long live workers’ solidarity! Long Live Organised Labour.’

Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA) has commended all workers and leadership for their monumental contribution towards the social and economic development of Ghana over the years.

A statement issued by Mr Dan Acheampong, President, GEA, copied to the Ghana News Agency, extended its heartfelt appreciation to organised labour and all Ghanaian workers on ‘this auspicious day (May Day) when the world celebrates workers.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The first batch of 74 Ghanaian nationals being evacuated from war-torn Sudan will be airlifted from Addis Ababa to Accra on Tuesday, May 2, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has said.

The Ministry in a statement, shared with the Ghana News Agency, said 76 Ghanaian nationals had successfully crossed the Sudan-Ethiopia border with the assistance of officials of the Ghana Embassy in Ethiopia and were currently in Addis Ababa.

It said arrangements were in place to fly 74 of them to Accra on Tuesday May 2.

Additionally, one footballer and two engineers had been assisted by officials of the Ghana Embassy in Egypt to cross over the Egyptian border post of Wadi Halfa, north of Sudan, while two other footballers were going through immigration formalities, itsaid.

‘The Ministry wishes to reiterate its commitment to evacuate all willing Ghanaians nationals in Sudan to safety to neighbouringcountries such as Egypt and Ethiopia,’ it assured.

It, therefore, urged those in need of assistance to take note of the details of the following persons who were on standby to help them to cross the respective borders.

For Egypt, Mr Peter Okoe Agoe Allswell can be contacted phone number +201-55441-4228, whereas for Ethiopia, MrSamuel Asante can be contacted phone number +251-94242-1242.

Also for Sudan, Mr Osama Ataaelmanna, can be reached on whatsapp number +249-92920-0000/+249-91239-2570.

The statement said the Ministry would continue to keep the public abreast of new development regarding the evacuation exercise.

Source: Ghana News Agency