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2 qualify for World Vision Ghana School Sanitation Solutions Challenge
Two female students from the Eastern and Upper West regions of Ghana have booked their qualifications for the finals of this year’s World Vision Ghana School Sanitation Solutions Challenge slated for September 21, at the National Theatre in Accra.
The girls are Dede Nyarko from the Nkawkaw St Anthony RC JHS in the Eastern Region and Dasanah Candi Mwine Maalo from the Star of God RC JHS in the Upper West Region.
In all, 10 schools reached the semifinal stage held in Sunyani in the Bono Region.
The School Sanitation Solution Challenge by the World Vision Ghana instituted in 2019 is an annual national competition for Ghanaian pupils from primary six to Junior High School students up to form two.
The programme aims to foster environmental consciousness and empower children to concrete sustainable water, Sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Solution
The annual event is supported by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ghana Education Service and Zoomlion Foundation among other partners.
The girls won their respective contest from SHELP and COCOA zones and are expected to face other competitors from the southern zones for the ultimate prize at the National Theatre next month.
Dasanah Candi Mwine Maalo had an aggregate score of 77 points to pick the Shelp zone slot while Dede Nyarko also had an aggregate score of 89 to win from the Cocoa zone.
The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboah, in a speech read on his behalf commended World Vision Ghana and its partners for instituting the competition to highlight sanitation issues in the country.
“Placing young people at the centre of the conversation on sanitation is highly commendable,” he said.
According to him under the government’s reset agenda, sanitation has received renewed attention as a critical component of effective local governance and service delivery
Mr Akwaboah said sanitation issues is a national responsibility and which everybody must play a role in ensuring clean, safer and sustainable environment devoid of diseases.
The WASH Technical Specialist- World Vision Ghana Atta Arhin in an address highlighted that while Ghana has achieved high basic access rates to safe drinking water approximately 87 per cent nationally, environmental sanitation and elimination of open defections lag critically behind.
He said the winner of the seventh edition would embark on a fully sponsored educational trip abroad and other prices.
From Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani
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Medical Doctor and dietician, Dr Bernice Korkor Asare, has urged women to take greater responsibility for their lifestyle choices, particularly their eating habits and levels of physical activity, to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
According to her, although, some breast cancer risk factors, such as family history and certain reproductive factors, may not be within an individual’s control, lifestyle choices offer an opportunity for people to take preventive action.
She made this known during a talk on the topic: “Role of diet in breast cancer prevention” organised by Times Ladies Association of the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, in Accra on Thursday.
The event themed “Breast Cancer Awareness- Promoting Early Detection, Healthy Eating and Prevention.” 
She noted that having a risk factor did not automatically mean a person would develop breast cancer, but could increase the likelihood of developing the disease compared with someone without that particular risk factor.
“Having close relatives who have had breast cancer, particularly a mother, sister or daughter, may increase the risk, although not everyone with a family history will develop the disease,” Dr Asare opined. Read More.
By Adizatu K. Munkaila
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A group of compassionate friends from Innovation Gospel Impact last Friday visited the management, teachers and learners of the Street Academy in Accra.
The visit was to interact to get a deeper insight into the operations of the Academy that houses hundreds of street and underprivileged children and find ways to support them.
The team was led by Rev. Dr Isaac Apenteng Yeboah, a former Director for West African Mailbox Club and Director for Prisons Support Foundation, and Rev. Dale Sutherland from Washington DC.
The call, according to the visitors was occasioned by reports about the struggles of the Academy despite the occasional support it enjoys from individuals and some corporate entities.
Briefing them, the Founder and Executive Director of the Academy, Dr Ataa Lartey, thanked them for the concern showed, indicating that “this is a major boost for both teachers and learners; knowing that their plight is known by people outside their premises.”
According Dr Lartey, the Academy had planned to undertake a number of project to enhance teaching and learning and also procure facilities for the children with keen interest in sports but had to shelve those plans for lack of finance.
He told the team that their biggest concerns were the monthly utility bills that takes a toll on their finances.
“We have a piece of land we planned to turn into an astro turf pitch to train the younger ones whose interests lies in making a career out of football, however, we have been unable to commence because there is no money now,” he said.
Dr Lartey expressed gratitude to the teachers who have dedicated their lives to training these children, rather than going for well-paying jobs and hoped that with time, their conditions of engagement would improve.
Moved by the plight of the Academy, the group donated a cash amount of Gh₵3,000 to settle its water bills.
They described as unfortunate the conditions of learners and teachers of the Academy and pledged to continuously support their operations to realize the dream to build a better future for the unfortunate children.
The group offered to support the school with its monthly utility bills, feeding and staff allowance and urged the Academy staff to remain in constant touch with them.
The Street Academy is located at the Accra Art Center and offers brilliant but needy the chance to pursue their educational dreams by enrolling them in public schools with others offered training in sports and cultural activities.
By Spectator Reporter
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