News
Enforce ban on public smoking — SEND Ghana
SEND Ghana, a Policy Research & Advocacy Civil Society Organisation, has asked the government to enforce the ban on public smoking and the use of plastics for food packaging to help prevent the occurrence of diseases.
Mr George Osei Bempeh, Country Director of the organisation, said the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic implied that government must be proactive in tackling potential health challenges and also prioritise primary health service delivery in the country.
Presenting an assessment of government’s 2021 Budget Statement and Economic Policy in Accra on Monday, he noted that the introduction of the COVID-19 levy was commendable, however, the levy should not be “limited to combating only COVID-19.”
He said there must be a “dedicated budget” to finance future epidemics while efforts were made to implement the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS).
Touching on other aspects of the 2021 budget, he said SEND Ghana’s social audit of the COVID-19 Alleviation Programme confirmed that some vulnerable people, including street children and homeless people were “excluded at the height of the crisis when cooked and raw food were distributed by the government and other benevolent organisations.”
This, the organisation attributed to lack of “comprehensive and reliable data” on vulnerable population in the country, hence the need for government to take steps to gather relevant data on such vulnerable groups to help overcome future challenges in the area of social protection.
SEND Ghana further observed that the current amount of GH¢1 per child for a plate of food under the National School Feeding Programme was “unsatisfactory and cannot guarantee an adequate and healthy meal for child development.”
“We are, therefore, proposing to the government to make a conscious effort to increase the amount to at least GHc2.00 per child if it needs to fully attain the programme’s short-term objective to reduce hunger and malnutrition,” Mr Bempeh stated.
On taxation, he said government should consider reintroducing the ‘Luxury Vehicle Tax’ which was scrapped after it faced opposition from sections of the public.
Mr Bempeh said government could be “more innovative with taxation” by targeting the rich instead of “burdening the poor with the same taxes.”
“Government could relook at the implementation challenge with the luxury vehicle tax and consider reintroducing it.
“We are concerned that some of the tax proposals in the 2021 budget are more consumption based, and the fact is, the burden will fall more on the poor and vulnerable,” he noted.
The Country Director maintained that the COVID-19 Health Levy, Sanitation and Pollution Levy and increase in petroleum prices, among other new taxes would have adverse effect on all other sectors and translate into high cost of living especially for the poor.
He said the 2021 budget, just like previous budgets, sought to rely on donor funding and that efforts must be made to wean various sectors of the economy from donor support which possessed a threat to attaining ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By Ernest Nutsugah
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
