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A 25-year promise kept: Aurora Commodore-Toppar unveils legacy court at Aburi Girls’ Senior High School
Aburi Girls’ Senior High School at the weekend became beneficiary of a new state-of-the-art multi-purpose basketball court, handed over by an alumna from the “Millennium Beacons” class of 2000 and current Treasurer of the Ghana Basketball Federation (GBF), Madam Aurora Commodore-Toppar.
Madam Commodore-Toppar conceived the idea which is now known as the “Aurora Legacy Project,” shortly before completing the school.
The handover ceremony, filled with emotion, saw Madam Commodore-Toppar supported by her father, Mr Emmanuel Martey Commodore-Mensah, a former Board Chairman of Hearts of Oak, executives of the Aburi Girls’ Old Girls Association (AOGA) 2000 year group, led by Madam Akua Boahemah Owusu Sekyere, the school’s former headmistress, Mrs Alice Prempeh-Fordjour, and members of the Radiant Way Baptist Church, all celebrating a dream born from a moment of vulnerability.
The arena is situated on the school’s Upper Court and boasts modern features like fiberglass backboards, breakaway rims, and durable acrylic coatings, making it suitable for various sports including volleyball, tennis, badminton, and handball, ensuring a safe and long-lasting surface for generations of Aburi Girls to enjoy.
Madam Commodore-Toppar, the captain of the school’s championship-winning basketball team in the year 2000, recounted emotionally that she made the life-altering promise when she faced a period of intense illness while preparing for her final exams on the staircase leading to the school’s Lower Court.
“The dream was born in 2000 when I was about to write my final exams and kept falling ill. So, on the staircase leading to the Lower Court, I stood and made a pledge to God that He should see me successfully through the exams, and after that, I would honour Him with a personal pledge,” she stated.
Moreover, she announced the initiation of a Phase Two of the project, which will include the installation of tiered bleacher seats for players and spectators, to solidify the court as a truly complete, modern facility.
By Raymond Ackumey
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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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