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Adolescents cautioned against abusing emergency contraceptives
Using emergency contraceptives the wrong way or for the wrong purpose can be detrimental to one’s health, a medical expert has cautioned women and young girls.
Mrs Gifty Maloe Nartey, a Physician Assistant, explained that, abusing emergency contraceptives could delay ovulation, and disrupt menstrual cycle.
She disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The Spectator on Monday.
Mrs Nartey said emergency contraceptives were not to be taken often, because it served as an emergency bed control pill, hence the need for women, particularly adolescent girls, to plan their sex lives well to avoid encountering problems.
She admonished adolescent girls who were in school to abstain from unplanned sex because that could lead to different problems emanating from teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and diseases, among others.
According to Mrs Nartey, adolescent girls must know the consequences associated with unprotected sex to make informed choices about their sex life and health.
She stressed that, adolescent girls must be educated on the correct use of device or drug used to prevent pregnancy to help in saving them from unwanted pregnancies.
She said the use of prescribed contraceptives would rather help adolescent girls to make informed choices for their sexual and reproductive health rights.
Mrs. Nartey who doubles as a Social and Behavioural Scientist said, “Using contraceptives the right way would enable adolescent girls stay in school to complete their academic pursuits successfully and become good citizens in the future.”
She observed that, “there were various types of contraceptives on the market and each of them had side effect, so it was appropriate to always consult the Family Planning Unit at any registered health facility to be given the best method that was suitable for the body.”
“The proper method of using contraceptives would not in any way trigger health complications, disorders and also affect an adolescent girl’s fertility,” she assured.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
