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After 35 years of rich journalism… Editor of The Spectator bows out
Mr-Emmanuel-Amponsah
Oprah Winfrey succinctly summarised the significance of discovering one’s life’s purpose when she said, “I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s unique as a fingerprint- and the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”
Having discovered and obeyed his calling in life, the longest serving member of the editorial staff of the New Times Corporation will “put down his pen” in a few days after 35 years of significant experience in the journalism field.
Everything has its appointed time, and The Spectator’s Editor, Mr. Emmanuel Amponsah, has come to the end of his work with the New Times Corporation – he has retired.
He recalls with nostalgia how he began his career as a young journalist in the era when fax machines served as the primary means of sending and receiving news reports. The experienced sports journalist recounts some of the headlines of the stories which called his byline, some common ones were; “Kumasi favours Hearts of Oak” and “Okwawu Utd can’t disturb Kotoko” which were published on 18th and 25th February, 1995 editions among other stories in The Ghanaian Times.
Portifolios
Mr. Emmanuel Amponsah was appointed the Editor of The Spectator, the weekly newspaper of the New Times Corporation (NTC), on November 2, 2020.
Until his appointment, Mr Amponsah, who is a Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) graduate was the Deputy Editor of the Ghanaian Times, the flagship newspaper of the NTC.
Before assuming the role of Deputy Editor, he was the Business Editor of the Ghanaian Times, where his job responsibilities involved selecting and analysing business and financial news for publication in the newspaper.
Prior to that, he was in charge of the Sports Desk of the Ghanaian Times and doubled as a columnist (The Watchdog) for the erstwhile Evening News.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation appointed Mr. Amponsah as the Deputy Editor of the Sporting Times in 1999 which was a weekly sports newspaper of the Corporation. He acted as the Editor of the newspaper also for a while.
Advise to young people
Mr Amponsah said one must not be an “arm chair journalist… if journalism is your passion, you must always be on the look out for stories that are of interest.”
Again, he said, a determinant of successes in the field of journalism was the ability of the reporter to have and maintain reliable sources of information. This, he said, could be achieved by writing or reporting credible information and professionally dealing with people.
A good and passionate journalist the Editor said, must have the ability to scrutinise and criticise some misdeeds in society that are not in the general interest of the public. However, in doing so the good journalist must be constructive.
A product of GIJ and Saint Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, both in Accra, Mr Amponsah’s areas of interest include Sports, Business/Finance and Environment.
He has attended a number of national and international conferences and tournaments, and written extensively on global and local events bordering on various fields of human endeavours.
By Portia Hutton-Mills
The Dzidula Pink Foundation, a new organisation dedicated to cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, has been officially launched in Accra, with a passionate call for national commitment to fighting the disease. The launch event, held last week Friday, carried the theme: “Beyond the diagnosis: A future of restoration, care and courage.”
Speaking at the event, Madam Abena Brigidi, founder and CEO of Nimed Capital Limited, emphasised that cancer remains one of the most devastating health challenges facing families across the country. “Cancer does not discriminate—it affects mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. It drains families emotionally and financially, and behind every statistic is a human story and a future suddenly thrown into uncertainty,” she said.
Sharing her personal encounters with cancer, having lost both her husband and father to the disease, Madam Brigidi highlighted the emotional, financial, and physical scars left behind. “I stand here not just as a speaker, but as a witness to what cancer can take away,” she stated. “I have watched loved ones fight bravely, and I have felt the deep pain that loss leaves behind.”
She stressed that awareness and early detection are critical to reducing deaths, noting that many Ghanaians still lack access to proper screening, reliable information, and adequate treatment. She appealed to healthcare professionals, corporate institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public to join hands in the fight. “Early detection saves lives. Your support today can lead to someone’s healing tomorrow,” she said.
Madam Brigidi further called for collective responsibility to sustain the foundation’s mission. “To our medical professionals, we need your expertise. To corporate partners, your resources. To the media, your voice. To policymakers, your support. And to the public, your compassion,” she urged. She also insisted that breast cancer awareness should not be limited to annual campaigns, saying, “Breast cancer awareness must not be seasonal.”
Mrs Diana Fafa Gozo, founder of the Dzidula Pink Foundation, shared her own cancer journey, describing the shock of diagnosis, the fear that followed, and the difficult path through treatment. Her experience transformed her pain into purpose and inspired her to create a foundation to ensure no cancer patient walks alone.
Mrs Gozo explained that many patients struggle not only with treatment costs but also with emotional resilience. She outlined the foundation’s initiatives, which include awareness and early detection campaigns, patient support funds, community outreach, and survival support circles. “This foundation is my offering of gratitude, courage, and compassion and a reminder that no one should walk the cancer journey alone,” she concluded.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it will deploy teams of Public Health Officers, members of its Sanitation Taskforce, and labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metros to support the third National Sanitation Day exercise.
It explained that these teams will be equipped with waste collection trucks, tippers, and other tools to help with desilting, refuse collection, and transporting waste to approved disposal sites.
The AMA reminded residents that failing to comply with the sanitation directive or refusing to participate in communal labour is an offence.
It said offenders risk a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment between 30 days and six months, or both, with repeat offenders liable to additional daily penalties.
It urged all residents, traders, transport operators, market women, shop owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses to actively participate in the exercise.
The AMA said it counts on everyone’s collective responsibility to keep Accra clean, liveable, and resilient, especially as the city approaches Christmas and the New Year.
By: Jacob Aggrey
