News
‘All masks are not equal’
As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc, experts maintain that if all people wear nose masks and observe other safety protocols, the pandemic could be brought under control.
But there seems to be argument over which masks are most effective. There are suggestions that some masks may actually spread the virus than not wearing one at all.
It is common to see some people in public using handkerchiefs, as nose masks.
According to Mr Kalvin Odonkor, a nurse and health blogger, “some people really don’t understand that not all face coverings are equal, and that there are some that are going to be more or less effective”.
He said given the rate of droplet transmission, people must stop covering their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs, bandana and other materials.
“All masks are not equal; some are of inferior quality and this could be dangerous. I think that many people are just wearing these face coverings not realising that they are meant to serve a purpose” he said.
For those who are still confused about why masks are necessary, he noted that asymptomatic spread was one of the factors to keep in mind. 
He said that, there were many people out there who did not know that they were infected, and that face shields or nose masks helped to reduce contracting the disease from those who did not show any signs or symptoms.
“If everybody knew their status, that would be a different story, but the fact of the matter is that most people don’t know whether they’re infected or not,” he said.
By Geoffrey Buta
National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
