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Ashaiman NCCE holds sensitisation workshop on cybercrime, drug abuse for 600 pupils
The Ashaiman Municipal Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has held a sensitisation programme on Drug Abuse and Cyber Crimes for over 600 pupils from three basic schools in Ashaiman.
It was organised in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and Cyber Security Authority (CSA) and was held on the theme: ‘Securing Our Future: Say No to Drug Abuse and Cyber-crimes.’
It was attended by pupils from Ashaiman Presby ’A’ Basic, Ashaiman Presby Basic ‘B’ and Central Presby & JHS.
The Municipal Director for NCCE, Ashaiman, Ms. Salvata Mawulom Koku said the event was to drum home the menace of drug abuse and the dangers of cyber-crimes.
She said the children are the future of every country and that, it was important to educate them so that they do not fall prey to these vices that will end up destroying their future.
She said that despite the fact that NCCE carries out education as its core mandate, there was the need to bring on board NACOC and CSA to share their expertise.
With pictorial slides, the pupils received a first-hand information on some of the things they have been told.
Madam Ayisha Ibrahim Tarl, Deputy Narcotic Control Officer from the Education & Preventive Department of NACOC, admonished the pupils not to consume substances that contain stimulants, depressant and hallucinogens in a bid to feel good and to help them to solve problems.
She enlightened the children about the offences and penalties of drug related crimes and also shared some travelling tips with the pupils.
She advised them not to fall victims of any drug trafficking scheme if they intend to use any entry and exit points of Ghana, urging them not to allow the love for money to push them into any drug related businesses.
Additionally, she stressed that before travelling, one should buy items they would like to travel with themselves. As well as pack their own luggage.
Furthermore, she travellers to keep their eyes on their luggage, keep it securely closed and never carry luggage, package or gift for anyone across a boarder or security check-points unless they are sure of its content.
The officer also revealed that drugs can be concealed in everyday items and so they should be guided.
Mr Martin Aboagye, an officer from the Child Protective Department of CSA, said in as much as the cyber space was useful and has come to stay, the same space has the potential of being harmful to children when not used properly.
He bemoaned the fact that the cyber space has become a place where people under the guise of business, friendship, acquaintance commit all manner of harm to unsuspecting victims especially children.
Mr Aboagye explained that some of the online risk children face as cyber-bullying, sexual extortion, stalking, cyber grooming and online violence, cautioning that, “since the internet does not forget, children should be careful the kind of digital footprint and reputation they leave on the internet, because it can haunt them in later years.”
He stated the pupils should be careful the kind of images they share and re-post especially with strangers and they should report misbehaviours online.
Madam Gloria Kwakuyi, Municipal Director of Education, Ashaiman called on the pupils to be of good behaviour and use the internet for the benefit it gives.
By Salvata Mawulom Koku
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The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has urged Ghanaians to make regular physical activity part of their daily routines to improve blood glucose control and reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
It said regular exercise helped the body use insulin more effectively, thereby improving blood sugar regulation and contributing to better overall health.
The call forms part of the Service’s 30-day diabetes awareness campaign ahead of this year’s World Diabetes Day, which is observed on November 14.
The GHS encouraged people to engage in simple physical activities such as walking, dancing, cycling and gardening.
It noted that staying physically active did not necessarily require expensive gym memberships, as everyday activities, including household chores, could contribute to maintaining an active lifestyle.
The Service advised adults to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, stressing the importance of starting with manageable activities and gradually building consistency.
It further encouraged people living with diabetes to combine regular physical activity with prescribed treatment and a healthy diet to help manage the condition.
The awareness campaign, being undertaken ahead of World Diabetes Day, is aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle choices and encouraging early action to prevent and manage diabetes.
This year’s World Diabetes Day is being observed under the theme “early action on diabetes,” with November 14 set aside to raise awareness of the condition and the importance of prevention, early detection and proper management.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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We take certain things for granted but it should not be so, especially if you can read, write and understand what is said on TV and Radio in English. Usually at 7:00 pm, I watch the news on one of the popular media channels and it was no big deal until a few days ago.
As I listened to a radio presenter on a popular Fm station, the important role my parents played in my life, as far as education is concerned, suddenly dawned on me. The usual style at the start of the programme, is to play a very funny interaction between a man who identifies himself as Barry …and a Ghanaian man called Akwasi.
This Barry guy apparently was talking to Akwasi by phone and he was speaking in English and Akwasi asked him to speak English, meanwhile Akwasi did not understand the English language, so he quickly asked the Barry guy to change to Twi, when he realised that the intonation was not the normal Ghanaian one.
I really had a good laugh and that was when I realised that my parents had indeed helped me by giving me access to education.
Imagine going to enter a place and they have written push on the door frame and because you cannot read, you decide to assume that you need to pull the door towards you and the embarrassment you will go through, pulling with all your might and especially at places with glass doors at the main entrance, everybody watching you and you struggling with the door for quite a few seconds before deciding to push.
It is in moments like that, that you either start blessing your parents or otherwise, depending on whether they sent you to school or not. There are things we consider as little that we take for granted but in reality, it is a big deal if you are not educated.
I recently had to go to an office located in the Ridge Hospital area and it was located on one of the floors of a story building. The protocol requires that visitors to the place log their details in a book provided for that purpose.
You write the date, your name etc., the usual. Imagine for a moment that you are Akosua Seiwaa, an uneducated person, who is going to see someone in one of the offices in the building and you are required to fill the log book with your details. It suddenly generates a stressful situation for you.
The FM programme really set me thinking about how grateful we ought to be to our parents or guardians who gave us access to education such that we have the confidence to go boldly to all kinds of places without stress.
Just imagine going to a hospital and given a whole bunch of medication. As is usually the case, the pharmacist mentions your name and immediately starts telling you the number of times and the various dosage you are to take them.
He or she then goes to the next person and chances are you are likely to forget some of the instructions. If you are uneducated, how are you going to identify the right dosages and any other special instructions you need. There is a saying that ‘If you can read this, thank a teacher.’ I think it should rather be, ‘If you can read this, thank your parents.’
There was another recording of a hilarious conversation on the show between two ladies one of whom was uneducated and did not understand “It’s been a while”. Apparently a church member met her and she said to her it’s been a while and did not know how to respond till a young girl she was walking with explained to her in Twi “Ose ohuu wo aky3”.
She was bitterly complaining to the friend that had it not been the young girl, she would have been greatly embarrassed with this “it’s been a while, it’s been a while” that the church member said to her. Do not laugh alone. Share. God bless.
