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Breastfeeding mothers demand privacy at church …as naked boobs ‘torment’ men
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Mothers have the natural inclination to provide protection, care and love to their babies. Above all these demands, nursing babies is one of the foundamental roles mothers perform with great passion.
Aware of this deman and always zealous to ensure that babies are well fed, mothers feel uncomfortable feeding babies in public and in church.
According to nursing mothers, they do not want to expose their bodies and offend the sensibilities of men at such “sacred” functions.
Speaking in an interview with The Spectator on Monday, some women expressed their discomfort with breastfeeding in church and appealed to churches to consider making a room available for nursing and breastfeeding on Sundays and major church activities.
They were of the view that the provision of a room dedicated to exlusive breastfeeding or nursing of babies would provide people the opportunity to concentrate on the worship.
“It is alright for me to nurse or breatfeed my baby in a public transport, at the market or even on campus. However, when it comes to church I am unable to feel free to do so and so at a point in life, I even decided to put church on hold because I didn’t want to expose my breast or give any man who is not serious funny ideas during worship,” AkuaAtaa a student and mother of one said.
She, therefore, appealed to authorities of religious institutions to prioritise providing a room for breastfeeding to give nursing mothers some privacy.
Madam Naomi Tindaana Korey, another nusing mother, said she had always tried to wear the right clothes and even cover the breast while she nursed her baby, but said if a permanent solution of a restricted area for mothers was provided it would be better.
“Imagine a man listening to the word of God and suddenly turns to see the breast of a woman? It is not a pleasant thing at all for both the woman and the man and so we should not trivialise it but help to put measures to support nursing mothers by making a room available for that.
She said there are suggestions that they go out of the churches to the compound but if a mother did not have a car to sit in, there was still the possibility of exposing her breasts outside and also she would miss much of the churchactivities, thereby defeating the purpose for which she had come to church.
However, the situation is different at the Central Assemblies of God Church in Tema Community Four in the Tema Metropolis in the Greater Accra Region, a room has been designated for breastfeeding and even a changing room for babies.
“The church dignifies and respects women as the homemakers, hence the decision to make provision for an official room for them to breastfeed their babies” the Pastor in Charge, Rev Emmanuel Oforisaid .
He said the proximity of the breastfeeding room has also made it possible for the mothers to listen to ongoing proceedings from the church auditorium and therefore they do not lose out.
He admitted that it has really helped to give the church a place ahead of others andhas made it possible for mothers to be comfortable to enable them to go about their motherly duties conveniently while in church.
Rev Ofori said the Breastfeeding room was set up about ten years old and the church has been committed to that gesture and even gone ahead to provide an air condition and other basic needs to ensure that the place was conducive for both mother and baby.
Ms Gloria Anderson, a church member, recalled her struggles as a nursing mother when the facility was not available at the church.
She said she had to stay at home for about nine months after being delivered of her babies because it was embarrassing breastfeeding with a man just a seat or two away.
She said, she made things easier for herself when she wore a nursing bra designed for breastfeeding which covered the breasts to a large extent and ensured that the breast was not too much exposed.
She commended the church authorities for their thoughtfulness of mothers and encouraged more churches to do same to make the church a convenient place for such mothers because the privacy of women was important.
She said it was exciting to also know that a nursing mother could come to church and participate fully in the service and this had encouraged more mothers to come to church about a month or two after they were delivered of their babies.
From DzifaTettehTay, Tema.
A 24-year-old tricycle (Pragyia) rider, has been jailed three months by the Nkawie Circuit Court in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region for biting a Community Police Assistant (CPA) at Nkawie.
Abdul Aziz pleaded guilty to the charge of negligently causing harm and was convicted on his own plea.
Police Inspector Kwaku Frimpong, prosecuting told the court presided by Mr Robert Addo that, complainants in the case were officers from the Nkawie Divisional Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.
He said on September 3, at about 8:40am, the complainants led by Chief Inspector Abedi Larbi, were on their official patrol duty to ensure safety at Nkawie township and met the convict, who was in-charge of a Pragya tricycle with registration number M-25-A-3722.
He explained that, after a careful inspection, it was detected that the convict was without licence and other required documents, so Alhassan Seidu, the CPA, was instructed to lead him to the office for the next action.
On their way to the office, the convict took a different direction, so the CPA directed him to take the right route to the police station, but he disobeyed and attacked the CPA, resulting in a struggle between them.
In the process the convict bit the CPA on the chest, so he shouted for help and some nearby youth rushed to the scene and helped him to arrest the convict.
In his caution statement, he admitted the offence and after further investigations he was charged and brought before the court. –GNA
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President Mahama urges new Supreme Court Justices to uphold Constitution and judicial independence
President John Dramani Mahama has urged three newly sworn-in Justices of the Supreme Court to uphold the Constitution and administer justice without fear or favour.
He said the authority of the Supreme Court depended on the confidence and trust of the Ghanaian people and, therefore, the new Justices must protect the rights of citizens and ensure that no individual or institution was above the law.
President Mahama made the call at the Presidency in Accra during the swearing-in ceremony of, Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jr. as Justices of the Supreme Court.
Congratulating the three on their appointments, he said their new positions came with a major responsibility to strengthen Ghana’s constitutional democracy and the rule of law.
“The oath you have taken today is consequential, not ceremonial. It is a solemn covenant with the people of Ghana,” President Mahama stated.
He said Supreme Court Justices needed more than legal knowledge, noting that they must also demonstrate sound judgement, integrity, courage, patience and a strong commitment to justice.
President Mahama urged the new Justices to remain independent when handling cases involving strong public emotions or political interests.
He advised them not to be influenced by pressure, praise or criticism, but to allow the quality of their reasoning, fairness and loyalty to the Constitution to define their legacy.
The President called on the judiciary to continue with reforms aimed at improving the delivery of justice.
He said prolonged cases, unnecessary adjournments and delays in delivering judgments created hardship for ordinary citizens and could undermine public confidence in the justice system.
President Mahama, therefore, urged the judiciary to embrace appropriate technology and improve the accessibility and efficiency of the courts.
He called for Supreme Court judgments to be written in clear language to provide reliable guidance to lower courts, public institutions, lawyers and citizens.
President Mahama described Justice Bernasko Essah as an experienced judicial officer whose service at the Court of Appeal would bring valuable experience to the Supreme Court.
He noted that Justice Asante brought both national and regional judicial experience, having served on the Court of Appeal and as a former President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
According to him, Justice Asante’s experience in regional integration, human rights and international law would enrich the work of the Supreme Court.
On Justice Forson, President Mahama said his decades of experience in private legal practice and his former leadership of the Ghana Bar Association would bring an important perspective to the Court.
He said his experience of representing citizens, businesses and institutions before the courts could help the Supreme Court better understand how legal decisions affect ordinary people.
Speaking on behalf of the three Justices, Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the confidence reposed in them.
She pledged that the three would hear cases fairly, decide according to the law, act with courage and integrity, and remain faithful to the Constitution and the oaths they had sworn.
The three Justices were administered the Oath of Allegiance, Judicial Oath and Oath of Secrecy by President Mahama before receiving their warrants of appointment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
