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Change negative perception: Blood donation saves lives – Methodist Bishop
Rt Rev Samuel Ofori-Akyea Tema Bishop for the Tema Diocese
Usually when the subject of voluntary blood donation comes up, some people are not enthused about it because of some misconceptions they may have.
This, over the years, has made it challenging for individuals or groups who are passionate about blood donation to help save lives.
At the 26th annual synod of the Methodist Church of Ghana of the Tema Diocese held at the Immanuel Methodist Society, Tema, the Diocesan Bishop, Rt Rev Samuel Ofori-Akyea called on the public to be receptive to the drive for blood donation and officials engaged in it.
“Don’t frown at them” he told the congregation because in his opinion it is a worthy cause.
The Diocesan Bishop said donating blood helped to save live which could be that of the donor’s children, parents or even the donor himself subsequently when he or she is also in need.
He said health personnel and volunteers of teams who help to donate blood must be appreciated and accepted because their service was important to humanity so they should be commended and not given cold reception.
Rt Rev Ofori-Akyea encouraged the church members and the public at large who qualify to give blood to always avail themselves when the opportunity presents itself because the blood helps to stock various blood banks for the use of church members and the public at large.
Speaking on the theme: “discipleship; living the transformed life in Jesus” with focus on revival, transformation and growth of the church on the sidelines with the media, he called on the public to be selfless in their service to humanity and live good Christian lives worthy of emulation.
A member of the Tema Diocese Blood Donation Team Anthony Sam Anoom said the Diocese had been engaged in the drive for volunteers to donate blood for the past 10 years.
He said the exercise had helped many church members and their families during emergencies and times of distress.
He said plans were in place to get as many churches as possible under the Diocese to contribute in getting as much blood as possible for the Tema General Hospital which was usually the first port of call for their members as well as the Greater Accra Regional Hospital and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
The professor who spends his days exploring the intricacies of African languages found himself at the centre of a different kind of lesson on Friday, October 2, 2026. 
This time, there were no lecture notes, academic arguments or university classrooms. Instead, there was the weight of tradition, the rhythm of a community celebration and the solemnity of an oath at a royal palace.
Professor Ọbádélé Kambon, a full Professor of African Linguistics at the University of Ghana, was enstooled as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene of Akuapem Mampong in the Eastern Region in a ceremony that brought academia and traditional authority together.
For the professor, the occasion was more than a new title. It was a moment that connected his academic interests in African languages and indigenous knowledge with the living traditions of an Akan community.
The day’s events unfolded through a series of customary observances. Kambon was first taken to the compounds of the Ɔkyeamehene and Gyasehene, where the preparations for his installation continued.
Then came the application of hyire, the white kaolin powder associated with traditional rites.
With the customary proceedings underway, the new chief was lifted onto the shoulders of celebrants and carried along the main thoroughfare of Akuapem Mampong.
The procession transformed the streets into a public stage for a ceremony rooted in the community’s traditional institutions.
There was something striking about the image, a university professor, accustomed to the measured language of academic discourse, being carried through the town in a display of traditional recognition.
Yet the celebration was not complete with the procession.
A ram was sacrificed at the Mamponghene’s compound before Kambon was taken to the palace, to swear the oath associated with his new offices.
The ceremony brought him formally into his roles as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene.
Beyond the colourful proceedings, the titles themselves carry layers of historical meaning.
Kambon in his research explores the historical connections between Apagya and Akan political and military organisation.
Accounts cited in his work linked Apagya to an asafo, or military company, while historical writing traces an Apagya stool in Asante to the reign of Opoku Ware I in the eighteenth century.
These historical associations offer a glimpse into the institutions that have shaped Akan society over generations, although they do not automatically define the precise responsibilities of the office in Akuapem Mampong.
Kambon’s own professional life reflects a similar interest in preserving and examining African knowledge.
His work encompasses Akan language structure, naming practices across the Black world, proverbs and indigenous intellectual traditions.
Through Abibitumi, the platform he founded, he also promotes language learning, scholarship and cultural engagement.
But tradition was only one part of the story that day.
When the formal ceremony gave way to a reception, the occasion expanded into a celebration of three milestones: Kambon’s enstoolment, his promotion to full professor and his daughter Ama’s admission to the University of Ghana.
The gathering therefore carried a personal significance that went beyond the honours bestowed on one man. 
It celebrated professional advancement, the continuation of family aspirations and a connection to cultural heritage.
For a father, seeing a daughter gain admission to the same university where he holds a distinguished academic position offered another reason to celebrate.
For the professor, the moment placed family achievement alongside his own professional and traditional milestones.
Kambon had already established a place in the traditional life of Akuapem Mampɔn through an earlier installation as Banmuhene Kyidɔmhene, recorded in 2017.
His latest enstoolment adds another chapter to that relationship.
In Akuapem Mampɔn, the day brought together the university, the palace and the family table in one celebration. And for Kambon, the journey from the lecture room to the traditional procession showed how scholarship, cultural responsibility and family achievement could converge in a single memorable occasion.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
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Intercity STC Coaches Limited has interdicted a driver captured in a viral video allegedly hitting a Sprinter bus during an overtaking manoeuvre at Pokuase before driving away from the scene.
In a public notice, the company described the driver’s conduct as unacceptable, stressing that it did not reflect the safety standards and professionalism it upholds.
Management said it had commenced an immediate investigation into the incident and identified the driver, who has been interdicted pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.
The company added that it was awaiting an official report from the Pokuase Police Command to help establish the facts surrounding the incident.
STC reaffirmed its commitment to passenger safety and responsible road use, while thanking members of the public for bringing the incident to its attention.
Management assured the public that appropriate action would be taken following the investigation.
By: Jacob Aggrey
