News
Christians urged to be honest in dealings
The Bishop of Berberati in the Central African Republic (CAR), Most Rev. Dennis Kofi Agbenyadzi, has urged Christians to demonstrate the spirit of honesty in all their dealings.
He said following Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world, demanded that they succumbed to the teachings of Jesus, “lead upright lives devoid of lies and all forms of evil,” he said.
In a homily at St. John of God Catholic Church, Amrahia, near Oyibi in Accra recently, he asked the faithful to reflect on the values of integrity and truthfulness.
Bishop Agbenyadzi advised them to pray constantly in order to enable them to overcome the myriad of temptations in the world.
He urged all to keep in high esteem their baptismal vows, always study the word of God, and stressed the need for them to spend valuable time in adoration to the Blessed Sacrament.
During the Holy Mass, Madam Mabel Dzokoto, who was elected as the fourth President of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Society of St. John of God Catholic Church, Amrahia, was introduced to the congregation and prayed over.
Opanyin Mabel Dzokoto, who is also known for her charitable works in the church, had provided choir robes for the Youth Choir of the church.
Additionally, as the Past Noble Advisor, Madam Dzokoto is serving her second term as the Regional Secretary/Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the Ho/Jasikan Region of the Marshallan Society. She is also credited as the founding member of St. John of God Catholic Church, Amrahia, Marshallan Association, as well as the Acting Vice Chairperson of the association.
Madam Dzokoto, who solicited the support of all during her tenure, called for love and the spiritual upliftment of members.
Opanyin Catherine Mensah, who is the immediate past President of the association, said membership had grown from 25 to 108, increased its finances and expressed her willingness to mentor the Children’s Wing of the society, known as the ‘Little Flowers’.
A patron of the society, Opanyin Irene Budu, urged members to imitate the examples of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus in their lives.
By Raymond Kyekye
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Mrs Patience Antonio, a Child and Family Development Advocate, has called for a national campaign to reduce the growing reliance on breast milk substitutes among nursing mothers in Ghana.
According to Mrs Antonio, scientific evidence shows that breastfeeding improves a child’s emotional stability, boosts intelligence, strengthens the immune system, and provides long-term health benefits. She made these remarks in an interview with The Spectator in Accra last week, emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding for a child’s overall development.
She explained that breastfeeding is not just a biological act of feeding but a key emotional and developmental bridge between mother and child. She also highlighted the need for the recommended six-month maternity leave period to ease the pressure on mothers to return to work prematurely.
“Breastfeeding creates intimacy and trust. It assures the baby of love and security, which becomes the foundation for their emotional health,” Mrs Antonio noted, warning that abandoning exclusive breastfeeding could have long-term implications on children’s social and emotional wellbeing.
Consequently, she called for a minimum of five months of fully paid maternity leave for Ghanaian mothers to enable effective breastfeeding, bonding, and healthier child development. She also urged workplaces to implement family-friendly policies, including private spaces for breastfeeding, flexible working arrangements for nursing mothers, and stronger support systems for new parents.
Mrs Antonio further encouraged families and society to actively support mothers during breastfeeding, stressing that many women struggle due to lack of assistance at home or the pressure to return to work too soon. She emphasized, “If we want a healthier, emotionally stable generation, then we must make breastfeeding a priority and support mothers to do it without stress.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Spectator
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The Nanvili Community School in the Mion District of the Northern Region is facing severe infrastructural challenges, affecting teaching and learning for pupils in the area.
The school, which serves five surrounding communities with a total of 58 pupils, has deteriorated to the extent that many children have stopped attending classes. Poor classroom conditions and the lack of desks have made teaching and learning difficult. During a visit to the school, the gate-free classrooms were found filled with goat and sheep droppings.
During the rainy season, both teachers and pupils are often cut off from the school due to bad roads and flooding. Teaching activities are frequently suspended for weeks, negatively affecting academic performance.
The Assemblyman for the area, Mr. Dawuni Mutawakil, expressed concern, noting that the situation is worrying since these pupils are expected to compete with their counterparts in urban areas who have access to better facilities. He added that due to limited space, classes have been merged, with pupils from Primary One and Two, Three and Four, and Five and Six sharing the same classrooms.
The Chief of Nanvili, Abu Kassim, also appealed to the government and non-governmental organisations to come to the aid of the community. He emphasized that the current state of the school discourages children from nearby communities from attending.
Both the Chief and Assemblyman have called for urgent intervention to improve infrastructure and provide furniture for the pupils to ensure quality education for children in the Nanvili area.
By Geoffrey Buta, Nanvili, Northern Region
Spectator
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