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Close ‘Ataya’, Pito joints to contain COVID-19
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With the surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in the country, the Upper West Regional Health Promotion Officer, Mr John Maakpe has called on residents to suspend the act of converging at joints to share drinks such as pito and a local tea called “ataya”.
The officer noted with concern the blatant disregard for the safety protocols at the joints which were made up of mostly males of the same age or interest groups, who normally drank together and talked for long hours before retiring to their respective homes for the night.
“These are people coming from different areas although you meet every day but you are not sure where they had been before the meeting. These are critical times where we need to do away with things that are not very crucial and save our lives,” he said.
Mr Maakpe who stated this in an interview with “The Spectator” at Wa said it was time to break the pito and ataya camps for now and reconvene after the disease was brought under control.
Ataya is a Senegalese term for the Chinese Gunpowder green tea leaves boiled for 20 minutes and is believed to make men more potent whilst pito is a local drink brewed from millet; both of which are enjoyed by natives of the region depending on their religious inclination.
The practice has been that males numbering about five, converge at a point, sometimes in camps to drink the ‘ataya’ which is mostly boiled and served in small silver cups owned by the group or camp for that purpose amidst long conversations or discussions.
The pito on the other hand, is mostly prepared for sale and customers buy and enjoy in calabashes belonging to the pito vendor.
Mr Maakpe raised concern about the use or sharing of cup or calabashes which had been used by another person to serve someone else without proper washing as well as the removal of the nose mask before drinking in continuous conversation and sitting close to one other in a circle.
“Social distancing does not work at such joints, the pito is sometimes better because it is not every time people gather at the place but the ataya seems to be a daily routine for some people and they do not wear nose masks because of the drinking but talk endlessly”, he said, and advised lovers of pito to buy the drink in gallons and take home.
Speaking about other areas of concern, Mr Maakpe said some traders at the market who were at a higher risk of contracting the virus had also refused to wear their nose masks in spite of the intensive education the regional health directorate had given them.
“Sometimes when they see you coming, they put on the masks but take them off after you are gone and this is quite uncalled for,” he stressed.
He reminded Christians and their Muslim counterpart to observe social distancing in the churches and at mosques,
“Even though we are there to worship, we can still take the virus home if we are not careful, so we have to observe the protocols as the scripture says “obedience is better than sacrifice,” he added.
From: Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has directed all aspirants campaigning in the Greater Accra Region to suspend their campaign activities on August 5 and 6 and instead mobilise supporters for the party’s planned “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration.
The directive was issued by the party’s National Steering Committee in a statement signed by the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the decision forms part of efforts to ensure a strong turnout for the demonstration, which is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, 2026.
The party said the protest would begin at 5:00 a.m., with participants expected to gather at the Supreme Court in Accra.
It further directed Regional, Constituency and Polling Station Executives in Greater Accra to work closely to mobilise members and supporters for the event.
“The National Steering Committee is calling on all aspirants currently campaigning across the Greater Accra Region to temporarily suspend their campaign activities on the 5th and 6th of August and join in mobilising support for the upcoming demonstration,” the statement noted.
The NPP appealed to party members and supporters to remain peaceful, disciplined and orderly throughout the protest.
The demonstration forms part of the party’s response to concerns it has raised over issues relating to Ghana’s democratic governance and the justice system.
The NPP leadership expressed confidence that party members would cooperate fully to ensure a successful and peaceful event.
By: Jacob Aggrey
