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COVID-19: 624 out of 695 workers of Tema fish processing company test negative
At least 624 out of a total of 695 workers who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) at the Tema-based fish processing company have recovered as the factory prepares to resume operations.
According to the Ghana Health Service (GHS), after all 1,300 employees of the company were tested for the virus, an additional 162 workers were found to have been exposed, resulting in the shutdown of the factory.
It would be recalled that in his last address, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo disclosed that one person had initially infected 533 employees of the fish processing company.
The infections, he indicated, were identified as part of a backlog of nearly 921 cases going back as far as April 26 that was only recently being reported.
Updating the country yesterday following an assessment into the outbreak at the factory, the Head of Disease Surveillance at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Franklin Asiedu Bekoe said aside non-adherence to social distancing protocols, facilities like a staff bus and clock-in machines had exposed workers to the virus.
“Most of them were asymptomatic and currently we are aggressively identifying contacts of seven people who tested positive because we realise most of the workers live outside Tema and may have infected other people.”
To forestall any occurrence, Dr Bekoe said the GHS had ensured that the factory had in place hand washing facilities; “we have done floor marking to demarcate where people must stand, staff are to wear face mask and placed sanitisers at vantage points.”
“We have also created a holding room at the factory and a temperature check point at the entrance to quickly isolate workers in case of any event and with the level of compliance seen, they are ready to start operations soon,” he said.
In the case of Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, where a trader was said to have infected 17 others at the Obuasi central market, Dr Bekoe indicated that fact-finding visit to the area found, among others, that most individuals refused to wear face masks, “despite how densely populated the area is.”
“Although AngloGold Ashanti has a prominent hospital, we found that they did not have a treatment facility. You also do not see people wearing face masks and there is no holding or quarantine facility,” he observed.
To this end, the Head of Disease Surveillance said the GHS has initiated measures, including a voluntary mass testing programme, for high risk populations to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the area.
“We are going to carry out enhanced contact-tracing in the very high-risk areas. Obuasi has very densely populated areas like Central Market, Anyinam, Asankore, Wawaso, among others. We are also going to do mass voluntary testing among certain risk groups, including taxi drivers and food vendors as a way of trying to address surveillance and contact management in Obuasi,” he said.
Dr Bekoe announced that in addition to resourcing the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR) to improve testing, government had secured a 100-bed facility as an isolation centre to help in case management.
Ghana now has 5, 918 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 1,754 recoveries and 31 deaths.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
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Is the “Rev” title biblical?
In many Ghanaian churches, pastors are often introduced as “Reverend” or simply “Rev.”
The title is seen as a mark of respect, yet its biblical basis continues to stir debate.
While some Christians argue that it is a harmless way to honour church leaders, others insist it is unbiblical and should not be used at all.
Those who question the title usually point to the Bible itself. Nowhere in Scripture did Jesus or the apostles use “Reverend” for themselves or for one another.
Instead, they addressed each other as “brother” or “servant.” In Matthew 23, Jesus even warned his followers not to seek titles such as “rabbi” or “father,” teaching that all believers are equal under one God.
Critics also note that Psalm 111:9 describes God’s name alone as “holy and reverend” in the King James Bible.
To them, this means the word should be reserved for God, not for human beings. Others go further, citing Job 32, which cautions against giving flattering titles to men.
For such voices, the modern use of “Reverend” risks elevating pastors beyond what the Bible prescribes.
On the other hand, defenders of the title argue that it is not meant to replace God’s reverence but simply to acknowledge a minister’s role.
In many churches, “Reverend” is given to ordained ministers who have undergone training, much like the way a doctor is addressed as “Dr.”
The Bible itself, they point out, encourages believers to honour their leaders, with 1 Timothy 5:17 stating that elders who direct the affairs of the church well are “worthy of double honour.”
In this sense, the title is seen as a formal courtesy rather than a theological statement.
Supporters remind critics that Christianity does not operate in a vacuum but within cultural settings.
In Ghanaian society, respect for elders and authority is central to social order. Just as chiefs are addressed with titles such as “Nana” or “Togbe,” many Christians believe it is fitting to extend a similar courtesy to church leaders.
In their view, calling a pastor “Reverend” reflects Ghanaian values of honour and respect, and does not amount to worshipping a human being.
Yet the debate is far from settled. Some argue that the title has been abused, with individuals presenting themselves as “Reverend” without any proper training or accountability.
Calls have even been made for the regulation of church titles to prevent confusion and protect the credibility of ministry. Others, however, see no harm in its continued use, so long as it is not taken beyond what Scripture allows.
At the heart of the matter lies a bigger question: should Christians stick strictly to biblical language when addressing their leaders, or is it acceptable to adapt titles as society evolves?
The conversation is not just theological but cultural, touching on how Ghana balances respect for tradition with the authority of Scripture.
The debate over the “Rev” title is therefore not one with easy answers. What is clear, however, is that it forces us to reflect on how we show honour, how we interpret the Bible, and how faith interacts with our cultural practices.
As the discussion continues in church pews and on social platforms, we ask you: should pastors and ministers be called “Reverend,” or should Christians abandon the title altogether?
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Brigadier General Michael Opoku not under arrest – GAF confirms
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has denied reports claiming that Brigadier General Michael Opoku has been arrested by security operatives for possessing ammunition.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, and signed by Captain V.A. Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations, GAF said enquiries from various security agencies and national investigation authorities had not confirmed the alleged arrest.
The statement explained that Brigadier General Michael Opoku remains an active member of the Ghana Armed Forces and is not under arrest for any crime.
GAF further assured the public that any military officer found to have committed a crime would face the same legal procedures as any other citizen.
It added that the report of his arrest was false and should be ignored, urging the public to desist from spreading misinformation and disinformation.
By: Jacob Aggrey
