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DEPUTY EXIM BANK CEO URGES WOMEN TO EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY TO COMPETE IN NEW FRONTIERS
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Exim Bank(GEXIM) responsible for Banking and Business, Rosemary Beryl Archer, has urged women to embrace technology and leverage it to advance and compete in new frontiers that were previously inaccessible.
Ms. Archer made the call to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, which falls on Tuesday 8th March 2022 with the theme “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”. She further sent best wishes to all women around the world making great strides in their fields and making an impact in their communities.
“I extend my warmest felicitations to all women on a day that seeks to honour feminine industry players and those in socio-political spheres the world over. The contribution of women to various facets of our economy has been momentous, although not sufficiently acknowledged. Even in the face of spiraling challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, women have held the fort and ensured stability and progress in many spheres of our economy,”she emphasized.
According to a study by the International Labour Organization, approximately 4.2% of women’s employment was lost as a result of the pandemic from 2019 to 2021, compared to 3% of men. It further revealed that, the number of men in employment was projected to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021, while the number of women is expected to be 13 million fewer by about the same time.
While there may be several avenues for remedying the situation, Ms. Archer highlighted trade as one of the most potent sources of hope to this situation and advocated for us to pursue trade as a viable alternative to growth and economic rejuvenation.
“A World Bank publication in 2020 indicated that Trade can radically improve women’s lives, create new jobs, enhance consumer choice, and increase women’s bargaining power in society. in the report, the World Bank Managing Director, Mari Pangestu revealed that Trade can expand women’s role in the economy and decrease disparities with men by giving women more and better employment opportunities and seizing these opportunities will be even more important in a post-COVID-19 world”, she emphasized.
Ms. Archer further appealed to men in relevant spheres of influence to be deliberate in walking hand-in-hand with their women counterparts as they strive forward in the path of growth and progress. She added that such a step is necessary to achieve the campaign for gender equity.
In line with this year’s theme of “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow” GEXIM is committed to advancing the course of women participating in the local production, agribusiness and exports of made in Ghana products to drive the industrialization agenda of the Government.
GEXIM has in the past couple of years offered support to women involved in agribusiness, manufacturing, food processing and supported the construction of four (4) shea processing centres (through the Shea Empowerment Initiative) and the establishment of the GEXIM SME Tuesday Market platform to primarily highlight made in Ghana products mostly spearheaded by women.
There are several other initiatives soon to be launched by the bank with the aim of furthering the course of Ghanaian women in local production and international trade. These initiatives are expected to give the needed boast to sustainably grow trade and the country’s economy at large
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
