News
‘Don’t stigmatise children with autism’
Founder of Liztino Centre for Children with Special Needs, Mrs Angel EIizabeth Bertino, has asked the public to stop stigmatising children with autism.
According to her, people suffering from autism (a serious development disorder especially among children), could live a normal life with the right support and assistance without any form of stigmatisation by society.
“It is very important for society to accept the children as they are harmless and can be better when they feel loved and accepted,” she stated in an interview with The Spectator.
Mrs Bertino said that in the developed countries such children got the needed support and acceptance to realise their potentials as normal children, and Ghana could do same if the public did not discriminate against them.
She said that there were many children with autism living in Ghana but were usually kept indoors for fear of attacks and discrimination.
“This makes their condition worse and they suffer from childhood to adulthood. We can do better as a country to make life easier for such children,” she stressed.
Her organisation which was formed over two years ago and some private entities she said, were currently championing the course of autism in Ghana and would require support from government to create more awareness about the condition.
“Government must come on board for more education and awareness campaigns to be staged to enlighten the public on the condition. This would go a long way to stop the discrimination and stigma attached to persons living with autism.
“Largely, discrimination is borne out of ignorance, especially when people continue to think the condition is spiritual and contagious.
“We need a lot of education in schools and homes so the public would understand the need to show love to autistic persons,” she intimated.
Mrs Bernito indicated that she would begin to visit schools and churches to educate them on the condition for them to know how best to handle people suffering from the disorder and alleged that some churches were even guilty in terms of discrimination as she had encountered several situations where her biological son, an autistic child, was maltreated because of his condition.
“The condition is not spiritual and children can perform better when they are understood and assisted by society,” she said.
This concerned parent said that children who had visited her facility received above 50 per cent of recovery and now lived normal lives with their families.
She called on organisations, schools and churches to understand that people living with autism were normal and could do better with love and care.
By Michael D. Abayateye
Ghana has made progress in the way it manages public resources and delivers services to citizens, with improvements in financial management and access to education and healthcare helping to raise its governance score.
The country ranked 92nd out of 133 countries worldwide and ninth in Africa in the 2026 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), according to a report released last Thursday.
The improvement offers a positive sign for Ghana, although the country still faces challenges in areas such as leadership, long-term planning and creating an attractive environment for businesses.
The index showed that Ghana’s performance in Financial Stewardship, which measures how governments manage public finances and maintain fiscal sustainability, almost doubled this year after declining between 2021 and 2024.
Its score in Helping People Rise, which looks at how government policies and services improve people’s lives, also increased for the second consecutive year, reflecting progress in areas including education and healthcare.
However, the country recorded declines in Leadership and Foresight and Attractive Marketplace, indicating areas where further attention may be needed.
Ghana’s performance comes at a time when several African countries are also making progress in governance. The report found that 71 per cent of African countries assessed in both 2025 and 2026 improved their overall scores.
Dinesh Naidu, Director of Knowledge at Chandler Governance Group, said the continent’s strongest gains were in financial management, followed by efforts to improve citizens’ lives.
He said the progress suggested that improvements in government capabilities were beginning to translate into tangible benefits, including better access to education and healthcare.
However, Africa continues to face significant challenges. Although average scores improved in six of the index’s seven pillars over the past year, the region’s overall average remains below its 2021 level.
The report also found that 23 of the 35 African countries assessed ranked outside the global top 100, while none made it into the top 50.
Globally, 61 per cent of the 120 countries assessed in both 2025 and 2026 recorded higher scores, representing the highest annual share of countries improving since the index began in 2021.
The Chandler Good Government Index assesses government capabilities and effectiveness across 133 countries, representing 94 per cent of the world’s population.
It uses 35 indicators grouped under seven pillars to help governments identify their strengths, recognise gaps and learn from the experiences of other countries.
Mr Naidu said rankings should not be treated as an end in themselves but as a guide to identifying areas that need improvement.
He said sustained progress depended on strong institutions, responsible use of public resources and the ability of governments to turn policies into meaningful outcomes for citizens.
For Ghana, the latest results point to progress in some important areas, while highlighting the need to strengthen other aspects of governance to ensure that improvements are felt in the daily lives of ordinary people.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
President John Mahama has arrived in Moscow, Russia, from Ethiopia to participate in the 3rd Russia-Africa Summit.
The summit is being hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During the visit, President Mahama will join fellow African leaders at the Economic and Humanitarian Forum and summit plenary sessions.
He is also scheduled to hold high-level bilateral talks with President Putin and attend a Kente exhibition organised by the Russia-Ghana Parliamentary Forum.
As part of the visit, the President will receive honorary doctorate degrees from the Russian University of Transport and the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia.
He will also engage Russian businesses and state institutions to advance bilateral cooperation between Ghana and Russia.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
