News
Draught game centres, potential spread of COVID-19?
One of the games which involves close contacts with the opponent is the draught game.
Arguably, it does not ensure the practice of strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocol of social distancing due to its close proximity nature.
This is because the board used for playing the game (usually positioned on the laps of the players), is placed between the two persons opposing each other, who sit less than a metre or three feet away from each other.
The situation is not different at the Tema Community One Community Centre area where many people made up of both young and old meet to play the game.
On several occasions where The Spectator has visited the place, at least 10 people have been found closely gathered with many of them not wearing nose masks.
The players and those cheering them on, including those who are the next to play, stand right behind the players cheering.
When one opponent succeeds in blocking the other by taking a significant number of the pieces of his contender which makes it impossible for the other to move, it drew noise from both supporting parties.
The players are also noted to speak on top of their voices to tease themselves as they jump and pick an opponent pieces.
With the closeness to each other without face masks, it obviously draws droplets which results in exchanges that has the potential to spread the coronavirus.
With the state of affairs, any coughing or sneezing which are often involuntary actions from the persons involved in the game, could compromise the health and safety of many.
There are no hand washing facilities or alcohol-based hand rubs at the venue, therefore anyone no matter how clean or dirty his hands are, just joins and handles the board or the pieces for playing the game which is also a recipe for the spread of the virus.
The Spectator is by this drawing the attention of all players and city authorities to as a matter of urgency put measures in place to right the potential wrongs so that the venue for the game does not become a fertile ground for the spread of the virus.
One may ask, in the event that one of the frequent visitors to the place contracts the virus, will he be willing to stop coming there or be bold enough to tell the others?
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
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
