News
‘Establish guidance, counselling centres for school children’
A board Member of the Boy Child Supportive Care Foundation (BCSCF), Reverend Father Hector Quartey, has urged government and agencies responsible for education to establish a dedicated department for guidance and counseling in schools.
According to him, this department would provide a safe and confidential space for students to share their concerns and challenges with trained professionals instead of confiding in teachers who were not trained in that field.
Rev. Fr Quartey made the call at an outreach session with some Basic and Junior High School boys in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency to commemorate the International Day of the Boy Child.
It was organised by the BCSCF on the theme; “Boys and Their Mental Well-Being, their Needs to Feel Happy, Healthy and Valued within Family and Community.”
International Day of the Boy Child is a day celebrated annually on May 16, to recognise the importance of boys’ wellbeing and some challenges they face.
“By creating such a system, the foundation believes that schools can better support students, including both boys and girls, and help them overcome their challenges,” the Board Member noted.
Additionally, he asserted that creating such a department would allow students to feel more comfortable discussing sensitive issues with professionals who were not their teachers, allowing for more open and honest communication, that would enable schools to identify and address issues earlier and provide targeted support to students who needed it most.
Rev. Quartey stated that statistics show that boys were more likely to struggle with drug addiction and other issues due to societal expectations and upbringing, adding that to combat this, the organisation provides support and guidance to help boys develop positive values and wayward behaviours.
“The foundation’s ultimate goal is to promote positive masculinity and empower young males to become responsible and caring individuals who contribute to the well-being of their communities, by working together with schools and government agencies,” he said.
The Founder and Chief Execu¬tive Officer of BCSCF, Ms Edna Korama Yamoah, said the outreach that brought together over 1,000 boys focused on the mental health and well-being of a boy child.
This, she said aimed to raise awareness about the challenges boys face, including depression and mental health issues, drug addiction among others.
She emphasised the need for more support and understanding for boys, who were often perceived as being more resilient than girls.
“Boys are more vulnerable than girls in many ways, so its important government dedicate the day to celebrating the boy child and provide support for organisations working to promote their well-being,” she highlighted.
By Cecilia Yada Lagba
The member of parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana, has condemned alleged vote buying linked to Baba Jamal during recent political activities at Ayawaso East, describing the act as completely foreign to the values of the NDC.
During a discussion on Metro TV, Mr Agbana expressed concern about what he described as an open display of wealth during the event over the weekend.
He referred to videos circulating online which showed items such as television sets being distributed to people, stressing that such actions do not reflect the party he grew up to admire and join.
According to him, the NDC is built on core values of accountability, probity and transparency, and that explains why many party members have reacted strongly to the incident.
He indicated that the outrage within the party shows a clear rejection of vote buying and similar practices.
Mr.Agbana also disagreed with comments attributed to the Greater Accra Regional Minister suggesting that vote buying happens in every election.
He maintained that such a view does not represent the position of the NDC and should not be normalised under any circumstances.
He pointed out that immediately the reports and videos emerged, the party leadership took a firm stance against the alleged acts rather than trying to justify them.
He noted that the party was awaiting the release of an official report on the matter and expressed confidence that any recommendations would be fully implemented.
Mr.Agbana described the current leadership of the NDC as disciplined and principled, with a proven record of integrity.
He stressed that the party’s response to the issue shows that its reset agenda is not only directed at political opponents but also focused on internal discipline and self correction.
He further assured the public that the NDC will not protect any individual found culpable of vote buying. However, he added that anyone accused will be given a fair opportunity to respond, in line with the principles of natural justice.
Mr.Agbana concluded that the party remains committed to building a strong and resilient political organisation that upholds probity, transparency and accountability at all levels.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Member of Parliament for Bantama Constituency, Francis Asenso Boakye, has raised strong concerns over plans to reduce the Suame Interchange from a four tier design to a two tier structure, describing the move as a major setback for Kumasi and the country.
In a facebook post he stated that, the original four tier design was not chosen for political or visual reasons.
He explained that it was based on detailed traffic studies, engineering analysis and long term urban planning to deal with heavy and growing congestion in Kumasi, which remains Ghana’s second largest city and an important transport centre.
He pointed out that areas such as Suame, Krofrom, Bantama, Abrepo, Anomangye and Magazine already face daily traffic jams that waste time, increase fuel and transport costs, raise accident risks and reduce the quality of life for residents and businesses.
In his view, a two tier interchange will not solve these problems but will only shift congestion from one point to another and turn the project into an expensive bottleneck.
Mr Asenso Boakye stressed that engineering designs for all four tiers have already been completed and that foundation works started based on a full integrated system.
He warned that scaling down the project at this stage could lead to delays, higher costs, contractual challenges and long term technical problems.
He questioned the funding argument being used to justify the change. He noted that government was able to mobilise funds for other major road projects and even classified the Suame Interchange under the Big Push programme.
For that reason, he argued that Kumasi should not be short changed under what he described as selective financial constraints.
The Bantama MP urged authorities to look beyond short term decisions when planning infrastructure.
He explained that in urban transport, under designing projects often causes more harm than doing nothing at all, because cities end up struggling with congestion for decades.
He maintained that Kumasi deserves infrastructure that matches its national importance, adding that the city needs forward looking investments that meet current needs and support future growth, rather than what he described as half solutions.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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