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‘Excessive exposure of children to screens can cause autism’
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Dr Yvonne NanaAma Brew speaking to the media
Prolonged exposure of children below five years to television sets and tablets put them at high risk of developing autism.
“This is because excessive screen time affects the brain development of a child, a situation that could cause growth disorders including autism.”
This came to light at the 3rd Annual Autism Workshop and Consultations in Accra on Tuesday.
A Resource Person, Dr Yvonne Nana Ama Brew, a Neurodevelopment Pediatrician at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH), explained that exposing the youngsters to those screens time could be very devastating.
According to her, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that children below two years must have zero screen time while those above three years, should have only one hour of screen time daily.
She said autism has become prevalent in Ghana over the past five years with a lot of children reporting to health facilities with signs of the disorder.
“At the GARH, only 10 per cent of the children coming into the facility had communication challenges in 2016 but subsequently, it has increased with 30 per cent of the children screened having communication issues.”
She recommended early developmental screening to help correct the disorder.
“If we are able to pick up the children early, then we would be able to put up some interventions,” she stated.
She also advised parents to have personal interactions with children and not leave them with tablets and phones.
Parents, she said, have the responsibility to decide which school they take their children, however, it was important to know that pre-schools and day-care centers must encourage outdoor plays and toys not screens.
The five-day workshop brought together doctors and experts to interact and share ideas with parents and teachers on autism.
The Managing Director of GTBank, organisers of the workshop, Mr Thomas John, said the bank decided to host the third edition this year following the success and impact of previous editions.
In his keynote address, Ag Director, Technical Coordination, Ministry of Health, Dr Hafez Adam Taher commended GTBank for the initiative, adding that it was important for the private sector to collaborate with the government to raise awareness on autism.
He said the government was finalising guidelines on disability inclusion so that children with special needs would thrive and given the support to grow and contribute to national development
Michael D. Abayateye
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced that the government has accepted the recommendation to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment as part of the constitutional review process.
He said the proposed amendment would affect Articles 3, 13, 19 and 72 of the 1992 Constitution, with offences that previously attracted the death penalty instead carrying life imprisonment.
Dr. Ayine made the announcement on July 30, 2026, at the Jubilee House in Accra during the Government Accountability Series while outlining the government’s position on the final recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee.
According to him, the government believes the death penalty is inconsistent with the constitutional right to life and Ghana’s international human rights obligations.
He explained that the recommendation forms part of broader proposals aimed at strengthening the protection of fundamental human rights under the Constitution.
Dr. Ayine said the government had also accepted the spirit of several recommendations to expand rights relating to women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and the youth.
He added that a comprehensive Human Rights Act would be introduced to protect these rights and provide detailed enforcement mechanisms instead of amending the entrenched provisions of the Constitution through a national referendum.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on both local and international investors to tap into opportunities in Ghana’s tourism, hospitality and creative industries.
Speaking in an interview yesterday with World Media USA Today, the Minister said government is committed to creating a conducive investment environment to support growth in the sector.
She highlighted key investment areas including hotels, fashion, music, film production, and tourism infrastructure.
Dzifa Gomashie also encouraged Ghanaians to invest in domestic tourism to help boost the local economy.
According to her, strategic investment in tourism and the creative economy will drive economic transformation, create jobs, and position Ghana as Africa’s gateway for heritage, culture, business and investment.
“Ghana has vast opportunities across tourism, hospitality and the creative industries. We are ready and open for business,” she stated.
The Minister’s remarks come as government intensifies efforts to leverage culture and tourism as drivers of economic growth and job creation.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
