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‘Excessive exposure of children to screens can cause autism’
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
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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There is strength in diversity; let’s live in peace – Zanetor Rawlings urges Ghanaians
Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has urged Ghanaians, especially the youth, to value the peace the country enjoys and to see diversity as a source of strength.
Speaking at the National Youth Conference held at the Pentecost Convention Centre under the theme “Igniting Potential; Inspiring Change”, she warned against being lured into conflicts and divisions fueled by reckless statements from politicians, traditional leaders, religious figures, or academics.
According to her, many young people have no idea what it means to live in a country torn apart by war, and therefore must not take Ghana’s peace for granted.
She stressed that the harmony among different ethnic and regional groups should be protected at all costs, since it is peace that allows citizens to gather freely and safely.
Dr. Zanetor said Ghana’s development depends on embracing diversity and working together.
She urged the youth to tap into this strength so that Ghana would continue to shine as the “Black Star” of Africa and serve as an example for other nations.
She expressed appreciation to the participants for attending the conference and asked for God’s blessings on the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
