News
Ghana Reads Initiative sensitises public to World Menstrual Hygiene Day
The organisers in a photo session with the students
As part of activities to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day, Ghana Reads Initiative (GRI) has organised a programme to raise awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene management.
World Menstrual Hygiene Day creates a platform to challenge societal norms and promotes open discussions to encourage society to view menstruation as a natural and healthy process.
The programme, which was under the theme, “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Futures” was to sensitise the public to break the stigma surrounding menstruation as cultural beliefs have contributed to deep-rooted taboos and misconceptions leading to menstrual stigma which affects the well-being and development of women and girls.
In all, about 150 pupils selected from New Legon Complex School, New Hope School, Better New Home Academy, among others attended the programme.
A midwife, Ms. Elizabeth Ofosuaa Danquah spoke extensively on the menstrual cycle, especially how and when it happens, and what to eat during that period. She advised the girls not to be afraid as menstruation is part of the biological formation of a woman.
Ms. Danquah, appealed to the government to reduce taxes on sanitary pads since menstruation is part and parcel of the development of a woman.
A consultant for the Ga Mantse Foundation, Madam Naa Kwaale Dove admonished the girls to abstain from sex until marriage.
“Sex is for married couples so young ladies desist from the act if you are not married,” she stressed.
GRI believes that by addressing infrastructural gaps, ensuring that the government provides affordable and sustainable menstrual products, and empowering society through education and awareness on world menstrual hygiene day, Ghana will break the stigma attached to menstruation.
This will pave the way for a more inclusive and empowered society where women and girls can manage their menstrual hygiene with dignity and without hindrance.
By George Obeng Osei
News
Criminal and Seditious Libel Law was repealed in 2001 yet we still face harassment – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government for what it calls a return to the “culture of silence” in Ghana, despite the repeal of the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law more than two decades ago.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the party said the arrest and detention of its Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye, for allegedly insulting the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was the latest sign of political intimidation.
According to the NPP, eight months into President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, state security had been “weaponised” not to fight illegal mining or protect citizens, but to intimidate and punish dissenting voices.
The party said insecurity in areas such as Bawku, Nkwanta and Gbeniyiri in the Savannah Region had claimed more than 32 lives and displaced over 50,000 people, yet the police and national security were more focused on arresting opposition supporters and social media users for their posts.
The NPP noted that Ghana abolished the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001 under President John Agyekum Kufuor to protect free speech and media freedoms.
It described the recent arrests of opposition members as an erosion of those democratic gains.
The party said it did not condone insults or vulgar language in public discourse but stressed that anyone who felt defamed should seek redress through civil defamation suits, not criminal prosecution.
It also accused the government of undermining the judiciary by “weaponising” it against political opponents, citing the removal of the Chief Justice.
“The growing climate of intimidation and criminalisation of speech is a serious assault on Ghana’s democracy,” the statement signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said.
The NPP called on all Ghanaians to resist what it described as a return to tyranny and pledged to roll out a series of actions to protect the country’s democratic gains.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NIA opens Premium Centres to register children
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has started registering Ghanaian children aged between six and 14 years at all its Premium Centres across the country.
The Authority says the exercise is part of its duty to register every Ghanaian, both at home and abroad, so that all citizens can have a secure and verifiable national identity.
It explained in a statement issued today that the registration will help build a complete and inclusive National Identity Register (NIR) that captures every Ghanaian from childhood.
According to the NIA, the fee for first-time registration at Premium Centres is GHS 310, which is the approved charge for premium services.
The Authority said the requirements are the same as for applicants aged 15 years and above.
It affirmed that Parents or legal guardians were required to present either a valid Ghanaian passport of the child, the original copy of the child’s birth certificate, or be a Ghana Card holder who can vouch for the child.
The NIA also announced that from Monday, September 15, 2025, its online registration and booking system will be extended to the remaining 11 Premium Centres nationwide.
This it said will allow parents and guardians to schedule appointments more conveniently and avoid delays at the centres.
It further stated that information on the issuance of Ghana Cards for children aged six to 14 years who had already registered will be shared later.
In the coming weeks, the Authority plans to extend this registration service to all NIA District Offices to make it easier for more people to access the service.
By: Jacob Aggrey
