News
Ghana Red Cross Society handicapped …needs more funding, logistics
The Ghana Red Cross Society has initiated a number of activities and supported the health sector in its efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
In spite of the crucial role it plays, the organisation continues to rely on the benevolence of individuals and organisations to execute many of its programmes in the country.
Officials indicate that funding and logistic constraints, to a large extent, have been preventing the society from reaching out to the vulnerable during crucial moments.
The Greater Accra regional office, for instance, has only one pickup vehicle for its routine operations.
Madam Catherine Adasu, the Regional Manageress, who confirmed this in an interview with The Spectator said that there was the need to close the “funding and logistic gap” so that the society could do more for the nation.
She said that officers at the regional office sometimes had to offer their personal vehicles to complement the only available pickup in order to carry out field work satisfactorily.
“We are handicapped in so many ways. The little resources we have are used to encourage volunteers and settle other administrative costs. As much as we want to do more, we are not able to do so for lack of funds until we get help.
“Our headquarters is equally handicapped when it comes to funding to implement some strategic programmes,” she noted.
Madam Adasu said that district officers of the society also needed motorbikes to fast-track their movement and quick response to emergencies within their jurisdictions and pointed out that volunteers of the society also required insurance packages.
According to her, Red Cross volunteers were not considered frontline workers although they had, in the last eight months, supported risk communication and other activities meant to combat COVID-19.
She said that the society, since January this year, had engaged in sensitisation at bus terminals and other public places following the outbreak of the disease.
“We have set up hand washing points at public places and intensified community education on safety protocols in all the regions.
“During the lockdown we partnered Nestle Ghana to distribute items to about 50 000 households in Accra and Kumasi. About 500 volunteers are still on the field educating the public and engaging community leaders in other areas where hand washing centres can be established,” she explained.
Highlighting other support services, Madam Adasu said that the Ghana Red Cross had distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to hospitals and schools across the country with support from different organisations including Master Card and the International Federation for the Red Cross.
The Regional Manageress further explained that the society was in the process of identifying and supporting persons who had lost their jobs due to the impact of the pandemic, adding that five markets had been earmarked to get mechanised boreholes to help improve on access to potable water.
Madam Adasu therefore appealed to corporate bodies to help absorb part of the society’s administrative cost to help sustain their operations.
“We need people to provide used clothing and other useful items which we can in turn give out to vulnerable people to improve their lives.
“If volunteers can receive similar packages given to other frontline workers or be put on monthly allowances by government this would be very useful as well,” she added.
Touching on other aspects of their work, she noted that suspension of sporting activities and closure of schools had halted part of their activities.
Madam Adasu appealed for more government support and called for a review of the Red Cross Act which had for the past years not been amended.
She also appeal to all support the Red Cross by patronising first aid training, first aid kits, health and safety training.
The Ghana Red Cross Society was established by an Act of Parliament (ACT 10 1958) and the Geneva Convention to, among other things, deliver relief and humanitarian services to the vulnerable during disasters and emergiencies.
By Ernest Nutsugah
Local mattress manufacturers have raised serious concerns over the influx of substandard mattresses, warning that these products pose significant health risks to consumers and threaten the sustainability of Ghana’s mattress industry.
At a press briefing held in Kumasi on Tuesday, manufacturers accused unregistered foreign entities, particularly Chinese firms, of flooding the market with cheap mattresses made from polystyrene.
Mr Yaw Ampem Darko, a spokesperson for the local manufacturers, warned that prolonged use of substandard mattresses, especially those made with polystyrene, could result in chronic back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, poor posture, and diminished sleep quality.
These health implications, they stressed, were not always immediately evident but accumulate over time, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
This material, typically used for packaging, is considered unsuitable and unsafe for bedding.
According to industry leaders, these sub-standard products have been circulating for at least five years, gaining traction among unsuspecting consumers due to their unusually low prices.
“These mattresses are being sold at suspiciously low prices, luring unsuspecting consumers who are unaware of the health dangers.”
“We are not just protecting our businesses; we are protecting Ghanaian lives. The government must act swiftly to stem this tide before more citizens fall victim to these dangerous products,” Mr Yaw Ampem Darko stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has acknowledged the issue and, in response, announced a nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at clamping down on the production, distribution, and sale of substandard mattresses.
The campaign, which was scheduled to take effect from September 30, 2025, was empowered by the GSA Act, 2022 (Act 1078), which authorises the Authority to seize and seal non-compliant products and impose sanctions on offenders.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, the authority cited Sections 29 and 43 of the Act, reiterating that all mattresses sold in Ghana must meet established national standards or face confiscation.
The statement further emphasised that mattresses failing to meet these standards not only compromise sleep quality but also contribute to long-term health complications, including spinal and neck pain.
Despite the GSA’s commitment, manufacturers have expressed frustration over delays in implementation and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
They urged the GSA to work in close collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and national law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute violators of Ghana’s quality standards.
Manufacturers are also appealing to consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their health by verifying that any mattress they purchase bears the GSA certification mark.
Moreover, they caution the public against purchasing suspiciously cheap mattresses that lack proper labelling or identifiable branding, as these were often indicators of substandard or counterfeit products.
As the official enforcement deadline had expired with no show, the local producers insisted that much more than business interests were at stake.
They argued that without swift and sustained action, the health and safety of Ghanaian consumers would continue to be compromised.
“Public awareness, strict enforcement, and collaboration among regulatory bodies are essential if we are to protect the integrity of the local industry and the wellbeing of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Darko indicated.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
The Founder of the Raissa Child Protection Initiative, Ms Raissa Sambou, has urged authorities to impose severe punishment on individuals, including teachers and guardians, who sexually abuse young girls.
Speaking in an interview to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), Ms Sambou condemned the increasing cases of sexual exploitation involving minors, describing such acts as “heartless, criminal, and a total betrayal of trust.”
She noted that those entrusted with the care and education of children must not be the same people who violate them, stressing that “anyone found guilty of abusing a girl child must face the full rigours of the law without leniency.”
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually to promote the rights of girls, empower them to reach their full potential, and draw attention to the challenges they face worldwide.
Ms Sambou lamented that poverty continues to push many young girls into vulnerable situations, exposing them to exploitation.
She expressed concern that some headmasters, teachers, and community members who should protect girls rather take advantage of them.
“This must stop immediately. The safety of every girl must never be compromised,” she said, urging the public to report all forms of abuse to the appropriate authorities and called for swift action by law enforcement agencies against perpetrators.
Addressing girls directly, Ms Sambou encouraged them to take their education seriously and to believe in their potential.
“It is possible to be young and responsible. Your future is bright, protect it, believe in it, and never let anyone dim your light,” she advised.
She further urged girls to choose their friends wisely, stay disciplined, and speak up if anyone makes sexual advances toward them.
Ms Sambou concluded with a rallying call for collective action, saying “speak up, protect them, and empower them. Together, we can end the sexual exploitation of girls.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
