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“Given the right tools, the Ghanaian has the potential to achieve unimaginable heights”
Vice President and the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia has said that Ghanaians have the potential to achieve unimaginable heights when given the right tools.
“Given the right tools – education, skills, mindset of possibilities, etc – the Ghanaian has the potential to achieve hitherto unimagined heights.”
He made this statement during his engagement with the Chiefs and people of the Bongo, Chiana-Paga and Navrongo constituencies Tuesday.
He continued to explain his 70-point agenda for Ghana’s accelerated development, including a focus on attaining sustainable macroeconomic stability, the introduction of a new tax system, building a digital economy and making Ghana a digital hub, power sector reform, and maximization of the benefits from natural resources.
The rest of the agenda includes industrialization for jobs, fighting corruption using digitization and a cashless society, development of a credit system for Ghana, increasing collaboration with faith-based organizations, care for the vulnerable and special needs, and additional priorities.
Dr.Bawumia had rounded up his campaign tour of the Northern part of the country.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Childdren and pregnant women in Ghana are unknowingly being exposed to toxic levels of lead in everyday products, a new study by UNICEF and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has revealed.
The nationwide study, which covered all 16 regions, found dangerous levels of lead contamination in items such as cosmetics, food, and household products, posing significant threat to public health, particularly to children and women of childbearing age.
A statement on the report copied to The Spectator in Accra on Monday explained that several commonly used items contained alarmingly high concentrations of lead.
Lead, a heavy metal used in batteries, paints, ceramics, and other industrial materials, is highly toxic even in small quantities.
Experts warn that it can cause irreversible brain damage, developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioural problems in children.
The study stressed that there were no safe levels of lead in the human body.
Traditional eyeliners known locally as kaji kaji or kholi, which many mothers use to brighten their children’s eyes, had contamination levels tens of thousands exceeding permissible limits.
White baked clay, called shire, ayilor, or farinkasa and commonly consumed by pregnant women to ease nausea, also tested positive for lead contamination in about 25 per cent of samples, with the highest rates recorded in the North East and Greater Accra regions.
Ground turmeric, a staple spice used across Ghana, was found to be contaminated in 42 per cent of samples, with particularly high levels in the Greater Accra (84 per cent), Central (75 per cent), and Bono (60 per cent) regions.
Similarly, locally prepared corn-based cereal (Tom Brown) showed lead contamination in 4.4 per cent of samples, mostly from the Eastern Region.
Old plumbing systems and certain cookware were also identified as possible sources of exposure, as lead can leak into drinking water or food during cooking.
The health impacts are severe. Lead exposure can cause anaemia, stunted growth, hearing loss, seizures, and pregnancy complications such as low birth weight and miscarriage.
UNICEF has, therefore, called for immediate national action to address the crisis, calling for public awareness campaigns, stricter enforcement of product safety standards, and routine screening for lead exposure, especially among vulnerable groups.
UNICEF reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Government of Ghana and relevant partners to eliminate lead exposure and safeguard the health of every woman and child.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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THE Executive Director of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Mr Juventus Dourinaah, has called on the media to take a lead role in promoting inclusivity and accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing persons in Ghana.
He made the call at a media forum last week on the theme “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights.” It brought together journalists, development partners, and members of the Deaf community.
The event formed part of efforts to highlight the importance of sign language as a human right and to encourage media institutions to adopt inclusive communication practices.
Mr Dourinaah emphasised that the media was one of the most powerful tools for shaping public perception, influencing policies, and setting national agendas.
“The media holds strong power to influence understanding and build inclusion.”
For deaf persons, he said, access to information through sign language, captioning, and visual communication is not a privilege but rather a human right.
He added that without accessible communication, deaf people remain excluded from national conversations, education, and opportunities that shape their lives.
He therefore urged both public and private broadcasters to integrate sign language interpretation into all news programmes, public service announcements, and major national events.
Mr Dourinaah also appealed to the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ministry of Communications (MoC) to make accessibility a mandatory requirement for all media houses.
At the end of the meeting, media representatives in a communique pledged to promote accessibility by including Ghanaian Sign Language interpretation and subtitles in programming.
They also pledged to ensure fair and non-discriminatory representation of deaf persons while collaborating with GNAD to train media personnel on inclusive communication.
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