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God believes in standards – Dr Amponsah-Bediako
As a Creator, God believes in standards and that explains why all His creations are standards-based, the Director of Corporate Communications at the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Dr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako, has said.
He explained that “a look at the planetary system shows that the earth does two things at the same time, namely, rotating and revolving around a defined path.”
“In spite of this, the earth never clashes with other planets in the universe, an indication that God is a great and perfect scientist,” he said.
Dr Amponsah-Bediako was speaking in an interview with The Spectator in connection with last month’s celebration of World Standards Day.
The Director of Corporate Communications pointed out that the earth was a finite vessel of life in the space of the solar system, and that, life on earth depended on energy that came from the sun.
He said, over the years, human and large-scale industrial activities referred to as modern civilisation, had added to the natural greenhouse gases of the earth, and negatively impacting on our climate and all forms of life.
He added that rapid population growth and urbanisation demanded responsible use of limited resources.
Dr Amponsah-Bediako stated that, to reduce human impact on our planet, “we need tried and tested solutions to technical challenges, which help share expertise and technical know-how broadly within developed and developing countries all over the world”.
He said, seen in this way, standards were needed to cover all aspects of energy savings as well as water and air quality.
The theme for this year’s celebration of World Standards Day was, “Protecting the Planet with Standards.”
Dr Amponsah-Bediako said if the earth was not protected as required, lives on it would be adversely affected.
“This is why we are calling on every person in this world to keep to measures that will help protect the earth,” he stressed.
He said, environmental standards should “preserve nature and the environment, help to prevent damage and also repair past damage caused by adverse human activities.”
Dr Amponsah-Bediako said, the strict adherence to environmental standards helped to reduce “the environmental impact of industrial production and process; facilitate the re-use of limited resources and improve energy efficiency.”
He emphasised that, as a nation, we needed to keep to and respect environmental standards in line with God’s will, since standards were administrative regulations implemented for the treatment and maintenance of the environment.
He further said, when we obeyed environmental standards the earth would be protected for the good of all men and women, irrespective of where they found themselves in the world.
World Standards Day is celebrated on October 14, each year to publicise the importance of standards and to honour all those experts throughout the world who have helped to develop and promote standards.
By Emmanuel Amponsah
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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