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Happy meaningful New Year
Once more the falling curtain closes the scenes and sequences of an old year. And once more the most frequent wish from friend to friend is for happiness in the year ahead. It is strange how our standards of happiness shift with circumstances. Perhaps a year ago it would have taken much more to make us feel that we were happy than it would today. Perhaps today we would be willing to settle for less and consider ourselves exceedingly happy. But with freedom and faith men can be happy with much or more, or with little or less.
Every time the sun sets, it rises in the morning and sheds new light on yesterday’s shadows. Whether a new century or a new day, life presents countless opportunities to begin anew. No matter our age or circumstance, today is a new day, and so is tomorrow. Think how wonderful that is!
While yesterday and all of history are valuable for the lessons learned, the experience gained, the memories made, each new day contains the promise of a fresh start. We take hold of this promise by learning from the past and living in the present with bright hope for the future.
If we are to begin anew, we can neither ignore the past nor abide in it. We move forward by remembering yesterday with its triumphs and tragedies, and by living today to the fullest. Richard L. Evans offered some timely advice: “Go ahead with your life, your plans, your preparation, as fully as you can. Don’t waste time stopping before the interruptions have started. Keep going forward, and keep your heart comforted, with courage and faith in the future. The wise keep learning, keep preparing for life, and don’t let uncertainties dissuade them from moving forward.”
Life gives us abundant opportunities for a fresh start. In a sense, each beginning is no different from any other. A new school year, a new job, a new city, friendship, or phase of life, all take some getting used to. But when we embrace the change and welcome the opportunity for growth, we live more fully and discover interests and talents that might otherwise have gone undeveloped.
Yesterday’s stumbling blocks can become today’s stepping-stones. And little by little, as we go forward with purpose and hope, our new beginning will become a new way of life.
So as we contemplate the new year, it would be interesting to know what men desire in their hearts that it should hold for them. These hopes, no doubt, could be stated in broad generalities for most of us. We all want peace, of course.
We all want to be permitted to use our energies and powers of thought in constructive activity. We all want to be loved, and respected, and cherished by someone who esteems us more than casually. We all want the necessities of life, and what each of us considers to be our share of its comforts. In short, everyone is hoping that the new year will hold happiness for himself or herself and for those he or she wishes well. That, of course, is the basis of the phrase “Happy New Year”, which is spoken so often and so thoughtlessly that it has lost much of its meaning. But in hoping for a Happy New Year, it would be revealing to know what it is that men think would make them happy.
So often when we speak of living abundantly, we are thinking in terms of material comforts and advantages. If man were a creature only of flesh and bone, food and raiment and the physical comforts would be the end of all his needs. But he is also a creature of mind and of spirit and of immortal continuance, and that abundant life of which we speak must go beyond a full stomach; a new car; a new dress or shoe and such things.
The material side of our existence is an important, indeed, essential consideration, but it is by no means the only consideration. He who makes possible by his creative ingenuity or inventive genius or powers of organisation, the wider distribution of more and more desirable things, is a common benefactor of mankind, but he who supposes that life begins and ends with the accumulation of this world’s goods, is misguided in his thinking.
It was of such as he of whom this parable was spoken: And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take things easy; eat, drink and be merry. But God said unto him; Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then whose shall those things be, which thou has provided?” (Luke 12:19, 20). And the conclusion of the matter, according to the record of Luke, is this: “That life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.” (Luke 12:23) And so, when we say “Happy New Year” we speak of that happiness wherein “men might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Remembering, in the words of Paul to the Romans, that: “The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy.” (Romans 14:17)
Happy and proper meaningful New year to you all.
By Samuel Enos Eghan
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
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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
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