Features
Land acquisition in Ghana
Problems associated with land acquisition in Ghana is no news. It is an issue that has engaged the attention of various stakeholders like civil society groups, government organisations, churches, chiefs, opinion leaders, individuals etc.
It is quite worrying that in most parts of the country, there are litigation over ownership of land which makes land acquisition a risky venture especially in Accra.
Various administrations have initiated programmes geared towards resolving this problem of land ownership but more needs to be done to ensure that this issue is resolved once and for all.
Last week during the vetting of the Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs, a question was asked and the response brought a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the problems at the Lands Commission. How can an official search for the owner of a plot of land yield two different results?
During the vetting, the former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources was given permission to ask the nominee a question. He proceeded to refer to a post on X, formerly Twitter, which was attributed to the Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs to the effect that he had referred a plot in I think the Cantoments area as being government land that has been taken by former President Akufo-Addo and given to two of his children.
He then declared to the nominee that what he posted on social media, specifically X, was false and that the said plot or plots were not government land and that it was acquired in 1969 by one Justice Sarkodie.
The nominee then responded by saying that he posted the official search results given to him by Lands Commission also on the same X and it was based on the official search results that showed that the plot belongs to government which has been taken over and given to President Akufo-Addo’s daughters.
The worrying issue is, how can the Minister of Lands have a document which shows different ownership from the official search presented to the nominee issued by the same Lands Commission?
The need to prevent the occurrence of such incidents in future should engage the attention of the Commission because it scares foreign investors. Such occurrences can easily result in serious conflicts which depending on the nature of the plots, their location and the status of the actors involved, can become a national security issue.
There are rumours of unpatriotic people at the Lands Commission, a kind of a mafia who are engaged in all sort of shady dealings. It is quite baffling to get an official search from an organisation and different results regarding ownership are produced as was evident during the parliamentary vetting of the President’s nominee for Foreign Affairs.
In this era of computers, such lapses can easily be remedied by putting in place protocols that identifies who did what, in other words a system which enables wrong doers to be easily identified.
When people know that they would be easily found out when they break the rules, it serves as a deterrent. A clear example is what happens to our compatriots who travel to live abroad.
They never litter the streets or go beyond the speed limit. The very same people who were flouting sanitation regulations left right and centre as well as traffic regulations, suddenly become law abiding citizens because over there, you shall face the consequences of your actions.
When we make laws, they must be enforced and that is the difference between advanced nations and developing nations. Developed or advanced nations enforce their laws and regulations while developing or third world countries lack enforcement regimes so everybody flouts the law with impunity.
Morality i.e. a mindset change, is what this nation needs.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Features
The Palestinian martyr-Little Hind Rajab
THE wickedness of some people in our world is gradually getting out of bounds. From local arena to international arena, reports of wicked acts that defies logic, is on the rise.
Russia has attacked Ukraine and as a result, the economies of many countries have been negatively impacted. Residential apartments which have no military purpose. Just sheer wickedness and cruelty.
After this came the Brutal attack on Gaza by the Israel Defence Forces. Hospitals were bombed, buildings were razed down and civilians were deliberately targeted which is a war crime according to the Geneva Convention.
The IDF will release pamphlets in the skies informing them to move to certain specified areas. They move there with their families only to be bombed again without warning.
It was one of such movement from one place to another that, the family of a 5 year Palestinian girl called Hind Rajab and her family, travelling in a vehicle, were shot at by an IDF Tank.
This wounded girl managed to call emergency services to come and save them.
The sad thing is that while this brave little girl kept talking to the emergency response person on the phone, telling them that they should come quickly and that she was afraid.
She further told the response team on phone that any time she tries to speak, blood comes into her mouth and it soils her dress and she dies not want her mum to scold her so they should come quickly.
The response team rushed as usual to her location but they were also shot and killed, the driver and his assistant, in a vehicle clearly marked as an ambulance. Ten days later when they got to her location, Hind Rajab and her family were dead and their vehicle was riddled with 335 bullets.
The wickedness with which the IDF waged the war against Hamas, the administrative authority in Gaza, was unbelievable, given the damage to civilians both collateral and in most cases deliberate.
There are reports of some Doctors from the US and other countries, who have described how children they attended to, who were brought in dead, had evidence of sniper bullets.
A report by one of the media platforms, indicated that one of the IDF snipers who died recently, had bragged about shooting children in the abdomen so they will suffer before dying.
What baffles me in all these atrocities, is why Jews who have been saved by a collective action of the world, from Hitler and his Nazis from destruction, infamously known as the Holocaust, is now visiting mayhem on others, namely the Palestinians.
One begins to wonder if Hitler was right after all and that he saw something that the rest of the world did not notice about the Jews. I must admit that it is not all Jews that are racist. It is the Zionist who are the problem with their Talmud which teaches that Jesus is burning in hot feaces.
They deliberately teach their children to hate other people who are not Jews especially the Palestinians. They do not consider the Palestinians as humans and therefore they believe they have the God given right to treat them anyway anyhow.
Hind Rajab’s death has pricked the conscience of the world and countries which used to blindly support Israel, are now putting pressure on them to observe a ceasefire as part of a peace negotiation.
Let the world through the UN show that it does not support barbarism and that the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands by Israel, must come to an end.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Features
Angioplasty: A comprehensive overview of the procedure and its applications
Angioplasty is a minimally invasive medical procedure used to widen narrowed or blocked arteries or blood vessels. The procedure involves the insertion of a catheter, a small tube, into the affected artery, followed by the inflation of a balloon to widen the artery. In some cases, a stent, a small mesh tube, may be placed to keep the artery open.
Indications for Angioplasty
Angioplasty is often used to treat conditions such as:
1. Coronary artery disease: Narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart.
2. Peripheral artery disease: Narrowing or blockage of the arteries in the legs or arms.
3. Atherosclerosis: Buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to narrowing or blockage.
The Angioplasty Procedure
The angioplasty procedure typically involves the following steps:
1. Preparation: The patient is given local anesthesia and may be sedated to help them relax.
2. Insertion of the catheter: A small incision is made in the skin, and a catheter is inserted into the affected artery.
3. Guidance: The catheter is guided to the affected area using imaging techniques such as fluoroscopy or angiography.
4. Inflation of the balloon: The balloon on the catheter is inflated to widen the artery.
5. Stent placement: A stent may be placed to keep the artery open.
6. Removal of the catheter: The catheter is removed, and the incision site is closed.
Benefits of Angioplasty
Angioplasty offers several benefits, including:
1. Improved blood flow: Angioplasty can help improve blood flow to the affected area, reducing symptoms such as chest pain or leg pain.
2. Minimally invasive: Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure, which means that it requires only a small incision and can reduce recovery time.
3. Reduced risk of complications: Angioplasty can reduce the risk of complications associated with more invasive surgical procedures.
Potential Risks and Complications
While angioplasty is generally a safe procedure, there are potential risks and complications, including:
1. Bleeding or hematoma: Bleeding or bruising at the incision site.
2. Artery damage: Damage to the artery during the procedure.
3. Restenosis: Narrowing or blockage of the artery again after the procedure.
Conclusion
Angioplasty is a highly effective procedure for treating narrowed or blocked arteries or blood vessels. While it carries some risks and complications, the benefits of improved blood flow and reduced symptoms make it a valuable treatment option for many patients.
References:
1. American Heart Association. (2020). Angioplasty and Stenting.
2. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2020). Angioplasty and Stent Placement.
3. Mayo Clinic. (2020). Angioplasty: What You Need to Know.
4. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. (2019). Angioplasty and Stenting in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of angioplasty, including its indications, procedure, benefits, and potential risks and complications.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
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