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Let’s educate public on infertility issues — GJA vice president urges media
Over the years Infertility has been a sensitive and complex issue that affects couples worldwide and the media must be actively involved in educating the public to change that perception.
Vice President of the Ghana Jour¬nalists Association (GJA), Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei has advised.
According to her infertility issues have the tendency to make a person behave in unacceptable ways that may cause inconvenience to the per¬son trying to conceive.
She expressed these concerns at a community awareness online video conference programme organised by the Merck Foundation on health for the Media.
It was in partnership with Mrs Re¬becca Akufo-Addo, First Lady of the Republic of Ghana and Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More than a moth¬er “ campaign and the GJA.
Mrs Asante-Agyei was speaking on the topic, “the role of the media in reaching out to communities at the grassroot levels raising awareness on health and social issues.”
She observed that this was large¬ly due to the importance attached to the role of motherhood, and the inability of a woman to meet this expectation which incurs the displea¬sure and unfavourable attitudes from society.
Mrs Asante Agyei noted that the development sadly, affected childless couples noting that the ultimate pur¬pose of marriage was procreation-to produce children who will continue the heritage and name of the family.
She said sometimes the pressure compelled childless women to even isolate themselves to avoid any con¬frontation from others thus maintain their mental health.
“Women who are battling infertil¬ity usually suffer serious stigmatisa¬tion.
“However, those with high edu¬cation living in urban cities feel less stigmatised while women in rural communities feel more stigmatised, Mrs Asante-Agyei noted.
To address this challenge of in¬fertility stig¬matisation, she called on the media to extend educa¬tion to rural communities for more people to be educated.
She was of the view that the more infertile women were exposed to knowledge about the subject, the more likely they would be to live a lifestyle that would increase their chances of becoming fertile.
Mrs Asante-Agyei reminded soci¬ety that although motherhood was considered a major role of women there were other roles they played in building society which should be re¬spected, therefore, their roles should not only be limited to child-bearing.
The Vice President also advised men to seek medical care since of infertility could also be from the men.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
The New Times Corporation (NTC) on Monday held its annual thanksgiving service, bringing together staff and management to reflect on the past year, express gratitude, and renew their commitment to the organisation’s growth.
At the service, the Deputy Chairperson of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) and a Board Member of the New Times Corporation (NTC), Madam Charity Binka, called for strong and intentional collaboration among staff, emphasising that unity and teamwork were crucial to transforming the corporation during its challenging times.
“This is a time to break silos, share ideas and work together as one team with a shared vision,” she said, adding that innovation and digital transformation must be embraced to secure NTC’s future.
Madam Binka expressed gratitude to God for sustaining the corporation and its employees despite financial and operational difficulties.
“Though the journey has not been smooth, God has sustained us. We are here today because of His grace,” she indicated, acknowledging the resilience and dedication of staff who have kept The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator among the country’s most respected newspapers.
Quoting Jeremiah 29:11, she encouraged staff to remain hopeful and confident that brighter days lie ahead.
Delivering the sermon, Rev. John Akorli of Word Divine International Ministry at Sukura, Accra, cautioned staff against excessive talking and gossip, warning that careless speech could create unnecessary problems.
Rev. Akorli further reminded staff that their identity should not be defined by past mistakes, family background, or negative labels.
He encouraged them to live confidently, depend on God’s guidance, and remain focused on their responsibilities, noting that spiritual awareness and discipline were essential to personal and organisational growth.
The service ended with prayers for unity, renewal, and a prosperous new chapter for the New Times Corporation.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Catholic Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese, Bishop Joseph Afrifa Agyekum, has expressed concern over the rising rate of divorce in the country, attributing the trend largely to inadequate knowledge about marriage and misplaced expectations of couples.
He said many marriages were collapsing because couples entered into the union without a clear understanding of the responsibilities, sacrifices and commitments that marriage demands.
The Bishop raised the concern while addressing congregants at the 50th anniversary of the Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church at Madina on Sunday.
According to him, marriage was increasingly being viewed through unrealistic lenses shaped by social media, peer pressure and material expectations, rather than mutual respect, patience and shared values.
“Many people go into marriage with expectations that are not grounded in reality. When those expectations are not met, conflict sets in and eventually leads to separation or divorce,” he observed.
The Bishop noted that some couples lacked proper preparation before marriage, adding that pre-marital counselling was often treated as a formality rather than an opportunity to gain deeper insight into marital life.
He stressed the need for churches, families and society to intensify education on marriage, particularly among the youth, to help them make informed decisions before entering into marital unions.
The Bishop also urged married couples to embrace dialogue, forgiveness and understanding, saying disagreements were inevitable but could be resolved through patience and commitment.
He urged couples experiencing challenges to seek counselling instead of resorting to separation, emphasising that strong families remained the foundation of a stable and progressive society.
By Kennedy Afedzi
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