News
New eye clinic opens at Denu to serve eye health needs
Salaria Eyemed and Optical Suppliers, an eye medical health facility has opened a new branch at Denu in the Volta Region, to cater for the eye health needs of the people of Ketu South Municipality.
The Denu branch is the third of the health facility that has been in operation from 2018, with branches in Ho and Accra.
Dr Abraham Gaitu, the Chief Executive Officer of Salaria Eyemed at the opening ceremony, said the decision to open a branch at Denu was informed by the desire to serve the eye health interests of the people, having embarked on two earlier outreach programmes in the area
He said Salaria Eyemed was committed to the provision of quality eye care services to all social classes and guided by core values of excellence, professionalism, teamwork, people-centred, discipline and integrity.
It was poised to provide services including comprehensive eye examination, treatment of eye conditions, and dispensing spectacles and contact lenses at the new branch.
Dr Gaitu said they would do this through state-of-the-art equipment and highly qualified staff to ensure the best customer experience, announcing their presence in the municipality with some free services to benefit the people.
“To kickstart our services, we are embarking on a free screening programme on March 4-6 at the same venue. We therefore entreat everyone to recommend the eye screening to our family, friends and work colleagues.
“Furthermore, we will be providing free eye consultation for the entire month of March with the possibility of extending same beyond March,” he said.
The purpose of this exercise was to help elicit avoidable blinding conditions such as cataract, adding that it was interesting to note that there were several people living blind because of cataract due to lack of access to eye care services.
He identified another condition worth mentioning to be glaucoma, which he described as ‘the silent thief of sight’ and the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
Mr David Yao Agbokpe, the Municipal Director of Health Services through his representative appreciated the coming of Salaria Eyemed saying, its presence would add to the two other eye health facilities to improve eye health in the municipality.
Mr Jarvis Coffie, the Municipal National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Manager hinted of plans to work to have the facility to become a NHIS credentialed health facility so more subscribers could access its services.
Mr David Eglu, the Assemblyman for Adafienu pledged to work to ensure the facility embarked on outreach programmes to serve people in hard-to-reach areas in the Municipality.
—GNA
News
Declare a state of emergency in parts of the country affected by illegal mining – Coalition Against Galamsey to Mahama
The Coalition Against Galamsey is asking President John Mahama to declare a state of emergency in areas badly affected by illegal mining.
According to the Convenor of the Coalition, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, the situation has gone beyond control and requires urgent action to save lives and protect the environment.
He explained that the Constitution allows a state of emergency to be declared when the actions of criminals threaten essential resources such as water, safety, and the survival of communities.
He said illegal miners were destroying water bodies and depriving large communities of clean drinking water, which is an “essential of life.”
Dr. Ashigbey stressed that the call was not for the entire country, but only for parts of Ghana where the destruction is severe.
He added that declaring a state of emergency in these areas will give government the legal power to act quickly and decisively.
He also called on the President to provide clear timelines and targets to guide the fight against galamsey.
This, he said, would help demonstrate government’s seriousness and commitment to ending the menace.
The Coalition insisted that declaring a state of emergency was no longer a last resort but an immediate step needed to save Ghanaians and protect the future of the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
The Ghana Bar Association must be non-partisan in the discharge of their duties – Dominic Ayine urges
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Ayine, has called on the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to remain non-partisan in the discharge of its duties.
He said the credibility of the legal profession would be at risk if the bar allowed itself to be influenced by political interests.
Speaking at the GBA 2025/ 2026 annual general conference, Dr. Ayine reminded members that their first allegiance was to the Constitution and the Republic, not to any government or opposition party.
He stressed that for over three decades, the GBA had played an important role in helping the Supreme Court interpret and enforce the law, but outside the courtroom, its advocacy had often lacked consistency.
Dr. Ayine pointed to past cases such as the 2015 petition against the former CHRAJ Chairperson, Loretta Lamptey, and the 2017 petition for the removal of Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, where the bar remained silent.
He noted that the association only found its voice during the petition against former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, a stance he said coincided with the position of the opposition.
He questioned why the bar acted differently in those situations, especially since all three cases involved women of repute who held positions in key constitutional bodies.
Dr. Ayine urged the GBA to be the conscience of the republic, saying lawyers must defend the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and the rights of citizens regardless of which political party was in power.
He warned against inviting foreign interference in Ghana’s constitutional matters, saying international collaboration should be limited to professional exchanges and not politics.
He further encouraged the GBA to promote integrity among its members, strengthen pro bono services to support the poor, and embrace digital reforms such as e-filing and electronic court records to modernize the justice system.
According to him, the destiny of Ghana is tied to the integrity of the legal profession.
He added that if lawyers stand firm, the country will also stand firm, but if they falter, the republic will stumble.
By: Jacob Aggrey
