Hot!
No condition is permanent: How a seamstress apprentice became physically challenged
Stella Kpormegbe
54-year-old Trader at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, Ms Stella Kpormegbe has cautioned disabled persons not to allow themselves to be married out because people have sympathy for them.
She said they (disabled persons) also had value and skills which they could bring on board in any relationship so under no circumstances should they be undermined.
She said these in an interview with The Spectator last Friday when she shared her experience as a disabled person and also to encourage others who have the same fate.
Ms Kpormegbe recalled that 30 years ago when she woke up from bed, she never imagined that something would happen to change her life forever.
She said she was going about her routine assignment for the day as a seamstress apprentice, and was boiling some water on a coal pot to bath when her left leg hit the coal pot and some of the boiling water splashed on her feet.
She said in an attempt to clean it, her right knee cap “twisted” and that was her journey to disability.
The trader said all attempts to get her back on her feet with traditional and orthodox medicines had been unsuccessful.
She said almost four years later, her right foot was amputated from what she learnt was a cancer of a sort and now she wears a prosthetic leg and supports it with crutches.
The native of Keta in the Volta Region said she had to accept the fact that things had changed and she had to start new life as a disabled person.
She said though it was a difficult decision to make, it reduced the mental agony on her and made her start learning to do things in a new way.
She said, at the time of the incident, she was married with a baby who was about a year-old and her husband was very helpful in seeking support to restore her health.
She said along the line she suspected that peer pressure and wrong counsel gave her husband a change in attitude and mind so he finally abandoned her for another woman.
She said that with the support of some of her family members and friends and the motivation she needed to be of sound mind to take care of her little child, she managed to put all the challenges behind her to move on.
Miss Kpormegbe admitted that life had not been easy but she had always encouraged herself and become a better version of herself despite her disability.
She said she was currently a proud grandmother with three grandchildren and also supporting her daughter to raise them with her son-in-law.
In a reaction to why she didn’t remarry, she said “many people seem to have a challenge getting involved with disabled persons because they feel they (disabled people) would be a burden on them”.
She said since she did not want to be married out of pity or be disrespected, she decided to take a break from relationship and concentrate on her drinking bar business.
She was optimistic that one day the right person would appreciate her situation and come around so that she could remarry.
She advised families of persons with disabled spouses to be supportive not resort to casting aspersions since that made life more difficult for them (disabled spouses) and with persons who were emotionally unstable, they could be forced to abandon their spouses just as in her case.
She said the society had more room for improvement as far as the relationship with the disabled community was concerned.
She disclosed that single persons especially females with disabilities struggled to get spouses because they were seriously discriminated against.
She said she had taken the task of counselling younger disabled women to be optimistic about life and give of their best as there was always a light at the end of the tunnel.
She said disabled persons if given the needed support could also contribute effectively to the development of society so they should be accepted, respected and welcomed like any abled persons in society.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Ashaiman
The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a strong public statement calling for an end to what he describes as continuous attacks on his brand, following an apology from media commentator Awal Mohammed.
In the statement, Shatta Wale acknowledged the apology but stressed that persistent criticism and what he sees as deliberate attempts to damage his image must stop.
He noted that for many years, he has spoken for the streets, the youth, and people who feel ignored by society, while also promoting Ghana on the global stage and creating jobs through his work.
He expressed concern that some media personalities, commentators, and influential figures continue to target his name unfairly.
According to him, the issue goes beyond music and touches on respect, fairness, and national maturity.
The musician warned that continued disrespect toward voices that represent ordinary people could have wider consequences.
He emphasised that the Shatta Movement remains strong and organized, and that the patience of the masses should not be taken for granted.
He added that if systems continue to fail the people, they have the ability to organize politically through numbers and truth, not violence or hate.
Shatta Wale clarified that his message was not a threat but a reminder of reality, stressing that attacking a symbol that represents millions of people can have social, cultural, and democratic effects.
He called for respect, fairness, and unity, saying the voice of the people will always rise.
The statement comes after Awal Mohammed recently described Shatta Wale fans during a public discussion as junkies.
The comments triggered backlash from fans of the musician, prompting Awal to later issue an apology.
By: Jacob Aggrey
