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Plan International Ghana urges MDAs to budget for child protection issues
Group picture with Plan International Ghana officials, school children
and staff of Jasikan Municipal Assembly after the forum
Plan International Ghana has called on Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) to take child protection issues seriously and include them in their annual budgets to enable them to deal effectively with them.
The Southern Programme Influence and Impact Area (IIA) Manager of the organisation, Mr Gamgama Mathias Mantia, made the call at a stakeholder’s forum with the Social Services Department of the Jasikan Municipal Assembly at Jasikan in the Oti Region.
Mr Mantia explained that Plan International Ghana through its child protection programme dubbed “Be Smart, Learn and Stay Protected”, had created awareness in the Jasikan Municipality over the years, therefore the need for the Assembly to budget for child protection.
According to him, protection of children would ensure their security and enable them to learn to become responsible adults in future.
Mr Mantia said his organisation had done a lot over the years, hence it was important for the assembly to protect the gains made.
The Programme Manager of “Be Smart, Learn and Stay Protected’ Mr Kofi Vieku said his outfit was satisfied with the interest shown by the Jasikan Municipal Assembly to incorporate the programme in its activities.
Mr Vieku said the organisation had established a strong foundation through its educational activities over the years, which had made stakeholders including parents understand the need to protect their children against all forms of abuses.
The Jasikan Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD), Mr James Awapoayi, said the Assembly was privileged to partner Plan International Ghana to protect children in the municipality.
He said the stakeholders’ engagement with Plan International would enable the Assembly to sustain the programme when they leave the area.
Mr Awapoayi assured that the Assembly would provide an annual budget including child protection to ensure that the impact made over the years would be sustained and also extended to other communities where the programme did not cover to enhance protection and welfare of children to develop their potentials.
A pupil of New Ayoma Primary School, Sophia Kamasah, appealed to the Assembly to allow children to participate in Assembly meetings to enable them to contribute to discussions to enable the Assembly to appreciate their concerns.
From Samuel Agbewode, Jasikan
Medical Doctor and dietician, Dr Bernice Korkor Asare, has urged women to take greater responsibility for their lifestyle choices, particularly their eating habits and levels of physical activity, to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
According to her, although, some breast cancer risk factors, such as family history and certain reproductive factors, may not be within an individual’s control, lifestyle choices offer an opportunity for people to take preventive action.
She made this known during a talk on the topic: “Role of diet in breast cancer prevention” organised by Times Ladies Association of the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, in Accra on Thursday.
The event themed “Breast Cancer Awareness- Promoting Early Detection, Healthy Eating and Prevention.” 
She noted that having a risk factor did not automatically mean a person would develop breast cancer, but could increase the likelihood of developing the disease compared with someone without that particular risk factor.
“Having close relatives who have had breast cancer, particularly a mother, sister or daughter, may increase the risk, although not everyone with a family history will develop the disease,” Dr Asare opined. Read More.
By Adizatu K. Munkaila
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A group of compassionate friends from Innovation Gospel Impact last Friday visited the management, teachers and learners of the Street Academy in Accra.
The visit was to interact to get a deeper insight into the operations of the Academy that houses hundreds of street and underprivileged children and find ways to support them.
The team was led by Rev. Dr Isaac Apenteng Yeboah, a former Director for West African Mailbox Club and Director for Prisons Support Foundation, and Rev. Dale Sutherland from Washington DC.
The call, according to the visitors was occasioned by reports about the struggles of the Academy despite the occasional support it enjoys from individuals and some corporate entities.
Briefing them, the Founder and Executive Director of the Academy, Dr Ataa Lartey, thanked them for the concern showed, indicating that “this is a major boost for both teachers and learners; knowing that their plight is known by people outside their premises.”
According Dr Lartey, the Academy had planned to undertake a number of project to enhance teaching and learning and also procure facilities for the children with keen interest in sports but had to shelve those plans for lack of finance.
He told the team that their biggest concerns were the monthly utility bills that takes a toll on their finances.
“We have a piece of land we planned to turn into an astro turf pitch to train the younger ones whose interests lies in making a career out of football, however, we have been unable to commence because there is no money now,” he said.
Dr Lartey expressed gratitude to the teachers who have dedicated their lives to training these children, rather than going for well-paying jobs and hoped that with time, their conditions of engagement would improve.
Moved by the plight of the Academy, the group donated a cash amount of Gh₵3,000 to settle its water bills.
They described as unfortunate the conditions of learners and teachers of the Academy and pledged to continuously support their operations to realize the dream to build a better future for the unfortunate children.
The group offered to support the school with its monthly utility bills, feeding and staff allowance and urged the Academy staff to remain in constant touch with them.
The Street Academy is located at the Accra Art Center and offers brilliant but needy the chance to pursue their educational dreams by enrolling them in public schools with others offered training in sports and cultural activities.
By Spectator Reporter
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