News
Reverend Sister forms association to support widows
Just like Dorcas in the Bible who organised widows and orphans and provided for them, a Catholic Sister in the Dafiiama-Bussie-Issah District in the Upper West Region, has taken it upon herself to organise and assist widows.
Reverend Sister Gabriel Nonaah of the Daffiama Parish, now an octogenarian (80 years and above) has been doing the benevolent work since 1990 and now has over 780 widows under her stewardship called the St Monica’s Widows Association.
Sister Nonaah told TheSpectator that she had the call in a dream to start the association when she came to terms with the suffering of widows in the area.
“From the stories they shared with me about the physical and emotional trauma they went through, I was touched and decided to help them with the little I can and that birthed the association in 1990,” she narrated.
She explained that she was unable to cater fully for the needs of the widows but supported them emotionally with soothing words that encouraged them to live decent lives.
She said she had to step in to educate some of them about some outmoded traditions when she first started the association.
Through sensitisation, the association has been able to save many of the widows from such practices and encouraged to be economically active.
“It has not been smooth sailing, we really have challenges because I cannot cater for 780 widows as you can see and many of them have dependent children and the number keeps adding on”, she said.
She explained that during the floods that occurred in the region last year which washed away young seedlings on people’s farms, many of the widows were affected and life became very unbearable for them.
She lamented that many of the widows were currently living in undesirable conditions and were mostly starved because they did not have any farm produce to depend on.
Sister Nonaah used the opportunity to call on benevolent institutions and individuals to come to their aid and support the women in whichever way possible either through skills training for the younger ones or support in petty trading.
“I am very old now, so I have started training a young lady to take over from me but she will still need the assistance of people to be able to help these women”, she said.
She mentioned Lawyer Thaddeus Sory, Managing partner at Sory@Law, a law firm in Accra as one of their regular donors who had made a point to make food donation in large quantities to them annually.
Some of the widows interacted with this reporter and shared harrowing experiences.
“I lost my husband six years ago and I have six children”, Madam Christy Kpianyanga, a widow narrated. She said her youngest child was seven years old and was not in school just because she could not provide for him in addition to the others.
She indicated that it was difficult providing three square meals a day particularly after last year’s floods where she lost her crops to the water.
Another widow, Afia Wadieh had four children when her husband died 10 years ago leaving them with no farmland to feed on. She was in a dilemma as she had no working capital either.
She was however grateful to the Association for the support it continued to provide since its inception.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
News
Akwesi Agyeman, Ekpe vow to lead GJA to ‘era of purpose and professionalism’
As the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) prepares for its national elections, two of the key contenders, General Secretary Aspirant Akwasi Agyeman and Vice Presidential hopeful Rebecca Ekpe have called for a return to ethical journalism, stronger mentorship and institutional reforms.
They both made the remarks during separate visits to The Spectator and The Ghanaian Times, respectively to solicit for votes.
Akwasi Agyeman, an Editor with Multimedia is seeking to lead the association into what he calls a “new era of purpose and professionalism.”
He stressed the urgent need to reposition the GJA as a strong and relevant voice in national affairs.
“We cannot continue with business as usual. The GJA must be visible, active, and fearless in advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists,” he said during a meeting with media practitioners in Accra.
Mr. Agyeman noted that his leadership will focus on building partnerships, improving member services, and restoring the dignity of the Association. “We need to rekindle the spirit of solidarity within the GJA and provide real value to members, especially the younger generation,” he added.
Ms Rebecca Ekpe, a respected Broadcast Journalist and Editor, echoed similar sentiments in her call for mentorship and capacity building.
“I discovered through my journey that journalism is not just my job, it is who I am. My path in journalism was shaped by my seniors in the newsroom, and now I feel called to give back,” she said.
Ms Ekpe envisions a GJA where senior journalists regularly engage with young professionals through face-to-face mentoring and training platforms. “Even if you attend a session and pick just one idea, it could change the course of your career,” she remarked.
She also raised concerns about the rise of misinformation and the blurred lines between journalism and social media content creation. “People sit online insulting others and call themselves journalists. When they are attacked, GJA defends them, but we must ask: are they truly journalists? We must protect the integrity of our profession,” she stressed.
The Editor of The Spectator, Mrs Georgina N.M Quaittoo wished them well in their campaigns and quest to serve the GJA.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
News
Penile implant a cure for Erectile Dysfunction
Men in Ghana, including those as old as 80 are suffering from conditions like hypertension and diabetes, now have a reliable treatment option for Erectile Dysfunction (ED), which is penile implant surgery.
In an interview, a Consultant Urologist and Sexologist, Dr Samuel Amanamah, shared that 52 per cent of men aged 40–70 were affected by ED in varying degrees.
He described ED, referred to as impotence, as the persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse.
The condition, he stressed, has contributed to marital breakdowns, low self-esteem, and even infertility.
“Men in this situation can now breathe a sigh of relief,” Dr Amanamah said, adding that, “Age or chronic conditions like diabetes are no longer barriers to treatment. Even 80-year-olds have successfully undergone the procedure.”
The penile implant was considered the final treatment option for men when all other interventions, including oral medications, injectables, and medical devices fail.
The procedure involved inserting a silicon rod into the erectile tissues of the penis, providing an immediate and controllable erection, stating that there were two types of implants: malleable, which is always firm, and inflatable, which allows the user to regulate erections.
Dr Amanamah mentioned that the surgery required only a small 4cm incision beneath the penis.
“The incision site is barely visible after healing,” he said, adding that the minimally invasive procedure usually lasts an hour. Patients are typically discharged within one or two days.
Aesthetically, the penis remains unchanged after the procedure, and it is almost impossible to distinguish between one with an implant and one without, he noted.
“Functionally, the implant is even superior to natural erections,” he underlined. “It can last over 20 years and allows for intercourse as often as the patient desires.”
He added that patients can still father children after the procedure, provided they do not have underlying fertility issues.
“Some patients who suffered from 10 years of infertility have gone on to have twins after the surgery,” he noted, adding that others have reconciled with spouses after being previously divorced due to ED.
Although complications were possible, the success rate of penile implants was as high as 93 per cent, Dr Amanamah emphasised, stating that occasional erectile failure does not qualify as ED.
He also outline that the dysfunction must be persistent. “Some men start with a good erection but lose it during intercourse. That still counts as ED.”
Furthermore, he explained that ED can stem from various causes, including cardiovascular issues, neurological disorders, hormonal imbalances, and chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes.
Psychological factors such as unresolved marital problems also play a role. Conditions like priapism, that is, prolonged erection often linked to sickle cell disease or abuse of sex-enhancement drugs could also result in ED if not promptly treated.
Moreover, Dr Amanamah underscored the importance of treating the root cause noting that “simply giving medication without addressing underlying issues only delays the problem,” and added that “effective treatment must be holistic.”
“When oral or injectable medications and medical devices fail, the penile implant remains a safe and long-term solution for restoring sexual function and quality of life,” he noted.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
