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Services sector drives 4.9 per cent first quarter economic expansion
Ghana’s economy expanded 4.9 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020 compared to 6.7 per cent in the same period last year, driven mainly by the services sector, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) said on Wednesday.
The Services sector recorded the highest growth of 9.5 per cent; the Agriculture sector expanded by 2.8 per cent and the Industry sector by 1.5 per cent.
The Services sector contributed 3.6 percentage points (73.1 percent) to the overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 4.9 per cent in the first quarter.
Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, Government Statistician announced the figures at a News briefing in Tamale on Wednesday.
Professor Annim said the main sub-sectors driving GDP growth in January to March 2020 GDP were Information & Communication, Manufacturing, Education and Public Administration and Defence, and Social Security.
Information and Communication sub-sector expanded from 67.6 per cent in quarter one of 2019 to 77.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2020.
Its contribution to GDP growth was 2.10 percentage points or 42.7 per cent.
Manufacturing sub-sector recorded a lower growth of 5.0 per cent in the first quarter of 2020 compared to 5.6 per cent in same period of 2019.
It contributed 0.60 percentage points or 12.2 per cent to the overall GDP growth.
The Public Administration & Defence, Social Security sub-sector expanded by 13.6 per cent in quarter one of 2020 from 9.0 per cent in quarter one of 2019 contributing 0.40 percentage points to GDP growth.
Negative contributors to the first quarter GDP growth came from the sub-sectors of Trade, Repair of Vehicle, Household Goods Construction, Forestry & Logging and Professional, Administrative & Support activities.
Construction sub-sector contracted by 6.9 per cent during the period and contributed -10.6 per cent to GDP growth.
GDP growth rate without oil and gas (Non-Oil GDP) for first quarter 2020 is 4.9 per cent which compares to the same period in 2019 with a growth rate of 6.0 per cent.
GNA
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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