News
Slapping, knocking children can damage eardrum – Head of Special School
The Headmaster of the Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf in the Greater Accra Region, Mr. Isaac Arthur has advised parents not to either knock the heads of their children or slap them ostensibly to correct them when they go wrong.
He said such actions were unacceptable because of the possible health implications on them which could be irreversible.
Speaking in an interview with The Spectator on Wednesday, Mr. Arthur observed that in some homes, knocking or slapping children was the frequent means of bringing children to order.
He said what some parents were ignorant of was that, it [slapping and knocking the head of children] could destroy their tympanic membrane (also known as the eardrum) which may not be reversible or be restored.
He, therefore, called for alternative means of correction such as talking to them or giving them unharmful tasks to do so that in an attempt to correct them, they would not be harmed.
He again expressed concern about the fact that some men were quick to abandon their disabled children and put the blame of their condition solely on their mothers.
Mr. Arthur observed that it was unfortunate that many of such children were from single parents, a trend he attributed to ignorance on the part of the men about causes of disability in children.
Mr. Arthur’s timely advice is as a result of his professional background in Special Education and his encounter with children with Special needs over the years coupled with the training he had undertaken relative to persons with disabilities.
The Headmaster mentioned attempted abortion, accidents such as falling or motor accidents, lack of oxygen flow to foetus, poor diets, lack of proper medication, diseases among others as some of the factors contributing to disability of children.
“Men must accept disabled children because they are a gift from God and train them to be the best they can be” he said.
He encouraged parents to take advantage of the various Special Schools in the country, which he said were free of charge, to give their children the best of education for them to also contribute to the development of the country.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
Member of Parliament for Kpandai constituency, Matthew Nyindam, has argued that he would have defeated the National Democratic Congress candidate if a rerun election had been held, insisting that his loss was a battle against the power of the state rather than a fair contest.
Nyindam explained that his legal challenge to the 2024 parliamentary election was based on irregularities in four polling stations.
He noted that his team expected the court to address those specific concerns, not to order a fresh election across the entire constituency.
According to him, the decision to rerun the election confirmed what he described as a long standing pattern of unfair conduct by the NDC in Kpandai.
He added that he anticipated the chance to appeal the ruling but was surprised when Parliament later declared his seat vacant.
Nyindam stressed that the declaration of the seat left him feeling unfairly treated.
He maintained that he won the election clearly and believed the process that followed was aimed at removing him from Parliament prematurely.
He further stated that the situation turned into a contest between himself and the state.
He explained that running against the full weight of government made the election difficult, as ministers, MPs, chief executives and other officials were actively involved in campaigning, with resources flowing into the constituency.
Despite these challenges, Nyindam expressed confidence in his political strength, stating that under normal circumstances he would have beaten his opponent comfortably.
He added that he ultimately left the outcome in the hands of God, believing that destiny would determine whether he returned to Parliament.
Nyindam concluded that although the experience was painful, he believes it will serve a greater purpose in his political journey.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, has admitted that the party did not achieve its desired results in the Ashanti Region during the 2024 general election but maintained that the region remained the party’s strongest support base.
Addressing the media after a post election review, Wontumi said the party quickly set up a regional committee to investigate the reasons for the loss and to propose solutions.
He explained that a subcommittee was tasked to study what went wrong and recommend ways to improve future performance.
According to him, the committee’s report highlighted both the party’s mistakes and areas that need improvement.
He noted that the party has taken lessons from the findings and is ready to make changes.
Wontumi stressed that he learns quickly and is committed to applying the recommendations.
He emphasized that despite not meeting expectations, votes from the Ashanti Region significantly contributed to the party’s overall national performance.
He explained that the region pushed the party to the final figures it recorded in the 2024 election and still produced more votes than any other region.
Wontumi added that a post mortem of the results would show that the Ashanti Region performed better than others, even though the party fell short of its target.
He described the region’s effort as commendable.
He said the party now understands what voters in the Ashanti Region expect and assured them that the NPP will engage them better and work to meet their needs in future elections.
By: Jacob Aggrey
