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Spectator Reporter grabs Merck Foundation’s ‘More Than a Mother’ Award
Raissa
A Journalist with the New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Spectator and the Ghanaian Times newspapers, Raissa Sambou, was adjudged winner in the print category of the Merck Foundation’s ‘More Than a Mother’ Awards 2023.
Her stories, which shed light on crucial societal issues were published in The Spectator.
Ms Sambou highlighted the urgent need for advocates to intensify awareness campaigns, urging African governments to eradicate the abhorrent practice of trans-border Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
With meticulous research and compelling narratives, she underscored the devastating impact of the practice on young girls and called for action to end it.
In another impactful piece, Ms Sambou addressed the pressing issue of abusive marriages and their detrimental effects on children.
She urged women to break free from the shackles of abusive relationships, emphasising the importance of protecting children from witnessing and internalising such harmful behaviour as normal.
Furthermore, she tackled the pervasive stigma surrounding breast cancer, whiles challenging negative societal norms and advocating for compassion and support instead of judgment and discrimination against fighters of breast cancer.
This is the second time Ms Sambou has been honoured by the Merck Foundation, a testament to her unwavering commitment to journalistic excellence and social advocacy.
Her previous accolades include recognition from the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), where she was named the Most Promising Journalist of the Year at the 2020 awards ceremony.
In 2020, she also received the GJA award for Best Reporter for the Child Protection category of the awards scheme.
Her contributions to promoting the welfare and rights of students have been recognised by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
The Dzidula Pink Foundation, a new organisation dedicated to cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, has been officially launched in Accra, with a passionate call for national commitment to fighting the disease. The launch event, held last week Friday, carried the theme: “Beyond the diagnosis: A future of restoration, care and courage.”
Speaking at the event, Madam Abena Brigidi, founder and CEO of Nimed Capital Limited, emphasised that cancer remains one of the most devastating health challenges facing families across the country. “Cancer does not discriminate—it affects mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. It drains families emotionally and financially, and behind every statistic is a human story and a future suddenly thrown into uncertainty,” she said.
Sharing her personal encounters with cancer, having lost both her husband and father to the disease, Madam Brigidi highlighted the emotional, financial, and physical scars left behind. “I stand here not just as a speaker, but as a witness to what cancer can take away,” she stated. “I have watched loved ones fight bravely, and I have felt the deep pain that loss leaves behind.”
She stressed that awareness and early detection are critical to reducing deaths, noting that many Ghanaians still lack access to proper screening, reliable information, and adequate treatment. She appealed to healthcare professionals, corporate institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public to join hands in the fight. “Early detection saves lives. Your support today can lead to someone’s healing tomorrow,” she said.
Madam Brigidi further called for collective responsibility to sustain the foundation’s mission. “To our medical professionals, we need your expertise. To corporate partners, your resources. To the media, your voice. To policymakers, your support. And to the public, your compassion,” she urged. She also insisted that breast cancer awareness should not be limited to annual campaigns, saying, “Breast cancer awareness must not be seasonal.”
Mrs Diana Fafa Gozo, founder of the Dzidula Pink Foundation, shared her own cancer journey, describing the shock of diagnosis, the fear that followed, and the difficult path through treatment. Her experience transformed her pain into purpose and inspired her to create a foundation to ensure no cancer patient walks alone.
Mrs Gozo explained that many patients struggle not only with treatment costs but also with emotional resilience. She outlined the foundation’s initiatives, which include awareness and early detection campaigns, patient support funds, community outreach, and survival support circles. “This foundation is my offering of gratitude, courage, and compassion and a reminder that no one should walk the cancer journey alone,” she concluded.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it will deploy teams of Public Health Officers, members of its Sanitation Taskforce, and labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metros to support the third National Sanitation Day exercise.
It explained that these teams will be equipped with waste collection trucks, tippers, and other tools to help with desilting, refuse collection, and transporting waste to approved disposal sites.
The AMA reminded residents that failing to comply with the sanitation directive or refusing to participate in communal labour is an offence.
It said offenders risk a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment between 30 days and six months, or both, with repeat offenders liable to additional daily penalties.
It urged all residents, traders, transport operators, market women, shop owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses to actively participate in the exercise.
The AMA said it counts on everyone’s collective responsibility to keep Accra clean, liveable, and resilient, especially as the city approaches Christmas and the New Year.
By: Jacob Aggrey
