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Stop stigmatisation of COVID-19 victims…Mrs Gifty Twum Ampofo.
In the Kwaiebibirim Constituency, some residents have suspected a man who had returned into the country to with the COVID-19 virus have called on the chiefs and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to evacuate the man, from the community stating that they would not stay in the area with him.
Such incidents and stigmatisation of such persons has caused emotional trauma among people with the virus leading to some refusing to attend hospitals when they have the symptoms.
The COVID-19 pandemic did not only cause havoc in the country but had also led to people stigmatising others who contracted the virus whether recovered or not, or have returned from one of the countries that have been hard hit by the virus.
In an exclusive interview with the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North Constituency, Mrs Gifty Twum Ampofo, on the issue, she urged the public to stop stigmatisation of coronavirus patients and rather show a sense of love and care towards them, adding that, more education was needed on the pandemic.
According to the MP who is also Deputy Minister for Education in charge of TVET a lot of people have less education on how a person can be infected.
She said there was no need to stigmatise coronavirus patients or people suspected to have the virus since it was not a disease that kills instantly.
“Even though the virus has no known cure for it, a lot of people have recovered. The fact that someone has contracted the virus does not mean his end has come.”
Mrs Twum-Ampofo noted that, rather than stigmatise them, people should show care and love, adding, “It would motivate others to quickly visit the hospital or go”. to the testing centres if they have acquired the virus,”
She lamented that because of stigmatisation, people were not going to the hospital to even find out if they have the virus when they see signs and symptoms of the virus in them, and reiterated the need to stop the stigmatisation and treat them well, adding anybody could be a victim.
“Once a person has been declared recovered by the Ghana Health Service, it means the person has truly recovered considering the number of tests that would have been done,” she said.
Mrs Twum-Ampofo revealed that, according to GHS statistics about 494 patients have recovered as at May 12, 2020, adding that, those who have died were said to have underlining health issues.
“Those who have recovered are not harmful as those of us who have not yet checked to know our status,” she stated, and called on the citizenry to have sympathy for such people and rather show them love in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also called on the public to ensure that, they observed all safety protocols including proper handwashing, social distancing, respiratory hygiene among others to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
The professor who spends his days exploring the intricacies of African languages found himself at the centre of a different kind of lesson on Friday, October 2, 2026. 
This time, there were no lecture notes, academic arguments or university classrooms. Instead, there was the weight of tradition, the rhythm of a community celebration and the solemnity of an oath at a royal palace.
Professor Ọbádélé Kambon, a full Professor of African Linguistics at the University of Ghana, was enstooled as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene of Akuapem Mampong in the Eastern Region in a ceremony that brought academia and traditional authority together.
For the professor, the occasion was more than a new title. It was a moment that connected his academic interests in African languages and indigenous knowledge with the living traditions of an Akan community.
The day’s events unfolded through a series of customary observances. Kambon was first taken to the compounds of the Ɔkyeamehene and Gyasehene, where the preparations for his installation continued.
Then came the application of hyire, the white kaolin powder associated with traditional rites.
With the customary proceedings underway, the new chief was lifted onto the shoulders of celebrants and carried along the main thoroughfare of Akuapem Mampong.
The procession transformed the streets into a public stage for a ceremony rooted in the community’s traditional institutions.
There was something striking about the image, a university professor, accustomed to the measured language of academic discourse, being carried through the town in a display of traditional recognition.
Yet the celebration was not complete with the procession.
A ram was sacrificed at the Mamponghene’s compound before Kambon was taken to the palace, to swear the oath associated with his new offices.
The ceremony brought him formally into his roles as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene.
Beyond the colourful proceedings, the titles themselves carry layers of historical meaning.
Kambon in his research explores the historical connections between Apagya and Akan political and military organisation.
Accounts cited in his work linked Apagya to an asafo, or military company, while historical writing traces an Apagya stool in Asante to the reign of Opoku Ware I in the eighteenth century.
These historical associations offer a glimpse into the institutions that have shaped Akan society over generations, although they do not automatically define the precise responsibilities of the office in Akuapem Mampong.
Kambon’s own professional life reflects a similar interest in preserving and examining African knowledge.
His work encompasses Akan language structure, naming practices across the Black world, proverbs and indigenous intellectual traditions.
Through Abibitumi, the platform he founded, he also promotes language learning, scholarship and cultural engagement.
But tradition was only one part of the story that day.
When the formal ceremony gave way to a reception, the occasion expanded into a celebration of three milestones: Kambon’s enstoolment, his promotion to full professor and his daughter Ama’s admission to the University of Ghana.
The gathering therefore carried a personal significance that went beyond the honours bestowed on one man. 
It celebrated professional advancement, the continuation of family aspirations and a connection to cultural heritage.
For a father, seeing a daughter gain admission to the same university where he holds a distinguished academic position offered another reason to celebrate.
For the professor, the moment placed family achievement alongside his own professional and traditional milestones.
Kambon had already established a place in the traditional life of Akuapem Mampɔn through an earlier installation as Banmuhene Kyidɔmhene, recorded in 2017.
His latest enstoolment adds another chapter to that relationship.
In Akuapem Mampɔn, the day brought together the university, the palace and the family table in one celebration. And for Kambon, the journey from the lecture room to the traditional procession showed how scholarship, cultural responsibility and family achievement could converge in a single memorable occasion.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
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Intercity STC Coaches Limited has interdicted a driver captured in a viral video allegedly hitting a Sprinter bus during an overtaking manoeuvre at Pokuase before driving away from the scene.
In a public notice, the company described the driver’s conduct as unacceptable, stressing that it did not reflect the safety standards and professionalism it upholds.
Management said it had commenced an immediate investigation into the incident and identified the driver, who has been interdicted pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.
The company added that it was awaiting an official report from the Pokuase Police Command to help establish the facts surrounding the incident.
STC reaffirmed its commitment to passenger safety and responsible road use, while thanking members of the public for bringing the incident to its attention.
Management assured the public that appropriate action would be taken following the investigation.
By: Jacob Aggrey
