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Students divided over calls to ban fire rituals at Akenten Appiah-Menka University
Students of Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) have expressed mixed opinions regarding the performance of rituals by students at various halls of residence in the school.
This comes after the “Chief Priest” of the Opoku Ware II Hall caught fire, was severely injured, and subsequently died while performing rituals on August 25.
According to the students, they occasionally perform such rituals using fire as part of their recreational activities. They expressed shock over the incident.
Following the incident, there have been calls for such activities in the universities to be discontinued.
Speaking to Citi News, some students of the school are of the view that authorities should not prohibit such practices, since they are a source of entertainment. Others have strongly called for such acts to be stopped.
A student who is calling for the cancellation of the rituals argued, “It should be banned. Although, it’s part of socialization in the school, but at the end of it, what are students getting from it? Are they getting something that will develop them, and shape them to become good citizens in the country and the school as such? Is the school getting any benefits from it? No, so looking at the incident, you are a guy you have completed school, that is when you have to enjoy yourself, you make fun of it. How can you make fun with fire and petrol? What are you going to get from it? So I think the school should ban it.”
However, another student who kicked against the cancellation of the rituals on campus said, “Those things shouldn’t be banned, it’s part of university life. Once you have moved from your house to here, you are to learn all those things. Some of us have social problems at home, so if you come here and do those things, it eases stress and mental problems. So I don’t think it should be banned, but we should be careful about how we do it. We should do it in a safe way.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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
