Editorial
Thanks for making our breast cancer campaign a huge success!
There is no doubt that breast cancer is one of the most topical medical adversaries the world is facing today. Perhaps this is why in Ghana, the whole of October is recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Obviously, the purpose is to increase the early detection of the disease by encouraging women as well as men to be aware of the status of their breasts and report any changes to their doctor or health facility.
Understanding the different testing options means that more people will gain access to screening and fewer people will die from the disease.
Cancer awareness can also lead to people making healthier lifestyle choices.
Certainly, awareness seems to have risen, and each year more and more attention is being given to the issue of breast cancer.
Research has proven that the disease is endemic in women and rarely in men. It is as a result of this that The Spectator, Your Weekend Companion, embarked on the month-long breast cancer campaign to create more awareness of its traumatic and potentially devastating effect on women, particularly.
The Spectator Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, under the theme “Life Before and After Breast Cancer: A Future of Positivity and Hope”, educated the public on early signs and symptoms of breast cancer; on preventive measures, diagnostic and treatment centres; on the measures put in place for early detection; about the various options available for cure; and to assist in the management of patients with breast cancer, among others.
There were four events for the breast cancer crusade, and these included the unveiling of the campaign at the Kaneshie Market Complex, which houses about 10,000 traders; free breast screening at the market; talk on breast cancer at Labone Senior High School, which attracted many other students from Accra; while stories and pictures of the events were carried in all the editions of The Spectator throughout the month of October.
To ensure extensive publication of the campaign, articles on breast cancer written by health experts and other authors with knowledge of the disease were featured in the weekly newspaper also.
Your uniquely feminist health-conscious brand, The Spectator, and its socially responsible organisation, the New Times Corporation, publishers of our newspaper as well as Ghanaian Times, would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to commend partners in the campaign — World Health Organisation (lead partners), Unichem Ghana Group, Kaneshie Market Complex, Kaneshie Medical Centre, Kaneshie Polyclinic, Ladybits Health and Wellness Clinic, and Chizzy Pizza — for their immense support, which went a long way to make the crusade a big success.
At the end of it all, about 125 traders who were suspected to have the disease after the screening were referred to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital; many students in Accra who trooped to the Labone Senior High School to listen to the talk on breast cancer expressed their readiness to educate others on the disease; and the extensive coverage of the campaign had created a huge public awareness.
Consequently, The Spectator wishes to thank the public in general for their moral support to enable the campaign to end successfully.
Dear Editor,
Over the past few months, the ages of some drivers of commercial vehicles continue to baffle me.
This is common during weekends when one boards any of the commercial vehicles – be it trotros and okada.
I remember, I boarded a taxi from the Accra Central area towards the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area. When I sat in the vehicle, I realised the driver was a young boy. Specifically, he said he was 18.
I know our laws do not permit youth under the age of 21 to be driving; that is clearly against Ghana’s Road Traffic laws for operating commercial vehicles.
Some commuters have even had confrontations with station masters over the issue and have refused to board vehicles driven by underage individuals, despite the risk of arriving late for work.
This situation is deeply disturbing because it puts the lives of passengers and other road users at risk.
No matter how skilled such drivers may be, allowing underage persons to operate commercial vehicles is wrong and unlawful. Laws governing road safety are meant to protect lives, and ignoring them only increases the chances of accidents and loss of lives.
I therefore urge the relevant authorities, especially the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, to strictly enforce the age requirements for commercial driving in the country.
Baba
Labadi
The advantages of focusing on girls have been evident over the years. However, current research indicates that the statistics pertaining to boys are still declining.
Approximately 69 percent of boys and 73 percent of girls finish primary school. While Senior High School (SHS) enrollment trends have lately changed, with females significantly outnumbering males (about 110 girls to every 100 boys), Junior High School (JHS) gender parity remains stable, with the Gender Parity Index (GPI) remaining between 1.00 and 1.03.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates parity between girls and boys.
Although encouraging education for girls is essential for Ghana’s development, the strong emphasis has unintentionally led to inequalities for boys.
Many stakeholders worry that affirmative action and unequal resource distribution put males at risk, which can occasionally lead to increased dropout rates and behavioural issues in specific neighbourhoods.
There has been a lot of discussion among Ghanaian sociologists and educators about the disproportionate support given to girls and how it affects boys.
They claim that the majority of scholarships and special facilities are frequently disproportionately given to girls, which boy child advocates contend makes young men feel ignored or disadvantaged.
Due to these differences, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, has voiced serious concerns and is pushing for a deliberate discussion about the education and development of boys in order to build stronger families and societies.
The statement was made by Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua during a seminar hosted by the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry in Accra on May 16, which is International Day of the Boy Child.
It was organised in association with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES) under the theme “Flourish and Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for Strong Families and Communities.”
Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua revealed that many young males are vulnerable due to inadequate mentoring, a decline in schooling, negative social media influences, and emotional neglect.
Additionally, he stated that the boy child faced numerous difficulties, including aggression, substance addiction, academic decline, emotional neglect, and the lack of strong role models, as a result of the focus shifting to the girl child.
He worries that since boys are essential to the development of the country, they should not be overlooked in discussions about leadership, education, family stability, and national reform.
The Spectator agrees with Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua and believes that while it is important to train girls, neglecting boys can impede social advancement by causing differences in behaviour and education between young men and women.
“If we don’t make an effort social media will train our children for us. We’re not saying they shouldn’t use social media, but we should help them get the information they need to succeed in life,” he said.
The Spectator believes that the GES would adopt gender-responsive education in order to guarantee that classroom instruction meets the requirements of both boys and girls equally.
Let’s continue to be dedicated to making sure that no child is left behind.
