Features
The Herbal Preacher man (1)
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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Cultural myths and clinical misconceptions surrounding breast cancer remain prevalent, often leading to either unnecessary anxiety or dangerous complacency. Differentiating between anecdotal folklore and rigorous oncological science is vital for effective screening, early detection, and public health advocacy.
When and how often to get screened
Catching breast changes early is one of the most powerful tools in medicine because it gives doctors a massive head start. Major health organizations recommend that most women begin regular screenings at age 40.
The schedule: Typically, experts advise getting a screening mammogram every two years from age 40 through age 74. (Some individual doctors may suggest yearly checks depending on personal health history or family risk).
The analogy: Think of a mammogram like routine dental checkups or changing the oil in your car. You don’t wait for the engine to blow up or a tooth to hurt; you check regularly to catch small issues before they turn into big problems.
What a screening mammogram actually looks like
If you have never been to a mammogram appointment, it can feel intimidating. Knowing what actually happens step-by-step removes the mystery.
1. Preparing for the appointment
What happens: You step into a private dressing room and change into a gown that opens from the front.
Important tip: On the day of the test, doctors ask you not to wear deodorant, perfume, or powder on your chest or underarms.
The Example: Think of it like trying to take a clear photograph through a dusty or tinted window. Powders and deodorants contain tiny metallic specks that can show up on an X-ray and look like fake spots or shadows, which can cause unnecessary worry.
2. Positioning and gentle compression
What happens: You stand in front of a specialised X-ray machine. The technician carefully places your breast on a flat plastic plate, and a second clear plate gently lowers to press down on it for a few seconds.
Why it feels tight: The machine presses the tissue flat for just a moment.
The analogy: Imagine you have a thick book with tiny print hidden inside the pages. If the book is closed tight or crumpled up, you can’t read the words. Flattening the pages out lets you see everything clearly. Compression spreads out the breast tissue so that tiny, hidden lumps or abnormal spots can’t hide behind normal shadows.
3. Taking the pictures
What happens: The machine takes a quick picture from the top and from the side. The whole compression process takes only a few seconds for each view, and the entire appointment is usually over in less than 20 minutes.
What happens next?
Once the pictures are taken, a specialised doctor called a radiologist looks them over.
Most of the time: The results come back normal, and you simply return for your next scheduled checkup in a couple of years.
If they call you back for “additional views”: Don’t panic! Around 10 per cent of the time, a picture isn’t completely clear, or a normal area looks a bit dense. A call-back just means they want to take a closer look or use a localised zoom-in picture to confirm everything is completely healthy.
By Robert Ekow GrimmondTho
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