News
UGMS 1997 year group hands over refurbished hostel to alma mater
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The 1997 year group of the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) has renovated and handed over a hostel facility at Danfa in the Greater Accra Region to the school.
The project which cost GH¢182,000 was completed within two months.
It was fitted with 45 durable metal beds with mattresses, 15 sets of tables and chairs, curtains, plumbing and retiling of the washrooms and two sets of ironing boards and irons.
It was in response to the school’s call on alumni to support in the provision of infrastructure to enhance effective teaching, learning and research.
Additionally, the group donated GH¢5,000 worth of medical supplies to the Danfa Clinic.
A member of the year group, Dr Angela El-Adas, said it was important to renovate the hostel to make it more comfortable for students to have the peace of mind to learn.
She mentioned that “along the line, we received some challenges the school was facing and decided as a year group to renovate it to give the students sound mind and a conducive ambience to aid their studies.
She said some of her colleagues have specialised in public and community health owing it to their stay and study at the Danfa Community and Health Centre.
After a tour of some facilities such as hostels and the Basic Sciences building at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr El-Adas said there was a need for continuous support for the school, adding that “these facilities at Korle-Bu needed some investment.”
The Acting Dean of UGMS, Prof. Yvonne Dei Adomako, said the year group has demonstrated love to the school that nurtured them by giving the hostel at Danfa a facelift.
She said the facility was used by the school for its district rotation by the level 500 students as part of their community health rotation.
She said the hostel for several years had not seen any facelift, stating that it had deteriorated with the beds and mattresses needing replacement while the washrooms required refurbishment.
Due to the poor state of the hostel, some students, she said finds accommodation elsewhere when they are asked to come for rotation.
“We called on the alumni to help with various projects and this was one of the projects and the 1997 year group decided to take it on,” she said.
She called on other alumni to come together and support the school in order to attract students in and out of the country.
The outgoing president of the year group, Dr Kojo Cobba Essel urged other year groups to emulate the example by responding to the school’s distress call.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
In a world where fathers are increasingly consumed by work and the pursuit of financial security, Bishop Michael Quartey, the Regional Overseer of the Perez Chapel International, has urged fathers to prioritise spending quality time with their children.
This, he said makes them develop trust, love and sense of security in building confident responsible adults.
Bishop Michael Quartey made this known in an interview with The Spectator ahead of the Father’s Day celebration tomorrow.
He noted that while many fathers are providing the financial needs of their families, children also require emotional support, guidance and quality time from their fathers.
“A lot of children are engaged in a lot of negative things just because of the absence of their fathers and it is about time we sit up.”
Bishop Quartey explained that fatherhood goes beyond meeting financial obligations and involves being physically and emotionally present in the lives of their children.
“Fathers serve as role models whose actions and decisions often influence the values and attitudes of their children” he disclosed.
He also elaborated that regular communication, participation in school activities and involvement in children’s daily life could significantly strengthen family bonds and contribute to the overall well –being of the children.
He added that though the modern day fathers are doing so well, we need to continue to change the narrative by putting in extra effort in the upbringing of our children.
“Being a father is a great joy and it is very necessary for fathers to be celebrated because they go through a lot,” he indicated.
Mr Quartey used the opportunity to encourage all fathers to continue doing their best and pray for their children as well.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
A new cultural, trade, and diplomatic platform celebrating Ghana-Norway ties was launched on Saturday, June 13, at Palms by Eagles Hotel, Accra.
Dubbed the ‘Akwaaba Nsuo & Velkommen Fjord Durbar 2026’, the event draws on the symbolism of Ghana’s rivers, -Nsuo, and Norway’s fjords to highlight water as a shared cultural, economic, and environmental identity.
The three-day event is scheduled for July 31 – August 2, 2026 in Oslo, Norway. Activities will include a trade exhibition, durbar of chiefs, and B2B networking sessions.
Speaking at the launch, CEO of the Durbar, Kofi Mulan, said Ghana’s rivers like the Volta, Pra, and Ankobra have long sustained livelihoods through fishing, transport, and spirituality.
“Similarly, Norway’s fjords represent the cornerstone of its maritime heritage, global leadership in ocean industries, and environmental stewardship,” Mr Mulan added.
“These parallel relationships with water form the philosophical and thematic spine of the entire event. The Akwaaba Nsuo & Velkommen Fjord Durbar 2026 is therefore framed as a convergence of heritage and innovation,” he said.
Organisers say participants will benefit from Global visibility and cultural diplomacy in Europe, stronger ties with Norway, and increased market access for exports like fashion, crafts, agribusiness, and processed goods under AfCFTA frameworks on the Ghana side.
On the Norway side, they noted access to Norwegian expertise in maritime technology, aquaculture, and renewable energy, plus opportunities in fisheries, offshore energy, and sustainability projects.
The Durbar is positioned as a high-level exchange platform to deepen trade and diplomatic relations between Ghana and Norway.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
