News
Ursula Owusu declares bid for NPP General Secretary, calls for party unity and renewal
Former Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has officially declared her intention to contest for the position of General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In a message released on her birthday, Ursula called on party members to unite and rebuild confidence in the NPP after what she described as a difficult period for the party.
She acknowledged that the NPP had gone through internal challenges that left members “bruised” and “battered,” but expressed optimism that the party would recover and emerge stronger.
“Our situation is but a necessary phase of self-introspection and diagnosis towards our journey of re-organisation,” she stated.
The former minister criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, describing it as “an accident-of-a-government” that “lied its way into power.”
She said the NPP must reorganise from the polling stations to the national level to regain public trust and recapture power in the next election.
“This caretaker NDC government is there not because they are preferred, they are there because they lied their way into government amidst lofty promises and caused belief in us to wane. But we will revive it,” she said.
Ursula described herself as a “fighter” who has been “nurtured, proven, and prepared” to lead the party’s administrative front into the 2028 elections.
“I come to you in all humility, to ask you, dear patriots, to join me on this rescue mission as your next General Secretary,” she declared.
She urged party members in Ghana and abroad to unite under one purpose to reorganise, regain public confidence, and position the NPP as the party of development and progress.
“With unity and God on our side, as well as the collective will of the Ghanaian people, we shall overcome,” she concluded.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Mrs Patience Antonio, a Child and Family Development Advocate, has called for a national campaign to reduce the growing reliance on breast milk substitutes among nursing mothers in Ghana.
According to Mrs Antonio, scientific evidence shows that breastfeeding improves a child’s emotional stability, boosts intelligence, strengthens the immune system, and provides long-term health benefits. She made these remarks in an interview with The Spectator in Accra last week, emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding for a child’s overall development.
She explained that breastfeeding is not just a biological act of feeding but a key emotional and developmental bridge between mother and child. She also highlighted the need for the recommended six-month maternity leave period to ease the pressure on mothers to return to work prematurely.
“Breastfeeding creates intimacy and trust. It assures the baby of love and security, which becomes the foundation for their emotional health,” Mrs Antonio noted, warning that abandoning exclusive breastfeeding could have long-term implications on children’s social and emotional wellbeing.
Consequently, she called for a minimum of five months of fully paid maternity leave for Ghanaian mothers to enable effective breastfeeding, bonding, and healthier child development. She also urged workplaces to implement family-friendly policies, including private spaces for breastfeeding, flexible working arrangements for nursing mothers, and stronger support systems for new parents.
Mrs Antonio further encouraged families and society to actively support mothers during breastfeeding, stressing that many women struggle due to lack of assistance at home or the pressure to return to work too soon. She emphasized, “If we want a healthier, emotionally stable generation, then we must make breastfeeding a priority and support mothers to do it without stress.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Spectator
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
The Nanvili Community School in the Mion District of the Northern Region is facing severe infrastructural challenges, affecting teaching and learning for pupils in the area.
The school, which serves five surrounding communities with a total of 58 pupils, has deteriorated to the extent that many children have stopped attending classes. Poor classroom conditions and the lack of desks have made teaching and learning difficult. During a visit to the school, the gate-free classrooms were found filled with goat and sheep droppings.
During the rainy season, both teachers and pupils are often cut off from the school due to bad roads and flooding. Teaching activities are frequently suspended for weeks, negatively affecting academic performance.
The Assemblyman for the area, Mr. Dawuni Mutawakil, expressed concern, noting that the situation is worrying since these pupils are expected to compete with their counterparts in urban areas who have access to better facilities. He added that due to limited space, classes have been merged, with pupils from Primary One and Two, Three and Four, and Five and Six sharing the same classrooms.
The Chief of Nanvili, Abu Kassim, also appealed to the government and non-governmental organisations to come to the aid of the community. He emphasized that the current state of the school discourages children from nearby communities from attending.
Both the Chief and Assemblyman have called for urgent intervention to improve infrastructure and provide furniture for the pupils to ensure quality education for children in the Nanvili area.
By Geoffrey Buta, Nanvili, Northern Region
Spectator
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
