News
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful inaugurates ICT laboratory for Sefwi Wiawso SHS
The Minister of Communications and Digitilisation,Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful,has inaugurated a fully-furnished Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory for the Sefwi-Wiawso Senior High School in the Western North Region.
The laboratory, which has 40 new desktop computers with accessories, was funded by the Ghana Investment for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and would provide ICT opportunities to schools, as part of the efforts to bridge digital gap in the country.
In her address last Friday, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful expressed government’s commitment to equip young people with skills they needed to succeed in life.
She noted that the current technological revolution emphasised the critical role technology played in the digital world, hence the need for everybody to be ICT literate.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful commended Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, the Member of Parliament for Sefwi Wiawso and other prominent indigenes, for the role they played to make the project a reality.
She again advised the students to use the laboratory profitably, especially for research and be abreast current technological advancements.
“The government is committed to provide students with the right skills, devices and training to compete favourably with their peers in other countries.” the minister assured.
The Administrator of GIFEC,MrPrince Ofosu Sefah, spoke about the significant role of ICT in development and commended President Nana Akufo-Addo for ensuring that school children acquired the relevant skills to make them functional in the society
GIFEC,he added, was facilitating teaching and learning of ICT in Basic and Senior High Schools through the deployment of ICT equipment and internet facilities.
“We are doing this with the school connectivity project, through which desktops, printers and scanners are being provided for over 1,020 schools across the country.” he said.
Mr Sefah said 26 Basic and Senior High schools had benefited from the project in the Western North Region while more than 7,000 people, including teachers, students, artisans, head porters and identifiable women groups had also been trained in basic ICT skills in the region.
The Assistant Headmaster of the school,Mr Benjamin Ballow, reported that the school offered ICT as an elective subject and believedthe ICT facility would help in teaching and learning.
He called on other organisations to assist the school which was established in 1961 and now had a student population of 1,877, with 79 teaching and 39 non-teaching staff.
Mr Balloe expressed gratitude to the government and prayed it continued to assist the school to cater for the increasing enrolment due to the Free Senior High School Policy.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful had inspected works on the Government of Ghana Funded Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project, at Abrabra and Nkyonya, as part of her tour of GIFEC project sites in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality of the Western North Region.
She inaugurated a Rural Telephony Project site at Mile 3, in the same district.
The Rural Telephony Project is implemented by GIFEC in partnership with Huawei and Mobile Network Operators ((MNOs) through a Tripartite Partnership Arrangement, which offers a significant reduction in Cost of Ownership and Maintenance by as much as 70 per cent.
The project seeks to provide telecommunications infrastructure and service to communities where MNOs are unable to deploy due to economic or other constraints.
During a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief Of Sefwi Wiawso Okatakyie Kwesi Bumagama II, the minister indicated that her tourof Western North, was to get a first- hand information on the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion project and visit also the training centres of the Girls-in-ICT project.
The Girls in ICT programme, she mentioned, had benefitted 900 girls in the region and 100 from Prestea- Huni Valley in the Western Region.
She said : “The ministry aims at expanding the rural telephony project to the various underserved communities.We will ensure that rural areas without networks are connected. Without network, one cannot takepart in the digital activities.”
Accompanying the Minister were the Chief Director, Mrs. Magdalene Apenteng, Director, Research Statistics and Information Management (RSIM), Mr. Alfred Nortey; Mr Prince Sefa, Administrator, GIFEC; Ms Eva Andoh-Opoku, Deputy Administrator, GIFEC and the Municipal Chief Executive of Sefwi Wiawso , Hon. Lewis Owusu Agyapong.
From Clement Adze Boye, Sefwi Wiawso
Local mattress manufacturers have raised serious concerns over the influx of substandard mattresses, warning that these products pose significant health risks to consumers and threaten the sustainability of Ghana’s mattress industry.
At a press briefing held in Kumasi on Tuesday, manufacturers accused unregistered foreign entities, particularly Chinese firms, of flooding the market with cheap mattresses made from polystyrene.
Mr Yaw Ampem Darko, a spokesperson for the local manufacturers, warned that prolonged use of substandard mattresses, especially those made with polystyrene, could result in chronic back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, poor posture, and diminished sleep quality.
These health implications, they stressed, were not always immediately evident but accumulate over time, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
This material, typically used for packaging, is considered unsuitable and unsafe for bedding.
According to industry leaders, these sub-standard products have been circulating for at least five years, gaining traction among unsuspecting consumers due to their unusually low prices.
“These mattresses are being sold at suspiciously low prices, luring unsuspecting consumers who are unaware of the health dangers.”
“We are not just protecting our businesses; we are protecting Ghanaian lives. The government must act swiftly to stem this tide before more citizens fall victim to these dangerous products,” Mr Yaw Ampem Darko stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has acknowledged the issue and, in response, announced a nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at clamping down on the production, distribution, and sale of substandard mattresses.
The campaign, which was scheduled to take effect from September 30, 2025, was empowered by the GSA Act, 2022 (Act 1078), which authorises the Authority to seize and seal non-compliant products and impose sanctions on offenders.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, the authority cited Sections 29 and 43 of the Act, reiterating that all mattresses sold in Ghana must meet established national standards or face confiscation.
The statement further emphasised that mattresses failing to meet these standards not only compromise sleep quality but also contribute to long-term health complications, including spinal and neck pain.
Despite the GSA’s commitment, manufacturers have expressed frustration over delays in implementation and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
They urged the GSA to work in close collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and national law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute violators of Ghana’s quality standards.
Manufacturers are also appealing to consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their health by verifying that any mattress they purchase bears the GSA certification mark.
Moreover, they caution the public against purchasing suspiciously cheap mattresses that lack proper labelling or identifiable branding, as these were often indicators of substandard or counterfeit products.
As the official enforcement deadline had expired with no show, the local producers insisted that much more than business interests were at stake.
They argued that without swift and sustained action, the health and safety of Ghanaian consumers would continue to be compromised.
“Public awareness, strict enforcement, and collaboration among regulatory bodies are essential if we are to protect the integrity of the local industry and the wellbeing of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Darko indicated.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
The Founder of the Raissa Child Protection Initiative, Ms Raissa Sambou, has urged authorities to impose severe punishment on individuals, including teachers and guardians, who sexually abuse young girls.
Speaking in an interview to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), Ms Sambou condemned the increasing cases of sexual exploitation involving minors, describing such acts as “heartless, criminal, and a total betrayal of trust.”
She noted that those entrusted with the care and education of children must not be the same people who violate them, stressing that “anyone found guilty of abusing a girl child must face the full rigours of the law without leniency.”
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually to promote the rights of girls, empower them to reach their full potential, and draw attention to the challenges they face worldwide.
Ms Sambou lamented that poverty continues to push many young girls into vulnerable situations, exposing them to exploitation.
She expressed concern that some headmasters, teachers, and community members who should protect girls rather take advantage of them.
“This must stop immediately. The safety of every girl must never be compromised,” she said, urging the public to report all forms of abuse to the appropriate authorities and called for swift action by law enforcement agencies against perpetrators.
Addressing girls directly, Ms Sambou encouraged them to take their education seriously and to believe in their potential.
“It is possible to be young and responsible. Your future is bright, protect it, believe in it, and never let anyone dim your light,” she advised.
She further urged girls to choose their friends wisely, stay disciplined, and speak up if anyone makes sexual advances toward them.
Ms Sambou concluded with a rallying call for collective action, saying “speak up, protect them, and empower them. Together, we can end the sexual exploitation of girls.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
