News
Visit children at school to inspire academic excellence
The Member of Parliament for the Sissala East Constituency in the Upper West Region, Mr Issahaku Amidu Chinnia has encouraged parents to take keen interest in the education of their wards.
He said that it was not enough to provide them (wards) with their school fees and stationery but it was also of more importance for the parents to visit their wards in school to acquaint themselves with their learning capacities, get to know their challenges and help solve them.
“The children are our future; The toil and struggle we go through each day are because we want to secure a better future for them so we must make sure that the care we give them is holistic and encompasses every aspect of their lives”, he stressed.
The MP stated this at Tumu last Friday at an event to inaugurate an office complex to facilitate interaction between himself and his constituents for consolidated development of the area.
The office complex which comprises a conference room, a radio station and other ancillary facilities would be manned by staff who would attend to people who visited the place in his absence and later forward their issues to him.
“Government will do its part with the provision of educational facilities, teachers will also do their best in the classroom but the rest of the work lies on the parents who have to ensure that the children put those resources to good use and I am speaking as a trained teacher”, he said.
Mr Chinnia said considering his priority for education, he sought to develop the educational sector of his constituency and hinted that since his assumption of office a year ago, he had outlined a number of interventions aimed at improving the lot of this key sector.
Mr Chinnia hinted that in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service in the constituency, he was starting an award scheme to reward dedicated and diligent teachers in order to encourage quality teaching and supervision of learners in the area.
The MP stated that in his quest to bridge the gap between himself and his constituents, he pledged to provide an office where residents and opinion leaders would visit to present issues and challenges of communal concern to him for redress.
“I am committed to participatory development of the constituency, and I know with this facility we can identify areas of prime concern and prescribe the right interventions for them”, he added.
Commissioning the edifice, the Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih called on other Members of Parliament in the region to emulate same to propel the development of the region.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine has broken ground on a modern 1,500-seater multipurpose assembly hall and a secured main gatehouse for New Edubiase Senior High School, in the Adansi South District.
The project, being executed by local contractor AA Engineering and Construction, is expected to be completed within 17 months and forms part of the Mine’s 10-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP) — a strategic framework for delivering sustainable development in its host communities.
Beyond the expansive assembly hall, the facility will house a fully integrated administrative complex featuring a dedicated sound room, a 16-seater staff eatery, and suites for the Headmaster and Assistant Headmaster, a bursar’s office, an 18-seater conference room, a 24-seater staff common room, six faculty office spaces and ancillary stores and washrooms.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the Mine’s Director of Sustainability Management, Edmund Oduro Agyei, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving educational outcomes in host communities through impactful and sustainable investments.
The Edubiasehene, Guahyia Oduropanin Birikorang, commended the Mine for the investment, saying the project demonstrated that the company’s development agenda extended well beyond its immediate operational areas.
The Headmaster of New Edubiase SHS, Mr Christopher Appiah Mensah, described the intervention as timely and transformative, noting it would address longstanding infrastructure deficits, improve conditions for teaching and learning, and create adequate space for academic and social gatherings.
“This will greatly enhance administrative efficiency and improve the overall welfare of both staff and students,” he said.
The facility is also expected to boost the school’s capacity to host national examinations and major events, and strengthen its standing as a centre of academic excellence within the district.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
Stakeholders have been urged to help raise awareness and eliminate the stigma often associated with clubfoot, a treatable condition which occurs in children.
Parents are to seek early treatment for the condition while policymakers strengthen support for early detection, disability inclusion, and child health services in the country.
Clubfoot is a condition present at birth in which one or both feet are twisted inward and downward. If left untreated, experts say a child may face lifelong challenges with walking, which could affect education, employment, and social inclusion.
In Ghana, an estimated 1,000 babies are said to be born with clubfoot every year.
In commemoration of the World Clubfoot Day, marked on June 3 every year, stakeholders create awareness about the condition and, among other things, celebrate the dedication of health professionals who ensure children receive treatment.
In a release copied to the Ghana News Agency, Nana Afua Adutwumwaa Adjetey, Programme Manager, Ghana Clubfoot Programme, noted that many families were unaware of the free treatment available for the condition in Ghana. 
She observed that the lack of awareness continued to delay treatment for children who could have received prompt and life-changing care at no cost.
Treatment, she said, was provided free of charge for children under age five at Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG–Hope Walks) partner clinics across the country.
More than 9,000 children born with clubfoot had received treatment and care through the programme over the past 18 years.
“The treatment follows the internationally recognised Ponseti Method, which uses a series of gentle casts to gradually correct the position of the foot, followed by a brace to maintain correction and prevent relapse. When treatment begins early, success rates are extremely high,” Madam Adjetey explained.
“For many children, the journey begins with a health worker who identifies clubfoot at birth and makes a referral. A few moments of observation can change the course of a child’s life forever.”
“Clubfoot is not a curse; it is not caused by wrongdoing…it is a medical condition that can be treated successfully. Families should never feel ashamed to seek help.”
The Programme Manager said children born with the condition deserved equal opportunities, dignity, and inclusion, and called on communities to support parents rather than “judge them.” -GNA
