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Wassa Amenfi West District ranked fourth with 96 COVID-19 cases
Residents in the Wassa Amenfi West District of the Western Region have expressed worry as the area is gradually gaining status as a hotspot for the COVID 19 pandemic.
There is no isolation centre in the district to quarantine those with COVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, the danger is that, all the affected victims or persons are walking free on the streets, The Spectator gathered, and there are genuine fears that the situation might worsen.
According to the Regional Situation Report (SITREP), Wassa Amenfi West now ranked fourth on the COVID-19 pandemic with 96 positive cases, as of Tuesday, June 30. Sekondi -Takoradi ranked first with 573 positive cases, followed by Tarkwa -Nsuaem with 465 and Effia-Kwesimintsim,198.
The report generally indicated that Wassa Amenfi West COVID cases initially, in April 2, tallied zero positive, moved to one case in June 5, and has since shot up with 178 negative cases while 178 cases are also pending, within the period.
So far, the district had reported 170 suspected cases, 280 contact cases traced with 452 samples taken.
Responding to public concerns in an interview with journalists, the District Director of Health, Mary Magdalene Arthur, said the number of cases recorded did not show a failure on the part of the health team.
She explained that the efforts of the health team had reduced the number of COVID 19 cases in the area.
“This is not a failure on the part of the health team and the Regional Health Directorate will testify. We are, indeed, on the ground working. But the key challenge is where to send confirmed cases for isolation. It behoves on the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and his team to do that. We are still waiting,” she said.
The MCE, Mr George Agyiri, on his part, also argued that, in April, when the COVID -19 pandemic swept the country, government directed all districts to construct isolation centers, but, this, he added, could not be done within a short period.
He said, the assembly decided to solicit the assistance of hotels in the district and other areas or hire completed houses to help reduce the spread of the virus.
However, most businesses had declined the offer.
“We have been making efforts to build an isolation centre, but in the interim, we need to hire hotels, but due to stigmatisation, the owners have declined.” Mr Agyiri told journalists.
The situation, he said, posed a challenge to COVID-19 emergencies.
From Clement AdzeiBoye, Takoradi
The Ghana First Alliance, a movement, is today staging a protest in Accra against the renewal of the mining licence of Gold Fields, a mining company owned by a South African citizen operating in Ghana.
The demonstration, dubbed “Operation No Contract Renewal: South Africa Must Go,” is being held to demand that government does not renew the company’s licence.
The group says their protest is linked to recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa by a protest group known as “march to march.”
They claim that many Ghanaian-owned shops were looted, while others were attacked, with some cases leading to deaths.
They also say the situation forced the Ghana government to evacuate thousands of Ghanaians from South Africa back to Ghana.
Speaking to some of the protesters, they said they will move to several key locations in Accra, including the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Jubilee House, where they intend to present their petition.
The protesters are calling on government to terminate the Gold Fields contract and hand over the mining concessions to capable Ghanaians to manage.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
