News
Women advised to contribute quota to national development
The Coordinating Director of the Wa Municipal Assembly in the Upper West Region, Pognaa Fati Koray has encouraged women to get involved in civic engagement to ensure that they contribute their quota to the development of the country.
She, however, bemoaned the low participation of women in communal, governance and national issues particularly in the municipality, and called on them to offer themselves for engagements that would lead to national cohesion and development.
The director indicated that out of a total of 44 assembly members in the municipality, only four were women and lamented further that only one out of the four, was elected.
Pognaa Koray who is the queen of Chansa community in the Wa Municipality stated this at a programme aimed at whipping up the interest of women in national discourse at Charia, on Tuesday.
The Programme which was at the instance of ProNet North, a non-governmental organisation in the region was on the theme “Women empowerment, a key mechanism for transforming our tomorrow”.
She explained that civic engagement was the individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.
She cited voting, volunteerism, and participation in activities such as tree planting, communal labour as well as discussions on communal and national issues as programmes women should actively participate.
“It is interesting to know that there are myriad of issues ranging from social to political and economic that affect citizens globally and need the involvement of women in civic engagement to help address those issues.
“We need women to lead the fort in fighting against societal issues such as early marriage, open defaecation, child labour and trafficking, teenage pregnancies and domestic violence”, she charged.
She encouraged men to support women to engage in national discourse and allow them to participate in politics without criticisms and name calling.
For her part, Head of Programmes of the ProNet North, Ms Catherine Amissah also appealed to men to reduce the workload on women so that they would be able to make time for other individual and social events.
“Sometimes it is not as if the women are not interested in social activities, they are just unable to make time for them due to their heavy work schedule at home”, she said.
She advised women to pursue education and skills training so that they would be better placed to take up responsibilities that required specific skills and qualifications, if the need arose.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Charia
Muslims across the country celebrated this year’s Eid-ul-Adha in a colourful and spiritually uplifting atmosphere under the theme, “A Season of Sacrifice, Solidarity and Spiritual Renewal.”
The celebration brought together Muslims from diverse backgrounds in a remarkable display of faith, unity and cultural heritage.
The occasion was marked by special Eid prayers at various designated grounds, the slaughtering of rams in homes for sharing among family members, friends and the less privileged, as well as musical concerts and recreational activities including horse riding.
Leading the celebration was the Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osman Sharubutu.
While the national celebration was held at the Black Star Square where President John Dramani Mahama was the Special Guest of Honour, similar gatherings took place at different centres across the capital and other regions of the country.
A visit by The Spectator to some celebration grounds revealed Muslims, both young and old, elegantly dressed in colourful jalabiya and other Islamic attire, reflecting the rich culture and traditions of the Muslim community.
The celebration also portrayed the spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the country, as a number of Christians joined their Muslim counterparts to mark the occasion.
Muslim leaders and government officials used the opportunity to call on the faithful to uphold the teachings of the Holy Quran, renew their spiritual commitment and refrain from acts capable of undermining the peace, unity and security of the nation.
They further urged Ghanaians to continue to live in harmony and support one another for national development.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Dear Obaa Yaa,
During Eid-ul- Adha celebration, I decided to spend the weekend at my boyfriend’s place since we were planning towards our marriage.
To my surprise, what keeps me wide awake, restless and frustrated every single time is that he snores loudly like a generator running on full power, and I genuinely cannot get any rest
At a point, I thought it was just a normal thing, but I have realised it is something he does with ease and doesn’t see anything wrong with it.
When he steps out in the morning, I try to get enough sleep because I may not sleep in the evening.
The most annoying thing is that, he always wants to cuddle me. These two things are a no for me and a red flag.
We are about to get married, what should I do?
Enam, Keta.
Dear Enam,
The snoring and constant cuddling are frustrating, but you don’t have to choose between sleep and closeness.
Start with the snoring: check if it’s worse when he sleeps on his back, cut out alcohol before bed, try nasal strips or a humidifier, and see a doctor if he pauses while breathing.
For quick relief, foam earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones help a lot.
Separate blankets, a bigger bed, or sleeping apart on some nights often makes couples rest well and feel closer overall.
Bring this up before the wedding .Tell him you want to wake up next to him for years to come, but sleep deprivation makes you both miserable.
Test earplugs and side-sleeping this weekend, and if it’s still unbearable, bring in a doctor. Good sleep matters more for your marriage than staying glued together all night.
