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YAB campaign reaches Hansen Road Adventist Church
Youth Against Betting (YAB), an anti-betting group last Saturday took its campaign to the Hansen Road Adventist church in Accra as part of efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of Betting.
Participants of the programme included members of the senior youth of the church and some representatives of YAB.
A founding member of YAB Mr Emmanuel K. Agyare in his presentation cautioned the youth against engaging in betting despite how popular it had become.
He said such acts have proven to be addictive and could have daring consequences, like anxiety, depression and serious financial troubles on individuals who practiced it.
He noted that a research by the National Institute of Health (NIH) showed that 8.5 per cent of males and 3.5 per cent of females showed signs of gambling disorder and concluded that 3.3 percent of gamers worldwide suffer from gaming addiction, representing 105.6 million gamers.
Gambling addiction he said increases by 23 folds for gamblers who also have alcohol disorders or addiction.
Mr Agyare expressed worry about Ghana being one of the leading African countries in gambling and called on authorities to as a matter of urgency implement strict measures to salvage the situation.
In furtherance, he mentioned that the Bible spoke against betting, therefore Christians must rise against the menace.
According to him, “1Timothy 6:9-10 but those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
“For the love of money is the root of all evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows,” he quoted.
He therefore underscored the need for the church to provide a safe place for social gathering for the youth and collaborate with relevant institutions to create awareness on the adverse effects of betting and promote attitudinal and behavioral change.
Training on alternative livelihood for young people, he said must also be provided by the church and Ghanaians who mean well to prevent people from getting into betting due to poverty.
The Programmes Officer of YAB, Miss Julia Pwoawuvi in her remarks advised the youth to desist from betting and focus on activities that will only add value to their lives.
“There is nothing to gain in betting. It will only bring you more problems when you get addicted to it. You will lose money and get depressed, that is if you don’t end up in jail for stealing to bet. Let us all say no to betting,” she advised.
Also present at the event was Ms Raissa Sambou, a member of the YAB team.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
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.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
