Blog (Page 17)

By Isaac Ato MENSAH Accra – 10 April, 2019 The Sunday evening rains gave Ghana the most appropriate theme for World Health Day 2019, but the health authorities stuck with their plan to highlight non-communicable diseases. And that itself shows the layers of crises Ghana faces; talk about leadership that is asleep. For some years now, the Institutional Care Division of the Ghana Health Service has sought to drum up attention to the threat posed by non-communicable diseases – diseases such as diabetes that are not infectious but are ending lives. The theme for this year still kept that promise: “Universal Health Coverage [UHC]: Everyone,Read More →

By Isaac Ato MENSAH Accra – 8 April, 2019 Something very significant happened in the Jubilee House last month; the inauguration of the National Population Council (NPC). Using the appropriate development communication tools such as public education through radio and TV, the NPC can reorient the nation’s thinking about population matters. Dr Gladys Norley Ashitey, former deputy health minister and chairperson of the newly inaugurated 23-member NPC, responding to the president, said: ‘We are encouraged by the President’s vision to give Ghanaians a better life’. And what did the president have for the NPC board? ‘I want to assure you of government’s support in thisRead More →

By Isaac Ato MENSAH Accra – 5 April, 2019 Your Excellency The Economic Management Team Ladies and Gentlemen What we saw and heard from the town hall meeting, at the auditorium of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons on Wednesday, can only happen in the land of make believe! Let us examine three different sets of analyses in H.E. Dr Bawumia’s written speech and see how soon we can find our way out of Neverland. ‘Real GDP growth (Our ability to produce goods and services in the economy) declined from 9.1% in 2008 to 3.4% in 2016.’ Clearly, H.E. Dr Bawumia, the economist, shouldRead More →

By Isaac Ato MENSAH Accra – 2 April, 2019 ‘Take this as a token of appreciation’ is the equivalent of ‘All protocol observed’ in speech delivery. Both are public relations disasters. And that was what happened on 29 March, POTROG’s 75th birthday. Those in charge of affairs within the government of Ghana are not willing to call upon those who know and they are not willing to learn. History tells us of a man who was living in his own world in some ramshackle in town. When once Alexander The Great was coming to town, everybody was preparing and rushing to see him. A concernedRead More →

By Isaac Ato Mensah Accra – 1 April, 2019 Greetings sir, Someway somehow your erudite expose of the recent Cedi depreciation blabbing by the “economist” advisor to H.E. Dr Bawumia, Ghana’s vice president was brought to my attention. I read every single line carefully including your probe of the advisor’s background from his LinkedIn page. You did an excellent job. I have always asked myself this question, ‘Why has no economist responded to Dr Bawumia since 2010?’. Let me explain why this question is important. In May 2012, I attended the Ferdinand Ayim Memorial Lectures delivered by Dr Mahamudu Bawumia at the auditorium of theRead More →

By Isaac Ato Mensah Accra – 29 March, 2019 Today, at the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, an important seminar on literature will take place. The theme is, ‘Radio – a platform for literature: Ghanaian literary broadcast cultures’. The speakers are Prof Helen Yitah, Prof Audrey Gadzekpo and Dr Victoria Smith, all of UG. On such an occasion, an opportunity arises for a national introspection on the literary discourse of our political actors and their civil/public servant appointees, since an inordinate amount of radio time is devoted to them as news sources/newsmakers. Most of Ghana’s political debates take place on radio, with political party spokespersonsRead More →

By Brenya Edward Kwabena Owusu, School of Communication Studies, WIUC-GHANA Wisconsin Accra – 27 March, 2019 When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as interim manager of his beloved former club Manchester United, not much was expected of him. But after 19 games in all competitions since his appointment on 19 December 2018, the former super sub of the club has recorded 14 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses. But has he done enough to convince the board? This question will be answered either in May or even sooner. Solskjaer, however, still has a contract he needs to honour at his parent club Molde and theyRead More →

By Robert Gbari Gariba Dubai – 25 March, 2019 REMARKS BY ROBERT GBARI GARIBA, GHANA TEACHER PRIZE WINNER FOR 2018 ON THE OCCASION OF THE GLOBAL TEACHER PRIZE 2019 AWARDS CEREMONY HELD IN DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ON 24 MARCH, 2019. Your Excellences, Heads of Government, directors of the Varkey Foundation, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I am deeply humbled by the great honour that you have accorded me as Global Teacher Prize Nominee for 2019. Thank you all very much for being so gracious. It has been very exciting to be here in this great megapolis, Dubai. I have met many gifted, devoted and wonderfulRead More →

By Nana Ama Asiedua Boateng, School of Communication Studies, WIUC-GHANA Wisconsin, Accra – 22 March, 2019 As a chorister and a lover of choral music, music has inspired and blessed me in indescribable ways. The Methodist hymnal used by the Methodist Church Ghana (my mother church) contains 984 hymns, and 78 Canticles and Psalms. The words in each hymn have a way of reflecting the word of God in our lives. Sometimes the lyrics of a hymn are a form of prayer on their own when they are sung with a genuine and faithful heart. And of course there is almost always the accompanying pulsatingRead More →

By Lilly Adjorkor Adjei Tema – 20 March, 2019 Formulating a decision on the concept of the right form of education has suddenly become an enormous political matter in Ghana. The transition from the industrial age to the information age has caused a situation whereby the quality of information you possess and what you do with it determines your economic value. This has led to an increased importance for entrepreneurship. The paradigm shift to entrepreneurship now requires a new approach to learning. Consequently as a society, we ought to invest and inculcate the requisite skills into children. This should help them leapfrog Ghana’s lag inRead More →