Weekend News || Rising Cancer Cases: Ghana records 40,000 cases yearly - GMA
Weekend News @ 1 with Fostina Sarfo- Joy News Room (23-7-23)
#JoyNewsRoom
#JoyNews
#MyJoyOnline
https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghana-news/
Subscribe for more videos just like this:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChd1DEecCRlxaa0-hvPACCw/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joy997fm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Joy997FM
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3J2l57
Click this for more news:
https://www.myjoyonline.com/
#JoyNewsRoom
#JoyNews
#MyJoyOnline
https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghana-news/
Subscribe for more videos just like this:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChd1DEecCRlxaa0-hvPACCw/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joy997fm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Joy997FM
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3J2l57
Click this for more news:
https://www.myjoyonline.com/
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Hello, good afternoon and welcome to Joy Newsroom.
00:02 We're coming to you live from our studios here at Kokumlemle.
00:05 We're also on DSTV channel 421 and GoTV channel 125.
00:10 You can listen to us live on our YouTube channel
00:12 and as well as on myjoyonline.com.
00:15 Coming up this afternoon, President Akufo Adewole on Tuesday
00:18 launched the revised National Affordable Housing Program
00:22 and the construction of 8,000 affordable housing units
00:25 at Pokwase in the Greater Africa region.
00:29 This program is quite different from the previous ones
00:33 because you've taken the trouble to study all the setbacks
00:38 that were associated with previous affordable housing programs.
00:43 Well, we have more. As government says,
00:45 it has learned lessons from the challenges of previous affordable housing schemes
00:50 and is determined to do the right thing this time.
00:56 Also in this bulletin, the Ghana Medical Association is sounding alarm bells
01:00 over the rising cases of cancer in Ghana.
01:04 This is a disease that when you get, your chance of survival is even very low.
01:10 And so there is no question about the fact that we are having an epidemic
01:15 and clearly we need to do something about it.
01:20 Stay with us as we delve deep into what the risk factors are
01:24 and also former President John Romani Mahama
01:28 urges graduates of Academic City University to make a positive impact
01:33 as they step out into the corporate world despite economic hardship.
01:38 There are no ready jobs to absorb you.
01:41 It may take years for some of you to find decent employment.
01:45 There are cases of students who after five years of completing university
01:49 still remain unemployed.
01:55 Well, we have details of this stories plus sports and business in the next 60 minutes.
01:59 I am Faustina Safo. Thanks for choosing us.
02:03 Now the Ghana Medical Association has raised fears
02:18 of a possible cancer epidemic in Ghana as cases continue to surge every year.
02:24 Currently 40,000 cases of all forms of cancer are recorded across the country annually
02:31 resulting in 15,000 deaths.
02:34 The data also identified alcohol and tobacco use as the major causes of cancer among patients.
02:41 This was revealed at the 27 GMA annual public lecture
02:45 to engage stakeholders for the way forward on the menace.
02:48 There's more in this report.
02:51 The rising numbers in cancer cases globally have become a major source for concern
02:57 as the World Health Organization labels the disease as the second major contributor to death.
03:03 The figures have revealed that over 10 million cancer-related deaths occur across the globe every year
03:10 and 70% of these come from low and medium income countries
03:15 like Ghana.
03:16 Now the fear is that by 2040 there may be more cancer cases across the globe
03:22 than HIV/AIDS and TB put together.
03:27 The situation has compelled the Ghana Medical Association to dedicate this year's 27th public lecture
03:33 to engage stakeholders on the challenge.
03:36 Delivering the keynote address, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health
03:42 at the University of Ghana Medical School, Professor Benedict Kalistegu revealed
03:47 that Ghana records about 40,000 cancer cases annually.
03:51 Breast cancer tops the list.
03:54 For every 100,000 Ghanians, about 66 of them would have breast cancer.
04:02 So that brings it, if you work with 31 million, we are talking about over 20,000 breast cancer cases.
04:09 Then it is followed by cervical cancer, which doesn't appear at the global level
04:13 because it's a preventable disease, but we are still battling with it.
04:17 And it's number two.
04:20 For every 100,000 we have about 39 people with cervical cancer.
04:25 Then prostate cancer, followed by cancer of the ovary, and then that of the liver.
04:33 So these are the overall five-year prevalence. That's total burden.
04:38 When we look at the new cases, again in the estimates we had,
04:43 we had 24,000 new cancer cases as per the 2020 report.
04:49 And for our childhood cancers, on the average, we are having about 400 new cases annually.
04:56 Although the risk of cancer is sometimes attributed to aging,
05:00 Professor Kalistegu said bad lifestyle choices are increasing the risk factors,
05:06 including alcohol and tobacco use, especially shisha.
05:10 He also warns of the health threats associated with oral sex.
05:14 Shisha is very trending among the youth now, especially the females.
05:19 And it is no less harmful than cigarette smoking.
05:24 In fact, in a shisha session, which usually lasts for 20 to 80 minutes,
05:31 a shisha smoker can inhale the same amount of smoke as a cigarette smoker consuming 100 sticks of cigarettes.
05:41 Yes, you heard me right. 100 sticks.
05:44 So in case you were thinking shisha is a safe option,
05:47 passing it through water doesn't make it any less harmful.
05:51 God in his wisdom puts certain things together.
05:55 So when you go for weddings, you'll be told what God has put together.
05:58 Let no man put asunder.
06:00 The reverse is also true.
06:02 What God has put asunder, let no man put together.
06:06 The good Lord in his wisdom puts the mouth and the anus mouth apart.
06:11 And the mouth and the genitals mouth apart.
06:14 But if we choose to bring them together through whatever orientation,
06:18 then we should be ready for the consequences.
06:20 President of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr. Frank Seribo,
06:24 said the rising cases of cancer must be treated as an epidemic as a cause for adequate funding to fight the challenge.
06:33 There are still a lot more people who are dying from cancers or who are getting cancers,
06:38 who are not being captured within the formal system.
06:42 And so the numbers are more than that.
06:44 And this is a disease that when you get your chance of survival is even very low.
06:51 And so there is no question about the fact that we are having an epidemic.
06:57 And clearly we need to do something about it.
07:00 Professor Kalistego wants the National Health Insurance Scheme to dedicate more funds to fight the disease.
07:07 We are not paying realistic premiums.
07:10 And therefore the health insurance is not paying realistic tariffs.
07:15 Deputy Chief Director of the NHIS, Dr. Yaa Pokwa-Beydin, says the service has already taken a number of cancer treatments on board.
07:26 We have a generous benefit package which we take care of 95 percent of all disease states.
07:31 And so we are doing a lot.
07:33 And for those who want extra services which are not included in our package,
07:39 we would have to enroll onto the 14 private health insurance schemes that we have in the country.
07:46 And so since this is a policy issue, we would have to handle it at the ministerial level.
07:51 If there are supposed to be any changes in any packages that we bring on board,
07:56 then I think it will be welcomed if we are able to sit down and decide on what is best for our clients.
08:06 Some cancer survivors have underscored the need of the public to support patients battling the disease.
08:13 I think the greatest source of strength for me is the support that I received.
08:17 Unfortunately, my environment in Ghana, because of stigma, because of lack of financial resources, because of lack of facilities,
08:28 people don't feel supported, people are not supported.
08:32 And it unfortunately pushes people out of the medical system, which is the best place to be when you're diagnosed with not just breast, any form of cancer.
08:40 So I would say that the support that I received was the key to my survival.
08:46 All stakeholders have agreed that the early detection of all forms of cancer would help in the reduction of the cases.
08:56 And so we are all urged to improve our mobility, exercising and stay away from tobacco use and tobacco related activities.
09:05 From the Mervyn Peak Hotel here in Accra, my name is James Kwesi Aweji reporting for Joy News.
09:13 Cases rising, quite worrying.
09:18 Let's go on Zoom now and speak to the Executive Secretary of the Breast Society of Ghana,
09:23 Georgina Kouma-Djaga, who is a breast cancer survivor as well.
09:27 Thank you so much for joining us here on Joy Newsroom.
09:30 Now, we understand 40,000 fresh cases a year may not even be a true reflection of the picture because there may be cases out there which are not captured.
09:41 Isn't this worrying?
09:42 Good afternoon to you viewers.
09:48 It is worrying, very, very worrying, if you ask me.
09:52 And as somebody who has gone through it and working within the facility where cases are being diagnosed every day, I think it's worrying, very, very worrying.
10:03 Now, we see new cases on the rise, but there are also concerns.
10:09 If you listen to the report, the breakdown of the data, 400 cases, new cases for childhood cancer being recorded annually.
10:18 Is this something we're doing wrong?
10:20 Is it something what we're eating?
10:22 What's the problem?
10:23 What do you think are the trigger factors?
10:25 So, I would say that I think we are creating awareness, all right.
10:33 And especially with the breast cancer, the concentration has been on early detection.
10:40 But I would like us to emphasize more on the prevention.
10:44 If we can emphasize on those aspects that we can prevent, then the actual diseases records will come down.
10:56 Because as it stands now, our facilities are overburdened already.
11:00 We don't have enough resources to be able to manage the cases effectively as we should in terms of infrastructure and the human resource.
11:10 And so, yeah, we might be able to get them early, but if we are, I mean, the cases early, through early detection.
11:18 But if we are not able to manage them, the person cannot afford in terms of price to, I mean, in terms of financial support and then accessibility.
11:29 Somebody coming all the way from the Volta region to come to Accra just for mammogram.
11:35 I mean, it's not that easy.
11:37 It's challenging.
11:38 So, there are lots of things that we can do beyond what we are doing now.
11:42 And it's the call for all of us to come on board, not just for breast cancer, as you've mentioned, for the childhood cancers as well.
11:50 Parents should be more concerned about what goes into their children's tumour.
11:56 I think as it is now, everybody want their child to go to the best school out there.
12:01 But do we consider the food they are eating?
12:04 Is it that when you are rich, then it means your child should eat, I mean, all the foods that are on the shelves on the supermarkets?
12:12 No.
12:13 There are certain things that I think we should look into and avoid.
12:18 Now, you are a survivor.
12:19 I'm sure you have your story to tell.
12:23 When you first heard about your case, what were the thoughts that ran through your mind?
12:28 And how easy was it for you to access the health care you needed?
12:33 Naturally, no one is prepared for a cancer diagnosis.
12:40 And though my symptoms were directing me to believe that it could be breast cancer, when I was eventually diagnosed, I was very disturbed.
12:50 Because at that time, it seemed more like it was like a death sentence.
12:53 I was going to die.
12:54 Because, I mean, asking around, all I could hear of was people who had had it and had died.
13:01 People who even had money.
13:03 So it meant that even with money, you would still die.
13:06 It was just incurable.
13:08 So it was, I mean, very traumatizing for me.
13:11 But what actually helped me was when I started soliciting for information from the right people.
13:18 The pathologists, the oncologists, the oncology nurses, as to how my prognosis went like.
13:25 Because I came to understand that we had different stages of cancer and different types of cancer.
13:31 The stage and the type would determine the person's prognosis.
13:36 That is their survival chance.
13:39 And so knowing that I had a good chance to survive, I think that gave me a better outlook.
13:45 And then also helped me to put in all my all to be able to overcome the challenges that came during my journey to survival.
13:54 I must say I had chemotherapy.
13:56 I have lost my breast.
13:58 One breast.
13:59 I'm living with one breast now.
14:01 I had radiation.
14:04 And I'm now on hormonal therapy.
14:07 There's a daily pill I have to take for five years.
14:09 I was thinking it was just going to end there.
14:12 But recently my oncologist told me I may have to do ten years.
14:15 That is, if I'm done with the five years, I would have to do another five years.
14:19 So it hasn't been easy.
14:21 But even if you are out of the active treatment, as I am here, I'm in remission.
14:27 There's no evidence of cancer in my body right now.
14:30 But the constant fear that the cancer could come is there.
14:34 Because, number one, nobody was able to identify what actually caused the initial breast cancer.
14:41 So it means that I still stand that risk.
14:44 And we also need to understand that some of the treatment that we had also put it at risk to other kinds of cancers in the future.
14:52 And so there's a pressure on people like me every day as to the drastic changes in my lifestyle.
14:59 Could it be what I ate or what I'm eating?
15:02 You are confused.
15:04 And if you want to be listening to everybody, it gets to a time you might even want not to eat at all.
15:10 You just want to live on water.
15:11 Because if you are eating, you say, "Hey, maybe this is what caused the cancer."
15:15 You want to smell this, you say, "Hey, are you sure there's no cancer agent in what you are eating?"
15:20 It makes life very difficult.
15:22 I'm out of treatment.
15:23 I try to put cancer behind me.
15:25 But every day that I wake up and I'm dressing up, I know life is not the same.
15:31 Because I've lost a breast, I put on my bra, and I'm now looking for something to put in there.
15:36 It is not that easy.
15:38 But I can imagine for you, before we wrap up briefly, you run an organization that is helping cancer patients.
15:47 I'm sure finances is a big deal because we know that childhood cancer is on the National Health Insurance Scheme now.
15:53 But then when it comes to adult cancer, it's still yet to be rolled on on that scheme.
15:58 So I'm sure finances comes into play when it comes to treatment.
16:03 So your organization, how are you helping bridge this gap?
16:11 One organization cannot help everybody.
16:15 And because we also depend on the benevolence of other organizations and individuals.
16:21 And when we have funds, that is when we are also able to support.
16:26 And I want to emphasize that cancer treatment is expensive, but it depends on the stage.
16:34 If you are able to get it detected in time, you wouldn't have to spend that much.
16:39 Because it's not like once you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you have to undergo all the treatment I mentioned I went through.
16:46 You may not have to even have the whole breast removed.
16:49 You may not have to even do chemotherapy.
16:51 You may not have to do radiotherapy.
16:53 So yes, insurance covers part of our costs, like the treatment costs, but not everything.
17:01 So ideally, the emphasis still remains on the early detection.
17:05 Once you detect it early, how much you'd have to spend to survive will come down.
17:11 But the longer you wait or out of fear, roaming around, prayer comes, herbalist, and you come back, the more you'd have to pay.
17:19 Well, Georgina Kumajaga is Executive Secretary of the Breast Society of Ghana, and she's a cancer survivor.
17:25 She'll be sharing her thoughts with us on some of the measures we can put in place to help cancer patients survive the ordeal.
17:32 Well, in subsequent bullets, we'll be looking at the medical implications, what you can do to actually prevent it.
17:38 But meanwhile, early detection is key, so do get tested.
17:42 Now, let's move on.
17:43 Government says it has learned lessons from the previous challenges of affordable housing schemes, and it is determined to get things right this time.
17:53 Well, according to them, they want to ensure that the affordable housing scheme in the country gets better.
17:59 President Akufo-Addo will on Tuesday launch a revised national affordable housing program and the construction of 8,000 affordable housing units at Pokwa Se in the greater Accra region.
18:11 Speaking at the 2023 Green Building Conference in Accra, Minister for Works and Housing Francis Asensu-Pache revealed government is insisting a good part of the materials used for the construction of this facility will be locally fetched.
18:28 There's more in this report.
18:30 This program is quite different from the previous ones because we've taken the trouble to study all the setbacks that were associated with previous affordable housing programs and make sure that all the challenges have been addressed.
18:48 First of all, this one is a public-private partnership where government is supporting the program with free unencumbered land and infrastructure.
19:03 The idea is that this is a government subsidy and it will reduce the construction costs of housing and will certainly affect the price of housing as well.
19:16 It will reduce by about 40%.
19:20 And the private sector, having been provided the land and infrastructure, will only come in and build the housing units and sell them.
19:28 This is the first time this kind of approach is going to be used and this is the first time we are insisting that a good part of the materials that are being used are environmentally sustainable, friendly materials like the burn bricks.
19:42 The idea is also that it will help create demand for these burn bricks and will contribute to developing the industry.
19:54 The overall objective is to bring down the cost of these burn bricks so that it will be affordable for many Ghanaians.
20:03 This program is also the first program where serious feasibility studies were conducted to establish the viability of the project before the Ministry of Finance committed funds to it.
20:19 So there are a whole lot of advantages over the previous housing programs and I will encourage you and your listeners, your viewers, to monitor the program and participate in the sale.
20:39 It's for Ghanaians and everybody has access to it, especially anybody who is working and can demonstrate a dedicated source of income is qualified to access this housing.
20:52 Our Director of the Green Building Conference, Professor Emmanuel Kwamnawabafo-Ege says that by strategically designing living spaces and incorporating features like skylights and larger window homeowners into the affordable housing program will impact positively on both the environment and the well-being of the people.
21:14 Most of the affordable housing that will be coming up in recent times now, green aspect of it will be there.
21:22 And this will mean that the design itself should be able to have certain window size, more than 50% of the wall ratio should accommodate that greenness in it where you have the natural ventilation coming in.
21:39 He has also stated that 30% of the local materials, especially used for walling units, should be bricks.
21:47 So they are focusing on the bricks, the interlocking bricks, the bent bricks in that direction.
21:52 And that is what this research is trying to seek to do.
21:56 So that policy makers should be seen moving the direction of greening the environment.
22:02 And it will go a long way to save our environment and also to reduce the cost of energy consumption that we indicated.
22:11 He has also indicated that one thing that we are lacking as a nation as compared to South Africa, they have the national home border registry authority where they are able to give license to people who want to build.
22:30 And that we don't have. I think now they want to also create the national housing authority which will be looking into that aspect for Ghana.
22:38 And that is the way to go. If we have an authority that is mandated to regulate the operation of the built environment, we will not be seeing buildings in our designs in an opposite nature and having problems at the end of the day.
22:53 Well, thankfully we're joined in the studio by Professor Emmanuel Banfoye-Jay.
23:00 Thank you so much for joining us here on Nishroom.
23:03 First of all, for the average Ghanaian, all I want to do is build a property, moving and I don't have to deal with my landlord anymore.
23:11 Now you're telling me about green building. What is that?
23:14 Very well, thank you very much. And I'm most grateful for this opportunity.
23:19 Basically for the layman is that you want to have a burden that you want to focus less on artificial lighting and artificial ventilation.
23:30 In other words, you don't want to use too many air conditioners in your room or even fan in your room.
23:36 You want to appreciate nature by allowing natural free flow of air into your room.
23:43 That is what green building into a layman's implement.
23:46 So we are looking at the material, we are looking at the energy consumption, we are looking at the water usage of the building.
23:53 So I cry, you know, anytime it rains, just about two hours, we always cry about flooding.
24:00 If we are able to harvest those strings that are falling, definitely we harvest them into our homes.
24:07 We have polytank, we harvest them. Any time that we want to use it, we make good use of them.
24:12 Then if we are also able to recycle some of our waste water from the sink and treat it to use it as a flashing unit or even, you know, as a garden, planting or watering our garden, that also qualifies for a green building.
24:29 So there are three components that we look at. The energy consumption, the material and the water use of the building.
24:36 That forms what we call the green building. That is your house is complete.
24:42 Then in addition, now what we have to do is using the use of sunlight where we have solar panel so that this solar panel can generate electricity for us.
24:52 So when they do generate electricity for us, we will not want to spend so much in our national grid where we'll be, you know, now it's expensive.
25:03 So with the sun is free. But what you just need to do is to have the solar panel that can give you light during the day and even during the night.
25:12 So these are the things that we look at when it comes to green buildings.
25:15 Let's talk about the practicality of this idea you hold in Ghana, statistically speaking. How many buildings are even green buildings?
25:24 We have 23. 23 buildings in Ghana that are certified by HEDGE. Two of them are with the hostility industry.
25:35 11 are offices, six are homes. Only one is hospital, that is the infectious center in Accra.
25:43 So is this for greater Accra region or across the country?
25:46 It's across the country. One is in Tamale, no two rather is in Tamale, and one is in Takrade. Then the rest are in Accra and Tama.
25:59 Wow. It means we have a long way to go.
26:01 We have a long way to go. Even with this one, the public buildings apart from the infectious center, the public buildings, the ministries, what have you, even our Jubilee House is not a green building certified.
26:13 Interesting. Now government is now looking at incorporating this idea of green building. What are your thoughts about the implementation plan?
26:20 It's an exciting issue. I think we are fortunate we met with a minister before our conference and a date to the day that they were going to cabinet, according to him, that was a discussion on the table.
26:33 Based on this information, the entire members and cabinets, including president, they have agreed that any national building that they are having in place, they need to factor the greenness into it.
26:48 It calls into place our designers who are the architects. So there's a need that the architects need to carry out some education and make sure that the clients welcome this idea.
26:59 We need to have wider openings. The use of these sliding doors or sliding windows where it accommodates only 50% of natural air should be things of the past.
27:12 We should be looking at how we can get 100% of air into our homes. And when it is joined the day, I don't need to see lightening during the day, artificial lightening in my room. I need to appreciate the natural lightening because of the design that we have put in place.
27:31 That is one. Because we went to one of the affordable houses in Adenta even before the conference and we asked them the question, why is it that local materials are not used such as bricks or what have you?
27:43 Do you believe something? Some visitors who are also researchers came down. We bought coconuts for them. They were amazed. That was the first time of drinking from coconut water.
27:54 They were amazed that even at that scorching heat, that sun that they observed, yet the water in the coconut was cool. Why? Because of the material that was used within the coconut.
28:06 So why can't we learn from nature and use those materials, fibers, mixtures in our own buildings so that whilst you are within, always it becomes cool.
28:15 We laugh at our mothers in the village that we go there, they give us water in the clay pot. The clay pot is always cold. Is that not it?
28:22 It is.
28:23 So we don't need material. We don't need refrigerator to consume energy. These are things that we can do and bring into the urbanization center so that at least we can reduce the cost of consumption.
28:37 The issue is that people are afraid that the initial cost is expensive. Yes, it is expensive, but you have to look at the long-term impact.
28:43 The long-term impact is that it will be cheaper when you are running the maintenance cost of your building. You are not just looking at the beauty, but the maintenance cost. How do you run it to a successful end?
28:53 Two, you look at your health-wise, because it is going to reduce CO2 emissions. That is what affects now we have the news about cancer.
29:01 This cancer thing is about CO2 emissions. Most of the time, it happens that way. So if we are looking at the cost, let us look at the longer implication.
29:12 That will not affect our health issue. That is the way to go.
29:16 And interestingly, when you travel to the Western countries, they are focusing on green burden.
29:22 Even here in Africa, just two weeks ago I was in Namibia, and the entire university car park was solar-paneled.
29:29 So while you park your car over there, the entire place is solar-paneled.
29:33 I was at Noguchi University of Ghana just yesterday. The car park, there is no solar-panel, and we are just wasting the sun rays.
29:41 Meanwhile, elsewhere, the country, they are harvesting the sun rays into energy use, and that is where we need to move on.
29:48 Indeed, we have a long way to go. As a wrap-up, if I decide to go the green way, how much should I budget for probably a three-bedroom apartment or two-bedroom apartment?
29:59 For a three-bedroom apartment, it would be, depending on the design and depending on the location, I will not be able to give you the exact cost.
30:08 But it would be, in the long term, it would be economical. It would not be cheaper. Cheap is different from economical.
30:14 It would be economical to use a green burden material, green burden energy resources, water use.
30:23 It would be cheaper for you to build the ordinary way of building, because that would be expensive for you.
30:28 Because look at how the cost of energy, look at when you have a condition, how your cost increases.
30:36 So we are looking at the long term impact.
30:38 The long term is economical, so it is the best way to go.
30:40 So, just a rough figure, if I am deciding to go the green way.
30:44 For example, let's say if you want a solar panel, which I am using a solar panel in my home.
30:48 If you are using a solar panel, that can take your TV, that can take your lightning system, it will take your fridge.
30:55 It has two separate, let's say about three bedroom area, you spend about, depending on the person that is doing that,
31:04 there is about 10,000 Ghana cities. You should be able to have a solar panel installed in your room.
31:09 These days, I am not afraid of doomsaw. I would pray for doomsaw, because I can see the benefit of my solar panel.
31:15 So, when you have the solar panel, there is no way you will be afraid of doomsaw.
31:19 You see, the national burdens should be seen using this.
31:25 At our universities, formerly the universities were disconnected because of high cost of electricity bill.
31:32 If they had solar panel, this issue wouldn't come around.
31:35 So, it should be a policy, government, institution, the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Work,
31:40 Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology should come together and see it as a national drive.
31:45 That all universities, all public institutions like the hospitals should have solar panel that can provide energy within that room.
31:53 Indeed, we will look at that moving forward. Thank you so much for joining us here on Joe Newsroom.
31:58 We are taking a quick breather. When we come back, we have more. Just stay with us.
32:13 Thanks for staying with us. Now, former President John Romani Mahama is urging graduates of the academic City University to be resilient
32:21 and make a positive impact on the country as they step out into the corporate world.
32:27 Addressing the 2023 year group, the former president emphasized that although the Russian-Ukraine war coupled with the domestic debt exchange
32:35 has taken a toll on many families and students, as students they must use their knowledge to acquire a difference in their life and make a difference as well.
32:45 To historic heights, the coral reefs are dying, our seas are polluted, the polar ice is melting.
32:56 Here in Africa, we are suffering either droughts or incessant flooding. The Sahara Desert is drifting southwards and threatening our countries with ever drier climates.
33:09 Ukraine and Russia are at war. Sudan is in a civil war. Just yesterday, there was a coup d'etat in Niger.
33:18 There are many conflicts all over Africa. Terrorists have taken over the Sahel and are threatening to push down to the Atlantic coast.
33:29 There are no ready jobs to absorb you. It may take years for some of you to find decent employment.
33:37 There are cases of students who, after five years of completing university, still remain unemployed.
33:44 Unemployment in Ghana today is at its highest in our history, estimated at about 13% of the population.
33:52 Our economy is in crisis. Several jobs have been lost by the closure of indigenous banks and the banking sector clean-out.
34:01 Debt exchange oppression has led to massive haircuts that is eroding the capital of Ghanaian entrepreneurs,
34:09 the income of middle-class families, and even the savings of poor pensioners.
34:15 Our democracy is at risk, with confidence and trust in our democracy and leadership at its lowest ebb.
34:25 But my students, my graduates, it is not all doom and gloom for you.
34:36 Former President John Romani Muhammad has also eulogized the late Ga Mange Na Dede Omedru III,
34:43 describing her as a symbol of peace and unity during a visit to the Ga Mange Palace to sign the Book of Condolence.
34:50 John Muhammad charged the Ga state to celebrate the legacies of the late Queen Mother.
34:56 The Queen Mother of the Ga state, Na Dede Omedru III, passed away in February this year after nearly six decades of reign.
35:05 Na Dede Omedru III, known in private life as Na Dede Abla, was installed Ga Mange in 1963, aged 29 years.
35:15 Addressing the Ga Mange, King Teku Chu II, former President John Romani Muhammad said
35:22 the nation must emulate the late Queen Mother's virtues.
35:26 I did not interact with her personally, but from the stories I've heard about her,
35:53 she is a person who was very well respected, a unifier, she brought people together.
35:59 And for such a person, we don't mourn her passing, we celebrate her life.
36:05 And so I believe that this funeral is a celebration of the life that she lived,
36:10 and to make sure that her legacy stays beyond her and that we all learn from what she has been.
36:17 Ghana today needs attributes of a person like her, because our nation is a nation that is very divided,
36:23 and we need unity to bring all of us together to work towards the same objective of making our country a better place.
36:31 And so we're here to extend our condolences to the Ga state, and to sympathize with you
36:40 and solidarize upon the passing of the Queen Mother, and to hope that others who follow in her footsteps
36:48 will continue the good work that she was doing.
36:51 And so thank you very much for the warm welcome.
36:53 I'm happy to be here, I've been to this palace for a very long time,
36:57 and I'm happy that today we can come here and pay our respects to the Ga state.
37:02 Thank you very much.
37:08 On his path, Gam Manche, King Teku II, called on the former president Naum Flag-Bearer of the NDC
37:15 not to neglect the Ga state should he win next year's election.
37:19 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
37:24 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
37:28 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
37:31 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
37:49 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
37:52 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
38:06 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
38:09 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
38:12 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
38:21 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
38:36 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
38:39 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
38:47 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
38:57 [Gam Manche, King Teku II, speaking in Ghanaian]
39:00 Well, let's move on to educational stories now.
39:09 Pupils of Kodjeto MA Basic School study under inappropriate structures due to lack of classroom blocks.
39:17 Some pupils of Fudome Kodjeto Basic School in the Hohoi municipality of the Voto region
39:24 are having to bear the brunt of studying under these inappropriate structures.
39:28 They're exposed to harsh weather conditions and sent home any time it rains to avoid drenching themselves and their learning materials.
39:36 School authorities say the lack of classroom blocks is seriously affecting academic activities.
39:41 There's more in this report by Fred Kwame Asare.
39:44 The Fudome Kodjeto MA Basic School was established some five decades ago to serve as an educational center for the community.
39:53 The school, which operates from kindergarten to junior high school, has a student population of 110 and 17 teachers.
40:01 It has suffered an infrastructure deficit since its establishment.
40:05 The school currently operates in two three-unit pavilions and a three-unit classroom block.
40:11 The headmistress of the school, Doe Leticia, said academic activities are impeded by the operation of a cluster system due to the lack of classrooms.
40:20 What we are supposed to teach the individual grades is not being done because there is no infrastructure for that aspect.
40:32 It is affecting the improvement of the learnings because if they are in their class, the teacher will solely handle them as it is.
40:40 But because they are being clustered, they are teaching them holistically, which is affecting their performance when they move to the next level.
40:50 She lamented how teachers improvised in the absence of teaching and learning materials.
40:55 Sometimes the teachers improvised. They improvised some of the materials to teach the kids for them for a better understanding.
41:03 Because without TLM, there is nothing. Even if you talk, you are learning, the kids will not understand.
41:09 But as far as there is TLM, they will be able to capture what you are teaching them.
41:15 To contribute to improve academic performance in their school, a non-governmental organization, Pencils of Promise, with support from Fidelity Bank,
41:24 cut short for the construction of a three-unit classroom block.
41:27 Funds would also be channeled toward the upgrading of this pavilion into a befitting classroom block.
41:33 The country director of Pencils of Promise, Freeman Guba, shed light on the initiative.
41:39 This community currently has only two-unit classrooms for the KG.
41:43 And if by the close of this project, they would have eight-unit classrooms, we think that is going to enhance the quality of education for the community.
41:55 It's going to provide access to these children.
41:58 Fidelity Bank, as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations last year, committed to supporting 15 schools in deprived communities with education, infrastructure, and learning supports.
42:13 And Fodomeko Jethro happens to be one of the 15 schools that we selected as part of our Orange Impact Initiative.
42:20 Management of the school and community elders appreciated the gesture and assured of their support to the early completion of the project.
42:28 But today that we are having this new building that Pencils of Promise, in affiliation with Fidelity, is putting up for us,
42:39 we are going to separate the classes into their individual grades.
42:43 And secondly, when it rains, we will not be scared of our materials and other items that we use in the classrooms.
42:50 It will help us stay in the class, and even when the rain comes, we'll be able to take our classes as expected of us,
42:57 which will improve the activity or the learning process of the pupils. Thank you.
43:03 Fred Kwame Asare, Joy News, Fodomeko Jethro.
43:10 The University of Cape Coast and the British Council have partnered to showcase different ways in which industry can collaborate with the academia
43:19 to improve the lots of both academia and industry.
43:22 Programs Manager for the Higher Education at the British Council, Richard Kwisi-Sanjo, says such collaborations are important to train the hearts and minds of students.
43:32 He was speaking at a two-day academia, industry research and innovation fair at the University of Cape Coast.
43:40 The British Council says it's working closely with institutions to enrich the manpower needs of the country by helping to equip such individuals with soft skills.
43:51 Their going global partnership initiative, they say, is to support academia in terms of entrepreneurship programs.
43:58 Richard Kwisi-Sanjo is the Programs Manager for Higher Education at the British Council.
44:03 We are doing this not only here, University of Ghana, Uhouse, KNUST, so even tomorrow we'll be having a program and even on Friday too at the University of Ghana
44:14 concerning the same entrepreneurship hub. That is the way to go now because we just want to make sure that even though universities teach programs,
44:24 we want the program to be tailored to the job specific, industry specific.
44:29 So what does the industry want from academia? That is why it is always good for us to have this discussion.
44:36 Where the industry plays, you also tell the academia that these are the skill sets that we want.
44:41 Because after the academia, they can come for the technical skills, but the soft skills is also very important.
44:47 So at the British Council, we always make sure that we employ the industry to make sure that they tell the academia what kind of soft skills do they want
44:58 because if they churn out the graduates, at least they should be able to be well placed.
45:02 Because as we speak now, national service, I mean those that are going to the national service,
45:07 there are a lot of mismatch, if I may put, in terms of the job opportunities, especially when it comes to STEM.
45:13 That is science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which is one of our focus as well.
45:18 Director of the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy at the University of Cape Coast, Professor David Teidoku says
45:26 the FAIR is to identify challenges and look for solutions to advance the cause of humanity.
45:31 We are having what we call the Needs Assessment Forum.
45:35 The Needs Assessment Forum is a platform created for experienced industry players to come and tell us what are emerging issues in the industry,
45:46 what are the issues that are confronting them and how can academia tailor their work, their research, their innovation, their inventions to address those industrial problems, those problems in the industry.
46:02 So we have five colleges in the University of Cape Coast.
46:05 We have grouped these key industry players into these five colleges that we have.
46:12 So they are meeting with them, they are discussing the challenges that they have in the industry, the problems that are there,
46:18 and discussing how these colleges can tailor their work, their research, their innovation, their inventions.
46:26 The University of Cape Coast already has a Design, Thinking and Innovation Hub, which has been designed to train and equip students with entrepreneurship skills.
46:34 Head of the Design, Thinking and Innovation Hub at the University of Cape Coast, Dr. Karen Nanabatha says the University intends to train out graduates who already know what to do on the job market after their national service.
46:47 We are highlighting how research could be made more beneficial and relevant for industry stakeholders.
46:56 And we are also looking at how industry can work with academia to shape students that come from the University of Cape Coast by preparing them for the world of work.
47:08 We are also trying to highlight to industry that we have a lot of resources that are available, but for us, we want to really have a win-win approach to academia-industry collaborations with them.
47:24 The British Council says it is collaborating with other tertiary institutions across the country to help instill in them some soft skills for the world of work.
47:34 Reporting for JOY News, Richard Kwejo Nyakon.
47:38 Well, still at the University of Cape Coast, the Governing Council of the University has renewed the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Johnson Nyakon Buampa, to serve another term.
47:52 They've released a statement. The statement will be rolling on your screen shortly. Congratulations to the team.
47:58 And it reads, "Renewal of appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast."
48:05 The first paragraph says, "It is announced for the information of the University of Cape Coast community and the general public that the Governing Council of the University of Cape Coast,
48:17 at a special meeting held on Friday 28th of July 2023, renewed the appointment of Professor Johnson Nyakon Buampa as Vice-Chancellor of the University for a second term of two years, with effect 1st and 6 effects on the 1st of August 2024.
48:35 The current appointment," the statement says, "of the Vice-Chancellor expires on the 31st of July and is signed by the Registrar and Secretary to the Council."
48:47 [no audio]
48:58 You're watching Join Newsroom with me Faustina Saffa. We're taking a quick breather. We'll be back with Business Tuesday.
49:04 [music]
49:16 The Aviation and Air Transport Ministers have converted dialogue on air safety in Accra and Africa.
49:23 The Banjula Accord Group is beginning a three-day convention in Accra to dialogue on concerns of air safety along the West African route.
49:32 This is part of the recommendation by the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, to ensure that member countries have a uniform safety standard to ensure the safety of air and improve transportation globally.
49:49 There's more in this report.
49:51 The meeting is expected to aid in improving air safety and the working condition of aviation safety staff.
49:58 Apart from air safety, the association is also considering selecting one of the countries to host the Secretariat and manage its affairs.
50:07 Deputy Director General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Engineer Daniel Akwa, has been speaking to journalists about the relevance of the group meeting in Accra.
50:17 A good aspect of it is we want to promote the no country left behind concept by ICAO.
50:25 That is, if one country is strong, you pull others along.
50:29 Sometimes you can even loan out your technical team to another country within the group.
50:36 So we have such agreements.
50:39 We organize training for all these members of all these countries to come together.
50:45 One country organizes and hosts, others will join.
50:48 So it's a very good group to have.
50:54 And then also we have a pool, we can put inspectors in a pool of inspectors, which also exists.
51:07 If Sierra Leone needs technical assistance in any area, they just apply to the group.
51:18 And then we look at who is available within the group to offer that kind of assistance.
51:26 Director General of the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority and head of the group, Fansubo Yan, believes air safety on the continent has seen some improvements as compared to many years ago.
51:39 You will recall in the last few years, the region was hit with a lot of accidents in the civil aviation industry.
51:47 But since the full establishment of these two agencies, this has improved greatly.
51:52 In fact, our regional average surpasses the required minimum set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
52:01 Recently, our sister state, Sierra Leone, who was at the time probably the worst in terms of compliance to the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization,
52:12 just completed a safety oversight audit program carried out by the International Civil Aviation Organization on the country.
52:22 And they have jumped from 16 percent to now 74 percent compliance, which is a major boost for us.
52:31 And as a result, our regional average as a group has now surpassed that minimum benchmark set by ACAO.
52:39 The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is hosting this meeting as a key member of the association.
52:45 While economists at the University of Ghana Business School, Dr. Patrick Esumeng is asking government to focus on the extractive sector in its mid-year budget review.
52:59 According to him, government should explore diverse ways of streamlining the activities of the sector to rake in more revenue domestically.
53:07 He spoke to Joe Bissis.
53:09 We've seen one of the new taxes that were introduced have something on that.
53:15 But I mean, we are definitely not getting enough revenue from the extraction.
53:20 But ultimately, we shouldn't only look in terms of the revenue side.
53:24 We should look at how we use the extractives to build, connect the extractive to other sectors of the economy,
53:31 see how we can do more processing of some of our minerals and gain more value from the extraction.
53:38 And not just focus on raising more revenue from the extractive sector.
53:43 You sense that we needed both because, I mean, the current debts that we have that we cannot pay is just not sustainable.
53:50 We have to do something.
53:51 But it's also important that we just don't restructure and refuse to address the underlying problem.
53:57 There are clear issues with the way we manage our cocoa sector.
54:00 It's a very important sector for the economy.
54:02 But unfortunately, some of the things that have happened, after several years of doing the cocoa syndicated loan,
54:09 we should have been in a better position than now.
54:11 So, yes, the cocoa bills, the debt exchange we are doing around that will give us some temporary relief.
54:18 But if we don't plug the hole, if we don't improve the way we are managing the cocoa sector, then we end up back here again.
54:26 So I think it's important that we do both.
54:29 And that's how we wrap up the bulletin here on Joy Newsroom.
54:32 For more news, please log on to myjoyonline.com.
54:35 I am Fosin Atsak.
54:36 Have a pleasant day as you enjoy the rest of our programs.
54:39 1
54:40 1
54:41 1
54:42 1
54:43 [MUSIC PLAYING]