YOUTH URGED TO ADVOCATE FOR DECENT WORK

The youth have been called on to advocate for Decent Work as it is the surest way of eradicating poverty in the country. There is a decent work deficit-challenge, gaps and exclusions that working people face in the world of work and this deficit negates government effort of eradicating poverty and achieving the overall Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This call was made by Mr. Joseph Osei Owusu in Accra during the Youth Policy Dialogue to mark the International Youth Day. He said hundreds of thousands of workers lose their jobs merely for attempting to organize trade unions or to carry out trade union activates at their workplace, adding that 80% of these are the youth. Mr. Owusu lamented that some 200 million children aged 5-14 go to work instead of school and about 12.3 million people are trapped with force labours with more than 2.2 million people dying from work related disease and accident. According to him, there is lack of decent work and this affects young people particularly. Mr. Owusu noted that Decent work is a key element to build fair, equitable and exclusive societies being based around the principles of employment creation, workers right equality between men and women, socially protected and socially dialogued, adding that decent work is a strategy to achieve sustainable development that is centered on people. He has therefore appealed to all Civil Service Organisations (CSO) to vigorously advocate for decent work targeting young people, decision makers, employers and the government and the campaign must use different tools and strategies adapted to different audience.

YOUTH URGED TO ADVOCATE FOR DECENT WORK

The youth have been called on to advocate for Decent Work as it is the surest way of eradicating poverty in the country. There is a decent work deficit-challenge, gaps and exclusions that working people face in the world of work and this deficit negates government effort of eradicating poverty and achieving the overall Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This call was made by Mr. Joseph Osei Owusu in Accra during the Youth Policy Dialogue to mark the International Youth Day. He said hundreds of thousands of workers lose their jobs merely for attempting to organize trade unions or to carry out trade union activates at their workplace, adding that 80% of these are the youth. Mr. Owusu lamented that some 200 million children aged 5-14 go to work instead of school and about 12.3 million people are trapped with force labours with more than 2.2 million people dying from work related disease and accident. According to him, there is lack of decent work and this affects young people particularly. Mr. Owusu noted that Decent work is a key element to build fair, equitable and exclusive societies being based around the principles of employment creation, workers right equality between men and women, socially protected and socially dialogued, adding that decent work is a strategy to achieve sustainable development that is centered on people. He has therefore appealed to all Civil Service Organisations (CSO) to vigorously advocate for decent work targeting young people, decision makers, employers and the government and the campaign must use different tools and strategies adapted to different audience.

A NEUROLOGIST CAUTIONS WOMEN AGAINST HIGH HEEL SHOES

A neurologist, Dr. Richard Nyarko of the Centre for Neurology Science and Surgeon has cautioned women who are fond of using or wearing high-heel shoes to desist form the habit as it has a high risk of damaging their spine. He gave this caution during an exclusive interview at Nungua. According to him, high –heel shoes, in-take of excessive alcohol, carbohydrate and oily foods, and unbalanced meals have a tendency of affecting our spines. He said bad sleeping postures, inadequate rest as well as stress are all causative agents of spinal destruction, thus reducing an individual’s lifespan. Dr. Nyarko hinted that, one of the most worrying health problems these days is spinal problem which he attributed to lack of proper care for the spine. He has therefore called for a regular check up of our spines to avoid decay.

GPA URGES GHANAIANS TO DEVELOP GOOD READING HABBIT

The Ghana Publishers Association has made a passionate appeal to all Ghanaians to take advantage of the forthcoming Book Fair and improve the reading culture of the country. This appeal was made by the Executive Secretary of the association, Mr. Fauna Atta Frimpong in an exclusive interview with Regina Asamoah in Accra. He said, the association in its bid to help Ghanaians improve their reading culture, has changed the book fair which was held every two years to an annual event. Mr. Frimpong noted that this year’s book fair which comes off in November is targeted at the Children since they are the future leaders and hence their reading habit must be improved. This year’s fair is on the theme ‘Child Literacy, the Foundation for Future Development. A reading nation is a winning nation’ and expected to yield the highest record of attendance. Mr. Frimpong has therefore urged all Ghanaians to make reading part of their daily activities since knowledge acquisition is through reading.

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS AND DECISION MAKING ON THE DECREASE

In recent years, Ghana has been ranked as one of the best countries which is working towards implementing and consolidating democracy. However, the reality is that, there are low levels of women’s participation both in policy-making and government representation. Presently, women account for only nineteen (19) out of two hundred and thirty (230) positions in parliament, representing 8 .3% and only 6.5% of District Chief Executives within local government structures and as few as eleven (11) out of one hundred and seventy (170) metropolitan/municipal District Chief Executives. This low numbers limit women’s contribution to development, poverty reduction and to the achievement of gender equality. In view of this, the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF Ghana) in partnership with Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Center, the Hunger Project, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Ghana) has launched a project dubbed “Good Governance through Increase Women’s Participation in Ghana’s Political Processes (We Know Politics II)”. The project which is expected to last for three years is targeted at twenty-four districts in ten regions. The aim of the project is to create an enabling environment where women are able to effectively participate in politics and public life. The beneficiaries of the project include women, people with disability, youth, traditional authorities, female members of parliament and men. The Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Juliana Azumah-Mensah launched the project and encouraged all women to avail and involve themselves in politics in order to address women’s issues at the local and national levels.
Regina Asamoah