CHIEF EXPRESES DISGUST AT INDISCIPLINE IN THE LAND MARKET

claimant of the Tema Stool, Nii Adjetey Kraku III, has noted that the general indiscipline in the land market especially the current spate of land encroachements, multiple sales of residential plots, endless litigation and conflicts has to come to an end. Nii Adjetey Kraku III who is also the Tema Mantse noted that, land is the problem in this part of the country as some use their position to sell or engage in land acitivites which is illegal. He made this known at a press conference.Nii Adjetey Kraku III explained that people's whose large tracts of land were compulsory acquired by government with little compensation today have been left landless, denied their source of livelihood and have become tenants on their own lands giving rise to stuck poverty and disputes between the state , the stool and within the private scetor. Apportioning the blame to some self-styled chiefs who have stooped so low to dispose lands without any proper documentation and records, Nii Adjetey Kraku III also called on the general public especially those who want to buy land around community 22 to be very careful as self-styled land owners may take advantage of them.Touching on chieftancy since the institution and administration of land go together, Nii Adjetey Kraku III , claimed that the Tema Development Corporation (TDC)have discirminated between him , Nii Adjetey Kraku III and Nii Adjei Kraku II, the substantive and the claimant to the title which is contrary to Article 17 of the 1992 constitution which talks about discrimination. He explained that he was enstooled in 19979 and was gazetted by the Ga Traditional Council in the Greater Accra Region. He has therefore challenged Nii Adjei Kraku who is also Tema Mantse to explain how he relates to the seat as he sees no relation between them.

PRESS RELEASE

June 8, 2012 THE WINDOW OF HOPE OFFERED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION TO DISENFRANCHISED IN-SCHOOL FIRST TIME VOTERS TO REGISTER IS COMMENDABLE BUT CONCERNS ABOUT LAST MINUTE COMMUNICATION OF THE ELECTION 2012 AGENDA REMAINS UNRESOLVED The Youth Bridge Foundation is excited by the Electoral Commission’s decision to carry out a mop-up Biometric Voter Registration exercise in 187 centres in eight of the ten regions, the move deserves commendation. We are convinced that this will afford youth groups, particularly those who for various reasons would have otherwise been disenfranchised an avenue to add their names to the poll book of their electoral district. We bring to mind our persistent calls to the EC to develop mechanisms that cater for first-time voters who were unable to take advantage of the exercise due to the rules in various schools regarding their preparation and writing the WASSCE examinations. Even though this process could have been better catered for while the students were still on campus, we still consider the opening useful and believe it can accommodate our strategic group, the first-time voters, who will certainly go through this process with greater excitement. The Foundation considers the current window opportune enough for all willing youth who were unable to take advantage of the earlier process to do so. We shall be a foil for the dissemination efforts of the EC, encourage this group of youth to jump at this to enable them participate fully in the December elections and further caution the youth not to abuse this privilege with double registration as they risk being disqualified to vote. Parents should ensure that those wards, particularly those who were affected because of the WASSCE and other examinations are encouraged to take advantage of the two-day exercise, scheduled for June 9-10, 2012. Appreciative of EC’s commitment to addressing these genuine concerns of possible disenfranchisement which would come at extra cost, we encourage the media and civil society, to as usual use their platforms, do a great job of hyping the mop-up exercise to complement EC’s efforts, given that the notice from the Electoral Commission is rather short. The Foundation, however, remains concerned about the short notice and fragmented nature of communicating the election 2012 calendar to voters. We strongly believe that if affected voters knew well in advance when the mop-up exercise was scheduled and exactly which centreshave been included in the exercise, such voters would have no excuses not to be ready for the exercise. The struggle to get everyone informed about such an important activity within three days or less poses another mobilization challenge.   Finally we call on all well-meaning Ghanaians, media, civil society and development partners to continue to observe the process more closely to ensure that it becomes another further in the country’s democratic process. END Signed SETH OTENG Executive Director Youth Bridge Foundation P.O.Box CT 5543, Accra, Ghana Websites: www.youthbridgefoundation.net / www.aygconference.org Email: info@youthbridgefoundation.net

STIGMATIZATION INTERFERES EFFORTS TO PREVENTING HIV/AIDS

DATE: 1ST FEBRUARY, 2012
For more than two decades, HIV related stigmatization, discrimination and denial have characterized the pandemic and presented a major challenge to the effectiveness of prevention, care and treatment programmes. Much of the societal and individual reaction towards people with HIV/AIDS arises from the perception attached to the virus. Even though most Ghanaians are much knowledgeable about how the disease is acquired but still believes it is an only immoral person who acquires the virus. In an exclusive interview with some of HIV/AIDS infected individuals they noted with concern that the consequences of stigma and discrimination are wide ranging which include being shunned by families, peers and the wider community, poor treatment in health care and education vetting, an erosion of rights, psychological damage and a negative effect on the success of HIV testing and treatment. AIDS stigma and discrimination exist world-wide although they manifest themselves differently across countries, communities, religious groups and individuals. In an interview with Sena news, the head of programmes for HIV/AIDS, Ms. Faustina Ocansey of NETWOMEN PLUS, intimated that stigma not only makes it more difficult for people trying to come to terms with HIV and manage their illness on a personal evel but it also interferes with attempts to fight the AIDS epidemic as a whole.
She emphasized that, due to the stigma attached to the disease, people fail to check their status in order not to be bothered by the outcome in case it is positive, which to her is a detriment to the fight against the disease in the country and Africa as a whole. She explained that if the country wants to curb the rapid spread of the virus especially among the youth, then it should be ready to assist in the fight against the discrimination and stigma meted out to HIV/AIDS infected people. The phenomenon is becoming more worrisome, in that most people with the virus are unwilling to disclose their status due to its associated stigma. This trend is what Ms. Ocansey observed, could trigger the infectious ratio, thus bringing prevention attempts to zero. Again here in Ghana, there are myths associated with the transmission process as some people believe strongly that the infection has also spiritual connotations, hence do not take safe and protected sex seriously. Sena news in our quest to intensify public education on the disease, will continue to seek answers and solicit the support of all to reduce the prevalent rate, if not eradicate it completely.
…………………………………………………END…………………………………………………………..

NETWOMEN PLUS SENSITIZES THE PUBLIC ON HIV/AIDS

DATE: 25TH, NOVEMBER, 2011
Networking Positive Women for Development (NETWOMEN PLUS) a non-governmental organization, has held a sensitization programme today to discuss issues relating to HIV/ AIDS. The educative programme which is organized every third Friday in the month, saw a lot of people patronizing with majority of them being HIV infected and affected ones. The programme is held to give hope to the already infected individuals and to sensitize the general public about the need to prevent HIV/AIDS and it related stigmatization. The HIV/AIDS Virus according to statistics continue to spread daily as most individuals are unaware of their status. Knowing your status can help every individual to avoid spreading the virus, if he/she is infected. It is against this background, that NETWOMENPLUS targets orphaned vulnerable HIV/AIDS Infected children, infected and affected individuals. The organization assist these infected people to go through counseling for them to be able to understand and live with the virus as most individuals when diagnosed with the HIV virus, become vulnerable to any negative advice. HIV infection in humans is considered pandemic by the World Health Organization. Nonetheless, complacency about the Virus may play a key role in HIV risk.
From its discovery in 1981 to 2006, the HIV Virus which develops into AIDS, has killed more than 25 million people and also infects about 0.6 % of the world wide population. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Richard Agbeyenga explained that the HIV/ AIDS disease is not as fearful as before as there are medicines now that any infected person can take to live much longer, adding that if someone should die of the disease then it is the decision of that person. He advised all not to shy away from knowing their status as it would go a long way to help them, saying that knowing your status would help you to know what to do to live longer.
……………………………………………………………….END…………………………………………………..

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.