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NAS introduces MotoMedsto enhance night healthcare

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JENNIFER AMBOLLEY
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Dignitaries present at the ceremony in a picture

The Management of National Ambulance Service (NAS), in collaboration with the University of Florida and the USAID, has introduced MotoMeds to enhance healthcare at night. 

MotoMeds is a free paediatric telemedicine and medication delivery service designed to prevent pre-emergent illnesses from transitioning into emergencies at night, when children are most vulnerable and isolated.

 

A section of dignitaries seated during the media briefing

Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday, the Chief Executive Officer of NAS, Prof. Ahmed, applauded the University of Florida for embarking on this project and also for all the benefits Ghana has derived from the university.

He further extended appreciation to the USAID, which supported the execution of the project and assured that the MotoMeds has come to stay and save Ghana.

 

The Associate Professor at the University of Florida and overseer of the MotoMeds, Prof. Torben Becker, who delivered the keynote address, revealed that telemedicine has been designed to “overcome barriers to seeking healthcare for children up to and including the ages of 10 years”

 

According to Prof. Becker, the project, which primarily focuses on children,does not aim to replace the existing healthcare infrastructure, but fill a critical need at night when other care options are limited.

The telemedicine, which is currently limited to Jamestown and Usshertown communities has helped over 300 children since November, last year, he disclosed.

 

With how it works, he said “when a child gets sick at night, their parents or guardian calls the dedicated MotoMeds hotline. Our specially trained NAS Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) will conduct a telemedicine assessment over the phone to develop an initial patient assessment, then one of the EMTs are sent out to deliver the medication to the child”

He stated that after the nighttime visit, they will call the family within ten days to see how the child is doing.

 

The representative of USAID-Ghana, Gladys Tetteh Yeboah, noted that MotoMed provides services to paediatric illness, which includes malaria, respiratory illness and diarrhoea, all of which are major causes of mortality for children under age five. 

 

In addition to providing emergency services, she added that MotoMeds built in an evaluation component, which will help inform a potential scale up of the initiative to other geographic areas. 

This evaluation, she said, will be used to improve emergency services in Ghana.

GITC to gov’t: Check unfair Trade Practices

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Albert Derrick Fiatui and Executive Secretary GITC, Frank Agyekum

The Executive Secretary of the Ghana International Trade Commission (GITC), Mr. Frank Agyekum has emphasised the significance of his outfit’s work in safeguarding Ghanaian companies from unfair trade practices on the international stage.

According to him, international trade is akin to war and all manner of tactics are deployed to undercut competition in the global arena.

One of such common unfair trading practices, he said, is dumping, where the price of a product sold in the importing country, in this case Ghana, is less than the price of that product in the market of the originating country.

Mr. Agyemang said this price discrimination strategy is done deliberately to offset competition from local industry with the ultimate goal of monopolising the local market.

“For instance a product at the country of origin sells at 100 dollars but despite freight charges and taxes, still sells at 80 dollars in the importing country. The purpose is to dump the market in the receiving country, make sure our industries are disabled, and then eventually those companies from the original country can monopolise the product in the host country.

When that happens, the local companies are unable to make profits and expand as they want to because market share is reduced or taken over by the foreign entities. When local industries cannot expand, they lay off workers, and are unable to pay the requisite taxes to help develop the nation.”

He said, the GITC, Ghana’s trade remedy institution has since its inception four years ago been correcting some of these practices going against the local economy.

Mr. Agyekum revealed that the GITC has over recent years worked on six cases of dumping with the ruling in favour of Aluworks, the local manufacturer of aluminium products in Ghana, prominent among them.

According to him, the Aluworks case led to an anti-dumping duty imposed on the foreign perpetrators.

He expressed that it is the wish for GITC to close several other petitions in favor of Ghanaians, but Ghanaian companies often lack the requisite data to back their claims.

He urged such companies to endeavor to collect and keep data in their business dealings to enable the GITC mediate for them effectively.

He said all the developed countries Ghana and its African counterparts seek to emulate, take such contingency measures to promote local industry very seriously and African countries must pay equal attention to what happens on their turf.

Mr. Agyekum lamented that sadly only four other countries in Africa have set up institutions like the GITC to serve the purpose of checking these unfair trade practices.

“I believe there should be more countries because we compete with countries who know what they are about who do everything to ensure that they get what they want. We have to put measures in place to ensure that we match them boot for boot. If not, we will always be found wanting”

The Executive Secretary of the Ghana International Trade Commission said it has become more imperative for Ghana and its counterparts in the continent to create such structures in the era of the Free Trade Area.

“If we are not careful about these things, others more advanced than us in terms of production capacity, will come in and swarm the market and we will end hosting the secretariat and yet not getting the right benefits from AfCFTA,” he articulated.

In a related development, the Centre for International Maritime Affairs, Ghana (CIMAG) has cited a report by the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) to be misleading in its classification of piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Executive Director of CIMAG, Albert Derrick Fiatui said the claim by the IMB that Ghana has the highest number of attacks in the region is inaccurate.

“Piracy per the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is the attack of vessels on the high Seas. Armed robbery and theft is what happens in the internal waters. What was captured in the report, was what we experienced last year at the Port of Takoradi, which were three theft cases. So if we are following the definition strictly from the and the UNCLOS, the report is misleading,” he asserted.

He said such reportage goes a long way to derail efforts made by authorities to secure Ghana’s territorial waters in addition to making the area unattractive for the maritime business.

“Issues about piracy for about two years now, has been on the decline and as people in the industry we are happy. So when a report is put out and it is not accurate, that means that the work done is being thrown to the dogs and we have to correct that erroneous impression.

“You know that most of us in the Gulf of Guinea are import-dependent economies, so, when there is that fear about piracy which is not true, then we are putting ourselves into trouble. Therefore, it is only appropriate that we correct what has been put out there,” he added.

CIMAG therefore assured the shipping community that Ghana has not recorded any piracy incident within the period of the report or the past year and urged the shipping community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.

“Our waters are safe and our businessmen should feel free, interact with their partners and ship their wares into the Gulf region. Also, we have people finding it hard to become seafarers because of the challenges they face.

“These reports put fear in them. Our young people who are interested in the maritime industry and want to become seafarers should know that, a lot of work is being done to get rid of piracy and the fear that their lives will be in danger when they go to sea,” Mr. Fiatui lamented.

Fijai SHS PTA defends interdicted headmaster

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Fijai Senior High School, Sekondi

Following the interdiction of the Headmaster of Fijai Senior High School in Sekondi,

The Parents and Teachers Association (PTA)ofthe School says it should be blamed for the event that led to the interdiction of the headmaster, Mr. Kenneth Agbomadze by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Mr. Kenneth Agbomadze, the interdicted headmaster of Fijai SHS

In a press release dated April 18, 2023 the management of Ghana Education Service (GES), under the signature of Cassandra Twum Boafo, Head of Public Relations Unit, announced the interdiction of the Fijai Headmaster, over alleged collection of illegal fees in the school.

The statement reads: “Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) has interdicted Mr. Kenneth Agbomadze, Headmaster of Fijai Senior High School with immediate effect, pending further investigation into alleged illegal fees in the school.

“Mr. Agbomadze is to handover the administration of the school to the Western Regional Director of Education. The investigative committee has been given two weeks to submit its report to management.”

But the Vice Chairman of the PTA, Evangelist Anthony Eshun, who exonerated the headmaster from the alleged collection of illegal school fees in the school, believes the PTA must be blamed for what has happened.

Speaking in a telephone interview with The Chronicle, Evangelist Anthony Eshun said on February 11, this year, the PTA had its general meeting. The Headmaster and his management team were invited to the meeting and did present their report to the meeting.

After presenting his report, according to the Vice Chairman, the Headmaster asked to leave the meeting because government’s new rules did not allow Headmasters to be present during PTA meetings.

Unfortunately, his request was turned down by members who were at the meeting. The development forced the headmaster to reluctantly sit in the meeting, which was to discuss monthly dues and motivation fees for teachers and special support levy.

According to the Vice Chairman, the meeting agreed to adjust the fees for monthly dues and the special support levy. Consequently, the monthly dues were adjusted from GHS10 per semester to GHS20.  That of the special support levy also moved up from GHC75.00 to GHC150.00. This brought total dues payable to each parent to GHS190 per year.

Mr Eshun further told The Chronicle that the meeting also agreed to levy each parent GHS100, which would be paid to the teachers of the school to motivate them.

In all these discussions, Vice Chairman Eshun told this reporter that the headmaster did not utter a word. Eshun suspects that the headmaster has been interdicted because he sat in the meeting where the above decisions were taken.

“If he loses his job, it is the PTA who is to be blamed because he (Headmaster) insisted several times to leave the meeting because government directives did not allow him to sit in the meeting. But the more he insisted to leave, the more the PTA also insisted he sits in,” he said.

The PTA has decided to render an apology to the headmaster, in the likely event that he is exonerated from any wrongdoing, after investigation into the issue.

For now, Evangelist Anthony Eshun told this reporter that the PTA has been invited by the committee investigating the matter and has appeared before it.

“Just as I have told you, it is the same thing we told the Regional Education Director, that we the PTA stand to be blamed for the interdiction of the Headmaster. We consequently extended our apology to the Headmaster through the Regional Director.

“The  February 11, 2023  PTA meeting was not a secret one, but since we insisted the Headmaster sat in the meeting, the conclusion has been that he influenced the decisions taken at the meeting to decide on the alleged unapproved fees”, Vice Chair Eshun told this reporter.

Meanwhile, the Regional Chairman of PTA, Isaac Cobbinah, has taken a swipe at the interdiction of the Fijai Headmaster.

Speaking on a Takoradi based radio station, Chairman Cobbinah, insisted that the charges levelled against the Fijai Headmaster for which he has been interdicted was not known in any Senior High school in the region. He, therefore, does not understand why he has been interdicted.

Jomoro MP lauds daughter for featuring in ‘Young, Famous and African’ reality show by Netflix

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Fantana

Manager and mother of Ghanaian female rapper, Fantana, has hailed her daughter for landing a role as the latest cast member for Netflix’s Young, Famous & African Season 2.

Fans of Fantana are buzzing with excitement after it was announced that she was the latest cast member for Netflix’s Young, Famous & African Season 2.

Announcing the news of an impending season, the streaming service said the show’s launch was scheduled for May 19, 2023

“Bring the champaaaagne darling, there’s some new faces to toast to! Season 2 of Young, Famous & African is coming to your screens on 19 May, exclusively on Netflix. #YoungFamousAfrican, the show posted on Twitter.

Reacting to the news, the mother who is also the Member of Parliament for Jomoro Constituency in the Western Region, Dorcas Affo-Toffey expressed excitement about the role.

She posted on facebook: “I am so ecstatic to see my daughter Fantana live her dreams. Proud is an understatement! There is nothing you cannot do, never stop dreaming and believing what you can achieve. God has been good.

Catch my daughter as she represents Ghana on Season 2 of Young, Famous & African. Coming soon, May 19th”.

Born Francine Kouffie, Fantana burst onto the music scene in 2018 with her debut single, “So What,” which gained massive airplay and cemented her status as one of Ghana’s rising stars.

The daughter of Ghanaian legislator, Dorcas Affo-Toffey followed up with other hit songs such as “Girls Hate On Girls” and “Rich Gyal Anthem,” but her raunchy photos and rumours of body enhancement that has kept her on the lips of netizens to date.

When Ghana bid good bye to Dr. Akoto Osei

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Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey

His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, was there. His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor in his executive wheel chair was there, and another Excellency John Dramani Mahama was also there – in fact, everybody who is somebody in political Ghana today, AD 2023, was there.

Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, clean shaven with no spectacles or beard, looking very handsome, presidential hopeful, was there. My senior in Achimota School, another presidential hopeful, John Alan Kyerematen, was there. Dr. Akoto Afriyie, former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, they were all there.

The event was the state-assisted funeral for the late Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, Kumasi, and former Kufuor Minister of Finance after Kwadwo Baah Wiredu and Nana Addo’s Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation.

I first met him at an early age in 1967 when I entered Achimota School Form One – he was ahead of me by two years, and through his brother, our school Games Prefect, D.K. Osei, who later became Ambassador and President Kufuor’s Private Secretary, I was close to Akoto Osei, especially when the two of us met in Parliament in January 2005 – me for Berekum, second term, and he for Tafo, Kumasi.

Back in Achimota, his nickname was TERRY WISE, and he was affable to all, very cool smiling chap, not noisy, calm and collected.

Monday, March 27th, 2023, around 10pm, I was busily preparing my last-minute notes for some Supreme Court case the next day, when my father-in-law’s daughter, lying on the bed, asked me as an afterthought:

“Captain, do you know Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei?”

“Of course I do – he was my senior in Achimota School and my junior in Parliament – Minister under Kufuor and Nana Addo – of course I know him very well.

“He is dead.”

Surprisingly, just a week later it was announced in the media that his funeral would take place in Accra just the next Saturday after Easter. I called Ambassador Osei, his elder brother.

“Senior, why not do the funeral for Terry Wise in Tafo, his Constituency? And why bury him so early?”

“Effah, my brother was sick for a long time, so we just want him to go and rest, and he told us he wants to lie beside his wife’s grave here in Accra…”

This is one funeral I must attend.

I learnt something from J.A. Kufuor in the year 2000. I drove all the way to ANLOGA to attend the funeral of Togbe Adza Tekpor, Fiega of Aratime, getting there at 0700hrs to see, to my surprise, the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, J.A. Kufuor, together with his entourage already seated at a very vantage point at the funeral grounds.

The morale or lesson is that if you are invited to a function, unless you are going as the Guest of Honour, in which case your seat is reserved, then GO EARLY, reader, GO EARLY so that you get a very good place to sit, because, if you come late, who do you expect to get up for you to sit there? Because you are – who? My friend, find your level at the back somewhere.

I left my Kasoa abode at circa 0600hrs and, Thank God, I was at the Holy Spirit Cathedral by, latest, 0645hrs. I and my special escort were given a very correct place to park; we entered the Cathedral and sat at a very correct location – this was my second time I was entering the Cathedral. Reader, don’t be surprised, because I am not a Catholic – I am Presby. The last time I was here was when I was a Deputy Minister, about 20 years ago, to attend the funeral of Police Prosecutor Chief Inspector Mrs. Florence Arday.

The Holy Spirit Cathedral is, arguably, the biggest worship center in Ghana – the inside is really very big. I counted about TEN television SCREENS at vantage points in the Temple to show the words of the Hymns being sang.

At exactly 0700 hrs, they wheeled the cadaver in a FURNUART-built mahogany coffin into the Cathedral, and viewing of the body started as tributes were read one after the other, as more and more political celebrities of our time arrived.

National Security Minister Kan Dapaah came and sat next to former Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo, Trade Minister K.T. Hammond, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu – they came and took their seats.

Chief of Staff Frema Opare, veteran journalist Kufuor’s Minister Elizabeth Ohene, Public Relations Chief Frank Appiagyei, and many, many Ghanaian personality symbols were there.

And, of course, products of Achimota School – too many to count, men and women, clad in the school cloth emblazoned with effigies of Aggrey, Fraser and Guggisberg. We were called to sing our rallying chorus, “from Gambaga to Accra….” And I saw myself standing next to President Kufuor’s High Commissioner to the UK, Isaac Osei, Jude Arthur the Banker, my classmates Ayeh ALNL Osafo Deputy School Perfect, E.T. K. Compson, and many, many others.

The problem with the Catholic liturgy is that if you are not a Catholic you will never be able to follow their Order of Service – short, short rites, KYRIES, RESPONSORIAL PSALM, INCENSATION, HOMILY and so on, and so on.

Two extraordinary issues cannot go without comment. The first is that, after the first round of offertory, there was the usual second round which is the offertory from the congregation usually for the family. They packaged the amount in about five huge man-sized envelopes and called a representative of the family to receive it on their behalf. Three people came up and jointly announced that “Thank you Church, but the family donates everything back to the Church!11

The second issue for comment is that three times the MC categorically announced that if you are leaving your seat to come up front to present your offertory or for Holy Communion, please, please, make sure you don’t leave anything behind – a mobile phone, spectacles etc – carry everything along!!! The inference was obvious – don’t trust the person seated by you!!! What an interesting caveat!!

By 11 O’clock everything was over. President Akufo-Addo said a few words, and the over 12 Catholic Priests officiating gave the “Final Commendation”, and everything was over. The casket was wheeled out slowly by pallbearers for a private burial.

Rest in Peace my Senior in Achimota and my Junior in Parliament.

Written by Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.

INEC to write IGP, demand investigation, prosecution of Adamawa REC

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Prof Mahmood Yakubu, INEC boss

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will write the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, for immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State, Hudu Ari, who illegally announced Aisha Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the gubernatorial elections in the state.

The electoral commission also said it will request the Secretary to Government of the Federation to draw attention “to the appointing authority to the unwholesome behaviour of the REC for further action”.

This was contained in a terse statement posted on the commission’s Twitter handle on Tuesday shortly after a meeting in Abuja.

“At its meeting today, 18th April 2023, the Commission discussed matters arising from the Adamawa Governorship election and decided to write to the Inspector-General of Police for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari,” the commission wrote.

INEC also said the collation of results would resume as determined by the Returning Officer. This is coming barely 24 hours after the commission barred Mr Ari from its premises in Adamawa and ordered the Administrative Secretary in the state, Adamu Gujungu, to take over INEC activities in Adamawa.

Mr Ari’s illegal declaration of result on Sunday had resulted in a controversy over the outcome of the elections.

INEC declared the REC’s announcement as null and void, and suspended the collation of results. The commission said Mr Ari’s action was an usurpation of the powers of the Returning Officer empowered by law to collate and announce the result of the election.

Mrs Dahiru, popularly called Binani, whom Mr Ari illegally announced as winner, has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop INEC from nullifying her announcement as winner of the election.

Credit: premiumtimesng.com

Lagos State sues teenager for making hoax call to fire service

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Lagos State fire service

The Lagos State Government yesterday arraigned one Uzuokwu Solomon for offences relating to making hoax calls for the emergency responder.

The Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Ololade Agboola, confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday night.

Ololade said the offence was punishable under the Lagos State Fire Service law and Command and Control Centre law 2013.

According to the statement, 18 years old Solomon allegedly called the emergency line of the Fire Service on Friday, April 14, 2023, at 5:35 pm from Harmony Estate in the Ajah area of the state and reported a fire emergency within the estate leading to the activation of emergency processes and eventual dispatch of the fire trucks from Lekki Phase II Fire service station.

“On arrival, it was discovered that there was no fire incident in the estate. Because of the frequency of such calls in the past, the Estate security helped in the investigation which led to the arrest of the notorious false caller.

“Consequently, the culprit who had been arrested is scheduled to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction at Ogba Magistrate on the 19th of April, 2023 by 9.00am.

“Speaking with Journalists, The Director Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye expressed her delight in the arrest of the culprit while reiterating the stand of the State government on malicious false calls which is punishable under the Lagos State laws. She believes that the arrest and consequent arraignment will serve as a deterrent for other misguided citizens who are in the habit of making false calls and misleading emergency responders.”

Ololade added that false calls have astronomically increased in the last six months.

Credit: punchng.com

Adamawa poll: Tinubu urges police to conduct full investigation

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President Bola Tinubu

The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has urged the Nigeria Police Force to fully investigate what transpired during the Adamawa State supplementary governorship election.

This is as he also called on all elected officials during the 2023 elections to brace themselves for the task ahead and prepare to serve the Nigerian people.

In a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, the President-elect urged the elected officials to rededicate themselves to selfless service.

He said, “With the conclusion of the 2023 elections, I now welcome all of us who have been elected to brace up to serve our people with diligence and dedication and to join hands with me as your President-elect in the pursuit of our agenda to renew the hopes of our people in a better, stronger, more secure, economically vibrant and prosperous Nigeria.

“I congratulate the winners of the Supplementary Governorship elections held in Kebbi and Adamawa States on Saturday, April 15, 2023. I also rejoice with those elected into the Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly during the last round of elections in states where such took place. These victorious men and women have earned the trust of their people and I call on them to rededicate themselves to the service of their respective constituents.

“The supplementary polls have now brought the 2023 elections to a final, fitting conclusion. I observed, with satisfaction, the largely peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the supplementary election on Saturday. It was a further testimony that our citizens have accepted democratic norms and have unalloyed faith in the electoral process.”

Speaking on Adamawa supplementary poll, Tinubu said, “I note the matter of Adamawa Supplementary Governorship Election and I urge police authorities to fully investigate all that transpired in the election given the attendant controversy.

“In every democratic contest there has to be one winner. I call on those aggrieved to pursue legitimate means of addressing their grievances.”

Credit: punchng.com

10th National Assembly: APC retains majority in Senate with 59 senators-elect as PDP trails with 36

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National Assembly

With the conclusion of the supplementary elections into the National Assembly across the country on Saturday, the 10th Senate has now been fully composed.

All the 109 senatorial districts now have representatives in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted elections into seven districts declared inconclusive on 25 February.

With the completion of the elections, the APC has emerged as the majority party in the Senate with 59 members-elect.

After the 25 February election, the party had 55 senators-elect but gained additional four seats during the supplementary polls. It won in Plateau Central, Yobe South, Sokoto North and Sokoto East senatorial districts.

The next biggest party in the Red Chamber is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which now has 36 senators-elect.

Before last Saturday’s poll, the main opposition party had 33 senators-elect. At the end of that exercise, PDP added three additional seats having won in Sokoto South, Zamfara Central and Kebbi North Senatorial districts.

However, the other five minor parties still maintain the number of seats won in February as they did not win any seat during the supplementary elections.

While the Labour Party (LP) has the seats of eight senatorial districts, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have two seats each. The Young Progressives Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have one seat each.

With the composition of the membership of the 10th Senate finalised, the six opposition parties have altogether 50 senators-elect as against APC’s 59.

It is therefore expected that they will play a major role in the battle for leadership positions in the upper legislative chamber during its inauguration on 13 June as was the case in the eight Senate.

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Ghana needs over $86m to eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2030

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Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission

Ghana needs about $132 million to effectively fight new HIV infections to ensure its elimination by 2030.

Currently, funds from donor partners such as the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund and UNAIDS amount to $45.2 million, leaving a funding deficit of more than 86 million dollars.

If Ghana does not make up for the deficit in funding, it may miss the target to eliminate the disease at the set target.

Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, disclosed this in an interview on the sideline of a USAID Focal Country Collaboration (FCC) Plan Workshop organised by SEND Ghana, in Accra, on Tuesday.

He indicated that the situation could erode the successes made in reducing new infections over the years.

“We have to find a way of filling this huge funding gap, otherwise, we stand the risk of reversing the gains that we have spent many years and resources to make,” he said.

The FCC Plan involves USAID, Global Fund, UNAIDS, Government of Ghana (GOG) jointly promoting human rights, reducing stigmatisation and discrimination against Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), Key Populations and Tuberculosis patients and to ensure progress towards achieving the 10-10-10 society enablers.

The objective of the workshop was to, therefore, review and prioritise the FCC Project activities for the next two years.

Dr. Atuahene called on Ghanaians to support the AIDS Commission to address the funding gap.

He also called for funding support for constitutionally mandated bodies to protect the rights of vulnerable groups like People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV).

Dr. Atuahene noted that human rights protection was a function of law and indicated that they were constitutional and legally mandated bodies to enforce laws and protect the human rights of the citizens of the country.

He said concentrating funding on only Non-Governmental Organisations at the expense of such bodies was inimical to the fight against the disease.

“NGOs can contribute, but they have serious limitation when it comes to, you know, formulating laws and enforcing laws. That is not within their domain. And so, when we concentrate funding in the hands of NGOs at the exclusion of these state agencies, with the legal mandate for human rights and law enforcement, we end up not getting the optimal benefits of the investment we make with such resources.

“So, I am emphasising that we give funding to such bodies through the Ghana AIDS Commission so that those bodies like the Attorney General’s Department, the judicial service and all the law enforcement agencies, the prison service, the police, and the others, they all play critical role reducing stigma and eliminating stigma and discrimination in this country. And so, we have to work with them,” he added.

Mr. Siapha Kamara, Chief of Party, USAID-CLM and FCC, called on key partners to strengthen collaboration to reduce the stigma against PLHIV.

By Benjamin A. Commey

Source: GNA

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