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Ghana Armwrestling bags 41 medals at 13th African Games

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ArmWrestling Team Ghana

The Ghana Armwrestling President, Mr. Charles Osei Asibey promised to win at least 15 medals at the ongoing 13th African Games and they ended up with 41 medals comprising 8 gold, 19 silver and 14 bronze.

The players and officials were very happy for the remarkable achievement which has pushed Ghana into the top ten of the medals table.

Mr. Osei Asibey said the achievement is a pathway to the World Championship coming up later in the year in Accra.

He said the euphoria of Armwrestling is spreading very fast in Accra and that will bring attention and focus on the World Championship.

He commended the winners and urged them to train harder as the future is bright.

The Minister of Youth & Sports, Hon Mustapha Ussif also congratulated the Ghana Armwrestling team for putting Ghana high on the medals table.

The Countries that took part in the Armwrestling competition include Benin, Cameroun, Central African Republic, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Madagascar, South Africa, Togo and Ghana.

He said this 13th African Games will be the best for Ghana since 1965.

Source: Ghana Olympic Committee

Ghanaian athletes are in very high spirits -deputy Sports Minister

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Evans Opoku Bobie, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports (m)

Evans Opoku Bobie, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports has disclosed that the spirits of Ghanaian athletes at the Games Village are very high as they are poised to make names for themselves, family and the nation.

Speaking to the press at the media center of the 13th African Games, at the University of Ghana Stadium, Mr Bobie, who is Chairman of the International Games Committee, revealed that about 350 athletes were selected by the various 26 federations and coaches to begin preparations.

He hinted that the welfare of the athletes was paramount, so they were accommodated at Cape Coast, fed and taken care of by three doctors, four nurses, six physiotherapists and physical trainers. There was also 24-hour run clinic and ambulances available.

The Deputy Minster expressed that the athletes who were camped will be paid their per diems of GHC1,000 a day, with medalists are going to get $3,000 for gold, $2,000 for silver and $1,000 for bronze.

“The morale and spirits of the athletes are very high, they are focused, positive and ready, we must focus on gold in football and athletics, after the great performance in arm wrestling” he said.

Present at the press conference was LOC Chairman, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, who commended the media for promoting the Games. He reiterated that the new facilities at Borteyman would be maintained by the creation of the University for Sports for Development and Business.

Chairman of the Media Committee Mr. Dan Kweku Yeboah MCed the meeting.                                        Source: Ghana Olympic Committee

Eritrea Dominate Cycling Event At 13th African Games

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Cycling Event

Eritrea continues to dominanate in the Cycling event of the 13th African Games at Ablekuma winning more Gold medals.

The Pen Ultimate event, individual Time Trial was yet again dominated by the Red Sea Carmels in both the men’s and women’s category in splendor.

The Men’s Team Time Trial encompassed a distance of 50km over 4 laps and recorded an average speed of 49.6km/hr.

Eritrean quarter of Tsegay Dawit, Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedlein,Milkiyas Maekele Hayle and finished with Gold in a time of 01:00:26 leaving behind them South Africa and Mauritius in a respective time of 01:00:31 and 01:02:10. 62 male riders participated in the Team Time Trials but with Algeria and Tanzania dropping off.

Ghana came through the 9th position in a respectable time of 01:10:11.

In the Women’s category, 34 riders took part with Eritrea once again establishing their superiority with a time of 00:52:31 , followed by South Africa in 00:52:39 and Mauritius coming through the third spot in 00:54:28.

The Ghanaian ladies glittered in 8th position in a time of 00:54:28.

Source: Ghana Cycling

South Africa withdraws from hockey due to substandard facilities

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South Africa hockey team

South Africa has withdrawn both its men’s and women’s hockey teams from the 13th African Games currently underway in Accra based on recommendations and guidelines as set down by the International Hockey Federation.

The decision was taken as a result of the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Pitch not being sufficiently prepared to stage the competition. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) and African Hockey Federation have been informed of the decision taken by Team SA.

According to South Africa’s Olympic governing body, SASOC, “despite repeated assurances that the pitches would be ready for international-standard competition, the pitches are unsuitable.”

Further, a statement from the organisation issued on Monday says it has communicated its reasons for leaving Ghana to the Local Organizing Committee (LOC).

“In correspondence sent to the LOC, Team SA team leader Ms. Patience Shikwambana states: “Over and above making this decision, our SA Hockey Federation consulted with Sports Flooring Warehouse, a South African-based specialist in carpet laying, and an FIH recognised service provider. They have also advised us – having analysed the images we shared with them – that the field is not satisfactory and may cause harm to the athletes.”

South Africa have already qualified both men’s and women’s hockey teams for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and with the African Games being held in close proximity to Paris, it was deemed a potential injury risk if Team SA competed under the circumstances in Accra.

Credit: myjoyonline.com

‘Planting for Ganja and Jobs’: ‘Wee’ farming & smoking rule Krobo Wurapong

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ISAAC AKWETEY-OKUNOR
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'Wee' farm

A painstaking investigation conducted by your authoritative newspaper, The Chronicle, has uncovered a massive cultivation of marijuana at Wurapong, a farming community in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region.

Pieces of information available to The Chronicle indicate that about 99 percent of the youth, mostly young men in the small community, are into the illegal cultivation of the herb.

Their argument is that cultivation of marijuana has been legalised by the government and that they do not see anything wrong with what they are doing.

Though the cultivation of ‘wee’ has been legalised by Parliament, it is for medicinal purposes only, and the pharmaceutical companies who want to cultivate it must first obtain license from the relevant state agencies.

Intelligence this paper picked up during a visit to the village indicated that the farmers deliberately plant garden eggs and other vegetables at the periphery of the marijuana farm to hide the illegality from public eyes.

The Chronicle was informed that though all the people in the village are aware of what is going on, they are afraid to report.

A source told this reporter at the village that those who made the attempts to report the conduct of the youth were exposed, putting their lives in danger in the remote community. As a result of this, everybody has kept quiet over the illicit act, even though they fear for the future of the youth in the village.

What is even worrying to the elders of the community familiar with the situation is the fact that apart from the cultivation of the illicit drug, the youth are engaged in massive smoking as well. This reporter was told by a credible source that the youth sometimes engage in smoking competition because they have the herbs in abundance.

The fear is that if the youth are not stopped from both the cultivation of the drug for commercial purposes and smoking, it could lead to several psychiatric cases in the village.

Some of the villagers told The Chronicle reporter, without knowing that they were speaking to a journalist, that foodstuff has become scarce in the area, because almost every available arable farmlands are being used for marijuana cultivation, instead of planting food to feed themselves.

Some opinion leaders who spoke to The Chronicle called on the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Eric Tetteh, to collaborate with the security agencies to clamp down on the activities before it gets out of hand.

 The Chronicle’s check at the corridors of the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly revealed that the cultivation of the herbs is a public knowledge and major concern to management of the Assembly.

A key member of the Assembly, who spoke with the paper on condition of anonymity, stated that the situation is a major security concern, most especially food security, since all the available farmlands are being used for the cultivation of marijuana, which has become the source of income for the farmers.

The Chronicle source at the Assembly called for all-hands-on-deck approach to curb the canker before it becomes something else.

According to the source, the fight against the cultivation of these illegal plants in the area is becoming tough because of lack of support from a cross-section of the people.

The source further told this reporter that the lives of opinion leaders and well-meaning residents in the area would be in grave danger if they dared report the youth.

Assemblyman’s Response

The Assemblyman for the area, Bismark Angmor, acknowledged the cultivation of the herbs in the area when reached on the matter, but was quick to mention that it is difficult to identify the perpetrators.

“Yes, I have received information that some residents are using the cultivation of the herbs for business, but I will not be able to point out the people”, he added.

He continued that the cultivation of the herbs is illegal and he would not encourage the youth to go into it.

It was discovered that the young farmers have used the proceeds from the illicit cultivation of the plant to buy motor-bikes, the only major source of transportation to the area, because of the bad road network leading to the area and other adjoining communities.

Apart from the lucrative marijuana cultivation, the use of motor-bikes for transportation is a major source of income for the young men, who charge first time visitors to the village between GH¢100 and GH¢120 using the Tafo-Nobi section of the road.

Internet Blackout Causes Stir in Ghana

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MAXWELL OFORI
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Broken undersea cable

The entire country was plunged into an internet blackout yesterday, causing huge stir in Ghana, especially among enterprises that rely heavily on internet to be productive.

In what began as a normal internet fluctuation, compelling users to refresh their internet devices severally, reports went viral with the speed of light, announcing that internet services were down.

Almost all the telecommunications networks in Ghana were affected, and reports suggest even neighboring Nigeria, South Africa, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire, also suffered the internet blackout.

A statement issued by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications on Thursday, March 14, 2024 reported a significant disruption in the telecommunications sector.

According to the press release, multiple submarine fibre optics cables that provide internet connectivity to the country had experienced outages.

The statement said some of these cables were completely down, while others were only delivering limited capacity.

“This is impacting internet, data and Voice over IP (VoIP) services of the members of the Chamber; the Mobile Network Operators and the Data Service Providers to varying degrees. As a result, customers and subscribers are currently experiencing service challenges,” it stated.

However, the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications apologised to customers and said investigations were being carried out, as well as work to resolve the current problems to restore service to customers.

TELECEL

This development appears to be a baptism of fire for Telecel, few days after taking over officially from Vodafone Ghana.

In the early hours of Thursday, the company sent a bulk text message to its customers, informing them of the challenge, whilst apologising for any inconvenience caused.

The text message said: “Dear customer, we are currently experiencing challenges with our data services on mobile and fixed network. Our engineers are working to restore services as soon as possible. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
MTN

MTN Ghana also issued an apology to its customers for the disruption in accessing data services and reaching their call centre.

According to the company, it is due to an issue with their international undersea cables, resulting in significant challenges for Subscribers who rely on MTN’s services for their daily communication and internet needs.

MTN said its technical teams were working with their international partners to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

In their statement, MTN said: “We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and will keep Subscribers updated. Thank you.”

NIGERIA

At the time of going to press last night, channelstv.com in Nigeria had reported that damage to at least three subsea cables off the West Coast of Africa on Thursday disrupted internet services in Nigeria, Ghana and other countries across the continent.

The report said telecommunications subscribers and bank users were stranded for hours as the disruption paralysed digital transactions and internet communication

It referred to one of the world’s leading financial news organisations, Bloomberg, as saying that the West Africa Cable System, MainOne and ACE sea cables — arteries for telecommunications data — were all affected on Thursday.

Channelstv.com said according to data from internet analysis firms including NetBlocks, Kentik and Cloudflare, the cut triggered outages and connectivity issues for mobile operators and internet service providers across the West African sub-region.

They further reported that the cause of the cable faults had not yet been determined as of their press time and the main actors had not released any official communication.

No more ‘football age’ as Veep launches Ghana Card Number at Birth

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MAXWELL OFORI
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Veep Dr Mahamudu Bawumia speaking at the launch of the initiative

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched the Ghana Card Number at Birth initiative.

From yesterday, March 14, 2024 every Ghanaian child born in an accredited health facility will be given a Ghana Card Number at birth.

The initiative was launched on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at the Ga North Municipal Hospital, where children about six weeks old after birth, will be given the national identification card number.

According to the Vice President, the initiative is a revolutionary step forward in integrating and enhancing Ghana’s national identity system.

“Government of Ghana, through collaborative efforts with the Ghana Health Service, the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), the Ghana Statistical Service and the National Identification Authority (NIA), has now integrated these systems,” he said.

The Vice President explained that the integration ensures that every child born in Ghana is immediately provided with a unique identity, linking them to their mother’s identity and securing their place within the national identity system.

NOT JUST A CARD

He explained further that the Ghana Card number at Birth is not just an identification, but a promise to children of a future where their identity and rights are recognised from their very first breath.

He said it was a testament to the commitment to building an effective, efficient, responsive and accountable public sector that meets the needs of the Ghanaian citizenry.

According to Vice President Bawumia, an effective and efficient implementation of this system offers numerous benefits to mothers and children.

“Firstly, it provides a systematic and efficient method of registering births, ensuring that every child becomes part of the system from birth.

“This addresses a longstanding issue in Ghana where many births remain unregistered due to factors such as remote locations and insufficient awareness about the importance of birth registration”

The system, he indicated, also facilitates access to healthcare, education and social welfare programs, safeguarding the rights and entitlements of both mothers and children.

Ghana, he noted, has made significant progress in improving healthcare access in recent years, and initiatives like the Ghana Card Number at Birth further contribute to ensuring that all citizens can avail themselves of essential services.

He continued: “Additionally, this solution leads to the digitization of birth registration and identification processes, enhancing the security and integrity of personal data while reducing the risk of identity fraud.”

It would also help greatly in the fight against Child Trafficking, as rescued children can be reunited with their families, he added.

EC TO USE DATA

The Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof. Kenneth Attafuah, in his remarks said that the Electoral Commission (EC) can rely on the data from the National Identity Register for elections.

He emphasised the importance of the National Identity Register and the personal identification numbers that are now being assigned to every child born in Ghana.

“I’m particularly happy that with the registration of over 17. 8 million Ghanaians onto the National Identity Register of Ghanaians aged 15 and above, we now begin to look at the base. Your Excellency, today, commencing today, the personal identification number will be given to every child born in this country, I mean every Ghanaian.

“So, permit me to conclude by saying that with this critical milestone beginning today, contestations about age, contestations about citizenship will all be a thing of the past.

“As we say football age will no longer exist and with that all the other falsehoods, all the other centres of contentions will begin to evaporate. Our national election will be cleaner. We should be able, indeed, in my personal view, we should be able, beginning this year, to rely on the National Identity register to vote as Ghanaians because we have the cleanest in our history and our future.”

The Gambia delegation understudy Metro Mass

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Metro Mass Transit buses

A four-member delegation from The Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC) on Sunday, March 3, 2024 arrived in Ghana to understudy Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL), a state-owned transport service provider.

They were received at the Head Office of MMTL on Monday, March 4, 2024, by its Managing Director, Albert Adu Boahen. The delegation was led by the Board Chairman of GTSC, Mr. Saloum Malang.

The other members were Mr. Seedy Kanyi, Managing Director, GTSC, Mr. Amadou Drammeh, Head of Traffic Operations, GSTC and Mr. Mustapha B. Colley, Corporate Planning Manager, GSTC.

During their five-working day study tour, the delegation interacted with the Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Board Chairman, MMTL, Kofi Ahenkorah Marfo (MP), Managing Director of MMTL, Mr. Albert Adu Boahen and the Deputy Managing Director, MMTL in charge of Finance and Administration, Richard Yangfo.

They also interacted with the top management staff at the Finance, IT, Traffic Operations and Corporate Planning Departments of MMT to learn best practices in their day-to-day activities.

Mr. AduBoahen in his welcome remarks urged The Gambian delegation to make good use of their study tour to MMTL in order to justify the resources that have been spent on them by their government.

He said Ghana and The Gambia are two inseparable countries, assuring the delegation that the doors of MMTL are always opened to welcome them and any of GTSC staff they would assign to Metro Mass Transit Limited for further studies.

“It is a privilege to welcome you to MMTL. The timing of your coming is apt as it has coincided with a number of technological reforms we are executing to revamp our operations. Metro Mass is at the core of the heart of the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice-President, His Excellence Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. They are giving us all the necessary support to provide an efficient transport service to the public.

“Our green initiatives being spearheaded by the Vice-President are superb and would urge you take keen interest in them since they will help GSTC to provide the best of transport services to the Gambian travelling public while generating the needed revenue to sustain the business”, he noted.

Mr. Adu Boahen then took the delegation round to inspect some of the facilities of Metro Mass Transit Limited for them to have first-hand information about these facilities. Among the areas visited include the operations room of the recently launched ‘Tap n Go’ card, a multi-functional, cross-utility card to access and pay for public transport services, the workshop department and the Kaneshie bus terminal.

He also led the delegation to inspect some of their newly acquired robust VDL buses designed purposely for the rugged Ghanaian road networks.

The Board Chairman of GSTC, Mr. Malang, in his remarks after concluding their study tour said “Our coming here is very timely and is very important. It has given us more ideas to our operations. What we have seen here is in line with what we do in The Gambia.

“I thought what we have back home was the best. However, after coming here, I have learned that we have to continue to improve since Metro Mass Transit Limited is far ahead”.

The Managing Director of GSTC, Mr. Seedy Kanyi, also commenting on their study tour said lauded the Board and Management of Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL) for the innovative ideas they have introduced to turn around the struggling state-owned transport company.

According to him, the reforms being pursued by MMTL that are driven by technology are so groundbreaking that they have provided a complete solution to the dire needs of MMTL.

“I was here in 2015 and I am here again. What I learned in 2015 is completely different from what I have witnessed today. Every business has its ups and downs and I know Metro Mass had had its fair share of the downs.

“But from what I saw during our visit within the past five days, Metro Mass is rising and things seems to be stabilizing. I am very impressed with the zeal and drive that the MD exhibited. I have every hope that they will succeed”, said the General Manager of GSTC, Seedy Kanyi.

From Stephen Odoi-Larbi

Nkrabeah Effah Dartey Writes: A Soldier Collapsed?

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Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey

The year was 1981, January 20th or there about. The event was annual memorial flag raising ceremony to remember the battle of Myohaung, schedule for El Wak Stadium Accra.

His excellency the president Dr Hilla Limann told the Minister of defense Riley Poku that he will arrive as guest of honor at exactly 10.00 am so the Soldiers should be on parade latest 9.30 am. The minister did not want problem so he told the chief of defense staff that the president would be coming So the soldiers should form up latest 0900hs. The CDS did not want problem so he told the Army Commander Brigadier Amoah that the parade should be ready by 0830hs.

The Army Commander told the brigade Commander, then Colonel Abana, that the Myohaung Parade should form up by 08:00hs and the Brigade Commander told Col Eric Asare Djan CO 5BN that the contingent For Myohaung parade at El Wak should be in place by latest 7.30 am.

The Commanding officer of 5Bn, then Col Asare Gjan, told the Adjuntant that the contingent for the parade should be in place by 07:00hrs and the Adjuntant published in Part One orders that the vehicles for the parade will set out at 06:00hrs for El Wak.

I was then a subalternin 5BN and on that day. I woke up at 04:00hrs, got ready and was at the parade exactly by 05:00hrs. We sat in vehicles from Burma Camp and by 06:30hrs we had firmed up at El Wak stadium, waiting for the program to begin.

Never before then, not even at the Graduation Parade in Sandhurst nor since then, have I stood at ONE SPOT continuously not fidgeting, standing still, from 0630hrs to 10.30 when the siren announced the arrival of his excellency the President.

Reports from Koforidua say that on Wednesday 6 March 2024 during the Independence day Celebrations, so many casualties were recorded by those on parade…..students, firemen, security persons, including an Air Force Soldier…. Flight Sergeant Nii Armah collapsed… and….. the soldier subsequently died moments later.

Reports from Tamale say that as many as 66 casualties were recorded and the health workers on standby had a hectic time.

A Soldier collapsing on parade……………

All over the world, one distinguishing feature of the military is physical fitness. No wonder you see a 70 year old retired soldier and you will think he is 50 or 45. They are always running, walking, jumping obstacles, no time to eat or sleep, on duty twenty-four hours, leave is a privilege, not a might.

So, for a soldier to collapse, on parade, and subsequently die moments later, is the serious indictment of the standard of fitness especially of the unit he was drawn from.

Reader, in the year 2006 in my capacity as Deputy Minister of Interior, I travelled to Asin Fosu to perform the graduation of some Ghana Immigration Service Officers. I remember during my speech, which was only four pages, one of the officers on parade collapsed. I ignored him and continued reading my address …….. after all I have been a soldier before and enduring parades is one of the hazards of the security service.

If you have read this article with any seriousness, you will ask that why should soldiers be sent to El Wak as early as 6:30am when the president will come at 10:30am? Why? Four hours, doing NOTHING. I am sure the soldiers at Koforidua were at parade by latest 07:00hrs if not early, possibly on hungry stomachs.

The current CDS is an infantry, Army Officer. I am sure he will not blink an eye on this issue.

Entertainment Industry must create welfare and support programs for members

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THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

Actor John Bredu Peasah, affectionately called Drogba and known for his role in the popular YOLO Television show is calling on Ghanaians for help, after revealing he has been dealing with a health issue for the past few years. In a post on his official Instagram page, Drogba revealed that he has been diagnosed with a demyelinating disease. The actor has been undergoing treatment for two and a half years now. A demyelinating disease is any condition that causes damage to the protective covering that surrounds nerve fibres in one’s brain and the nerves leading to the eyes and spinal cord.

The statement on Instagram noted that Drogba needs financial support to help fund his treatment. Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia paid a visit to the ailing YOLO actor to offer his support. Drogba received Dr Bawumia at his residence, where they discussed his health condition and the necessary support required for his recovery.

One of Ghana’s most celebrated Highlife musician, K.K. Kabobo, who had been unwell for a while, died on the morning of Thursday, March 14, 2024 while treating a liver disease.

K.K. Kabobo was reported to have been rushed to the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC) on Thursday, but sadly died upon arrival. This news comes barely two weeks after the veteran musician made his illness public, with the expenses of the family to aid in his treatment not enough. Following the news, former President John Mahama, Samira Bawumia, Wendy Shay and the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) all donated publicly to fund K.K. Kabobo’s medical bills.

Actor John Bredu Peasah and veteran Highlife musician K.K. Kabobo both publicly revealed their struggles with serious health conditions. Their plea for financial support underscores the harsh reality faced by many artistes who lack the necessary resources to access adequate healthcare. The outpouring of support from individuals and organisations after their plea, including a visit from Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and former President John Mahama and their donations, demonstrate the compassion and solidarity that Ghanaians possess.

Much as The Chronicle applauds the support from individuals and organisations towards the plight of John Bredu Peasah and K.K. Kabobo, we also hold the view that the entertainment industry must come together to find sustainable solutions to support our artistes during their times of need. The Chronicle calls for an urgent need for better initiatives within the entertainment industry to address health-related challenges faced by its members, as it would underscore the systemic issues that need to be addressed to prevent such situations from recurring.

It is imperative that the entertainment industry come together to find sustainable solutions by taking proactive steps to establish robust welfare programs and support networks to provide financial assistance, healthcare access and emotional support to its members.

Furthermore, industry stakeholders, including government agencies, entertainment unions and production companies should collaborate to create emergency relief funds and support mechanisms to assist artists facing health crises. These funds could be sustained through contributions from industry players, fundraising events and government subsidies.

Moreover, there should be greater awareness and education within the entertainment community about the importance of regular health check-ups and early intervention. Artistes should be encouraged to prioritise their health and seek medical attention at the first signs of illness, rather than waiting until their condition deteriorates.

It is important for us to also commit ourselves to building a more compassionate and supportive entertainment industry so that they receive the care and support they deserve, both in times of crisis and throughout their careers.

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