Health Minister Urges Ghanaians To Stake Lotto

Story: W. K. Adusu

The Minister for Health, Ms. Sherry Ayittey, has called on Ghanaians to stake more game of lotto from the National lotteries, to help effective development of the country.

She added that the National Lotteries Authority (NLA) is one of institutions that contribute to the development of Ghana; so if one stakes lotto from the NLA, the person is automatically improving social amenities of the country in areas like the hospitals.

Madam Ayittey made this commendation whilst receiving GH¢192,855.00 worth of blood refrigerators from the National Lottery Authority (NLA) on behalf of her ministry.

The Health Minister lauded NLA for the gesture, and appealed to other institutions for more of such gestures to mitigate some logistical problems in other hospitals.

She explained that some of the hospitals in the rural areas have logistical problems; and the government cannot do it all alone without the support of the people and institutions like the NLA. On this score, Madam Ayittey commended NLA for the move in the health sector.

The Managing Director (MD) of National Lotteries Authority (NLA), Brigadier Martin Ahiaglo, said the donation of the six (6) blood refrigerators amongst other things part of the outfit’s social responsibilities.

He said the mandate of NLA per the provisions set in the National Lotto Act 722 of 2006 is to generate revenue for national development. The Lotto MD further explained that the Act enjoins the NLA to also conduct lottery with the aim of offering support to the less privileged in society as part of NLA’s corporate social responsibility.

In view of that, he called on Ghanaians not to patronize the banker to banker, in order to contribute to the development of this country.

 The MD mentioned that the procured six blood refrigerators would be donated and installed in some selected hospitals under the health ministry.

The beneficiary hospitals include; Father Thomas Alan Rooney Memorial Hospital, Asankrangua District in the Western Region; Lawra District Hospital, Jirapa East in Upper West Region, and Military Hospital near Okomfo Anokye in the Ashanti Region.

Other beneficiary hospitals are Atibie Government Hospital, Mpraeso in the Eastern Region and Princess Marie Children’s Hospital, James Town in Accra. All the blood refrigerators are expected to serve other surrounding hospitals.

It was noted that NLA has amongst many other contributions, also contributed about 80.5 million to the consolidated fund since it was set up in 2006; 70% of which amount was raised last four years showing that the outfit’s revenue generation is growing.

During this 50^th anniversary, and as part of NLA’s activities, lots of social projects were undertaken in health sector.

This includes support to ‘London Market Maternity Home’ – James Town, Accra; Korle-Bu Children’s Ward; Korle-Bu Children’s Ward Cancer Unit; Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, amongst other related Projects across the country. 

Decision Day

“Elections are about those who cast votes, not those who count, not those who supervise, not those who transmit and not those who declare. It is the casting of the ballot that is sacred, God-given right of a citizen casting his or her ballot. The rest of the activities are at best, administrative duties”—Nana Akuffo-Addo (Dec. 28, 2012)

For over two decades, Ghanaians have been used to winning or losing elections at the polls, but petitioners in the on-going Presidential Election trial hope to change that convention today, as they await the Supreme Court’s decision on the petition they put in to challenge the legitimacy of President John Dramani Mahama, who emerged the winner eight months ago, as declared by the constitutionally-mandated agency, the Electoral Commission, gazetted and officially sworn in by the Chief Justice of the land.

Nine Justices of the Supreme Court, namely, William A. Atuguba – (chairman), Julius Ansah, Sophia Ophilia Adjeibea Adinyira, Rose Constance Owusu, Jones Mawulom Dotse, Annin Yeboah,

Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Sule N. Gbadegbe and Vida Akoto-Bamfo, would  today, settle the anxiety of the two main political parties in the country - National Democratic Congress, (NDC) and New Patriotic Party, (NPP).

And while the two parties have openly declared their preparedness to accept the verdict come what may, the nation’s security agencies have not been resting: they have been on their feet, working hard to ensure peace before, during and after the final verdict.

Civil society organizations and religious bodies have also been using their platforms to drum home  messages of peace whiles the National Peace Council (NPC), National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the mass media and other stakeholders have made frantic efforts to play their part throughout the petition trial.

Despite the energy been invested into this, supporters of both NDC and NPP have been at each other’s throat on the nation’s social media and other  mediums, a situation  which has triggered panic and fear among sections  of the public including some diplomatic missions.

However, the National Security Capo, Lt Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, has assured the nation that the nation’s security is ready to manage any situation that might arise.

He warns persons who intend to foment trouble to back down and urges all Ghanaians to do their best to ensure that the security of the state is maintained after the Supreme Court Decision

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Ghana Garden & Flower Event – The Way To Go!

Ghana Garden & Flower Event – The Way To Go!

By Margaret Jackson

“Ghana is blessed with good soil. We also have good sunshine, yet we always cry about unemployment”, those were the words of Ms Esther Cobbah, Chief Executive Officer of the Stratcomm Africa during an interview with Radio Gold on Tuesday August 27, to highlight more on the free 4-Day Flower Exhibition, Conference and Workshops which opens at the Efua Sutherland Park from Thursday August 29 through Sunday September 1.

The event which will dwell on a sustainable gardening policy for Ghana, Gardens and Flowers for Beauty and Health, Gardening and Flowers for Jobs and Income Generation among others, and will formally open on Friday August 30 at the Efua Sutherland Park, has the 2^nd Lady, Mrs Matilda Amissah-Arthur, as the Special Guest on Honour, Keith Kirsten, The Guru of South African Gardening as the Keynote Speaker while Dr. Juliette M. Tuakli will chair the program.  

Ms Esther Cobbah, who spoke passionately about the program made it known that in spite of Ghana’s good weather and soil we currently import flowers from Kenya, South Africa and Togo. This she said does not help a country that is always crying about high unemployment rate.

“We have these opportunities starring us in the face, yet we are not tapping into them for income generating purposes. We need to change this attitude. And that is what the Ghana and Flower event seeks to highlight to Ghanaians”, Esther Cobbah stressed.

Ms Cobbah made it known that it’s about time Ghanaians use garden and flowers to beautify the country in order to attract more tourists from outside. She noted that gardens and flowers make a big difference in the development landscape of every country.

So many participants from the gardening and flower industry will take part in the event. Notable among them are Florists, Horticulturists, Policy Makers, Landscape Designers, Pot Makers, Sculptors, Garden Furniture & Ornaments, Homeowners, Garden Enthusiasts & Hobbyists, Kitchen Gardeners, and Organic Backyard Growers among others.

Since this program is free and open to all Ghanaians, I will urge as many Ghanaians as possible to take advantage of the free tutorials that would be given on gardening and flowering. Accra is too dirty. And so are many cities notably Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Koforidua among others. Many residents care less about their environment which make the work of the Accra Metropolitan Authority and others on cleanliness just nothing to write home about. Cleanliness in big cities has simply become a mirage.

We have so many medians on our roads, yet the plants and grass in the medians look unkempt, weedy and disorganized. We even see many of them with litters of garbage. Some passengers in vehicles deliberately drop garbage in the medians, while nobody cares a hoot about it.

The frontage of many beautiful houses scattered in Accra also have pockets of weeds and water sachet bags but the owners of these houses seem not to care a tootle because they think it’s not their job to clean up. Of course, there are many others who have beautified the frontages of their houses and I will not take the credit away from them.

Ghana needs to change. We all need to change our attitudes toward our surroundings and the environment, therefore, the 4-Day Ghana Garden and Flower event is not only timely but the also the WAY TO GO! You need to go and experience the mysteries of nature which comes with Beauty, Serenity, Peace, Health, Jobs and Income.

The event has sponsors like the Royal Senchi, Access Bank, BGEI Africa, Hot-Trail Sourcing Services, Regimanuel Gray and NBC Ghana Trust. Media Partners include Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Daily Graphic, Metro TV, TV3, Citi 93.3 FM, TV Africa, Joy 99.7 FM, Business and Financial Times, Enquirer and The Insight among others.

The contacts for the event are 0241898658, 0273577757, 0244549420, 0244246626 or Email: gardensandflowers@stratcomm-africa.com

magjackson80@yahoo.com

http://majjacks80.blogspot.com

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