Category: General

In the heart of Ghana’s healthcare history, lies a treasure trove of natural remedies-traditional medicine.

This age-old practice, embracing plants, leaves, herbs, animals, and other gifts of nature, has been the cornerstone of healing long before the colonial era introduced us to modern medicine.

Prof. Kwame Benoit Nguessan Banga, a leading figure at the Institute of Traditional and Alternative Medicine (ITAM), University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), shared his insights during a chat with the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

He passionately argues for a revival of trust in traditional medicine, urging Ghanaians to rediscover their roots in natural healing.

‘Long before the advent of modern labs and medicine, our ancestors were their own healers, using the rich biodiversity around them,’ Prof. Banga notes.

Despite initial resistance from colonial perspectives that demanded scientific validation, traditional medicine has stood the test of time, proving both effective and safe.

The journey wasn’t always
smooth. Earlier practitioners relied on oral traditions to pass down their knowledge, leading to gaps in scientific documentation.

Today, however, Prof. Banga sees a bright future. ‘We’re now uncovering solid evidence that our traditional remedies work, but it’s crucial to share this knowledge widely,’ encouraging more people to embrace these practices.

Prof. Banga’s belief in traditional medicine isn’t just academic; it’s personal.

He recounts a transformative encounter with a plant-based remedy from Burkina Faso that cured him of what was once deemed an incurable disease.

This experience, validated by medical tests, underscores the potential for Science and tradition to collaborate, creating innovative solutions unique to Africa.

Encouragingly, some hospitals in Ghana have begun integrating herbal treatments, responding to patient demands after rigorous laboratory tests.

This growing acceptance signals a broader shift towards recognising the value of herbal medicine, not only in Ghana but globally.

T
he World Health Organization has supported traditional medicine for over two decades, recognising its widespread use and advocating for regulatory frameworks to ensure safety and efficacy.

The establishment of UHAS’s Institute of Traditional and Alternative Medicine, alongside efforts by other state institutions, marks a significant step forward.

By training future practitioners and conducting research, these institutions aim to provide the scientific backing needed to fully integrate traditional remedies into our healthcare system.

This move is also poised to boost medical tourism, attracting individuals from around the world seeking alternative treatments.

Yet, challenges remain. Prof. Banga highlights the need for proper preservation, preparation, and dosing of herbal medicines to avoid toxicity.

Collaborations with the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners (GHAFTRAM), the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Traditional Medicine Directorate (TAMD), and the Traditional Medicine Practic
e Council (TMPC) are crucial in advancing the practice, but more support is needed.

‘To truly make strides in traditional medicine, substantial funding for research and development is essential. We have the expertise; we just need the resources,’ Prof. Banga concludes.

As we celebrate Ghana’s rich heritage, let’s not overlook the wisdom embedded in our traditional medicine.

By valuing and integrating these practices into our healthcare system, we not only honour our ancestors but also open doors to innovative, culturally resonant healing methods for future generations.

Source: Ghana News Agency

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 29-year-old bathroom attendant to 15 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbery.

Issahaku Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to possession of firearm without authority, causing unlawful harm to Arafat Sanah and robbing him but he was found culpable after trial.

The Court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah discharged Ibrahim of the possession of firearm without license and sentenced him to two years on the cause of harm charge and 15 years on the robbery offence but ordered that the sentences be concurrent.

Police Chief Inspect Clement Takyi had earlier told the Court that Sanah, the complainant, and others, on May 22, 2023, at about 2030 hours, were selling their phones in front of Yam Market in Accra when the convict, Ibrahim and nine others armed with locally manufactured pistols, attacked complainant, and inflicted multiple cuts.

They also aimed the locally manufactured pistols at him to surrender the ten (10) assorted phones he was selling, which value is not yet to
be known.

He said the Complainant for fear of his life, handed over the phones to Ibrahim.

Ibrahim, however, ran out of luck as in his attempt to leave the scene, was arrested. The complainant quickly raised the alarm and with the help of people around, caused his arrest and his weapon retrieved.

Chief Inspector Takyi said Ibrahim was handed over to the Police and medical report was issued to Sanah, the complainant, to attend hospital and report for further actions.

During investigation, Ibrahim could not produce any document, covering the locally manufactured pistol, claiming that he had it whilst he was loading scrap metals and decided to use it for his personal protection, the Court heard.

Prosecution said after investigations, Ibrahim was charged with the offence and put before court.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has assured customers that it would work with charging entities to refund their Electronic levy (E-Levy) charges deducted during the recent internet disruptions.

The recent disruptions in internet connectivity in the country led to wrongful charging of E-Levy by some charging entities.

A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the wrongful deductions were caused by charging entities not being able to route transactions to the Electronic Transfer Levy Management and Assurance System (ELMAS) in real-time.

However, it said the Authority would work closely with charging entities to ensure a smooth and efficient process for handling offline transactions and reimbursing wrongful deductions.

It said charging entities would be responsible for reimbursing customers for any E-Levy charges that were incorrectly applied after GRA completed its processes on refund requests.

It said the Authority had established temporary procedures for processing offline transactions.

‘
These temporary procedures will ensure that E-Levy is charged only on applicable transactions, even if there is a delay due to internet outage,’ it said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Abdul Raman Mohammed, Manager of the business wing, Akuafo Nketewa Company Limited, Tempane District of the Upper East Region, has attributed the high yield of sorghum to prompt intervention by aggregators to ensure availability of inputs for farmers to facilitate production.

He reiterated that Sorghum was a time bound crop and failure to follow each of the activities at the right time during cultivation could lead to total failure, which the company did not want to happen.

Akuafo Nketewa was able to arrange the right inputs at the right time for farmers, which contributed to the company exceeding its quota of supply by 20,000 metric tonnes of the crop to Guinness Ghana PLC between January to September 2023 and hoped to do more if given another quota, he said.

Mr Mohammed , also a member of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), who spoke to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, said the current arrangement with Guinness Ghana was the only way farmers had reliable means of assurance of income
from their produce.

Though in the open market, traders patronised the produce it was in low quantity and farmers were not able to sell in large quantities to get money on time to offset their loans, he said.

The company was dealing with more than 11,000 farmers in the Upper East Region, who were into Sorghum production in Tempane, Pusiga, Bongo, Bawku West and Builsa districts, the Kassena Nankana and Bawku Municipality.

Also, farmers at Gushegu, Saboga and Cheriponi in the North East Region, where there are aggregators mobilizing the sorghum produce, were part.

Mr Mohammed, however, noted that huge quantities of sorghum were still on the farms and ware houses.

The aggregators who were buying from the farmers were doing well, being able to manage the huge quantities involved and ready market available, he said.

He noted that there were challenges in dealing with farmers as loan recoveries were not so encouraging, explained that the company did not provide credit but linked the aggregators to sources of
farm inputs to give to their farmers.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Three border communities in the Upper East Region hosting some asylum seekers from Burkina Faso because of the Sahel crisis, have benefitted from three solar powered mechanised and high yielding boreholes to help address water challenges.

The facilities, constructed at a cost of about GH?440,000.00, benefited Fatega and Kare, a suburb of Sapeliga in the Bawku West District and Kugri in the Garu District of the Upper East Region.

The facilities have been connected to overhead polytanks with multiple water collection points for the host communities and the asylum seekers.

Changing Lives in Innovative Partnerships (CLIP) in collaboration with Acting for Life (AFL) with funding from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office of the United Kingdom High Commission provided the support.

It was under the Supporting Agropastoralism to reinforce Social Cohesion in the cross-border territories of the Ghana-Burkina Faso (SAPSOC) project’s third phase, which aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence between host commu
nities and transhumance.

The aid was also in response to the requests by the district assemblies to support them with sustainable water access for host communities, asylum seekers and pastoralists.

At the inauguration of the facilities at the different locations, Mr Lukman Yussif, the Director of CLIP, said the water facilities were to help address the water challenges as a result of the influx of the asylum seekers from neighbouring countries, particularly Burkina Faso.

He said due to the disturbances in the Sahel region, many people had been compelled to seek refuge elsewhere, particularly in Ghana, and the situation had put pressure on the limited resources of the host communities.

‘These communities are already deprived in terms of social amenities and the presence of the asylum seekers has further compounded their problems including putting pressure on the limited food and healthcare facilities among other things,’ he said.

The communities prioritised water challenges after series of engagements bet
ween them, the district assemblies and his outfit, and that necessitated the move to construct the water systems, Mr Yusiff said.

He explained that the gesture was to complement the efforts of the assemblies to address the water challenges, adding ‘although the Tarikom reception and resettlement centre is there, the reality is that we still have many of them at the communities’.

Alhaji Issah Salifu, the Board Chairman, CLIP, noted that apart from the water issues, the communities were still faced challenges including livelihood interventions and his outfit would work to support them in any way possible.

‘I will appeal to the indigenous people to still hold onto your Burkinabae colleagues and see how organisations can support as CLIP is doing its best to support the communities on other issues,’ he said.

Mr Anania Daniel Atampoba, the District Chief Executive for Bawku West, lauded CLIP and its partners for the intervention and that the asylum seekers had been registered moved to the reception centre at Ta
rikom.

Mr James Agaogo, the Assemblyman for Sapeliga Electoral Area, pledged the community’s resolve to maintain the facilities to last and serve the intended purposes.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has urged the public to ensure proper handling of the country’s currency to enhance integrity, confidence and trust to boost its functionality.

This, the BoG, said would help reduce the cost of issuing new currency into circulation and facilitating counterfeit detection.

Mr Dominic Owusu, the Head of the Currency Management Department of the BoG, gave the advice during a tour of the Currency Department as part of activities to mark the Ghana Heritage Month.

The participants were taken through the processing and shredding unit of the Currency Department to educate them on the BoG currency management operations and its Clean Note Policy (CNP).

Mr Owusu, in his remarks, underscored the importance of the use of purses and wallets to keep the currency neat and prevent it from mutilating.

Mr Owusu said the crumpling and squeezing of the bank notes affected the garnishing on them to protect the notes from humidity.

He stressed that the entire citizenry must help preserve the country’s
currency and save the cost of destruction and replacement.

According to him, the currency reflected the country’s heritage and symbol of national identity.

The Head of the Currency Management Department of BOG urged the public to send their torn and unfit bank notes to the banks so they could be taken out of circulation.

Mr Owusu warned the public and traders from rejecting the one and five pesewas.

‘All the currencies issued by the BoG continued to be legal tender and hence the citizens must accept them, ‘ he stated.

Mr Owusu urged the public to use the country’s currencies for only economic transactions, saying any other use such as using the currency for decoration and spraying it on people during functions was illegal.

He said Ghana currently lacked the capacity to print money locally and besides it was not economically viable to do so.

He explained that the quantity of money printed every year was forecasted along international standards and based on among others the growth of the economy and grow
ing population.

To ensure the circulation of bank notes at predetermined and acceptable standards, remove unfit notes from circulation and combat counterfeit notes, Mr Owusu stated that the BoG in 2010 began implementing a CNP.

He said the objective of the CNP was to ensure confidence, integrity and trust in the Ghanaian currency.

The Head of the Currency Management Department said it was to withdraw and replace unfit currency from circulation and also combat counterfeit.

On counterfeit currency notes in circulation, Mr Owusu said the menace had been on a reducing trend since 2010.

He said Ghana was recording 7/1,000,000 counterfeit notes which was far below 100/1,000,000 which was considered serious if a country recorded such level of counterfeit notes in circulation.

Source: Ghana News Agency