By Emmanuel Nyatsikor

Adaklu Kodzobi (V/R), June 21, GNA – Miss Linda Ahinma Effisah, a Nursing Student of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) Friday stated that menstruation was not a curse nor a disease.  

She said it was a natural and healthy bodily process in the life of every woman.  

She advised adolescent girls to disregard the numerous myths and misconceptions people had about it.  

Miss Effisah stated this when some level one Nursing students of UHAS donated over one hundred sanitary pads to adolescent girls of Adaklu Kodzobi District Assembly Basic School in the Adaklu district.  

She noted that they were moved by the plight of teenage girls who could not afford to buy sanitary pads so came together to form a Non-governmental organization known as “Nurses for Dignity” to assist such girls.  

Miss Effisah said it was also to educate them on how to manage their menstruation period safely and confidently, adding “menstrual hygiene is very important.”  

She noted that some girls still used napkins and rags during their menstruation, which she said was unhealthy practice.  

She stated that this could cause cervical cancer as these items were often not washed properly before being reused.  

Miss Effisah advised the girls to always wash their hands with soap before putting on the pads, adding “our hands carry a lot of germs so wash your hands well so as not to be infected by those germs.”  

She also urged them to use cotton pants during their menstruation period.  

Miss Effisah called on religious bodies, philanthropists and NGOs to help provide girls, especially those in school with “this important item.”  

Mr. Charles Kugbeadzor, Headteacher of the school, thanked the students for coming to the aid of the girls and stated that it would help boost their morale.  

The students demonstrated the proper way to put on the pads to the girls.  

A similar donation was done at Kodzobi Ando District Assembly Basic school.  

GNA  

Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Christian Akorlie   

Dr Johnson Asiama, Bank of Ghana Governor

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has established a committee to reform the Ghana Reference Rate (GRR) in a bid to significantly reduce lending benchmarks, Governor Johnson P. Asiama announced at the Digital Academy launch by the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB), Ghana.

Introduced in 2018, the GRR is a key interest rate benchmark used by banks and financial institutions to price their loans and credit products. It was established by the central bank to promote transparency, consistency and fairness in the determination of lending rates.

For June 2025 the rate was 23.08 percent, forming the baseline before institutions apply risk premiums to loans.

The committee forms part of broader efforts to dismantle structural inefficiencies that have kept credit costs elevated, with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) currently borrowing at rates exceeding 30 percent on average.

Speaking to banking industry leaders in Accra, Dr Asiama declared his intention to achieve lending rates below 10 percent before the end of his four-year tenure – a target that he acknowledged has attracted scepticism from market observers.

“We cannot sustain a real sector going forward where SMEs have to borrow at beyond 30 percent and are expected to compete, to grow or to expand. It just does not work,” the Governor said.

The reference rate reform committee represents one of three key interventions designed to reduce credit costs. The central bank is also strengthening the collateral registry and credit referencing systems while engaging commercial banks to improve risk pricing and reduce intermediation costs.

Dr. Asiama stressed the importance of enhanced fiscal-monetary coordination, revealing recent discussions with the Finance ministry on operational improvements. He stated that he has instructed his outfit’s banking department to extend operating hours to facilitate government transactions, citing previous complaints about early closure times hampering fiscal operations.

“Anytime you need to do a transaction that involves crediting government accounts at the Bank of Ghana, just call them. If it is 9 p.m., they have to stay and make sure that transaction is effective,” he said.

While Dr. Asiama chronicled recent gains, he cautioned against complacency – emphasising that “macroeconomic stability is never given. It is earned through discipline, through credibility and through timely reforms”.

The central bank is pursuing three core strategies to rebuild credibility: strengthening its balance sheet through expenditure controls and prudent reserve management; refining policy toolkits including forward guidance and liquidity forecasting; and enhancing transparency to restore market trust, he added.

The event also marked the launch of CIB’s Branch CEO Programme and Ghanaian Bankers magazine.

Dr. Asiama highlighted transformation of the local payments ecosystem, with mobile money accounting for 97 percent of digital transactions by volume and 72 percent by value.

The next phase of digital financial services development will extend beyond basic transactions to encompass savings, insurance, credit and financial literacy platforms.

The apex bank is also finalising regulatory frameworks for digital assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers to support innovation while maintaining consumer protection, the Governor stated.

Governor Asiama stressed the continued importance of branch banking, particularly outside the capital; describing branch managers as “frontline development agents” essential for financial inclusion.

Explaining the rationale behind the Branch CEO Programme, CIB’s Chief Executive Robert Dzato said it aims to develop visionary, responsive and ethically-grounded leadership at the branch level.

“The Branch CEO Programme recognises that our bank branches, particularly those outside Accra, serve as a critical interface between the financial system and everyday citizens,” he explained.

“We cannot achieve true financial inclusion without branch leaders who possess the vision to identify opportunities in their communities, the responsiveness to adapt services to local needs and the ethical foundation to build lasting trust,” Mr. Dzato further stated.

This comes as the central bank has begun exploring machine learning techniques for inflation modelling and credit risk analysis, while planning to collaborate with academic partners and industry stakeholders on research initiatives.

Dzato explained that the Digital Academy will train bankers to integrate technological innovation with ethical practices and customer inclusion.

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is seeking a review of the penalties imposed on individuals who establish unauthorised fuel stations, arguing that the current fines are too lenient to serve as an effective deterrent.

The Authority says the existing penalty—pegged at less than GHS20,000—is inadequate, especially in light of the increasing number of unlicensed fuel outlets, some of which have caused fatal explosions.

Speaking during an engagement with Parliament’s Energy Committee, NPA Chief Executive Officer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe underscored the urgency of strengthening enforcement to safeguard lives and property.

“If the penalties are punitive enough, it will discourage those unscrupulous people from setting up filling stations in unauthorised places. We all remember the event that happened at Haatso and the panic it set in the whole system. We are trying so well to make sure that we minimise those incidents,” he said.

Tamakloe reaffirmed the NPA’s commitment to stricter enforcement of safety regulations and curbing the establishment of illegal fuel stations across the country.

 

Eric Opoku, Sampson Ahi visit Channel One TV’s AgriFair

Former President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), Katrina Adams, has expressed her excitement about the opportunity to engage tennis stakeholders in Ghana and to offer training sessions for tennis athletes as part of her trip to the country.

Speaking at the opening session of the Tennis Clinic in Accra, organized by the A10 Africa Tennis Foundation in partnership with the Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF), Adams noted that, “it’s really exciting, because when we just saw Coco Gauff winning in Paris and we had Madison Keyes winning in Australia, people who look like us — it’s exciting,” Adams said.

“And Francis Kiyofo, Ben Chilton, and Hayley Baptiste going deep in Roland Garros — exciting times. So hopefully our kids are getting excited about wanting to be in tennis.”

She underscored the need to extend this enthusiasm globally, especially in Ghana. “I know we are in America, and hopefully they are [getting excited] in the rest of the world, and particularly here in Ghana,” she added.

Adams, who is headlining the two-day event along with former Bahamian tennis star Roger Smith, said the goal of the clinic was to inspire and energize young players and their coaches through interaction, training, and mentorship.

“We’re excited to be here to be able to motivate the kids here in Ghana, because as it’s been said, we have to see it to believe it,” she noted.

“Hopefully these kids are able to see it, believe it, and want to be inspired by it.”

“So we’re bringing that energy here this weekend, and hopefully the kids will feel that energy in the coaches as well.”

Katrina Adams, a former professional doubles player, won 20 WTA doubles titles and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 1988.

Beyond the court, she made history as the first African-American and former professional player to lead the USTA.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Wamkele Mene is the Secretary-General of AfCFTA

The Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, has highlighted the critical need for advanced medical facilities and quality health services in Africa.

According to him, this will help retain monies that are currently funding overseas treatment, which can be used to strengthen Africa’s healthcare infrastructure, invest in local talent, and build regional centers of excellence.

In a speech delivered during the commissioning of the $350m World Class African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) at Abuja in Nigeria, the Secretary General explained that health services have been prioritised under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services with the current phase of negotiations intended to expand market access in the critical sector.

This, according to him, will enable African healthcare providers and professionals to operate seamlessly across borders.

“This massive outflow reflects deep structural gaps in the continent’s health systems, particularly in specialized care and advanced diagnostics. By retaining this expenditure, Africa not only conserves vital foreign exchange but also advances health sovereignty, channeling resources into pressing development priorities like education, innovation, and social protection”, he advised.

He explained that the situation necessitates the critical need for advanced medical facilities and services within the continent, a need he believes precisely addressed by initiatives such as the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE).

He said the AMCE flagship facility is a strategic investment in Africa’s future, marking a paradigm shift, delivering world-class, advanced medical care, especially in critical areas like oncology, haematology, and cardiovascular diseases, right here on our continent.

He added that by offering state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment, fostering cutting-edge research, and establishing world-class training programs, AMCE will effectively curb medical tourism, retain vital foreign exchange, and, most importantly, reverse the ‘brain drain’ of Africa’s brightest medical minds.

“This initiative embodies our collective commitment to self-sufficiency and inclusive human development across the continent”. he stated.

Commissioning the facility in Abuja, President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu highlighted that Nigeria is proud to host the largest stem cell laboratory in West Africa, which is located within the AMCE.

Adding that with the planned Medical and Nursing School on the campus, and with partners ranging from King’s College London to the University of Wisconsin, AMCE is laying the foundation for a new generation of African medical specialists who will no longer be exported but empowered at home.

President Tinubu stated that the African Medical Centre of Excellence could not have come at a better time and that the facility will benefit from the investments and reforms his administration has championed, and it is also a reminder that the ultimate measure of a functional nation is the synergy between the government and private sector players to co-create solutions.

SP/EB

How social engineering hacks your mind and your bank account

The Bank of Ghana has justified its decision not to confirm the appointments of a fraction of personnel recruited in December 2024.

Sources close to the Bank told Joy Business that the action was based on a rigorous evaluation process undertaken by the Human Resource and Capacity Development Department.

This assessment, Joy Business understands, was based on what the Central Bank describes as  “considered performance outcomes, alignment with the Bank’s values, and the potential to contribute meaningfully to its strategic objectives.”

 The Bank of Ghana, we also understand, argued that the exercise reflects ongoing initiatives and programmes aimed at promoting strong institutional standards and what the Central Bank describes as a human capital strategy, which is in line with its mandate of enhancing financial and operational stability.  

Details of Exercise

Joy Business is learning that about 97 did not have their appointment confirmed after probation.

However, the Bank of Ghana is insisting that more than half of the persons who were recruited had their appointment confirmed since they successfully passed the assessment by the Human Resource Department.

Sources say the decision was indeed in line with the terms of recruitment, which was captured in everyone’s employment contract, which indicated that “they are on a six-month probation period, subject to satisfactory performance.”

Background

The Bank of Ghana, in a letter dated 19 June 2025, communicated the decision to the affected persons that their appointment would not be confirmed because they were not successful during the assessment.

According to the Bank of Ghana, it took the decision after it finalised its staff probation review and exercise, resulting in the majority of these personnel engaged after December 7, 2024.

It, however, insisted that only a few had their appointments not confirmed by the Bank of Ghana

The Central Bank is insisting that this should be seen as a routine exercise, which is not targeted against any individual at the Bank of Ghana.

One senior official with the Bank told Joy Business that “Such exercises are routine and form part of the institution’s commitment to maintaining a high-performance work environment.”

The Bank of Ghana, in a separate discussion with Joy Business has also maintained that it takes employment issues very seriously and will apply the “principles of fairness, transparency, and due process throughout in everything it does.”

 Support for the Affected Persons  

Based on the letter to one of the affected persons seen by Joy Business and other persons whose contracts were not confirmed, they are taking home one month’s salary in lieu of notice.

According to the letter signed by the Head of Human Resource and Capacity Development Department, the affected persons have also been advised to return all institutional property by the effective termination date of Monday, June 23, 2025.

Spending on Staff at Bank of Ghana

The 2024 account of the Central Bank showed that  Group Personnel Cost increased from GH¢2.3 billion in 2023 to GH¢2.9 billion in 2024.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

By Michael Foli Jackidy

Ho (V/R), June 21, GNA – The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a strong warning to the public to prioritize water safety and protect themselves and others from drowning.  

According to the WHO, drowning is often silent, sudden, and unexpected, making it difficult to detect until it is too late.   

Globally, drowning claims over 300,000 lives each year.  

“Anyone can drown, but no one should,” it said.  

The WHO identified several groups at increased risk of drowning, including young children due to limited risk awareness and lack of swimming skills, and males, who face more than twice the drowning death rate of females, and are more likely to be hospitalized from non-fatal drowning incidents.   

Marginalized and low-income communities, where people depend on open water sources—such as ponds, rivers, and wells—for daily needs like bathing or collecting water, occupational groups, such as commercial or subsistence fishers, who spend extended time on water.  

Populations affected by climate change, which is contributing to more frequent floods and severe weather events. Notably, drowning accounts for 75 per cent of deaths in flood disasters.  

Travel by water, especially during dangerous weather or without proper safety equipment, significantly increases the risk of drowning.  

WHO Safety Tips to Prevent Drowning include  learning swimming and water safety skills and ensuring your children do too, always supervising children closely when near water, never leave a child unattended, even for a moment, check weather conditions before swimming or water  avoid alcohol consumption when supervising children or swimming, ensure life jackets and buoys are available and used properly.  

The WHO calls on all individuals, communities, and governments to prioritize water safety measures and create awareness to help prevent this preventable tragedy.  

This call comes amidst ongoing heavy rains and widespread flooding.  

GNA  

Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Christian Akorlie