Breaking barriers: Disability not inability

Breaking barriers: Disability not inability

Children with disability are among the most vulnerable in society.They oftentimes, face all forms of discrimination,negative stereotypes,social exclusion, little or no opportunity for education inter alia.They rely more on the care and attachment from parents, family and friends to pull through life.

Oversimplified opinions, uncritical judgement and prejudiced opinions weaken insidiously,their ability to develop self-confidence and chart a path of glory through their God-given potentials.

I should like to say that,a shift in people's orientation about 'disability' can only begin with a proper understanding of the widely acclaimed saying"'disability is not inability".And I daresay,physical function capacity(PFC), thus, the ease with which one perform physical task of daily life, may be low in these people but,nonetheless a definition of failure.

Heroic people have amazed the world with mustard courage and determination beyond their apparent physical disabilities.
Albert Einstein,the greatest scientist of the 20th century and the greatest physicist of all times had a learning disability in the early parts of his life.Till the age of three,he could not speak and was severely dyslexic and autistic;Helen Adams Keller,an American author, political activist and lecturer was the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree;Stevland Hardaway Morris, known by his stage name as Stevie Wonder is considered the most critical and commercially successful music performers of the late 20th century.He is an American singer,songwriter,record producer and multi-instrumentalist.Stevie Wonder became blind shortly after birth because he suffered a condition called retinopathy of prematurity;Francis Jane Van Alstyner,more commonly known as Fanny Crosby was an American mission worker, poet,lyricist and composer. He was one of the most prolific hymnists in history,writing more than 800 hymns and gospel songs. She became blind shortly after birth.

ACRAYEF,African Child Rights and Youth Empowerment Foundation aims at ending child rights abuse for a happy childhood.

On the 13th of October,2018, I had the privilege of interacting with persons living with disabilities within the Canteen Electoral Area,a suburb of Damongo together with the District Project Officer of ACRAYEF, Samiwu Kusubari.

It's all about identifying and sensitising them and their parents on the need for such children to acquire skills and also matching their conditions with the needed support packages.
We identified various forms of disabilities and the support packages that will help children living with such conditions to reach their full potentials.
I encouraged the children to take their destiny into their own hands and rise to grace beyond their condition, adding that, disability is never a limitation to higher pursuits in life.'If others were able to do it,why not them'?

The project officer emphasized on various forms of disabilities and the need for children to be proactive and that parents should try as much as possible to educate such children and put them into skilled training activities.

By Ananpansah B Abraham

Catholic Diocese of Damongo constructs six-unit classroom block,office complex at Canteen

Catholic Diocese of Damongo constructs six-unit classroom block,office complex at Canteen

The Catholic Diocese of Damongo has constructed a six-unit classroom block for St. Theresa Primary School at Canteen in the West Gonja District of Northern Region.

With full funding from the Cross Catholic Outreach of USA under the Pope's Council of charity,the cost of the building is Ghc485,000 and comes along with an ultramodern office complex,headteacher's quarters and a storehouse.

The Bishop of the Diocese of Damongo who doubles as the chairman of the Ghana Prisons Council, Most Rev. Peter Paul Angkyier at the inaugural ceremony covered by Ghanawebs' Ananpansah,B Abraham,said Catholic education aims at promoting the wholistic and integral development of the youth, adding that,intellectual knowledge without the fear of God and dedication to service cannot lead to any meaningful development.
He said,a central dimension of the mission of the church is education and human promotion which dates back to the time of the early missionaries.

"Through Catholic education with its focus on the human person who is in relationship with others, we promote integral and wholistic development of the youth...Indeed,education is the key to development,but intellectual knowledge without the fear of God,without the spirit of dedication to service, without discipline,sacrifice and hardwork cannot really lead to any meaningful development. Our believe as Church is that, religion is the soul of education,"he said.

The event according to him,underlines the commitment of the Catholic Church to the development of the children and youth who are leaders of the present and future.
He said the country has no future without a responsible youth who are well prepared to develop their gifts and talents for leadership and service and education is the means to achieving this aim.

He thanked the donors,Cross Catholic Outreach for assisting the Catholic Church to fulfil its dream of bringing quality education to the children of the community.
Quoting Pope Francis,he said structures in themselve mean nothing unless there is a Godly spirit to drive them towards the purpose for which they were established.
He called for a collaboration between all the stakeholders to realise the full benefits of the structure.

Mrs.Mary Thereni,who represented Cross Catholic said she was very happy to be in Africa for the first time and that first time is in Ghana and for that matter, Damongo-Canteen.
She said they were very happy to have such a strong partnership with the Catholic Church,and that they believe in the dignity of every human person.
The school project she disclosed,is a donation from a woman who feels she is blessed and takes it as a responsibility to bless others.

"We believe in the dignity of every human person.All people should have the opportunity of a good education and social services...
The school you see here,is from a donation from a woman who feels she has been very blessed and feels it is her responsibility to be a blessing to others, Mary Stephen Swaister is the donor from Cross Catholic.She is a wonderful wonderful Catholic woman and a very dear friend of mine,"she said.

She further stated that,her organisation acts as a bridge for people to learn and share,and even though they bring the school project as a gift, they expect a gift of support, joy and resilience from the managers of the facility.She revealed they have already been building in Damongo, water wells and they have plans to build two more schools.

The Member of Parliament for Damongo constituency,hon.Adam Mutawakilu said his collaboration with the Catholic mission dates back to his days as a DCE. He confessed everywhere he goes in the constituency,very remote villages,the presence of the Catholic church is felt.And that, the contribution of the Catholic Church to the development of the district is so enormous.
He said apart from the human resource, all resources on earth are finite,making education which builds the human resource a very critical tool for development.
In his own small ways, he said he has been contributing to the educational pursuits of the district and will continue in that regard as an MP.

He thanked the Bishop for his instrumented role in the development of Damongo in terms of education,health,water and many more.
He prayed for sustainability and continuous collaboration among all stakeholders to realise the full benefits of development. 

In a speech read on his behalf,the District Chief Executive of the West Gonja District said education is the key to national development. He said in the West Gonja District, the Catholic Church has built schools ranging from primary schools to secondary schools, such as Morning Star Kindergarten and St.Anne's Girl's SHS.

The government and the church according to him,were partners in development, adding that,the free SHS and free exercise books intervention by the government has relieved the burden of parents.
He said howbeit,the Local Government Act empowers the assembly to be in charge of the integral development of the district,they cannot do it alone,due to the limited resources.And the surest way,to accomplish the task of delivering essential services to the people is through partnership with organisations, such as the Catholic Church.
He said the church should sensitise its people to vote YES for the Savanna region.

The Human Resource Director of GES,Mr.Amos Mahama who represented the District Director fully accepted the facility and promised he was going to staff it with the requisite teachers.
He said the office appreciate the intervention of faith based organisations in education service delivery in Ghana and West Gonja in particular.
He called for a strengthened collaboration between the church and the education office,assuring teachers of continuous moral and educational support.The facility he said, was going to be put into maximum use.

In attendance were:the Bishop of the Diocese of Damongo,Most Rev.Peter Paul Angkyier;the MP for Damongo constituency,hon.Adam Mutawakilu;Mr.Mahama Salifu representing the DCE of West Gonja,Human Resource Manager of GES, Mr.Amos Mahama representing the District Director,Mrs.Mary Thereni representing Cross Catholic Outreach,the Presiding Member of West Gonja District Assembly,hon.Katribi Dramani,the clergy,chiefs and opinion leaders of Canteen,the media among others.

Source:Ananpansah B Abraham

Northern Ghana would've been 50 years behind without Catholic Church-Rev. Angkyier

Northern Ghana would've been 50 years behind without Catholic Church-Rev.Angkyier

The Bishop of the Diocese of Damongo and Chairman of the Ghana Prisons Council,Most Rev.Peter Paul Angkyier has said the whole of Northern Ghana would have been 50 years behind if not for the Catholic Church.

Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate a six-unit classroom block for St.Theresa of the Child Jesus school complex at Canteen in the West Gonja District of Northern Region,he said the church had to fight with the colonial powers to introduce formal education in Northern Ghana, beginning from Navrongo in the Upper-East Region.
In the West Gonja District,he said the oldest school,St.Anne's R/C school complex,was built by the Catholic Church of which he is a product.

"Since the time of the early missionaries,education has been a central part of the mission of the Catholic Church....Why? Because,it is the basis for and the key to the development of the human capital of every society....The Catholic Church has embarked on this, and for those who may not know,I often say:if not for the Catholic Church,the whole of the Northern part of Ghana would have been, perhaps,50 years behind.The church had to fight with the colonial powers to introduce formal education in Northern Ghana, beginning from Navrongo,"he said.

Education and human promotion he said, are a central dimension of the mission of the Catholic Church.Catholic education according to him, aims at promoting the wholistic and integral development of the youth, adding that, intellectual knowledge without the fear of God,without the spirit of dedication to service, without discipline, sacrifice and heard work cannot lead to meaningful development.

He said Ghana has no future without a responsible youth who are well prepared to develop their gifts and talents for leadership and education is the means to achieving this aim.

Mrs.Mary Thereni,who represented Cross Catholic said she was very happy to be in Africa for the first time and that first time is in Ghana and for that matter, Damongo-Canteen.
She said they were very happy to have such a strong partnership with the Catholic Church,and that they believe in the dignity of every human person.
The school project she disclosed,is a donation from a woman who feels she is blessed and takes it as a responsibility to bless others.

"We believe in the dignity of every human person.All people should have the opportunity of a good education and social services...
The school you see here,is from a donation from a woman who feels she has been very blessed and feels it is her responsibility to be a blessing to others, Mary Stephen Swaister is the donor from Cross Catholic.She is a wonderful wonderful Catholic woman and a very dear friend of mine,"she said.

She further stated that,her organisation acts as a bridge for people to learn and share,and even though they bring the school project as a gift, they expect a gift of support, joy and resilience from the managers of the facility.She revealed they have already been building in Damongo, water wells and they have plans to build two more schools.

Speaker-upon-speaker lauded the Catholic Church for its effort at promoting quality education and human development.

With full funding from the Cross Catholic Outreach of USA under the Pope's Council of charity,the cost of the building is Ghc485,000 and comes along with an ultramodern office complex,headteacher's quarters and a storehouse.

In attendance also were:the MP for Damongo constituency,hon.Adam Mutawakilu;Mr.Mahama Salifu representing the DCE of West Gonja,Human Resource Manager of GES, Mr.Amos Mahama representing the District Director,the Presiding Member of West Gonja District Assembly,hon.Dramani Katribi;the clergy,chiefs and opinion leaders of Canteen,the media among others.

Source:Ananpansah B Abraham

We are winning 2020 elections-Mahama

We are winning 2020 elections-Mahama

The former president of the Republic of Ghana,His excellency John Dramani Mahama has said he is very much convinced the NDC will win the 2020 election.

Addressing delegates and members of the NDC in Damongo and covered by Ghanaweb's Ananpansah B Abraham to round up his five-day tour of the Northern region,he said the reality is,the person the NPP currently fears in the umbrella family is the name, John Dramani Mahama.

This he said,was the reason why they keep occupying the ears of ghanaians with cacophonous chaos about his comeback,admonishing the NPP to mind their own business and allow the NDC elect a candidate of their choice.

According to him, the NPP has failed in honoring its promises made to the people of Ghana,such as,one-vilage,one dam policy and one million dollars per constituency policy.

".......What is even more laughable,they will always ask:People of NDC,why?don't you have candidates again?This man has been president before and his time of presidency has elapsed.Why do you want to bring him back?And we ask them;what is your business?We said we are bringing him back. And they will say,we are only concerned because,when you bring him,we will win you people.Ah!what do you want in there;is it not to win?Then let us bring him so you can win him....
The reality of the matter is that,the person they fear in NDC is John Dramani Mahama!Eye Zuu! So,they should allow us to select a candidate of our choice and by the grace of God(×3), Insha Allah,we will reclaim our presidency,"he said.

He used the occasion to preach unity among the rank and file of the party for an assured victory in 2020, adding that,the strength of the party resides in the party's branches,which is the reason why they will be part of the process of selecting a flagbearer for the party.

He said in all his rounds, people ask why he should waste his time moving round the constituencies and meeting delegates,since, he was already popular and if the election was to be conducted today,he will be the one the delegates will select.And his simple answer is that,he is meeting with the delegates to give them their due respect, since, the power resides in their hands, stating that, it was important the party elect a winnable candidate.

The former president is in the race with over 10 other contenders in a bid to lead the NDC into the 2020 general election and was accompanied by the Northern regional chairman of the party;Alhaji Ibrahim Mobila,former chief of staff;Julius Debrah,his campaign manager;Nana Ohene Agyekum,the MP of Damongo constituency;hon. Adam Mutawakilu among others.

The election is expected to take place on the 7th of December,2018.

Source:Ananpansah B Abraham

NPP lied to win 2016 elections,but reality of governance is exposing them-Mahama

NPP lied to win 2016 elections,but reality of governance is exposing them-Mahama

Ex-president,John Dramani Mahama has said the reality of governance is fast exposing the government of Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo after it lied its way to power.

Addressing delegates and members of the NDC in Damongo and covered by Ghanaweb's Ananpansah B Abraham to round up his five-day tour of the Northern region,he said the NPP thought it was eazy governing a country and hence,lied their way to power,only to realise you can't govern with the same lies.

According to him,the NPP government has massively failed the people of Ghana in delivering on its mandate.

He likened the situation of the NPP to a spectator watching a football match as well as a man who is trying to court a girl for the first time.
According to him,a spectator sitting closer to you during a football match will run his/her mouth to the extent that you may think he can play more than all the footballers in the field; and a man trying to court a girl for the first time will tell all the lies to win the heart of the girl, but after wining the girl, you can't use lies to cater for her.

"When we were governing, they though it was at our doorsteps.They though it was easy....Or when they are playing a football match, we those who don't know how to play where do we sit?They always give us benches to sit on.Those who know how to play are the people who enter the field of play.But if you sit at the spectators stand and someone sits closer to you,you may think he knows how to play the football than those in the field playing.Because,when a striker plays the ball and fails to score, he will say 'ahhh!This player is useless.You will hear,'If I was the one,when the ball is coming towards me,I will use my head to control it,chest it and use my leg to stop it.I will then trick the goal keeper towards one director and play the football towards the other direction.Eh! My brothers and sisters,just send him to the field of play and observe whether he can even play the football.He will kick the ball over the bar.That is the situation with us and the elephant family,"he said.

He,however, stated that whatever the Lord has done is good and all praises to him, adding that,if the NDC hadn't lost the 2016 general election,ghanaians wouldn't have appreciated the good works of his government, since,the people of Ghana can now compare and tell clearly the difference between the NPP and NDC.
He further stated that you can only measure the length of a frog when it is dead and that the frog,which he likened to the NPP is dying slowly.

He admonished delegates to give a fair chance and hearing to his other contenders,but must make a sound decision by choosing a winnable candidate for the party ahead of the 2020 general elections.

The former president is in the race with over 10 other contenders in a bid to lead the NDC into the 2020 general election and was accompanied by the Northern regional chairman of the party;Alhaji Ibrahim Mobila,former chief of staff;Julius Debrah,his campaign manager;Nana Ohene Agyekum,the MP of Damongo constituency;hon. Adam Mutawakilu among others.

The election is expected to take place on the 7th of December,2018.

Source:Ananpansah B Abraham

Stop denting image of Physician Assistants-student activist lash out at Dr.Joseph Tia

Stop denting image of Physician Assistants-student activist lash out at Dr.Joseph Tia

A student activist and an aspiring Vice General Secretary of the Ghana Physician Assistants association of Ghana,Nuhu Abdul Ganiyu Kantama has descended heavily on Dr. Joseph Tia Akama over what he describes an attempt by the cardiologist to dent the image of physician assistants.

According to him, it was improper and derogatory for the cardiologist to say on a JoyNews PM Personality Profile Programme that once you have more doctors, you don't need physician assistants, adding that,physician assistants are only sent to hospitals where there are no doctors. He emphasised on the need to train more doctors as a country that can boast of five medical schools.

These comments by the cardiologist seem to have infuriated the student activist who maintains in a statement that,physician assistants are well trained professionals regulated by Medical and Dental Council to practice medicine in Ghana.He further stated that the same body that regulates the practice of Dr.Joseph Tia Akama is the same body that regulates physician assistants in Ghana.

"Contrary to what he said,Physician Assistants are well trained professionals regulated by Medical and Dental Council to practice medicine in Ghana. The same body that regulates the practice of Dr. Joseph Tia Akama is the same body that regulates Physician Assistants profession in Ghana.Thus his comments were not only insults on only Physician Assistants but to Medical and Dental Council of Ghana,the Ministry of Health, and the training institutions that train Physician Assistants across the country,"he said.

Read the full statement below:

I have noted with disgust an attempt by Dr. Joseph Tia Akama a cardiologist at Korle-bu Teaching Hospital to dent the image of PAs by  making  derogatory remarks about the Physician Assistants profession during an interview on PM Personality Profile on JoyNews at about 9pm on Friday, September 28, 2018.
Dr. Josepth Tia Akama said,
"Ones you have more doctors you don't need PAs now because we don't have a lot of doctors.The health system is bringing in PAs and they are going to be competing with doctors and they are not well trained as the doctors.I don't want to go into fight with them but we have to be serious as a country. If you are training doctors, you train them well,give them something to look up to,aptitude,empathy,let them be doctors and then let them go.Why are there hospitals with no doctors?that you need to put PAs.Now you are strugling with them,why?
Why are there medical schools,five medical schools that you are not training  more people.Get them more trainers to train them and then suddenly you don't need middle people even if you need middle people they stringently supervised.But you release these people they are not well trained and but they have to do the work but we need them because the hospitals have nobody and so don't get me wrong.In places where there is nobody a PA is needed but a doctor should have been there".
Contrary to what he said,Physician Assistants are well trained professionals regulated by Medical and Dental Council to practice medicine in Ghana. The same body that regulates the practice of Dr. Joseph Tia Akama is the same body that regulates Physician Assistants profession in Ghana.
Thus his comments were not only insults on only Physician Assistants but to Medical and Dental Council of Ghana, The Ministry of Health, and the training institutions that train Physician Assistants across the country.
How many of those Dr. Joseph Tia Akama claimed to be well trained are currently residing in Bongo taking good care of his family?
Doesn’t he think his comments are insults to himself for abandoning his parents and relatives to people who are not well trained to cater for at Bongo in the Upper East Region whilst he sleeps under air conditioned room and comes out to speak rubbish?
His comments are derogatory and in bad faith. We are not an alternative to medical officers and wish to call on Ghana Physician Assistants Association, Graduate Physician Assistants Association of Ghana, Medical and Dental Council, the Ministry of Health Ghana and all institutions that train Physician Assistants across the country to call Dr. Joseph Tia Akama to order. We demand an unqualified apology from him through the medium where he sat and made those comments.

Source:Ananpansah B Abraham (AB)