http://www.ghana-news.adomonline.com/news/2014/September-24th/psychologist-excessive-pornography-is-main-cause-of-masturbation.php

Researcher claims plastic containers pose health risk, but FDA disagrees

 

A researcher in the use of plastic materials has raised an alarm about the health risks associated with the use of plastic bowls, containers, polythene bags and  ‘take away’ packs in the food and beverage industry.

The researcher, Mr Dominic Gyamfi, said the storage of food and consumables in these containers was very dangerous to the health of consumers because they were produced from petrochemicals that leach into the food items and the drinks. 

He  told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the use of plastic for manufacturing water bottles, bagging water, manufacturing food packs and storing alcoholic beverages made the harmful chemicals they contained leach into the food and drinks “we eat and drink daily.”

“There is so much danger in eating food from plastics as harmful chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, polyethylene (PETE) and antimony leach into food, water and other consumables and these activities put our lives at risk,” Mr Gyamfi stated.

According to him, the claim was based on secondary research he had conducted over the last three years with data that point to the fact that plastics were harmful to human health. 

“When there were no plastics in the past, cancers and cardiovascular diseases, as well as infertility, diabetes and early menstruation were not as common as we have today.”

He described the use of plastic bowls, plates and cups in homes, offices and food joints, regardless of their colours, as  dangerous once they “come into contact with food.”

“When hot food, salt and pepper are put in such bowls and plates, the chemicals they contain leach into the food and with time the colour of such bowls fades.

“Scientifically, plastics will fade, suggesting that the chemicals are leaching into the food we consume and this can cause blockages in our veins, leading to cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and stroke,” he said.

The chemicals, he added, slowed down the speed at which blood flowed into the heart and brain, making “us susceptible to all kinds of chronic diseases.”

In Ghana, food vendors have several ways of cooking and packaging food. These include wrapping banku in transparent plastics, covering rice on fire with polythene bags and even covering fante kenkey with plastics before wrapping it with leaves.

FDA responds

The claims have, however, been disputed by Mr Kofi Essel, a Principal Regulatory Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), who insists that  the assertion had no scientific evidence but was rather a product of desktop research.

“If someone talks about public health risk, it should be based on evidence so regulatory institutions can protect the public from such risk. There is no room for speculations so far as public health is at stake,” he said.

He also said the rate at which BPA leached into food was highly dependent on the temperature of the food, adding that the temperature at which food came into contact with such plastics in Ghana posed no danger to consumers.

“There are certain things you cannot totally eliminate. There are some amounts of chemicals that are allowed in food. The body has its own mechanism to excrete these chemicals.”

BPA ban

Concerns about some chemicals in food packaging have been taken seriously in recent years.

BPA, an  industrial chemical used to make hard, clear plastic, which is also present in many bottles and metal food and drink cans, for which it is used as a lining, is to be banned from food packaging in France from 2015.

It is used to line cans to prevent corrosion and food contamination. It also makes plastic cups and baby and other bottles transparent and shatterproof.

According to some researchers, BPA is a known endocrine disruptor, which means it interferes with how hormones work in the body by blocking their normal function.

That chemical’s use in the manufacture of baby feeding bottles is already outlawed across Europe and the United States. In China, the penalty for using BPA to produce feeding bottles for babies is death.  

Commenting on the ban of the use of the BPA in France, Mr Essel said the French regulator’s decision to ban the use of the chemical in plastics may be the result of risk assessment, which may point to the fact that their citizens may have been overexposed to the chemical hence the need to remove it from the market.

“If there is a serious public health risk, the total ban would be immediate. It might not be public health risk but probably consumer pressure. 

“It is the consumers that do the buying. If they don’t want a particular product on the market because of A or B reasons, the regulator must take steps to do what is right, backed by scientific evidence,” he explained.

He, however, maintained that the fact that one country had prohibited or planned to ban the chemical did not mean that all others should do so without scientific evidence to back it.

In spite of its decision to ban the use of BPA in the manufacturing of plastic feeding bottles for babies, the Canadian Government, in September 2012, reaffirmed the safety of the chemical in food packaging, upholding its 2008 stance on the controversial chemical.

"Based on the overall weight of evidence, the findings of the previous assessment remain unchanged and Health Canada's Food Directorate continues to conclude that current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging uses is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including newborns and young children," Health Canada's Bureau of Chemical Safety wrote in its report.

The Canadian regulator was, however, quick to add that “to be clear, no assessment is ever final. Health Canada will continue to monitor the latest information around exposure to BPA and the safety of its use as a food packaging material.

SOURCE: Graphiconline.com

Ebola-hit nations may 'face collapse'

 

The Ebola outbreak threatens to become a political crisis that could unravel years of effort to stabilise West Africa, a think tank has warned.

"The worst-hit countries now face widespread chaos and, potentially, collapse," the International Crisis Group (ICG) said.
The world's largest outbreak of Ebola has caused 2,811 deaths so far, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The UN has warned that infections could treble to 20,000 by November.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said this could happen if efforts to tackle the outbreak were not stepped up.
Both Liberia and Sierra Leone are recovering from brutal civil wars and Guinea has faced coups and ethnic unrest.
"Adding social breakdown to the epidemic would create disaster perhaps impossible to manage," the ICG statement said.

 source: BBC

Low sperm count…break up in marriages - Dr. Fordjour

Dr John Boakye Fordjour, a gynaecologist at the Brong-Ahafo Regional Hospital in Sunyani has expressed concern about the alarming rate of low sperm count in men.
He attributed low sperm count as the major cause of break up in marriages adding that most people believe that women are always the cause of infertility and not the other way round.
But Dr. Fordjour believes that men are also a contributing factor to that effect because of the activities they find themselves.
Research has shown that male fertility starts to decline in the mid thirties which affects the quantity and quality of sperm.
He revealed to Adom FM's Midday News 'Kasiebo is tasty' that he always get cases of low sperm count from men at the hospital and that made him believe that men are the real cause of infertility.
“Most of the men who come to the hospital always come with the problem of low sperm count.   In every one million of sperm, a man should at least get 20 million sperm which is the minimum because that 20 million can impregnate a woman.”
He however cited infections through sexually transmitted diseases and excessive drinking of alcohol as some causes of low sperm count in men.
Dr. Fordjour therefore advised men not to involve themselves with multiple of women and also be vigilant.

source:  Source: Ghana/Adomonlin.com

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I am a happy man- Horace Ankrah

Source: Ghana/Adomonline/Dorcas Abedu- Kennedy
Date: 11-09-2014 Time: 12:09:47:pm

Horace Nii Ayi Ankrah, Chairman of the Events, Grounds and Logistics Sub-Committee of the Brazil 2014 World Cup Committee has described the apparent confirmation of his submissions by caterers contracted to cook for fans at the event as an indication of the genuine work he did for the nation.
Mr Ankrah recieved major bashing from the general public for percieved inconsistencies in pricing for food and apparent dereliction of duty when he appeared before the Presidential Commission charged with unravelling the decisions and events that dogged Ghana’s ill-fated appearance at the 2014 World Cup.
Among others, he received bashing for providing figures which suggested that the Committee deliberately changed proposed quotations from caterers for feeding supporters airlifted to Brazil from Ghȼ34 to $35.
Appearing for the second day on Wednesday, Horace Nii Ayi Ankrah, however defended his work and accused Justice Senyo Dzamefe, head of the Commission, of being judgmental on the issue of the cost per meal of football fans airlifted to Brazil. He also accused the Commission of intimidation, and of preventing him to explain himself properly.
“I am a happy person now because the caterers' appearance to the commission shows that everything I said when I was called was the fact,” he stated on Adom FM's Dwaso Nsem morning show on Thursday.
“It also gave me the opportunity to explain what really happened as well as the innovations that came up during the preparations to Brazil because I believe I made people comfortable and I’m happy about that”.
“I started negotiations with the caterers and the operational team ended with them and I must say that I was very much decisive with the caterers and the operational team” he added.
He however apologized to the commission for using harsh words when protesting about his treatment before the 3-member Commission, saying he was hurt by some of their comments.

source :Adomonline.com

Osei-Ameyaw steps down from NPP race, backs Akufo-Addo

Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, one of four persons qualified to take part in the New Patriotic Party's flagbearer contest, has withdrawn from the race and thrown his support behind Nana Akufo-Addo, another candidate.

The Asuogyaman MP announced his decision at a press conference in Accra on Thursday.

Mr. Osei- Ameyaw revealed that he is withdrawing from the race to foster party unity and ensure the largest opposition party wrests power from the National Democratic Congress in the 2016 elections.

“Ghanaians are yearning for change. And the NPP is the change Ghana needs. Unity is the key to our success. I have chosen unity” he declared.

Below is a full statement read at the conference:

ADDRESS DELIVERED BY HON. KOFI OSEI-AMEYAW, FLAGBEARER HOPEFUL OF THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY ON HIS POLITICAL CAREER; AHEAD OF OCTOBER 18, 2014

Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the media. Thank you for honoring this invitation at short notice.

Not so long ago, I stepped up and joined six other candidates to apply to contest for the flagbearership position of the New Patriotic Party, when nominations were opened.

Having met all the requirements for the leadership position I was seeking and having been cleared and asked to proceed towards being shortlisted through (National Council, National Executive Committee, Steering Committee, Regional Executive Officers and Constituency Chairpersons) the Super Delegates Conference.

Before I started this journey, I sought divine guidance and direction from the Almighty God. I also checked my personal background, my life experience as a legislator, a lawyer, a diplomat, international relations expert, politician and a businessman.

The ultimate journey was to be in three phases – Phase one being the shortlisting of five out of the seven candidates; phase two being the Presidential Primary and phase three being the national elections.

I joined the flagbearership contest with a vision and the goal to foster unity and improve upon the fortunes of the elephant family.

The New Patriotic Party, as you all know was formed out of the United Party and its tradition. In building the tradition our founding fathers were confronted with two choices – the divided party path and the united party path.

But our founders opted for the united party path because they believed that was the only way to obtain power to form government.

If you look through our historical voyage, from 1969 when the party took the united path under Dr. K.A. Busia’s Progress Party, we won power and through that we were able to implement policies that uplifted the standard and wellbeing of the Ghanaian citizenry considerably.

Similarly, in 2000 and 2004, when the party again took the united party path, our front was as solid as a rock and through this we won power after over three decades in the political wilderness.

We were able to implement policies that brought about the National Health Insurance Scheme, National Youth Employment Program, Capitation grant, Free Maternal Health Care, Metro Mass Transport Services, MASLOC and also finding oil for the nation.

On the other hand, when the party took the divided path, power eluded us and Ghanaians did not forgive us for choosing such a stance. Under the divided leadership of Victor Owusu and William Ofori Atta, we lost power.

Again, in 2008 and 2012, when our front was perceived as divided, we were unable to win power to continue with the good work of President Kufuor’s administration and also reclaim power from the National Democratic Congress.

These historical antecedents should guide all New Patriotic Party members to understand that it is only a united party path that would win us the 2016 elections.

That is why on the campaign trail, in all my interactions, deliberations, negotiations and actions, unity resonated.

It is a fact that the great Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition has always been unstoppable, almost like a juggernaut, when it presented a united party front.

With a united party at the core of my heart, I did not hesitate to invest both human and material resources to rebuild our grassroots – the Union of Polling Station Executives/Members, otherwise known as UPSEM.

Having left my footprints at the grassroots I was, therefore, not surprised when the Super Delegates shortlisted me among the five candidates for the October showdown.

Looking at the second phase of the journey and recognizing that it is only through a united front that would put us on a clear path towards the third phase of the competition, to take my own path would be to proceed on the divided path.

I believe this will further weaken our front in our pursuit for political power.
Given that the Super delegates may have been guided by the opinions of the 141,000 delegates before deciding to opt for a candidate with overwhelming support, the first phase of the process may well be a reflection of the bigger Electoral College, come October 18, 2014.

And so, to go contrary to this overwhelming decision of the majority would be to betray the unity path that the whole party paved for us.

With this, I have no other choice than to look at the interest of the party than at my own interest. I have, therefore, after consultation and reflection and spiritual introspection, decided to take the united party path rather than the divided party path towards the next phase of the journey.

I am, therefore, withdrawing from the race to lend my support to the united movement to ensure that our great party stays on the united path to wrest power from the National Democratic Congress.
Ghanaians are yearning for change. And the NPP is the change Ghana needs. Unity is the key to our success. I have chosen unity.

From here, I will proceed to Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s residence to congratulate and endorse him to lead the party going into the 2016 general elections.
I am more than prepared to play a role in his campaign in our quest for political power in 2016 and urge all my supporters to do same.

Let me take this opportunity to also congratulate all the seven contestants who were part of this process.

God bless Ghana
God bless the New Patriotic Party
Thank you


source :  Source: Ghana/Adomonline/Dorcas Abedu- Kennedy

Agona people don’t want educated leaders- NDC Chairman

Martin Luther Obeng, former DCE for Agona East

The NDC Branch Chairman for Agona Nsaba, Nii Sackey has provided a novel reason for the recent dismissal of the Agona East District Chief Executive, Martin Luther Obeng.

Mr Obeng, who was sacked last Saturday, was kicked out because the people of Agona East do not like educated leaders, according to Nii Sackey.

According to him, those who are highly educated in the district are seen to be a threat to the community, especially those with vested interests, because they believe such a person will bring great innovations that will show them up as saboteurs.

“Agonas don’t want educated leaders that is why they always want to get rid of a person who is educated for their own selfish interest” Nii Sackey declared on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Wednesday in reaction to the sacking of Mr Obeng.

The Presidency announced in a terse release Saturday September 6, 2014, the dismissal of four District Chief Executives (DCEs) with immediate effect.

The dismissed DCEs are Reginald Emmanuel Aboagye, Kwaebibirem; Adam Banabelsera Yussif, West Mamprusi; Joseph Adansi Bondah, Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai and Martin Luther Obeng, Agona East.

The decision according to a release signed by Local Government Minister Julius Debrah, is in accordance with Section 20(4) of Article 243(1).

But Nii Sackey believes the sacking of the DCE was orchestrated by persons who are unhappy that the ‘young man is learning too much.’

He described the sacking of Mr Martin Obeng Luther “as a big blow to the district,” saying he initiated and completed several projects during his tenure as DCE.

On his part, the former Agona East DCE said although he had not received any official dismissal letter, he would accept any command that comes from the President.

“I have not received any letter yet, I have heard about it on radio but all I can say is that it is well with me and I thank the president for the opportunity he gave me” he told listeners.

 “There is a lot of capacity in which I can serve the nation, not only being a DCE. I will continue to support the NDC and help the government."

Although he failed to name names, he alleged that several persons had vowed to ensure his dismissal because he had refused to sanction any actions that would not inure to the benefit of the people of the district.

He hinted that he had secretly recorded tapes of his detractors and would make them available at the appropriate time.

source :  Source: Ghana/Adomonline.com/

Don’t intimidate witnesses - lawyer urges Commission

Moses Foh-Amoaning, a member of the Commission

President of the Legal Advocacy Foundation, Maurice AmpaW has appealed to the members of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Ghana's participation in the recent football world cup not to intimidate witnesses when they appear before them.
He describes as unfortunate, the way Horace Nii Ayi Ankrah, Chairman of the Events, Grounds and Logistics Sub-Committee of the Brazil 2014 World Cup Committee was intimidated by the Commission.
“The commission has no right to intimidate a witness though they as a commission of inquiry are there to inquire, it is very unfortunate.”
Horace Ankrah on Wednesday accused Justice Senyo Dzamefe, head of the Commission, of being judgmental on the issue of the cost per meal of football fans airlifted to Brazil.
He made the statement in reaction to negative media reports generated from his accounts at the Commission’s hearing Tuesday, which suggested that the Committee deliberately changed proposed quotations from caterers for feeding supporters airlifted to Brazil from Ghȼ34 to $35.
Lawyer Ampaw believes that though witnesses appear before the commission to be quizzed, it should be done in a way that will not intimidate them. “I think a lot of people are following the commission with keen interest so everything should be done in the right way,” he urged.
Mr. Ampaw also expressed disappointment that lawyers of witnesses have so far failed to support their clients.
"I'm advising all lawyers to be up and doing in the job by raising objections when their witnesses feel intimidated; they can even file an action in court if the need be" he advised.
The President of the Legal Advocacy Foundation however stressed that if the commission is able to identify any criminal conduct during the inquiry, they can recommend that appropriate sanctions be applied.
He also urged the media to be circumspect in their reportage to prevent any contempt cases.

source : Source: Ghana/Adomonline/Dorcas Abedu- Kennedy

Accra record 9,000 cholera cases out of 10,000

 

 The Ghana Health Service has revealed that Accra has since recorded 9,000 cholera cases out of 10,000 cases recorded nationwide.

The Public relations Officer for the Ministry of Health, Tony Goodman who disclosed this on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday, said the problem has to do with individuals who are not willing to take up responsibilities for them.

He said they are currently embarking on a sensitization exercise to identify cholera prone areas to nib the problem in the bud.

Mr. Goodman stressed that they have started a campaign by allowing most public health workers to move to different regions to sensitize residents in the various communities especially in the three Northern regions which is free from the outbreak.

“On our part as the Ministry of Health, we are doing as much as possible to reduce the outbreak. We also call on all stakeholders to come on board so as to reduce the sickness which has taken over Accra.”

Mr. Goodman urged Ghanaians to keep their environment clean as well changing the sources of drinking water in their communities.

He asked residents from cholera areas to desist from drinking unsafe water and also buying food from road side adding that avoiding all these acts will save more lives in the country.

source: From: Ghana/Adomonline.com/Dorcas Abedu- Kennedy