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 453 Blue Water River Guards pass out to protect environment

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• Mr Buah inspecting the parade mounted by the River Guards at the Ezinlibo Naval FOB

 A total of 453 Blue Water River Guards have passed-out after undergoing a four-week training at the Naval Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Ezinlibo, in the Jomoro municipality of the Western Region.

It is a module under the Blue Water Initiative launched by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to equip the youth with the skills and knowledge necessary for adequate and timely protection of the country’s rivers.

The ceremony, part of the first phase of the project, targets to train at least 2,000 Ghanaian youth, to enable them to restore water quality, which has been jeopardised by illegal mining activities.

The reviewing officer at the parade, and Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, described the event “as a new dawn in our relent­less fight against illegal mining activ­ities plaguing our water bodies.”

He noted that, the precision and discipline displayed by the River Guards were a testament to the rigorous training they underwent at the Naval Base.

The training, Mr Buah noted, had equipped the River Guards with the essential skills—physical endurance, basic arms handling, combat tech­niques, survival swimming, water­manship, and boat operations and asked the gathering to applaud their perseverance and dedication.

The minister explained that, the guards, drawn from riverine com­munities would be “the eyes, ears, and first line of defense, working alongside traditional leaders and lo­cal youth to protect our waters from the scourge of illegal mining.”

Mr Buah, cautioned the guards against direct engagement with ille­gal miners, stressing that their duty was to observe, report, and prevent any threats or confrontations to the Ghana Navy Riverine Command Centres expeditiously.

He indicated that, under the operational command of the Ghana Navy Riverine Units, the Blue Water Guards would serve as an early warning mechanism, reinforcing surveillance and deterrence efforts.

Additionally, Mr Buah said, tem­porary Operational Bases (TOBs) had been established along the Ankobra, Fia, Bonsa, and down­stream Pra rivers to ensure rapid response, through coordinated boat patrols, road surveillance, and intel­ligence-sharing with other security agencies.

Further, he assured that, addi­tional speedboats, patrol vehicles and motorbikes would be procured to ensure the extension of the programme to the Central, Eastern, Ashanti, Bono, and Savannah regions, to safeguard the environ­ment, while creating 2,000 direct jobs and empowering Ghanaians to securing the natural heritage.

Mr Buah warned financiers and faceless individuals behind the destructive acts to desist immedi­ately or face the full swift force of the law, stressing that, every Ghanaian had a role and should become a water guard volunteer, adding “Together, we can defeat this existential threat”.

Deputy Defence Minister, Er­nest Brogya Genfi, also maintained that, illegal mining remained one of the greatest threats to Ghana’s national security, wreaking one of the gravest crimes against “our land and future.”

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Minerals Commission, Emmanuel Kwamena Anyimah, also described the event as a com­mon fight against illegal mining and its devastating consequences, particularly the pollution of water bodies.

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 Tooth decay cases rises in Tema

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• Visit dentist regularly to avoid tooth decay

 Dr Kakra Bonsu Appiah, Head of the Dental and Oral Surgery Department at the Tema General Hospital, says tooth decay has become the most common dental problem affecting residents of Tema.

Dr Appiah mentioned that there have been more patients reporting with cavities, tooth­aches, and other compli­cations linked to poor oral hygiene.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that tooth de­cay was caused by the breakdown of the tooth’s structure due to acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, which thrive on sugary foods and poor brushing habits, making good oral hygiene practices essential in preventing the disease.

“The most common cause of dental caries is poor oral hygiene. When you look at how dental caries form, you will understand that poor oral hygiene is the leading cause of dental caries; it is about leaving food debris around the teeth,” he stated.

Dr Appiah explained that many of the cases presented at the hospital could have been avoided through regular brushing, proper diet, and timely dental check-ups, emphasising that maintaining oral health was not just about having clean teeth but also plays a critical role in overall well-being.

He advised residents to brush their teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss regularly to remove food particles between teeth, and reduce the intake of sugary snacks and drinks, as well as visit the dentist twice a year.

The dentist also expressed concern that people only visited the hospital when the pain became unbearable, urging Ghanaians to visit the dentist regularly to prevent emergencies.

Dr Appiah further appealed to parents to educate children on good oral hygiene practices from an early age and reduce their intake of sugary foods. —GNA

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Cake Tekniks holds 59th graduation ceremony

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About 30 students on Sunday graduated from the 59th gradua­tion ceremony of Cake Tekniks In­ternational, a privately-owned modern cake designing and sugar craft school in Accra.

During the ceremony, all gradu­ates were presented with certifi­cates while 13 of them also re­ceived professional diploma.

The founder of Cake Tekniks International, Mrs Jane Addo, said her outfit was dedicated to pro­viding world standard skills, knowledge and hands-on training necessary for one to succeed worldwide in the culinary industry.

Mrs Jane Addo addressing students and guests at the ceremony

She encouraged the students to embrace the opportunities, challenges and experiences, mindful of the fact that they are well-equipped.

“Hold your heads up while you build a goodwill between your clients and your­selves,” she added.

Mrs Addo said the school was pas­sionate about fostering the culture of creativity, motivation and excellence with the belief that every student had the potential to make a lasting impact in the culinary world.

The founder and leader of QA Con­sult, Mr Johnson Opoku-Boateng, said graduation was a witness to the unveil­ing of talents, passion and hard work and testament to months of dedication and hands-on-learning.

He urged the graduands to ensure that their cakes were safe and good for human health and that their success would be dependent on how well they serve, create and grow.

The event also saw the exhibition of cakes and pastries by the students.

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 Volta College Foundation donates GH¢9,000 to 9-yr-old fire victim

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Some members of the foundation with Mr Dumevi and a staff of the hospital
Some members of the foundation with Mr Dumevi and a staff of the hospital

 A delegation from the Volta College Foun­dation, a non-govern­mental organisation, has donated GH¢9,000.00 to the family of nine-year-old Victoria Atsoribo, who suffered severe burns in a fire accident at home.

The donation was made at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where Victoria is currently on admission and undergoing treatment.

Led by women’s or­ganiser of the foundation, Madam Mawulawoe Ame­dorme and Deputy PRO, Ms Rebecca Gollo, the delegation said the NGO launched a support cam­paign for Victoria, with the aim to ease the finan­cial burden on Victoria and her family.

Madam Amedorme said “thanks to the overwhelm­ing generosity of our members and the general public, we were able to raise funds to support her treatment and recovery.”

Receiving the dona­tion, Victoria’s uncle, Mr Bright Danquah Dumevi, expressed gratitude to the leadership and members of the foundation for their kindness and support.

He said Victoria was transferred from Marga­ret Marquart Hospital in Kpando to Korle Bu Teach­ing Hospital in Accra for specialised care.

According to Mr Dume­vi, Victoria was currently undergoing planned staged skin grafting (surgery) as part of her treatment.

Your kind gesture has made a profound impact on her recovery journey, bringing hope and joy to her healing process.

He said the contribu­tions from the foundation will help in taking care of Victoria’s bills, adding that “your support has allevi­ated a significant portion of the financial burden associated with her treat­ment, allowing her family to focus on her recovery.

He also appealed to the general public, be­nevolent individuals, and organisations to continue extending their support to Victoria to aid her recov­ery.

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