President Akufo-Addo said at the 61^st Independence parade that his government would, among other things, resource the Police Service to deal with the recent increase in robbery-related cases across the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”hvh5T2zkyq7PhUIItjeRTWO6AC1W6Tn1″]Speaking to Citi News, Mr Sowatey charged the media, CSOs and the general Ghanaian public to ensure that the pronouncements made by the President and the country’s security heads would be firmly implemented.

“It is up to individuals, media and civil society to hold him accountable for what he has said. At least we can have some measure, some key performance indicators to measure him by, one of which would be the psychological sense and insecure nature of the country,” he said.

He also noted that the president mentioned a number of things that would be done to improve the operations of the security agencies in the country and called on Ghanaians to be alert and monitor all these promises from the government.

“He talked about increasing logistics, he talked about recruitments and there are two more issues he said. Those are issues that can be measured to some extent, we know the threshold or the baseline now; the number of police personnel, the number of vehicles. We will check the number of more people who will be added in term of recruitments, and what thing about recruitment is that it has to be very transparent,” he said.

‘Committed to security’

In the light of the increasing spate of armed robbery cases in the country, President Nana Addo declared his resolve to ensure that Ghanaians are safe in the daily discharge of their duties.

Speaking at the 61st Independence Day celebration held at the Black Star Square, the President said: “As your President, this is an obligation I accept and I am determined to discharge faithfully. I will work to ensure that citizens are able to go about their daily duties in the confidence that they are safe.”

The President’s comments come in the wake of a heightened wave of robbery attacks with the recent one involving a Lebanese who was shot and killed at Tema Industrial Area last week with the assailants making away with GHC 200,000 he had withdrawn from the bank.

A number of other incidents have also involved brazen attacks by robbers on individuals and organisations in broad daylight.

Describing these attacks as “totally unacceptable”, the President warned that “no miscreant will have the space to terrorize citizens and generate a sense of insecurity” in the country.

The Interior Minister Ambrose Dery earlier said is in the process of procuring logistics such as helicopters, drones and vehicles for the Police Service.

“We have focused to fight crime, it has never been so. In the past it has been a general approach to crime and being reactive…the law has provided that in terms of security matters, you can have sole sourcing, we might have to do that to quickly get things in.”

He said they will in the meantime procure “about three helicopters… and they will be stationed in Accra with the police and they will help in the backups.”

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Hold Gov’t accountable over security promises – Analyst appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The FDA’s current guidelines for the Advertisements on Foods (Section 3.2.6) and specifically the requirements for advertisements of alcoholic beverages, states that: “Radio and Television advertisements shall not be aired between the hours of 0600 am and 2000.”

However, lax enforcement of this regulation has seen alcoholic beverages advertised at all times of the day.

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the FDA, James Lartey, persons who are found to be flouting the directive could face prison terms of up to 15 years as well as a fine of about 7, 500 cedis.

He stated that the move had become necessary because of the rise in the number alcohol ads during the day enticing minors to try these beverages, and ultimately affecting their health.

“Currently we have looked at the level of alcohol consumption in the media, it is very bad. And I think the earlier, we bring some stringent measures the better. So we feel that this is an attempt to actually enforce that aspect of the regulation,” he said.

He said, for now, the FDA is targeting the traditional media outlets although they are aware other channels could be used to promote these beverages.

James Lartey, however, suggested that in time the Association will look at enforcing the law on these other channels, including the various social media platforms.

“For now we are looking at TV and radio, that is what our regulations say, TV and radio, but like I mentioned earlier, regulation is dynamic, as we go along if we realized the need to include another medium, why not we will,” he said.

He also stated that the police will be assisting FDA in apprehending the culprits.

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post FDA to crack down on alcohol advertisements before 8pm appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In terms of therapy, there is conventional/western/allopathic medicine and alternative medicine (which may include naturopathy, homeopathy, chiropractic and Ayurveda).  Allopathic therapy is the most practiced system in most parts of the world. In Ghana, our hospitals are mostly allopathic. Professionals working in the allopathic system may include the medical doctor, the pharmacists, the dietician, the psychologist, the radiographer, the physiotherapist, the midwife and the nurse.  Public health professionals, sociologists and academics all have significant roles to play in our health system.

So it’s interesting that whenever there is a health topic being discussed in the media one is more likely to hear a Medical Doctor. This, I attribute to lack of knowledge and inadequate professional training of media practitioners.

The lack of knowledge stems from lack of research. The late astute American science fiction writer Robert Shekley said, “Before you can ask an intelligent question, you must already know more than half the answer.” Reading around a subject as a producer gives you enough insight into which aspects need more explanation, which aspects are more controversial and therefore need clarification and which issues have been least talked about and therefore need more information. Your research will also guide you as to whether to invite an optician, an optometrist or an ophthalmologist for a discussion on the eye. It is when we have been able to pay attention to these details that we are ready to inform the public. Anything short of this will result in shoddy production – the ‘anything goes’ syndrome.

I will share a personal experience with you on the importance of research. I nearly hosted a woman who goes about calling herself a dietician. And she uses the “Doctor” title. My producer had to call her to cancel her appointment when we read about her. Not only has she not acquired a PhD, she didn’t even have a first degree. She has a certificate in professional NGO, Management, Governance and Human Relations, which she acquired from from Pan-African Institute, Ghana. Then she pursued a strategic Management Programme at Graduate Training Institute, Ghana. Never mind that these programmes have nothing to do with diet/nutrition; how does one acquire a PhD with such a level of education? And yet this is a woman who had been on several health talk shows proffering advice on diet. A clear case of a charlatan misinforming the audience! It will only take a little bit of research to keep such people at bay.

Lack of professional training mostly results in lack of focus of topics. Most often than not, topics discussed tend to be too broad for any meaningful, exhaustive discussion within the allotted time. For example, if a producer decides to discuss HIV/AIDS he/she must first decide whether he/she wants to discuss allopathic therapy or alternative medicine. He/she then must decide which aspect of HIV/AIDS he wants to discuss. If he decides that he wants to look at how one can use diet to improve conditions of people living with the disease he may need a dietician. If he decides that he wants to discuss the social support system for people living with the disease, he may need to get a psychologist, a sociologist and/or someone living with the disease. If he decides to look at diagnosis, drugs and prevention, he may need a Medical Doctor for the discussion.

Another critical thing that should be considered is to run a detailed background check/probe along guests’ areas of expertise. For instance, even among nutritionists, there are some who have done more research work and are experts in infant nutrition while others have in-depth knowledge and experience in dealing with food nutrient composition. On the surface, you may have a nutritionist in the studio but there could be another nutritionist who is more suited for the topic.

But the realization is that most of our producers will bring the MD to discuss HIV/AIDs and attempt to look at everything AIDS within a very limited time. The result is that while you pose questions from nutrition, psychology, sociology to an MD who may have limited knowledge in these fields you also do not give your audience enough time to understand the various aspects well. The result is a piecemeal approach to communication which may end up confusing your audience.

The media practice which says that if one is not a medical doctor then one cannot talk about health issues is restrictive and exclusionist. It has to change.

I observed with amazement how listeners called into my health show (as a host) with their questions and sometimes refer to my guests as “Doctor” when in those cases my guests were neither medical doctors nor PhD holders. Is it therefore surprising that anybody who sees himself as a health practitioner goes about carrying the title “Doctor”?

As a media we should be magnanimous enough to accept that we have contributed immensely to the creation of this monster. ]

So before you go out there and treat any topic, ask yourself these questions: Have I done enough reading around the topic? Is my topic focused enough?, Do I have the right person to address the topic? It is after you have answered yes to these questions that you are ready to inform and educate the public. We should strive at all times to have the right information delivered to listeners and readers.  It is called professionalism.

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By: Kwaku Botwe (Broadcast Journalist)

[email protected]

The post ‘Think health, think Medical Doctor’ posturing of the media deadly [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr Trump accused the National Security Agency (NSA) and FBI of giving out information illegally.

Some US media say top Trump aides were in constant communication with Russian officials in the election campaign.

Intelligence officials previously said they believed Russia tried to influence the vote in favour of Mr Trump.

Moscow has dismissed the claim, describing it as based on unsubstantiated facts.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that the latest reports of contacts with Trump aides were “not based on any facts”.
On Thursday Rex Tillerson is due for his first meeting as US secretary of state with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at a G20 gathering in the German city of Bonn.

‘Leaks’ to media

The latest allegations look set to reignite tensions between the president and his own intelligence services, which flared during the 2016 election campaign, says BBC Washington correspondent Gary O’Donoghue.

They come a day after National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned amid a row over reports he discussed US sanctions with Russia before Mr Trump took office.

Leading Republicans have joined calls for a wide investigation into Mr Flynn’s links with Russia.

President Donald Trump (L) and Michael Flynn (R).Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Mr Flynn is already facing accusations over his discussions with the Russian ambassador

Mr Trump appeared to attack the NSA and the FBI for what he described as leaks to the media about the contacts.

“Information is being illegally given to the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost by the intelligence community (NSA and FBI?),” he tweeted.

But in another tweet he suggested that the reports were “non-sense” produced by his Democratic opponents.

“This Russian connection non-sense is merely an attempt to cover-up the many mistakes made in Hillary Clinton’s losing campaign.”

The tweets came after the New York Times quoted unnamed former and current officials as saying that the communications were intercepted as evidence of Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee was coming to light. Other media have since corroborated the reports.

The intercepted communications were said to be between Trump campaign officials and other associates on the one hand, and Russian intelligence and government officials on the other.

However, the officials interviewed by the Times said they had seen no evidence of the Trump team colluding in the hacking.

The US public has “serious questions” about US-Russia ties, says congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi

Mr Flynn and Mr Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, were said to be among those mentioned by the officials.

Mr Manafort told the newspaper: “I have never knowingly spoken to Russian intelligence officers, and I have never been involved with anything to do with the Russian government or the Putin administration or any other issues under investigation today.

“It’s not like these people wear badges that say: ‘I’m a Russian intelligence officer.'”

As well as an FBI investigation, both the Senate and House intelligence committees are already examining Russian involvement in the election. It is not yet clear whether the latest claims will be included in their scope.

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Source: BBC

The post Trump hits back at US media reports on Russia contacts appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Commission, over 127,394 special voters, comprising security personnel, electoral commission officials and the media, will be casting their votes at designated polling centers across the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”chjlOFNTIn938HUCFmGUiwQEGaHrs4S6″]The results of this special vote, the commission said, will not be declared until December 7.

Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Samuel Tettey, who disclosed this at a press conference on Wednesday, said materials and centers for this special voting session, have been distinctly marked from the materials; and polling stations for the general elections on December 7, to ensure transparency in the process.

He noted that, all materials for the exercise have already been dispatched.

Parties protest ‘secret additions’

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), as well as other parties, had raised concerns about supposed new additions of Police personnel unto the special voters’ list.

They complained that, the EC breached the law for allowing new police entrants onto the list; but the Commission rejected the claim, saying they met the 42-days deadline as stated in the C.I. 94.

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By: Sixtus Don Ullo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’re ready for special voting – EC appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.