They have also been urged to avoid the temptation to cut corners in any form, and eschew malpractices during examinations.

Professor Edmund Ameko, acting Vice Chancellor of Accra Technical University, gave the advice at the University’s 25th Matriculation ceremony held on Friday.

According to the acting Vice Chancellor, those practices and behaviours have been the bane of many students who have withdrawn.

Prof. Ameko said the University received 7,934 applications, however 6,669 qualified, and were offered admissions, with the percentage of female students admitted representing 43 per cent.

He explained that last year, the University was able to admit 4,528 students to pursue courses such as civil engineering, building technology, fashion design and textiles, computer science, marketing among others.

Prof Ameko indicated that, the University currently had a student population of about 15,000, with 614 full time and part time staff, crammed on 22.6 acres of land.

“It is evident that our current infrastructure is under a lot of pressure,” he added.

However, the acting Vice Chancellor said the University would do all it could with the available resources to make training and studies of students successful.

He announced that, the University is developing a second campus at Mempemehuasem, near Nsawam, and the School of Engineering would be relocated there in due course.

Prof. Ameko was enthused that government through the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), was providing the University with four laboratories and workshops for the Mechanical Engineering, Furniture Design and Production, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Building Technology and Civil Engineering programmes at the new campus.

He said government was also providing the laboratories and workshops with equipment to train students.

Prof. Ameko said the University has introduced Virtual Internship Programme (VIP) for its students this year, adding that, 650 students undertook their industrial attachments through the VIP programme.

Additionally, Prof Ameko said the University has completed the construction of 32 room guest house, which would serve as a training facility for students in the Hotel Catering and Institutional Management.

He therefore appealed to the students to be committed to discipline and be worthy ambassadors of the University.

“We need the support, loyalty, commitment and cooperation of both students and staff to make this University a world-class institution of higher learning.”

Prof. Ameko urged students to also develop their competencies through constant practice, adding, “begin your dreams of what you want to become from here and work towards them diligently.’’

According to him, any breach of the University’s rules and regulations, would definitely attract appropriate sanctions.

Dillys Kwakye, acting Registrar of the University, swore the students in.

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Source: GNA

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The Very Reverend Father Dr. Alphonse Amanor, who is a Stress Management Consultant at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said for them to be successful in such quest, management of the schools needed to be strict and boost supervision of students.

He was speaking at a day’s seminar on suicide prevention held at the Atibie Nursing and Midwifery Training College in the Eastern Region.

The programme was organized to sensitize students of the college on how to manage their frustrations and challenges, to stop any temptation of taking their own lives.

The Very Rev Fr. Dr. Amanor highlighted the need for school authorities and the students’ body to be on the look out for any signs of frustration and withdrawal and act quickly to assist such persons through counselling.

He advised the students to manage their desires and disappointments ‘very well’, mindful of the fact that things would not always happen the way they wanted.

He told them to care for each other – closely monitor and report any suspicion of depression on the part of their colleagues to the authorities for support.

Mrs. Paulina Osabutey, the Principal, described as deeply disturbing, the situation where young people had been committing suicide.

That was why, it had become important to organize such seminars to help students to properly manage their expectations, difficulties and frustrations, she added.

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Source: GNA

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She said this when she shared Ghana’s progress story and challenges in its efforts to ensure universal access to cervical cancer prevention with her colleague African First Ladies and participant

A statement issued by the presidency stated that the strategy would roll out various interventions that would help manage and control breast and cervical cancers as well as other cancers in the country.

It said for the past eight years, the fight against cancers, especially those of Cervical, Breast and Prostate in Africa, had intensified.

“Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women, worldwide, with an annual incidence of almost 500,000 new cases and 275,000 deaths. About 85% of the women who die from cervical cancer live in developing countries, due to inadequate resources, infrastructure, and denied access to early diagnosis, treatment and palliative care”, it said.

The statement said over the years First Ladies had hosted the conference in their countries with the first call being made in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2007, when a Nigerian cancer advocate, Princess Nikky Onyeri, initiated the Forum of African First Ladies against Breast, Cervical and prostate Cancer, and convened the first Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa, SCCA Conference in July, with 15 African First Ladies.

“They have also been working to bring on board both regional and international attention to cancer and its burden on Africa, and push for the integration of the treatment of non-communicable diseases, especially cancers into their respective primary healthcare systems”, it said.

The statement said Mrs Mahama said during a presentation that there was an on-going government negotiation with GAVI to increase the HPV vaccine support period to 10 years and clinical breast examination screening at various health facilities and family planning centres in the country.

Apart from these, she would support other interventions that would be rolled out under a five-year National Strategy for Cancer Control with her campaign on breast and cervical cancers and HIV and AIDs, which the Lordina Foundation is already implementing in some regions in the country, to ensure that universal access to prevention and treatment of cancers were made available” it noted.

Mrs. Mahama urged African governments to join hands with the First Ladies so that together, they would demonstrate a shared responsibility in making the health of women, especially in Africa, a priority.

The conference hosted by the First Lady of Namibia is a campaign focusing on the “Move Forward To End Cervical Cancer by 2030” and has brought First Ladies from various African countries together to share their stories about interventions they have made in a bid to achieve the forum’s basic objective.

The statement said all the First Ladies noted that though some successes had been chalked in the awareness creation about breast, cervical and prostate cancers, lack of adequate resources, infrastructure, and lack of access to early diagnosis, treatment and palliative care still remain a challenge in many African countries.

Source: GNA

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Cervical cancer  occurs when the cells at the opening of the womb grows abnormally.

One of the most common symptoms of cervical cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer has progressed to an advanced stage.

Cervical cancer often affects women at the end of their reproductive years, that is, from 40- 50 years. It can however, also affect adolescent girls.

The causes of cervical cancer include early initiation into sexual activities, and unprotected sex with multiple partners among others.

Research shows that there are approximately 500,000 cervical cancer cases per year, resulting in around 275,000 deaths worldwide.

Of these, 80% occur in developing countries and 25% in Africa.

Hospital data from 1980’s to 1990’s also indicates that 21-28% of all female cancer patients in the Greater Accra region suffered from cervical cancer.

Speaking at a parliamentary reception at the House of Lords held by Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) and the Forum for African First Ladies against breast and cervical cancer, in the UK, Mrs. Mahama said all African first ladies must do all they can to address the issue of cervical cancer.

According to her, the disease is a great challenge to the health of women in Ghana like many other African countries.

The First Lady noted that most women affected by the disease are either not able to get medical treatment or seek medical care too late.

“I have seen women suffering terminally from this disease, their fate stood by the terrible disease,” the First Lady added.

She therefore suggested that vaccines be used as an effective tool to prevent the spread of the disease, adding that “GAVI’s support to immunize girls in Ghana will help them grow into healthy women.”

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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