Thursday, January 22, 2015
LOOKING GLAMOROUS FOR CHURCH
LOOKING GLAMOROUS
My mum told me that the Presbyterian Church of Ghana once had a dress code for church service and without this one is not allowed to enter a Presbyterian church auditorium: men were expected to wear suits and women wore full ‘kaba’ and ‘slit’ with their hair covered. I believe the objective for this was to make church members look glamorous and somehow decent. However, the church today allows many dressing as long as they are ‘decent’.
Many people will go the extra mile just to look glamorous for church. Besides, looking good makes one feel better and there is nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, trying to look glamorous does not have to cost a fortune. This is because Fashion Gurus such as Mary Portas, believe that glamour comes from within. She said, “it’s not about what you wear… It’s about when you feel amazing. It’s about feeling confident… You can’t really buy it.” Fashion gurus say looking glamorous just takes a little time, a little self-knowledge, a little self-discipline and the fear of God.
I believe there is no need to go through so much stress to look glamorous as Fashion Gurus provide five important steps to follow to be considered ‘well dressed’.
Firstly, to be well dressed, your clothing and accessories must complement your physical appearance. Your clothing and accessories must highlight you asserts, your positive physical traits and if possible, cover your liabilities or physical flaw. For instance, heavy weight women should possibly avoid horizontal strips since they will make them look heavier.
Secondly, your clothing and accessories must coordinate in color, pattern and fabric. This means the colors of your clothes must be harmonious. Appropriately, wear colors that complement your hair and skin color. Possibly, the color of the belt must match with the color of the shoes, handbags and perhaps the watch leather band.
Thirdly, your clothing must fit properly. Which means you must consider your height and weight when choosing your clothes. Also you can find a tailor or seamstress to alter your clothing if it does not fit for a while; maybe when you lose weight or gain weight.
Fourthly, wear current clothes. This means your clothes should be modern. Fashion changes every time. Therefore you must keep up with it. This does not mean you should buy any kind of style in season even if it does not look good on you or make you feel comfortable and portray the Christ in you.
Fifthly, wear clothes and accessories that are appropriate for the occasion or season. This suggests that one do not overdress or underdress for an occasion. Every occasion has its own dressing code. There is appropriate attire for church and another for parties. Being overdressed or underdressed for an occasion will make you and even those around you feel uncomfortable. Therefore, remember to always ask for the dress code before choosing a dress.
These steps also apply to men in their quest to have the ‘killer look’ (the look that will win and cause the women to swoon). In addition, men can also take note of the following points:
Belt - Always wear a belt and the belt must match the shoes.
Watch – men can also consider wearing a watch. It makes them look extremely attractive though a quartz watch looks better than a digital watch.
Shoes - Shoes must be classy and comfortable at the same time and must be polished (spotless). Brown and black shoes are recommended.
Handkerchief - A white handkerchief is important.
Wallet - A leather wallet is bluffing and essential. It makes men appear rich even if they are not. A good (executive) pen would not be bad at all.
Cologne/perfume - It is desirable that both men and women use a cologne/perfume that demands attention but does not scream for attention.
I have come to understand that dressing is more about projecting the right image. And I believe you will agree with that being well-dressed is not just about beautiful garments and accessories, expensive brands, the latest trends or exposing vital parts of your body. It is just about how you put your looks together and how you wear your clothes and accessories.
Additionally, looking good makes you feel more confident and friendlier. It is therefore, important to look good and nice but not to the point where everyone will think all you think about is your clothes. Once you become glamorous, it is like a drug, you become addicted.
Finally, you have the freedom to dress in whatever way you please in your personal life but I entreat you to always remember to ask yourself some few questions; such as: “will God be happy with me wearing this?”, “will this dressing win a soul for Christ”, “Do I look ‘Christian-like’?”, “do I feel comfortable and confident?” etc. when you are dressing. I believe the trick is ‘keep it stylishly simple and Christian-like’ and do not forget that the way you dress creates a bigger impression about you and impressions count a lot.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
knowledge society
Broadly speaking, the term Knowledge society refers to any society where knowledge is the primary production resource instead of capital and labour. It may also refer to the use a certain society gives to information. A Knowledge society "creates, shares and uses knowledge for the prosperity and well-being of its people".
www.wikipedia.org.
‘Knowledge societies have the characteristic that knowledge forms major component of any human activity. Economic, social, cultural, and all other human activities become dependent on a huge volume of knowledge and information. A knowledge society is one in which knowledge becomes major creative force.
www.dictionary.babylon.com.
Knowledge society working definition is the ability to create, disseminate and apply knowledge which determines the performance of a community.
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/figel/speeches/docs/06_02_08_Harvard_Uni_en.pdf
www.wikipedia.org.
‘Knowledge societies have the characteristic that knowledge forms major component of any human activity. Economic, social, cultural, and all other human activities become dependent on a huge volume of knowledge and information. A knowledge society is one in which knowledge becomes major creative force.
www.dictionary.babylon.com.
Knowledge society working definition is the ability to create, disseminate and apply knowledge which determines the performance of a community.
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/figel/speeches/docs/06_02_08_Harvard_Uni_en.pdf
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
information society
What is Information Society?
1. Information Society is a term for a society in which the creation, distribution, and manipulation of information has become the most significant economic and cultural activity.
www.Techtarget.com/definition
2. An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution, diffusion, use, integration and manipulation of information is a significant economic, political, and cultural activity.
www.Answers.com.
3. Information society is a society in which low cost information technology , computers, and telecommunications are widely used to facilitate communication nationally and internationally, and to promote access to libraries, data archives, and other stores of information held by private organizations or in the public domain.
A Dictionary of Sociology Highbeam reseach.
1. Information Society is a term for a society in which the creation, distribution, and manipulation of information has become the most significant economic and cultural activity.
www.Techtarget.com/definition
2. An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution, diffusion, use, integration and manipulation of information is a significant economic, political, and cultural activity.
www.Answers.com.
3. Information society is a society in which low cost information technology , computers, and telecommunications are widely used to facilitate communication nationally and internationally, and to promote access to libraries, data archives, and other stores of information held by private organizations or in the public domain.
A Dictionary of Sociology Highbeam reseach.
Friday, October 2, 2009
swine influenza
SWINE INFLUENZA; WHO IS TO BLAME.
It is amazing how human beings seek to blame someone or something during a time of crises. The resurface of swine influenza (H1N1) has led humans to blame the entire pig species or Mexico.
Humans know that we live in a globalize world filled with shared microbial threat that arise in one place and transferred to another place through human activities and movement. Therefore if there is any blame to be given out, it must be directed to humans in the ways we are reshaping our ecology. We offer germs like this influenza virus good opportunities to evolve and spread around.
It has been discovered that the H1N1virus has pieces of human flu and an unknown avian-flu. This implies that humans and birds are passing on their H1N1to pigs causing widespread illness in swine herds. According to researchers pigs are being infected with this influenza by farm poultry, wild birds and their human handlers. Pigs do eat anything given to them and rub up against each other frequently, spreading the virus within herds. Their stomachs are tolerant environs for microbes which have caused illness in humans who dined on raw or undercooked pork.
The 1918 influenza pandemic was revealed to be a type of H1N1 human flu which had infected pigs and circulated back to humans. If the virus is reproducing inside the human cell it picks up human genetic material. If the virus is reproducing inside the chicken cell it picks up avian genes and if the virus is reproducing inside the pig cell it picks the swine RNA. Therefore, the influenza occurs when two different types of viruses happen to get into an animal cell at the same time.
Now the virus appears to be very contagious between people and possibly between swine and humans. It is fortunately treatable with antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza (oseltamivir and zanamivir). It is however resistant to the other major class of anti-flu drugs, amantadines. Some symptoms in humans are chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pain, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.
The reshaping of the worlds ecology is really a threat. This ecology is helping to breed influenza in pigs and chickens. If we, humans, do not do something about it, this ecology will one day spring up a severe pandemic that will be bigger than that of the 1918, 2005 and 2009 pandemic.
It is amazing how human beings seek to blame someone or something during a time of crises. The resurface of swine influenza (H1N1) has led humans to blame the entire pig species or Mexico.
Humans know that we live in a globalize world filled with shared microbial threat that arise in one place and transferred to another place through human activities and movement. Therefore if there is any blame to be given out, it must be directed to humans in the ways we are reshaping our ecology. We offer germs like this influenza virus good opportunities to evolve and spread around.
It has been discovered that the H1N1virus has pieces of human flu and an unknown avian-flu. This implies that humans and birds are passing on their H1N1to pigs causing widespread illness in swine herds. According to researchers pigs are being infected with this influenza by farm poultry, wild birds and their human handlers. Pigs do eat anything given to them and rub up against each other frequently, spreading the virus within herds. Their stomachs are tolerant environs for microbes which have caused illness in humans who dined on raw or undercooked pork.
The 1918 influenza pandemic was revealed to be a type of H1N1 human flu which had infected pigs and circulated back to humans. If the virus is reproducing inside the human cell it picks up human genetic material. If the virus is reproducing inside the chicken cell it picks up avian genes and if the virus is reproducing inside the pig cell it picks the swine RNA. Therefore, the influenza occurs when two different types of viruses happen to get into an animal cell at the same time.
Now the virus appears to be very contagious between people and possibly between swine and humans. It is fortunately treatable with antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza (oseltamivir and zanamivir). It is however resistant to the other major class of anti-flu drugs, amantadines. Some symptoms in humans are chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pain, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.
The reshaping of the worlds ecology is really a threat. This ecology is helping to breed influenza in pigs and chickens. If we, humans, do not do something about it, this ecology will one day spring up a severe pandemic that will be bigger than that of the 1918, 2005 and 2009 pandemic.
teenage pregnancy in ghana
TEENAGE PREGNANCY : A PROBLEM OF CONCERN
According to the Reproductive and child Health (RCH) of the Public Health Division of the Ghana Health Service, teenage or adolescence literally means to “grow up”. A term given to one phase or stage in the growth and development of human beings”. The universal accepted definition categories the ages from ten (10) to nineteen (19) as adolescents or teenagers. This period is further divided into two (2), thus younger adolescents (ten (10) to fourteen 14years) and older adolescents (fifteen 15 to nineteen (19) years). Again, this period is staged into categories namely:
Early adolescents (Ten (10) to Thirteen (13) years), Mid adolescents (Fourteen (14) to Sixteen (16) years) and Late adolescents (Seventeen (17) to Nineteen (19) years). Pre-adolescents refer to people at the age of five (5) to nine (9) years. It is at this period that the physiological changes begin. Young Adulthood refer to people at the age of twenty (20) to twenty-four (24) years. At these stage the adolescent has developed into adulthood.
Adolescence is the transition from childhood to adulthood. This stage is termed ‘formative period’ where physical, physiological and behavioural changes take place in young people. It is a period of exploration, experimentation and widening horizon and this is a time to ensure healthy all-round development for the adolescents.
Teenage pregnancy is therefore, getting pregnant at this adolescent or teenage period.
In recent years teenage pregnancy or adolescent pregnancy has be on the increase among the ages of ten (10) to fourteen (14) in Ghana which is really a problem of concern to Ghanaians. Statistics from the year 2002 show that each year, over one thousand (1000) teenagers become pregnant among which younger adolescents rate high. In 2002 one hundred and four thousand, five hundred and thirty-nine (104,539) teenagers were recorded pregnant among which younger teenagers are six hundred and fifty three (653). In 2003 one hundred and forty-eight thousand, seven hundred and ninety-nine (148,799) teenagers including one thousand and seventy-nine (1079) younger adolescents were recorded and the rest reference to table:-
These statistics were presented by the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) in their annual reports of 2002 to 2007. The recorded pregnancies are a combination of wanted and unwanted pregnancies but a larger proportion are unwanted pregnancies. One (1) out of eight (8) pregnancies happens to be adolescents. In the year 2007 twelve point four percent (12.4%) thus one hundred and three thousand, one hundred and forty-three (103,143) out of a total of ninety-one point one percent (91.1%) eight hundred and thirty-eight thousand, two hundred and nineteen (838,219) of pregnancies were adolescents.
Teenage pregnancy is caused by many factors and it is having a maximum effect in our society, nation and the individuals. It can be prevented to a maximum extent. Now let us examine the causes, effects and prevention of teenage pregnancy.
- 1 -
Many pockets of studies in Ghana have found many contributory factors to the problem. The factors include biological, social and economic factors.
At the stage of adolescent, physical, physiological and behavioural changes occur. It is a time when major physical changes occur and difference between boy and girls increase. The boys grow pubic hairs, moustaches, get broad shoulders, natured voices, penis enlarges etc. the girls develop breast, broad hips, small waist, pubic hairs etc. This stage is an exploration, experimentation and widening horizon. Both sexes begin to have different thought and ideas about how life should be. They begin to be analytical and inquisitive. They feel emotionally positive or negative and would want to experiment adult behaviours such as smoking, drinking, sex etc. they also become sexually active and begin to experiment adult sexual behaviours. They engage themselves in boy-girl relationships and believe is not enough just to be referred as such. Therefore the need for touches, kisses and unhealthy sexual practices emerges. Naturally girls are fond of receiving love and care from the opposite sex and with and expression of love or care towards them they will do anything including having sex to show appreciation. These biological factor of growth, need, desire and feeling lead to unprotected sex which cause teenage pregnancy. This pregnancy is unwanted and not prepared for but nature as it is has already played its part.
Secondly, adolescents experiencing family breakdown, home conflicts, peer influence etc are very much at risk of teenage pregnancy. In a family where there is always a conflict, the adolescent might find a place where he or she will get the love and attention which she lacks at home. This then gives them the opportunity to join companies which may be bad and practice what they are ignorant about. They maybe advised or pressed to take a boyfriend or girlfriend which will bring about the desire to practice unprotected sex leading to unwanted pregnancies. The context or society in which adolescents live is an influencing factor. In some societies in Ghana the adolescent is not permitted his or her due right unless he or she has reproduced. Since the adolescents need to be respected and be heard, he or she has no alternative than to conceive which is unwanted and unprepared for. They may feel having a baby will affirm their adult status and make the fathers of the babies stay in their lives to provide love and affection. The fathers are mostly unemployed and not highly educated. Some families have a history of early reproduction which continues unto the generations that follows. They claim, “your mother gave birth to her first child at the age of fourteen (14) and finished reproducing her ten (10) children at the age of twenty-six (26) and what are you waiting for ?”. This becomes like an obligation to the adolescent who may have no choice but to oblige.
Other forms of violence such as beating, rape, maltreatment etc and exploitations as prostitution etc. which limits the adolescents behaviour choices lead to teenage pregnancy which is unwanted. These social factors destroys the adolescents life.
Thirdly, the economic factor is a major risk. Every adolescent have the right and need for shelter, food, clothes, education, healthcare and spiritual values from the family or home. The lack of provision of these basic need gives the adolescent the chance to seek for` them outside the home. And nothing comes free in life. They pay for these basic needs in kind. That is sex. She needs a place to sleep or shelter which she will have to seek and by any means everywhere. She needs clothes to wear, food to eat for growth, education to enhance her living and healthcare. If these things are not provided by the family, she will find a provider outside the home. These providers mostly are men who sleeps with them and impregnate them. These
- 2 -
men will not educate, feed, cloth, and shelter the adolescent girl for free. There must be some payment which is mostly unwanted and unprepared for by the adolescent girl. With hardship in the home, the adolescent girl will have to find something to do to keep her going, therefore the need for selling, prostitution etc comes into mind which leads to teenage pregnancies. The teenagers who mostly become pregnant are teenagers who live in poor neighbourhood, comes from poor families, performs poorly in school and become drop outs compared to financially sound and academically good teenagers. Then the realisation that teenagers who grow up in poverty and have little opportunities to break from it or find a good provider may feel they have nothing to lose by getting pregnant or becoming a teenage mother.
These are the causes of teenage pregnancy; social, biological and economic factors.
The effects of teenage pregnancy does not only harm the individual but the child and the nation also. The teenage mothers face financial problems. They may not get a highly educated man who earns much salary, therefore there will emerge difficulties in the buying of baby cloths, diapers, food etc. Medical bills may also become a problem and the eating of balanced and nutritional food during pregnancy and after delivery. These teenage mothers also have a less satisfaction with their lives and a higher level of stress compared to single teenagers without children. Whiles a teenager who is single and without children moves around smartly and freely, a teenager with a child will be carrying the child on the back and cannot even exercise her freedom of moving around. The teenage mothers also have poorer relations with their children compared to grown and married mothers. There may be complications of pregnancy and delivery and possible maternal and neonatal illnesses and deaths. It embarrasses them and makes them feel low among friends in the future.
The children in this situation are worse of, average than children who live with their parents and mostly are married. Children of these teenage mothers are more likely to have low educational goals, drop out of school usually JHS. They become thieves, alcoholics and drug addicts at an early stage. They also become pregnant and bear children early, mostly at teenage. They may also get divorced or not get married at all. They may however become poor into adulthood.
However, the nation will have problems if these children become drop-outs, thieves, alcoholics, drug addicts and also keep bearing children at teenage. When these children become blockheaded and drop-out of school the education standard will become low leading to fall in literates or personnel for nation building. They will also be high level of unemployment since the people to work will not be reaming in the street without certificates and the nation will loose its revenue. Recently women are being empowered which is a good thing to be done. Teenage pregnancy can bring down women empowerment through the lowering of the teenagers self-esteem. When the pregnancy occurs, the family of the girl do not seek solution. Either for the men who were responsible to marry the girls or they keep the girls and after delivery encourage her to continue her education. But they leave the problem unsolved which brings down the teenagers self-esteem and makes her feel there is nothing more for her and she will neither loose nor gain. Teenage pregnancy also increase the number of street children which the nation is trying to minimise. It will also bring about a lot of death through abortion since some teenagers think abortion can be a solution.
Teenage pregnancy can be prevented to a large extent. The reduction in teenage pregnancy will contribute to a reduction of the unacceptable high maternal and infant illness and death.
- 3 -
recorded in Ghana. There is the need for the education on sexuality to be intensified in schools starting from primary level. There should be vigorous health education campaign targeted at young people. Teenagers should be trained as peer educators in schools. Adolescent parents should be educated to prevent the repetition of adolescent pregnancy. Clubs must be formed in districts to train young people to become role models for themselves. In the Upper East region, five (5) adolescent health clubs were formed in the Talensi Nabdam District. At the end of the year 2007, Eastern Region had registered ninety-nine (99) youth clubs. These clubs must be organised continually to educate teenagers on their health.
To the adolescents, abstinence from all forms of sex will not make a girl pregnant and it is also a delay tactic. They must use condoms correctly every time they have sex and that is ninety-eight percent (90) effective. They must use emergency contraceptives within five (5) days of unprotected sex which is seventy-five to eighty-nine percent (75 – 89%).
The right of adolescents must be protected for them to develop into a well-balanced people who are adequately prepared to enter adulthood. Parents and guardians must fulfil with care the rights and responsibilities. They must provide direction and guidance to their adolescent children in the exercise of their rights. States parties must take effective measures to ensure that adolescents are protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Adolescent girls should have access to information on the harm that early marriage and early pregnancy can cause. Adolescent boys and girls should be given the opportunity to participate actively in planning programme for their own health and development. Finally adolescent should be helped to feel appreciated, have believe in their own worth, know their rights and responsibilities and have a sense of belonging as well as hope for the future.
Those who had already fallen in the trap should not be neglected. They should be encouraged to attend antenatal and postnatal. They should be supported financially and emotionally. They should be helped in taking care of their babies. They should let them know that they have a right to health care etc. it is the responsibility of parents, friends, teachers and everyone to encourage them to not give up education when the need comes for them to go and deliver. They should be empowered to pursue their dreams and go high.
Adolescent or teenage pregnancy is caused by many factors. It affects the teenage mother, the nation and the child. But it can be largely prevented. The problem of adolescent pregnancy is everybody’s concern. It is not far from you and neither is it far from me.
According to the Reproductive and child Health (RCH) of the Public Health Division of the Ghana Health Service, teenage or adolescence literally means to “grow up”. A term given to one phase or stage in the growth and development of human beings”. The universal accepted definition categories the ages from ten (10) to nineteen (19) as adolescents or teenagers. This period is further divided into two (2), thus younger adolescents (ten (10) to fourteen 14years) and older adolescents (fifteen 15 to nineteen (19) years). Again, this period is staged into categories namely:
Early adolescents (Ten (10) to Thirteen (13) years), Mid adolescents (Fourteen (14) to Sixteen (16) years) and Late adolescents (Seventeen (17) to Nineteen (19) years). Pre-adolescents refer to people at the age of five (5) to nine (9) years. It is at this period that the physiological changes begin. Young Adulthood refer to people at the age of twenty (20) to twenty-four (24) years. At these stage the adolescent has developed into adulthood.
Adolescence is the transition from childhood to adulthood. This stage is termed ‘formative period’ where physical, physiological and behavioural changes take place in young people. It is a period of exploration, experimentation and widening horizon and this is a time to ensure healthy all-round development for the adolescents.
Teenage pregnancy is therefore, getting pregnant at this adolescent or teenage period.
In recent years teenage pregnancy or adolescent pregnancy has be on the increase among the ages of ten (10) to fourteen (14) in Ghana which is really a problem of concern to Ghanaians. Statistics from the year 2002 show that each year, over one thousand (1000) teenagers become pregnant among which younger adolescents rate high. In 2002 one hundred and four thousand, five hundred and thirty-nine (104,539) teenagers were recorded pregnant among which younger teenagers are six hundred and fifty three (653). In 2003 one hundred and forty-eight thousand, seven hundred and ninety-nine (148,799) teenagers including one thousand and seventy-nine (1079) younger adolescents were recorded and the rest reference to table:-
These statistics were presented by the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) in their annual reports of 2002 to 2007. The recorded pregnancies are a combination of wanted and unwanted pregnancies but a larger proportion are unwanted pregnancies. One (1) out of eight (8) pregnancies happens to be adolescents. In the year 2007 twelve point four percent (12.4%) thus one hundred and three thousand, one hundred and forty-three (103,143) out of a total of ninety-one point one percent (91.1%) eight hundred and thirty-eight thousand, two hundred and nineteen (838,219) of pregnancies were adolescents.
Teenage pregnancy is caused by many factors and it is having a maximum effect in our society, nation and the individuals. It can be prevented to a maximum extent. Now let us examine the causes, effects and prevention of teenage pregnancy.
- 1 -
Many pockets of studies in Ghana have found many contributory factors to the problem. The factors include biological, social and economic factors.
At the stage of adolescent, physical, physiological and behavioural changes occur. It is a time when major physical changes occur and difference between boy and girls increase. The boys grow pubic hairs, moustaches, get broad shoulders, natured voices, penis enlarges etc. the girls develop breast, broad hips, small waist, pubic hairs etc. This stage is an exploration, experimentation and widening horizon. Both sexes begin to have different thought and ideas about how life should be. They begin to be analytical and inquisitive. They feel emotionally positive or negative and would want to experiment adult behaviours such as smoking, drinking, sex etc. they also become sexually active and begin to experiment adult sexual behaviours. They engage themselves in boy-girl relationships and believe is not enough just to be referred as such. Therefore the need for touches, kisses and unhealthy sexual practices emerges. Naturally girls are fond of receiving love and care from the opposite sex and with and expression of love or care towards them they will do anything including having sex to show appreciation. These biological factor of growth, need, desire and feeling lead to unprotected sex which cause teenage pregnancy. This pregnancy is unwanted and not prepared for but nature as it is has already played its part.
Secondly, adolescents experiencing family breakdown, home conflicts, peer influence etc are very much at risk of teenage pregnancy. In a family where there is always a conflict, the adolescent might find a place where he or she will get the love and attention which she lacks at home. This then gives them the opportunity to join companies which may be bad and practice what they are ignorant about. They maybe advised or pressed to take a boyfriend or girlfriend which will bring about the desire to practice unprotected sex leading to unwanted pregnancies. The context or society in which adolescents live is an influencing factor. In some societies in Ghana the adolescent is not permitted his or her due right unless he or she has reproduced. Since the adolescents need to be respected and be heard, he or she has no alternative than to conceive which is unwanted and unprepared for. They may feel having a baby will affirm their adult status and make the fathers of the babies stay in their lives to provide love and affection. The fathers are mostly unemployed and not highly educated. Some families have a history of early reproduction which continues unto the generations that follows. They claim, “your mother gave birth to her first child at the age of fourteen (14) and finished reproducing her ten (10) children at the age of twenty-six (26) and what are you waiting for ?”. This becomes like an obligation to the adolescent who may have no choice but to oblige.
Other forms of violence such as beating, rape, maltreatment etc and exploitations as prostitution etc. which limits the adolescents behaviour choices lead to teenage pregnancy which is unwanted. These social factors destroys the adolescents life.
Thirdly, the economic factor is a major risk. Every adolescent have the right and need for shelter, food, clothes, education, healthcare and spiritual values from the family or home. The lack of provision of these basic need gives the adolescent the chance to seek for` them outside the home. And nothing comes free in life. They pay for these basic needs in kind. That is sex. She needs a place to sleep or shelter which she will have to seek and by any means everywhere. She needs clothes to wear, food to eat for growth, education to enhance her living and healthcare. If these things are not provided by the family, she will find a provider outside the home. These providers mostly are men who sleeps with them and impregnate them. These
- 2 -
men will not educate, feed, cloth, and shelter the adolescent girl for free. There must be some payment which is mostly unwanted and unprepared for by the adolescent girl. With hardship in the home, the adolescent girl will have to find something to do to keep her going, therefore the need for selling, prostitution etc comes into mind which leads to teenage pregnancies. The teenagers who mostly become pregnant are teenagers who live in poor neighbourhood, comes from poor families, performs poorly in school and become drop outs compared to financially sound and academically good teenagers. Then the realisation that teenagers who grow up in poverty and have little opportunities to break from it or find a good provider may feel they have nothing to lose by getting pregnant or becoming a teenage mother.
These are the causes of teenage pregnancy; social, biological and economic factors.
The effects of teenage pregnancy does not only harm the individual but the child and the nation also. The teenage mothers face financial problems. They may not get a highly educated man who earns much salary, therefore there will emerge difficulties in the buying of baby cloths, diapers, food etc. Medical bills may also become a problem and the eating of balanced and nutritional food during pregnancy and after delivery. These teenage mothers also have a less satisfaction with their lives and a higher level of stress compared to single teenagers without children. Whiles a teenager who is single and without children moves around smartly and freely, a teenager with a child will be carrying the child on the back and cannot even exercise her freedom of moving around. The teenage mothers also have poorer relations with their children compared to grown and married mothers. There may be complications of pregnancy and delivery and possible maternal and neonatal illnesses and deaths. It embarrasses them and makes them feel low among friends in the future.
The children in this situation are worse of, average than children who live with their parents and mostly are married. Children of these teenage mothers are more likely to have low educational goals, drop out of school usually JHS. They become thieves, alcoholics and drug addicts at an early stage. They also become pregnant and bear children early, mostly at teenage. They may also get divorced or not get married at all. They may however become poor into adulthood.
However, the nation will have problems if these children become drop-outs, thieves, alcoholics, drug addicts and also keep bearing children at teenage. When these children become blockheaded and drop-out of school the education standard will become low leading to fall in literates or personnel for nation building. They will also be high level of unemployment since the people to work will not be reaming in the street without certificates and the nation will loose its revenue. Recently women are being empowered which is a good thing to be done. Teenage pregnancy can bring down women empowerment through the lowering of the teenagers self-esteem. When the pregnancy occurs, the family of the girl do not seek solution. Either for the men who were responsible to marry the girls or they keep the girls and after delivery encourage her to continue her education. But they leave the problem unsolved which brings down the teenagers self-esteem and makes her feel there is nothing more for her and she will neither loose nor gain. Teenage pregnancy also increase the number of street children which the nation is trying to minimise. It will also bring about a lot of death through abortion since some teenagers think abortion can be a solution.
Teenage pregnancy can be prevented to a large extent. The reduction in teenage pregnancy will contribute to a reduction of the unacceptable high maternal and infant illness and death.
- 3 -
recorded in Ghana. There is the need for the education on sexuality to be intensified in schools starting from primary level. There should be vigorous health education campaign targeted at young people. Teenagers should be trained as peer educators in schools. Adolescent parents should be educated to prevent the repetition of adolescent pregnancy. Clubs must be formed in districts to train young people to become role models for themselves. In the Upper East region, five (5) adolescent health clubs were formed in the Talensi Nabdam District. At the end of the year 2007, Eastern Region had registered ninety-nine (99) youth clubs. These clubs must be organised continually to educate teenagers on their health.
To the adolescents, abstinence from all forms of sex will not make a girl pregnant and it is also a delay tactic. They must use condoms correctly every time they have sex and that is ninety-eight percent (90) effective. They must use emergency contraceptives within five (5) days of unprotected sex which is seventy-five to eighty-nine percent (75 – 89%).
The right of adolescents must be protected for them to develop into a well-balanced people who are adequately prepared to enter adulthood. Parents and guardians must fulfil with care the rights and responsibilities. They must provide direction and guidance to their adolescent children in the exercise of their rights. States parties must take effective measures to ensure that adolescents are protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Adolescent girls should have access to information on the harm that early marriage and early pregnancy can cause. Adolescent boys and girls should be given the opportunity to participate actively in planning programme for their own health and development. Finally adolescent should be helped to feel appreciated, have believe in their own worth, know their rights and responsibilities and have a sense of belonging as well as hope for the future.
Those who had already fallen in the trap should not be neglected. They should be encouraged to attend antenatal and postnatal. They should be supported financially and emotionally. They should be helped in taking care of their babies. They should let them know that they have a right to health care etc. it is the responsibility of parents, friends, teachers and everyone to encourage them to not give up education when the need comes for them to go and deliver. They should be empowered to pursue their dreams and go high.
Adolescent or teenage pregnancy is caused by many factors. It affects the teenage mother, the nation and the child. But it can be largely prevented. The problem of adolescent pregnancy is everybody’s concern. It is not far from you and neither is it far from me.
unemployment in ghana
What The Government Could Do To Create More Job Avenues For The Youth And Graduates Of Higher Institutions Of Ghana.
Graduate unemployment is the situation where a number of people do not have jobs which will provide them with money. This problem is mostly found in Developing Countries such as Ghana where jobs are limited to graduates produced every year. Graduate unemployment is one of the social problems draining Ghana of her power to make use of the youth and graduates from the Tertiary Institutions. Unemployment ranges high among the youth who constitute the highest populace in Ghana and it is a draining situation for graduates who have successfully climbed the academic ladder.
Corporate Organisations have complained about the kind of graduates the Universities produce. This indicates that the ‘Products’ Universities provide do not meet the standard or requirements of many Organisations. This brings the question, ‘What is the Government doing to create avenues for the youth and graduates?’
For years now it has been obvious that the Government have not been of much help in creating avenues for the youth and graduates. The inability of the Government to providing the right jobs for graduates in respect to the Programme they specialized in has led many graduates to stay in jobs they are not familiar with or hate to do leading to them not being productive.
Political Parties during their campaign for power come out with wonderful, interesting and mouth watering promises about creating job avenues and getting jobs for the educated and uneducated youth. In the long run when they get into power, they show up to tell the populace different stories from what they have said initially. They come out with the excuse of bad Economy and forget their promise to the electorate.
The situation so far proves it is obvious Government cannot handle this issue alone without the help of other stakeholders in the Education Sector.
The Government can therefore encourage partnership between Corporate and Educational Institutions. Government should encourage Organisations to partner with at least one Educational Institution to ensure that graduates produced will meet the standard of Corporate Bodies. Organisations like Nestle, MTN, Anglogold Asante, Vodafone, Unilever, ADB, etc. can partner with some Educational Institutions to train students to fall into the required standard. For instance, Vodafone, Zain, or Tigo can partner with NIIT, KNUST etc. to give them training so as to fit into their standard.
Also, the Government can meet with Education Providers to come out with new Programme and Syllabi to suit the new World of Business. Some Syllabi studied today do not fit into the changing World of Business. With the rise of many businesses, there will be a change in ways of conducting business.
Again, Government can pass a policy to encourage and motivate Corporate Bodies to fulfill their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Organisations can be made to consider the interest of society by taking responsibility of the society they are in. CSR is not governed by any law and this is where the Government can make laws to force Corporate Bodies to fulfill their Corporate Responsibility.
Policies can also be made for Corporate to periodically give opportunities for internship and attachment to students during vacations. Government can make commitment towards goals like tax rebates and tax exemptions for Corporate who partake in the internship and attachment for a period of time, for instance ten (10) to fifteen (15) years.
However, Government can make a policy for Privatization of Assets so that a percentage of graduates from Tertiary Institutions will be employed in companies that are privatized.
Furthermore, Government can sponsor graduates into Entrepreneurship. Government can also encourage Corporate Bodies to sponsor graduates into Entrepreneurship. This can be done by Government encouraging corporate bodies to sponsor graduates who present Projects to start something on their own. Government can also support Non Governmental Organisations (NGO) that seeks to eradicate graduate unemployment like Zoomlion and others.
Equally, the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) can be intensified to at least if not earning the youth enough money to give them some years experience since this is what graduates face today. Every vacancy announcement demands at least a three (3) years working experience. This is where the question arises, ‘Who should train for whom to use?’ the NYEP can help the youth a lot to get the required experience and Government must encourage it.
Finally, in trying to solve the problem of unemployment rises the laying off of workers. Now the question is, ‘Are these workers being laid off for newly graduates to be employed or they are being laid off for personal aggrandizement, partisan politics, dislike or favoritism employment commonly known as ‘to whom you know’ or ‘protocol’. Hmmmmmmmmmm!
Graduate unemployment is the situation where a number of people do not have jobs which will provide them with money. This problem is mostly found in Developing Countries such as Ghana where jobs are limited to graduates produced every year. Graduate unemployment is one of the social problems draining Ghana of her power to make use of the youth and graduates from the Tertiary Institutions. Unemployment ranges high among the youth who constitute the highest populace in Ghana and it is a draining situation for graduates who have successfully climbed the academic ladder.
Corporate Organisations have complained about the kind of graduates the Universities produce. This indicates that the ‘Products’ Universities provide do not meet the standard or requirements of many Organisations. This brings the question, ‘What is the Government doing to create avenues for the youth and graduates?’
For years now it has been obvious that the Government have not been of much help in creating avenues for the youth and graduates. The inability of the Government to providing the right jobs for graduates in respect to the Programme they specialized in has led many graduates to stay in jobs they are not familiar with or hate to do leading to them not being productive.
Political Parties during their campaign for power come out with wonderful, interesting and mouth watering promises about creating job avenues and getting jobs for the educated and uneducated youth. In the long run when they get into power, they show up to tell the populace different stories from what they have said initially. They come out with the excuse of bad Economy and forget their promise to the electorate.
The situation so far proves it is obvious Government cannot handle this issue alone without the help of other stakeholders in the Education Sector.
The Government can therefore encourage partnership between Corporate and Educational Institutions. Government should encourage Organisations to partner with at least one Educational Institution to ensure that graduates produced will meet the standard of Corporate Bodies. Organisations like Nestle, MTN, Anglogold Asante, Vodafone, Unilever, ADB, etc. can partner with some Educational Institutions to train students to fall into the required standard. For instance, Vodafone, Zain, or Tigo can partner with NIIT, KNUST etc. to give them training so as to fit into their standard.
Also, the Government can meet with Education Providers to come out with new Programme and Syllabi to suit the new World of Business. Some Syllabi studied today do not fit into the changing World of Business. With the rise of many businesses, there will be a change in ways of conducting business.
Again, Government can pass a policy to encourage and motivate Corporate Bodies to fulfill their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Organisations can be made to consider the interest of society by taking responsibility of the society they are in. CSR is not governed by any law and this is where the Government can make laws to force Corporate Bodies to fulfill their Corporate Responsibility.
Policies can also be made for Corporate to periodically give opportunities for internship and attachment to students during vacations. Government can make commitment towards goals like tax rebates and tax exemptions for Corporate who partake in the internship and attachment for a period of time, for instance ten (10) to fifteen (15) years.
However, Government can make a policy for Privatization of Assets so that a percentage of graduates from Tertiary Institutions will be employed in companies that are privatized.
Furthermore, Government can sponsor graduates into Entrepreneurship. Government can also encourage Corporate Bodies to sponsor graduates into Entrepreneurship. This can be done by Government encouraging corporate bodies to sponsor graduates who present Projects to start something on their own. Government can also support Non Governmental Organisations (NGO) that seeks to eradicate graduate unemployment like Zoomlion and others.
Equally, the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) can be intensified to at least if not earning the youth enough money to give them some years experience since this is what graduates face today. Every vacancy announcement demands at least a three (3) years working experience. This is where the question arises, ‘Who should train for whom to use?’ the NYEP can help the youth a lot to get the required experience and Government must encourage it.
Finally, in trying to solve the problem of unemployment rises the laying off of workers. Now the question is, ‘Are these workers being laid off for newly graduates to be employed or they are being laid off for personal aggrandizement, partisan politics, dislike or favoritism employment commonly known as ‘to whom you know’ or ‘protocol’. Hmmmmmmmmmm!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Laws are to be obeyed
LAWS ARE TO BE OBEYED
What are laws? According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a law is a ”rule, usually made by a government that is used to order the way in which a society behaves, or the whole system of such rule or a general rule which states what always happen when the same conditions exist.” Laws are rules and regulations that order the behaviour of people in a society or an identifiable group. They carry with them the power of authority and sense of morality for orderliness and peaceful co-existence. In short, laws are the Dos and Donts of society.
Laws can be addicts, decrees and acts. But cultural and traditional practices, conventions, policies, prohibitions, command and even wise saying can pass as laws.
Laws can be labelled in various forms depending upon their source, environment and purpose. Laws can be religious, Christian, Muslims, administrative, social, professional, scientific etc. Christian laws are ingrained in the teaching of the bible and the practices of the Christian churches. Muslim laws are also ingrained in the teachings of the Quran and the practices of the various Muslim sets. Social laws derive their source from the acceptable norms and age long practices of a people. Scientific laws are more or less facts derived from scientific processes and experimentations. Administrative laws are ingrained in the constitution, conventions, policies etc. Some examples of laws are the Ten Commandments, laws governing discrimination, traffic laws, criminal laws, human right laws, moral laws, law of motion, taboos, superstitions, law of density, law for calculating power, laws of reflection etc.
Kings and people with political authority and power can make laws. Government invested with administrative and political authority can also make laws through credible institutions of government such as parliament, assembly, boards, committees and individual who act for the government in specified areas. Heads of education and other institutions can also make laws for the smooth running of their institutions. Professional bodies can also make laws through their executive bodies for the effective performance and the projection of the image of their profession. Even in the home parent have fundamental obligation to make laws for the smooth running of the home and the prosperity of the home. But what about the individual? The individual can also make laws for himself or herself to guide his life in accordance to his personal beliefs and aspiration. Such laws can be roughly defined as self control.
Laws are to be enforced to make the purpose for which they are made effectively; otherwise they seize to be laws. Agencies that enforce laws are rulers, heads of administrative and institutions charged with that responsibility such as police, the judiciary, individuals and corporate bodies that are charged to do so. Laws attract penalties otherwise they seize to be laws, for people can choose to obey them and do whatever they like in society. Some penalties connected with the preach of some laws are fines, imprisonment, ostracism, withdrawal of benefit or disproval in some way such as gestures like frowning and eyeing. In human society, many people believe in God, and so God is the most powerful agents for the enforcement of laws. Even when people have been unjustifiable treated and feel like wrecking vengeance, God says we should leave it for him for vengeance is his. In many cases people who have been victims of injustice say ‘I live it to God’.
Laws are laws. They are to be obeyed to ensure peace and orderliness in society. They are to be obeyed to manifest the morality of the society and establish justice for all therefore the saying ‘no one is above the law’. This will make society cohesive, strong and vibrant. If laws are not obeyed, there will be free for all and people will do anything they like without a controlling force leading to disintegration. Even in the jungle, and in uncivilised societies, there is a law known as “the law of jungle” or “the survival of the fittest”. This law has no moral evidence and has no iota of justice in it, yet it is a law all the same practiced and observed by all who live in the jungle. It keeps the jungle life going. The strong displays and imposes his power and authority on the weak and the weak respects the power and authority of the strong. Even though this law is bad, it maintains the orderliness of the jungle life. The jungle law is an exception, for laws are to be imbued to some sort of moral integrity and moral sense. This is referred to as the ‘spirit of the law’.
In every society and situation, there are laws and laws are to be obeyed, yes laws are to be obeyed. But should bad laws be obeyed? And should good people with a sense of justice and morality obey bad laws made by immoral, despicable and bankrupt people? Your guess is as good as mine.
What are laws? According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a law is a ”rule, usually made by a government that is used to order the way in which a society behaves, or the whole system of such rule or a general rule which states what always happen when the same conditions exist.” Laws are rules and regulations that order the behaviour of people in a society or an identifiable group. They carry with them the power of authority and sense of morality for orderliness and peaceful co-existence. In short, laws are the Dos and Donts of society.
Laws can be addicts, decrees and acts. But cultural and traditional practices, conventions, policies, prohibitions, command and even wise saying can pass as laws.
Laws can be labelled in various forms depending upon their source, environment and purpose. Laws can be religious, Christian, Muslims, administrative, social, professional, scientific etc. Christian laws are ingrained in the teaching of the bible and the practices of the Christian churches. Muslim laws are also ingrained in the teachings of the Quran and the practices of the various Muslim sets. Social laws derive their source from the acceptable norms and age long practices of a people. Scientific laws are more or less facts derived from scientific processes and experimentations. Administrative laws are ingrained in the constitution, conventions, policies etc. Some examples of laws are the Ten Commandments, laws governing discrimination, traffic laws, criminal laws, human right laws, moral laws, law of motion, taboos, superstitions, law of density, law for calculating power, laws of reflection etc.
Kings and people with political authority and power can make laws. Government invested with administrative and political authority can also make laws through credible institutions of government such as parliament, assembly, boards, committees and individual who act for the government in specified areas. Heads of education and other institutions can also make laws for the smooth running of their institutions. Professional bodies can also make laws through their executive bodies for the effective performance and the projection of the image of their profession. Even in the home parent have fundamental obligation to make laws for the smooth running of the home and the prosperity of the home. But what about the individual? The individual can also make laws for himself or herself to guide his life in accordance to his personal beliefs and aspiration. Such laws can be roughly defined as self control.
Laws are to be enforced to make the purpose for which they are made effectively; otherwise they seize to be laws. Agencies that enforce laws are rulers, heads of administrative and institutions charged with that responsibility such as police, the judiciary, individuals and corporate bodies that are charged to do so. Laws attract penalties otherwise they seize to be laws, for people can choose to obey them and do whatever they like in society. Some penalties connected with the preach of some laws are fines, imprisonment, ostracism, withdrawal of benefit or disproval in some way such as gestures like frowning and eyeing. In human society, many people believe in God, and so God is the most powerful agents for the enforcement of laws. Even when people have been unjustifiable treated and feel like wrecking vengeance, God says we should leave it for him for vengeance is his. In many cases people who have been victims of injustice say ‘I live it to God’.
Laws are laws. They are to be obeyed to ensure peace and orderliness in society. They are to be obeyed to manifest the morality of the society and establish justice for all therefore the saying ‘no one is above the law’. This will make society cohesive, strong and vibrant. If laws are not obeyed, there will be free for all and people will do anything they like without a controlling force leading to disintegration. Even in the jungle, and in uncivilised societies, there is a law known as “the law of jungle” or “the survival of the fittest”. This law has no moral evidence and has no iota of justice in it, yet it is a law all the same practiced and observed by all who live in the jungle. It keeps the jungle life going. The strong displays and imposes his power and authority on the weak and the weak respects the power and authority of the strong. Even though this law is bad, it maintains the orderliness of the jungle life. The jungle law is an exception, for laws are to be imbued to some sort of moral integrity and moral sense. This is referred to as the ‘spirit of the law’.
In every society and situation, there are laws and laws are to be obeyed, yes laws are to be obeyed. But should bad laws be obeyed? And should good people with a sense of justice and morality obey bad laws made by immoral, despicable and bankrupt people? Your guess is as good as mine.
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