The industry faces multiple crises as budgets are squeezed and tough scientific challenges loom.

Academics and patients’ groups are concerned we will not have the drugs necessary to treat future ills.

Last year, the World Health Organization’s director general, Margaret Chan, warned that the world was heading for a “post-antibiotic era”.

She raised fears that many common infections might no longer have a cure and could once again “kill unabated”.

Major problems, Dr Chan suggested, included growing resistance to antibiotics.

And as the population ages, many of us will battle with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, where new drugs are also lacking.

But the old model of drug discovery is no longer working well.

This so-called blockbuster method – which commits large sums of money to finding a drug that promises to treat a huge proportion of the population, and generate swathes of cash to cover other experimental losses – can no longer sustain the industry.

The model is inefficient. Nine times out of 10, molecules which show promise at the early stage are destined for failure at later trials.

Pharmaceutical companies are also under pressure as patents for some of their most lucrative drugs expire.

Manufacturers face an uphill struggle with science too. Some argue that in its most successful years, the big pharmaceutical firms picked off the “low-hanging fruit” – the compounds that were easiest to discover and turn into drugs.

Chas Bountra, professor of translational medicine at Oxford University, says: “We don’t understand enough about human disease or enough about the mode of action of existing drugs. Take paracetamol for example. We all take it but we don’t know how it works, we don’t know what the site of action of paracetamol is.

“So if we don’t know that, how can we design better, more superior molecules?”

But finding new targets – proteins in the body that could be modified by a drug to help relieve disease – is like a lottery, he says.

“There are more than 20,000 proteins in the human body, and any of those proteins could be a target for drug discovery. Our ability, even in 2012, to be able to say one protein is going to work in this patient group or subset of patients is appalling.”

Alongside many other people working on drug development, he points to another difficulty that threatens the process – duplication.

“We don’t publish our failures, or if we do publish them, we publish too late. As a consequence other academics, other companies, carry on working on the same target, carry on wasting resources and careers and exposing patients to molecules that have a chance of failure,” Prof Bountra says.

But Prof Patrick Vallance, president of pharmaceuticals research and development at GlaxoSmithKline, thinks the industry is becoming more open: “One of the things we have done is to be very public about when things go into the clinic.

“And we publish our results – we make our protocols available to reviewers when papers are submitted. Those sorts of things help to start better visibility of what is in the pipeline.”

GlaxoSmithKline has put 13,500 structures which have the potential to kill malaria into the public domain.

Prof Vallance says the firm has done this because it is a “tough problem to crack”.

He adds: “Why not let everyone have a look at those compounds and see if they can think of something smarter than we are doing, and see if they can group them in a certain way or spot a pattern we have missed?”

But, he argues, we have to be realistic about this. “There will always be a degree of duplication, because that comes with the competition.”

Prof Bountra’s group at Oxford has also made a decision to publish all their successes and failures.

Prof Paul Workman at the Institute of Cancer Research points to another pressing issue: “With the problems of the financial crisis there has developed something of a vacuum that many of us describe as ‘the valley of death’.

“This is the valley between basic research and innovation on the one hand, and patient benefit and commercial success on the other, with this chasm in between into which there is a lack of funding and a lot of failure.”

One possible solution is for charitable foundations such as the Wellcome Trust to offer funding to fill this gap.

Prof Workman, on the other hand, works on a model where many processes of drug discovery and development come under one roof.

“We go all the way from discerning a new biological concept to developing the chemicals that block a certain pathway or gene function, and then all the way into clinical trials,” he says.

He points out that they don’t do the whole thing alone, often partnering with smaller and larger companies in later stages.

Prof Workman is optimistic that the science is moving forward, and bringing new chances of success with it: “The science is taking us in the opposite direction to blockbuster drugs, to personalised medicine. You would identify the patient who would benefit from what drug according to a gene test.

“A relatively small number of patients will benefit but they will benefit extremely well.”

What all these newer models of drug development have in common, it seems, is collaboration – perhaps presenting a cultural change for an industry that many people believe has had competition at the centre of its working.

But, says Prof Vallance, while there is need for more collaboration in the early stages of drug development for some of the more complex diseases that will turn into competition at a later point.

“There will be fierce competition to get the best drug first, to make sure you do the right trial and show you’ve got the best medicine.”—BBC

Key facts

• Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008 (1).
• Lung, stomach, liver, colon and breast cancer cause the most cancer deaths each year.
• The most frequent types of cancer differ between men and women.
• About 30% of cancer deaths are due to the five leading behavioral and dietary risks: high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol use.
• Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for cancer causing 22% of global cancer deaths and 71% of global lung cancer deaths.
• Cancer causing viral infections such as HBV/HCV and HPV are responsible for up to 20% of cancer deaths in low- and middle-income countries.
• About 70% of all cancer deaths in 2008 occurred in low- and middle-income countries.
• Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising, with an estimated 13.1 million deaths in 2030 (2).

Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. Other terms used are malignant tumours and neoplasms. One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs. This process is referred to as metastasis. Metastases are the major cause of death from cancer.

The problem

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and accounted for 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008. The main types of cancer are:

• lung (1.37 million deaths)
• stomach (736 000 deaths)
• liver (695 000 deaths)
• colorectal (608 000 deaths)
• breast (458 000 deaths)
• cervical cancer (275 000 deaths) (3).

About 70% of all cancer deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue to rise to over 13.1 million in 2030.

What causes cancer?

Cancer arises from one single cell. The transformation from a normal cell into a tumour cell is a multistage process, typically a progression from a pre-cancerous lesion to malignant tumours. These changes are the result of the interaction between a person’s genetic factors and three categories of external agents, including:

• physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation;
• chemical carcinogens, such as asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, aflatoxin (a food contaminant) and arsenic (a drinking water contaminant); and
• biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria or parasites.

WHO, through its cancer research agency, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), maintains a classification of cancer causing agents.

Ageing is another fundamental factor for the development of cancer. The incidence of cancer rises dramatically with age, most likely due to a build-up of risks for specific cancers that increase with age. The overall risk accumulation is combined with the tendency for cellular repair mechanisms to be less effective as a person grows older.

Risk factors for cancers

Tobacco use, alcohol use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are the main cancer risk factors worldwide. Chronic infections from hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and some types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are leading risk factors for cancer in low- and middle-income countries. Cervical cancer, which is caused by HPV, is a leading cause of cancer death among women in low-income countries.

How can the burden of cancer be reduced?

Knowledge about the causes of cancer, and interventions to prevent and manage the disease is extensive. Cancer can be reduced and controlled by implementing evidence-based strategies for cancer prevention, early detection of cancer and management of patients with cancer. Many cancers have a high chance of cure if detected early and treated adequately.

Modifying and avoiding risk factors

More than 30% of cancer deaths could be prevented by modifying or avoiding key risk factors, including:

• tobacco use
• being overweight or obese
• unhealthy diet with low fruit and vegetable intake
• lack of physical activity
• alcohol use
• sexually transmitted HPV-infection
• urban air pollution
• indoor smoke from household use of solid fuels.

Tobacco use is the single most important risk factor for cancer causing 22% of global cancer deaths and 71% of global lung cancer deaths. In many low-income countries, up to 20% of cancer deaths are due to infection by HBV and HPV.

Prevention strategies

• Increase avoidance of the risk factors listed above.
• Vaccinate against human papilloma virus (HPV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).
• Control occupational hazards.
• Reduce exposure to sunlight.

Early detection

Cancer mortality can be reduced if cases are detected and treated early. There are two components of early detection efforts:

Early diagnosis

The awareness of early signs and symptoms (for cancer types such as cervical, breast colorectal and oral) in order to get them diagnosed and treated early before the disease becomes advanced. Early diagnosis programmes are particularly relevant in low-resource settings where the majority of patients are diagnosed in very late stages and where there is no screening.

Screening

Screening is defined as the systematic application of a test in an asymptomatic population. It aims to identify individuals with abnormalities suggestive of a specific cancer or pre-cancer and refer them promptly for diagnosis and treatment. Screening programmes are especially effective for frequent cancer types for which a cost-effective, affordable, acceptable and accessible screening test is available to the majority of the population at risk.

Examples of screening methods are:

• visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) for cervical cancer in low-resource settings;
• PAP test for cervical cancer in middle- and high-income settings;
• mammography screening for breast cancer in high-income settings.

Treatment

Cancer treatment requires a careful selection of one or more intervention, such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The goal is to cure the disease or considerably prolong life while improving the patient’s quality of life. Cancer diagnosis and treatment is complemented by psychological support.

Treatment of early detectable cancers

Some of the most common cancer types, such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, oral cancer and colorectal cancer have higher cure rates when detected early and treated according to best practices.

Treatment of other cancers with potential for cure

Some cancer types, even though disseminated, such as leukemias and lymphomas in children, and testicular seminoma, have high cure rates if appropriate treatment is provided.

Palliative care

Palliative care is treatment to relieve, rather than cure, symptoms caused by cancer. Palliative care can help people live more comfortably; it is an urgent humanitarian need for people worldwide with cancer and other chronic fatal diseases. It is particularly needed in places with a high proportion of patients in advanced stages where there is little chance of cure.

Relief from physical, psychosocial and spiritual problems can be achieved in over 90% of advanced cancer patients through palliative care.

Palliative care strategies

Effective public health strategies, comprising of community- and home-based care are essential to provide pain relief and palliative care for patients and their families in low-resource settings.

Improved access to oral morphine is mandatory for the treatment of moderate to severe cancer pain, suffered by over 80% of cancer patients in terminal phase.

WHO response

In 2008, WHO launched its Noncommunicable Diseases Action Plan which includes cancer-specific interventions.

WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer research agency of WHO, collaborate with other United Nations organizations and partners to:

• increase political commitment for cancer prevention and control;
• coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer and the mechanisms of carcinogenesis;
• develop scientific strategies for cancer prevention and control;
• generate new knowledge, and disseminate existing knowledge to facilitate the delivery of evidence-based approaches to cancer control;
• develop standards and tools to guide the planning and implementation of interventions for prevention, early detection, treatment and care;
• facilitate broad networks of cancer control partners and experts at global, regional and national levels;
• strengthen health systems at national and local levels to deliver cure and care for cancer patients; and
• provide technical assistance for rapid, effective transfer of best practice interventions to developing countries.—WHO

He told the GNA in an interview that the school lacked accommodation, with students lodging in hostels that charge exorbitant rent, compelling students to crowd in rooms with some sleeping on the floor.

Mr. Yankey said there was an urgent need to build dormitories for both boys and girls, taking into account the increasing number of students.

He said as students are accommodated in hostels, most of their time was spent on looking for food from outside the school.

Mr Yankey said the Parent/Teacher Association was putting up a dining hall and that the school needs to be fenced as well as a vehicle.

He said in spite of these problems the school had been performing well academically and was one of the best in the district.

When contacted the District Director of Education, Madam Dinah Caroline Gyimah, confirmed the story, saying “my outfit is aware of problems in the school and we sympathize with them.”

She said as a new district, it was saddled with many challenges and called on NGOs, philanthropists to team up with the government to salvage the school from its current predicament.—GNA

Speaking at the ceremony Okofo Amoako-Bondam, a retired Diplomat and Chairman of the University of Education, Winneba, Council said no body was born learned.

He said knowledge was acquired through learning and urged the pupils to learn hard to become useful citizens in future.

The Paramount Chief said Information Communication Technology (ICT) had become a pivot of education. “That is the reason why I want pupils in my Traditional Area not to be found wanting in computer literacy,” he said and urged the pupils to take good care of the computers.

Okofo Amoako-Bondam said parents were making a lot of sacrifices for their children to acquire education and advised the school children to reciprocate the sacrifice by learning very hard.

“Nobody can learn for you, otherwise your parents will have done that for you,” he said.

Mr Peter Light Koomson, District Chief Executive commended the Paramount chief for his interest in education. He said Okofo Amoako-Bondam had set-up an Education Endowment Fund with seed money of GH¢5,000.00 to support needy children in the Traditional Area.

He appealed to people endowed with resources to help to promote education since the delivery of quality education had become so expensive for government alone to shoulder.

He said Okofo Amoako-Bondam’s gesture was worthy of emulation, and appealed to teachers to help to make the donation to benefit the children.

Mr Koomson appealed to the government to consider private schools when extending support to schools in the public sector.

Mr David Amoh, Personnel Officer at the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District Directorate of Education who represented the Director said the computers would save the teachers from using their mobile phones to teach ICT lessons because of lack of the facility in schools.

He appealed for more of such donations to make the teaching and learning of ICT easier.—GNA

Mr Samuel Oppong, National Coordinator of Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS)

National Coordinator of Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), Mr Samuel Oppong, on Tuesday said results of the 2012 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) would be ready by July 30 for placements in August.

He said the list of all successful candidates and their schools would be submitted to the Regional and District Education Directorates, Senior High Schools (SHS), Technical and Vocational Institutes and Junior High Schools (JHS).

Mr Oppong was briefing the Minister of Education, Mr Lee Ocran, during a familiarisation visit to the Secretariat and inspect on-going projects as well as have a fair idea about how the placements were done.

He said the placement forms for individual candidates would be posted on the internet for each qualified student, adding that candidates would have access to their result slips and placement forms by printing from the internet.

Mr Oppong said the CSSPS since its inception in 2005 had worked to improve upon the manual system of selection and placement of qualified BECE candidates into public and private SHS, technical and vocational institutes, by using the total processed raw scores of six subjects instead of grades, by candidates for selection.

He explained that the Secretariat dealt with three categories of students for selection and placement every year which included qualified candidates who completed BECE that year, re-entry candidates who completed BECE three years ago and foreign students.

According to Mr Oppong, under the system, candidates could choose schools from any of the 10 Regions and that the selection and placement of candidates was more transparent adding, delays in the selection and placement of candidates had been reduced as well as human errors had been eliminated.

However, he said the Secretariat faced some challenges, including the non-acceptance of placement of results, inaccurate data provided by candidates during registration by the West African Examination Council, and lack of parental participation in the registration of their children.

The choice of school without reference to parent’s financial preparedness, and availability of boarding facilities and programmes as well as parents’ insistence that their children should be placed in their first choice schools were some of the challenges facing the Secretariat.

Mr Oppong said: “We have arranged with WAEC to release results to the general public and CSSPS Secretariat at the same time in 2012”.

He assured the minister that the Secretariat was working round the clock to ensure that the 2012 selection and placement come out successful and on time.

Mr Ocran commended the Secretariat for their performance over the years to ensure success of the system since its inception in 2005.

He emphasised that the system had been transparent over the years and in the interest of all, and urged parents to understand and accept their children’s placement in schools.

Mr Ocran urged the Secretariat to initiate a programme that would make parents have access and the opportunity to visit the Secretariat and observe how the placements were done, in order for them to clear all forms of misconceptions about their operations.—GNA

There have been incessant public agitations against government for having shown little commitment to reviving the ailing economy. But top notch government officials would tell you their performance has been unprecedented and that life is rather better for citizens.

Just recently, an association calling itself “Unemployed Graduates Association of Ghana (UGAG)” has emerged. It is to champion the interest of the unemployed graduate. Members always sing dirges to government for being rejected after many years of schooling — a situation they describe as unfair and wicked. They are usually made to do the compulsory national service after which they are catapulted into the tough world of work to battle it out themselves.

Some blame it on the nature of our education system. A significant chunk of graduates only roam about in search of non-existent jobs. For those who could do something on their own, challenges with credit accessibility are a deterrent.

Is it not worrying to see a polytechnic or university graduate cry for job? Where are the million jobs that government says it has created? I see the frustrations of graduates as a manifestation of abysmal performance of government in the area of job creation and employment. Government must wake up to its call to redeem the dwindling socio-economic fortunes of the country.

Cases of unemployment have been there long ago. Past governments did their best to improve the circumstances. The erstwhile Kufuor-led NPP administration rolled out a series of viable modules in tackling unemployment. Topical among them were; the Community Teaching Module, Community Policing Module, Community Health Module, Environmental Health and Sanitation Module, Youth-in-Agriculture Module and Transport Module.

Government, through the MASLOC, supplied loans with flexible terms and conditions to hard working, reliable members of legitimate groups for them to start and grow their own businesses.

There was a ban on public sector recruitment, I think somewhere in 2007. It was IMF conditionality. Then government had a hectic situation trying to mitigate the negative effects of this conditionality on its teeming graduates. Many graduates would not appreciate working in the employment modules. They regarded those modules as menial areas designated solely for secondary-level graduates.

NDC party, then in opposition, took advantage of the unlucky situation to convince desperate, unsuspecting electorate to vote them so they would make things better. The impression was crafted as though the government at the time was just insensitive to the concerns of its citizens. Candidate Atta-Mills did move from house to house promising many jobs in a spate of time should electorate give him and his party the nod to control the state purse. They also pledged to invest hugely in people.

Ghanaians, with a slim margin, conferred the constitutional mandate to rule on Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and the NDC party. Unemployment cases are soaring making graduates more disappointed and dejected each passing day. We are told the IMF conditionality has been taken away yet still no serious recruitment is going on, why?

Recently, I had no option but to shed some tears when a friend, usually with a chubby file in hand, complained of still jobless. He has submitted a number of applications but till date not even a call has come for him to appear for an interview. He graduated from the University of Ghana a couple of years ago with a First Class Honors in Humanities. Meanwhile, he has mates serving in government.

School leavers could create jobs if our system had been fair to them. The education and training given to college, polytechnic and university students are too bookish. An Agriculture student, for instance, should be adequately equipped with practical and entrepreneurial experience.

Government, corporate bodies and others should resource and motivate these graduates to go into self employment and investments. Banks and other financial institutions must relax their lending conditions for more graduates to also patronise.

It should be simple for a serious school leaver to access a credit facility from any bank. Banks can set up their own lending thresholds for this group of people. Bureaucracies and requirements for accessing loans must also be relaxed. Fresh graduates may not have the money to found their own businesses but with support, I believe they can do something.

ARTICLE BY: ANTHONY KWAKU AMOAH

E-mail: amoatec27@yahoo.com   

Key facts

• About 16 million adolescent girls give birth every year – most in low- and middle-income countries.
• An estimated three million girls aged 15-19 undergo unsafe abortions every year.
• In low- and middle-income countries, complications from pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 years.
• Stillbirths and newborn deaths are 50% higher among infants of adolescent mothers than among infants of women aged 20-29 years.
• Infants of adolescent mothers are more likely to have low birth weight.

Overview

About 16 million girls aged 15 to 19 years and two million girls under the age of 15 give birth every year. Worldwide, one in five girls has given birth by the age of 18. In the poorest regions of the world, this figure rises to over one in three girls.

Almost all adolescent births – about 95% – occur in low- and middle-income countries. Within countries, adolescent births are more likely to occur among poor, less educated and rural populations.

The causes

Several factors contribute to adolescent births.

In many societies, girls may be under pressure to marry and bear children early, or they may have limited educational and employment prospects.

In low- and middle-income countries, over 30% of girls marry before they are 18 years of age; around 14% before the age of 15. Moreover, married adolescents are likely to become pregnant and give birth in accordance with social norms. Education, on the other hand, is a major protective factor for early pregnancy: the more years of schooling, the fewer early pregnancies. Birth rates among women with low education are higher than for those with secondary or tertiary education.

Some adolescents do not know how to avoid becoming pregnant, or are unable to obtain contraceptives. However, even where contraceptives are widely available, sexually active adolescents are less likely to use contraceptives than adults. In Latin America, Europe and Asia only 42-68% of adolescents who are married or in partnerships use contraceptives. In Africa the rate ranges from 3-49%.

There is a lack of sexuality education in many countries. A global coverage measure related to sexuality education estimates that only 36% of young men and 24% of young women aged 15-24 in low- and middle-income countries have comprehensive and correct knowledge of how to prevent HIV.

In some situations, adolescent girls may be unable to refuse sex. Sexual violence is widespread and particularly affects adolescent girls. More than one third of girls in some countries report that their first sexual encounter was coerced.

The consequences

Pregnant adolescents are more likely than adults to have unsafe abortions. An estimated three million unsafe abortions occur globally every year among girls aged 15-19 years. Unsafe abortions contribute substantially to lasting health problems and maternal deaths.

Having babies during adolescence has serious consequences for the health of the girl and her infant, especially in areas with weak health systems. In some countries, adolescents are less likely than adults to obtain skilled care before, during and after childbirth.

Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 years in many low- and middle-income countries. Stillbirths and newborn deaths are 50% higher among infants born to adolescent mothers than among those born to mothers aged 20-29 years. Infants of adolescent mothers are also more likely to have low birth weight, which can have a long-term impact on their health and development.

Global context

Adolescent pregnancy is a major contributor to maternal and child mortality, and to the vicious cycle of ill-health and poverty. The Global strategy for women’s and children’s health, launched by the United Nations Secretary-General in 2010, stresses the importance of addressing the health and welfare of adolescent girls in order to achieve the fifth Millennium Development Goal on maternal mortality reduction.

WHO response

In May 2011, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution urging Member States to accelerate actions to improve the health of young people. It included these specific measures:

• reviewing and revising policies to protect young people from early child-bearing;
• providing access to contraception and reproductive health care services; and
• promoting access to accurate information on sexual and reproductive health.

WHO published guidelines on how to prevent early pregnancies and poor reproductive outcomes among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. Prepared in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the guidelines were based on a systematic review of the existing research as well as consultation with policy-makers, programme managers and front-line health workers. They contain evidence-based recommendations on actions that countries can take, targeting six key objectives:

• reducing marriage before the age of 18;
• creating understanding and support to reduce pregnancy before the age of 20;
• increasing the use of contraception by adolescents at risk of unintended pregnancy;
• reducing coerced sex among adolescents;
• reducing unsafe abortion among adolescents;
• increasing the use of skilled antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care among adolescents.

In addition to calling for action to prevent adolescent pregnancies, the guidelines and accompanying policy briefs call for further research and set out directions for this to take.

A report on Early marriages, adolescent and young pregnancies for the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly to be held in May 2012 refers to the guidelines.

Preventing early pregnancy and poor reproductive outcomes among adolescents in developing countries

The WHO guidelines, Preventing early pregnancy and poor reproductive outcomes among adolescents in developing countries, provide both a call to action and directions for future research on:

• preventing early pregnancy: by preventing marriage before 18 years of age; by increasing knowledge and understanding of the importance of pregnancy prevention; by increasing the use of contraception; and by preventing coerced sex; and
• preventing poor reproductive outcomes: by reducing unsafe abortions; and by increasing the use of skilled antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care.—WHO

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) says the outstanding salaries of 15,000 teachers have been paid.

The teachers were cut off from their monthly salaries for two years due to Government’s inability to meet the financial demand.

In an interview with Citi News the General Secretary of GNAT, Peter Korda said the last batch of payment would be affected by the end of May.

He said the delay was because some of the teachers had possibly failed to send certain documents to the district education offices which left over 15,000 teachers unpaid.

“It could also be that the documents of the teachers were not forwarded to the head offices in Accra which caused the delay but that has been rectified now,” Korda told Citi News.

The administrator of Valley View University, Mr Okyere Darko, has declared that Rastafarians are abnormal people and are therefore not welcomed or admitted into the university no matter how qualified they are academically.

The administrator made the declaration on the Boiling Pot segment of the award-winning Taxi Driver reggae show hosted by Blakk Rasta.

Mr. Okyere Darko was reacting to comments by the Minister of Employment, Moses Asaga, that private universities in Ghana are responsible for graduate unemployment in the country since they admit unqualified undergraduates and churn out low quality graduates.

Mr Okyere Darko believed the Minister did not do his research well and must therefore come again.

He pleaded with the Education Ministry to allow the university to admit a few more “unqualified” students because “they will be trained anyway.”

He, however, vehemently opposed the idea of allowing the most qualified Rasta into the university as the university views them as abnormal. Even though no Rastafarian is known to have attempted seeking admission in the university, Mr Okyere Darko affirms that none of them stands a chance anyway.

Recently, Rastafarians in Ghana have frequently opined that their faith is being disregarded and disrespected. The Rastafari Council of Ghana has complained about this several times and promised a radical approach to tackling this issue.

Valley View university is one university in Ghana that does not tolerate mini-skirt or trouser-wearing by female students. This, Mr Darko said, is to prevent sexually immoral acts amongst female students and also make them look unattractive to the men.

Another private school, Emmanuel Presby School at Kasoa, a month ago boldly went to town on Taxi Driver with the announcement that they will only admit dreadlocked people if they agree to shave their hair. The Ministry Of Education condemned this but never followed up with any action.

Valley View university, located on the Accra – Dodowa road, incidentally is the only private university in Ghana that is not affiliated to any university.—Myjoyonline.com

Moses Asaga, Minister of Employment & Social Welfare

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) condemns in strong terms the statement of Hon. Moses Asaga the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare that, “It’s because of the proliferation of university colleges in this country… admitting mediocre students,” that is why there is graduate joblessness.

He furthered that, “everybody comes out with the psychology that I have graduated from a university, when in actual fact even if you follow the grades people are getting those people would not be calling themselves as qualified university graduates.”

NUGS sees the Minister’s statement as hugely unfortunate for the President Mills Government and it is a clear testament of attempts by persons of high positions to shift Governments inability to innocent persons and institutions in the country. If the Government cannot handle the growing unemployment rate in Ghana the President should tell Ghanaians.

We will not have Ministers who have been appointed to fix certain challenges whine as a way of saying that, “I can’t do it”. If you cannot handle the issues Hon. Moses Asaga please step down now!

NUGS is therefore calling on the Minister to retract his unfortunate comment and apologize to the good people of Ghana.