Ms Jennifer R. Littlejohn, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, US, says ensuring air quality for all especially vulnerable groups is one of the key priorities of US’s environmental programmes.
As part of the strategies, the US, she stated was supporting Ghana through the University of Ghana’s (UG) Afri-SET, an air quality sensor evaluation, calibration, testing and training centre.
Speaking at a seminar during her visit to UG, Ms Littlejohn said the US was committed to further strengthening the evaluation centre and helping it to establish similar across the African continent.
She was conducted round the air pollution facility at UG to familiarised herself with the operations.
She said such facilities would encourage creativity among scientists to develop low-cost sensors to contribute to the collection of real time air quality data to inform decision makers and for the ordinary person to make informed decisions.
Ms Littlejohn said it wou
ld also foster effective and efficient collaboration and knowledge-sharing to address pressing public health issues.
‘ When it comes to air quality, knowledge is power. By making data widely available, we empower local communities to understand, act on air quality and use the data to advocate for policy changes to improve air quality,’ she said.
The Environmental Diplomat stated that air pollution was not just something that irritated the eyes and the throat -but a killer, which Ghana and the rest of Africa needed to address.
The facility has started running training for experts as part of its larger objective to increase regional capacity and cooperation on air quality, as well as forming a community of practice for scientists, health experts, and governments throughout the region.
In the area of clean cooking, the US has built the capacity of officials of the cookstove laboratory at the Institute of Industrial Research of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, (IIR-CSIR) to play its role to
wards improving air quality.
It was done through the Round Robin Testing Programme, an initiative supported by the United States of America’s Environmental Protection Agency and United Nations Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance.
The laboratory is well positioned to support Ghana and the continent to contribute to meeting climate action plans of reducing emissions from traditional cookstoves.
More than six out of ten homes in Ghana for instance cook using traditional cookstoves, which generate soot, which harm users especially women, and deteriorate the quality of air.
Although the Centre has existed for over 13 years, recent capacity building and International Organisation for Standardisation accreditation has enhanced its operation.
Source: Ghana News Agency
SWAKOPMUND: The Namibian Police Force’s Unit Commander for Community Policing in Erongo, Chief Inspector Ileni Shapumba, has raised concern about the continued withdrawal of gender-based violence cases by complainants.
Shapumba noted that this continues to happen despite the fact that the police have repeatedly said anyone who wishes to withdraw a gender-based violence related case should only do so in court.
This comes after two repeat offenders were reportedly involved in cases of murder and attempted murder at Okombahe and Swakopmund respectively.
According to Shapumba, the suspects in both cases were recently released from custody after their alleged victims withdrew the cases against them.
In a crime report on Sunday, the unit commander said the first incident occurred between 02h00 and 03h00 on Saturday at the Okombahe settlement. The woman and her boyfriend reportedly had a heated argument and he then allegedly struck her with a rock. The attack left the woman with serious injuries on her head, upp
er arm, left leg and elsewhere on her body which resulted in her death.
A case of murder and obstruction or defeating the course of justice has been laid against the 26-year-old man, who reportedly attempted to remove evidence of the act and clean the blood stains.
The suspect has been arrested and is expected to appear in court.
The deceased has been identified as 34-year-old Beverly Theresia Nanus. Her next of kin have been informed.
In the case of attempted murder which allegedly took place in Swakopmund’s DRC Informal Settlement around 18h00 on Thursday, the 33-year-old complainant was reportedly stabbed all over her body and in the face with a bottle by her ex-boyfriend.
The woman has been admitted to the Swakopmund State Hospital.
The suspect was arrested and police investigations are ongoing.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency