About 300 head porters were yesterday screened for various diseases during a health screening exercise organised by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) at its headquarters in Accra.
The head porters were screened for various diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and also had their glucose and sugar level checked by health officials from the Nyaho Medical Centre, after which they were provided with health advice or referred to other health facilities for further treatment.
Aside the screening, the health officials provided dental services with support from Unilever Ghana Limited.
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The health screening formed part of activities that preceded the launch of the commission’s 30th anniversary celebration this month.
According to the commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr Joseph Whittal, the head porters were selected for the screening as they were a representation of the most vulnerable in society as well as the governance deficit we had in the country.
He bemoaned the unfavourable conditions under which the head porters who had migrated from the northern part of the country to the south to seek greener pastures worked.
Mr Whittal explained that to decrease the rate of migration by the head porters and also bridge the gap between the north and south, there was the need to create an enabling environment that would enable them to grow their businesses.
In furtherance, he said addressing the issue of migration from the north to the south by the head porters called for closer collaboration between government agencies such as the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) and other relevant stakeholders.
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Additionally, Mr Whittal noted that it was important for the government to work closely with the head porters to profess feasible solutions to the issue of migration from the north to the south.
The Director of the Public Education Department of CHRAJ, Mrs Nana Yamfoah Amua-Sakyi, noted that most of the head porters failed to report issues of rape to the commission which was an issue of concern.
She therefore urged them to be courageous and report any rape or sexual harassment to the commission for the offenders to be dealt with.
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Some of the head porters who spoke to the Ghanaian Times expressed their profound gratitude to the commission for the exercise and also called on the government to assist them in terms of accommodation.
Ms Yahaya Rashisa, one of the head porters said “I am happy with the decision of the commission to organise this health screening exercise for us as it will help us know our health status. As kayayei, the challenge we face has to do with accommodation, and we therefore call on the government to come to our aid.”
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
