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Inside MAR 2, 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 3/1/18 6:30 PM Page 5 06 WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018 WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH KIDDIES Corner Short stories for kids How the tortoise got its scars ONCE UPON a time, there was a wedding in the sky. The bride and groom invited all the animals in the whole land. Those who had wings obviously could fly and so would have no problem attending but those animals who lived on the ground would have a few problems getting there unless they could persuade their flying friends to take them on their backs. Mr Tortoise really wanted to attend the wedding; he loved parties, but he had no idea how to get there. While he was mulling over this problem, a vulture landed near him, looking for crumbs of food left behind by other animals. The tortoise called out to the vulture, “Mr Vulture, I wonder if you are planning to attend the wedding next week?” The vulture confirmed that he had every intention of being there, because there would be a lot of free food! Then the tortoise asked if Mr Vulture would consider giving him a lift. Vulture shook his head and said, “That might be a bit difficult. I can see, by looking at you, I can see you are not very light, Mr Tortoise. What would you be prepared to give me in return, if I should agree to your request?” Now Tortoise had been saving so he had a large pile of cowries in his lair. So he promised to pay vulture as many cowries as he could carry. Vulture agreed. So it came to pass that on the day of the wedding, Vulture came round to where tortoise lived, and collected him. Tortoise clung onto vulture’s back, and they arrived at the wedding in the sky without any mishap. After the wedding was a splendid feast and there were lots of different kinds of food to cater for all tastes. Vulture decided he would try some porridge, never having tasted this before, but found it very difficult to eat this with his beak. The porridge kept spilling, and some spilled on tortoise. Tortoise pretended to be very upset, and vulture pacified him by saying that he could keep his cowries, and tortoise was very happy with this solution. Now he had got here completely free of charge. Later, they were all drinking beer, and tortoise was getting a little careless. He was drinking a little more beer than usual at a party, and he started swaying about a bit. In the process, Tortoise spilt some beer on vulture’s head, and it was vulture’s turn to be offended. Tortoise again offered vulture as many cowries as he could carry, but vulture just sulked off; he was not really interested in cowries. Soon it was time for everybody to go home. The birds started flying away, including Mr Vulture. “Mr Vulture, wait for me!” called out Tortoise, but Vulture ignored him and flew away. None of the other birds wanted to carry Tortoise; “You’re too big for my back!” “You’re too heavy for me!” “You’re too drunk, Mr Tortoise, you’ll only fall off!” In the end, Tortoise was left all by himself, and he realised the only way to get back to the ground would be to jump, and fall all the way down to earth. He knew he could not stay up there in the clouds! So he jumped, hoping that his landing would be soft, but he landed on some hard ground, and his shell broke into many pieces. In the morning his nephew and nieces came round, and stuck the pieces together again, but now it showed many scars and cracks. And that is why every time you see a tortoise you can still see the scars on the back of his shell. Time with Auntie Akuorkor in the kitchen How to prepare Tuo-Zaafi with 'Ayoyo' soup Note: To be supervised by parents “Certainly! the kitchen: If they are All hands should be washed well not taught at home, they will get the wrong idea from friends at school be- Ingredients: Ayoyo leaves Salt Meat Pepper Tomatoes Tin tomatoes Onions Salt to taste Palm oil Salmon Water Corn flour Ginger Method: Ayoyo soup Wash ayoyo leaves thoroughly and cut them into tiny pieces while you have put water on fire to boil. Put chopped ayoyo leaves in boiling water and stir periodically. Then beat or whisk it until it becomes slimy with bubbles. Remove from fire and set aside. Steam the meat with chopped onions and ground ginger Then prepare your stew. When ready, you can pour the boiled ayoyo into the stew and mix it up or leave it separately if you want. Tuo zaafi Put water on fire and bring to boil. Fetch some corn flour into a bowl, add water, and mix until it is a bit watery and smooth. Pour the mixture into boiling water and stir continuously with a wooden spatula to avoid lumps. The mixture should be in the form of porridge. Leave to boil for ten minutes. Fetch some of the porridge into a bowl, add the corn flour to the remaining porridge in the pot and stir continuously into a thick stuff without lumps. Add the remaining porridge to the dough and stir gently until it is cooked. Serve, first by putting the tuo into a bowl, ladling some of the ayoyo into the bowl before adding the stew to it. CASA launches ‘Stop Sex Abuse in Schools’ campaign COALITION AGAINST Sexual Abuse (CASA) has launched its campaign dubbed ‘Stop Sex Abuse in Schools’ with ‘If You See Something, Say Something,’ catchphrases to engage the public to break silence about abuse in schools. The year-long campaign also focuses on teachers who sexually harass pupils to ensure that they are sanctioned and their behaviour condemned. A release copied to the DAILY HERITAGE stated that the campaign brings together girls, boys, women and men to discuss how to avoid sexual abuse by teachers. The elements of this campaign are see something, say something, break your silence; allegation must be followed by fair and thorough investigation without intimidation; sanction teachers who sexually abuse, harass, extort sex in exchange for grades; strengthen GES code that condemns teachers who sexually harass; stop them from teaching, don’t just move them to another school and sex offenders registry with guilty teachers names. CASA’s campaign has a single message “time’s up for teachers who sexually harass, abuse, assault or extort sex from students in exchange for grades. Time’s up for principals having sex with students; This issue impacts the quality of our education. That makes it an issue for all who care about education. Educators are charged with providing a safe environment for students; a good education is one that is free of sexual abuse.” it stated. CASA’s campaign was launched in partnership with Drama Queens GH, Ododow GH and EAA Media Productions.
Inside MAR 2, 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 3/1/18 6:30 PM Page 6 5 basic facts about methamphetamine • Street names Methamphetamine is also known as meth, crystal, chalk, and ice, etc. It is usually in the form of a white, odourless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder. • Manufacturing meth Meth unlike heroin, cocaine and marijuana is not found in nature but is manufactured using chemicals and ingredients found in legitimate goods like over-the-counter cold medicines and fertilisers • Invention of meth Meth was invented in 1887 when scientists isolated ephedrine from a shrub- Ephedra sinica, known to be used in Chinese medicines in the past. Chemists manufactured methamphetamine in 1919 by combining ephedrine with red phosphorous and iodine. • Not ‘instantly addictive’ Unlike the drugs heroin and cocaine meth is not instantly addictive. This is a common misconception among people but most users don’t get addicted to it instantly. The treatment for meth addiction is similar to other stimulants though. WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018 &Env. Methamphetamine craze in West Africa METHAM- PHETAMINE IS cheap and easy to make, once you’re hooked to it, it is often for life. In its ‘crystal’ form, it can be ‘cooked’ up by pretty much anyone from ingredients which are reasonably easy to obtain. While climate and growing conditions tend to dictate where narcotics like heroin and cocaine can be produced, there are no such constraints upon meth which gives enterprising drug-pushers from areas in which opium, coca, and so forth do not grow a golden opportunity to grab a slice of the global drugs trade for themselves. Reports indicate that some West Africans are increasingly taking up this opportunity, turning drug barons as they produce meth for smuggling abroad (mostly to Asia). Methamphetamine Methamphetamine is a pretty powerful drug, which induces extreme ‘highs’ and euphoric states in users. It’s easy to synthesise - although deaths from meth-lab accidents are not uncommon - and is powerfully addictive. Methamphetamine causes the brain to release huge amounts of ‘pleasure chemical’ dopamine, and then prevents the brain from reabsorbing it for many hours. This gives a lasting and euphoric ‘high.’ Methamphetamine was developed early in the 20th century from its parent drug, amphetamine and was used originally in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. Like amphetamine, methamphetamine causes increased activity and talkativeness, decreased appetite and a pleasurable sense of well-being or euphoria. However, methamphetamine differs from amphetamine in that, at comparable doses, much greater amounts of the drug get into the brain, making it a more potent stimulant. It also has longer-lasting and more harmful effects on the central nervous system. These characteristics make it a drug with high potential for widespread abuse. Methamphetamine has been classified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule II stimulant, which makes it legally available only through a non refillable prescription. Medically it may be indicated for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and as a short-term component of weight-loss treatments but these uses are limited and it is rarely prescribed; also, the prescribed doses are far lower than those typically abused. However, it also starts to damage the brain (while simultaneously causing pretty awful effects throughout the rest of the body) and can reportedly cause almost instant addiction. This latter fact makes it tremendously easy to create a ‘captive’ market for methamphetamine, and makes it potentially a very profitable substance. • Methamphetamine is cheap and easy to make Methamphetamine can very swiftly devastate entire communities, making it a very dangerous drug indeed. While some people have - with a lot of effort - managed to get clean from methamphetamine, it’s by no means common to do so. When your nation has a methamphetamine problem, it spells a lot of trouble as some West African countries are sadly, fast developing into something of a methamphetamine phenomenon. Global transit route West Africa, including Ghana, has long had a part to play in the global drugs trade by being part of a transit route which sees drugs crossing continents. Loose border controls and a lack of emphasis upon drugs-based policing have given traffickers ample opportunities to use West Africa as a convenient transit point. However, West Africans have tended to have little to do with the drugs trade, and internal drugs problems have been low until recently. Meth production As the global value of methamphetamine has skyrocketed; West African criminals have been quick to take advantage using established drugs routes to traffic their product as more and more West Africans are taking to meth labs in order to make their fortunes. The market for West African methamphetamine tends to be Asia, Japan in particular, and the profit margins are vast. A kilo of meth can cost a West African producer $1,500 to make, but will sell for $150,000 in Tokyo. That’s enough money to tempt anyone, especially when one considers that producing meth does not take a lot of time or effort. Currently the main markets for West African meth appear to be abroad but the potential for an internal market to develop out of control (destroying many of West Africa’s most vulnerable communities) is huge. Why West Africa? West Africa is a tempting prospect for many meth producers due to a number of factors; the aforementioned presence of established drugs routes makes the stuff relatively easy to traffic. Again many West African nations are rich in isolated, unpatrolled areas in which crystal meth can be ‘cooked’ without interruption from the authorities. Thirdly, the past lack of major drugs issues in West Africa has resulted in police forces which are unused and ill-equipped to dealing with drugs issues. In this latter aspect, at least, Ghana is trying to take control. Though it’s a very difficult thing to do, Ghanaian authorities have spoken of making a concerted effort to improve the way in which the nation deals with drugs and drugs-related crime. This acknowledgement that there is a very serious problem is a great step forward, which will hopefully lead to positive action and change in the future. In the meantime, however, the West African methamphetamine trade goes from strength to strength, causing great trauma and heartache for the thousands of unfortunate individuals who come into contact with it.
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March 2

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