Ex-Smokers receive awards

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Saturday honoured individuals who have successfully quit smoking after the launch of a competition to encourage smokers to stop the habit.

In all about 9.9 Million cedis was disbursed to 14 persons who have given up the habit at a short ceremony in Accra with Mr Saviour Hadjah, winning the first prize of 5 million cedis.

Mr Nash Odame and Turkson Aggrey emerged second and third winners and received 3 million and 1 million cedis respectively.

Eleven others received a 100,000 cedis each, 'Quit and Win' 'T' Shirts and Westel phone cards and notepads.

The programme dubbed "Quit and Win 2002" Ghana and jointly sponsored by Westel Ghana, WHO, Coca-Cola and GHS is part of a world-wide campaign aimed at helping smokers to give up the habit and also to educate non-smokers and the public to stay away from smoking.

Dr Andrew Arde-Acquah, Accra Metro Director of Health Services, who presented prizes to some of the winners, said about 1,020 people registered with the hope of quitting but only 14 quitted after testing.

He said the campaign facilitates coalition building and social network among agencies and groups that promote health and that it would also impact positively on the lives of the quitters.

He urged smokers to give up their best to stop the habit to prolong their lives since smoking damages the lungs.

About 400 people including children in the pubic domain walked through some principal streets of Accra to Mamprobi where the deserving individuals were presented with their prizes.