Nii Ankrah Hyde, a Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, has advised environmental health officers to take advantage of the matured students’ courses at the universities to upgrade themselves and occupy better positions in the Civil Service. He said; “You don’t need to hold Ordinary or Advance Level Certificates but the only qualification as a mature student who wished to enter university is to satisfy the age condition of 30 years old, build confidence and adequately prepare well to pass the entrance examination at first attempt.” Nii Ankrah said this at the inauguration of the Association of Environmental Health Assistants (AEHA) at the Civil Service Association Hall in Accra. He said; “writing examination is not a very difficult task at all, it only becomes difficult and complex if and only if you do not prepare adequately,” adding; “The time one can invest into this exercise coupled with undiluted commitment, is the surest way of making it once and for all.” Nii Ankrah said the major reason why some people keep on writing the same examination several times was that, they kept committing the same mistakes by either not preparing well, or did not take the whole exams with the seriousness it deserves, “hence the need for you to build confidence and not to fear.” He said; “It is extremely and highly impossible for one to fail an exam if enough time was spent preparing, the right strategies were adopted as well as commitment and self-discipline were also injected into it.” The Director of the Environmental and Sanitation Unit at the Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Love Demedeme, who chaired the function urged the Environmental Health Assistants not to be please at where they are but make sure to attain to a higher degree, adding; “It is a determination that will encourage you to achieve what you were aspiring for.” He said the Ministry had negotiated with the University of Cape Coast to run a degree course for environmental health officers and assistants in the country and urged them not to be complacent with what is happening, adding that; “We will create an enabling environment for you to improve yourself to enable you meet the challenges ahead.” Mr. Demedeme urged the health officers to take advantage of the programme to upgrade themselves with determination as the system is changing. Mr. Jonas Amanu, Greater Accra Regional Health Officer said the Association would serve as a wake-up call to the mother association and urged the members to fight for their rights at all times and not to repeat the past mistakes. The National Interim President of AEHA, Mr. Charles Bosomprah said the Association had negotiated with the Ministry to create two other grades, Chief Environmental Health Assistant and Assistant Chief Environmental Health Assistant for those on the principal grades to occupy the new positions. Source: GNA