Features
Mothers cannot wait
- /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mom-Pix-e1652442465471.jpg&description=Mothers cannot wait', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mom-Pix-e1652442465471.jpg&description=Mothers cannot wait', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
Last Sunday was Mothers’ Day worldwide and mothers all over the globe were saluted and honoured. All kinds of gifts were lavished on them. In fact, mothers’ day is a far, far bigger deal than fathers’ day. Whereas mothers get gifts as grand as houses, cars, jewellery, and other valuable presents depending on the financial clout of the giver, gifts for fathers seem like child’s play. They appear like an afterthought.
For example, if a mother gets some pieces of wax prints and/or jewellery, a father may get a tie or a card or a towel. By conservative estimates, if GHc 1,500 is spent on a mother, expenditure on a father may amount to about GHc 600 or less. I am not jealous as a father. I understand.
In fact, my mother’s people, the Fantes, have a proverb that says: “Egya kyew na onnwe,” which loosely translates to: “The father fries (the fish or whatever) but does not taste it.”In other words, men must provide for their wives and children first, before they think of themselves.
But, in recent times, the roles have been reversed in many instances. More and more women have taken over the responsibilities of men, not because they are “too know”or “sabbe, sabbe” as Ghanaians say in their local parlance. The fact of the matter is that some men are not pushing themselves hard enough, and by nature, women cannot sit comfortably by while things go haywire.
For all their diligence, empathy, protection, and love, mothers deserve all the gifts and every bit of the encomiums showered on them, and more. But mothers cannot wait; they cannot wait until mothers’ day before they are recognised; they cannot wait until they are dead and gone before they are honoured with a lavish funeral.
Mothers have historically been the burden bearers for humanity. Right from conception, they carry their babies for nine months. Some of them are abandoned the moment their men hear they are pregnant, pregnant carrying the babies of these capricious men which they irresponsibly make out of self-gratification not out of love or duty.
When they are threatened to abort the baby or face abandonment, most mothers would rather keep the pregnancy and nurture their unborn child by any means possible. With no support in a situation like this, the courage of mothers moves into top gear. They would do all kinds of jobs just to make sure the unborn child is safe, nourished, and protected.
With that heavy load, and a heart broken by a selfish, irresponsible man, a mother would do everything to ensure that she and her unborn baby survive. She would sell ice water, oranges, foodstuff, her clothes, and virtually anything people would buy. I forgot “bofroat.” I hear it is “ball float,” coined by the Fantes from the way the doughnuts float in oil while being fried.
A mother’s bowels of compassion know no boundaries. Can you imagine what the mother of Jesus went through as they crucified her Son over trumped-up charges? While men, His disciples for that matter, were nowhere to be found, with the exception of John, Mary stood at the foot of the cross at a position where her Son would make eye contact with her so that she would urge Him on to stay strong. Her bowels were churning at the sight of her tortured Son, but she did it all the same.
Because of the caring attitude of mothers, God Himself uses feminine metaphors to describe His attributes. Like a hen, He says He will cover His people with His feathers, and under His wings shall they trust. When Jesus was about to be crucified, He lamented over Jerusalem for her waywardness saying, He would have loved to protect the city under His wings, but the inhabitants would not let Him. These images depict the warm nature of God, a trait associated with mothers.
There is no warrior like a mother. When it comes to protecting her children, she fights with the claws of an eagle, the paws of a lioness or a bear, and the sting of a scorpion. That is how fierce a mother can be in the defence of her children, though wayward they may be. On top of that mothers have a good deal of ESP, (extrasensory perception) by which they smell danger afar off and act accordingly to nip it in the bud.
Just watch how a hen fends off a marauding hawk skirmishing to snatch one of her chicks. With the eyes of an eagle, she sees the danger afar off and puts herself in battle mode, ever ready to fight to the hilt until she secures her territory for the safety of her vulnerable chicks. In that sense, too, God compares Himself to a mother bear. He says like a bear robbed of her cubs, He would attack those attacking her little ones and rip them open.
Talking of ESP, I remember when I was a teenager, my mum warned me about a friend of mine, a person whose trustworthiness I had no reason to question. Here was a young, brilliant, handsome, jovial guy from a good home. He was just affable, but for some strange reason unclear to fathom, my mother saw him differently. She saw beyond the surface and told me my friend resembled a murderer.
As boys usually do, my friends and I used to gather at our house or in another friend’s house and go out to have fun. Those were the days when attending secondary school in Cape Coast was the best thing that could happen to a student. It was just a thing of joy. During vacations, some Accra guys would stay over at our place, or return during occasions like the famed Fetu Afahye festival and enjoy themselves.
One day, my mum told me in Fante:“Wo yonko yi, os3 wudzinyi,” meaning, “This friend of yours looks like a murderer.”I did not take kindly to that, but time proved her right. A bunch of us went on a night out and were returning on foot along a bridge that spanned the Fosu Lagoon. I do not know what kind of spirit came over him but, suddenly, my friend held me and threatened that if I dared him, he would throw me into the lagoon. And he knew swimming was not my forte.
He was heavier and stronger than me, and he actually dragged me closer to the edge of the lagoon. I instantly remembered my mum’s warning and knew if I died that young, it would be due to my foolishness in thinking I knew better, and consequently defying my mother’s instinctive warning.
With these thoughts racing through my mind, I behaved sensibly, keeping calm until the evil that came over him retreated. On hindsight, I know that my mother was praying for me. I never told her what happened, but I advised myself.
I recall that when we were growing up, mothers who had been delivered newly of their babies, had a custom of wearing white clothes with beautiful footwear and white beads as necklace, and visiting maternity and childcare clinics to weigh their babies and monitor other aspects of their vital signs.
Imagine a mother who was abandoned by her man and struggled to have the baby. She just could not afford the luxury of changing clothes to celebrate the joy of having a baby safely after all the problems. Some still had their husbands, but they were living on hard times. Whatever the reason, the sorrowful mother braced herself for the sneers of the public and did what she had to do, money or no money.
Some of us were cry babies who never allowed our mothers any good sleep at night. Even if our fathers were around, they would be snoring. Our mothers understood the meaning of every kind of cry we let out. If we were sick, they knew. If we were hungry, they knew.
When we messed ourselves and felt uncomfortable, our mothers knew even if there were no smell to alert them. They just knew and took care of it. Even if we were angry about something as little as we were, our mothers understood.
Despite all their tireless work, some mothers are reaping a whirlwind. Their own children have risen up against them for so many reasons. For some, their snobbery of their mothers is due to lies fed them by fake prophets that their mother is a witch.
Others are influenced by their tigresses, wives whose say is final. There are some, including men and women, who now see their mothers as villagers whose visits embarrass them before their friends in the city. What? You are ashamed of your mother? I do not blame you. Now, you think you have arrived. And you have no clue how you made it this far.
Honour your father and mother that your days may be prolonged. This is the only commandment with a promise. The reverse holds equally true. And that is, if you do not honour your father and mother, your days would be shortened. Period! Honouring mothers should be regular. Mothers cannot wait until …
Contact: teepeejubilee@yahoo.co.uk
By Tony Prempeh
“A woman who abandons her baby in a dustbin at Kasoa Lorry Station is not always a wicked woman. Sometimes, she is a wounded woman whose mind has broken, whose family has rejected her, and whose society has left her with only one terrible option: disappear or be disgraced.”
That is the hard truth Ghana must hear.
In the last 10 days alone, our nation has been confronted with the same painful headline, twice.
Case 1 – Kasoa Main Lorry Station, Central Region: A newborn baby girl was found abandoned inside a dustbin at the public toilet of the Kasoa Main Station. A woman who went to use the facility discovered the infant and raised an alarm. Commercial drivers and bystanders quickly retrieved the baby and rushed her to the Kasoa Polyclinic for emergency medical care.
Case 2 – Asante Bekwai, Ashanti Region: On Thursday morning, August 20, 2026, a two-week-old neonate was reportedly abandoned by an unknown nursing mother at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region. Residents who came across the child raised the alarm. The baby was admitted to the Bekwai Government Hospital as police commenced investigations.
Let me be clear from the start: Newborn abandonment is wrong. It is dangerous. It is criminal. And it can kill. This article does not excuse it. But if we only arrest and shame, we will never stop it. We must treat the root, not just punish the fruit.
What exactly is newborn abandonment? – The two definitions
The Legal Definition: Under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), Section 96, and the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), abandonment of a child under 12 years is a criminal offence. It is classified as exposure and abandonment, punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. The law sees the mother as a perpetrator.
The Psychological definition: In clinical textbooks, newborn abandonment is defined as the intentional, permanent relinquishment of all parental rights, care, and responsibilities over an infant within the first 28 days of life without making formal, legal arrangements for care.
To understand this crisis properly, we must not confuse it with child abandonment. Newborn abandonment happens within 0-28 days of life, often driven by acute panic, denial of pregnancy, or postpartum psychosis where the attachment bond never formed. Child abandonment, on the other hand, involves toddlers to teenagers where a bond existed but collapsed over time due to chronic poverty, family breakdown, or parental burnout. One is an acute crisis of the first month; the other is a chronic breakdown over years. Both are harmful, but they need different interventions.
Psychologically, newborn abandonment is the ultimate rupture of the primary attachment bond. Think of a 19-year-old university student who secretly gives birth alone in her hostel room, wraps the crying baby in a polythene bag, and drops it at a refuse dump at midnight. That is not just a crime scene; it is a scene of extreme panic and psychological dissociation.
Why would a mother carry a baby for 9 months and then abandon it?
This is the question every Ghanaian asks. If you wanted to abandon it, why not abort? The answer is deeply psychological:
1. The psychodynamics of denial of pregnancy: This is a profound defense mechanism, not a lie. The mother’s subconscious mind completely rejects the reality of the pregnancy. She does not gain weight normally, feels no kicks, does not seek antenatal care, and genuinely convinces herself she is not pregnant until sudden, shocking labour pains take her by surprise in a toilet or bedroom.
2. Fantasy of a dissolving problem: This is called cognitive avoidance. She believes “my boyfriend will come back,” “my mother will forgive me,” or “something miraculous will happen before birth.” So she waits, paralyzed, until the baby is here.
3. Barriers to safe abortion: Deep religious guilt, moral anxiety, fear of dying from a back-alley abortion, lack of money for a safe procedure, and family laws force her to carry to term even when she feels incapable.
4. The shock of reality and acute panic: Upon delivery, the physical presence and crying of the newborn shatters all denial. Confronted with immediate exposure, shame, and reality, her brain enters a trauma response — “fight, flight, or freeze.” For many, it becomes “flight” — physically escape the threat of exposure to survive socially. That is why babies are left in places where others will find them -lorry stations, churches, hospitals.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
Features
Environmental stewardship is an act of worship: The Islamic response to climate change, environmental degradation (Part 4)
The environmental consequences of illegal mining have reached alarming levels in Ghana. Several major rivers, including the Pra, Ankobra, Offin, Birim and Tano, have experienced significant pollution from illegal mining activities, increasing the cost and complexity of water treatment while threatening the availability of potable water for millions of citizens (Water Resources Commission, 2024; Ghana Water Limited, 2024). These developments underscore the urgent need for stronger environmental governance and collective action.
Islam equally emphasises accountability in governance. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that every leader is responsible for those under his or her authority (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7138; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1829). This principle extends to public officials entrusted with environmental regulation, traditional authorities responsible for communal lands, mining companies, local assemblies, and community leaders. Environmental protection cannot succeed
where accountability is absent.
At the same time, addressing galamsey requires more than law enforcement. Sustainable solutions must tackle the underlying socio-economic realities that drive individuals into illegal mining. Many young people are motivated by unemployment, poverty, and limited economic opportunities. Islamic principles of social justice therefore call for the creation of alternative livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, vocational training, responsible small-scale mining under strict environmental standards, entrepreneurship, and skills development. Environmental protection and economic empowerment should not be viewed as competing priorities but as complementary goals that promote human dignity and national development.
Faith communities also have an indispensable role to play. Mosques, churches, schools, traditional councils, and civil society organisations possess significant influence in shaping public attitudes and behaviours. Imams, in particular, should consistently remind congregations that wealth acquired through actions that destroy communities and Allah’s creation cannot be regarded as a blessing. Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Water conservation, waste management and sustainable development: Practical expressions of Islamic stewardship
Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Islam is not merely a religion that condemns environmental destruction; it also provides practical guidance for preserving and sustaining the natural world. Through its teachings on moderation, cleanliness, conservation, and responsible consumption, Islam cultivates an environmental ethic that remains remarkably relevant to contemporary challenges such as water scarcity, pollution, waste management, and climate change. These teachings encourage Muslims to become
responsible custodians of Allah’s creation in both private and public life.
Water conservation: A sacred responsibility
Water occupies a unique position in Islam as the source of life and an essential element of worship. Allah says, “And We made from water every living thing. Then will they not believe?” (Qur’an 21:30, Sahih International). This verse reminds believers that water is not merely an economic resource but a divine blessing upon which all living creatures depend. The importance of water is further reflected in Islamic acts of worship. Muslims perform ablution (wudu) before the five daily prayers and ritual bathing (ghusl) under prescribed circumstances.
Yet, despite its central role in purification, Islam strongly discourages wastefulness. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once advised one of his companions not to waste water while performing ablution, even when using water from a flowing river (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 425). This timeless guidance establishes the principle that abundance does not justify extravagance.
Conservation remains a religious obligation regardless of the apparent availability of natural resources.
This Prophetic teaching carries profound implications for contemporary Ghana. Illegal mining has severely polluted many rivers, increasing the cost of water treatment and limiting access to safe drinking water for numerous communities. Climate change has also intensified seasonal variability in rainfall, placing additional pressure on freshwater resources (IPCC, 2023). Against this
backdrop, conserving water is no longer simply an environmental preference—it is a moral imperative grounded in Islamic teaching.
Water conservation should therefore become a shared responsibility among households, educational institutions, industries, and places of worship. Simple practices such as repairing leaking pipes, harvesting rainwater, protecting riverbanks, avoiding contamination of water bodies, and promoting efficient irrigation contribute to safeguarding one of Allah’s greatest blessings. Every effort to preserve water is an investment in public health, food security, and the
wellbeing of future generations.
Unfortunately, indiscriminate disposal of refuse remains a significant challenge in many communities. Plastic waste clogs drainage systems, contributes to flooding during the rainy season, pollutes rivers and beaches, and threatens marine ecosystems. Open burning of waste further degrades air quality and poses serious health risks, particularly for children and the elderly (UNEP,2024).
The author is Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governnace Expert.
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
