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Editorial

Don’t leave students stranded

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●Government must do well to remit the students

● Government must do well to remit the students

Permit me to comment on the delay in payment of stipends and bursaries to Ghanaian students studying on government scholarship abroad. The complaints keep coming back and it is now more or less an annual ritual.

The latest is that of Ghana­ian medical students in Cuba who are lamenting over the non-payment of their stipends for the past seven months.

The students, according to reports, are living on the benevolence of colleagues and friends as assurances from the Scholarship Secretariat have yielded no results.

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I have been wondering why successive governments some­what do not seem to prioritise the needs of students studying abroad.

Studying abroad comes with its own challenges and it can get worse when students run out of cash. We all admit the unfavourable economic con­ditions in the country but it is not ideal for the government to delay payments for up to seven months.

The Ghana-Cuba students are just one group and I believe trainees elsewhere may be suffering similar fate. If it is, indeed, the case that the these statutory payments cannot be made on time, those in charge should communicate or make the necessary arrangements with the authorities abroad so the students are given some lifeline or breathing space.

I am, by this letter, adding my voice to that of the affect­ed students in Cuba and asking the government of Ghana to act with dispatch.

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Frank Bruce,

Achimota-Accra.

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Editorial

Unhygienic food selling environment: A serious concern that must be addressed

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Food stuff being sold near an open gutter

Dear Editor,

It is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. However, this saying becomes worrying when the health of citizens is threatened by the conditions under which the food they consume daily is sold.

In Ghana, the conditions under which food is sold is quite disturbing. Over the years, I have observed that the environments where food is prepared and sold are often unhygienic.

In many cases, containers holding food such as rice and waakye are left uncovered or not properly covered, exposing them to contamination.

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While many Ghanaians paid little attention in the past to the conditions under which food was sold, the narrative seems to be changing in recent years.

I recall an incident during my days in Senior High School (S.H.S.) when my friends and I went out to buy food. At one location, some of us chose not to buy because we assumed the food would be expensive due to how neat the place looked.

Unfortunately, we ended up purchasing food from a different place that was somewhat unhygienic. We overlooked the poor conditions because we believed the quantity offered was better than at the cleaner location.

However, I am certain that my friends and I would not repeat such a mistake today, as we now understand the health implications of that decision.

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While public education is important in addressing this issue, I believe it is time for regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such as the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), to crack the whip on food sellers and vendors who operate in unhygienic environments and conditions.

As citizens, we must also be mindful of where we buy our food to protect ourselves and our families from diseases and illnesses. We should choose ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’ and prioritize our health.

From Syram

Oyarifa

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Editorial

Provide adequate protection for footballers

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Dear Editor,

I write to express concern and call for improved security measures before and after every football match.

The recent robbery attack that led to the tragic death of a player, on their return from a Match day 29 game against Samartex, is both shocking and heartbreaking.

The incident, which reportedly occurred around 10:30 p.m., highlights the growing risks faced by players and team officials while traveling.

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Football is meant to unite and entertain, not to expose lives to danger. It is therefore imperative that authorities, the Ghana Football Association, and security agencies put in place adequate protection for teams, especially during late-night travels.

I strongly urge all stakeholders to treat this matter with urgency to prevent such unfortunate incidents from recurring.

From Eugene Ampiaw

Accra

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