Connect with us

Editorial

Merits and demerits of scraping betting tax

Published

on

 Dear Editor,

Over the past years, a lot of concerns have been raised about the rise of sports betting companies in the country, their opera­tions, and how it impacted negatively on the youth of the country.

I have also witnessed how some of the youth go to the extent of borrowing money from friends or use compa­nies’ money to stake bets, which they were not guaran­teed of winning.

Due to this, I was happy when the previous govern­ment introduced the betting tax, as I felt it would deter the youth from engaging in it.

Advertisement

However, some Ghanaians hold the view that the bet­ting tax would help create employment.

It wasn’t surprising to see the excitement that greeted the announcement of the scrapping of the tax by the Finance Minister.

My worry now is how, as a country, the youth can be discouraged from engaging in betting.

I believe that as the bet­ting tax has been scrapped, it is about time that the government finds ways of addressing the issue of bet­ting among the youth as it is becoming more serious than before.

Advertisement

I believe that there should be a multi-stakeholder en­gagement between the var­ious stakeholders to proffer solutions to address them.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Editorial

No life should be lost over allegations

Published

on

Dear Editor,

The recent death of Nana Yaw, also known as Dinero/Terry, has left various communities deeply shaken over the circumstances under which a life was lost.

Reports suggest that he went missing after a phone transaction in Teshie and was later found dead. Allegations have circulated that he visited a female friend despite having a pregnant wife at home.

Even if such allegations were true, does that mean he deserved to die? The answer is no. Infidelity is a moral failing, but it is not a crime punishable by death. To suggest otherwise is to normalize violence and diminish the value of human life.

Advertisement

This tragedy should remind us of the urgent need for justice and accountability. His family especially his expectant wife deserves compassion, not judgment. As a community, we must reject victim‑blaming and focus on preventing such senseless losses in the future.

Nana Yaw’s death is not just a personal tragedy, it is a call to action. 

We must demand thorough investigation, ensure those responsible are held accountable, and commit ourselves to building a society where disagreements and mistakes do not end in violence.

Princess Wonovi, 

Advertisement

Dansoman

Continue Reading

Editorial

Take quick action to rebuild Percheyire R/C Basic School

Published

on

The situation at Percheyire R/C Basic School in the Yilo Krobo district is a warning concerning Ghana’s rural education facilities as pupils in Primary four through six are forced to learn inside a building of mud walls, worn-out roofing sheets, and rotting wooden pillars.

It is more than just an infrastructural shortfall. It indicates a fundamental failing of public safety and educational justice. 

Every day, when pupils and teachers arrive at school, their safety is in danger because a school building has such fundamental flaws that it could collapse during a storm.

The classroom is now a hazard rather than a haven for learning for the 30 upper primary pupils and their teachers. A single extreme weather event could cause a mud construction to fall dangerously because it depends on makeshift timber pillars. 

Advertisement

These children are routinely deprived of the instructional hours that the national curriculum promises them when the arrival of rain inevitably necessitates the suspension of classes to save lives, books, and furniture. 

A deeper systemic problem is revealed when Rev. Elizabeth Korasare, a former teacher, reveals that this identical arrangement has not changed in 38 years. 

Some proponents contend that local government institutions like the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the District Assembly are solely to blame for the main failure. Actual rehabilitation has been postponed due to administrative inactivity, despite official site visits and reports submitted by the school administration. 

According to this viewpoint, there is a problem with the way emergency educational funds are allocated and prioritised when a community school is left in a dangerous condition for decades while waiting for budgetary allocations.

Advertisement

This point of view highlights the necessity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and public-private collaborations. When state machinery fails, supporters contend that combining corporate money with citizen mobilisation provides a more flexible way to replace deteriorating structures.

It is a pity that Percheyire R/C Basic School’s surrounding infrastructure worsens the school’s structural deterioration. Children travelling from nearby communities like Togodo are severely restricted in their access due to an inadequate road network.

When more than 60 school-aged children in a single nearby town are cut off from regular attendance due to distance and bad roads, the school’s capacity to raise the district is substantially limited. A contemporary classroom block will only be successful if students can get there safely.

The lives of Percheyire’s pupils and teachers are at risk, therefore the Spectator is pleading with the Yilo Krobo District Assembly and other interested parties to rebuild the primary block.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending