Editorial
A critical look at this year’s Population and Housing Census
Provisional figures of the 2021 Population and Housing Census show that Ghana’s population is now 30.8 million with the female population forming 51.3 per cent and the male population at 49.7 per cent.
The provisional data is not likely to be significantly different from the final data which is to be released in November this year.
This has certain implications for the country. If it shows that the female population continues to form more than half of the population, it is an indication that policy makers will have to tilt slightly towards the provision of more resources for the female population, even though the male population is also not to be neglected
Another revelation by the provisional data is that, the Greater Accra Region has shot into the lead as the most populous region, over taking the Ashanti Region. The fourth most populous region after Greater Accra Ashanti and Eastern regions is the Central Region.
These changes have certain implications for policy planners. It shows that policy planner will have to allocate more resources to these regions compared with the other regions in the country with comparative smaller population figures
The provisional data show that there have been population changes in certain districts towards the urban areas. People will, therefore, expect government to shift more resources to these areas.
What is important to note, however, is that if government follows this general pattern it will not be able to check rural-urban drift and the status quo will continue to remain the same.
The Spectator is, therefore, of the opinion that measures will have to be taken to change this drift. For example government should come up with special development projects in the rural areas to serve as an incentive to people who would want to stay in such areas. If this happens, professionals such as trained teachers, medical doctors, pharmacists and all others, will be encouraged to move into the largely rural areas
Again, it is important for us to note that of the housing structures which were counted, about 20 per cent were in non-conventional forms meaning that they were either wooden structures, container kiosks or other structures that cannot be described as decent.
This means that the government will have to fight for resources to bring improvement to the housing area. More people need decent housing structures, so government will have to take this into consideration when undertaking and implementing its development plans
The 80 per cent constituting decent housing is good and commendable, even though there is still room for improvement. In spite of this, however, the nation will have to work hard to provide decent accommodation for people.
Government has encouraged the State Housing Company (SHC) to put up more decent houses throughout the country. The SHC has done very well in this direction, but the challenge here is the cost of housing units that they put up.
This implies that cheaper building materials will have to be found to put up housing units that cost less and can be purchased by most of our poor people. It is a challenge we need to pursue seriously, if we are to overcome the housing deficit in the country.
Basic education is widely considered a fundamental human right for all children, regardless of their community, age, or background. Providing good educational infrastructure is critical, as it directly influences educational quality, academic performance, and overall community development. The physical environment of schools shapes the future of children, who are the leaders of tomorrow.
However, the Nanvili Community School in the Mion district of the Northern Region faces severe infrastructural challenges, negatively affecting teaching and learning. The school serves five surrounding communities, with a total of 58 pupils. Observations during a visit revealed that the classrooms have deteriorated so badly that many children have stopped attending classes.
The poor condition of classrooms and lack of desks has made teaching and learning extremely difficult. More concerning is that the three gate-free classrooms are filled with goat and sheep droppings, creating a health hazard for pupils. During the rainy season, teachers and students are often cut off from the school due to bad roads and flooding, leading to weeks of suspended teaching activities, which further affects academic performance.
The Assemblyman for the area, Mr. Dawuni Mutawakil, expressed worry that pupils from Nanvili are expected to compete with their counterparts in urban areas who have access to better facilities. He emphasized the urgent need to provide desks and adequate classroom space to separate the merged classes.
The Chief of Nanvili, Abu Kassim, also appealed to the government and non-governmental organizations to assist the community. He noted that the current state of the school discourages children from nearby communities from attending, further highlighting the need for urgent intervention.
The Spectator joins local leaders in calling for immediate action to improve infrastructure and provide furniture, ensuring quality education for children in the Nanvili community.
By Geoffrey Buta, Nanvili, Northern Region
Spectator
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Dear Editor,
As December fast approaches and Christmas shopping begins, I wish to draw the attention of the Municipal and District Assemblies to the urgent need for measures that ensure orderliness in public spaces.
A few months after decongestion exercises were carried out in various municipalities, it appears that drivers and hawkers who were moved to designated areas are gradually returning. As a regular visitor to Accra Central and Nkrumah Circle, I have observed that hawkers are slowly filling pavements that had been cleared.
During the decongestion period, we hoped that hawkers would remain off the pavements entirely to allow commuters to move freely. However, while boundaries were marked with red paint, the hawkers are gradually encroaching beyond these limits, significantly narrowing the space left for pedestrians.
What is particularly concerning is that this is happening in full view of authorities, whose officers patrol the area daily. With the Christmas season approaching, these pavements will become even more congested as hawkers attempt to occupy every available space.
This is the time for Municipal and District Assemblies to assert their presence and enforce rules to prevent the situation from worsening. A stitch in time saves nine, and proactive measures now will prevent larger problems later.
By Regina Amoh, Accra
Spectator
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