Editorial
Agric Minister needs better statistics
Dear Editor,
I was taken aback by the Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto’s response to complaints about increasing food prices in the country.
He told a press conference recently that statistics available to him did not point to an increase in food prices as members of the public indicated.
According to him, Planting for Food and Jobs continued to yield results and that, areas recording high food prices did so as a result of low rainfall. The responses, therefore, suggested that reports about increase in food prices could not be true.
I thought Dr. Akoto would have eaten a humble pie and said the ministry was taking steps to ensure there were more supplies on the market so prices of commodities could come down but he rather chose a different perspective.
While I cannot begrudge the minister for expressing his thoughts, I hope he soon gets a clearer picture of the concerns of citizens if he began looking at further and better statistics.
Philip Okran,
Suhum.
Dear Editor,
I WRITE to express my deep concern about the increasing incidents of violence among young people during sporting activities in our communities. Sports is usually credited with the promotion of unity, discipline, teamwork, and healthy competition. However, it is gradually becoming platforms for fighting, hostility, and destruction.
In recent times, it has become common to witness youth engaging in physical fights during football matches and other sporting events. What begins as friendly competition often ends in chaos, injuries, damaged property, and sometimes the involvement of weapons.
This worrying trend defeats the very purpose of sports and sends a wrong message to younger children who look up to these players as role models.
Several factors contribute to this problem, including poor discipline, lack of proper officiating, excessive pressure to win at all cost, and inadequate guidance from coaches and community leaders. In some cases, spectators also fuel the violence by provoking players and officials instead of encouraging fair play.
If this issue is not addressed urgently, it may discourage talented youth from participating in sports and could also turn sporting grounds into unsafe spaces for families and fans. Sports should build character, not destroy it.
I, therefore call on sports authorities, schools, community leaders, parents, and the National Sports Authority to intensify education on sportsmanship, enforce strict sanctions against violent behaviour, and provide proper training for referees and coaches.
The youth must be taught that losing a game is not a failure, but fighting is.
Let us work together to restore peace, respect, and discipline in youth sports for the benefit of our society.
Eugene Ampiaw, Takoradi
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VALENTINE’S Day (Val’s Day) is here again! It is a day meant for celebrating pure love, affection, compassion and friendship.
The Day is named after Saint Valentine, a priest who, according to legend, secretly married couples in Rome against Emperor Claudius II’s orders, which forbade marriage for young men to improve their soldiering skills.
Historically, it is tied to romantic love, as Saint Valentine stood for love, commitment and marriage, even at the cost of his life.
However, in modern times some people rather use the day to engage in immoral activities but considering the core perspectives on Valentine’s Day, it should be observed without falling into sexual immorality. Rather, it should encourage individuals to uphold moral standards.
These days the celebrations are often commercialised with all sorts of arrangements to buy expensive gifts for friends and loved ones.
Until recently, many individuals, groups and organisations have redefined Val’s Day which is viewed as an opportunity to show love to the needy, orphans, or friends, rather than solely focusing on romantic or sexual partner, with some suggesting that true love does not require sexual activity.
Some groups, including certain Christian denominations even frown on the celebration of Val’s Day as to them the pressure to participate can lead to increased cases of unplanned pregnancies, the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and the breakdown of relationships.
The Spectator is urging those who celebrate Valentine’s Day to celebrate it in moderation and focus more on expressing care to convey sincere affection to friends, family, and partners.
Since the Day doubles as Chocolate Day, it is even more appropriate to share gifts of chocolate products to friends and loved ones in order to promote Ghana chocolate to boost the industry.
We also propose that Valentine’s Day should be used for acts of kindness, volunteering, helping the poor, or engaging in charitable work to put smiles on the faces of others.
Instead of associating Valentine’s Day with immoral behaviour, physical intimacy or even focusing only on material gifts, individuals can choose to celebrate in ways that align with their personal values and moral principles such as spending quality time with loved ones.
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