Editorial
Ayekoo, Hasaacas Ladies!
Ghana is a football nation and no matter how one looks at it, the country has the potential to organise itself into a formidable force in both men and women football tournaments.
The splendid performance of Hasaacas Ladies in the just-ended 2021 CAF Women’s Champions League in Cairo, Egypt, is a case in point.
Even though many people trusted Hasaacas Ladies in the CAF competition, this hope became generally higher, though not as high as it is today, after the competition and also their second-place position in the tournament.
In spite of this, Hasaacas Ladies proved that they were a force to reckon with. After the impressive performance at the group stages, confidence in them soared and after going through the semi-final stage, people now believed that the team was capable of bringing the maiden trophy home.
Unfortunately, this was not so as their South African counterparts, proving to be a better side, won the trophy and showed that they were worthy champions.
This should be understandable since no matter how good or ambitious any competitor might be only one champion will emerge. Thus, even though many Ghanaian lovers of women football were disappointed, they took it in good faith and hoped for better luck next time.
The lessons here are that, first of all, women football has come of age in Ghana and ought to be supported by everyone in terms of sponsorship. This means that corporate bodies, individuals and government should be prepared to support women football in this regard.
It is equally important for Ghana Football Association to pay great attention not only to the organisation of male football league in the country, but also to the female versions in any part of the country irrespective of the level or status of the women football, whether in the premier league, first, second or third division or at any other level.
At the same time, people in Ghana should also go to the football fields to cheer up and watch our female players or ladies as a way of encouraging them in their choice of game. If we all help and give our support in this way the sky will be the limit as far as women football is concerned.
The aim of the nation should be to lift women football to the highest level, whether at the continental level or in the world as a whole. Achieving this is possible but we need to organise ourselves better than we are doing now.
If we do this many of our football ladies can get opportunities to play football and earn foreign exchange to support their families and the nation as a whole. If players in our male clubs are able to do this, then players in the female teams can do same, so the time to move in this direction is now.
Again, winning bonuses paid to the female teams should be respectably pegged at high levels and made reasonable to make our women feel appropriately valued by the entire nation.
The insurance companies in the country can also come on board to support both men and women football in the country. The good thing about insurance here is that in times of injuries and other casualties funds can be provided to cover them, thereby encouraging them to give of their best during football competitions.
In addition, individuals can also be organised on regional basis to generate the raising of funds to support women football in the country. This can be done on competitive basis to stimulate more people and rope them into such competitive fund-raising ventures.
Ghana today has come of age so its women football ought to be fully supported by everyone and made complete and highly successful at all fronts and also at all levels.
Football is the passion of the nation, so every effort must be made to unite the people of Ghana, bring down tensions where necessary, make everyone happy and urge us on for the attainment of national goals and development.
The point to note in all this is that women football in Ghana has come of age and need to be supported by all and sundry to make women football in the country more result-oriented at the African and global levels.
This is a positive and remarkable agenda that cannot be allowed to slip but be fully supported to succeed at all cost and help place Ghana in the world map of football.
Congratulations, Hasaacas Ladies. Ghanaians are proud of you.
Dear Editor,
I AM writing to draw your attention to the inadequate street lights in some parts of Wawase, a situation that continues to pose serious concerns for residents.
Street lights play a crucial role in ensuring safety and security within a community. Unfortunately, several areas in Wawase are completely without functioning street lights.
This has made movement at night very difficult and dangerous, especially for workers, students, and traders who return home late.
The lack of proper lighting has also created an enabling environment for criminal activities such as theft and harassment. Residents often live in fear, and some are forced to limit their movements after dark. Additionally, poor visibility increases the risk of road accidents, putting both pedestrians and drivers at risk.
It is concerning that despite the growing population and development in Wawase, this basic infrastructure issue remains unresolved.
I would like to appeal to the relevant authorities, including the local assembly and electricity providers, to urgently address this problem by installing new street lights and repairing faulty ones.
Ensuring adequate street lights will not only improve security but also enhance the overall quality of life for residents in the area.
Gwen Mensah, Agona Swedru
Dear Editor,
FOR some time now, I have been deeply concerned about the state of the Kaneshie footbridge, which has over the years developed cracks, exposing some rusted metal parts and raising safety concerns.
It is, therefore, welcome news for daily users of the facility like myself that a team from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), led by the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), visited the facility and announced a temporary closure to allow for maintenance work to be carried out.
While I wish to commend the Assembly for the move, I believe it has been long overdue.
I often find it difficult to understand why, as a country, we sit, wait, and watch for preventable incidents or tragedies to happen before we react. I say this because the issue of the bad state of the Kaneshie footbridge has been one that has been re-echoed by many who use it on a daily basis.
I believe that as the Assembly looks to start the maintenance works on the footbridge, it is also important for it and other Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to pay attention to other footbridges across the country that are in a similar state.
The time has come for Ghana, as a country, to be more proactive than reactive.
I will also urge the assemblies to deploy their respective teams to always check on footbridges across the country to ensure that they are in good shape to avoid any tragedy that could lead to the loss of human lives.
From Fafa, Kaneshie
