Editorial
Bringing kidnapping under control
One common occurrence these days is stories about kidnapping of children or some young people in certain parts of the country. The Western Region has been particularly noted for such occurrences.
It is, therefore, incumbent on the security agencies as well as the public to work hard and help bring such matters under control.
Kidnapping puts fear in many people and prevents them from going about their duties freely. Again, it is a security threat which prevents people from becoming confident and participating actively in social life and development.
Kidnappers usually demand money from the relatives of their victims before they are released. They ask for ransom and threaten to kill their victims if the ransom is not given. We, therefore, need to be careful about our movement by ensuring that we inform people we stay with whenever it becomes necessary for us to move away from our areas of residence to new places.
Of late, another motive for fake kidnapping has emerged. Here, individuals plan with others to fake that they have been kidnapped when, indeed, it is not true, so that upon payment of the ransom to certain people, the supposed victims will go back and share the booty with those they planned the activity with.
This is diabolical and must not be entertained by society because apart from the creation of fear and panic in the minds of people, it destroys the image of a country also.
Those who collaborate in fake kidnappings do so for money and this shows that our intelligence agencies be proactive and arrest the situation before it gets out of hand.
People should take note of the tricks of this nature so that they will not fall victims to them. Everyone including children, married and unmarried people as well as old people must not take things for granted but be prepared to notify the police of strange observations in their homes or neighbourhood.
The Spectator is of the view that maximum punishment ought to be meted out to perpetrators of kidnapping, whether they are fake or real, so that these unpleasant developments can be eliminated from our society once and for all.
Peace is very essential in society. For this reason, if there are security gaps such as kidnapping or threats to the peace of an area, it will distract people from what they will do for socio-economic development.
Every individual has a role to play to ensure the absence of kidnapping, whether fake or real.
Dear Editor,
Over the past few months, the ages of some drivers of commercial vehicles continue to baffle me.
This is common during weekends when one boards any of the commercial vehicles – be it trotros and okada.
I remember, I boarded a taxi from the Accra Central area towards the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area. When I sat in the vehicle, I realised the driver was a young boy. Specifically, he said he was 18.
I know our laws do not permit youth under the age of 21 to be driving; that is clearly against Ghana’s Road Traffic laws for operating commercial vehicles.
Some commuters have even had confrontations with station masters over the issue and have refused to board vehicles driven by underage individuals, despite the risk of arriving late for work.
This situation is deeply disturbing because it puts the lives of passengers and other road users at risk.
No matter how skilled such drivers may be, allowing underage persons to operate commercial vehicles is wrong and unlawful. Laws governing road safety are meant to protect lives, and ignoring them only increases the chances of accidents and loss of lives.
I therefore urge the relevant authorities, especially the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, to strictly enforce the age requirements for commercial driving in the country.
Baba
Labadi
The advantages of focusing on girls have been evident over the years. However, current research indicates that the statistics pertaining to boys are still declining.
Approximately 69 percent of boys and 73 percent of girls finish primary school. While Senior High School (SHS) enrollment trends have lately changed, with females significantly outnumbering males (about 110 girls to every 100 boys), Junior High School (JHS) gender parity remains stable, with the Gender Parity Index (GPI) remaining between 1.00 and 1.03.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates parity between girls and boys.
Although encouraging education for girls is essential for Ghana’s development, the strong emphasis has unintentionally led to inequalities for boys.
Many stakeholders worry that affirmative action and unequal resource distribution put males at risk, which can occasionally lead to increased dropout rates and behavioural issues in specific neighbourhoods.
There has been a lot of discussion among Ghanaian sociologists and educators about the disproportionate support given to girls and how it affects boys.
They claim that the majority of scholarships and special facilities are frequently disproportionately given to girls, which boy child advocates contend makes young men feel ignored or disadvantaged.
Due to these differences, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, has voiced serious concerns and is pushing for a deliberate discussion about the education and development of boys in order to build stronger families and societies.
The statement was made by Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua during a seminar hosted by the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry in Accra on May 16, which is International Day of the Boy Child.
It was organised in association with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES) under the theme “Flourish and Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for Strong Families and Communities.”
Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua revealed that many young males are vulnerable due to inadequate mentoring, a decline in schooling, negative social media influences, and emotional neglect.
Additionally, he stated that the boy child faced numerous difficulties, including aggression, substance addiction, academic decline, emotional neglect, and the lack of strong role models, as a result of the focus shifting to the girl child.
He worries that since boys are essential to the development of the country, they should not be overlooked in discussions about leadership, education, family stability, and national reform.
The Spectator agrees with Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua and believes that while it is important to train girls, neglecting boys can impede social advancement by causing differences in behaviour and education between young men and women.
“If we don’t make an effort social media will train our children for us. We’re not saying they shouldn’t use social media, but we should help them get the information they need to succeed in life,” he said.
The Spectator believes that the GES would adopt gender-responsive education in order to guarantee that classroom instruction meets the requirements of both boys and girls equally.
Let’s continue to be dedicated to making sure that no child is left behind.
