Editorial
Creation of youth employment in wake of COVID-19: Laudable initiative
In the wake of COVID-19 where many businesses in the country have collapsed leading to loss of jobs, it is refreshing to know that there is still hope for the Ghanaian youth, especially women.
An initiative by the government to create employment and income generating opportunities for 39,000 young people by 2022 is laudable as reports say that the COVID-19 pandemic has had adverse effects on businesses.
This initiative, by the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) in collaboration with the MasterCard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Project, a Canadian non-profit organisation was launched recently in Accra by the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo to address the issue of unemployment in the country.
It is hoped that the three-year project, dubbed, “Creating Dignified and Sustainable Work for Ghana’s Young People”, which is aligned with the government’s Ghana Beyond Aid agenda would help improve entrepreneurship, provide jobs for young people and also boost businesses in the country to improve the economy.
With a growing population, unemployment has been a great concern in the country. In a recent survey by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in partnership with the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and World Bank with technical support from the Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA)), it was revealed that about 115,000 businesses in the country had either permanently or temporarily closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has also affected the world.
The survey stated that more than 45,000 workers lost their jobs during the partial lockdown and those who were hit most were from the accommodation and food sectors. It is obvious that without any interventions the economy will suffer as about 770,000 workers of businesses had their wages reduced with 30,000 of businesses closed down permanently and 85,000 yet to determine what to do.
The intervention, therefore, would offer hope to the Ghanaian graduate youth, especially women and school dropouts nationwide between the ages of 18 and 35.
The agricultural sector is an area which is very lucrative and it is worth noting that the project targets the agri/agro-business, health, manufacturing, transport and education sectors among others under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Programme (YEEP).
With youth unemployment, the country’s security is threatened. The Spectator urges the youth not to allow this opportunity to pass by but to log onto the website, HYPERLINK “https://nbssi.gh/youngafricaworks”https://nbssi.gh/youngafricaworksas more women would be trained in the coming months and provided with start-up kits and other equipment to start their own businesses.
As it was noted, the project had three components, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship (ICE), Apprentice to Entrepreneurship (A2E) and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Business Acceleration which would help the youth (who form 57 percent of Ghana’s population), to unearth their talents, create jobs for them to live fulfilling lives and thereby grow the economy.
As these efforts progresses, we remind the youth to make good use of social media platforms to market their products globally, as in this era of COVID-19 there is the need for entrepreneurs to explore innovative ways to reach out to customers.
We commend the government for giving hope to the youth and further urge it to introduce more interventions to cushion Ghanaians.
The private sector, international agencies and well-meaning individuals should also intervene to help create more job opportunities for the youth, women, the less privileged and People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) to rid the streets of beggars.
The creation of youth employment in the wake of COVID-19 is a laudable initiative.
Editorial
Don’t use polythene bags to store hot, oily foods
Ghanaians have been advised to refrain from putting hot or oily foods in plastic bags because it poses major health risks.
The warning states that storing hot foods in polythene bags, especially ones that are not made for food storage can cause dangerous chemicals to leak into the food, which could be dangerous for one’s health.
Professor Esther Sakyi-Dawson, an Associate Professor of Food Science at the University of Ghana, gave this warning at a World Food Safety Day celebration in Accra on Tuesday.
With the theme “Food Safety: Science in Action,” this year’s World Food Safety Day focused on the critical role that scientific knowledge plays in guaranteeing food safety and fostering confidence in the food supply.
According to Prof. Sakyi-Dawson, when plastics are heated, toxic substances can seep into the food, contaminating it and raising the risk of several chronic illnesses, including hormone imbalances, reproductive problems, and even some types of cancer, which are on the rise in the nation.
According to estimates from the World Health Organisation (WHO), food contamination causes over 400,000 deaths annually and 600 million foodborne illness cases.
Also, a third of all deaths worldwide are caused by foodborne illnesses, which affect at least 91 million people in Africa each year. Of these, 40 percent are in children under the age of five.
Given the concerning statistics, there is an urgent need to raise awareness that eating hot foods like banku, rice, waakye, or “koko” (porridge) wrapped in plastic is extremely harmful to one’s health.
It is more important to avoid putting food in black plastics, which are not food quality and are typically used for carrying items. Similarly, white polythene should not come into close contact with food.
Despite the warning, Ghanaians have been urged to watch out for food-grade plastics, which are frequently thick, to use for food packing and storage as needed
Since “to be forewarned is to be forearmed” The Spectator advises consumers to put their health first by making the appropriate choices about what they put into their bodies for their own safety.
Editorial
Ensure safety of children during rainy seasonfacilities
Dear Editor,
I write to express concern about the safety of school-going children during these unpredictable weather conditions.
Many children walk long distances to get to school on roads which are mostly poorly drained.
Also, the combination of low visibility, slippery surfaces, and increased vehicular traffic during rains presents real risks to their health and safety.
While I urge local authorities to improve road infrastructure and pedestrian protections around schools, I wish to especially appeal to parents and guardians to take proactive steps in safeguarding their children during this season.
Parents should ensure their children are dressed properly in waterproof or warm clothing, including raincoats, boots, and umbrellas where possible.
Also, parents should accompany younger children to school when it is raining or overly windy, or arrange for responsible adults to do so.
Again, I urge parents to teach their children basic road safety and help them identify the safest routes to school.
In my view, I think it will be prudent to delay leaving the house when rain is heavy or visibility is poor, even if it means arriving at school later and safer.
It is important to remember that safety begins at home. While schools and government agencies have a role to play, parents and caregivers, must not leave the protection of our children to chance.
I believe that with shared responsibility between the state and the family, avoidable accidents could be prevented and ensure every child makes it to school and back home safely.
Abui, Korle Gonno
