Editorial
Curb fraud in financial institutions!
In recent times it has emerged that fraudulent activities in many financial institutions are on the increase and that some members of staff of these financial institutions are involved in such unfortunate acts.
Consequently, the Bank of Ghana has advised all banks as well as savings and credit institutions, to take proactive measures aimed at preventing such negative practices.
The banking sector constitutes an important part of the economy, so fraudulent activities involving some banking staff tend to downgrade the confidence that people have in the financial sector. This can create serious problems for any country.
The banks are institutions for the mobilisation of financial resources to facilitate business growth in the economy.
Such fraudulent acts, therefore, have the tendency not only to destroy financial institutions in the country, but to throw economic growth out of gear.
For that reason, The Spectator is appealing to all financial institutions to up their game in terms of security measures to ensure that fraudulent deals are prevented if not minimised.
One way of doing this is to ensure that prospective employees are properly screened so that would-be fraudsters are not engaged under any circumstances to enter the financial institutions.
Another measure is to ensure that those who are caught in fraudulent deals are given severe punishment to deter others from engaging in such unpleasant activities.
As many people are in need of employment, prospective employees should not be selected based on whom you know. If people are recruited on the basis of whom you know, prospective fraudsters cannot be weeded out.
It is, therefore, important that honest people are scrutinised and employed to work in our financial institutions, be it the banks or savings and loans institutions.
This is how we can protect ourselves against fraud to ensure that decent jobs are carried out by all the financial institutions in the country.
Dear Editor,
It is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. However, this saying becomes worrying when the health of citizens is threatened by the conditions under which the food they consume daily is sold.
In Ghana, the conditions under which food is sold is quite disturbing. Over the years, I have observed that the environments where food is prepared and sold are often unhygienic.
In many cases, containers holding food such as rice and waakye are left uncovered or not properly covered, exposing them to contamination.
While many Ghanaians paid little attention in the past to the conditions under which food was sold, the narrative seems to be changing in recent years.
I recall an incident during my days in Senior High School (S.H.S.) when my friends and I went out to buy food. At one location, some of us chose not to buy because we assumed the food would be expensive due to how neat the place looked.
Unfortunately, we ended up purchasing food from a different place that was somewhat unhygienic. We overlooked the poor conditions because we believed the quantity offered was better than at the cleaner location.
However, I am certain that my friends and I would not repeat such a mistake today, as we now understand the health implications of that decision.
While public education is important in addressing this issue, I believe it is time for regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such as the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), to crack the whip on food sellers and vendors who operate in unhygienic environments and conditions.
As citizens, we must also be mindful of where we buy our food to protect ourselves and our families from diseases and illnesses. We should choose ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’ and prioritize our health.
From Syram
Oyarifa
Dear Editor,
I write to express concern and call for improved security measures before and after every football match.
The recent robbery attack that led to the tragic death of a player, on their return from a Match day 29 game against Samartex, is both shocking and heartbreaking.
The incident, which reportedly occurred around 10:30 p.m., highlights the growing risks faced by players and team officials while traveling.
Football is meant to unite and entertain, not to expose lives to danger. It is therefore imperative that authorities, the Ghana Football Association, and security agencies put in place adequate protection for teams, especially during late-night travels.
I strongly urge all stakeholders to treat this matter with urgency to prevent such unfortunate incidents from recurring.
From Eugene Ampiaw
Accra
