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EditorialTake precautions against water-borne diseases, reptiles invasion in rainy seasonEditorial

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The rains have set in again with its attendant problems, especially water-borne and mosquito-borne diseases.

As a result, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is cautioning the public to take preventive measures against water-borne and mosquito-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever.

The GHS claims that these illnesses frequently thrive when it starts to rain. According to a statement signed by the GHS Director-General Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea  flooding and unsanitary circumstances during the rainy season frequently contaminate water sources with faeces, increasing the spread of waterborne illnesses.

In order to protect oneself during this season, one must prevent mosquitoes from breeding and make sure that food and water are safe because contracting the aforementioned diseases is a major problem that causes discomfort.

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Eliminating standing water near residences is one way to prevent mosquitoes from growing there. This is especially important when it comes to standing water gathered in abandoned containers, old tyres, cans, and other waste objects.

It is also best to use bed nets and insect repellant, drink only boiling or filtered water, and wash your hands frequently under running water with soap.

The Spectator supports GHS’s recommendation that people properly wash fruits and vegetables grown close to water bodies with clean water and salt or vinegar before consuming them because they can become polluted during the rainy season and provide major health concerns.

Some people have a habit of purchasing food carelessly, but they should stop and only purchase food from respectable and hygienic suppliers.

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Additionally, food vendors are required to separate raw foods from cooked or ready-to-eat meals, procure food items from recognised sources, and adhere to stringent food safety regulations during food preparation and storage.

It is recommended to get medical help right once if someone exhibits signs of disease.

We implore the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) to make sure food handlers have current health certificates so they can work.

Flooding during the rainy season, which may drive reptiles from their native habitats and increase human contact, is another problem the Service disclosed.

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In order to reduce hiding spots for reptiles and other dangerous animals, it is recommending homeowners to keep doors and windows closed whenever possible, remove bushes from their homes, and lift items off the ground.

The Spectator is urging the public to cooperate as the GHS and the Ministry of Health (MoH) pledge to safeguard citizens’ health and welfare in order to help stop disease outbreaks during the rainy season.

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Editorial

No life should be lost over allegations

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Dear Editor,

The recent death of Nana Yaw, also known as Dinero/Terry, has left various communities deeply shaken over the circumstances under which a life was lost.

Reports suggest that he went missing after a phone transaction in Teshie and was later found dead. Allegations have circulated that he visited a female friend despite having a pregnant wife at home.

Even if such allegations were true, does that mean he deserved to die? The answer is no. Infidelity is a moral failing, but it is not a crime punishable by death. To suggest otherwise is to normalize violence and diminish the value of human life.

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This tragedy should remind us of the urgent need for justice and accountability. His family especially his expectant wife deserves compassion, not judgment. As a community, we must reject victim‑blaming and focus on preventing such senseless losses in the future.

Nana Yaw’s death is not just a personal tragedy, it is a call to action. 

We must demand thorough investigation, ensure those responsible are held accountable, and commit ourselves to building a society where disagreements and mistakes do not end in violence.

Princess Wonovi, 

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Editorial

Take quick action to rebuild Percheyire R/C Basic School

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The situation at Percheyire R/C Basic School in the Yilo Krobo district is a warning concerning Ghana’s rural education facilities as pupils in Primary four through six are forced to learn inside a building of mud walls, worn-out roofing sheets, and rotting wooden pillars.

It is more than just an infrastructural shortfall. It indicates a fundamental failing of public safety and educational justice. 

Every day, when pupils and teachers arrive at school, their safety is in danger because a school building has such fundamental flaws that it could collapse during a storm.

The classroom is now a hazard rather than a haven for learning for the 30 upper primary pupils and their teachers. A single extreme weather event could cause a mud construction to fall dangerously because it depends on makeshift timber pillars. 

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These children are routinely deprived of the instructional hours that the national curriculum promises them when the arrival of rain inevitably necessitates the suspension of classes to save lives, books, and furniture. 

A deeper systemic problem is revealed when Rev. Elizabeth Korasare, a former teacher, reveals that this identical arrangement has not changed in 38 years. 

Some proponents contend that local government institutions like the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the District Assembly are solely to blame for the main failure. Actual rehabilitation has been postponed due to administrative inactivity, despite official site visits and reports submitted by the school administration. 

According to this viewpoint, there is a problem with the way emergency educational funds are allocated and prioritised when a community school is left in a dangerous condition for decades while waiting for budgetary allocations.

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This point of view highlights the necessity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and public-private collaborations. When state machinery fails, supporters contend that combining corporate money with citizen mobilisation provides a more flexible way to replace deteriorating structures.

It is a pity that Percheyire R/C Basic School’s surrounding infrastructure worsens the school’s structural deterioration. Children travelling from nearby communities like Togodo are severely restricted in their access due to an inadequate road network.

When more than 60 school-aged children in a single nearby town are cut off from regular attendance due to distance and bad roads, the school’s capacity to raise the district is substantially limited. A contemporary classroom block will only be successful if students can get there safely.

The lives of Percheyire’s pupils and teachers are at risk, therefore the Spectator is pleading with the Yilo Krobo District Assembly and other interested parties to rebuild the primary block.

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