Editorial
Extend surveillance to highways beyond Accra
Dear Editor,
I have observed recently how the Ghana Police Service is using surveillance cameras in the city to arrest drivers who commit various road traffic offences.
The facilities and technology deployed at the monitoring centres allow officers to zoom in on specific locations to pick registration numbers of vehicles and subsequently follow to invite or possibly prosecute drivers for misconduct.
In the past weeks, I have seen footages the police have released and I wish to commend them for the initiative. I am, however, concerned that most of the videos seem to capture only offending drivers in Accra.
On a recent trip outside Accra, I spotted a number of reckless driving on some highways, including wrongful overtaking, drivers making illegal u-turns and vehicles parked on the shoulders of the road without advance warning triangles.
This phenomenon is common on the Accra-Nsawam road and beyond but I am yet to see a surveillance video from these areas.
If it is the case that the monitoring centre does not operate beyond Accra, then the police should start taking steps to mount cameras along major highways also.
Apart from the capital cities, there is enough evidence that a lot most breaches occur along major highways causing tragic accidents.
I believe the presence of surveillance cameras along highways in addition to increased road safety education would make drivers more cautious and help reduce fatalities on our roads.
Philip Ntem Sarpong,
Osino.
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
