Editorial
Is Valentine’s Day worth celebrating?
All too soon Valentine’s Day (usually called Val’s Day) is here again and come Tuesday February 14, 2023, the Day will be celebrated in diverse ways all over the world.
Usually, weeks before the celebration, shelves of stores are decorated in red, white, and pink. Reports indicate that the streets of Accra is already flooded with red, which is usually associated with love, in preparation towards Val’s Day and traders are taking advantage to cash in on the event.
Some restaurants, hotels and entertainment centres have not been left out but they are also making feverish preparations to welcome and entertain guests all in the name of Val’s Day.
Despite the history surrounding Valentine’s Day, when a Priest named Valentine was executed for breaking the law and secretly performing marriages for young men which was forbidden, the Day has now evolved into a day when lovers take the opportunity to renew their love, friendship and admiration for one another.
While lovers spend quality time together to reignite their love with families and friends others exchange gifts such as chocolates, bouquet of flowers, greeting cards, toffees, dresses, food and drinks.
Although the celebration of Val’s Day has become a commercial venture sometimes with its related stress, one needs to be mindful of the fact that showing love can be a token, which is not so expensive. What is more important is the acknowledgement of love and admiration to keep the relationship vibrant.
Sometimes the expectations from some partners may be so high that eventually it leads to disappointments but one needs not spend lavish gifts to express love. If you cannot afford lavish gifts, celebrate it in moderation.
It is surprising that despite the noise made about Valentine’s Day some Ghanaians are not perturbed at all by its celebration which is observed all over the world.
Some are of the view that partners need to express their love everyday and should not wait for Val’s Day before they do so. Others consider it a ‘taboo’ and would not even dream of celebrating it.
The Spectator is of the view that whatever it is Val’s Day is now celebrated as National Chocolate Day for the consumption of chocolate to promote made-in-Ghana chocolate and other cocoa products, which has caught on well with many Ghanaians and that in itself is refreshing.
Valentine’s Day is now a Day for love and chocolate so more people buy chocolate to share with their loved ones on this special day. It is no more a Day when most of the youth engage in promiscuity; it is a day to eat more chocolate and promote Ghana’s chocolate products.
We say a big thanks to Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey (of blessed memory), the then Minister of Tourism in 2007 who spearheaded this great initiative and announced that Val’s Day would be replaced with the celebration of chocolate.
So whether you are in a relationship or not the Day offers a good opportunity to take time off your busy schedule and spend time with your family and friends to share happy moments and eat chocolate.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) must also ensure that made-in-Ghana chocolate is available and affordable for people to consume chocolate and its other products to stay healthy.
Let us be kind and share what we have with the needy in our own small way to make Valentine-Chocolate Day worth-celebrating.
Dear Editor,
Walking along roads in some parts of the capital has become increasingly challenging.
While trading on pedestrian walkways remains a concern in certain areas, the parking of vehicles on road shoulders also poses a serious risk to pedestrians.
Often, pedestrians are forced to walk dangerously close to these parked vehicles or even step into the middle of the road to make way for oncoming traffic.
This situation is not only frustrating but also highly unsafe.
I recall an incident when I alighted at a lorry station and was walking home. A Tata bus was approaching, and due to vehicles parked on both sides of the road, I had nowhere to walk safely.
The situation became so dangerous that I had to quickly jump into a nearby shop to avoid being knocked down by the oncoming Tata bus.
That experience was frightening and could have easily resulted in an accident.
In my view, it is time for authorities in the road sector, such as the National Road Safety Authority and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, to take urgent action to address this issue and prevent possible loss of life.
Strict enforcement measures, including towing improperly parked vehicles and imposing substantial fines, would serve as a deterrent to offenders.
From Ray
Adabraka
Dear Editor,
I wish to use this column of your respected newspaper to appeal to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to consider bringing back the practice where students stayed home for some months after completing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Within that period where they stay home for some time and wait for their results, it afforded parents some time to prepare and save towards the next move in the academic life of their children.
In recent times, students are quickly admitted into Senior High School immediately after their examinations, leaving little time for parents and guardians to adequately prepare financially and emotionally for the next stage of their children’s education.
Many parents, therefore struggle to buy school items such as chop boxes, trunks, mattresses, uniforms and other necessities within the short period given.
This situation places pressure on families, especially those with low incomes.
Previously, the break after BECE allowed students to rest after years of academic work while parents and guardians made proper preparations for their wards.
It also gave students enough time to learn vocational skills, assist their families and mature before entering boarding school life.
Bringing back this period will greatly reduce stress on both parents and students and help ensure better preparation for Senior High School education.
And one other thing we have not taken notice of is that within that period, parents also prepare their children mentally and psychologically before they go to school. They are thought how to be independent.
So we see new secondary students displaying an appreciable level of maturity which is missing in this era where they go to senior high schools and still behave like primary school kids.
I hope the authorities will carefully consider this concern in the interest of students, parents and guardians across the country.
By Eugene Ampiaw,
Accra.
