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.
Editorial
Promote welfare of African children
The African Union hosts the annual International Day of the African Child on June 16 to increase awareness of the rights and ongoing struggles of African children.
Additionally, the day offers a forum for talking about and addressing topics including healthcare, education, and safety from exploitation and abuse.
It began in 1976 when students in Soweto, South Africa, were killed for demonstrating against inequality and injustice in education.
Since children have rights that must be upheld, the African Day celebration is appropriate because it serves as a poignant reminder to our communities to put children’s needs first, ensuring that they develop and realise their full potential.
Most importantly, it pushes people, governments, and communities to address pressing issues like child labour, inadequate education, and to ensure safe, healthy environments.
This year’s theme, “Planning and budgeting for children’s rights: progress since 2010,” is no exception to the efforts done thus far by governments, individuals, parents, and others to advance the welfare of children.
In addition to their rights to nutritious food, medical care, secure housing, and high-quality education, children also require emotional support, safety, and protection from danger in order to flourish.
Children’s physical, mental, and social development depends on these necessities, yet far too many continue to be denied their rights and go without food, housing, water, or health care.
While eating, sleeping, playing, and learning are all important aspects of a child’s growth, some children do not find these activities enjoyable. Such children work independently to make ends meet although their parents are responsible for that role,
Many people and organisations have put a lot of effort into making sure that children’s rights are outlined, upheld, and safeguarded; thus, everyone must keep fighting for children’s rights.
The Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC) was created in 1989 as a result of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which served as the foundation for all legal norms pertaining to children’s rights. This is the first international agreement with legal force that covers all human rights.
Therefore, a multifaceted strategy encompassing legal frameworks, education, community involvement, and tackling systemic challenges is needed to assure the preservation of children’s rights.
Laws that safeguard children from abuse must be put into place and upheld, public awareness of children’s rights and protection must be increased, and safe spaces must be established in institutions and communities.
Let us all work together to defend the rights of African children.
Editorial
Employ pros at local government level to address sanitation issues
Dear Editor,
In a car on my way to work on Tuesday, I listened to an interview on sanitation on a radio station which a local government expert said that most of the people that handled waste management issues at the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, were not waste management professionals but health professionals.
According to the speaker, this has contributed to the failure to address the sanitation problems, especially at the local level.
These health professionals who have been tasked to oversee waste management are only occupied with the health related dangers but have no clue on the issues at hand.
I felt very sad and found it disturbing as to why people without professional training in waste management is given responsibilities in a field alien to him.
Waste management involves a lot of processes, including segmentation of waste products as well as recycling.
Employers must know that waste management professionals at the local level was important as it helps making decisions ton how to combat it.
This is not a problem at the local government level alone. It is something across the various sectors.
Maybe this is the time for us as a country to start recruiting qualified professionals to occupy their respective fields to bring their competence to the table to solve whatever problem persist.
It is clearly a case of putting ‘square pegs in round holes.’ I believe it is about time we change that narrative and employ professionals who are qualified to find solutions to our waste management conundrum.
Baba Hafiz, Kasoa
