Editorial
Let’s build Ghana into great nation
Ghana is a great nation, but when the people organise themselves better for a common purpose, the sky will be the limit, and the result for everybody will be tremendous.
The nation of Ghana can even develop into a greater one if its citizens see themselves as one people. This is something that can be done.
The various parts of the country show that we have different cultures that portray us as beautiful people.
It is, therefore, important for all of us to eschew tribal and religious differences.
The emphasis should be on our identity as Ghanaians before anything else.
Together, we can easily succeed, but divided, we would have our strengths dissipated on things that are not vital to our lives. When this happens, we will spend our energies on things that are not valuable as far as national progress and development are concerned.
The strength of this nation lies in the different talents and skills possessed by the different individuals in the country. If these talents are brought together for a common purpose, the sky will be the limit.
The different parts of the country, for example, have different soils and vegetation, which, when harnessed effectively, can maximise output in the country.
This shows that it is not just one part of the country that is needed to help in national development.
As each region or area is brought on board in this way, national output will be higher than expected, just the same way that the human body is made up of different parts, and all these parts work together for the common good of a person.
Each part cannot work for its own success. Togetherness and unity is what is needed for the common success of every individual.
The lesson here is that the various individuals in Ghana must come together to respect and appreciate each other for the common good. This is how Ghana can be transformed into a very great nation.
Unity and togetherness is, therefore, what we need to do better to build a great nation.
Building a great nation in this way will be beneficial to everybody in a number of ways. In the first place, it will result in strong common security for the protection of life and property in the country.
Again, a united and strong nation will bring about peace in all parts of the country. Once there is peace, political and socioeconomic development will continue unabated.
The people in the country will also be very happy and go about their normal duties without problems. Each person will respect the other, irrespective of religion or other differences.
The end result will be a strong, united country that will be capable of overcoming all challenges, be they health, education, agriculture, tourism, sanitation, or what have you.
Ghana is an African country described as a developing one, but we stand a chance of making ourselves proud when we come together to unite for our common national purpose of development.
This, but nothing else, should be our national goal.
Dear Editor,
Over the past few months, the ages of some drivers of commercial vehicles continue to baffle me.
This is common during weekends when one boards any of the commercial vehicles – be it trotros and okada.
I remember, I boarded a taxi from the Accra Central area towards the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area. When I sat in the vehicle, I realised the driver was a young boy. Specifically, he said he was 18.
I know our laws do not permit youth under the age of 21 to be driving; that is clearly against Ghana’s Road Traffic laws for operating commercial vehicles.
Some commuters have even had confrontations with station masters over the issue and have refused to board vehicles driven by underage individuals, despite the risk of arriving late for work.
This situation is deeply disturbing because it puts the lives of passengers and other road users at risk.
No matter how skilled such drivers may be, allowing underage persons to operate commercial vehicles is wrong and unlawful. Laws governing road safety are meant to protect lives, and ignoring them only increases the chances of accidents and loss of lives.
I therefore urge the relevant authorities, especially the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, to strictly enforce the age requirements for commercial driving in the country.
Baba
Labadi
The advantages of focusing on girls have been evident over the years. However, current research indicates that the statistics pertaining to boys are still declining.
Approximately 69 percent of boys and 73 percent of girls finish primary school. While Senior High School (SHS) enrollment trends have lately changed, with females significantly outnumbering males (about 110 girls to every 100 boys), Junior High School (JHS) gender parity remains stable, with the Gender Parity Index (GPI) remaining between 1.00 and 1.03.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates parity between girls and boys.
Although encouraging education for girls is essential for Ghana’s development, the strong emphasis has unintentionally led to inequalities for boys.
Many stakeholders worry that affirmative action and unequal resource distribution put males at risk, which can occasionally lead to increased dropout rates and behavioural issues in specific neighbourhoods.
There has been a lot of discussion among Ghanaian sociologists and educators about the disproportionate support given to girls and how it affects boys.
They claim that the majority of scholarships and special facilities are frequently disproportionately given to girls, which boy child advocates contend makes young men feel ignored or disadvantaged.
Due to these differences, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, has voiced serious concerns and is pushing for a deliberate discussion about the education and development of boys in order to build stronger families and societies.
The statement was made by Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua during a seminar hosted by the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry in Accra on May 16, which is International Day of the Boy Child.
It was organised in association with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES) under the theme “Flourish and Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for Strong Families and Communities.”
Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua revealed that many young males are vulnerable due to inadequate mentoring, a decline in schooling, negative social media influences, and emotional neglect.
Additionally, he stated that the boy child faced numerous difficulties, including aggression, substance addiction, academic decline, emotional neglect, and the lack of strong role models, as a result of the focus shifting to the girl child.
He worries that since boys are essential to the development of the country, they should not be overlooked in discussions about leadership, education, family stability, and national reform.
The Spectator agrees with Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua and believes that while it is important to train girls, neglecting boys can impede social advancement by causing differences in behaviour and education between young men and women.
“If we don’t make an effort social media will train our children for us. We’re not saying they shouldn’t use social media, but we should help them get the information they need to succeed in life,” he said.
The Spectator believes that the GES would adopt gender-responsive education in order to guarantee that classroom instruction meets the requirements of both boys and girls equally.
Let’s continue to be dedicated to making sure that no child is left behind.
