Editorial
Let’s ensure safety in our activities
Many a time people take the issue of quality for granted even though this should not be the case. What everyone should bear in mind is that without safety our lives cannot be guaranteed or be adequately protected and what we have fought for over the years, can be destroyed in no time.
The purpose of safety in our lives is to protect us from all dangers, so that we can preserve life and property in society.
As we look around the country, we will notice that many of us have put our lives in danger. If we look at some of the buildings, it will be seen that we use very cheap materials and because of this the buildings can collapse on us at any point in time.
Apart from the use of cheap materials, there is also the danger of illegal connections of electricity. Sub-standard electrical wires are often used and these can also pose danger to us.
All these account for why we often experience fire outbreaks in many parts of the country. Fire outbreaks destroy our houses, our offices and many other places like shops and market centres.
In the light of all this, it is better to pay attention to the activities we undertake and ensure that safety becomes our primary concern in everything we do. Without safety, our activities are likely to always be in danger. When this happens on one can be guaranteed of long life in the country.
It is true that we have institutions like the police and the military as well as National Disaster Management Organisation and Ghana National Fire Service to cater for any dangers that may occur to us wherever we find ourselves.
In spite of this, however, we all need to ensure that safety measures are taken in our homes and offices as well as in marketplaces.
The recent explosion at Appiatse in the Western Region should be a lesson to all of us. Many lives have been lost and apart from that, properties and means of livelihood of the people have also been lost.
It is said that efforts have been made by the government to rebuild the community and also restore the means of livelihood to the people. This is good.
The company responsible for this disaster must be brought to book because of the numerous lives that have been lost. The management of the company must be disciplined also and made to pay compensation to the community. It is true that people are making contributions towards the redevelopment of the community, but the law must be applied, so that every person who played a role towards the occurrence of that disaster will bear the consequences of their action without fear or favour.
While showing concern for safety measures in all communities, we commend government for the various steps it has taken so far, including the Development Fund set up to support Appiatse. We are happy about this development.
The Spectator is also very happy about the willingness of many individuals and organisations to contribute to the fund. It is our wish that the community will be developed to look even far better than its original form.
However, we are of the view that safety measures should be taken seriously by all people in this country, so as to be able to prevent such disasters from occurring. If we are able to do this, it will help the country as a whole and preserve lives and properties.
We should, therefore, bear in mind that without safety our lives would always be in danger, so we need to take safety measures as a priority with the aim of preserving lives and property in the country.
The recent floods in Accra and the neighbouring areas, which were brought on by a heavy downpour, were very catastrophic and caused loss of lives and property damage.
Similar severe flooding and downpours were also reported in other regions, which has caused anxiety and dread whenever it rains.
In a short period of time, the floods had a dangerous effect on entire communities and landscapes. Because of this, a lot of people are now temporarily putting up with friends or family members.
Videos that went viral on social media showed cars and other valuables being swept away by the floodwaters with little to nothing being done to stop them.
Certain organisations, including the New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, were not spared because the flood level damaged important documents and swamped their premises.
Even locations outside of flood-prone zones were inundated by the floods.
The rains would intensify along with thunderstorms, according to the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), which is tasked with observing, analysing, and disseminating weather and climate information to protect lives, promote economic planning, and maintain public safety.
It is important to remember that increased evaporation and atmospheric moisture due to climate change might intensify rainfall. Furthermore, more catastrophic floods are caused by heavy rainfall and shifting topography.
We discussed the causes of floods and mitigation strategies in our earlier editorial, “Accra floods necessitate change in attitude.”
Although the current flood situation is dire, safety can be greatly improved by being ready and understanding what to do.
The Spectator encourages the public to make an effort to be well-informed about weather predictions and take the required precautions to stay safe because the GMet is now providing accurate forecasts.
Make excellent use of the alert services that you can sign up for these days to get notifications on your phone.
Water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, prescription drugs, crucial documents in waterproof containers, and first aid supplies should all be prepared and kept readily available.
Safeguard your house and offices, relocate valuables to higher floors, and raise electrical appliances off the ground.
Avoid coming into contact with floodwater whenever you can since it might be tainted with chemicals, sewage, and other dangerous substances and also reptiles.
To make sure your neighbours are secure, it is crucial to check on them, especially if they are elderly, disabled, or living alone.
Additionally, parents need to make sure their children do not play in or close to floodwaters.
Let us be careful as there are floods everywhere.
Dear Editor,
I wish to plead with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) to dispatch personnel to some of the flash points when it rains.
What happened last Monday and Tuesday at major transport terminals must not be something that must be repeated.
I wish to first of all commend the Interior Minister, Mr Muntaka Mubarak for the swift intervention by announcing the ‘holiday’ that gave workers and school children a relief.
It was such a tough moment for workers driving and those not driving. The situation at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange and other transport terminals forced workers to walk long distances.
Apart from the lack of public transport, pedestrians had to navigate through mud, making it difficult to move around.
I believe that with the presence of police personnel, the traffic situation can be well managed to ease the huge traffic congestion to make travelling a lot easier.
Frank Amoah,
Kasoa
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