Editorial
Let’s go for the jab
The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), which was first reported from Wuhan City in Hubei Province of China on December 31, 2019, has since created problems for many countries.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed the novel disease on January 12, 2020, and explained that it was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City.
Ghana recorded its first two cases of COVID–19 on March 12, 2020. The cases were all imported, but the disease quickly spread through the country within a few weeks of the first cases. The rest of the world was not spared also as the virus spread like wildfire.
The devastating effect of COVID-19 has seen many economies become destroyed and unable to organise well to improve upon the welfare of their citizens.
For this reason, economic growth slowed down and unemployment and other economic problems threatened the lives of many people.
Apart from economic problems, other people lost their lives as a result. Ghana was no exception to this calamity.
This is why the Government of Ghana fought hard to receive vaccines to prevent the infection of more people.
Many people have gone for the vaccination but others have not.
The refusal on the part of people to go for vaccination is due to some misconceptions about the vaccination.
There are some people who believe that men who go for the vaccination will be rendered impotent. These and other misconceptions have made it difficult for many people to go in for the COVID-19 jabs.
Generally, people are expected to go for three rounds of jab. These vaccines are meant to protect people who have taken the jab, so that infection will be drastically reduced.
The Spectator is, therefore, encouraging all people in the country to go for the vaccination because the COVID-19 is still around.
Health officers in the country have been doing their best to spread the good news to everyone.
The Government of Ghana also did its best to bring the situation under control when the pandemic was at its peak.
Anyone who values their life should go for the vaccine and complete all the jabs, so that they will be protected against the disease.
If we all do this, the spread of the disease will be curtailed and people in Ghana will be more productive since they will be protected from infection.
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.
