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Editorial

 Let’s respect, appreciate work of fire-fighters

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 Dear Editor,

Over the years, I have observed how most Gha­naians have treated fire-fighters when there is a fire outbreak, after they have been called to help put off fire to save lives and properties.

It is sad to say that most of these fire-fighters are often treated with disrespect; I find it very disturbing.

I witnessed an incident during the recent fire outbreak in Adum, Kumasi, where a young man tried to attack a fire-fighter for reasons best known to him.

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The incident has since gone viral on social media.

As a country, we are all aware of the difficult circumstances under which the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) works, a condition people tend to put a blind eye on.

People needlessly chastise them for arriving late to extinguish fire.

There had been a number of issues the fire service faces, such as inadequate fire tenders and other logistics that tend to affect the service they provide.

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An uncle of mine, who used to be in the fire service, once told me that most of the fire tenders that were packed at the various fire stations across the country were broken down or not functioning.

Aside the fact that most of the fire tenders were not functioning, access to fire scenes such as markets sometimes become a challenge due to lack of space for tenders to navigate through.

With all these challenges, it becomes unacceptable for Ghanaians to attack fire-fighters during fire outbreaks. What we tend to forget is that most of these firefighters put their lives at risk in trying to put off fires and some of them even get burned and sustain various degrees of injuries in the process.

While I call on Ghanaians to desist from such an act, I would also like to appeal to the government to adequately resource the Ghana National Fire Service to ensure that the security agency works effectively to protect lives and properties.

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Also, there is the need for the country to look at how markets are constructed to ensure that there is easy access to them in case of emergencies such as fire outbreaks.

Lilian Osei

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Editorial

No life should be lost over allegations

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Dear Editor,

The recent death of Nana Yaw, also known as Dinero/Terry, has left various communities deeply shaken over the circumstances under which a life was lost.

Reports suggest that he went missing after a phone transaction in Teshie and was later found dead. Allegations have circulated that he visited a female friend despite having a pregnant wife at home.

Even if such allegations were true, does that mean he deserved to die? The answer is no. Infidelity is a moral failing, but it is not a crime punishable by death. To suggest otherwise is to normalize violence and diminish the value of human life.

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This tragedy should remind us of the urgent need for justice and accountability. His family especially his expectant wife deserves compassion, not judgment. As a community, we must reject victim‑blaming and focus on preventing such senseless losses in the future.

Nana Yaw’s death is not just a personal tragedy, it is a call to action. 

We must demand thorough investigation, ensure those responsible are held accountable, and commit ourselves to building a society where disagreements and mistakes do not end in violence.

Princess Wonovi, 

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Dansoman

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Editorial

Take quick action to rebuild Percheyire R/C Basic School

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The situation at Percheyire R/C Basic School in the Yilo Krobo district is a warning concerning Ghana’s rural education facilities as pupils in Primary four through six are forced to learn inside a building of mud walls, worn-out roofing sheets, and rotting wooden pillars.

It is more than just an infrastructural shortfall. It indicates a fundamental failing of public safety and educational justice. 

Every day, when pupils and teachers arrive at school, their safety is in danger because a school building has such fundamental flaws that it could collapse during a storm.

The classroom is now a hazard rather than a haven for learning for the 30 upper primary pupils and their teachers. A single extreme weather event could cause a mud construction to fall dangerously because it depends on makeshift timber pillars. 

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These children are routinely deprived of the instructional hours that the national curriculum promises them when the arrival of rain inevitably necessitates the suspension of classes to save lives, books, and furniture. 

A deeper systemic problem is revealed when Rev. Elizabeth Korasare, a former teacher, reveals that this identical arrangement has not changed in 38 years. 

Some proponents contend that local government institutions like the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the District Assembly are solely to blame for the main failure. Actual rehabilitation has been postponed due to administrative inactivity, despite official site visits and reports submitted by the school administration. 

According to this viewpoint, there is a problem with the way emergency educational funds are allocated and prioritised when a community school is left in a dangerous condition for decades while waiting for budgetary allocations.

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This point of view highlights the necessity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and public-private collaborations. When state machinery fails, supporters contend that combining corporate money with citizen mobilisation provides a more flexible way to replace deteriorating structures.

It is a pity that Percheyire R/C Basic School’s surrounding infrastructure worsens the school’s structural deterioration. Children travelling from nearby communities like Togodo are severely restricted in their access due to an inadequate road network.

When more than 60 school-aged children in a single nearby town are cut off from regular attendance due to distance and bad roads, the school’s capacity to raise the district is substantially limited. A contemporary classroom block will only be successful if students can get there safely.

The lives of Percheyire’s pupils and teachers are at risk, therefore the Spectator is pleading with the Yilo Krobo District Assembly and other interested parties to rebuild the primary block.

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