Editorial
Monument for Atsu: A call too early
Dear Editor,
About three weeks ago, I wrote a letter to The Spectator expressing the hope that the ex-Ghana international footballer, Christian Atsu, would be found. Though he was eventually found, he was not in a state that we were expecting. Last weekend a number of dignitaries joined the bereaved family to observe one week of his demise.
Prior to the one week observation, I chanced on an online publication where a delegation from the Ada Traditional Council had gone to formally announce the death of the football star to President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House.
In the midst of the conversation at the Jubilee House, the elders reportedly appealed to the government to build a monument in honour of the late footballer. The request was hinged on the player’s contribution to the game in Ghana as well as his humanitarian works.
It is not clear if the request would be granted but my initial reaction after reading the story was whether the timing of the request was appropriate.
Although, I agree with the fact that the remarkable contribution of the late footballer cannot go unnoticed, I thought the request from the Traditional Council was coming too early, considering that the player had not been buried.
I guess a good time for requesting a monument in honour of the late footballer should be after the March 25, 2023 date which had been scheduled for the funeral. The timing of the request, in my opinion, was premature.
I cannot tell what the President would decide eventually but even if the physical monument is not built to honour the celebrated footballer, the philanthropic works and the lives he had impacted in the course of his career would remain the greatest legacy.
James Kwame Obeng,
Achimota-Accra
Dear Editor,
It is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. However, this saying becomes worrying when the health of citizens is threatened by the conditions under which the food they consume daily is sold.
In Ghana, the conditions under which food is sold is quite disturbing. Over the years, I have observed that the environments where food is prepared and sold are often unhygienic.
In many cases, containers holding food such as rice and waakye are left uncovered or not properly covered, exposing them to contamination.
While many Ghanaians paid little attention in the past to the conditions under which food was sold, the narrative seems to be changing in recent years.
I recall an incident during my days in Senior High School (S.H.S.) when my friends and I went out to buy food. At one location, some of us chose not to buy because we assumed the food would be expensive due to how neat the place looked.
Unfortunately, we ended up purchasing food from a different place that was somewhat unhygienic. We overlooked the poor conditions because we believed the quantity offered was better than at the cleaner location.
However, I am certain that my friends and I would not repeat such a mistake today, as we now understand the health implications of that decision.
While public education is important in addressing this issue, I believe it is time for regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such as the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), to crack the whip on food sellers and vendors who operate in unhygienic environments and conditions.
As citizens, we must also be mindful of where we buy our food to protect ourselves and our families from diseases and illnesses. We should choose ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’ and prioritize our health.
From Syram
Oyarifa
Dear Editor,
I write to express concern and call for improved security measures before and after every football match.
The recent robbery attack that led to the tragic death of a player, on their return from a Match day 29 game against Samartex, is both shocking and heartbreaking.
The incident, which reportedly occurred around 10:30 p.m., highlights the growing risks faced by players and team officials while traveling.
Football is meant to unite and entertain, not to expose lives to danger. It is therefore imperative that authorities, the Ghana Football Association, and security agencies put in place adequate protection for teams, especially during late-night travels.
I strongly urge all stakeholders to treat this matter with urgency to prevent such unfortunate incidents from recurring.
From Eugene Ampiaw
Accra
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