Editorial
Need to control family size
National development greatly depends on the size of population we have in the country. If the rate of population growth is higher than economic development, the standard of living is likely to fall.
On the other hand, if economic development rises higher than population growth, standard of living will improve.
This explains why in every country including Ghana, efforts must be made to ensure that population is brought under acceptable control so that families and government can provide adequately for the people they have to cater for.
Day in day out we yearn for schools, good drinking water, good roads, hospitals and so on.
It is good to ensure that these items are provided adequately for the people. Therefore, if the supply of these items are inadequate, many of our people will not be happy and will have to live miserably in society.
Every family is free to produce the number of people it can cater for. However, it is not a particular family that will cater for all the needs of its members. For example, every family cannot build its own school, hospitals, roads, etc for all the members born into it. What happens is that individuals in society tend to depend on the state for their respective socioeconomic development.
Thus, individuals with small family members will have to be competing with those who have very large family members over facilities like roads, water, healthcare and so on. It is for this reason that people must understand issues relating to national population policies. The resources available in a state are meant for everyone, so if each individual gives birth to a small number of people, the country will be able to make lives better by bringing more socioeconomic facilities for people to enjoy.
Many poor people with very little or no income live in rickety structures which they consider as houses. Their standard of living in these areas is very poor but in contrast we have some very rich people who live in two or three bedroom houses with family sizes of about three or four people.
These people tend to enjoy better lives because they have access to good water, electricity, good roads and many other facilities which large families may not have. It is in the light of all these reasons that The Spectator may like to appeal to all Ghanaians to come up with family members they can adequately cater for. If this is done, the nation can easily develop more facilities for its people so that individuals and family members can enjoy higher standard of living.
It is expected that every Ghanaian will adhere to this piece of advice, so that life can be made better for each and everyone of us. We should note that the social amenities needed to make life better for each of us greatly depend on our own selves so we need to control population in our own way so that things can be made better for us all.
This way, life can be made more meaningful as expected.
Editorial
Don’t use polythene bags to store hot, oily foods
Ghanaians have been advised to refrain from putting hot or oily foods in plastic bags because it poses major health risks.
The warning states that storing hot foods in polythene bags, especially ones that are not made for food storage can cause dangerous chemicals to leak into the food, which could be dangerous for one’s health.
Professor Esther Sakyi-Dawson, an Associate Professor of Food Science at the University of Ghana, gave this warning at a World Food Safety Day celebration in Accra on Tuesday.
With the theme “Food Safety: Science in Action,” this year’s World Food Safety Day focused on the critical role that scientific knowledge plays in guaranteeing food safety and fostering confidence in the food supply.
According to Prof. Sakyi-Dawson, when plastics are heated, toxic substances can seep into the food, contaminating it and raising the risk of several chronic illnesses, including hormone imbalances, reproductive problems, and even some types of cancer, which are on the rise in the nation.
According to estimates from the World Health Organisation (WHO), food contamination causes over 400,000 deaths annually and 600 million foodborne illness cases.
Also, a third of all deaths worldwide are caused by foodborne illnesses, which affect at least 91 million people in Africa each year. Of these, 40 percent are in children under the age of five.
Given the concerning statistics, there is an urgent need to raise awareness that eating hot foods like banku, rice, waakye, or “koko” (porridge) wrapped in plastic is extremely harmful to one’s health.
It is more important to avoid putting food in black plastics, which are not food quality and are typically used for carrying items. Similarly, white polythene should not come into close contact with food.
Despite the warning, Ghanaians have been urged to watch out for food-grade plastics, which are frequently thick, to use for food packing and storage as needed
Since “to be forewarned is to be forearmed” The Spectator advises consumers to put their health first by making the appropriate choices about what they put into their bodies for their own safety.
Editorial
Ensure safety of children during rainy seasonfacilities
Dear Editor,
I write to express concern about the safety of school-going children during these unpredictable weather conditions.
Many children walk long distances to get to school on roads which are mostly poorly drained.
Also, the combination of low visibility, slippery surfaces, and increased vehicular traffic during rains presents real risks to their health and safety.
While I urge local authorities to improve road infrastructure and pedestrian protections around schools, I wish to especially appeal to parents and guardians to take proactive steps in safeguarding their children during this season.
Parents should ensure their children are dressed properly in waterproof or warm clothing, including raincoats, boots, and umbrellas where possible.
Also, parents should accompany younger children to school when it is raining or overly windy, or arrange for responsible adults to do so.
Again, I urge parents to teach their children basic road safety and help them identify the safest routes to school.
In my view, I think it will be prudent to delay leaving the house when rain is heavy or visibility is poor, even if it means arriving at school later and safer.
It is important to remember that safety begins at home. While schools and government agencies have a role to play, parents and caregivers, must not leave the protection of our children to chance.
I believe that with shared responsibility between the state and the family, avoidable accidents could be prevented and ensure every child makes it to school and back home safely.
Abui, Korle Gonno
