Editorial
Police shuttle service better late than never
Shuttle services are not entirely new but I am particularly impressed about the recent move by the Ghana Police Administration to provide buses on specific routes in Accra to convey personnel to and from their duty points.
Even as a young boy, I used to enjoy this service provided by my school. That is why I wonder why it took the police service a long time to make this essential service available to its men and women.
According to the service, the programme had been implemented in 15 out of the 18 Police Operational Regions and was intended to “ease the burden of commuting of officers and ensure that personnel who carry weapons for duty, do so under safe conditions.”
This initiative, which I believe, was spearheaded by the Welfare Unit of the police administration, is not only a relief to the officers but a boost to the performance and morale of the gallant men and women of the service.
While I commend the service for this step, I urge the police administration to as well address other pressing concerns of personnel, such as provision of decent and affordable housing, supply of adequate bulletproof vests and needed logistics to help combat crime and protect lives and property.
I again urge leadership to extend the shuttle service to the remaining three Police Operational Regions as it puts measures in place to sustain the service.
Frank Twum,
Sakumono.
Fix drains at Weija – Gbawe
Dear Editor,
The relatively low volume of rain recorded in Accra recently has exposed the cracks in the drainage system in the Weija – Gbawe Municipality.
Few hours of rain last Tuesday caused flooding in parts of the community leaving some residents stranded and some major roads immotorable.
Residents have attributed constant flooding in the area to choked and malfunctioning drainage systems. I, therefore, wish to use this medium to, once again, highlight this challenge and draw the attention of authorities in the area to as a matter of urgency move and resolve this challenge.
Weija is the capital of the Ga-South Municipality which has gradually become an economic hub due to its proximity to Kasoa, therefore, the least disruption caused by floods tends to adversely affect lives and property.
Sandra N.A Attom,
Student, African University College of Communications
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
