Editorial
Promote well-being of Boy Child
On May 16, Ghana joined the world in marking International Boy Child Day – a day set aside to reflect on the experiences, challenges, and potential of boys in our society.
While national efforts have rightly championed the empowerment of girls, today is a timely reminder that boys, too, face unique hurdles that must be addressed with equal urgency.
Across Ghana, many boys grow up navigating rigid expectations of masculinity. From an early age, they are taught that expressing emotion is a sign of weakness, that strength is defined by dominance, and that vulnerability is unmanly. These beliefs can hinder emotional development, leading to mental health struggles that are often overlooked or dismissed.
In our schools, boys are frequently labelled as troublemakers rather than understood as young people in need of guidance and mentorship.
In our communities, many boys grow up without consistent male role models, with absentee fatherhood and economic pressures further complicating their paths. And in our homes, the boy child can often be assumed to be self-sufficient, receiving less nurturing attention than needed.
Yet, Ghanaian boys are full of promise. They are future leaders, fathers, husbands, professionals, and agents of change. When we invest in their well-being – emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and socially – we help build a more balanced and just society. A boy raised with compassion, empathy, discipline, and confidence is more likely to become a man who respects others, values equality, and contributes positively to national development.
International Boy Child Day is not about diminishing the progress made in supporting girls. It is about balance. It is about recognising that the development of any nation including Ghana requires the holistic empowerment of all its children.
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) in a statement to mark the Day has pledged its commitment to promoting the wellbeing and development of children regardless the gender.
It said “ we recognise that boys have the vision to create safe spaces where boys can expresss their feelings without judgement as well as provide emotional support for vulnerabilities.”
It is the hope of The Spectator that the Ministry will live to its promise to promote the well-being of children and also provide safe spaces for boys.
The Spectator also calls for a collaborative action from parents, educators, policymakers, and community leaders to be intentional in mentoring and nurturing boys.
“Let us challenge harmful stereotypes and create safe spaces where boys can express themselves, learn healthy behaviours, and understand that true strength lies not in aggression, but in character.”
As we celebrate the boys of Ghana, let us also pledge to support them in becoming the men our nation needs; responsible, respectful, and ready to lead with heart and purpose.
The recent floods in Accra and the neighbouring areas, which were brought on by a heavy downpour, were very catastrophic and caused loss of lives and property damage.
Similar severe flooding and downpours were also reported in other regions, which has caused anxiety and dread whenever it rains.
In a short period of time, the floods had a dangerous effect on entire communities and landscapes. Because of this, a lot of people are now temporarily putting up with friends or family members.
Videos that went viral on social media showed cars and other valuables being swept away by the floodwaters with little to nothing being done to stop them.
Certain organisations, including the New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, were not spared because the flood level damaged important documents and swamped their premises.
Even locations outside of flood-prone zones were inundated by the floods.
The rains would intensify along with thunderstorms, according to the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), which is tasked with observing, analysing, and disseminating weather and climate information to protect lives, promote economic planning, and maintain public safety.
It is important to remember that increased evaporation and atmospheric moisture due to climate change might intensify rainfall. Furthermore, more catastrophic floods are caused by heavy rainfall and shifting topography.
We discussed the causes of floods and mitigation strategies in our earlier editorial, “Accra floods necessitate change in attitude.”
Although the current flood situation is dire, safety can be greatly improved by being ready and understanding what to do.
The Spectator encourages the public to make an effort to be well-informed about weather predictions and take the required precautions to stay safe because the GMet is now providing accurate forecasts.
Make excellent use of the alert services that you can sign up for these days to get notifications on your phone.
Water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, prescription drugs, crucial documents in waterproof containers, and first aid supplies should all be prepared and kept readily available.
Safeguard your house and offices, relocate valuables to higher floors, and raise electrical appliances off the ground.
Avoid coming into contact with floodwater whenever you can since it might be tainted with chemicals, sewage, and other dangerous substances and also reptiles.
To make sure your neighbours are secure, it is crucial to check on them, especially if they are elderly, disabled, or living alone.
Additionally, parents need to make sure their children do not play in or close to floodwaters.
Let us be careful as there are floods everywhere.
Dear Editor,
I wish to plead with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) to dispatch personnel to some of the flash points when it rains.
What happened last Monday and Tuesday at major transport terminals must not be something that must be repeated.
I wish to first of all commend the Interior Minister, Mr Muntaka Mubarak for the swift intervention by announcing the ‘holiday’ that gave workers and school children a relief.
It was such a tough moment for workers driving and those not driving. The situation at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange and other transport terminals forced workers to walk long distances.
Apart from the lack of public transport, pedestrians had to navigate through mud, making it difficult to move around.
I believe that with the presence of police personnel, the traffic situation can be well managed to ease the huge traffic congestion to make travelling a lot easier.
Frank Amoah,
Kasoa
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