Editorial
Provide Abutia Kloe E.P Basic School with toilet facility
Abutia Kloe E.P Basic School in the Ho West District of the Volta Region faces a sanitation challenge as there is no toilet facility in the school.
As a result, pupils have no option but to seek alternative places nearby whenever nature calls, a development the school’s authority described as unsafe, undignified and detrimental to effective teaching and learning, which has a detrimental effect on their academic performance.
In addition to academic work, which is severely impacted, the situation is putting the students’ health and safety at risk, which is worrying.
This was discovered during a visit to the school by the Volta College Foundation (VCF), a non-profit organisation, as part of their February Love Initiative when the Foundation provided the pupils with hygienic supplies and other educational resources.
NOTICE
The Spectator is making a passionate appeal to individuals, corporate bodies, stakeholders and benevolent organisations to partner in addressing the sanitation crisis at the school and support the construction of a toilet facility for both pupils and staff.
We also urge representatives of the Foundation who acknowledged the challenge and assured the school of their commitment, to speed up the process of advocating improved conditions for deprived communities.
Again, we also believe that when a toilet facility is provided for the school, it will greatly improve hygiene, as pupils will attend to nature’s call in a dignified manner and school attendance will improve, especially for girls, when they are menstruating.
According to the Headmaster of the school, Mr Francis Yao Bortsi, the situation is terrible as learners resort to unorthodox ways to ease themselves, stressing that the school’s most pressing need remains a decent washroom facility.
He noted that, “For now, pupils of Abutia Kloe E.P Basic School continue to navigate the daily inconvenience and risk of leaving campus during instructional hours, as the school awaits urgent intervention to restore dignity and safety to its learning environment.”
The situation needs urgent attention, especially for the girls who need proper menstrual sanitation as they have to change frequently and wash hands with soap to prevent infection. Menstruation is a critical time for girls to have access to clean and safe toilets for their comfort.
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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
