Editorial
Put your faith and prayer into action (Part 1)
Many people in Ghana are very religious, and this means they may either be Christians, Muslims, believers in traditional religions, or other faith.
Believing in a certain kind of faith usually influences people to pray in a certain way and conduct themselves in a way that reflects their faith. It is good for anyone to believe in God, even if their religious practices are different from those of other religious groups.
The Spectator, therefore, expects all believers to exercise their faith in a practical way to help society, particularly the poor.
There are many religious people who are very rich and can help the poor in society improve their conditions in life. Based on one’s financial status, a person can provide food items to the poor around him or her. Rich people can also buy clothes and give them to the needy.
Such gestures can go a long way toward helping the poor and reassuring them of God’s love for humankind.
We, therefore, expect all religious groups and bodies to accept this change and help the poor and needy in their communities. If this is carried out regularly, it will put a smile on the faces of the needy.
Similarly, children of the poor and needy can be sponsored in schools so that they will grow up to become responsible citizens. This is an important duty that must be carried.
This is not to say that all religious people have not been helpful to society. Many of them have been responsible for making life better for the poor and needy.
A display of wealth by the rich who are unwilling to help the poor will be meaningless to God as far as our faith in God is concerned. This explains why The Spectator is advocating support for the poor by religious people all over this country.
As the Bible says, “faith without works is meaningless”. The Bible again makes it clear that if you do not help the sick, the needy, or those who are hungry, it will mean that you have not done any of these things for God.
One day, God will ask you why you did not feed Him when He was hungry or clothe Him when He was naked, and here people will wonder where they saw God and denied Him His needs.
All religious people—Christians, Muslims and other believers—are hereby entreated to live up to their faith by seeing it as a necessity and an obligation to help the poor and the needy in society.
This is what God expects from all believers on this earth.
Dear Editor,
I wish to use this esteemed platform to urge the traditional councils of Osu and La to call for independent investigation into the recent demolition exercise at Kaajaano.
The exercise rendered hundreds homeless.
Information about the reason for the demolition has been scanty with those desiring to know feeding heavily on social media posts.
One particular name –Jato, has been associated with it but under whose instruction the exercise was carried is also not known.
Sadly, instead of getting to know who ordered the demolition and for what reasons, traditional authorities of Osu and La have been embroiled in a tug-of-war over ownership of the said land.
This is premature. At this moment, they should call for investigation into the exercise to know the people behind it.
When that is done, then discussions about the owners of the site can begin. That would end the posture of the two neighbouring town which has the potential to turn into something else.
Ataa Osa Mensah,
Osu
Dear Editor,
I wish to use your respected platform to draw the attention of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to the behaviour of traders and some drivers about the use of lower denomination coins, specifically the 20 and 10 pesewas.
About two weeks ago, I read in your sister newspaper, The Ghanaian Times about this problem and the caution that followed from the BoG and some economic analysts.
The warning they gave was that the continuous rejection of the notes could create pricing problems which can eventually affect inflation.
I thought that would put to bed that practice or refusal to accept the coins when given out as change or use to pay for particular service.
Unfortunately, the problem still persist among traders, drivers, customers and passengers alike. Only last week, there was as altercation in the Accra Central area where a woman refused to accept five 20 pesewas note totaling one cedi.
As the argument continued, the trader decided not to sell to the customer again after by-standers explained to her that it was still a legal tender and those that refused it could become offenders.
This is an issue the BoG and other regulatory agencies must go and explain to the people and let them know that it is unlawful not to accept a currency that is still in use.
It nothing was done, it could create a much more serious problems.
Mary Osei Badu,
Swedru
