Editorial
Renovate Efua Sutherland Children’s Park
The Efua Sutherland Children’s Park at West Ridge in the Greater Accra Region, now in ruins, needs renovations.
The once-vibrant recreational centre for children, families, students, and tourists is now in a state of neglect, according to our reporter who visited the place.
Efua Sutherland, a well-known playwright and children’s author, is honoured by the Park, an important recreational and cultural area. Her work with children made her a notable figure in Ghanaian literature and education.
The Park used to be well-known and a popular destination for schoolchildren, particularly during vacation, but today visitors are met with outdated machinery and dilapidated infrastructure.
A vital green space in the city, the park provides a calm setting for families and children to unwind, play, and take part in cultural events. It is relevant because it fosters community life, offers recreational opportunities, hosts cultural events, and connects people to their Ghanaian heritage.
Additionally, both locals and visitors may easily access it due to its central location. Nothing seems to have been done to update the space or give it a facelift.
During The Spectator’s tour of the facility it was observed that the 14.83-acre playground’s equipment has rusted and turned into death traps instead of serving the intended purpose of entertaining guests.
Children are put off by the condition of the equipment because they are afraid of getting hurt. Inquiries at the location also showed that few people visit to inquire about the place and that its current condition makes it unappealing for event planners to host special events there. This calls into question the country’s dedication to maintaining such iconic and public areas.
There is an urgent need to address the terrible situation.
In order to ensure that events are hosted in the park, The Spectator urges the Ministry of Gender, Women and Social Protection (MCWSP), which is in charge of overseeing the facility, to collaborate with investors and other stakeholders to give it a facelift.
We think that if the Park is renovated, it will draw more event planners and regain its reputation as a communal hub that promotes cultural pride and a sense of belonging.
Dear Editor,
The recent shooting to death of Javits Frimpong, a 15 year old Ghanaian student in Bronx, USA, is a heartbreaking reminder that bullying should never be dismissed as a normal part of growing up.
Reports indicate that the teenager had allegedly been subjected to bullying at school before he was fatally shot on his way to class.
While investigations continue and the exact motive yet to be officially established, the circumstances surrounding this tragedy have raised serious concerns about the impact of not checking bullying.
What makes this loss even more painful is that Javits Frimpong, had moved from Ghana to the United States with hopes of a brighter future through education. Instead, his life was cut short at an age when he should have been pursuing his dreams and preparing for adulthood.
Bullying is often viewed as harmless teasing, but its effects can be severe and long-lasting. Victims may suffer emotional trauma, anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, and, in extreme cases, become entangled in violence.
This incident should serve as a wake-up call to schools everywhere. Complaints of bullying must be taken seriously, investigated promptly, and addressed decisively before situations escalate.
Parents, teachers, school authorities, and community leaders all share a responsibility to create safe environments for young people.
Open communication, counselling services, anti-bullying education, and effective disciplinary measures can help protect vulnerable students.
Equally important is teaching young people respect, empathy, and peaceful conflict resolution.
As we mourn the loss of Javits Frimpong, let us also commit ourselves to ensuring that no other child loses their life because warning signs were ignored. The fight against bullying is not merely a school issue; it is a societal responsibility.
Yours faithfully,
Dansoman
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The recent report that 294 teenage girls in the Ayawaso West Municipality failed to receive their Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a depressing reminder of the gap between medical progress and public trust.
In a focused campaign with 997 girls the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal Health Directorate reached a 70 percent coverage rate. Our public health professionals deserve praise for reaching 703 girls, but the remaining 30 percent pose a serious threat.
This shortfall is not due to a lack of institutional effort, logistics, or resources. The directorate had sufficient logistics, as highlighted by Public Health Nurse Patience Adoli Kporxah. Rather, the barrier was completely human: a lack of parental approval.
In Ghana, one of the top causes of cancer-related mortality for women is still cervical cancer. Ironically, it is also one of the most avoidable. The HPV vaccine is widely acknowledged as a safe, highly effective barrier that, when given early, can prevent up to 90 percent of cervical cancers.
Parents are unknowingly leaving their daughters vulnerable to a virus that they will probably come into contact with in the future by withholding approval.
This initiative was not initiated in secret by the health directorate. They coordinated with churches, mosques, and media outlets, spoke at Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, and sent letters to schools as part of their broad public outreach efforts. However, around 300 parents continued to withhold their signatures in spite of these multi-dimensional approaches.
Why is this resistance still present? Fear, cultural taboos, and false information about vaccines and reproductive health on the internet are the main causes of vaccine hesitation rather than an intent to hurt a child. When a vaccination is administered to young teenagers in schools, it may cause unjustified concerns about fertility and sexuality.
Our public health initiatives need to change in order to close this gap before the November and December phases.
Letters and the mass media are important, but they are unable to provide precise, worried answers. During PTA meetings, health staff could think about holding direct question and answer sessions so parents may express their worries without fear of being judged.
In order to normalise the vaccine, community elders, religious leaders, and reputable local physicians must do more than simply impart knowledge; they must openly support it.
We must present the HPV vaccine as a standard, life-saving cancer prevention tool that is now completely incorporated into Ghana’s regular immunisation programme.
The entrance is still open, according to public health officials. Daughters who did not participate in the school-based activity can still get the vaccination at no cost by taking them to any government health institution.
We must work together to prevent cervical cancer in the future generation. The infrastructure, education, and dosages have been supplied by public health teams. The trust must now be provided by the parents of Ayawaso West and Ghana as a whole.
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