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well-known and a popular destination for schoolchildren, particularly during vacation, but today visitors are met with outdated machinery and dilapidated infrastructure.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.
Basic education is widely considered a fundamental human right for all children, regardless of their community, age, or background. Providing good educational infrastructure is critical, as it directly influences educational quality, academic performance, and overall community development. The physical environment of schools shapes the future of children, who are the leaders of tomorrow.
However, the Nanvili Community School in the Mion district of the Northern Region faces severe infrastructural challenges, negatively affecting teaching and learning. The school serves five surrounding communities, with a total of 58 pupils. Observations during a visit revealed that the classrooms have deteriorated so badly that many children have stopped attending classes.
The poor condition of classrooms and lack of desks has made teaching and learning extremely difficult. More concerning is that the three gate-free classrooms are filled with goat and sheep droppings, creating a health hazard for pupils. During the rainy season, teachers and students are often cut off from the school due to bad roads and flooding, leading to weeks of suspended teaching activities, which further affects academic performance.
The Assemblyman for the area, Mr. Dawuni Mutawakil, expressed worry that pupils from Nanvili are expected to compete with their counterparts in urban areas who have access to better facilities. He emphasized the urgent need to provide desks and adequate classroom space to separate the merged classes.
The Chief of Nanvili, Abu Kassim, also appealed to the government and non-governmental organizations to assist the community. He noted that the current state of the school discourages children from nearby communities from attending, further highlighting the need for urgent intervention.
The Spectator joins local leaders in calling for immediate action to improve infrastructure and provide furniture, ensuring quality education for children in the Nanvili community.
By Geoffrey Buta, Nanvili, Northern Region
Spectator
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Dear Editor,
As December fast approaches and Christmas shopping begins, I wish to draw the attention of the Municipal and District Assemblies to the urgent need for measures that ensure orderliness in public spaces.
A few months after decongestion exercises were carried out in various municipalities, it appears that drivers and hawkers who were moved to designated areas are gradually returning. As a regular visitor to Accra Central and Nkrumah Circle, I have observed that hawkers are slowly filling pavements that had been cleared.
During the decongestion period, we hoped that hawkers would remain off the pavements entirely to allow commuters to move freely. However, while boundaries were marked with red paint, the hawkers are gradually encroaching beyond these limits, significantly narrowing the space left for pedestrians.
What is particularly concerning is that this is happening in full view of authorities, whose officers patrol the area daily. With the Christmas season approaching, these pavements will become even more congested as hawkers attempt to occupy every available space.
This is the time for Municipal and District Assemblies to assert their presence and enforce rules to prevent the situation from worsening. A stitch in time saves nine, and proactive measures now will prevent larger problems later.
By Regina Amoh, Accra
Spectator
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