Features
Response of our local assembly leaders is unacceptable
I took my almost 86 year old mom, to see the Doctor as part of the processes for her normal checkups last Monday.
It has been raining for some time now in Accra and a section of the main road from Kasoa to Budumburam had been closed off to traffic and so back streets are the only way, one can go to certain areas close to Budumburam with a vehicle.
Instead of the local assembly ensuring that these alternative routes are made motorable, they have not done anything meaningful about them.
Usually, as is the standard practice in road construction, it is the duty of the contractor to make alternative routes available to motorists when the need for diversion occurs.
The local assembly authority also has a responsibility to ensure that such diversions are done taking into account the safety and health of the people travelling on those streets or roads as well as the communities through which the streets passes through, especially in terms of dust suppression.
Portions along the alternative streets from my mom’s place to an area close to Kasoa where one can join the main Kasoa- Cape Coast Highway, had flooded and sedans could hardly pass through.
My mom was so afraid that the vehicle that was bringing her to Kasoa, could be involved in an accident such that she lost appetite and could not continue to eat her food. Exactly a week earlier I also had a similar frustrating experience when travelling to the Western Region.
It took us two hours to cover a short distance between an area called Fan Ice to just a little beyond Budumburam. All what was required was for the use of rocky material to fill a portion of the diverted road to enable traffic to flow smoothly but this was not done.
On our return journey to Accra, nothing has still been done about it and we spent two hours again to cover that same short distance and one begins to wonder why the local authority leaders should be paid their monthly salaries.
Yesterday, there was a news item about the traffic that had built up along a stretch of Accra Kumadi highway between Sapeiman and Toman.
Apparently the stretch was so deplorable that perhaps it was worse than what I encountered on the Accra –Cape Coast road.
The road engineer whose duty it is to ensure the right thing is done by the contractor, apparently failed to do his job. In a country where people charged with responsibility by the state, fail to do their job and are not held accountable, this is one of the results we are going to experience, on a frequent basis.
There is a certain culture of someone else should do it and it is not helping our national developmental effort.
We have this tendency for let us leave it to go. Instead of citizens taking on people on authority to help correct things, everybody is afraid to tackle the problem, due to fear and as long as this attitude remains, people in authority will continue to act with impunity.
If there is no threat of shame or embarrassment or loss of job, nothing will happen. One of the issues I have decided to take the local assemblies on, is the proliferation of shops along streets without any thought for pedestrian walk ways.
Pedestrians are always compelled to walk close to speeding vehicles because there are no pavements for them to use.
What will be painful is seeing something that you know is wrong but deciding not to do anything about it and you become a victim of the problem, or someone close to you becomes a victim of it.
Let us begin to be citizens and not spectators as President Bush once said and reiterated by President Akufo-Addo. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
I experienced something on Monday, June 15, that really frustrated me. I had to go to the ministries but I could not get up early that day so I decided to pick a taxi and get to the Tuba Junction.
When I got there I realised that Traffic had built up from the Toll Booth towards Accra. After a while I got a Taxi and it was when we got to a certain spot on the road, that I realised why there was a traffic jam.
There is a short stretch of the road where each time it rains heavily, loose material run down the hill onto the road, blocking one side of the road. Vehicles from Kasoa to Accra are then forced to move into one of the lanes of those going towards Kasoa from Accra.
The two lane road from Accra to Kasoa becomes a single carriage way. That was the reason for the traffic jam from the toll booth onwards.
This has been a perineal problem and yet, no permanent solution has been found till date. The area falls under Ga South and even though, a new MCE has taken over, the technocrats are still there and so the problem is not new to them.
There is therefore no excuse for the inability of the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly to resolving the problem on that stretch of the road. Apart from the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly, another institution that must be held accountable is the Ghana Highways Authority.
The Highways Authority cannot say they are unaware of this issue. The fact that the problem falls within the area of responsibility of the Ga South Assembly, does not relieve the Ghana Highways Authority, of their responsibility of ensuring that our highways are maintained in a motorable state at all times.
A collaboration between the Ghana Highways Authority and The Ga South Municipal Assembly is required for a permanent resolution of the problem.
There was another traffic jam at a place called Atala about 250 metres to the traffic light at Old Barrier as a result of an issue similar to the one close to the toll booth, that I talked about earlier.
When we got to Weija junction, we encountered another traffic jam. The cause of this jam was a bad condition of road about 80 metres from the traffic light at Ga South Hospital heading towards Accra.
Due to the bad nature at that section of the road, vehicles are compelled to slow down resulting in a traffic jam stretching all the way to Weija Junction.
I started wondering if that short stretch of road cannot be sorted on one Sunday when traffic is usually light. When we got to the traffic light at Odorkor, there was another issue.
When the traffic light shows green, there is a slow down because there is a big pothole or should I say manhole in the outer lane, right at the traffic light. Vehicles in the outer lane are compelled to swerve into the second lane thereby causing a traffic to slow down and resulting in a traffic jam.
It is very important to take into account the effect of traffic jam on the national economy. If we are able to assess the value of the loss to the economy of the nation, I believe the issue of traffic jam will be prioritised.
Imagine persons working at various Government Organisations like Registrar General’s Department, Ghana Ports and Habours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, CEPS etc. and lives at Kasoa and whose job is to collect revenue for the state and is held up in traffic.
Just imagine the effect their lateness to work will have on the economy if you consider the delays in say clearing of goods at the port and as a result traders cannot sell their goods for government to generate the required taxes.
Let us deal with the traffic jams on our streets to promote economic growth. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Mortality is an inherent aspect of life, a universal experience that has sparked philosophical, theological, and scientific inquiry throughout human history.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of mortality, acknowledging the complexity of the topic and the diverse perspectives surrounding it.
The biological imperative
From a biological standpoint, death is a natural part of the life cycle. It serves as a mechanism for the evolution of species, allowing for the passing on of genetic material and the adaptation to environmental changes.
Evolutionary perspective: Death allows for the recycling of resources, promoting the survival and adaptation of species.
Life span and senescence: Cellular aging and the limitations of biological systems contribute to mortality.
Philosophical and existential perspectives
Existentialism: Emphasises individual freedom and responsibility in the face of mortality.
Meaning and purpose: The finite nature of life can prompt individuals to seek meaning and purpose.
The human condition: Mortality is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, shaping our perceptions and values.
Cultural and spiritual views
Afterlife and spirituality: Many cultures and religions believe in an afterlife or spiritual continuation.
Rituals and mourning: Cultural practices surrounding death reflect the significance of mortality in human experience.
Legacy and remembrance: The impact of one’s life can transcend mortality.
Ethical considerations
End-of-life care: Ethical debates surround issues like euthanasia, assisted dying, and palliative care.
Quality of life: Balancing the value of life with the quality of life is a complex ethical issue.
Resource allocation: Societal decisions about healthcare and resource distribution involve considerations of mortality.
Psychological impact
Grief and loss: The experience of mortality can evoke profound emotional responses.
Fear and anxiety: The awareness of mortality can lead to existential anxiety.
Appreciation and gratitude: Recognising mortality can foster appreciation for life.
Conclusion
Mortality is a multifaceted aspect of human existence, influencing how we live, relate, and find meaning. Understanding and acknowledging mortality can prompt deeper reflections on life and our place in the world.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
