Editorial
Revitalising economy in COVID-19
The budget for the year 2021 was presented on Friday, March 12, 2021, under the theme, “Economic Revitalisation through Completion, Consolidation and continuity”.
The theme focuses on the need to complete all previously initiated projects, consolidate the economy and continue with new programmes for the benefit of the people.
The health sector is important and so we cannot joke with Agenda 111 which seeks to build district hospitals for many of the districts as well as regional hospitals for regions that do not have such facilities.
We need to make sound use of every resource that we can lay our hands on for the rebuilding of the economy.
This explains why the increase in road tolls is a step in the right direction and must be embraced or made acceptable by individuals and groups of people in the country. If more revenue is not raised in this way, not much can be achieved since developments require more revenue.
Property rates for example are not paid by many people and this is not good in terms of revenue mobilisation for national development.
In view of this, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are expected to work hard along this line so that as much revenue as possible can be realised for national development.
The objectives of the budget are good so we need to ensure its implementation in an efficient way.
Indeed, real economy is expected to grow by five per cent (5%) this year. This is not beyond reach but as a country we need to work harder with revenue mobilisation in all sectors of the economy.
The performance of the economy, began well in 2017 but this has been slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The revenue of the Government of Ghana dropped by 13.6 billion Ghana Cedis. The result of this was very unpleasant because it devastated the economy and slowed down the level of progress that could have been attained.
To ensure that things moved on well, government provided support for small businesses and also for the people in form of free water, electricity and provision of food.
All these became a drain on the economy but they were necessary to support the people to recover from the devastation.
The challenge facing the country today includes the need to increase spending for social services for all groups of people and also presenting a consolidated picture of funding allocations on key services. If these are done, it will help rapid socio-economic development and thereby lead to the realisation of the Ghana Beyond Aid strategy in line with the vision of the President of the Republic.
Ghana as a country cannot relax at this point in time but should continue with the good works being done in all sectors of the economy and this explains why all hands must be on deck to provide support for the Akufo-Addo administration to succeed in the interest of national development.
It is also important for all economic saboteurs who have misapplied or embezzled funds to be investigated and sent to court for prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others.
This way, resources can be saved for the promotion of socio-economic development.
Dear Editor,
Over the past few months, the ages of some drivers of commercial vehicles continue to baffle me.
This is common during weekends when one boards any of the commercial vehicles – be it trotros and okada.
I remember, I boarded a taxi from the Accra Central area towards the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area. When I sat in the vehicle, I realised the driver was a young boy. Specifically, he said he was 18.
I know our laws do not permit youth under the age of 21 to be driving; that is clearly against Ghana’s Road Traffic laws for operating commercial vehicles.
Some commuters have even had confrontations with station masters over the issue and have refused to board vehicles driven by underage individuals, despite the risk of arriving late for work.
This situation is deeply disturbing because it puts the lives of passengers and other road users at risk.
No matter how skilled such drivers may be, allowing underage persons to operate commercial vehicles is wrong and unlawful. Laws governing road safety are meant to protect lives, and ignoring them only increases the chances of accidents and loss of lives.
I therefore urge the relevant authorities, especially the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, to strictly enforce the age requirements for commercial driving in the country.
Baba
Labadi
The advantages of focusing on girls have been evident over the years. However, current research indicates that the statistics pertaining to boys are still declining.
Approximately 69 percent of boys and 73 percent of girls finish primary school. While Senior High School (SHS) enrollment trends have lately changed, with females significantly outnumbering males (about 110 girls to every 100 boys), Junior High School (JHS) gender parity remains stable, with the Gender Parity Index (GPI) remaining between 1.00 and 1.03.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates parity between girls and boys.
Although encouraging education for girls is essential for Ghana’s development, the strong emphasis has unintentionally led to inequalities for boys.
Many stakeholders worry that affirmative action and unequal resource distribution put males at risk, which can occasionally lead to increased dropout rates and behavioural issues in specific neighbourhoods.
There has been a lot of discussion among Ghanaian sociologists and educators about the disproportionate support given to girls and how it affects boys.
They claim that the majority of scholarships and special facilities are frequently disproportionately given to girls, which boy child advocates contend makes young men feel ignored or disadvantaged.
Due to these differences, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, has voiced serious concerns and is pushing for a deliberate discussion about the education and development of boys in order to build stronger families and societies.
The statement was made by Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua during a seminar hosted by the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry in Accra on May 16, which is International Day of the Boy Child.
It was organised in association with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES) under the theme “Flourish and Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for Strong Families and Communities.”
Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua revealed that many young males are vulnerable due to inadequate mentoring, a decline in schooling, negative social media influences, and emotional neglect.
Additionally, he stated that the boy child faced numerous difficulties, including aggression, substance addiction, academic decline, emotional neglect, and the lack of strong role models, as a result of the focus shifting to the girl child.
He worries that since boys are essential to the development of the country, they should not be overlooked in discussions about leadership, education, family stability, and national reform.
The Spectator agrees with Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua and believes that while it is important to train girls, neglecting boys can impede social advancement by causing differences in behaviour and education between young men and women.
“If we don’t make an effort social media will train our children for us. We’re not saying they shouldn’t use social media, but we should help them get the information they need to succeed in life,” he said.
The Spectator believes that the GES would adopt gender-responsive education in order to guarantee that classroom instruction meets the requirements of both boys and girls equally.
Let’s continue to be dedicated to making sure that no child is left behind.
