Features
Routine maintenance and reliable power supply
One major problem in this country is lack of proper maintenance culture which goes to adversely affect the lifespan of facilities built across the country.
Many a time, facilities such as water systems, electricity systems, buildings, roads and many other facilities are not given proper maintenance, a situation which leads to a decrease in the lifespan of such projects.
MAINTENANCE OF FACILITIES
Indeed, if all facilities are given proper maintenance, it will go a long way to ensure that these facilities enjoy a long span of life instead of seeing them getting deteriorated within a short time. Maintenance culture is what we need to increase productivity in the sense that the few facilities available and established in various parts of the country maximise their efforts in terms of durability and positive contribution to socioeconomic development.
When facilities are maintained regularly, it helps to ensure that they last for a long time and help productivity in all sectors to be facilitated to increase to the highest level.
Currently, we have been told that the Electricity Company of Ghana and GRIDCO are carrying out maintenance on certain power facilities in various parts of the country. For this reason, certain transformers are being expanded and replaced so that the quality of power supply will be enhanced.
POWER OFFS
It is very irritating when we experience power offs in our areas of residence due to unreliable power supply and lack of maintenance. For this reason, we need to regularly carry out maintenance of these facilities so that power supply to various homes, offices and factories can flow uninterrupted and thereby make power supply very reliable and satisfactory. When this happens, power consumers in the country will be very happy because the quality of supply will be dependable and good.
It is in light of this that the ongoing maintenance of power facilities across the country must be commended by all those who understand the importance of quality and reliable power supply. Needless to say, properly maintained systems offer continuous flow of power even when it is raining. In many parts of the country, even when light rains are experienced, power supply becomes interrupted and sometimes goes off unexpectedly. On the contrary, under a properly maintained culture, it will be seen that the lighting systems will continue to stay as they are even when the rains set in.
It is, therefore, good that GRIDCO, ECG and others have found it necessary to maintain their facilities from time to time beginning from this time so that the power supply can be stabilised. Without constant maintenance, a reliable power supply cannot be guaranteed and as a result the quality of power supply will be disappointing to consumers who deserve to be given better treatment.
ONGOING EXERCISE
The ongoing exercise is good but should not be a nine day wonder. If it becomes a nine day wonder, the end result will be very disappointing to the dissatisfaction of all residents in this country.
It is, therefore, good that power supply systems are being maintained and where necessary old gadgets are replaced from time to time.
The ongoing maintenance is creating some problems in certain parts of the country. In certain places around Kumasi, Accra, the Central Region and many other parts, the power goes off from time to time due to the ongoing exercise of maintenance.
STABLE POWER
These are good in so far as they help to strengthen the system and make power supply more enduring and reliable.
In light of all this, we prefer regular maintenance culture of our power supply systems to the complete absence of maintenance which makes the facilities deteriorate at a faster rate. When the facilities are maintained regularly, they are able to perform better and last for a long time. All these result in quality and satisfactory customer service to the admiration of people in the country.
COMMENDATION
The management and staff of the power supply systems must be commended and appreciated seeing that the occasional power offs will be a thing of the past, thereby resulting in quality power supplies which will help promote rapid socioeconomic development in the country.
This is what is needed and so must be encouraged and supported by all well meaning Ghanaians.
PHENOMENON OF RISING PRICES
The world today is going through difficult economic and financial situation making it very difficult for all countries to control inflation and make life bearable for their people.
Prices have been rising persistently in all countries to such an extent that consumers are protesting at this unbearable development. Many governments have found it very difficult to appeal to their people to understand the situation. It has become very difficult for people to accept the situation because their incomes are fixed and remained the same while prices of goods and services keep escalating to unbearable levels.
RECORD- HIGH INFLATION
Throughout the world, inflation has hit its highest levels in recent times so the situation is not as pleasant as one may think. This can lead to political upheavals, disorder and insecurity in many countries. When things are difficult in this way with prices rising and rising, the end result will be the development of disaffection for the government in power.
The government in power must, therefore, be able to explain itself to its citizens in order to calm them down.
If this is not done, the disaffection may create chaotic situations which may end up worsening the plight of people in the country concerned.
UNFAVOURABLE SITUATION
It is for this reason that people must see the current era as an unfavourable situation that must be borne by everyone no matter how unpleasant the situation may be.
The current unfavourable economic trends have come about because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 which adversely affected all productive systems in the world. As a result of COVID-19, goods and services could not be produced in their desired quantities. This led to the shortage of certain goods in the market. The situation has been made worse by the sudden Russia-Ukraine conflict. Many strategic goods come from these two countries that are fighting each other. Items like fertiliser, raw materials for cement and many things are not able to come in the quantities expected thereby creating shortages in many parts of the world.
The two countries (that is Russia and Ukraine) control close to a third of the supply of crude oil in the world. As a result, oil prices have been pushed up far above the $100 mark.
SANCTIONS
The US and other western countries have applied certain sanctions against Russia to force that country to stop its invasion of Ukraine. These and many others have forced the oil prices to come down a little even though it is still above the $100 mark.
The prices of crude oil have fallen slightly but many countries are still suffering from the harsh effect of the rapid rise of goods and services throughout the world.
The high rise of oil prices has adversely affected other prices of goods and services pushing the world to a situation which has become very unbearable. As a result, many motorists for example, are not able to fill their tanks due to the escalating prices of crude oil.
HIGH FUEL PRICES
In the United States for example, we heard of stories where some motorists had to drive all the way to the US border with Mexico to fill the tanks of their vehicles since fuel price around that area is relatively cheaper.
Thus, in all the different continents in the world, life has become unpleasant. Indeed, many developing countries are suffering more from the rising prices in the world.
INFLATIONARY TRENDS
As has been pointed out already, inflationary trends in various parts of the world have reached their record high. In Ghana, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has stated that inflation has reached 19.4 per cent. This is the highest ever recorded in Ghana over the past five or six years and it goes to show that even with the good management of the economy, inflationary trends have jumped high to a level that is not good for economic growth.
In spite of this, every effort is being made by government to come out with the best economic reforms for its people so that life can be made better for them.
UNPLEASANT DEVELOPMENTS
As a result of such unpleasant developments, the World Bank has revised the global economic growth rates. Previously, following COVID-19, the World Bank stated that global economic growth would be about 4.5 per cent and countries in the world thought that even though the figure was not good enough, it could be accepted as satisfactory so that from there, the world can grow at a higher level.
In view of the Russia-Ukraine war, economic situations have been worsened once again making economic growth and recovery more difficult. As a result, the World Bank has now revised the global economic growth rate from its previous more than four per cent to 3.1 per cent.
TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES
As has been stated, the world today is experiencing tough economic times so governments that are doing well must be warmly supported by its people so that things will not be thrown out of gear for any political expediency on the path of any groups of people whose only agenda is to satisfy their own selfish and myopic interests.
Contact email/whatsApp address of author:
Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
By Dr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
Attention-Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often mistaken for laziness or indiscipline. In consulting rooms across Accra and in reports from school teachers, the pattern repeats: children who are bright but forgetful, parents who feel helpless, teachers who see incompleteness.
Research is clear-Barkley (2015) and others describe ADHD as a difference in the brain’s regulation of alertness, impulse and working memory, not a lack of effort.
The family’s role begins with structure. Regular sleep, predictable meal and homework times, and a simple visual list (uniform → books → water → corridor) provide the external scaffolding of these children need. Praise what is completed—“You opened the book and wrote the first sentence”-instead of rebuking what is missing.
Schools can help by seating the child front-row and centre, giving short written plus verbal instructions, allowing brief movement breaks, using quiet nonverbal cues and, where possible, grading effort and method as well as neatness. These adjustments reduce conflict and raise submission rates without lowering standards.
Couples and caregivers should share roles: one grounds, one pivots, and both protect rest. Shame-“bad parenting, bad child”-needs replacing with fact: different wiring, needs scaffolding.
Outcomes improve not by promises of perfection but by daily routines, clear limits and warmed connection. One homework slot kept, one instruction chunked, one calm repair after blurting-these small wins shift the family climate and let the child be seen beyond the label.
Resource
• CPAC (award-winning Mental Health and Counselling Facility): 0559850604 / 0551428486
Source: REV. COUNSELLOR PRINCE OFFEI’s insights on special needs support, relationships, and mental health in Ghana. He is a leading mental health professional, lecturer, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, renowned author, and marriage counsellor at COUNSELLOR PRINCE & ASSOCIATES CONSULT (CPAC COUNSELLOR TRAINING INSTITUTE) – 0551428486 /0559850604.
WEBSITES:
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/author
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/website
After two weeks of hectic activity up north, I drove to the Tamale airport, parked the car at the Civil Aviation car park as usual, paid the usual parking fee and boarded the plane for Accra.
Over the last two weeks, I had shuffled between three sites where work was close to completion.
One was a seed warehouse, where farmers would come and pick up good quality maize, sorghum and other planting material.
The other was a health facility for new mothers, where they were given basic training on good nutrition and small scale business.
And the third was a set of big boreholes for three farming communities.
The projects usually ran on schedule, but a good deal of time was spent building rapport with the local people, to ensure that they would be well patronised and maintained.
It was great to be working in a situation where one’s work was well appreciated. But it certainly involved a lot of work, and proactivity. And I made sure that I recorded updates online before going to bed in the evening.
When the plane took off, my mind shifted to issues in Accra, the big city. The young guys at my office had done some good work. They had secured five or six houses on a row in a good part of the city, and were close to securing the last.
When we got this property, unusually, Abena greeted them casually, and appeared to be comfortable in the guy’s company.
I was quite disappointed to hear that, because until the last few weeks, it seemed as if Abena and I were heading in a good direction. Apart from the affection I had for her, I liked her family. I decided to take it easy, and allow things to fall in whatever direction.
Normally I would take a taxi to her house from the airport, and pick her up to my place. This time I went to my sisters’ joint, where they sat by me while I enjoyed a drink and a good meal.
“So Little Brother,” Sister Beesiwa said, “what is it we are hearing about our wife-to-be?”
“When did you conclude that she was your wife-to-be? And what have you heard? I’ve only heard a couple of whispers. Ebo and Nana Kwame called to say that they have seen her in the company of—”
“Well said Little Brother,” Sister Baaba said. “By the way, Nana Kwame called an hour ago to ask if you had arrived because he could not reach you. Someone had told him that Jennifer had boasted to someone that she had connected Abena to a wealthy guy who would take care of her.”
I was beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.
“In that case,” Sister Beesiwa said, “you should be glad that Abena is out of your way. She is easily swayed. Anyone who would make a relationship decision based on a friend’s instigation lacks good sense. I hope the guy is as wealthy as they say?”
“Who gets wealthy running a supermarket chain in Ghana?” Sister Baaba said. “Our supermarkets sell mostly imported products. Look at the foreign exchange rate. And remember that Ghanaians buy second-hand shoes and clothes. Supermarkets are not good business here. Perhaps they are showing off that they are wealthy, but in reality they are not doing so well.”
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.”
She said that David Forson was only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her. And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. We would be able to sell all five houses to one big corporate customer, and we had already spoken to a property dealer who was trying to find a buyer in order to get a good commission.
That was going to be my biggest break. I had asked the boys to look for a large tract of land on the outskirts of the city where we could develop our own set of buildings, blocks of storey houses and upscale apartments. Things were going according to plan, and I was quietly excited. However, things were not going so well regarding my relationship with Abena.
My buddies Ebo and Nana Kwame had called to say that they met Abena and her friend Jennifer enjoying lunch with a guy, and Ebo believed that Jennifer was ‘promoting’ an affair between Jennifer and the guy. They were of the view that the promotion seemed to be going in the guy’s favour, because only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her.
And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“As I’ve already said, I will stop by her place, but I will mind my own business from now. Hey, let’s talk family. How are our parents? And my brothers-in-law? And my nephews and nieces? Why don’t we meet on Sunday? I’m going to drop my bags at my place, and go to see Mama and Dad.”
