Editorial
Show your love this Val’s/Chocolate Day
Once more, Valentine is here! In an effort to inject happiness and tenderness into their relationships, lovers will send romantic messages and give gifts to their loved ones on Wednesday.
In the spirit of love, some people may host celebrations and enjoy themselves with their loved ones. Partners will give their loved ones gifts such as clothes, shoes, drinks, perfumes, greeting cards, and more, strengthening their bonds and adding sweetness to their relationship.
As always, giving gifts to the person you love would help reignite your love as we are in the month of love.
Val’s Day falls on a weekday this year, but that will not stop people from celebrating with their loved ones – though it is likely that some may move their celebrations to the weekend due to hectic schedules.
Valentine’s Day gifts for lovers will also include a lot of chocolate and chocolate-related products.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) hosts events to extensively promote Ghana chocolate, which is a positive step toward enabling consumers to purchase made-in- Ghana chocolate and related products.
People of all ages like chocolates as a beloved sweet treat that evokes feelings of sensuality and happiness.
The Spectator hopes that this Val’s/Chocolate Day celebration will provide a chance for couples to show their affection in a variety of ways.
Some people use the day to renew their love for their spouses, but others have made it a day to give to orphanages and other charitable organisations in order to show love to the less fortunate members of society.
We are also hopeful that the Day will be marked with a variety of events, fun activities and charitable work with special attention to the needy and the elderly by groups and individuals. No matter what is done Wednesday, February 14 should be observed in the spirit of love and friendship.
If all else fails, you can still show someone how much you love them by getting them chocolate. The significance of the gift should not be determined by its size or cost; rather, it should be used as a symbol of your affection.
Give a thoughtful present to your loved ones, relatives, or friends to make this Val’s/ Chocolate Day special and unforgettable.
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.
