Editorial
Stealing does not pay
Dear Editor,
Not long ago, the act of duping people in the Ghanaian society got a new name: ‘Sakawa’. Without knowing where the name came from, suspected criminals hid behind their computers and stole cash from innocent victims.
No matter what name one will give to the act of deceit, trick, and stealing, the illegal act to gain favours in several ways has been with man since the creation of the world.
The simple explanation is that the act of stealing, deceiving or tricking someone to get favours is sophisticated in our time, and suspects keep changing their tactics every minute their styles are exposed.
As their tricks are exposed, suspected criminals change their style from stealing people via the internet to using the phone to tell lies to their victims in foreign countries to win favours.
The criminals formulate more lies, roping in influential personalities such as ministers, politician’s, philanthropists, celebrities, chiefs, security commanders, district chief executives, pastors, among others.
Some Ghanaians blame it on poor living conditions, forcing energetic and industrious youth to employ such tactics in order to ‘survive.’
When it comes to ‘Sakawa’, there are more scenarios or stories relating to people in Ghana making deceitful statements and telephone calls to dupe their relatives abroad.
The story is told of a suspect, who duped his uncle when he lied about suffering from life threatening condition, and needed money to settle his medical bills.
A woman was also said to have connived with a private school proprietor to sack her children from school for non-payment of school fees. The plot was to get her husband who lives abroad to send huge sums of money but she was exposed by a private investigator.
Another young man employed similar trick when he told his uncle that he was running a profitable business in Accra and needed money to expand operations.
The uncle was said to have returned to Ghana to inquire about the business only to be told that the “kiosk had been demolished by city guards.”
Many people devise various strategies to outwit their victims with the excuse that the economic situatuons are becoming unbearable. Some good-hearted people, out of pity, end up losing huge money as they fall for the trick.
But it is time we continued educating the young ones that there is no shortcut to creating wealth, and that it takes the fear of God, humility, patience, quality education and hard work to become rich.
Making deceitful statements to make money is not worth it and there is no blessing for doing that and those who indulge in this practice must advise themselves.
Stephen Quaye,
Dansoman, Accra.
Dear Editor,
I have witnessed a very dangerous practice by some food vendors who use stones and other heavy objects as weights on leaking gas cylinders.
This is very disturbing. Despite repeated warnings from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), many vendors continue to ignore the risks associated with such practices without considering the danger they pose to people nearby in the event of an explosion.
Many food vendors operate close to fuel filling stations, increasing the possibility of a major disaster if leaking gas ignites during heavy rainfall.
Ghana cannot afford another tragedy like the June 3 disaster, when torrential rains and a massive explosion at the GOIL fuel station near the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange claimed more than 150 lives.
It is unfortunate that some vendors still use unsafe and damaged gas cylinders instead of replacing them. Covering leaking cylinders with stones is not a solution and only exposes lives and property to danger.
On one occasion, I tried to educate a food vendor around my area who had used a stone to cover her gas cylinder on the danger of her action but ended up getting the insult of my life.
I would therefore like to appeal to all relevant stakeholders, especially the GNFS and other security agencies, to intensify public education and enforce safety regulations.
Authorities should ensure that vendors who engage in such dangerous practices stop immediately. Faulty gas cylinders should be seized, and users compelled to replace them with safer ones.
Taking these preventive measures will help protect lives and property and prevent the country from experiencing another avoidable tragedy similar to the June 3 disaster.
Timothy,
Abelenkpe
Dear Sir,
I write to express concerns about the flood situation in the capital anytime it rains.
This is an issue that has been thoroughly discussed at various platforms even before the start of the rains, so one expected that we can see some readiness for the season.
However, the kind of floods we are experiencing now are not ones that authorities must sit unconcerned about; there must be action right away.
Places like Adjirigano, Kaneshie, Alajo, Avenor, parts of Kasoa have all seen flood waters risen to unprecedented levels.
Clearly, we have a big problem at hand. It’s either our drains are choked or have become too small. Something must be done about this to avert a much bigger problem.
Christine Amoh,
Odorkor
