Editorial
Welcoming the new IGP
Ghana today has seen the appointment of an Acting Inspector General of Police whose duty is basically to supervise the Ghana Police Service to carry out its policing duty throughout the country.
The Police is an important institution that helps to maintain peace and order or security in our communities and other parts of the country. In otherwords, to protect lives and property.
For this reason, the appointment of Commissioner of Police (COP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare to succeed the former IGP, Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh, who has retired, is a step in the right direction.
The credentials of Dr. Akuffo Dampare is quite impressive so together with his practical skills as a distinguished police officer, it is expected that the Ghana Police Service will see tremendous changes sooner than later.
Changes are already happening in the transfer of certain officers from where they are at the moment to new places and it is expected that these changes, based on certain observations, would yield positive results.
The Ghana Police Service needs reorganisation and retraining to deal with armed robbery and other crimes that are being committed in different parts of the country.
Enforcement of Police actions, it must be noted, is based on dependable intelligence and information. We, therefore, expect the IGP and his men to extremely depend on these to perform creditably well.
The point must be made, however, that crime combat does not depend on the Police alone, but on all of us in the country. People must be prepared, based on their observations and suspicions, to volunteer credible information to the Police.
If this is done well, the Ghana Police Service will prove to be a very efficient and dynamic force to reckon with.
Where changes are necessary, the new IGP must not sit on his comfortable chair, but swiftly move to ensure that new ideas are implemented regarding necessary changes so as to be able to obtain the optimum results as far as police duties are concerned.
The Spectator congratulates the new IGP on his appointment and wish him well in his endeavours.
It is believed that he will live up to expectation so the entire population, irrespective of where they find themselves, must cooperate with him in the interest of our dear nation.
Editorial
Parents urged to take responsibility for sex education
Dr. Francis Wuobar, a Gynaecologist at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua has urged parents to take the lead in providing sex education to their children, stressing that they were in the best position to guide them through the changes of adolescence.
According to him, sex education remained a taboo subject in most Ghanaian homes, a culture that must change to prevent children from seeking misleading information elsewhere.
“With the evolving nature of society and technological advancements, today’s children will either learn about sex on the internet or from their peers, who may offer wrong advice,” he cautioned.
Dr. Wuobar noted that the health system and society often concentrate on the reproductive stage of life, neglecting the adolescent and menopausal phases.
“When a woman reaches the reproductive period and gets pregnant, everyone rallies around her. But before that stage, during adolescence, there is little attention and guidance, which has contributed to the rising cases of teenage pregnancy,” he explained.
He observed that many adolescents lack access to counseling and adolescent clinics, creating a vacuum that forces them to explore on their own.
“The answers they seek, adults and parents are not willing to provide. Their peers, who are equally uninformed, become their only source of advice. This exploration is one of the major contributors to teenage pregnancy,” he said.
Dr. Wuobar therefore called on parents to create open and confidential spaces for discussion, where children can freely ask questions about sex, puberty, and relationships.
He emphasized that parents must help adolescents understand the consequences of unprotected sex, the changes they go through, and what choices were right or wrong.
“Today’s generation is curious and asks questions, unlike in the past when children were silent. Parents should not rebuke them but rather engage them seriously and guide them through this turbulent stage,” he advised.
He further appealed to the health sector to establish more adolescent clinics across the country to give young people safe spaces to seek information and counseling.
That, he said, would help reduce the high incidence of teenage pregnancy and support adolescents in making informed decisions about their sexual health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
Editorial
Addressing unhealthy conditions at Akropong Mandela Market
Dear Editor,
The Akropong Mandela Market, a vibrant centre of commerce, has been in a terrible state for over a decade now.
Central to the problem is a public toilet located near the market, which has become a breeding ground for diseases and a source of discomfort for both food vendors and customers.
This toilet, utilised by everyone in the town, is positioned too close to the market, severely affecting the vendors who spend long hours selling their goods.
They are constantly exposed to unsanitary conditions mixed with foul odours emanating from the facility.
Agnes, a vendor at the market is sad about the apparent lack of concern from those responsible for maintaining the toilet. Despite collecting user fees, there seems to be little effort to keep the facility clean and hygienic.
The situation at the Akropong Mandela Market highlights the urgent need for effective waste management and sanitation infrastructure in public spaces.
Authorities must take immediate action to ensure the facility is regularly maintained and cleaned. Vendors and customers deserve a safe and healthy environment to conduct their daily activities.
In the meantime, the vendors are urging local government officials to intervene and find a lasting solution to this problem.
Only through collective action can the health and well-being of both vendors and customers be safeguarded to restore the Akropong Mandela Market to its former glory as a thriving commercial hub.
Addo Sarah Ansah Student,
UNIMAC–IJ(BACS26275)
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