Editorial
‘Ayekoo’ to all women
International Women’s Day (IWD), observed yesterday, March 8, honours women from all walks of life for their outstanding contributions to society, including their families, communities, and the country at large.
It is undoubtedly a special day for women since they are honoured for their accomplishments in the political, economic, cultural, and ethnic spheres .
Under the theme “Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress,” a number of events were held globally to commemorate the day with the goal of addressing economic disempowerment.
A few women in Ghana have been instrumental in the country’s fight for independence. Among them were Rebecca Naa Dedei Aryeetey also known as Naa Dedei Ashikinshan who was a political activist, businesswoman and a feminist and Akua Shorshoorshor.
Ruth Jiagge was a remarkable national and international champion for women’s rights and the first woman to hold the position of Appeals Court Judge in Ghana.
Women have played important roles in African cultures; Yaa Asantewaa, the warrior queen of Ashanti, is one such example.
Additionally, there are women today who have made substantial contributions to society in a variety of fields, including academia, research, entrepreneurship, farming, politics, business, law, and health.
Notwithstanding these successes, women continue to face numerous challenges, including sexual assault, human trafficking, domestic abuse, and other forms of violence against women and girls, which has led to a wider gender disparity.
ose the gap women must be empowered. This means that investing in women will help to speed development by assisting women-owned enterprises and making sure that financial policies meet women’s needs.
The Spectator exhorts men to always recognise and applaud women’s accomplishments, regardless of how small, and to motivate them to move up the corporate ladder.
Naturally, everyone should take the opportunity to celebrate the advancements made by women in the direction of equality on International Women’s Day, irrespective of their gender or gender identity.
Women, be confident and modest, but do not let any man use your gender as a weapon against you.
By working together, we can help create a future in which the rights and contributions of women are fully acknowledged and cherished. “Ayekoo” to all women!aa
Editorial
Kudos to Ho Teaching Hospital staff, but …
Dear Editor,
If there is any group of professionals that get bad-mouthed the most, then you are referring to nurses and medical doctors assigned to public hospitals across the country.
For this particular letter, I want to sing the praises of this same group of professionals that work at the Ho Teaching Hospital, famously known as Trafalgar.
Despite the work load and the mass casualties received at the emergency ward of the hospital, the welcoming nature of the nurses and the professional touch by the doctors can’t be ignored. My personal experience has got me travelling from my base in Accra to seek medical services from these professionals.
Special mention has to be made of the likes of Precious of the Pharmacy Department, Dr Brandon Banor (a maxillofacial resident) of the Dental unit, male nurse Justice assigned to the female surgical ward. Words cannot really do justice to their affable, professional caring nature. A simple thank you is all that I can say.
In the same vein, I can’t but call out the bad attitude of the auxiliary staff and contractors of the hospital.
Chief among them is some of the contracted bank staff that handle the payment section of the hospital and the patient registration section (those that check the status of the patient as to whether they are fee paying patients or NHIS sponsored).
The attitude at times leaves a bad taste in the mouth. One such occurrence was a night staff of the registration section who had her legs on the office table whilst talking to patients.
The CEO of the hospital needs to shine his torch light on this support sections before they erode the awesome performance of the direct medical staff of the hospital.
Thank you for the space.
Kwesi Manu
Accra
Editorial
Develop policies to address disability concerns
Dear Editor,
AT the beginning of the year, when I went to the bank to deposit money into my uncle’s account, I observed a very sad situation where a man in a wheelchair struggled to navigate his way around the facility.
This is because the structure is disability unfriendly.
As I stood and watched how the man struggled to move his wheelchair, I felt sad and wondered if this is how the life of a disabled person should be. It becomes worse if there is no one to offer help.
In Ghana, People With Disabilities (PWDs) are often treated differently and are often subjected to all forms of discrimination.
Most of these people find themselves in such a situation as a result of unfortunate happenings such as accidents and injuries.
It is, therefore, not appropriate for anyone to discriminate against them. Discrimination against such persons take many forms, including how buildings are constructed.
Most of the public structures are not disability friendly and impede their movement.
As a country, we should consider the PWDs in designing our structures. I also think that there should be a national policy that seeks to address this issue.
I have a strong conviction that when such a policy is developed by the government, people with disabilities would feel appreciated and also promote social inclusivity.
Ray,
Kasoa
