Editorial
Christian Atsu, rest in perfect peace!
Hundreds from all walks of life trooped in to show solidarity during the funeral and burial of Christian Atsu who was peacefully laid to rest yesterday.
What was beautiful about the whole event was the presence of all kinds of people from all nooks and crannies.
They included top government officials such as President Akufo-Addo and the Minister of Youth and Sports. Others included some members of the Diplomatic Corps and other officials.
The funeral attracted current and former footballers, sportsmen and women as well as some Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians.
This was not surprising because the late football star dedicated his life to serving humanity. He was not only interested in addressing the needs of his family members, but also attended to people who were in need of assistance.
He could have committed himself to serving the interests of his family alone. However, he had a big heart for all people who were in need.
Christian Atsu did all he could to serve the interests of humanity, which explains why his name is written in gold in the hearts of Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians alike.
The presence of President Akufo-Addo and other government officials showed that they had great respect for the football star and his family. This truth is not far-fetched.
Many football enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts were all willing to be associated with the event.
It goes to show that any little good work we carry out in this world, will always be remembered. This is a lesson that must be followed by humanity all.
A healthy and strong player of the calibre of Christian Atsu should not have ended abruptly the way it did. However, it is difficult to understand why such sad things occur.
We take comfort from God, who created heaven and earth and all the things in them.
At the same time, The Spectator wishes to comfort his immediate and entire family. They should continue to put their trust in God.
The family should be proud that they have been able to produce a kind-hearted person like Christian Atsu who came into this world to serve humanity.
The entire country is sad, but we believe strongly that the works he did on earth will not be in vain.
Like all departed souls, we ask for God’s grace and mercy for him.
May the Almighty God grant him peace and receive him into His bosom.
Christian Atsu, rest in perfect peace. We will always love and remember you.
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
