Editorial
Consumers must not be taken for granted
Dear Editor,
I think it is time Mr Kofi Kapito’s Consumer Protection Agency led a campaign to ensure consumers are compensated when personal electrical appliances get damaged as a result of power fluctuation or outage.
I had to dump my favourite sound system after it nearly caught fire due to a ‘wicked’ power outage experienced at my Baatsona residence recently. The most recent one occurred on Monday night around 9 pm.
When the power went off abruptly, it was restored after about two minutes but went off again. When it happens the power comes on with super high voltage which some of the appliances are unable to contain.
It was during one of these unstable instances that the most durable sound system I have ever had decided not to come back to life. I would have bought another one by now but not knowing when the next power outage would damage the new one too, I have decided to live without it.
Elsewhere, compensation from the service provider for this type of ‘inconvenience’ or loss of equipment would not be out of place; but that is not the case in our jurisdiction.
Although power surges are inevitable, I believe the electricity company could be more considerate any time there is a planned outage. Again, they must do well to ensure that operation of their systems does not go a long way to damage the equipment of consumers even when there is a genuine fault.
However, when the utility providers seem to be operating haphazardly without having the consumers in mind, then I would urge the public and key actors to start demanding compensation for any losses they incur as a result of ‘irresponsible’ power supply.
Frank Kumi,
Baatsona, Accra
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
