Editorial
Demolition of structures at flower pot interchange a good move
Dear Editor,
I will like to commend the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Titus Glover for the bold step to destroy structures, including wooden tables and chairs set up by hawkers at the flower pot interchange which was recently commissioned by President Akufo-Addo.
Most of the hawkers and sellers expressed their displeasure about the action of the minister, while some have argued that the government has failed to get them a place to sell as promised.
Though they may have a point of not having a place to sell, I don’t think such an excuse should be the reason for them to be selling at the place.
We all remember the joy the commissioning of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange Overpass by former President John Dramani Mahama brought. The project looked so beautiful, especially in the night, when the lights illuminated the entire place.
Today, the story is different. The place look so dirty with hawkers, physically challenged people and drug addicts turning every space into their humble abode.
Some even go to the extent of taking their bath there. Anytime I pass by the place to the Circle lorry station, the stench from urine that emanates makes me feel sad.
With this, I think it is about time city managers, including the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, take drastic steps in ensuring that hawkers and sellers at unauthorised places are evacuated.
What I have also come to realise is that officials of the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, feel relaxed to take the necessary action in evacuating these hawkers from the unauthorised places.
We need to start going hard at some of these hawkers and vendors who sell at unauthorised places. We need to keep the capital city clean at all times.
It is in this vein that I congratulate the regional minister for taking the bold initiative of demolishing the structures at the flower pot interchange.
While I commend him, I will also urge the government to try as much as possible to find a place for them to sell their wares.
As citizens, we also need to change our attitude to ensure that the city is kept clean and neat.
Ella Akimbi,
Spintex
Editorial
Rising cost of renting in Accra worrying
Dear Editor,
It is the dream of every young adult to build and live in his or her own apartment or house and not become a tenant in another person’s house. However, such a dream looks far from becoming a reality when one considers the amount to pay to rent an apartment in the capital.
The situation has even become unbearable as the wages of most employed individuals are way lower what landlords charge.
As a young man who is not married, I always imagine getting married and live in a rented apartment with my family, and having to also pay for utility and other basic needs. That alone scares me about marriage.
In Accra, landlords take as much as GHȻ700.00 a month for an apartment with toilets and bathrooms, while some even take the same amount for single rooms without toilets and baths.
Also, one has to sometimes deal with the issue of individuals who are referred to as ‘agents’ when trying to find an apartment to rent. These agents even take monies and don’t even get their clients the type of houses they want.
We can not allow this to continue as most landlords and agents continue to extort monies from their tenants by ‘unreasonably’ increasing house rents on a monthly and yearly basis, thereby putting pressure on them.
I would like to urge the government to have a look at the rent control system of the country to ensure that tenants are not taken advantage of by landlords.
I have also seen young guys and ladies who try to move away from family houses and rent apartments because they want some privacy. My advice to such youngsters is that renting an apartment is not an easy thing, especially when you are not earning much. It is better to stay in the family house and rather save enough to get their own houses.
This is an area of concern government must take a look at and do something about it.
Atom,
Sukura
Editorial
Don’t prophesy to cause fear and panic
Dear Editor,
Curtains on the year 2024, is gradually drawing to close, with many, achieving their dreams while others hope for a better 2025.
Amidst this, churches have planned their watch night services with various themes for the night hoping to give Christians and Ghanaians at large a chance to enter the New Year with optimism.
At the service, there will prophecies or predictions for the coming year, with some causing fear and panic among the populace.
In the year 2021, the Ghana Police Service banned prophecies during 31st night services, also known as watch night services.
Such prophecies, according to the police has caused fear and panic among targeted persons
It seems churches and their leaders have forgotten about this ban, I wish to call in the police to remind the churches to enforce the ban which were mostly about the death of prominent persons in the society.
I believe this will again bring sanity into the Christianity and the society at whole
