Editorial
Let’s help ECG apprehend cable thieves
As the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), works non-stop to provide users with high-quality, dependable, and safe energy services, it is unfortunate that thieves in the community want to steal and destroy the equipment owned by the company.
The activities of these vandals pose a challenge for ECG to carry out its primary responsibility of providing energy to residences, workplaces, schools, hospitals, communities, and industries, among other places.
At a press briefing recently, ECG expressed concern about thieves taking metal covers from switchgears, leaving them vulnerable to explosions.
Electrical disconnect switches, fuses, and circuit breakers are components of switchgear, which is typically placed adjacent to transformers and serves to isolate, control, and safeguard electrical equipment.
The metal coverings, according to ECG, shield the switchgear from the weather and are essential to maintaining ECG’s operational integrity and public safety.
According to ECG, the thieves destroyed about 15 switchgear units, which resulted in one explosion near the airport. ECG had to pay GH¢150,000 to repair these stolen parts.
The areas that have been impacted the most are Osu, Airport Residential Area, Ridge, and Cantonments, however it is imperative that this vandalism be stopped right now to protect both people and ECG equipment.
When there is a power outage, there are significant negative effects on businesses, which result in significant financial losses for people, organisations, and the country at large.
The public must be watchful to assist in apprehending those who engage in such behaviour in order to safeguard ECG installations in communities.
It is necessary to monitor the actions of scrap dealers because some of them just roam in town looking for scraps around landfills and other locations in order to turn a quick profit by selling them for scrap metal.
The Spectator therefore urges everyone to be on the lookout and cooperate with ECG to apprehend the thieves as these crimes endanger public safety as well as operational effectiveness.
Editorial
Merits and demerits of scraping betting tax
Dear Editor,
Over the past years, a lot of concerns have been raised about the rise of sports betting companies in the country, their operations, and how it impacted negatively on the youth of the country.
I have also witnessed how some of the youth go to the extent of borrowing money from friends or use companies’ money to stake bets, which they were not guaranteed of winning.
Due to this, I was happy when the previous government introduced the betting tax, as I felt it would deter the youth from engaging in it.
However, some Ghanaians hold the view that the betting tax would help create employment.
It wasn’t surprising to see the excitement that greeted the announcement of the scrapping of the tax by the Finance Minister.
My worry now is how, as a country, the youth can be discouraged from engaging in betting.
I believe that as the betting tax has been scrapped, it is about time that the government finds ways of addressing the issue of betting among the youth as it is becoming more serious than before.
I believe that there should be a multi-stakeholder engagement between the various stakeholders to proffer solutions to address them.
Editorial
Rail crossing point at circle- Kaneshie road needs attention
Dear Editor,
I read with happiness a letter published in the previous edition about the poor state of the rail crossing stretch of the Circle-Kaneshie road.
I totally agree with the concerns raised by the writer and I wish to add my voice to the call on the authorities to quickly work on that stretch of the road.
What the writer left out was the occasional happenings when vehicles break down on the rail line. I have witnessed that before.
It is not a comfortable thing driving on it at all. It is a huge dent on the beauty the interchange was expected to bring to the area.
The traffic it creates is a major inconvenience to people who are rushing to work.
I wish to appeal to the authorities to quickly do something about that portion of the road to make it convenient for drivers. Thank you for the space.
Maxwell Amamoo,
Odorkor
