Editorial
May the Stars bring laurels home
Dear Editor,
I am writing to add to the numerous congratulatory messages pouring in for the Ghana Black Stars, following their qualification to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
They deserve commendation just as they were chastised for the unimpressive show at the just ended Africa Cup of Nations. Their performance on Tuesday in Abuja was, indeed, an improvement on the effort put in during the first leg at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
Although the Nigerians had the possession throughout the game, the determined Stars held on until the final whistle. In spite of the massive home support their opponents enjoyed, the technical bench rallied all their arsenals to ensure the team did not fail.
And, now that the bragging Nigeria is out of the way, lot more would be expected when the Thomas Partey-led squad arrives in Qatar later in November this year.
Critics say the victory was as a result of luck or divine intervention and I want the Stars to prove the naysayers wrong when they meet tougher opponents at the World Cup.
With a few months to the world showpiece, the sports ministry, team officials, and individual players must do what it takes to raise the flag of Ghana higher in Qatar.
While at it, I must say the post-match incidents in Abuja are condemnable. Football is not war therefore teams must learn to lose honourably. I am looking forward to the sanctions the Confederation of African Football (CAF) would impose on the Nigerian fans for their hostility towards the Ghanaian delegation.
Probably, the “giants of world football” may be on the way to hinder the progress of the Black Stars in Qatar but I am confident they can still defy the odds and bring laurels home this time.
Farouk Tindani,Cape Coast
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
