Editorial
…of National Fitness Day and other ‘declarations’
Dear Editor,
Permit me to think aloud on the National Fitness Day announced and spearheaded by the Sports Ministry recently. I am told the day is to ensure good health among Ghanaians.
Although I do not have anything against the ministry and the initiative, I have been wondering whether we need to set aside a ‘special day’ before individuals and groups could or think of maintaining a healthy body.
We have consistently been told how regular exercise boosts the immune system and helps prevent diseases and I am aware of the numerous keep fit clubs that already exist in various communities for this purpose.
Why then do we need a ‘special event’ to keep fit”? There had previously been national ‘Sanitation Day’, which took off well but could not be sustained. There is ‘Operation Clean Your Frontage’ in force and we now have ‘National Fitness Day.’
Though these ‘campaigns’ serve as reminders and a call to action, I still wonder if we must always wait for something to be ‘declared’ before we do what is expected of us as individuals and citizens?
Mavis Boahene,
Suhum, Eastern Region
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
