Editorial
Respect road safety regulations
According to reports, despite many interventions by the Ghana Road Safety Authority (GRSA) and the Department of Urban Roads (DUR), pedestrians at the Tamale-Bolgatanga junction continue to violate road safety regulations.
When the GRSA and the DUR realised that some pedestrians were crossing the roadway inappropriately close to the interchange, a concrete barricade was reportedly built when the junction opened in March 2022.
Our reporter has observed that the measure has not curbed the menace. In an interview with some of the pedestrians they cited the distance to the nearest crossing point as a reason for disregarding the barricade.
Others asserted that they were unaware of the barricade’s significance or planned use. They did, however, recognise that crossing to the other side carries some risk because there could be an accident with a car using the interchange.
Despite the risks, same obstinate behaviours are also seen in Accra, particularly on the N1 highway and other locations. Some people choose to cross major highways by unapproved routes, even though this behaviour has resulted in the deaths of several pedestrians.
The Spectator is worried about the trend and requests that the Metropolitan Assembly and other relevant authorities launch an awareness campaign to inform pedestrians of road regulations so they better protect themselves from death.
Thus, we applaud NRSA’s decision to further up its “Stay Alive!” education initiatives and include stakeholders in road safety.
To discourage other pedestrians from acting similarly, authorities must be on the lookout and arrest disobedient individuals. In accordance with Section 3 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 154), it is illegal for a pedestrian to cross over or utilise an underpass when one is available.
“Upon summary conviction, an individual found guilty of violating this regulation faces a maximum fine of five penalty units, a maximum sentence of seven days in jail, or both.”
To stay safe, we also implore everyone who uses the roads, especially pedestrians, to follow the laws and guidelines set forth by the authorities.
Editorial
Check cases of drug abuse among youth of Shukura and environs
Dear Sir,
I write this letter as a concerned citizen of the country to bring to your notice the increasing rate of the intake of hard drugs by the youth of Shukura and its environs.
This issue is of great concern because of the negative impact of the hard drugs such as tobacco, cannabis and heroine on the youth in the area.
The situation has created a state of insecurity as residents find it difficult to walk around at night for fear of being attacked by these drug addicts.
Strangely, there is a police station in the community but police personnel either don’t show any interest in their activities or struggle to track their activities.
This has given them some freedom to misbehave around the area and endanger the lives of the people.
At this stage, it has become important for the residents in the community to collaborate with the police in addressing the issue.
I want to implore the police in the area to conduct patrol exercise in the area, especially at nights.
That aside, I would want to urge the authorities to embark a campaign on drug addiction in the area to let the youth know and understand the dangers and harm drugs exposes them to.
Chris Nii Narh,
Shukura
Editorial
Discuss mental health disorders among health professionals
Dear Editor,
As individuals who visit health facilities, we are always expectant of being received by medical professionals in very good moods.
These same medical professionals, including nurses, have always been on the receiving end of a backlash for failure to do so.
However, what we often fail, as citizens and patients, to realise is that these medical professionals are also humans who are faced with a lot of stress and burnout, a situation that affects their mental health.
Although there is no data on mental health of health workers in Ghana from the Mental Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), some research statistics could be obtained from some public research.
For instance, a comparative study conducted by researchers at the Volta Regional and Ho Teaching hospitals in August this year revealed moderate and high levels of stress among the nurses in these two hospitals.
Mental health issues among health workers in Ghana is one that is less talked about.
Its negative impact was largely felt during the COVID-19 period, when medical professionals had to work for longer hours. Imagine a nurse who is stressed out and is required to give an injection to a patient.
This is why there is the need for the government and the GHS to address the issue of mental health among medical professionals with all seriousness to avert any negative outcome.
Benjamin Arcton-Tettey,
Accra
