WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE

October is here again and most students from tertiary schools will be wondering what the month has for them since this is the month that most of them will have the opportunity to begin their service to the nation. 

Graduates travel all from various regions, cities, towns, and homes to other regions, cities and towns to serve their nation under poor conditions such as bad road networks, conflict in some of these areas and no electricity supply and to add insults to injury to work in a field they did not study.

Even though these graduates go ahead and serve in those areas, they do that with little or no enthusiasm at all just to cover the months as they come in order for them to take their allowances.

I would not be surprised if there are some national service personnel who won’t report to the field to work but will get people to sign their document for them to take their allowances.

What do we expect from theses graduates when they are made to do things they know nothing about, and besides don’t love what they are doing, it’s obvious that the desired results will not be achieved which in the end affects productivity. 

Employers always want experienced graduates to employ and yet the National Service Secretariat always posts graduates to various places to serve the nation for a year in areas they know nothing about.                     

Linking the poor performance of some junior high students to the National Service postings in as much as there are other causes of poor performance like some farming parents who are still not abreast with the significance of education, large class sizes, higher student-teacher ratios, lack of teachers, the needed desire for knowledge is not imbued into students from infancy, poor supervision of teachers and lack of infrastructure, the posting of wrong graduates to teach wrong subjects with a wrong attitude and interest is another area that must be checked by both the GES and the national service secretariat.

Governments, GES, parents and the students have all been blamed for the bad performance, but part of that blame should be put on the door steps of the national service secretariat for wrong postings.

Good results are always expected from students and yet teachers who are sent to teach them are mostly not qualified and don’t love the teaching profession hence poor attitude towards the process. The students I believe even though have certain pressing needs; positive attitudes from these teachers can go a long way to affect the morale of some students hence good results.  

The national service secretariat and for that matter the Ghana Education Service knows that when ever and individual is forced to do something unwillingly but does it because it is mandatory and because of the benefits it brings and not for the love of it, the outcome in most cases is not always the best.

 The Ghana Education Service should work hand in hand with the National Service Secretariat to ensure that service personnel’s who are posted to go and teach the young ones can really do good teaching before they are sent there.

There are those who will say it is not possible but it is if the country’s future matter to the authorities, then they can devise a way to do that.

That will be another step aside the rest in trying to ensure that students far from the city have access to dedicated teachers who love what they are doing and that can go a long way to affect the performance of students in those areas.

The level of productivity is very low because lots more of graduates are engaged in what they don’t like and have never studied but because of the need to survive they hold on to whatever they have hence the low input and low output.

The national service secretariat has come under scrutiny from various angles, but that notwithstanding the authorities should not play politics with it as that has been the norm with every issue that happens in this country, but rather consider the interest of the nation and also the youth it concerns in order to take decisions in our interest.

Article for Journalism Internship in the U.S.A

Many substances that affect the human mind – such as marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine – are banned in many countries as “recreational drugs.” Other substances such as alcohol, tobacco and caffeine that also affect the mind – are generally legal though regulated. Is this inconsistent? What should be the government policy for regulating substances that affect the human mind?

Many are the substances that affect the human mind, such as marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine. These substances are however banned in many countries whiles other substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine equally affect the mind are legal though regulated.

Most governments have not considered the effects of tobacco and alcohol especially on its citizenry, and though regulated has allowed people to use it and has affected their health.

What is not good is not good and must be condemned and for me I believe its about time Governments decide on banning these legalized but regulated drugs to deter people from using and when they flout the law  they should be dealt with. This would go a long way to ensure that citizens of a country remain healthy in order to work and support the productivity of the country and the world as a whole. 

Tobacco when smoked affects the internal system of the body as well as alcohol which eventually causes cirrhosis.  

Government should make policies that would ensure that no one uses the drugs or should increase tariffs on importation so that importers would feel the need to stop importing substances that affect the health of its citizens.

Journalism and Democracy - Keys to peaceful elections

Accra, Jan. 11, - In time past, Journalism and Democracy have been relegated to the background in most African countries due to wars, conflicts and power- drunken leadership, which has prevented the growth of most of these countries.

As centuries go by, Journalism is being regarded as the fourth estate of the realm due to its significant watchdog role in the governance of a country.

Despite these significant roles Journalism plays in governance, it cannot be done in a very hectic environment as it is seen in most African countries like Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Sudan and Angola.

Democracy as attributed to Abraham Lincoln as the rule of the people, by the people and for the people, is only words on paper as far as Africa is concerned because some African leaders themselves have not really understood what democracy really means.

All the same, some African countries like Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria, which practice democratic rule can boast of some level of growth in their countries in terms of peace and stability in governance as compared with war-torn countries like Congo, Sudan and Zimbabwe which experience little or no growth.

Though some African countries have embraced democracy and are practicing it, the fact remains that those European countries which practice journalism in a democratic environment for a long time have been and are still experiencing growth.

A look at the Ghananian public sector worker in the 21st century

Accra, Dec. 10. Ghana has gone through various kinds and types of transformations since it got independence in 1957. These changes, be they political, social or economic, can either be described as helpful and or less beneficial.

On the socio-economic front, the country has witnessed a lot of changes in the employment sector. Public sector workers through the labour unions have been empowered to stand up for their rights and fight for improvement in working conditions and salaries. 

The country has witnessed several demonstrations and strike actions from workers by various institutions and organizations, especially those in the public sector. This is the tool they use to back their demands when negotiations failed to produce favorable results and responses.

The consequences of such actions by workers on the economy cannot be underestimated and therefore every effort must be made to discourage labour unrest.  

Today, even though some believe the Ghanaian public sector worker deserves a pat on his back for his contribution to the country's socio economic development; many more are of the view that his contribution to productivity still remains low. Those who argued this way have cited poor attitude to work, laziness, lateness, bribery and corruption as some of the ills that still pull the public sector worker down. 

There is no doubt, however, that public sector workers are the backbone of government machinery and as such their contribution to overall productivity would determine the rate at which the country would grow and hence develop. This means that finding a common platform to address workers' concerns must also always be encouraged by all and sundry.

Public sector workers should be mindful of their action. They should not be influenced by their political and self aggrandizements. Working life in the public sector demands a positive attitude. Workers should also take into consideration the future of the young ones who are the future leaders.

Employers and Government must also try to understand the worker's needs and aspirations in order to provide the needed environment to enable him work for the betterment of the nation.

ACHIMOTA SCHOOL – THE SEWAGE STORY

Ghana as country is making it possible for every child of school going age to have access to education in a conducive environment, but same cannot be said for students of the Achimota School. The school has been faced with a sewage problem for sometime now and it is difficult to know what is being done about the situation because recently Achimota School is in the news for the same reason.
Viewers who watched the news can understand how unhealthy & urgent the situation is. The sewage according to the head mistress is affecting the health of students of the school.
The treatment plant of the school is almost non-operational and can no longer process waste well partially due to the fact that it was installed nearly 80 years ago, and since then the number of users has increased tremendously. Encroaches did not consider the health of the numerous students and went ahead to build on the land, and this have contributed to the increased sewage system’s deterioration.
The sewage system serves Achimota and its neighboring community.
The children are the future leaders of the country and their health should not be compromised for some few people in society.
The ministry of Education, The Ghana Education Service, and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly should act fast in favour of the students of the school. I believe its time for human rights advocates to rise and speak on behalf of these vulnerable children.
It is about time prospective land buyers make the necessary enquiries and consider the effects it might have on its neighbors before they go ahead and buy.

Legon Hall Committee expresses displeasure about JCR affairs

9/29/2008 7:23:00 PM

The Committee for Good Governance (CFGG) of Legon Hall at the University of Ghana, has expressed its displeasure about the conditions under which the Junior Common Room (JCR) executives have disregarded the supreme law of the Hall. A statement signed by Mr. Elvis Ampadu, chief spokesperson and Isaac Kwame Batun, a senior member, demanded an explanation from the JCR executives why they unanimously increased fresh students dues to GH��22 without due consultation. It said the legislative body of the hall, that is congress, had already ruled on GH��19.5. The statement also asked JCR to make available audited documents covering a loan contract of GH��6,000, which was being used to undertake projects in the hall.

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INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING

Used for Commentary on Radio Ghana on 

On 7 December 1987, the United Nations General Assembly by resolution decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. it was done as an expression of the UN’s determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse. Since that day, the International Day against Drug Abuse and illicit Trafficking is celebrated every year on 26th June. The theme for this year’s celebration “Think health - not drugs", aims to inform the public, particularly young people; about the harmful effects that drugs can have on their health. Drugs have the power both to improve and to damage health depending on the type of drugs used, the quantity consumed and the purpose for which they are taken. For instance, while aspirin can relieve pain, heroin can be highly addictive.

The increasing usage of addictive drugs is one of the fundamental social problems threatening various countries. The Day is therefore celebrated to create awareness about the damaging effects of illicit drugs on individuals, families and the community at large. Adolescent drug abuse is an important area a country like Ghana whose future is dependent on the youth must consider very paramount as the consequences impact directly on the individual and society. In a country like Ghana where the youth play an important role in its future development, parents must make it a priority to raise their children together to make them feel accepted. Besides that, they should monitor friends of their wards while ensuring that the extended family is strengthened to help raise responsible individuals, since lack of this are risk factors which can lead to adolescent drug abuse. Many people smoke because they falsely believe that cigarettes calm their nerves. Rather it releases epinephrine, a hormone which creates physiological stress in the smoker rather than relaxation. Smokers experience changes in body temperature, anxiety, sleep disturbances, fatigue, nervousness and the desire for more of the drug. Also, Alcohol abuse is a drinking problem that results in health consequences. The short- term effects include distorted vision, bad breath and hangovers while the long term effects include loss of appetite, liver damage, sexual impotence, heart and memory loss and skin infections. Illicit drug trafficking is a global black market in the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws. In many countries, drug smuggling carries a severe penalty, including death. Long term consequences and problem in societies are health socio-economic and political instability. Parents, teachers, individuals, organizations and government should get involved; by spreading the word about the campaign and organizing outreach or institutional events to help promote health among ourselves and the country as a whole.