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Opinions of Friday, 30 September 2005

Columnist: Okyere Bonna

Why Are The Bathrooms Of Kotoka Int. Airport Stinking ...

....AND IN DISORDER? An enquiring mind wants to know.

Is Ghana so besmirched that even we cannot take care of sanitation at Ghana's premier and only international airport? Come on. This is the quintessence of not only how clean our nation is but how leadership in Ghana is deteriorating many sectors of our country. First impressions last long. And I must confess one of the easiest ways to assess how clean or neat someone is, is not by the clothes and perfumes they put on but how they keep their home, especially the bathroom.

Ghana could not manage Ghana Airways; now it's history. Are we also going to lose our only international airport through neglect and mismanagement? This is not to negate all the efforts being made but if we cannot keep bathrooms at our International Airport where all important guests and visitors pass through and use for convenience then there is little to be desired at what management at our international airport is doing. Can someone take responsibility of the place other than receiving fat paychecks and giving elaborate political speeches?

Below is an eye witness account of what is going on at Kotoka International Airport.

?I just returned from Ghana less then a month ago and there is something I have been trying to get off my chest. It is not directly related but it bothers me. It is about the departure hall at the Kotoka International Airport in the motherland. The bathroom in the departure hall really stinks very badly, no lights, and the sign for bathroom is improperly placed. The sign should be visible from the departure hall.

Also it is not easy to find out which is for Gents and Ladies. I hope through this medium something is done before I go back to inspect it at the end of the year. It bothers me because every thing at the airport before my departure was smooth, especially the new check in area etc and I was ready to give them some high points until I went to the bathroom. I am sure people have noticed this too. Why can't that bathroom room smell better than Amsterdam?s' schiphol?" (KBB).

(UNQUOTE)

I hope some one in management at the Kotoka International Airport will get this message and do something about the stinking and disorder at the hall ways and bathrooms. Or do we need to write a direct letter to the management. This could be a better option. Can someone provide us an address?

It is very critical that our government of today restores or keep the pride Kwame Nkrumah gave Ghanaians by building testaments/infrastructures like the Kotoka International Airport, Tema Harbour, Meridian Hotel, State House etc. If we can't build more infrastructures, at least we should maintain what Nkrumah had already provided. Leadership of Ghana wake up and be counted! History is there to judge you. Government must create some supervisory mechanism over all state assets and functionaries. The President does not necessarily have to tell the Ministry of Transportation how to clean bathrooms at Kotoka International Airport nor does the Minister of Transportation. However, government must help through her policies to create structures should that will supervise and receive/demand periodic reports. Until these independent or semi autonomous departments and institutions are requires by law to keep certain standards it is very difficult to maintain some decency as expected especially in a community where people are so passive and indifferent. Feedback MUST be required to a higher or different office in all sectors of our economy to ensure that good maintenance is in place to protect the few infrastructures that Ghana has.



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