Opinions of Wednesday, 17 April 2019

Columnist: Plance Victor Raul Puobabangna

National agenda! Na who cause am?

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Hmm! In the course of the work I do, I come across a lot of sickening and deplorable conditions faced by most of our brothers and sisters living in rural and deprived communities within the country.

You visit some rural schools or healthcare facilities at some hours of the day and you will be lucky to sight a teacher or healthcare staff there. Na who cause am?

There are cases where teachers, nurses, etc. refuse postings to these rural areas through no fault of theirs if one is to be fair to them. Na who cause am. Yes, a lot needs to be done!

Some, including myself, will be tempted to suggest that the government has to be firm when posting nurses, teachers, etc. to these areas and ensure that none do ‘connection’ to be re-posted. Yes, that is a good call to some extend but will that be fair to those posted there too?

Some nurses, teachers, etc. refuse postings to some rural areas not because they wish to (though some have no genuine excuses not to) but because conditions there are not favourable to those there (From birth) not to talk of a stranger for that matter. So, na who cause am?

That said, we as a country needs to do much in ensuring that the basic needs required to keep nurses and other health staffs or other staffs in other institutions such as the teachers, etc. are catered for.

Some of these necessities are accommodation, better remunerations or motivation allowance for accepting postings to rural areas, etc. could be provided to motivate them to accept postings or stay when they do get there. It wouldn’t be fair to pay nurses in say urban areas and those in rural areas the same salary. That goes to any other field.

Just as our leaders of old thought of establishing an allowance scheme at teacher training and nursing training colleges to motivate and entice or make these professions attractive to people, so should our of today come out with similar policies to entice nurses, teachers, etc. to willing accept postings to rural areas.

That also not said, what if as a nation, we set forth to build or improve upon our infrastructure or logistics at the healthcare facilities or schools, etc. anytime we are celebrating a national activity.

For instance, say the independence. Especially now that we are set to rotate where we celebrate or host the national Independence day celebration; why don’t we decide to, in each and every celebration, prepare, construct and commission a school, healthcare facility, etc. or supply equipment or logistics to schools or healthcare facilities as part of the celebrations.

We could for instance, have say 62nd Independence Day School or Healthcare Facility. This could be put into a law. Could you possibly imagine the change or improvement or merit this could bring?

Even we the citizens, could dedicate a day in every month to contribute say 0.01p (1 pesewa) towards national targeted change activities and so on. We need a collective action if we will see the change we desire and wish to have as a people. Our brothers and sisters in those remote or rural areas definitely deserve to also enjoy some ‘Heaven on Earth’ too.

We are all one people with one destiny. Let’s start the agenda NOW to ensure they get the best of services too. Better and Quality Health Care, Good portable drinking water, Proper and better educational and Health Infrastructure, Good roads to at least transport the foodstuff they cultivate, etc. Let’s start a social media craze or campaign of that sort.

Let’s post or continue to post and solicit development or help for communities in die need of help. Let’s be citizens and not spectators. Ghana needs as all.

Just as we are crazy and passionate about politics and issues when they crop up, could we channel same energy into fighting to see development NOW? Why don’t we especially the media, pick a day within the week dedicated to just solicit such posts on communities or people in die need of help so people could post these pictures and videos to be collated by the media agencies so they can champion the fight to see a better GHANA NOW?

The call for development is a collective course and hence, has no colour or is no respecter of partisan or tribal lines. Let’s stand up and help build mother Ghana today.

Long live Ghana and God bless us all.