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Opinions of Sunday, 22 March 2015

Columnist: Adom,

Of The Grand Cherokees And The Harsh Realities Of Poor Education & Health Infrastructure

By Kingsley Komla Adom

Health facilities have consistently been crying for help in order to up the quality of service they provide for the most parts.The basic equipment to even use to administer preliminary treatment to hospital clients are non-existent.

There have been a multiplicity of media reports about these in an attempt to garner some kind of support from all quarters,however small.

Only a few times have we seen some individuals and corporate entities come to the rescue of these poor health facilities by donating hospital supplies,medication,and infrastructure in this regard.

Some communities simply do not have the slightest hint of what a health facility looks like,thoughtless of going there to get attended to when they have issues.

Some health facility lacking beds

In the education sector,the situation is just as curious - schools under trees , the senior high schools without safe accommodation for students,those without beds and desks,those who live with reptiles on the same premises,Junior high students who travel 5+ kilometres before getting to a desk-less school for class,among others,have long since been a major headache and cause of concern for everybody.

...And I've just seen a story on Tv3 about a senior high school in the Upper East Region,which lacks infrastructure - and students are compelled to share one bed (two is-to-one).

The issues are numerous - the responses,next to nil.

But some company in this town hasn't thought of uplifting the status of this school and many others in similar or worse scenarios .

Instead,they purchase some 30+ Jeeps to be given as gifts to footballers,who themselves drive the fanciest cars home and abroad and have already been lavished with $25,000 package for finishing second at the AFCON.

(not forgetting the flat rate they all bagged for their participation at the tourney - regardless the finish they made)

This company is not alone in this form of "madness".

Many more companies have down the years embarked on similar ventures,paying no attention to the dire health and education situation in rural Ghana.

But then we cannot ran away from the fact that these companies have a motive to which they do these things.In the long run,they would win favours from governments,they would have policies go in their favour,they would have tax waivers and all of that.

So in the end - the rich become richer and the poor become poorer.

I'm thinking - the kind of development the cost of just one of those Jeeps,for example can bring to our underserved schools in rural communities alone could be monumental.

As usual,we have our priorities messed up all day,everyday.

Small Advice To Companies: we know the government-relations you build by doing these things,but please while we spend on the already money-invested persons,groups,let's remember to at least upgrade the sorry facilities called schools and health facilities we have in this town.

It would not the least hurt your revenue and finance bag,considering the humongous sums you spend on other things.

#SadandHarshReality