FAITH AND THE RIGHT TO HEALTH AND LIFE OF A CITIZEN (The Case of Children)

Section 79(1), (b) of the Criminal Offences Act of 1960 (Act 29) states that "A parent is under duty to give access to the necessities of health and life to the child who is not of age and capacity as to be able to obtain those basic necessities".

This is what the law stipulates when it comes to the issue of children having a right to health and invariably life. To think that some person(s) or organisation(s) would want to deny the child, who has the potential of being a great leader in some capacity in this sovereign nation, this right is abominable, criminal and should not be tolerated as stated in the Criminal Offences Act of 1960 and should be treated as such.

Of particular concern to this article is the belief of the Jehovah Witness-- that they are not to accept blood transfusion of any kind-- and how it truncates life of persons belonging to that faith who find themselves in a situation where they need blood to live. Of even greater concern is the child who has no say in the decision to live or die in such a situation. As per the Act stated above, parents are to serve as facilitators for children in accessing health care and all that leads to their right to life. I believe we should all be given the opportunity to choose between life and death. It is not the duty of parents to decide whether their wards would live or die based on a trivial decision such as that of blood transfusion. That, my friends, would be a shame to what we are fighting for in this world, that is, progress.

I am not schooled in the doctrines of the Jehovah Witness, hence, I can't write about how they came to the decision of not accepting blood that can save their lives. I don't really have a problem with adults choosing not to continue their "miserable" lives, no, not all. I have no empathy for such people. However, when these 'MISERABLE' parents want to make that decision for their wards because they are unable to do so for themselves because of the limitations placed on them under the constitution and Legislative Acts, then I have a huge problem.

It is important that we preserve life. God, the creator of the universe (as believed by most, myself included) is a major proponent of preserving life. I also believe strongly that God approves of methods developed by mankind to save lives medically. That is to say, God is biggest fan of technological advancement. After all, he did say, he created us in his image. Thus we have his nature (in this case, the ability to save lives). To think that an organisation like the Jehovah Witness don't believe in this philosophy baffles me a lot. This is because they profess belief in this same God I talk about. Albeit their different approach to the philosophy of God and all about him; essentially, one fact is explicit, they do believe on One God, the creator of the universe and the giver of life. Are they trying to tell us that this God, the one who blessed us with this gift of medicine and the knowledge to advance it, is foolish for giving us such a precious gift to preserve the human race?

The time has come for society (you and I), to take a firm stand on this issue. No parents in this sovereign state has the audacity to deny a child the right to health and life; especially when there are ways and means of preserving that life. This is a call to duty to all responsible agencies (child welfare, law enforcement agencies, the family and the government) to take the bull by the horn and crush such primitive and immature beliefs in the name of God.

WE SHOULD BOLDLY SET THE RECORDS STRAIGHT ON THIS ISSUE, SO THAT THOSE WHO BELONG TO THIS ORGANISATION ( JEHOVAH WITNESS; NO OFFENSE INTENDED) BECOME INFORMED THAT AS FAR AS THEY LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND CALL THEMSELVES GHANAIANS, THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE LAWS ENSHRINED IN THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LEGISLATIVE ACTS OF THIS COUNTRY.

ESTABLISHING THE MOTIVATION BEHIND TEACHERS' UPGRADING THEMSELVES AND HOW IT SHOULD IMPACT STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOLS (PAR

Before any person decides to take certain action(s), there would have been the need to assess the cost/benefits of such action(s). When this is done, there will also be the need to find convincing reason(s) (motivation) to carry out such action(s). Whenever we talk about students performance and the role of teachers of this country, there is the need to think in this respect too.

Once again, the tardiness with which the government and people of this nation are dealing with the problems and challenges within the educational system has been questioned. From what I am gathering, there is an urgent need to overhaul the system 'pronto' if this nation is to have a future. Over the past decade, I have witnessed a number of certificate teachers going to upgrade their qualifications to degree equivalents. The dichotomy of this situation (teachers upgrading themselves while students performance keeps plummeting) demands that we pay heed to the core motivation for such actions. Why are teachers upgrading themselves and why are students not benefiting from these upgrades?

BETTER WAGES/SALARIES

Firstly, the thought of better wages/salaries is enough a reason to encourage most people to upgrade themselves. For teachers, speculation of an introduction of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) was the final signal/reason to do so. This is because the rumours that surrounded the introduction of the SSSS meant that those with higher qualifications were going to receive better salaries or wages (the truth is this statement is not of particular importance to this write-up). I am certain that a detailed research into this matter will reveal that the desire to live in comfort is of particular importance to 'these teachers' and the last thing on their mind is how to ensure that the students are performing well (this is not in any downplaying the importance some teachers associate with quality education). However, priority demands that they take care of themselves first before they cater for others (students).

JOB SECURITY

To continue, I will like to believe that job security rather than student performance is another reason why there has been a surge in teachers upgrading themselves. The challenge we face in these times demands that one first thinks of how to establish a regular cash flow. It is crucial and pertinent for survival in a nation where living standards are becoming more expensive and the need for wealth is placed so high on the 'must achieve list' that it is causing some to even kill (not that this is new). The elderly who have been in the profession fear that young graduates will take over their jobs and they might have to answer to them. The thought of reporting to persons old enough to be their sons and daughters is encouraging most them to go to school to cement their positions in their jobs. This can also be associated with the burden of taking care of, in most cases large family sizes.

Finally, to put the dichotomy into perspective, there is the need to understand the dilemma associated with seeking better wages and having a secured job in relation to working on how to better student performance in our schools. The former is a necessary but not a sufficient condition to realizing the latter. If our teachers do not have the pleasure of knowing in their hearts, beyond all reasonable doubts, that their job is good enough to let them live the Ghanaian dream, then our students will continue to be at the point of loss, in terms of knowledge and wisdom. Thus, the poor performance we are witnessing over and over again in the BECE and WASSCE examinations. It will not be far fetched to surmise that there is a positive correlation between teachers upgrading themselves and how it impacts on students performance, however, this feat can only be seen in the long term when "the personal aspect" with regards to the motivation mentioned above" have materialized. Until then, we can keep praying and hoping that teachers, out of the goodness of their hearts, will heed to the call to produce great minds who are capable of leading this great nation of ours to the paradise we crave for so much.

AND HE SPOKE

Thirty-two (32) years down the line The Honorable Ex-President Rawlings still screams out to be an ardent and passionate adherent to the principle of 'probity and accountability.' Reading about what ensued on June 4, 2011 in Kumasi has filled my heart with such amusement. No wonder the nation is always agog when HE PLANS TO SPEAK. Does not being at the helm of affairs agitate him so much? I strongly believe he misses those days when he could order people around. Those days that the sound of his name spoke fear to the hearts of some and merry to others.

The reason for the success of the June 4 Revolution in 1979 was because the general populace were tired of the stench of corruption that had infested the nation. The whooping support enjoyed by the Flt. Lt. Rawlings and AFRC at the time was partially because of his charisma and what he promised to rid the country off (corruption perpetuated by SMC II). I will say that after this all this while, one thing still seems to be intact, he is full of charisma. However, he is cowardly, not in words, but in action.

After ruling the country for 19 years, the ex-president covered his tracks with an indemnity clause in the constitution of the country. What kind of coward preaches probity and accountability and hides behind an indemnity clause. Any time I hear him speak of corruption my heart becomes filled with laughter. Haven't we all heard about the Mabey and Johnson case? If the ex-president feels that some members of the erstwhile NPP government are guilty of corruption and he has evidence, it is his duty as a citizen of this beloved country to report such crimes and show evidence. May be he wants a vendetta for his wife. Sorry Jerry, not this time.

Wanted to write more but I THINK THIS IS ABOUT ENOUGH. LISTENING TO HIS SPEEC H AND I AM STILL AMUSED. HAHAHAA I LOVE HIS CHARISMA.

COULD IT BE A CURSE FOR POSTERITY?

I should warn that the content of this particular message might be apposite for some due to its subjective nature. However, I encourage all to read with an open mind. Thank you.

Before the 1992 Constitution, the people of this nation were officially regarded as a 'Christian' nation. However, this status changed to 'secular' when the Constitution became active. Needless to say, a secular nation does not imply we allow all mannerisms to take shape in this nation. It is true that we all have the right to liberty and association. Nonetheless, we cannot, as a traditional and a conservative nation, allow certain rights to override national or public interest. One of the numerous national interest (traditional Ghanaian and Christian expectation) is to encourage 'married' persons to bring forth a new generation that will continue to develop this nation and bring it to its place of glory. Conversely, the practice of HOMOSEXUALITY defeats this very purpose.

Homosexuality is ominous to the institution of marriage, as defined in traditional Ghanaian and Christian terms. It defeats the very purpose of continuity in human affairs and that to me is a 'no'. As a developing nation, we need to concentrate on behaviors and practices that promote continuity of the affairs of man (affairs here depicts economic affairs). Common sense tells us that, same sex practices will not in any way aid us in achieving this objective.

One might ask, "Do you have something against people who are homosexuals?" Well, the answer is definitely a no; on the other hand, I do have something against the practice. I believe those who are into this practice have the ability to change because human beings are dynamic. We should never hate on such persons; however, the act they engage in should never be encouraged or promoted. I am in no way suggesting that they be ostracized and looked down upon. That is derogatory and discriminatory. I rather propose that Love, encouragement and care (here there is the need to establish rehabs in the country for those who want to change from this practice) should be constantly shown to those who find themselves in such mishap to enable them get back to fulfilling their procreation duties as stipulated by the laws of nature.

God said we should procreate and Homosexuality does not support this cause. The institution of marriage has a pertinent goal, that is, procreation. Society is on the brink of destruction if this menace is not dealt with. We need to make this a national agenda and deal with the problem. Persecution, ostracizing, lynching, hurling insults and making derogatory remarks are not the best ways to deal with this issue. The sensitive nature of this issue demands that care and caution be exercised at all levels to address the problem efficiently and effectively.