Growing up, some of us were made to understand that democracy is the building block of a country. Therefore a country without democracy may be in chaos. As a communication student, sometimes I am tempted to ask if the adoption of democracy has done us any good as a country?. Since the adoption of democracy in 1992, what can we boast of as a country in that regard?

With all honesty I laugh anytime I hear the word “Kabi ma menka bi amamuo”. A country where the laws of the country do not apply to those who make them, a country where the laws of the land only affects the ordinary citizens can never in any way practice democracy. The law was very clear with regards to the snatching of ballots by the ordinary citizens, kill him or her. And yet this same laws protects the lawmaker when he or she goes against them. Is quite absurd isn’t it? This is what my country calls democracy.

A country where the greedy leaders boast of having the interests of the ordinary people at heart. As far as I’m concerned, Ghana is having one of the most weakest educational structure in Africa. An institution where decision making prowess is at the lowest level. Decision making are made to satisfy the whims and caprices of those who are at the helms of affairs. The Management of the Ghana Institute of journalism has over the years made life a living hell for students. Those at the helms of affairs make decisions without putting into consideration the welfare of the students. The system do not help the students because it has been structured in a way that it benefits only the management. Students are finding it difficult to access the Learning Management System(LMS), students are not provided with bundle for their online studies. Rectification of problems caused by management with regards to students results is also an issue. A lot of Students could not complete school because management failed in their duty to rectify mistakes they created in the first place.

No structures have been put in place to address the problems of students. I believe is about time past students of the institute and other stakeholders put their heads together and help students in fighting against this tyranny. There is an Akan adage that says “Nsuo taa aponkyereni a w)gye w)”. Students have been suffering in silence and we believe this time around we need to speak up. Notice by the management of the institute instructing student to defer their course for a year due to late payment of fees clearly shows the kind of leadership the institute has. This in my humble opinion is an act of wickedness on the part of the management. An institute that tends to put the welfare of its students above everything else will not any way come up with these directives. We are speaking and we will keep talking until something is done about this unjust and unfair treatment from the management.

We will speak until our voice is heard. I believe is about time the President starts paying critical attention to decisions of heads of educational institutions on how they manage these institutions and if possible put measures in place in getting qualified and competent people to manage the affairs of these institutions.

Let’s push this to the door steps of the President. His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo Ayekoo!!

The writer is a level 300 student of the Ghana Institute Journalism

The ban on beaches and the social distancing protocols was breached on Sunday as a lot of people gathered at the beach to have fun in the middle of the pandemic.

The President in one of his address to the nation indicated that beaches should remain closed after the number of cases recorded shot up. Ghana entered the second phase of the corona virus pandemic and the general public was urged to adhere to the safety protocols which includes regular washing of hands, using hand sanitizer, wearing of nose mask and most importantly social distancing.

On Sunday afternoon about three hundred people gathered at the beach to have fun and in so going went against the President’s directives and had completely abandon the social distancing protocols.

Speaking to some individuals at the beach, they made mention of the fact that they have been coming to the beach every Sunday to have fun since the pandemic started. “We come here every Sunday to have fun. The police use to chase us every time but I believe now they are tired so they don’t bother us anymore”. Dominic Laryeh said.

Doris Okailey indicated that they come to the beach with friends and sometimes invite friends from other areas to have fun that’s why they have named it “Sunday Friends”.

“We have named it Sunday friends because on Sunday everybody is free, there is no work and so we invite our friends from different areas to come and have fun”.

Other individuals at the beach were of the view that, there is nothing like Covid-19, the government is rather using it as a means to scared them but they are not afraid.