Speak up against reckless driving — Prez
President John Dramani Mahama, has urged drivers to avoid reckless driving to prevent accidents on the roads during the Christmas season.
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He said it was crucial for drivers to avoid speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol to save lives and property.
President Mahama made the call at the President’s annual Christmas Party for selected school children at the Castle Gardens, Osu in Accra yesterday.
As usual, the pupils were feted to food and drinks and presented with assorted gift items.
The President advised the passengers, including children to speak up against reckless driving or the flouting of traffic regulations.
That, he said, was crucial to prevent accidents and the consequent injuries and loss of lives.
The President said often when the police deployed officers on the road, drivers complained that they were being harassed.
Rather, he said, the police were on the road to enforce traffic regulations and support the police to prevent accidents.
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Accident rates in Ghana go up during Christmas seasons due mainly to reckless driving.
Patriotism
President Mahama called for collaboration between the government and other stakeholders, to nurture patriotism and nationalism in children.
That he said, would make the children grow into responsible adults, who would contribute more to the country’s socio-economic development of the country.
President Mahama made the call at the President’s annual Christmas Party for selected school children at the Castle Gardens, Osu in Accra yesterday.
He expressed worry over the eroding sense of nationalism and patriotism in the country and their replacement by selfish values.
Civic education
President Mahama stressed the need for basic schools to pay attention to lessons on civic behaviour, courtesy and patriotism.
He said at his recent meeting with members of the Council of State, the issue of the waning sense of patriotism among the youth of the country came up strongly in their discussions.
Basic education
President Mahama said the government spent about 60 per cent of the educational budget on basic education alone to get the foundation right.
He said the capitation grant, the school feeding programme and the distribution of free uniforms and exercise books would continue to ensure quality education for every child of school age.
“More than 13 million textbooks have been distributed to meet the ratio of one pupil to one textbook in all the core subjects. All these actions of government are being taken to prepare you for your future," he told the children.
President Mahama impressed on the pupils that they could achieve academic excellence if they continued to be disciplined.
"If you achieve high academic laurels in school, the sky will be your limit in the future," he told them.
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The President advised the pupils to be always conscious of the environment and advised them against indiscriminate littering and also educated them on the need to conserve power and adopt preventive measures to help curb the spate of fire outbreaks in the country.
The Minister for Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, announced that the ministry would introduce a programme next year to whip up children’s interest in reading to help address the falling standards in English language proficiency among pupils and students.
She advised the schoolchildren to do their best and be proud of their country at all times.
So far, she said, more than 60,000 computers had been distributed under the basic schools computerisation project, while a number of teachers had been trained in ICT and supplied with laptops.
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basic schools to pay attention to lessons on civic behaviour, courtesy and patriotism.
He said at his recent meeting with members of the Council of State, the issue of the waning sense of patriotism among the youth of the country came up strongly in their discussions.