The Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana National Ambulance Service and the Ghana Police Service have all received a lot of fire from the general public for not properly and effectively dispatching their duties. These three bodies are very important when it comes to national development and citizen security and as such any element of ineffectiveness must be dealt with promptly.
While these agencies might be effective in ordinary situations, the same cannot be said when it comes to emergencies. This is however very disheartening because it is in these situations that their expertise are very much required. The fate of one’s life or property can be determined within a short period of crisis and in most cases; the situation is not salvaged because of delay. Most people in the country have lost faith in these agencies because they no longer find them reliable.
Fires keep gutting down people’s property with the fire service being almost helpless in these situations. In most occasions, a building is burnt beyond recognition before the fire service finally arrives. Loss of lives as a result of lack of immediate medical attention or first aid during accidents and assaults is quite problematic. Also, crime rates keep going higher and higher with very few criminals being apprehended.
There are a number of factors that might result in the unproductiveness of these agencies and other state agencies, one which is the difficulty in locating the place of need. This is not to put all the blame on improper residence addressing but to tackle an issue that might be of great benefit in ensuring property security for the entire populace.
Most people have witnessed houses torched to ashes before the arrival of the fire service as a result of difficult in locating the place of need. Directing them to these houses becomes very difficult as there are usually no street names or house numbers and even if there are, no one is really familiar with them. Another scenario is in the case of armed robbery. The armed robbers might finish robbing and leave before the police arrive as a result of this same predicament in our society.
Most people who could have survived if proper first aid was given lost their lives because the paramedics were not on time. In Ghana, unskilled people usually have to take matters into their own hands in order to save a life because waiting for an ambulance to arrive might just prove futile. Inasmuch as people want to help out, sometimes the damage caused as a result of helping might even be more than what was caused by the sickness or accident. First aid is not emphasised in our schools and societies and yet we do not have paramedics who would be available to us when we need them the most.
It is quite sad that in spite of all these losses, very little is done to remedy the situation. One great benefit of street naming and house numbering is security of property. Acquiring property such as a house, furniture, vehicle etc is very difficult, especially in times like these and therefore it is expedient that measures be put in place to ensure that these properties are well protected. Unlawful acquisition of our personal belongings by other persons are prohibited by the police. It is the responsibility of the police to ensure a safe environment and good living condition for citizens and also to thwart the operation of thieves and armed robbers.
In the unlikely situation that a house is attacked by armed robbers or thieves, it is expedient for the members of the house (if possible) or neighbours who might be aware of the problem to inform the police. Difficulty in locating the place of robbery by the police might however result in the raiders leaving the scene before the arrival of the police.
This issue has also been a major problem in the country and has in one way or the other negatively affected individual and national development. Once in a while when such an unfortunate incidence occurs, the topic of proper house addressing is usually raised but put to rest within a short time when things calm down.
No government so far has put in drastic measures to help mitigate the problem and provided a lasting solution to it. The reason has to do with improper town planning. The problem doesn’t just lie with government but also with the behaviour of the masses. Engaging in the culture of building haphazardly without following laid down procedures and plans has become the norm for most communities. Taking a walk along the streets in some areas, one cannot help but notice some buildings with such instructions as “REMOVE BY ORDER’ usually from the assemblies. Someway somehow, these unauthorised buildings are not removed and still remain there. Can this be attributed to the incompetence of these assemblies or to the fact that some people working there prefer to wet their throats with bribes rather than ensuring that the right thing is done.
Whatever the reason may be, allowing buildings to spring up without necessary consideration such as following the laid down plan of the area has resulted in difficulty in ensuring proper address systems for homes. Government from time immemorial has tried to curb the situation not from its roots but from its branches. Waiting for the situation to get out of hand and then asking people to vacate their homes and sources of livelihood to ensure that orderliness is achieved has become the order of the day.
It is not just about making laws but more importantly, about implementing them. Acceptable but effective measures must be put in place to ensure proper town planning. The damage that has already been done should be controlled and further damages avoided as much as possible. While implementing these measures, the well-being of citizens must be the priority. If it becomes necessary for people to be relocate, the right measures must be used to avoid creating discomfort.
It is imperative that Ghana moves from the era of only waiting for matters to get out of hand before measures are put in place to mitigate the situation. Instead of waiting for the damage to be caused and then trying to correct them, why don’t we ensure that some of these losses are totally prevented? Anticipating some obstacles that might prevent progress is essential in planning and therefore crucial to development of the nation. Every government exists to give its citizens a sense of comfort and security, a safe environment to live in and the liberty to acquire a livelihood. Not being able to provide these basic necessities would not only negatively affect the ordinary citizen but would also debase the purpose of the government.
By John Wondoh
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