Lights On Our Streets

Some of the criminal activities taking place in the Accra metropolis could be attributed to lack of good lightening system in those areas.

It is surprising that even deep in the night lights are not switched on in many ceremonial streets of the metropolis. Where beams of lights might be, they might be coming from residences near the streets.

The dark streets and alleys provide suitable places for criminals to operate. Even people who might be brave to rescue victims of criminal attacks would fear for their own safety and therefore decline to take any action.

The recent energy crisis in the country can no longer be an excuse for failure to provide street lights at important places like the Airport to Accra Central road, the Ring Road through Kwame Nkrumah Circle to Osu Oxford Street and other ceremonial streets.

Whatever might be the problem, the authorities must find a quick solution to it before it does more harm to the country and its people. The situation does not befit a country like Ghana.

Many developing countries have no hydro-electric generating plant facilities but are able to provide all their energy needs, including the provision of lights in their streets.

The poor situation is creating a negative image for the country and portraying it to the outside world as a backward country whose people are not civilized.

The unavailability of lights in our streets could also drive away potential investors, who might arrive in the country at night. The darkness which might stare at them in the face could make them change their minds about investing in a country where the energy situation is not stable.

The irony is that while street lights are not available in some important streets in the metropolis, lights in certain areas are kept on for long hours after daybreak. It cannot therefore be said that the unavailability of street lights is due to insufficient power.

Rather, it is a problem of irresponsibility. People who have been put in charge of the lightening system might have neglected their duty.

It is absurd that lights would be kept on at 9am in the streets at certain places while the facility would not be at very important places at night.

Just in case everybody in Accra would resolve to put on only three of the lights in their house every night, we believe there would be surplus power to provide lights in the streets.

This would be the highest display of patriotism if the people could do this voluntarily. The people would only be disappointed if at the time they would be sacrificing for Mother Ghana others would be putting on all lights in their homes.

DAILY GUIDE appeals to all Ghanaians to make individual and collective efforts to ensure that lights shine in the streets every night.